Lela Walker is a board-certified, fellowship-trained hand therapist with a doctorate degree in occupational therapy. She has more than 10 years experience helping patients of all ages with a wide variety of hand and upper extremity conditions.

Ms. Walker’s professional journey started at the University of Alaska Anchorage with a bachelor’s in elementary education, then switched gears and dove into occupational therapy studies in a big way. She earned a doctorate in occupational therapy from Creighton University and, after practicing hand therapy in Anchorage for a couple years, was accepted into the prestigious Philadelphia Hand Center’s Evelyn J. Mackin Hand Therapy Fellowship Program. This unique advanced training gave her a deeper insight into the anatomy and function, surgical techniques, post-operative rehabilitation, physical examination and diagnosis and received mentoring from the “best of the best” in the field.

She herself became a mentor of young therapist after returning to Alaska. Today at OPA, she has over a decade of experience helping patients of all ages recover from injury, rehabilitate after surgery, and find relief from chronic conditions.

When she’s not helping others enjoy life, she’s doing just that – hiking, skiing, snowshoeing and exploring Alaska with her hubby and their critters.