CHICAGO, Ill. (April 2. 2026) – Metacarpal, a leading medical device manufacturer specializing in body-powered upper-limb prosthetics, added Léa Richer, MSOP, CPO, as Product Support Liaison for its North American team. Richer joined the company to support the expansion of Metacarpal’s GEM prosthetic hand in U.S. and Canadian markets while working with clinicians and limb loss communities across the United States.
In her role with Metacarpal, Richer will focus on clinical education and support, helping prosthetists, therapists, and care teams understand where the Metacarpal GEM can fit within care pathways and how to optimize outcomes for appropriate patients. Her path to orthotics and prosthetics represents her third career, inspired partly by her personal experience wearing a scoliosis brace as a teenager. Her academic training in medical anthropology and history gives her insight into how medical devices impact patients’ lives beyond their technical specifications.
“Seeing patients’ eyes light up when they realize how much the GEM could improve their day-to-day life is incredibly rewarding,” said Richer. “My role is to ensure that clinicians have the knowledge and confidence they need to recommend this technology to their patients, and that patients understand how it can fit into their specific lifestyle and goals.”
Richer brings extensive clinical experience in orthotics and prosthetics, including three and a half years as a Certified Orthotist Prosthetist at Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Illinois. She completed specialized training through NCOPE-certified residencies at VA Portland Health Care System, where she served as Lead Resident nationally and coordinated research examining associations between mental health and prosthetic use. Metacarpal’s U.S. presence continues to grow as more clinics explore the Metacarpal GEM for patients who need a robust, mechanically intuitive option for partial hand difference.
“Léa is instrumental in our North American expansion because she bridges the gap between clinical expertise and patient advocacy,” said Fergal Mackie, founder and CEO of Metacarpal. “Her experience as a Certified Orthotist Prosthetist, combined with her background in medical anthropology and history, makes her passionate about informed decision-making in healthcare for both patients and clinicians. This perspective directly supports our mission to rebuild trust in prosthetics.”
Richer’s appointment coincides with Metacarpal’s recent U.S. launch in January and OrtoPed’s distribution partnership in Canada in February. Her fluency in French and English, along with conversational Spanish skills, will help the company serve diverse patient populations across North America.
For clinicians and clinics interested in learning more, please visit www.metacarpalprosthetics.com.
