2026 JRGOS Excellence in Collaboration Award

The J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society is pleased to announce Rinelda Horton, MD as the recipient of the 2026 JRGOS Excellence in Collaboration Award. The JRGOS Excellence in Collaboration Award honors an orthopedic surgeon or member of the orthopedic community who has demonstrated a commitment to advancing the field through exemplary leadership and collaboration.

Rinelda Horton, MD 2026 Excellence in Collaboration Award Recipient

Rinelda Horton, M.D. is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon specializing in adult reconstruction. She earned her undergraduate degree from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, before completing medical school and orthopaedic surgery residency at Howard University in Washington, D.C. She subsequently completed a fellowship in Adult Reconstruction at University Hospitals of Cleveland, becoming the first African American woman in the United States to be fellowship-trained in adult reconstruction.

Dr. Horton began her career in private practice in North Carolina and later joined the Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group, where she practiced for twenty years before retiring in 2023.

A founding member of Women Orthopaedist Global Outreach (WOGO), established in 2009, Dr. Horton has traveled with the organization for more than 16 years, helping provide free total joint arthroplasty in underserved communities worldwide. WOGO is composed entirely of women surgeons and has completed seven orthopaedic mission trips across six countries. The team performs total joint arthroplasty procedures, restoring mobility and improving quality of life for patients in need. As noted in a Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS) article, Dr. Horton affirms that “surgical care during mission trips inevitably restores functionality and improves quality of life to numerous individuals.”

Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Horton has remained actively involved in professional leadership. She is a member of the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society, serves on the AAHKS Inclusion Advisory Board, participates in Women in Arthroplasty, and has been a member of the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society since 1998. She currently serves on the Gladden Board of Directors and is Co-Chair of the Claudia L. Thomas, M.D. Award Committee.

In retirement, Dr. Horton continues to serve her community by volunteering at a local clinic, traveling, and spending time with her family.