2025 OrthoNebraska Symposium

Beth Gard MSN, RN, ONC is the Chief Nursing Officer at OrthoNebraska. She graduated with her BSN from Creighton University and MSN from Methodist College. She has been an orthopedic nurse for 15+ years and holds a subspecialty certification in orthopaedics (ONC). She is an active member of the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON) and Orthopaedic Nursing Certification Board (ONCB). She serves on the Creighton University School of Nursing Alumni Board, Nebraska Arthritis Foundation Board, Leadership Omaha Alumni Group and other local non-profits. She presents both locally and nationally on her love of orthopedics.

Dr. Abcejo is a fellowship-trained physician in non-surgical orthopedics and sports medicine who joined OrthoNebraska in 2020. He provides personalized and compassionate treatment for sports and orthopedic injuries, with special interests in performing artists and precision athletes, concussions, injury prevention and musculoskeletal education across all activity and exercise levels.

Ashley, a board-certified clinical specialist in sports physical therapy, has been with OrthoNebraska since 2008. A sports enthusiast, she uses her own experiences to help patients return to sport faster. Ashley’s key interests are rehabilitation after Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) surgery.

Taylor is a Physical Therapist and Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. Taylor has a passion for the post-surgical treatment of the sports medicine patient. Taylor has a passion for collaborating research and patient care. While focusing on the knee and lower extremity, she works alongside OrthoNebraska physicians to foster extraordinary care to athletes and active adults.

Dr. Sayfe Jassim joined OrthoNebraska in 2019 as a fellowship-trained knee and hip replacement orthopedic surgeon. He has a particular interest and expertise in anterior hip replacement, muscle-sparing knee replacement, robotic-assisted knee replacement, as well as revision hip and knee surgery for highly complex cases.

Mr. Tim Bennett, a certified mental performance coach who is passionate about helping people achieve their goals on and off the field, has coached many athletes who struggled with performance anxiety, mental blocks, confidence issues, and perfectionism.

With his mental performance coaching certification, Tim is able to train the brain to overcome these obstacles and transition athletes to use mental strength and enhance their overall wellbeing.

Additionally, Tim has an extensive coaching resume and received a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities from Providence College in Rhode Island. He sees clients at Focus Therapy and Performance Coaching in Omaha.

A graduate of Creighton University, Karri became a Board Certified Specialist in Orthopedics in 2014. Also a former swimmer at Creighton University, she has a passion for working with people of all ages and ability levels to return them safely to their favorite activities. She is an avid runner who can be found at many community runs in the area.

Since joining OrthoNebraska in 2016, Jenny has focused on providing exceptional care to our acute orthopedic patients. Jenny utilizes her experience and expertise in occupational therapy to provide optimal care through education, evaluation and treatment for our patients in preparation and recovery from their surgery.

Dr. Andrew Huff joined OrthoNebraska in 2024, but has practiced in Council Bluffs for many years. An Omaha native, he specializes in the treatment of pain with a focus on the spine. While pain levels are important, Dr. Huff likes to focus on functional outcomes and giving patients the best quality of life he can, using many new innovative and minimally invasive treatments in pain medicine.

Amanda Wellman is an experienced executive nurse leader in the Omaha Metro with a history of working in the hospital & health care industry. She has a passion for influencing patient centered care and a strong background in strategic planning and organizational leadership, leading initiatives and developing training specific to customer service and patient experience. She has experience in Oncology, Intensive Care, Labor & Delivery, Physician Relations, Cultural Transformation, Integrating human-centered practices, and Team Building. Amanda has an MSN Executive Leadership focused in Nursing Administration from American Sentinel University, Denver. Today she serves as the Patient Experience Coordinator at OrthoNebraska, where she is dedicated to addressing patient concerns, working with providers and teams in elevating the patient experience through empathy, personalization, and innovation, ensuring every touchpoint fosters connection and trust to enhance the overall patient experience.