Scott W. Spann, M.D.

Born and raised primarily in South Carolina to a Marine Corp family, Dr. Spann went off to high school in Jacksonville, Florida to pursue his goal of making the Olympic Swimming Team. From there, he started college on a scholarship at Auburn University. While there, Dr. Spann was named SEC Swimmer of the Year twice, was the Auburn Athlete of the Year, won three individual NCAA titles, and won swimming’s Kiputh Award as the Most Valuable National Swimmer.

After his sophomore year he transferred to the University of Texas following his coach, Eddie Reese, in 1978. After the mandatory red shirt year, Dr. Spann led UT to its first finish in the top 10 in modern times with a 2nd place in NCAA team standings, and as captain his senior year led UT to its first National Championship. He also captured four NCAA titles while at UT in both individual and relay events.

After college graduation, he married his college sweetheart, Beth, started their family in the ensuing years, and has three wonderful children in Austin, Alexi, and Scott Jr. All have attended UT also on swimming scholarships. Alexi and Scott Jr. were also Pan American medalists, making them the only father, daughter, son combination in history to do so.

From UT, he went to medical school at the University of South Carolina, where he was selected as president of the State Student Section of the American Medical Association.

Partnership and Orthopaedic Residency ensued at Ochsner Foundation in New Orleans. Concomitantly, he enlisted with the US Army Medical Corps and eventually retired with honorable discharge as a Major.

Upon completion of residency, a fellowship in spine surgery was performed while in Atlanta.

Knoxville, Tennessee was the first private practice for Dr. Spann, and by his third year he was elected Chairman of Orthopaedics of the largest hospital system in east Tennessee.

He was then recruited by the world renowned Frank Noyes in Cincinnati to start the Spine Care Institute. Here he participated in some of the FDA trials to bring new spinal products to market upon which a great deal of all subsequent technology has been built.

After two years, Dr. Spann and his family decided to invest their remaining lives in Austin. He has been back here since 1997, is the founder of Westlake Orthopaedics and one of the initial founders of Westlake Hospital.

Significantly, Dr. Spann has continued to attempt excellence in all his endeavors both personally and professionally. He is frequently a part of the many pioneering fronts in his field of spine surgery.

Dr. Spann sustained a major spinal cord injury in 2005 due to a biking accident. Initially a quadriplegic, through excellent surgery, rehabilitation, caring from others and most importantly God’s grace, he has been able to resume his meaningful goal of trying to improve others’ lives using not only his knowledge of the field, but also his own personal experience as a patient in need.

Hobbies include tending to his garden, cycling, swimming, yard work and cheering on his children, as well as an avid interest in hunting and scuba diving.

Dr. Teri Rolan

Dr. Teri Rolan was born and raised in New Mexico. She was told at a very young age that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. She has applied this principle to her life not only in the arena but also in her career.

As a young accomplished horse woman, Teri grew up rodeoing and showing horses. She qualified for the National High School Rodeo Finals twice in multiple events and received a rodeo scholarship to Odessa College where she was named Most Valuable Player and just missed qualifying for the College National Finals Rodeo. After returning home in 2000, she was crowned New Mexico State Fair Queen in 2001. Teri now enjoys barrel racing and watching her children’s love for horses and competing, grow as well.

With a love for math and science and a strong compassion towards helping others, Teri decided to pursue a career in the medical field. In 2006 she graduated from the University of New Mexico, number three in her class, receiving a doctorate in pharmacy. From that day foward she made a commitment to provide education, encouragement, nutrional counseling and alternative options to all who seek it. Although her training and schooling pertains to prescription drugs her heart and desire is in prevention and alternative medicine.

With this in mind Teri set forth to satisfy her need to help others by seeking a job for an independent locally owned pharmacy. That’s just what she found. Over ten years ago, as an intern, Teri began working for Highland Pharmacy, a local pharmacy in Albuquerque, that specializes in compounding. This dream job has allowed her to experience the joy of helping others and making a difference many times over.

Teri has now become the pharmacy manager at Highland Pharmacy and has played a crucial role in their sterile compounding certification and their Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation approval. She is also very active in organizations like IACP and NMPhA where she knows staying involved politically and keeping up educationally is vital to her industry. She also enjoys providing education to providers and students.

In serving hundreds of patients a day she realizes the importance of advancing medicine and especially in providing alternative options such as stem cells. Teri looks forward to being a part of our foundation.

Thru the years Teri has come to learn that not only hard work and desire, but that with complete faith in God and many prayers nothing is or ever will be impossible. Keep living, loving, learning, praying and expecting big things!

Vana Puckett

Life is an adventure. I have lived in a few amazing places and have gained lifelong friends. Life is good. I have so much to say and share, but find myself quieter all the time. Everyone has a story and when I hear someone's story, I see a little piece of me in them. We all have struggles and challenges, but I believe we have these struggles and challenges to make us stronger. I also believe that our struggles and challenges, likened to a mountain, give us the opportunity to climb over, tunnel through, or hike around. The choice is ours and with God strengthening and guiding us we can do all things. To Him be the Glory.

I wish I could tell each and every person about their special and amazing qualities. I believe we are put here to encourage one another. May we do so while we have one another and not wait until they can’t hear us at their funeral. Every thing we do here to help and encourage one another matters. The greatest gift is love. May we love one another. I believe the second greatest gift we can offer one another is prayer for each other. I don’t think we realize the profound and lasting effects of prayer. Prayer is a gift worth more than gold. I am blessed with so many friends who pray for our family!

To God be the Glory!

Love to be at home with my family. Also love to travel and see beautiful places. Love the ocean and I love the mountains!

Koben Puckett

Koben Puckett was born and raised into a rodeo family in New Mexico. He lived there for about 18 years and then moved to Texas. From an early age, Koben has been involved in the sport of rodeo, competing in Jr. Rodeos, High School Rodeos, Amateur Rodeos, and open events. As soon as he turned 18, Koben began traveling to and competing in PBR qualifying events. By the Fall of 2008, he had won several thousand dollars, 4 event wins, and was well on his way to making the Built Ford Tough Series. However, on September 6, 2008 during a PBR Classic, his career was cut short by a life-altering spinal cord injury. Since then, the majority of his time has been spent on pursuing recovery. Koben has temporarily lived in and traveled to California and later Austin, Texas for various types of therapy and he currently spends about 5 hours a day, 5 days a week on exercise therapy in his home gym in Canyon, Texas where he resides with his family. Through this journey he has been privileged with the opportunity to use his own adult stem cells 9 different times in the U.S. The very first time he was able to utilize his stem cells was in Cyprus with Dr. Scott Spann. In fact, in 2011 Koben was the first American to fly over seas with an American doctor to undergo a procedure involving stem cells. 

In 2014, with the purpose of raising funds for himself and others who are pursuing recovery from a spinal cord injury, Koben started hosting an annual PBR Touring Pro event in Amarillo, Texas that raises funds for the Press On Foundation. 

In his free time, Koben enjoys spending time with his family and close friends, being in the outdoors, hunting, reading inspirational/faith-based books, and, as of recently in the last year, he enjoys motivational speaking and sharing the hope of his story.

“Just as of May 2015, I have experienced some of the greatest changes in recovery since being injured in 2008. To go from not being able to lean up off the back rest of my chair to now being able to sit forward is huge. I have regained sensation in parts of my hands, which is exciting, as well. Also, when I have assistance standing using a walker and after some positioning, I can, without any braces, hold myself standing for a moment! Just under three years ago this would've been impossible. The use of my own adult stem cells, hours spent in exercise therapy daily, the support of a great family and friends, and faith in God is what has made these changes possible. My dream is to be fully independent and to walk and I would like to see many others do so, as well!" -Koben

To view Koben's ongoing story visit

Jackie Boyd

Jackie (Tubbs) Boyd was born in Baton Rouge, Lousiana and remained there until her family moved to Texas in the mid 70’s. She lived in the Houston area (Tomball) until leaving for Abilene Christian University in 1981.

Jackie graduated with a degree in Elementary Education in 1985 and moved to Austin. After teaching school in Georgetown for two years, she and her husband, Jeff Boyd, moved to California where Jeff pursued a law degree. Jackie taught school in Moorpark, California for three years before they returned to settle in Austin — where they have remained since.

In 2005 — after taking a long break to raise children — Jackie returned to work as a Children’s Minister at Brentwood Oaks. Church of Christ. She enjoys the many facets of her job, such as teacher, coordinator, volunteer recruiter, event planner, camp director, chapel speaker, counselor, and minister. Regarding her job as Children’s Minister, Jackie says, “Kids are growing up in a time and place where they are pulled in countless directions – with the “world” competing to take a place of priority in their young lives. I hope that, as a church, we can be a part of giving them a strong faith foundation to counter-act the negative influences the world will throw at them — and to help them develop a strong and solid personal relationship with Jesus Christ that will sustain them throughout their lives.”

Jackie and Jeff have three children, twin daughters, Hanna and Abbie, and a son, Carter. All three of their children are currently attending college — the girls at Abilene Christian University and Carter at Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia. Jeff is presently a Justice on the Texas Supreme Court.

Jackie became aware of Press On Foundation through her association with Koben Puckett — whom she met through his aunt and her good friend, Jolene (Puckett) McCormick. Having been inspired and motivated by Koben’s story and his EXTREME will and desire to continually improve his condition after a spinal cord injury in 2008, Jackie joins our board ready to do what she can to help those who, like Koben, will experience a SCI and live with the daily challenge of finding and affording quality care that will bring about healing and hope.

“Koben is an inspiration to everyone who knows him or reads his story. While following Koben’s progress, I was continually awestruck and amazed at how huge the challenge was for Koben to find accessible and affordable rehabilitation. I could see, from what I was reading and hearing, that Koben had the desire and determination — but, like others with SCI, he faced the (at times seemingly unsurmountable) obstacles of locating and financing the kind of quality rehab required in order to see change! My heart went out to Koben and his family then — and when asked to be a part of Press On — I couldn’t resist the opportunity to do whatever possible to help turn the challenge of finding and affording excellent and productive rehabilitation into a reality for those who will face this kind of devastating injury.”

Kevin Dunworth

Kevin Dunworth, Founder of Celling Biosciences, has spent more than 26 years in the orthopedic industry and brings a wealth of expertise in all aspects of the business. Dunworth has run medical companies in the Middle East, Eastern and Western Europe, and the United States.

He excelled in various executive positions before founding VCD Medical, in Austin, Texas.
For the past eight years, Dunworth has successfully built a world-class distribution business, which provides a variety of orthopedic and biologic products.

Dunworth’s leadership roles within the orthopedic industry have included, Director of Emerging Markets and Director of European Sales for Smith & Nephew; Director of International Sales, Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Vice President for FlouroScan International and Vice President of Sales for TransLeasing and Vice President for TransLeasing GE.

Michael and Jolene McCormick

Michael Nall McCormick was born in Dumas, Texas in 1965. He grew up being well known as the son of the town’s beloved “eye doctor”, Dr. John W. McCormick. Michael grew up under the influence of a music loving family and at the time of his High School Graduation was recruited by Lubbock Christian College with the offer of a full scholarship for playing in their PR band “Hard Travelers.” For his first two years there he toured and played all around the United States with the band to help recruit future students to LCU. Michael graduated in 1988 with a degree in pre-med.

Jolene McCormick grew up on a farm in New Mexico as Jolene Puckett. She enrolled in Lubbock Christian College in 1983. She majored in English Education and served in leadership roles such as President’s Ambassadors and president of her Social Club. She graduated in 1988.

Michael and Jolene met in college and married as soon as they both graduated. Neither of them had a job, their first trial. Soon each had a job and Michael got busy taking the entrance exam to Optometry School, following in his father’s footsteps. A year after they married, they moved to Houston where Michael attended University of Houston College of Optometry. Jolene supported Michael through school working as an Ophthalmic Technician at Mann Eye Clinic. Michael graduated in 1993 as Dr. Michael McCormick, and decided to join his brother’s practice in Austin, Texas. Michael and Jolene were happy to leave Houston and come to Austin to begin their family, expecting their first child.

Michael and Jolene have been married 25 years and raised three wonderful children now ages 20, 18, and 16. Michael has practiced optometry with his brother for 20 years at McCormick Vision Source. Jolene has been a teacher of preschool children at various places, for the last 5 years at Caraway Elementary where she is a teacher’s aide in a preschool class of children with special needs. Most of the time, Jolene has been a mother.

Michael and Jolene and their children watched Koben grow up into an energetic, agile, strong, and determined young man. Our family was proud to watch Koben’s development as an athlete in the sport he loved. When he sustained a SCI, we witnessed it’s devastating effects not only physically and emotionally but financially as well on him and his family. We have also witnessed what a blessing to them are the prayers and the kind generosity of others. We wish to pray for and support all those in their fight against the affects of SCI.