About Us
Our History
In 2000, after 7 years teaching engineering at university level and 8 years designing computer workstations, Rick Sevier sold his successful computer company and decided to pursue a career in the Allied Health arena. His and his wife Yolanda, a LPN with 15+ years of experience decided to enroll in Oklahoma State University’s O & P Assistant Level associate degree program. While there, they also enrolled in the Pedorthic Precertification course. During that time, Rick developed two CD’s containing pedorthic terminology and pedorthic pathologies. These were intended for his personal use, but serendipitously ended up being the precipice for starting their educational company. After graduating OSU in 2003 with degrees in both O & P, obtaining various O & P manufacturer certifications, and becoming both Certified Pedorthists / Orthotic fitters and O & P Assistants, Rick and his wife Yolanda decided to start their own pedorthic practice: The Comfort Foot Store. Rick went on to complete his BS in education from OSU.
As a subset of the Comfort Foot Store (CFS), they created an Allied Health Education division in 2003. CFS Allied Health Education produced many ABC approved distance education CD/DVD’s. In 2006, CFS received an invitation to create curriculum for ABC’s new Certified Fitter of Therapeutic Shoes credential. The program was quickly approved and has since trained nearly 6000 fitters to date using both live format and NCOPE approved Distance Learning Technology. It was the only CFts program to have a 100% pass rate in 2009. Also in 2006, both Rick and Yolanda were asked to be adjunct instructors in OSU’s O & P program, now a Technician level class, to teach both pedorthics and orthotic fitting. Rick and Yolanda left OSU in the fall of 2008 to pursue their business full time.
Both Rick and Yolanda provided pedorthic precertification instructional services through their sister company, Pro-Learn, also an NCOPE approved program. The Pro-Learn program also utilized Distance Learning Technologies, developed by Rick, to provide a higher level of success for their students. Currently, other NCOPE approved pedorthic programs utilize part or all of the components developed by CFS in their curriculum.
In 2009, Rick obtained his BOC Orthotist certification, after practicing as an O & P Assistant since 2005, and interning with companies such as Hanger and Orpro. Their Orthotic Fitter program was approved by BOC in late 2009 and ABC in 2015. It has served roughly 10,000 students since its creation, successfully utilizing distance learning. Today CFS has educational products in 19 universities in 9 countries.
Steampunk Bionics Academy was launched as a trademark of CFS in May 2016, an outgrowth of the years of experience and passion that Rick has for both CAD/CAM and O & P. Steampunk Bionics Academy teaches specific-discipline continuing education classes to current O & P professionals who would like to add 3D printing to their skill set.
Rick E. Sevier BS Ed. BOCO CPOA CPED ASO ASP is the co-owner of CFS Allied Health Education, providers of ABC and BOC Certified Orthotic Fitter, ABC & BOC approved distance continuing education, ABC Certified Therapeutic Shoe Fitter, and Steampunk Bionics Academy 3D Printing classes. Rick holds dual associate degrees in orthotics and prosthetics (Assistant Level), as well as a BS degree in education. Rick is a BOC Orthotist, ABC Certified Pedorthist, ABC Certified O & P Assistant and a BOC Board Eligible Prosthetist. Rick is a former PFA board member & Educators committee chair, former BOC board member and a former NCOPE / CAPE committee member. Rick taught pedorthic pre-certification and O & P at Oklahoma State University and was the pedorthic program director at Pro-Learn Pedorthics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Rick holds certificates from Camp/Trulife Healthcare - SWASH Fitter Certificate, Camp/Trulife Healthcare Orthotic Fitter Certificate, and Jobst Garment Fitter Certificates. Rick has interned with both Hanger and OrPro in Tulsa, OK, as well as worked for Progressive Orthotics and Prosthetics in Tulsa, OK. Rick is a regular presenter at AAOP, and has several published articles.
Yolanda M. Sevier, LPN CPED Cfo ASO ASP is the co-owner of CFS Allied Health Education, providers of ABC and BOC Certified Orthotic Fitter, ABC & BOC approved distance continuing education, ABC Certified Therapeutic Shoe Fitter, and Steampunk Bionics Academy 3D Printing classes. Yolanda holds dual associate degrees in orthotics and prosthetics (Assistant Level). She is an ABC Certified Pedorthist, ABC Certified Fitter - Orthotics and a Licensed Practical Nurse. Yolanda taught pedorthic pre-certification and the Orthotic Fitters component of the O & P program at Oklahoma State University. She formerly taught the pedorthic program at Pro-Learn in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Yolanda holds certificates from Camp/Trulife Healthcare - SWASH Fitter Certificate, Camp/Trulife Healthcare Orthotic Fitter Certificate, Camp Mastectomy Fitter Certificate, and Jobst Garment Fitter Certificates. Yolanda has interned with both Hanger and OrPro in Tulsa, OK, as well as worked for Progressive Orthotics and Prosthetics in Tulsa, OK.
Danielle Chung, CO entered the Allied Healthcare profession in France with a decade in patient care as a Registered Nurse. She then graduated from the School of Management in Nursing as a Nurse Manager at the Institution Nationale des Invalides in Paris, also teaching part time in a nursing school. Danielle then moved to the U.S. where she quickly became interested in the Orthotic and Prosthetic profession. In 1998, she graduated from the Orthotist practitioner program at Century College in White Bear Lake, MN, and became a Certified Orthotist in 2002. In 2017, she attended a five day 3D printing class in Tulsa, where she was asked to become part of the CFS / Steampunk Bionics Academy educational team.
Rick Sevier
Yolanda Sevier
Danielle Chung