Dr. Daniel Brown is a fellowship-trained, board-certified pediatric orthopedic surgeon. He specializes in all aspects of musculoskeletal care of the pediatric patient, from birth through adulthood.

Dr. Brown sees patients through appointments as well as our pediatric orthopedic walk-in clinic, which is the only one in Alaska supported by a fellowship-trained pediatric orthopedic surgeon. (Fellowship training is the highest level of specialty training for physicians.)

A native of southern California, Dr. Brown joined AFOC from ORCA (Orthopaedic Research Clinic Alaska) in January 2025. He graduated from Duke University School of Medicine and completed an internship and residency at UCSF Fresno. He later completed his pediatric orthopedic surgery fellowship at the University of Tennessee – Campbell Clinic.

From simple fractures to complex cartilage disorders, Dr. Brown provides comprehensive orthopedic care for children, adolescents and young adults. He treats a wide range of conditions, including:

Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip

Congenital Limb Defects

• Clubfoot
• Congenital Vertical Talus
• Polydactyly (Extra Digits)
• Tarsal Coalition
• Hemimelia

Limb Length Inequalities

Fractures

• Malunion
• Growth Arrest

Spina Bifida

Sports Injuries

• Acute & Overuse

Scoliosis

• Adolescent idiopathic
• Congenital
• Pathologic
• Neuromuscular
• Early onset

Rotational & Angular Deformities

Neuromuscular Conditions

• Cerebral Palsy
• Charcot Marie Tooth

Dr. Brown is a proud member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America.

In his free time, Dr. Brown enjoys hiking, biking and skiing with his children.

A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Dr. Daniel J. Cepela is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in upper extremity and hand surgery. (Fellowship training is the highest level of specialty training for physicians.)

Dr. Cepela treats complex shoulder pathology. He performs fully templated and customized shoulder arthroplasty for arthritis, including complex and revision cases. He performs fully arthroscopic surgery for rotator cuff tears and many other shoulder conditions.

Dr. Cepela treats all hand and elbow pathology including arthritis, carpal tunnel, and Dupuytren’s contracture. Many procedures, including carpal tunnel, trigger finger, and tendon release can be performed under local anesthetic. Dupuytren’s can often be treated in the office.

Dr. Cepela treats complex upper extremity trauma and fractures, with a focus on anatomic repair and early mobilization when appropriate.

He received his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Cincinnati, Ohio, and then completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Albany Medical College in Albany, New York. Dr. Cepela then completed his hand, upper extremity and microvascular surgery fellowship at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, in Sacramento, California.

He is a member of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

As a foot and ankle specialist, Dr. Regina Fiacco is a podiatrist with extensive training in malalignment, painful syndromes of the lower extremity, and restoring normal biomechanics.

Dr. Fiacco is passionate about understanding the source of each patient’s condition and working holistically to improve function and relieve pain.

She offers numerous care options, including conservative treatment plans and the most up-to-date techniques when surgery is needed. She strives to treat all patients with the highest standard of care, so each patient leaves the office feeling optimistic about their treatment.

Dr. Fiacco currently serves as president of the Alaska Podiatric Medical Association (state component of the American Podiatric Medical Association).

Originally from Georgetown, Delaware, Dr. Fiacco became interested in foot and ankle surgery after many years playing soccer. In her free time, you can find her running, hiking, downhill skiing, fat tire biking or camping. She also enjoys time with her husband and is a proud dog mom.

Dr. Jared Kirkham specializes in the nonsurgical treatment of sports injuries, work injuries, neck pain, low back pain, nerve injuries, arthritis and tendonitis.

Dr. Kirkham grew up in Seattle, Washington, and earned his undergraduate degree in bioengineering from the University of Washington. He obtained a fitness instructor certification through the American College of Sports Medicine and worked as a personal trainer for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary weight loss program at the PRO Sports Club in Bellevue, Washington.

After his time as a personal trainer, Dr. Kirkham earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine. He completed his internship in medicine and surgery at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, and his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at The University of Utah.

While in residency, he performed sports physicals for local high schools and provided physician coverage for local events such as the Salt Lake City Marathon. He conducted research on the use of new imaging studies to detect arthritis of the spine and presented on a variety of topics, including the use of Synvisc for knee arthritis.

In 2014, Dr. Kirkham headed to Anchorage and joined the Alaska Spine Institute where he practiced for two years before joining Alaska Fracture & Orthopedic Clinic in 2016.

He is passionate about the value of exercise and getting his patients back to the sports and the work they enjoy. He performs a variety of procedures including spine injections, trigger point injections, joint injections, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, stem cell injections, and EMG testing (nerve studies).

Dr. Kirkham has lectured to a variety of groups in the community including the Alaska Physical Therapy Association, the Alaska Academy of Physician Assistants, and the Alaska State Worker’s Compensation Adjustors group. He is a member of multiple professional organizations, including the Spine Intervention Society.

When he is not working or advancing his skills in spine and musculoskeletal medicine, he enjoys bike racing, backcountry skiing, cross-country skiing, and functional weightlifting.

Dr. John Lapkass is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in joint replacement and revision surgery as well as providing treatment for sports-related injuries.

Dr. Lapkass joined Alaska Fracture & Orthopedic Clinic in 2005, after spending more than 16 years as an orthopedist at the Alaska Native Medical Center. He has received awards for recognition of and appreciation for providing health care for natives and has conducted field clinics all over the state.

Although he graduated from medical school at the University of California in San Diego, Dr. Lapkass has fully embraced the Alaska lifestyle. He enjoys many different outdoor activities, including all kinds of skiing, mountain and road biking, running, paragliding, and hiking.

He regularly participates in many of the quintessential Alaska adventure races, including the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic and the 200-mile Iditasport. He currently holds the record for most Wilderness Classic races finished. In addition to Alaska adventure racing, Dr. Lapkass has also participated in five 100-mile ultra races in Leadville, Colorado, where the average elevation is 10,000 feet.

Not surprisingly, Dr. Lapkass has a special interest in sports medicine. He enjoys arthroscopy, ACL reconstruction, shoulder arthroscopy, instability repair, and rotator cuff repair. He is also proficient in total joint treatment, including hip, knee, elbow, and shoulder. Dr. Lapkass is one of the only orthopedists in Anchorage who performs total elbow replacement, hip arthroscopy, and hip replacement using the direct anterior approach.

Dr. Lapkass is a favorite among his patients, some of whom have followed him to Alaska Fracture & Orthopedic Clinic from the Alaska Native Medical Center.

He is married with one daughter.

As a born-and-raised Alaskan, Dr. Lars Matkin is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in joint replacement, as well as upper and lower extremity surgery.

His specific interests include hip, knee and shoulder replacement surgery; arthritis; sports-related injuries; and musculoskeletal trauma.

Dr. Matkin received a Master’s of Business Administration at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He then went on to graduate from medical school at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. He completed his residency at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin.

He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons.

Dr. Matkin was born in Homer, Alaska, and was motivated to return to his home state to practice medicine. Having worked at one time as a commercial fisherman, he understands how important physical health is toward maintaining independence in Alaska.

Dr. Matkin adopts a patient-centered approach toward treating musculoskeletal complaints and firmly believes that the best treatment is the one that works. He enjoys developing individual treatment plans for his patients’ successful recovery.

Dr. Matkin has always loved the outdoors and wants to keep the people of Alaska healthy, active and strong. In his free time, he enjoys skiing, mountaineering, hunting and fishing.

VELYS™ Robotic-Assisted Knee Replacement

Dr. Matkin performs total knee replacements with the VELYS Robotic Assisted Solution.

With previous knee replacement techniques, everyone received a generically aligned knee replacement. However, VELYS knee replacements are customized for your specific anatomy and alignment in three dimensions. The surgery is also performed using muscle- and tendon-sparing techniques. This results in:

• Greater accuracy
• Less pain
• Increased mobility
• Quicker recovery times
• Better patient outcomes

If you are a candidate for a total knee replacement, you are a candidate for VELYS! Learn more about VELYS at AFOC, or visit the VELYS website.