David A. Lawrence, MSPT, GRS, AT-Ret., is an internationally recognized leader in physical rehabilitation with more than 35 years of experience specializing in gait therapy, amputee care, and clinician education. He is the owner of Lawrence Rehabilitation – The Gait Center in Richmond, Virginia, and founder of the Mission Gait Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing rehabilitation education, training, and resources worldwide. David has lectured extensively across the United States and abroad on topics ranging from limb loss rehabilitation and complex gait disorders to orthopedic pathologies and adaptive sports.
David holds a Master of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Miami, a Certification in Athletic Training from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Science in Health & Physical Education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.
In 1991, he relocated to Virginia to join the McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where he began developing an advanced patient-care model focused on restoring mobility and independence for individuals facing serious injury or illness. Recognizing a growing need for specialized gait and prosthetic rehabilitation, David accepted a role as Sports & Prosthetic Rehabilitation Specialist at Sheltering Arms Rehabilitation Hospital. He later created the Stepping Back to Life Project at A.T. Home Care, a program designed to provide individualized recovery support for patients with life-altering mobility challenges.
In 2000, David co-founded Walking Free, an international initiative under the nonprofit Physicians for Peace. For over two decades, he volunteered as its Rehabilitation Coordinator, helping establish prosthetic and orthotic programs in underserved nations. That effort continues today as part of the Mission Gait Foundation, with 10 active clinics across 7 countries, including Turkey, Jordan, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Guatemala, the Philippines, and most recently the Solomon Islands.
In 2006, as the U.S. healthcare system shifted toward a high-volume, fast-paced, low contact model, David chose a different path. Instead, he and his wife Carolyn opened Lawrence Rehabilitation – The Gait Center in Richmond, Virginia, a specialized clinic providing high-quality, expert care and education to all patients, specializing on those with complex pathologies. The clinic quickly gained a reputation for its exceptional outcomes and personalized approach and is proof that David’s model for the provision of quality care truly works.
Determined to expand this impact beyond a single practice, David and Carolyn founded the Mission Gait Foundation in 2016. As a public charity, Mission Gait is dedicated to empowering the rehabilitation community through training, education, certification, research, and resources—improving care for patients with gait disabilities internationally. Through the Mission Gait Academy, the organization provides continuing education and the first-of-its-kind Gait Rehabilitation Specialist (GRS) Certification program, while also offering hundreds of free educational videos and resources for patients, caregivers, and clinicians worldwide. Through its Walking Free initiative, Mission Gait continues to support rehabilitation professionals and expand access to quality gait and prosthetic rehabilitation services in underserved communities around the globe.
David is also deeply involved in education. He has served as adjunct faculty at Old Dominion University and is a frequent guest lecturer at Virginia Commonwealth University. He has worked extensively with both able-bodied and adaptive athletes and was honored to serve on the U.S. Olympic Committee Medical Team during the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games. He also coached with the U.S. National Volleyball Team through Disabled Sports USA.
Outside of his professional work, David’s life is rooted in faith, family, sports, and service. A former collegiate basketball player turned volleyball player/coach, he spent many years on the sidelines coaching his children, Kendall and Grayson, who are now thriving as young adults. As proud parents, David & Carolyn enjoy time spent with family (near & far) and have a strong love of travel, history, and education. You can also find David and Carolyn on one of his motorcycles exploring the backroads of America!
