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2018 Pre-Declared Student Academy Board of Directors Candidates
President-Elect Amber Price Cooper Couch Heidi Rossow Maurice Paquette
Name: Amber Price Position: President-elect Hello! My name is Amber Price, and I am a first year student at USC in sunny Southern California. I am excited to announce my intent to run for the president-elect position on the Student Academy Board of Directors. This is a decision that I take seriously and with much respect to the position and its duties. I chose to run for president-elect because I believe I have the required traits, knowledge and capacity to properly represent and echo the voices of PA students across the country. It is my hope, if I am selected, that my extensive experience in leadership, community outreach and public policy will serve you well as we continue on this journey together as students. I graduated in 2013 from UCSD with my degree in Political Science and spent the following two years serving in public policy. I worked as a congressional intern on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. for a senator, where I learned an immense amount about how our country works in passing legislation, advocacy and connecting with fellow members of our community. In addition to my experience at the federal level, I have held several roles involved in policy work in my home state of Arizona. I served in many different capacities including: participating as a member of a non-profit board, state legislature campaigns, and as a VP and founding member of a community advocacy group. In 2013 I was awarded the Dodie Londen Excellence in Public Service Scholarship that allowed me to complete a year-long extensive leadership training program specifically catered to serving in the public sector. It is from these experiences that I have cultivated an understanding of how to work well with others from diverse backgrounds, beliefs and to find ways to advocate for common solutions. My time spent in these roles has ignited a lifelong passion within me to serve my community, and to fiercely advocate for myself and others. I believe that an essential part of leadership stems from the ability to work well on a team and with others. I have over 15 years of experience working on a team from playing softball and competing as a Division-1 collegiate athlete during my undergraduate years. Teamwork is a value that is a cornerstone in the practice of medicine as well as our profession. I have experienced this first-hand from my time spent as an ED Tech at a Level 1 Trauma Center. My time in the ED taught me how to work seamlessly with others in stressful and high-pressure situations. Currently, I am serving as the internal vice president of my class, where I oversee half of the Executive Board and support them with their roles and duties. I co-planned our class’s Washington D.C. advocacy trip, where over 30 of my classmates met with members of Congress on Capitol Hill. These experiences have groomed me to be a team player, to fiercely tackle issues, and offer up solutions that make sense for the greater good. One voice does not serve everyone equally; rather it is the voices of many with the input from others that allow us all to be represented equally and fairly. We are in an exciting time for PAs: with the continuous evolvement of healthcare in our country, the opportunities are endless for our profession’s growth. It is important that our voice as students is heard so that policy changes made in the present will impact us positively in our future careers. I am committed to improving the transparency of the Student Academy and creating better ways to connect us all as PA students. It is necessary for us all to hear about the issues we face as students, as well as the victories! I would be greatly honored to serve you all in the capacity as the next President-elect. It is from my unique qualities and abilities that I believe I would be a strong and representative voice for the PA student body. If you would like to speak with me directly or have any questions please feel free to reach out to me at:
[email protected]. Warm regards, Amber L. Price PA-S1 University of Southern California Internal Vice President B.A. Political Science University of California San Diego, 2013
Name: Cooper Couch Position: President-elect First and foremost, thank you for taking the time to read my platform statement. My name is Cooper Couch, and I am finishing up my first year at USC in Los Angeles, CA. I am humbly and respectfully announcing my intent to run for the president-elect of the Student Academy of AAPA. We are at a pivotal moment in the history of our profession. With the rapid growth of PA programs across the country and impactful decisions being made by our elected leaders, our engagement as students is vital. Every year at the annual AAPA conference, discussions at the House of Delegates meeting direct and shape the direction of our profession. As PA students, we represent diverse backgrounds and unique experiences that bring a wealth of value to these discussions, and I want to make sure our combined voice is being accurately represented and heard. Our next president-elect must be knowledgeable of issues facing our profession, have previous experience representing others and prior board experience, and understand the importance of a team-centered, collaborative approach to leading. I believe that my experiences, skills, and ambition make me an ideal candidate to effectively and accurately represent the voice of PA students within our profession. In my past experience leading a grassroots mental health project as an undergraduate student, I learned the importance of working effectively with a team to accurately represent and advocate for the student body while creating institutional change. I identified the need for increased mental health resources and worked diligently with students, faculty, and staff to make sure students’ mental health needs were met. Upon graduation, I served as a board member at a local humane society in Vermont, where I learned the politics of board work, the importance of a diversity of opinions and experiences, and the intricacies of institutional change, intentional programming, and organizational partnership. Since starting PA School, I have made it a priority to stay up-to-date on the issues facing our profession by engaging with our class AOR representative at USC and the AAPA Student and Members Community on the Huddle. This March, I helped coordinate our annual class advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., with PAEA, where I learned about legislation affecting PA education and how to effectively advocate for our profession. This May, I will be attending the HOD meetings daily during conference as part of the Student Leaders Fellowship with the LBGT PA Caucus of AAPA. I currently serve as class president, president of the PA student society at USC, and as a co-chair of the Executive Board for the USC Student-Run Clinic. These roles have taught me ways to accurately represent students from my program, the value of collaborating with our peers in other healthcare professions, and the importance of being able to listen to and reflect on others’ ideas before taking action. Additionally, mediating between students and faculty has helped me develop stronger conflict resolution skills and has further instilled the importance of trust in my leadership approach. I value compassion, honesty, and intentionality in my interactions with others. As president-elect, I will prioritize active listening in my interactions with PA students and fellow board members so that I can understand student perspectives in relation to the direction of our profession. This will allow me to identify areas of growth for the Student Academy and help me accurately represent students on the AAPA BOD in my future role as president. I will emphasize clear communication as a guiding principle for collaboration between fellow board members as we work to keep PA students engaged with AAPA, aware of issues facing our profession, and educated so they can take an active role in advocating for our profession. I hope to also model self-care as a leader while encouraging unity and cohesion amongst our peers. We are human beings, not human doings, which is especially important for us to remember as we manage the stresses that come with being PA students. Again, thank you for reading my platform statement. My passion, past experiences, ambition and core values make me an excellent candidate to represent PA students. I appreciate you considering my interest in the president-elect position. Please reach out to me at
[email protected] if you’d like to speak with me or have any questions. I would be honored to serve you if elected.
Name: Heidi Rossow Position: President-elect My name is Heidi Rossow and I would be honored to serve the PA student community as the president-elect of the Student Academy. I am running for a position on the Student Board because I am passionate about the professional development of PA students outside of the classroom and rotation sites, and encouraging the next generation of professionals to be involved. I believe that the majority of PA students are an untapped source of talent that can be used to further cultivate and advertise our profession in the ever-changing healthcare field. I have served as the president of the Captain Sean Grimes PA Student Society since shortly after I began school in August 2017. Through this role I have: Led student officers to engage the Class of 2019 in the local community, resulting in over 1,000 combined volunteer hours since last August Represented the interests of the PA program as a voting member of the JCHS Student Senate Co-founded and serve on the committees planning the first Interprofessional Donor Memorial Ceremony and the first Interprofessional Gala for the Roanoke area Professionally, I am also actively involved in the PA community: I volunteered for AOR Resolution 2017-14 on Human Trafficking, helping to create a social media awareness campaign I attended the Leadership and Advocacy Summit in D.C. in March 2018 and advocated for policy changes that impact the PA profession and scope of practice I currently serve as a student member of the Society of Dermatology PAs (SDPA) Membership Committee Am an active student member of FAPA, VAPA, and SDPA in order to stay aware of changing laws and policy affecting PAs in the state I am from, in the state I attend school, and nationally In addition, prior to PA school, I held several leadership roles during my undergraduate career, including: Serving on the executive board of a pediatric hospital student-run volunteer organization Serving as the campus drive coordinator for Gift of Life Bone Marrow registration drives Serving as the head of the judicial board within a student-run campus organization Overall, these roles have taught me the importance of humility, communication skills, and, most of all, unfaltering perseverance. These characteristics are crucial to being a successful leader. As president-elect, I intend to capitalize on these experiences to tirelessly advocate for our profession, push for increased student involvement and awareness of the policies that impact us as providers. To achieve this, I will work with fellow board members to create new avenues for students to grow into more cognizant and knowledgeable leaders in the healthcare arena. While our profession has come a long way, the work is not done. I hope to become the voice of PA students across the country so that the Student Academy will provide opportunities and address the issues that are most important to students. This role takes a leader who can handle the fine balance between fervent action and diligent cooperation. I am committed to fulfilling this role and would be honored to have your vote at this year’s AAPA Conference.
Name: Maurice (Moe) Paquette Position: President-elect To the Student Academy Board and AOR, My name is Maurice (Moe) Paquette, and I am writing to be considered for the role of Student Academy president-elect. I am a first year PA student at Duke University, and act as the Stead Society president for the class of 2019. Although I want to hit on key points regarding my leadership skills and experiences that make me a qualified candidate, I think it is paramount that you also learn a bit about me. I was born and raised in Burlington, Vermont, and received my bachelor’s degree in biology from Saint Michael’s College, a small liberal arts college located a short distance from where I grew up. Upon completion of my degree, I accepted a position at the University of Vermont Medical Center as Chief Scribe for ScribeAmerica, a position that I would hold until starting PA school two years later. Although we are all currently PA students, in no time at all, we will be licensed and practicing providers. With over 115,000 certified PAs accounting for 420 million visits in 2016, and a 44 percent increase in the field from 2010-2016, we are in a great place to thrive upon completion of our education, providing much needed patient care to millions of Americans who have difficulty accessing healthcare. There are also many questions on our horizon, about not only our profession, but the landscape of healthcare in the United States. How do we improve medical care access and quality, especially to those in need? How do we advocate for optimal team practice, as well as prescribing authority? How do we address issues such as the opioid epidemic and human trafficking, both in our practice and at state and national levels? To say that I have answers to any of these questions would be misguided, but I do have a passion for advocacy, and a background in leadership that prepares me well for this position. While working as chief scribe at the University of Vermont, I was able to expand our program by doubling it in size, while also obtaining provider and scribe feedback to implement changes improving scheduling, charting, and continuing education. Through ups and downs, I pride myself on remaining friendly and compassionate, approachable for both work/educational discussions as well as friendly conversations. I am used to working as a liaison between groups, effectively bridging communication at UVMC between the medical scribes and providers, as well as at Duke between the PA students and the faculty and staff. I am committed to representing the PA student body, and have experience presenting unfamiliar or new ideas and topics in professional ways that facilitate discussion, dialogue, and change. I am extremely passionate about many of the topics that the Student Academy has recently discussed, and am open and excited to see what ideas are discussed this year. I am very interested in global health, and have previously spent time on mission trips to Haiti and India, while also studying Biology in the UK. I hope to continue my international education while at Duke in Tanzania, on a global health elective. I am dedicated to educating others about the PA profession, and spent an afternoon over winter break with high school students discussing the awesome profession that I have chosen. Most of all, I am excited to discuss the ideas and concerns of the national student body. As PA students, we all know how busy things can get (especially during the clinic year), but I guarantee that I will remain a kind, welcoming, and approachable friend and colleague should I be elected. It is something that I take pride in, and will be of utmost importance to me not only next year, but during clinical practice as well. I will represent and advocate for the student body, and lead us through this exciting and important time, as we transition from PA students to compassionate medical providers. Thank you very much for considering my candidacy. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, comments, or concerns (
[email protected]). I look forward to meeting you all in a few short weeks. Respectfully, Maurice Paquette PA-S
Chief Delegate Bess Lawrie Hillary Bennett
Name: Bess Lawrie Position: Chief Delegate Hi everyone! My name is Bess Lawrie, and I am a second year PA student at Indiana State University. Thank you for taking the time to listen to my platform statement as I run for 2018-2019 chief delegate. Platform Statement My number one goal as chief delegate is to create a positive learning environment that leaves first time HOD student representatives feeling confident and able in their duties as student representatives and aids all HOD student representatives in their growth as leaders. As chief delegate, I will be approachable, supportive, and encouraging to all those I represent so that they feel empowered in their voice and capable of making a difference. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the current Student Academy Board of Directors and all they have accomplished. As chief delegate, I will continue their legacy to push forward with tangible efforts felt by those we represent including students, their institutions, and practicing PA’s. As chief delegate, I plan to continue the innovations begun by my predecessors including: Continue the development of the mentorship program begun this year Continue the development of an HOD Student Webinar I will further their efforts by: Fostering communication with those we represent through online platforms and networking Encourage involvement by students and breaking down barriers with the creation of how-to YouTube videos in navigating HOD, AOR, and advocacy efforts Leadership Training Completed a formal one semester course on Leadership in Community Engagement One year fellowship in student healthcare policy AAPA Leadership and Advocacy Summit 2018 Active Citizens Conference 2013 Leadership Experience AAPA HOD Student Representative 2018 Researched and presented a topic for a resolution to the student delegation, then coordinated a group of seven members to co-author a resolution submitted to the HOD Gained understanding and competency in my ability to navigate AAPA policy handbook and write resolutions PAEA Student Healthcare Policy Fellow 2017-2018 IAPA (Indiana Association of PA’s) Student Representative for ISU Class of 2019 DC Society of Health Policy Young Professionals (Member 2016- Present) Participated in two active Hill days and met with Senators and Congressmen to discuss and advocate for policy endorsed by PAEA and AAPA My Why My journey through PA school and PA leadership has made me acutely aware of two things: excellent patient care includes advocating for your patient both in and outside the exam room, and where I’ve been the only one representing my community has demonstrated to me the pertinence of the question asked, “If not you, then who?” I am running for chief delegate so I may help build others in their ability to lead and to help their efforts in advocacy feel both accessible and achievable. I thank you greatly for your consideration of my candidacy for 2018-2019 chief delegate. If elected, I will be an active proponent for you, your program, and our profession. I will lead with fervent motivation and optimism both for our career and our patients. Thank you—Bess D. Lawrie, PA-S
Name: Hillary Bennett Position: Chief Delegate Platform Statement My name is Hillary Bennett, I am a second year PA student at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center (OUHSC). It would be an honor to serve my fellow students and profession as the 2018-2019 chief delegate. Thank you for your time and consideration in advance. Leadership/Advocacy Experience Prior to my experience with the HOD, I participated in Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislation (O.I.L.) as a House representative. O.I.L. is an organization that allows universities in Oklahoma to gather bi-annually at the state capital for mock legislation. This has taught me the legislative process first-hand including writing, advocating, and passing legislation while building life-long connections. The Oklahoma Academy of Physician Assistants (OAPA), has allowed me to remain active through advocacy for current legislation (i.e. loan repayment, and the PROSPER act), and PA Day at the State Capitol. These organizations have enabled me to established relationships with state and federal legislators.
I have been privileged to serve as a Student Academy HOD delegate and reference committee member for both 20162017 and 2017-2018. Last year, I joined in PA history with the passage of Optimal Team Practice, while celebrating the PA profession’s 50th anniversary. Given the opportunity to serve on Reference Committee B as the student representative, I witnessed resolution testimony, and assisted with the authorship of the committee report providing recommendations for various resolutions. As the 2018 Conference approaches, I have been asked to serve once more on a reference committee as a student representative. Furthermore, I partnered with Bess Lawrie, PA-S and other fellow HOD student delegates in the writing of a resolution, addressing loan limit disparities among health care professionals, with hopes of providing support for future legislation in order to rectify these differences. Student HOD, AOR, and Chief Delegate Goals As chief delegate, I wish to accomplish the following goals: Empower student delegates with the tools to advocate for the profession through AAPA, state, and federal legislations. Provide a quick and easy HOD document with simplified explanations of HOD policy, procedures, expectations, and “What’s Next?” Encourage students to introduce/author resolutions, provide testimony, and assist with resolution follow-up after approval to address current, and future student needs. Continue the work of 2017-2018 SAAPA Board of Directors and current chief delegate Mia McDonald by building upon the current HOD Mentorship Program. I would like to extend the mentorship program, connecting student delegates with state delegation counterparts. Providing the opportunity to build long-standing relationships amongst students, delegations, and practicing PAs. As well as, bridging the student HOD experience with the opportunity to serve as state delegates. Once again, thank you for your time and consideration. I greatly appreciate the opportunities I have received through AAPA and the Student Academy over the past two years. With the support of the Student Academy Board of Directors, AOR, and HOD Delegates, it would be a privilege to continue serving the PA Profession and my fellow students as the 2018-2019 chief delegate. Sincerely, Hillary Bennett, PA-S
Director of Outreach Allyson Hamacher Althea White Blake Rogers Clayton Garber Ford Kaila Gaughan Krissy Ngo Rachel Murphy
Name: Allyson Hamacher Position: Director of Outreach My name is Allyson Hamacher and I’m currently in my second year at Northern Arizona University and seeking election as director of outreach. During my first year, I was involved in multiple interdisciplinary groups and projects with students from other programs on campus. We were tasked to educate one another on our future professions. While learning about what treatments other disciplines provide I was surprised to learn some misconceptions about the roles and abilities of PAs from future medical professionals. I realized how important it was to educate and network with other students so that they understand the vital role of PAs on the patient care team. By improving our interdisciplinary relationships as students, they will better understand and work with PAs as professionals. Prior to PA school I was a clinical inpatient dietitian where I learned that caring for patients required teamwork to optimize patient care. Although my nutrition plan of care was important, it would be best implemented with other disciplines involved. It was often the nurse who gave daily encouragement on increasing intake to the patient with cancer; the occupational therapist who helped the patient with a stroke to relearn how to handle utensils; the speech therapist would assess the proper consistency diet; the pharmacist who would help formulate the parenteral nutrition. I have implemented multidisciplinary care as a dietitian and believe that as PA students we have the opportunity to ensure other disciplines value our input and expertise at the beginning of their careers. As a dietitian I was a clinical nutrition manager, responsible for helping to oversee multiple projects and participating in a variety of committees. I was also active in the local and state dietetic organizations before I started school, where I gained an appreciation for what local and national groups can do for a profession locally. I believe the leadership experiences I gained there prepared me for my role as PA class president. As president I’ve shared ideas, sought input, and coordinated with other student government officers. I don’t believe that a leader should (or could) have all the right or best ideas, but that they are responsible for sharing their knowledge and encouraging others to get involved. It is an exciting time for PAs and I believe that as students we have the ability to build a bright future for our profession and I look forward to being a part of it. I believe my background managing projects, leadership before and after school, and my enthusiasm for student involvement in the PA profession would serve me well as the director of outreach.
Name: Althea White, PA-S Position: Director of Outreach Optimizing Student Team Practice At a very young age, I knew I wanted to be a doctor. Specifically, I was going to be a pediatric sports medicine physician because of my own frequent athletic injuries. This changed very quickly during my first semester at college. Fortunately, I found the “perfect” major in kinesiology. The majority of health concerns are what we call modifiable lifestyle factors, and I believed that becoming an exercise specialist could have an impact in ways doctors cannot. My career planning also included working up to a managerial position, with an end goal of being the national director for education for my multinational health club employer. However, despite making progress in these goals ahead of my schedule, the realization that this was not my path became painfully clear about one year into my role as a manager. Once I decided to step away from health club management, I struggled with figuring out my next step. While weighing my options between osteopathic medicine and physical therapy school, my physical therapist friend asked “Why not PA school?” My reply: “What’s PA school and what’s a PA?” It has been about eight years since my question was answered, and since then I have taken pride in answering this question for others. I promised myself then, if given the opportunity I would be an advocate for PAs. I ask for this opportunity now in declaring my candidacy for director of outreach. If elected, I intend to form closer relationships with other health profession student organizations, specifically Students for a National Health Program (SNaHP). This year, I will serve as national co-chair of Education and Base Building with SNaHP, with the goal of increasing outreach to health profession students not seeking an MD or DO degree. Additionally, being an active member of Student National Medical Association (SNMA) has given me the opportunity to educate medical students about PAs, and join in their efforts to promote diversity in medicine through activities with undergraduate, high school, and grade school students. Finally, the opportunity to attend this year’s AAPA Leadership and Advocacy Summit made clear our profession needs strong advocates among students and practicing clinicians. As our profession works towards Optimal Team Practice (OTP), we need strong relationships with all health professionals to realize this goal. Through forming closer interprofessional student relationships, our profession will gain much needed support in our efforts. This is a commitment I expect to remain engaged in long past my graduation, and welcome the opportunity to lead this effort while a PA-S. Today, at a not so young age, I am grateful for my long path towards becoming a PA. Without them, asking for your vote as the Student Academy director of outreach seems less likely. The experiences gained along the way have prepared me to keep my PA advocacy promise. If elected, I hope to enhance OTP efforts with student-led interprofessional support.
Name: Blake Rogers Position: Director of Outreach As a PA student, the hair stood up on the back of my neck the first time someone asked me when I’d go back to school to become a physician. At the time I found this question insulting, but in retrospect I missed a great opportunity to educate the person about PAs and how I had purposely selected this profession as my future career. Since initially being asked this question I have actively sought opportunities to advocate for the PA profession. My goal as director of outreach would be to increase the visibility of PA students within the profession, while simultaneously promoting PAs within interprofessional settings and to the public we serve. I believe the key to successfully advancing our profession is through successful outreach and that I have the experience necessary to fulfill the role of director of outreach for the Student Academy. Prior to PA school, I served as a regional outreach coordinator for a state-level natural resources conservation agency for three years. In this position, I fostered community-level change and motivated citizens to address natural resources concerns through targeted outreach and education. While in PA school I have served as the state constituent organization representative, where I lead my program’s participation at state meetings and for Virginia’s White Coats on Call legislative outreach event. Further, I was appointed as student representative to the Virginia Academy of PAs (VAPA) Board of Directors where I serve as the voice for Virginia’s PA students at the state level. In this role, I successfully organized and lead a PA Week social media campaign with the eight PA programs in Virginia, which garnered an organic reach of over 50,000 Facebook users. These successes lead to the establishment of a social media committee for VAPA, which I currently serve as chairman. Additionally, I am a Fellow for the Virginia Center for Health Innovation where I work to advance Virginia’s healthcare reform by educating policy makers about innovative ideas to effectively enhance delivery of patient care. I want to invigorate PA student outreach efforts and to lead our charge to advance the PA profession. I believe that together we can collaboratively increase awareness of the profession and that PA students are uniquely positioned to be agents of change within their communities. As the future of the PA profession, I want students to unite and tell America that “Your PA Can Handle It.”
Name: Clayton Garber Ford Position: Director of Outreach My name is Clayton Garber Ford and I am running for the position of director of outreach on the Student Academy Board of Directors. I graduated from the University of Florida in April 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences. During my undergraduate education, I participated in a number of extracurricular activities that helped to shape my leadership skills and passions. I served as a director and executive board member in the pre-health honor society, represented the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences as an ambassador, and participated in the LeadUF retreat two years in a row. I am currently a first year PA student at Nova Southeastern University in Jacksonville, FL and I will be starting clinical rotations in August. At the moment, I serve as the class AOR representative as well as hold a position as a student delegate through the House of Delegates and am volunteering with the diversity resolution group. There are two ideals that I perceive as being of the utmost important: uniqueness and self-expression. I believe that embracing and utilizing ones individuality promotes a general feeling of well-being both within you and within society. This means embracing every aspect of oneself, including your strengths and your weaknesses. Once an individual is able to have confidence in their strengths and accept their flaws as areas for improvement and growth, I believe that individual is capable of doing anything; furthermore, by showing off one’s diversity and encouraging others to express themselves in the same manner, one can promote an attitude of acceptance and thus foster great change and reform. It is my beliefs, experiences, desire to help inspire change, and passion for diversity that have led me to seek election to the director of outreach position. Being a PA means working alongside a team in order to help and save others. Teams come in all shapes and sizes with varying personalities; therefore, the backbone to a good team is interprofessional relationships and being able to work alongside different personalities. When a team does not have the strong foundation of acceptance and patience, that team will suffer, and thus the patient will suffer. I would like to serve as the director of outreach in order to represent current and future PA students and help advance the PA profession. I want to do my part to help promote confidence in each individual within this profession, for both their personal characteristics and their skills as a medical professional; and, thus, I want to do my part in promoting respect and cooperation so that all of our future patients receive the best possible care. I have a few ideas how I would achieve my goals within this position. First, I would explore file sharing options that are similar to Doodle drive/Google docs for the resolution groups throughout the year. This will allow each individual in a resolution group to have easy access to all minutes and materials relating to their resolution and to maintain a level of organization so as to allow the group to be as successful as possible. Second, I would like to enact a monthly spotlight for the resolution groups. The idea behind this would be to showcase the work being done by the students and members of the resolution group and to help inform more individuals nationally about the upcoming and hopeful reforms to be made. Lastly, as previously mentioned I am a proponent of expressing diversity and currently am a volunteer on the diversity resolution group. The team I have worked with for the past year has taken the first steps in creating a Formsite for PA’s and PA students to fill out and be featured as a shout-out for showing off their diversity. I would like to expand upon this and make these shout out’s more regular in order to exhibit the sheer magnitude of diverse individuals within our profession. To quote one of my favorite childhood songs, “there is more to see than can ever be seen, more to do than can ever be done”. However, we can see more and do more if we respect and accept each other for both our strengths and our weaknesses. And in doing so, we can form connections and alliances with one in other in order to help advance the profession that we all share to an even better tomorrow.
Name: Kaila Gaughan Position: Director of Outreach I would like to start out by saying thank you. Thank you for taking the time to read my platform and considering me for director of outreach of the Student Academy Board of Directors. My name is Kaila Gaughan, and I am currently in my last semester of didactic learning at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY. I am running for the position of director of outreach because I believe that I have the skills, experience, and passion to get fellow PA students involved in advocacy and creating a strong presence in the nation and in healthcare teams. Advocating for current students and for our future profession has become a passion of mine that I have been fortunate enough to cultivate during my didactic phase of schooling. I was chosen as a PAEA health policy fellow this past September. Through that, I had the opportunity to meet with congressional staffers on Capitol Hill to advocate for PA education. Following my fellowship, I expanded my advocacy skills on a national level by participating in AAPA’s Leadership and Advocacy Summit (LAS) this March. The advocating did not stop there. I have taken the skills I have gained at my fellowship and LAS back to Kentucky and have been working to advocate for PAs in hospital systems that are not PA friendly. I have been working on bringing PAs into the light where they have previously been overlooked in favor of our NP colleagues. I have taken part in lobby days at the state capitol, where I have advocated for rights that are needed for the best PA practice in Kentucky and have educated lawmakers on what PAs are and what we can do. I have also had the opportunity to educate both undergraduate and graduate students, some of whom are in other healthcare fields (medicine, pharmacy, nursing, dentistry, etc.) about the PA profession. Through my program and various extracurricular opportunities, such as working on a project with physical therapy and pre-med students about our healthcare system, I have worked in different interprofessional teams. In some instances, prior to the interprofessional team, the students were unaware of the scope of practice for PAs. I am ready to take the skills and passion I have developed to a national level. I want to encourage students to get involved, be a voice for the profession, and show the world who PAs are and all that we can do. The PA profession as a whole is in the midst of great change, and the students of today are going to be the leaders of tomorrow. Now is the time for us to put ourselves out there and create the future we want for our profession. In my term as the Student Academy’s next director of outreach, it would be my goal for students to feel comfortable enough to communicate with elected representatives and use their voices to move our profession forward. Some of the conversations may be difficult and awkward, but they need to be had. Together, our voice will be louder, stronger, and harder to ignore. Kaila Gaughan, PA-S University of Kentucky Class of 2019 Joseph Hamburg Student Society AOR Representative PAEA Health Policy Fellow 2017
Name: Krissy Ngo Position: Director of Outreach My name is Krissy Ngo and I am running for the Student Academy’s director of outreach position. I am currently a first year in the Duke University PA program and the class of 2019 AOR alternative representative. During my first year in the PA program, I have taken on leadership roles and volunteer positions to advance interprofessional education, advocacy for patients, and promote diversity within the PA profession. Serving as the Student Academy’s director of outreach would be the perfect opportunity to continue to work toward these goals, and I believe that I have developed the leadership, communication, and managerial skills to succeed in the position. During PA week, I organized an interprofessional social with Duke medical students, physical therapy students, and nursing students with turnout from all schools. I am currently organizing other informal interprofessional events to foster a stronger relationship among the medical community at Duke. I feel strongly about advocating for the PA profession by emphasizing team-based care, especially while we are students. I am also a member of Duke Navigators, an interprofessional training program that instructs students in end-of-life care discussions through workshops and longitudinally following a terminally ill patient while conversing about difficult topics. I believe that understanding my patient population and the communities that they come from is a critical aspect of providing quality care. I volunteer with the local Habitat for Humanity chapter and participated in Durham Homeless Project Connect’s homelessness census to identify individuals experiencing homelessness and connect them to available resources. I have further leadership experience not limited to service chair for the Vietnamese Student Association and vice president-internal for alpha Kappa Delta Phi sorority as an undergraduate at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. I believe that team based care, diversity, and understanding our patient’s lives outside of the office are all necessary to provide the best care possible, and to advance the future of the PA profession. I am working towards these goals as a student by advocating for PAs through emphasis on interprofessionalism and diversity that creates a more cohesive team-based care for patients, especially in marginalized populations. I would bring skills developed during all of these experiences to the Board and the director of outreach position, which would provide the perfect next step in advancing these values.
Name: Rachel Murphy Position: Director of Outreach My name is Rachel Murphy and I am running for the director of outreach position. I am currently a first year PA student at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. As a member of the class of 2019, I was elected by my peers as class secretary. I was nominated and appointed by program faculty as the PA Education Committee Student Representative. I act as a liaison between faculty and students, provide feedback for consideration on present and future coursework, and submit student feedback on program policies. Prior to PA school, I was the program director of surgical technology and sterile processing at Baker College of Muskegon, Michigan. During my time at OUHSC, I helped spearhead a new annual event on our campus that promotes interprofessional collaboration and student diversity, Unity in Medicine. We invited a diverse panel of students from each college to share their life experiences, promote inclusive discussion, and to reach comprehension of each professions role in the care of patients. Most recently, I am working on creating a program that targets middle and high-school students in urban Oklahoma City to promote the PA profession. This program will identify students that are interested in careers in healthcare and provide them with mentorship to help achieve those goals. I feel it is important for our future providers to see PA students and PAs whom look like them, can relate to the adversity they face, and can offer support and guidance to them. I believe early promotion of PAs will initiate a cascade of sponsorship in legislation, patient appreciation, and interprofessional collaboration. My passion for outreach is deeply rooted in diversity and humanity. Increasing diversity is a daunting task to tackle, especially in such a young profession. There is a need to increase the presence of PAs in places where there are economic, educational, and health disadvantages. I believe PA students from such diverse backgrounds will return to their communities and have a lasting impact on them. I would like to continue Ms. Niki Perez’s work with diversity and interprofessional networking by collaborating with Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) to bring awareness of the PA profession to middle and high school students throughout the United States. I am humbly honored to run for Director of Outreach with the Student Academy, and I sincerely appreciate consideration for your vote.
Director of Student Communications Diana Wiley
Name: Diana Wiley Position: Director of Student Communications To the AAPA Assembly of Representatives: My name is Diana Wiley, and I am running for director of student communications. As a future PA, I am extremely passionate about promotion and advocacy of the PA profession. PAs play an integral part on the healthcare team but our roles are still poorly understood by the general public. This general lack of understanding can lead to decisions made by administrators and legislators that needlessly limit our scope of practice. This was something I witnessed firsthand while lobbying on Capitol Hill at this year’s Leadership and Advocacy Summit. It was at LAS that I was inspired to get more involved with the Student Academy and AAPA. I would love to see PAs nationwide practicing to the full extent of our education and licensure and I truly believe this starts at the grassroots level. As director of student communications, I would be committed to creating content that reaches PA students to educate them about critical issues facing the PA profession, and also inspires them to get involved however they can. I want to encourage students to start their path to advocacy leadership early in their career. On a more logistical note, I am very comfortable writing, creating content, and using a variety of social media channels including Facebook and Twitter. Throughout my undergraduate and graduate career, I have held many leadership roles. I currently serve as president of my class and the A.W. Horsley Physician Assistant Student Society. I was elected chair of the Student Advisory Committee and sit on the Board of Directors for my state’s constituent organization. Additionally, I sit on the Executive Council of my university’s Student Government Association. I believe my passion for PA advocacy combined with my leadership experience makes me uniquely qualified to serve on the Student Academy Board. I have experience with all different types of people – from undergraduate students to university administrators. Throughout my educational and professional career, I have developed strong communication skills which allow me to effectively coordinate between multiple parties, advocate strongly for issues I support, as well as problem solve and de-escalate conflict. I tend to excel when faced with challenges. However, it is my ability to bring people together and work well on a team that I think is most important. If elected, I would be honored to serve as your next director of student communications. Thank you this opportunity!
PA Foundation Student Representative Jamie Pepi Shelstad Lindsey Gardiner Myrna Molina Pamela Hoffman
Name: Jamie Pepi Shelstad Position: PA Foundation Student Representative Becoming a PA is a dream I passionately journey towards each day while also striving to have constant exposure to learning, growth, and endless curiosity. Over the past decade I’ve worked diligently to expose myself to as many aspects of the healthcare field as possible in order to strengthen my perspective and ability to give back as a health care provider. The PA profession has always excited me due to the emphasis of team based learning and using this camaraderie to impact greater communities with medical knowledge and resources. My purpose in fulfilling leadership opportunities while attending PA school is to develop not only clinical knowledge of the PA profession, but as well to better understand the ethical and cultural principles which can be used to provide educational tools and health resources to under-served communities. As a member of the Board I will be challenged to expand my leadership potential, intelligence, and compassion as I prepare to enrich my surrounding communities. While studying public health and working in Botswana, I learned culture is a term relative to each individual. Culture is not just that of a population but the way an individual leads their life daily. The experience of being outside of the routines I was accustomed to taught me that in order to help individuals absorb knowledge about their health I had to first understand them and the reasoning behind their choices. I saw how valuable the role of educator is to the health provider; that, arguably more important than the practice of medicine itself is empowering others through knowledge to take control of their health and lives. This experience augmented my desires to become a PA and showed me how passionate I am in pursing this service-based career. As a PA I will be able to help people dissect their health, ultimately helping underserved populations better navigate their own health and take control of their lifestyles. It is my desire to join the PA Foundation Board to work as a liaison, inspiring passion and drive in my peers through efficient communication. Using the longevity of this two-year commitment, I will be able to listen to individuals, spending time to better understand, address, and act upon their specific needs, allowing a direct impact on the communities they serve. The two-year commitment will also allow me to be on the Board as both a student and certified PA, further increasing my ability to develop communication bridges amongst student leaders, the PA Foundation Board of Trustees, and the AAPA Student Academy Board of Directors. As a grateful previous recipient of the Timi Agar Barwick Scholarship for Humanism in Medicine, I have directly seen the support and impact the PA Foundation works to have. Having been a personal witness to the caring, compassion, and camaraderie of this profession, I desire to give back through service. As a servant leader I strive to value the diverse opinions of others, cultivate a culture of trust with individuals and communities, and develop leadership potential in others, all while acting with humility, thinking with long term solutions, and using encouragement and passion as the basis of all my actions. I desire to give back to my peers and communities to express my appreciation for all they have done on my journey thus far. This passion for philanthropy will allow me to be an asset to the board directly through my dedication to bettering the PA profession. As a person driven by curiosity, compassion, empathy, and hopefulness in the face of adversity I feel my previous experiences will help me excel as the PA Foundation student representative. I am motivated to use education, communication, and empowerment, alongside a preventative medicine emphasis, to constantly help others realize their potential as health care providers. On my journey as a PA I know there will be long, hard days that test my will and patience; I also know that I will be witness to amazing moments of the human condition. I appreciate that I need constant growth as I continue to be shaped into a medical provider, and I am eager to participate in such a leadership and service opportunity which allows me to give back to my peers and the communities I serve.
Name: Lindsey Gardiner Position: PA Foundation Student Representative Hello fellow PA Students! My name is Lindsey Gardiner and I am excited to be running for the PA Foundation student representative position. Volunteering and giving back to the community has always been an integral part of my life. I was very fortunate to have parents that understood the value of service and got me involved with various philanthropic organizations from a young age. Through these experiences I’ve developed a desire for giving back to the community, which perfectly aligns with the mission of the PA Foundation and their dedication to giving back. It would be an honor to serve as the PA Foundation student representative and combine my passion for service and the PA profession. Why do I make a good candidate? I believe that I have the leadership experience, skills, and dedication to be a commanding voice for students on the PA Foundation Board and Student Academy Board. During my time at Indiana University I was evolved with Camp Kesem, an organization that provides a free summer camp for kids affected by their parents’ cancer. I became involved with the executive board and was chosen for the outreach coordinator position. For three years I led various committees and ensured the successful completion of the outlined goals. Furthermore, as outreach coordinator, my primary role was to serve as liaison between our camper families, Camp Kesem Nationals, and our local chapter. When our camper families or Nationals called, I had to be well informed and speak on behalf of the organization as a whole. However, one of my proudest accomplishments as outreach coordinator was implementing year round programming. I recognized gaps in the services we were providing, and then developed and implemented a solution. Year round programming is now a standard practice offered at all chapters nationwide. After graduating from Indiana University, I moved to Chicago and stayed involved as an Advisory Board member at Northwestern University. Once I started PA school, one of my goals was to find ways to give back to the Cleveland community. So, I became involved with Case Western’s free student-run health clinic. This clinic operates every other weekend to provide free primary care services to the Cleveland community. I was also chosen for the Inter-Professional Learning Exchange and Practice (ILEAP) program where I work on an interprofessional team to research and fill gaps in care at a local Federally Qualified Health Center. Additionally, I was elected as AOR to the Case Western PA Student Society Executive Board. One of my top priorities as AOR has been to increase transparency between the AAPA, the Student Academy and my classmates. I noticed few resources provided by the AAPA were being utilized by my class, so I began to promote and bring awareness to their availability. Finally, I had the privilege of volunteering and assisting with the organization of number services events held throughout PA Week. It is truly amazing to be able to partake is so many unique experiences as a PA student. I view the PA Foundation student representative role as an incredible opportunity to give students a voice in philanthropy. The mission statement of the PA Foundation focuses on “empowering PAs to improve health through philanthropy and service.” That is exactly what I strive to do. Through this position, my top priority will be to increase transparency between the Student Academy, PA Foundation, and general student body. Life as a PA student is crazy and hectic, so I will work towards making service opportunities and resources easily accessible. However, it is very important to me that I represent the wishes of PA students all across the country, so I want to engage in open communication and be readily available to talk with students about what is most important to them. It would be an honor to serve as the PA Foundation student representative for the next two years. My skills, experience, drive, and passion for giving back make me an excellent candidate for this position. I respectfully ask for you vote for the PA Foundation student representative position. Thank you!
Name: Myrna Molina, PA-S1 Position: PA Foundation Student Representative First off, I would like to thank you for your time and commitment to an organization so vital to our soon-to-be profession, and most importantly for the people we aspire to serve. Secondly, I come before you humbly asking for your vote as the PA Foundation student representative. My desire to serve the Student Academy of AAPA in this position stems from dedication to compassionate care and service to those in need, as well as personal experience. A little more about me and how I got here: I was born and raised by two immigrant parents, along with seven siblings, in San Diego, CA. In September of 2008, I become the first, although one of the youngest, in my family to attend college. During this time, I worked two jobs--one as a C.N.A., the other as a server--to pay for books and provide financial support for my parents. During this time, I also interned as a scribe for a neurosurgeon and served on the executive board of Flying Samaritans of SDSU. In 2015, I graduated with my BS in biochemistry, and joined USC’s primary care PA program in the fall of 2017. As a PA student, I continue to advocate and guide others in my role as Student-Run Clinic (SRC) research coordinator. Through my work with the SRC, I listen to varying perspectives and determine whether or not an interprofessional collaboration provides an added value for both the student and the patient. All my experiences during this journey culminate into the primary reason why I feel strongly compelled and eager to serve as the liaison between Student Academy of AAAPA and the PA foundation. To elaborate on one of my most impactful experiences, Flying Samaritans is a student organization at SDSU composed of pre-healthcare students interested in all disciplines of medicine, who ran a comprehensive monthly clinic in Tijuana, Mexico. As Clinic and Resource Coordinator, some of my tasks included organizing these clinics and promoting student involvement, much like what is required for the PA Foundation student representative position. Every month, my passion to serve was refreshed by the sight of all of us undergraduate students coming together for the benefit of the health of an underserved community. I also witnessed firsthand how a simple 12-hour volunteer day transformed the lives of people who served and who were being served; and admire the PA Foundation for their dedication to do the same on a much a greater scale. Another thing I revere about the PA foundation and AAPA is their support of PA education. As a student who comes directly from a disadvantaged background, I am grateful for their initiative to provide grants and scholarships to students from all backgrounds. For many of us, the opportunity to apply and receive scholarships allows us to re-focus on education and reduces stress from the financial hardships of PA school. My goals as the PA Foundation student representative would be to work with both organizations on increasing the amount of opportunities we have as students to serve, as well as ensuring that information about these opportunities, grants, and scholarships are properly disseminated to every PA student. I truly believe that my experience, fervor, and commitment to serve have prepared me for this two-year position. I hope that you all could give me the honor of representing us, the students, and allow me to operate as a reflection of the enthusiasm we all have for humanity and equal healthcare. Please know that I am happy to provide you with any additional information or answer any impending questions. My email is
[email protected]. Thank you for your time and consideration!
Name: Pamela Hoffman, PA-student Position: PA Foundation Student Representative I am excited to announce my candidacy for the AAPA Student Academy Board of Directors – PA Foundation student representative. PAs have the power to effect real change for individuals and communities through small and large acts of service. As the PA profession grows in size, so too grows the echo of our voices and the power of our impact. As the PA Foundation student representative, I will empower students to be a part of the philanthropic movement, support the pursuit of academic success and developmental opportunity, and foster continued activism as students of today emerge as tomorrow’s PA leaders. Through promotion of service projects, events, and available scholarships and grants, I will ensure you are aware of opportunities to contribute and grow. I will place attention on mutual and special interests of the Student Academy, the PA Foundation, and students-at-large, all the while ensuring the student voice is recognized and heard. I am a current first year PA student at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. I also hold an MS in medical physiology, and a BS in psychology. I was an active member of student government, the Associated Students of the University of Utah, for the duration of my undergraduate training. I held elected and appointed positions on the Freshman Class Council, Service Board, Government Relations Board, and Senior Class Council. I also served a one-year term as the student director of academic programming for the university, where I received an external grant to develop, promoted and executed student-focused academic events and served as a member of the selection committee for service and leadership based scholarships. I was honored with a Student Leader of the Year Award during my final undergraduate year. A successful early career in clinical research followed, where I garnered additional experience in scientific study, program development, successful grant writing, and fostering collaboration among competing groups. My love of medicine, esteem for colleagues, compassion for patients and families, and commitment to health and wellness grew over nearly a decade of this ancillary hospital-based work. During this time, I gained firsthand exposure to serving vulnerable populations through volunteer patient advocacy in the Emergency Department with the Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio. Since beginning PA school, I have been an energetic supporter of the AAPA and PA Foundation missions. PA Week was an exciting time-- competing in daily photo contests, collecting toiletries for the City Mission, hosting information events oncampus to promote awareness of the profession to undergraduate students, and sharing my activities on social media using the #PAWeek hashtag. Over the past three semesters, I have taken part in various ongoing philanthropic community events. I teach nutrition education to children in inner-city Cleveland schools, provide health screenings to adults in communities with significant food-scarcity and poor access to healthcare, and provide wellness home visits for the elderly population in a rural community east of Cleveland. Additionally, I am a clinical volunteer for the Student Run Health Clinic affiliated with Case Western, and now serve leadership roles on the clinic’s board and as coordinator for senior clinical volunteers on the clinic’s Recruitment and Training Committee. Last fall, I participated in an interprofessional poverty simulation, which was an eye-opening reminder of the significant struggles vulnerable individuals face and the devastation that can occur in an unexpected crisis. These individuals are our future patients, who have already overcome much. They deserve to have their sacrifices and hardships recognized, to feel heard and respected, to be met where they are by supportive and competent clinicians, and to be treated with dignity and compassion. Working with vulnerable populations in these settings has given me a more in-depth understanding of the significant need around me, and the importance a robust culture of service and advocacy. I eagerly await the opportunity to serve as the AAPA Student Academy Board of Directors – PA Foundation student representative. Armed with leadership experience, a knack for organization and efficiency, an aptitude for effective communication, and a dedication to wellness and service that aligns with the AAPA and PA Foundation values, I am confident that I am the right candidate for the job. If elected, I promise to utilize these skills, honed over time, to fulfill the duties and responsibilities bestowed upon me by you, the voters. I ask for your vote on May 19.
Northeast Regional Director Brittany Palaski Danielle Conley Kathryn LaFleur
Name: Brittany Palaski Position: Northeast Regional Director In this time of pivotal change for the PA profession, I would be honored to represent my fellow classmates on the Student Academy Board of Directors. The AAPA provides students opportunities to gain leadership skills essential in the professional world before we enter at a national level. If elected, I hope to represent the northeast programs of our country within AAPA and provide a platform for student voices. This position would allow me to connect our programs with one another and also with APPA. Before PA school, I fulfilled different leadership positions throughout my undergraduate program and my work experiences that I believe will give me the tools needed to represent my peers. At UMass Lowell, I learned the importance of teamwork as captain of the Dance Team. During my time as captain, the team transitioned from a once a week recreational club to a competitive nationally ranked sports team that met three times weekly. Learning to coordinate meetings between school financial officers, sports officials, and my teammates taught me organization and perseverance. As captain, my teammates taught me the importance of fostering an inclusive environment, allowing all of us to thrive and learn from one another. During my time at UMass Lowell, I also acted as chair of our leadership legacy department of Omicron Delta Kappa, a leadership honors society on campus. During this time I founded the first ever event that recognized freshman and sophomores for their success in leadership on campus. As a senior, I realized that there was little recognition for the difficulties one overcomes in the first two years of college and wanted to help rectify this. I hoped that the recognition would continue to inspire the underclassmen to fulfill leadership roles throughout their time on campus and after graduation. The event is still held annually. In 2011, I founded a small organization to help raise awareness for children and families touched by autism through dance and movement based events and fundraisers. These events eventually sponsored four scholarships that aided families in need of support for dance classes. The scholarship was founded in honor of “Sylvia Clementine”, a young child with autism who inspired me to study medicine at a young age. After graduation and through work experience, I continued to learn from my mentor physicians and peers how instrumental teamwork can be to a group’s success. During my time as a medical and surgical assistant, I aided in designing a new training protocol for our satellite location to streamline work for both the assistants and attending physicians. Overall, I continued to build on the leadership skills that I learned during my undergraduate education and learned from the people who surrounded me. If elected, I hope to use the opportunity to connect the schools throughout the northeast and ensure achievements are celebrated, issues are addressed, and ideas are put into action.
Name: Danielle Conley, PA-S Position: Northeast Regional Director I am grateful to have the opportunity to run for this position on the Student Board in order to further serve the PA profession. As a passionate and dedicated believer in what AAPA stands and fights for, I am eager to become more involved in assisting them with their mission. Our field has come a long way in the last 50 years, but there is still so much to be achieved. Change does not occur overnight, and it is seldom accomplished by a single individual. Serving as northeast regional director would provide me with the opportunity to start collaborating with my future colleagues to advocate for and facilitate further advancement of our profession. Prior to starting my PA school journey this past September, I worked as a as a medical scribe in the emergency department. I became the chief of the scribe program at my hospital system and was responsible for hiring, training, scheduling, quality assurance and ensuring that the day-to-day operations of the program ran smoothly across all five of our sites. This provided me with ample experience not only in working as a part of a team, but leading one as well. As chief scribe, I also served as the liaison between the project leader from my company and the administrators at each hospital site. This provided me with the opportunity to hone my communication skills. Additionally, it allowed me to gain a better understanding of how to actively listen to one person or group’s concerns, ideas, desires and opinions and effectively convey them to another party. I have also gained experience working as part of a team during my time as a pharmacy technician, research assistant, member of multiple undergraduate executive boards and the editor-in-chief of a psychology publication at my undergraduate institution. I have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to build upon my existing communication, teamwork and leadership skills by serving as the current AOR representative of Hofstra University’s Student Academy chapter. In this position, I am responsible for facilitating two-way communication between the Student Academy and my classmates. I act as a liaison between the two by relaying information from the Student Board to my class and, more importantly, representing the voice of my classmates to the Student Academy by proposing and voting on AOR resolutions. This opportunity has also allowed me to collaborate with my fellow classmates on our student society board to get our program more involved with the local community. By electing me as AOR representative, my classmates have chosen me to voice their beliefs and represent them at the national level. More importantly, they have also entrusted me with further improving the quality of both current and future PA education by giving me the opportunity to vote on the 2018 AOR resolutions. As PA students, we are the future of our profession and it is imperative that our voices be heard. I am confident that I possess the attributes and skills required to effectively represent you, my fellow PA students and future colleagues, on a national level and convey your thoughts, ideas and concerns to the Student Board. If elected, I will ensure that your voices are heard and will work hard to help further the profession that we are all so fortunate, honored and excited to be a part of.
Name: Kathryn LaFleur Position: Northeast Regional Director Hi everyone! My name is Kathryn LaFleur, and I’m currently a second year PA student at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Thank you for taking the time to review my platform statement and for your consideration of my candidacy as I run for the 2018-2019 northeast regional director position. Platform Statement: My road to becoming a PA has been a long one, and I could not have gotten to where I am today without multiple mentors and resources to lean on along the way. Being one to always assume a leadership role, it is my privilege to have the potential opportunity to serve the northeast AORs and their respective programs. Over the course of the next year, I look forward to being both a resource and a mentor as AORs collaborate in forming resolutions to help guide the Student Academy and PA students across the country. Leadership Experience: As I previously mentioned, I have sought out and assumed leadership roles throughout the majority of my life. These roles have ranged from high school student council, mentoring freshmen student athletes at my alma mater (University of Missouri – Columbia), to leading and organizing volunteer efforts at the hospital I worked at as a nursing technician for four years prior to PA school. However, I am most proud of the following leadership roles that I have had the honor to hold since beginning work in healthcare and while as a PA student: Attended the 2018 AAPA Leadership & Advocacy Summit and advocated to legislators regarding policies affecting the PA profession. Currently serving as a student delegate in the HOD and preparing to give testimony at the HOD meeting at the AAPA conference. Selected as my PA program’s inaugural AOR in 2016-2017 and collaborated with fellow AORs at the AAPA conference to pass resolutions. Served on an interprofessional hospital committee to develop core measures to prevent hospital acquired pressure ulcers. Leadership Goals: Not only do I have immense passion for the PA profession and take advantage of any opportunity to advocate on behalf of PAs and PA students, but if elected, I believe that my prior leadership experience has prepared me well to fulfill the responsibilities of regional director as well as co-chair a student volunteer task force. If elected, I would work closely with the Student Academy Board of Directors to develop fresh and exciting initiatives and to fulfill the responsibilities of regional director including the following: Serve as a mentor and resource to AORs and their programs in developing and formulating resolutions prior to the annual AOR meeting. Communicate with PA programs, especially inaugural programs, in understanding the AOR role and appointing a student to the position. Increase communication and familiarity between AORs within the region to improve collaboration efforts on resolutions. Continue the tradition of coordinating the PAs on the Plaza event during PA week and work to increase awareness to improve PA program participation. Once again, thank you for taking the time to review my platform statement and please consider me for the position of the 2018-2019 northeast regional director. Sincerely, Kathryn LaFleur, PA-S
Mid-Atlantic Regional Director Mike Gumpert
Name: Mike Gumpert Position: Mid-Atlantic Regional Director My name is Mike Gumpert, and I welcome the opportunity to serve our profession and fellow PA students as mid-Atlantic reginal director. Leadership Experience Vice President of the Jefferson College of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Student Society Over eight years of management experience as a Naval Submarine Officer. Specific leadership opportunities included: o Program and project manager for a $25M department of the Navy engineering acquisition initiative. o Voting member of the board of directors for the Joint Fleet Maintenance Manual; the guiding document for all Navy maintenance. o Quality assurance manager for $36M of maintenance conducted around the world over four years, by over 100 personnel. o Directed nuclear power plant and tactical operations as senior person on duty, coordinating over 130 crew members and $1 billion of equipment during in port and at sea operations. As a college student at the Naval Academy, I have also: o Co-founded and led a student improvisation group for two years. o Co-led the editing team for the annual student publication; awarded the Robert Dickie Stannus Award for leadership and contributions. As a leader, I am passionate about working with my peers to advance the PA profession all the while ensuring each student has an opportunity and a platform to make our voices heard. I stay abreast of policy changes related to our profession, the academy, and public health policy, and recognize the importance of ensuring these changes are communicated. If elected as mid-Atlantic regional director, I will advocate on behalf of the Student Academy to the programs in my region, working to ensure each student has the opportunity to develop a sound understanding of what the Student Academy is, and what they can contribute to the organization. I am committed to collaborating with and leading my peers, and will work to: Utilize the regional director position to provide rapid and closed-loop communication between Student Academy leadership and the mid-Atlantic programs. Empower students in the mid-Atlantic region to bring ideas and issues to the Student Academy Board and ensure they receive recognition for their professional achievements. With your support, I would be honored to have your vote for mid-Atlantic regional director so that I can make a tangible difference in the lives of our fellow students, PAs, and most importantly, our patients.
Southeast Regional Director Alex Cody Frank Stooksbury Libby Givens
Name: Christian “Alex” Cody Position: Southeast Regional Director Thank you for taking the time to learn about who I am and why I am excited about running for southeast regional director for the Student Academy. My name is Alex Cody, and I am a second year PA student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Prior to enrolling in the PA program, I earned a B.S in biology and a B.S. in medical industrial distribution from UAB. However, my path into the PA profession was a roller coaster with me having to face numerous challenges while maintaining my passion for the profession at the same time. Upon arriving to UAB as an undergrad, I realized the gravity of the sacrifices my mother made for me and my three younger sisters. She was the sole provider for us, and she worked hard to make sure we had a stress-free childhood along with the assistance of my maternal grandfather. The financial strain that my mother had really hit home, as I was almost forced to drop out college, during my first semester because of financial hardships. However, I knew that my purpose and goal to work in medicine was greater than any financial setback. I was able to obtain an emergency loan from UAB as well as financial support of multiple relatives, who pooled money together to help me stay in school. It literally took a village, a network of supporters, to get me through that school year. I was able to seek out and find a variety of scholarship, grants and other financial resources to fund my remaining undergraduate education. After overcoming this great hurdle and realizing that my story is not uncommon, as every student does not have the broad support that I was blessed to receive, I worked with a program on campus to mentor minority freshman males transition from high school to college for three years. After enrolling in PA school, I wanted to continue mentoring but with a focus towards working with pre-PA students. This past summer, I was chosen to represent the School of Health Professions, which houses several health professional programs (physical therapy, occupational therapy, genetic counseling, clinical lab sciences, etc.), as a graduate student mentor with the Robert Wood Johnson Summer Health Professions Program (SHPEP). UAB was selected as one of three sites across the country to offer a pre-PA track for this program. During those six weeks of SHPEP, I assisted and mentored underrepresented rising sophomores and juniors in their pursuits of getting accepted into health professional programs. I was also selected as a student health policy fellow at the PA Education Association (PAEA). This PAEA fellowship has given me the tools to successfully advocate for laws that benefits the continued growth of the PA profession. Through the fellowship, in Washington D.C, I also had the opportunity to meet with lawmakers and educate them about how PAs are trained, the role PAs play in a healthcare team, and the importance of PAs in the delivery of healthcare in United States. Although my journey to a career as a PA is just beginning, I am dedicated to advocating for our profession and intentional about making sure those who are underrepresented in medicine and in our profession have access to PA education. Regardless if your school is private or public, large or small, rural or urban, I want to represent all PA programs in the southeast region. I strive to be accessible to all programs and will remain attentive to the specific needs of your program. It would be an absolute honor to serve as the southeast regional director of the Student Academy, and I would to love to have your support. I am excited meet all of you in New Orleans! C. Alexander Cody, PA-S PAEA Student Health Policy Fellow UAB Physician Assistant Studies Program, Class of 2018 "A mind is a terrible thing to waste" – UNCF
Name: Frank Stooksbury Position: Southeast Regional Director My name is Frank Stooksbury and I am running for southeast regional director. I currently attend the PA program at Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC. Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of being the AOR representative for my program and have enjoyed being the liaison between the AAPA and my fellow students. I would like to continue to serve my classmates, PA students in the southeast region, and the PA profession by applying my previous leadership experience to actively share knowledge and opportunities for advancement within the profession. I believe that the unique experiences and perspectives that each program affords its students can be used to collaboratively build a stronger learning foundation. By listening to the ideas and voices of the many, the PA profession can grow to new heights. I would welcome the challenge of being the collective voice of the southeast region to bring those thoughts and achievements to the student academy board in order to direct positive change for the future. I began my medical training and leadership experience in the US Air Force in 1999. I was placed in charge of my training group and was an honor graduate from Airman Leadership School. After leaving the service, I became the lead imaging technologist at Edward White Hospital in Florida. working in that capacity for seven years. Upon relocating to North Carolina, I became the director of interventional radiology at Moore Regional Hospital where I worked while finishing my undergraduate degree. While at Moore Regional Hospital, I helped with the implementation of a dialysis access management program and an initiative to reduce CLABSI rates. For the three years prior to attending PA school, our department recorded infection rates of less than 0.01 percent annually. I enjoy working with others to implement change for the common good and serve those in need. I have had the good fortune to be a part of several mission trips with the organization Eight Days of Hope. The group aids those affected by natural disasters by bringing in volunteers from around the country to rebuild damaged homes. On several occasions I have had the privilege of leading groups of volunteers on these trips. I believe that my willingness to be a servant leader allows me to facilitate a strong group dynamic and quickly build trust and cohesion among individuals from differing backgrounds. With a strong work ethic and more than 18 years of clinical experience, I feel that I can effectively communicate between the programs in the southeast region and the AAPA Student Academy Board. If given the opportunity, I will serve the region with the utmost respect for my fellow students and the PAs that make up our wonderful profession. Thank you, Frank Stooksbury Jr.
Name: Elisabeth (Libby) Givens Position: Southeast Regional Director I believe I would be an excellent fit for southeast regional director. As a member of the inaugural class of my program, I have a very unique perspective about what is involved in developing a program that yields compassionate and competent clinicians. I have had the pleasure of serving as co-president of this inaugural class, and as such, I have had the opportunity to communicate the needs of my classmates to program administration. I feel this skill has me well-prepared to become regional director of the southeast, which requires communication between region schools and the AAPA Student Academy. I have lived in Atlanta, Georgia, I grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and I have lived in the Tampa Bay area in Florida for four years now; my knowledge of programs in the southeast region will help me better serve this area. I would be humbled to serve as your southeast regional director for 2018-2019.
North Central Regional Director None
South Central Regional Director None
Western Regional Director Angela Mei Brendan Lucas Kendra Glassman Lauren Yanez
Name: Angela Mei Position: Western Regional Director My name is Angela, and I’m a student at Heritage University in Washington state… I thought I should clarify because about 100 percent of the time people always follow-up and ask if it’s Washington state or Washington D.C. I am the current AOR representative for cohort four, and hopefully you will find me charming enough to allow me to be your western regional director for this upcoming year. I’ve always been passionate about getting involved, and I guess a passion for the western part of the United States as well. I was born in New York (but let’s ignore that for now), moved to Las Vegas, NV and lived there up until I finished high school. Then I went to Colorado for my undergrad (Go Rams!), and now I’m in Washington for graduate school. In the office our job as future PAs is to tell our patient’s story, but here and beyond the office, we have the opportunity to tell our story. I hope to voice and to inspire. I humbly ask you to allow me to be one of the voices that you vote to represent the West. It’s a beautiful thing when someone is moved enough by a cause to make them act. Being the optimist that I am, I hope to be the drop of water that creates the ripple effect that inspires you all to want to get involved as well. A brilliant poet once said, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” My goal for this position is to create an open line of communication with everyone in my region and to act as your liaison to make sure everyone stays informed about what is happening nationally for PAs. Since our profession is relatively new in medicine, I think that it is a worthy cause for us to reach out and educate our communities. I hope to facilitate opportunities for PA students to not only educate others about what we do, but to also learn and have a better understanding of the people that we will be treating one day. About 50 years ago, the pioneers of the PA profession set off on a journey to create one of the fastest growing job fields in the nation. It is an extraordinary time to be alive! Our profession is young, we’ve accomplished a lot, but there is still much to be done. We have had our victories, but also setbacks in stricter regulations. In Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway masterpiece “Hamilton,” George Washington says, “History has its eyes on you.” That message resonates deeply for us in our cause of advancing the role of PAs in the medical field. This is our opportunity to create our legacy in the medical field. We have the chance to lay down a strong foundation for future PAs and to prove what we can do for the face of medicine… and it all starts with being informed and caring just enough. Thank you everyone!
Name: Brendan Lucas Position: Western Regional Director Thank you in advance for taking the time to consider me for western regional director for the Student Academy Board of Directors. My name is Brendan Lucas and I am a second year student at University of the Pacific. The PA profession stands in the midst of an ever-changing healthcare scene. The current state of health care policy and delivery is affecting the optimal practice of PAs across the country and will continue to do so until a change is made. As a student in one of over two-hundred accredited PA programs across the country, I have had the unique opportunity to advocate for the profession in a variety of settings. First, and perhaps most directly, I have been able to bring awareness to our profession in facilities vastly outnumbered by our NP colleagues. I have received numerous questions from physicians, residents, NPs, and other healthcare team members regarding PA scope of practice and how we can benefit the healthcare system. These are the opportunities PA students should take advantage of and where a huge impact can be made in bringing awareness to our profession. The second component of my advocacy comes from lobbying at the state and federal levels. In my home state of Kentucky, a state plagued by healthcare disparities, I have participated in lobby days to expand access to healthcare and update legislation to include PAs. On the federal level, I have had the opportunity to be on both sides of the table. As a congressional intern a few years ago, I was able to meet with AAPA lobbyists and encouraged my boss to cosponsor PA-friendly legislation. This year, I was able to lobby as a participant in the Leadership & Advocacy Summit in D.C. During that time, I lobbied to bridge gaps in healthcare created by outdated legislation. The role of the regional director is one that fosters relationship building to achieve our goals. As John Wooden once said, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, you need a team.” This can be translated to the student obligation to assist in the advancement of the profession. By building that team of students who desire to go far, employing available resources for students to use on the frontlines, and empowering students to educate others, the PA profession can continue to remain relevant in today’s dynamic healthcare scene. This will be the focus of my term as regional director. As regional director, I will focus on empowering and encouraging students to become the voices of our profession on the local, state, and federal levels. I will employ available resources for our students to use in educating others of the PA profession. With a special emphasis being placed on developing programs, I will assist in starting the conversation early of how to effectively advocate and bring awareness to our young profession. By connecting students in my region, we can foster an environment of sharing ideas and analyzing those ideas in order to make the largest impact in our communities. I will emphasize the importance of student involvement at all levels and focus on increasing participation to engage with our policymakers. As I’ve navigated through my PA education, I’ve realized my true passion for policy and advocacy. I believe my previous experiences paired with this passion provide the foundation necessary to empower students and PAs in building the bridge for our profession. With your support, I would be honored to represent PA students in the western region as the regional director. Brendan K. Lucas, PA-S University of the Pacific, Class of 2019 Student Delegate, AAPA House of Delegates
Name: Kendra Glassman Position: Western Regional Director I have a strong interest in the legislative process as it pertains to the future of PAs. I feel it is important to stay involved and informed of the political environment. I have had previous experience serving on the board of various state and national organizations where I helped obtain/maintain licensing, educated legislatures about the dietetics profession as well as represented members of the organization at national and local events. I enjoy keeping up to date on these topics and would ensure the western region would receive new information in a concise and timely manner. Thank you! Kendra Glassman
Name: Lauren Yanez Position: Western Regional Director My name is Lauren Yanez and I am a first year PA student at Northern Arizona University in Phoenix, Arizona. Prior to PA school, I attended Arizona State University, and graduated with a degree in biological sciences. During my time at ASU, I was involved in research and was a student athlete on the water polo team. In addition to playing water polo, I also held a leadership position as the safety officer for the team, which involved being responsible for all team members meeting all medical requirements. After graduation from ASU, I worked as a medical scribe, and was appointed to a leadership position (Master Scribe) responsible for training new hires and leading a team of scribes. I also spent time volunteering in a local hospital and native health clinic. Wanting to continue my role as a volunteer leader, I am serving as the fundraising representative for the NAU PA student society. In this role, I have coordinated fundraisers to benefit our program. I am passionate about advocating for the PA profession and would like to share that passion with other students in my region, which is why I am interested in serving as the western regional director. A significant role of this position is to keep communication lines open between students, PA programs, and the professional association. I believe I have a good grasp on both the challenges facing students and student career interests; with this insight, I can contribute to the discussion of how PA students can help advance the profession. I would also like to inspire students to volunteer in the community, especially in the area of mental health. I plan on attending the Student SPARK session, “Mental Health in First Aid,” to further my passion of being a mental health advocate. I hope to contribute to changing how society views mental illness by working to remove the negative stigma. I believe the work of the Student Academy in the area of mental health should continue, and I would love to contribute to developing resources for those affected by mental illness and to increase awareness of the prevalence of mental illness. I will ensure all upcoming PA cohorts stay up to date on the latest clinical interventions as the medical field is always changing. I plan to collaborate with others in different regions, and across the nation to find explanations. My educational, extracurricular and volunteer experiences have helped me become the leader I am today, and by building upon these experiences, I am confident that I can make a valuable contribution to the Student Academy Board of Directors. I look forward to the opportunity to use my leadership, collaboration, and communication skills to be a voice for PA students, and an advocate for patients.
