Clinical Excellence Awards

2025 Clinical Excellence Award Winners

PVA Healthcare Summit + Expo
New Orleans, Louisiana
August 24 – August 27, 2025

The Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) Clinical Excellence Awards recognize and honor peer-nominated Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Clinicians who demonstrate clinical excellence among their professional peers and embody quality values in the care of people living with SCI, ALS, and MS.

As a third-year medical student at the University of Utah, Dr. Doug Ota was on track for a career in orthopedic surgery with plans to pursue a Fellowship in hand surgery. Then, a C5 burst fracture with a C6 SCI changed everything. Shortly after being extubated in the ICU, his neurosurgeon gave him a challenge and told him “You’re going to finish medical school.” He accepted the challenge, completing his PM&R residency and an SCI Medicine Fellowship at Stanford. He began his career as a physician, educator, and advocate at a VA SCI/D Center in 2000.

In addition to being an exceptional leader, team-builder and outstanding educator, he recognizes the importance of partnership among clinicians, spoke sites (even across the widest geographical area including the South Pacific), administrative leadership, organizations like PVA, and Veterans and their families for successful rehabilitation.

Dr. William Scott Doerhoff’s experience in public service has led him to offer consultation to local law firms that support the ALS population, serve as team captain for ALS fundraising events, and help create a system of dedicated ALS IDT members to offer Veterans with ALS weekly outreach, among many other things never stops improving the lives of Veterans with ALS. The COVID pandemic left the busy ALS clinic at his VA in fragmented disarray, and he stepped up. He didn’t wait to be asked because he could not ignore the chaos and knew Veterans and their families were counting on assistance. This PT Clin Spec jumped in to recruit, hire, and reorganize the entire team; sought out and implemented expert practices from the ALS trailblazer, VA Puget Sound; and introduced a powerful new tool to their state in the VA Video Connect ALS Exercise Classes. These virtual classes reached Veterans with ALS in the most rural corners of their catchment area.

Heather Pfleider is known for designing individualized, meaningful activities that restore confidence, independence, and joy.  She is a strong motivator, even for the most challenging individuals, and serves as an outstanding preceptor and role model for her peers from all disciplines. She has been instrumental in meeting the needs of all veterans by engaging multiple external organizations in partnerships that benefit both the Center she works at and the Veterans they serve.

Heather began her profession in Recreation Therapy with a young, paralyzed Veteran whose smile lit up the room. She asked him what activity he would most like to be able to do, and, like many 20-year-olds, he said “playing video games.” She tracked down a new adaptive gaming device across the country, still in Kickstarter stages. Soon, that Veteran wasn’t just playing games – he was teaching and mentoring other Veterans through adaptive gaming and playing along with them. Her work is not just about meeting therapy goals – it’s about bringing the entire team together to empower each Veteran to live fully.

Elizabeth Carbonneau goes far above and beyond, working well beyond normal business hours to coordinate care and ensure all Veterans with SCI, ALS, and MS get everything they need in an efficient and timely manner to maintain a good quality of life. One Veteran, recently paralyzed by a thoracic aneurysm, was angry about his disability and loss of control. He was described as difficult, resistant, and once even faked a cardiac arrest to get out of an intake screening.

On her first meeting with him, she introduced herself and recognized his necklace pendant with Mjolnir (MOLE-NEER), otherwise known as Thor’s Hammer. He was stunned when she called it by its name, but lucky for him she was familiar with both Marvel comics and Iceland’s Norse Mythology. This moment of connection laid the foundation for a four-year transformative journey for this Veteran. He didn’t trust many people and was reliably short-tempered with all VA staff, but he trusted her, speaking to her character and excellence as a clinician.

Dr. Thomas M. Dixon is a psychologist who understands that healing is physical, emotional, and often humorous. From helping Veterans with PTSD obtain service connection and affirming their ability to make their own decision rights to expertly navigating the humorous statements that unexpectedly appear, this psychologist, for decades, has helped Veterans at his center navigate SCI/D and effectively manage their emotional health, mental health, and family dynamics. For years, he has been the go-to for staff, Veterans, and their families. His calm presence and trusted counsel have made him a solid fixture, both in his SCI/D Center and across the system.

He is also a passionate educator. Every intern rotation for the last three years has included him, because he warmly welcomes them and accepts the challenge to educate them. This dedication is evident by his pivotal role in establishing a psychology residency in Rehabilitation Psychology, accredited by the American Psychological Association. He remains a leader in that program today.

Katelyn Murray is known for her tireless advocacy and creativity. She is an impressive and seasoned social worker who excels in her roles as an educator, peer mentor facilitator, and coordinator of all the discharge needs for Veterans across multiple states. She has worked tirelessly in teaching emergency preparedness, supporting Veterans facing intimate partner violence, and educating the public on the VA and SCI/D.

While she seamlessly navigates care for Veterans, she also has a creative side. She created a simulation experience that brought SCI challenges to life in the most powerful way, through perspective and experience. During their regional conference, she challenged physicians, nurses, therapists, and social workers to a wheelchair relay designed to give them a real-world taste of life with mobility challenges. What began as educational and fun sparked something deeper at the Center. The culture shifted, and staff became more empathetic, more proactive, and better advocates for durable medical equipment, environmental accessibility and functional independence.