Service Committee

Julia Josowitz

Stanford School of Medicine

Julia Josowitz is a second-year PA student at Stanford School of Medicine, where she is a student leader for the Oncology Student Interest Group and the Medical Students for Choice chapter. As the PA Foundation Student Representative, she hopes to increase opportunities for community service and outreach that benefit both our professional education and our communities.

Josowitz received her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology from Kenyon College in Ohio, where she ran cross country and track. During college she volunteered with local hospice organizations, which was one of the more meaningful experiences of her undergraduate education. She gained clinical research experience during summer undergraduate fellowships at Baylor College of Medicine and MD Anderson Cancer Center. After graduating, she worked as a medical assistant for Planned Parenthood, where she witnessed health disparities and the effects of social determinants of health firsthand. She hopes to use her education as a PA to combat these disparities professionally and through community service.

In her free time, Josowitz enjoys running, hiking, and doing crossword puzzles.

Brittany Busby

Valparaiso University

Brittany Busby is a first-year student at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. Busby received her bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences with a minor in Chemistry from Valparaiso University as part of a “3 + 2” program.
During her undergraduate career, Busby was involved in the university’s Five-Year Physician Assistants Club, Chemistry Club, and Chi Omega Fraternity. She also served on campus as a tutor in chemistry, anatomy and physiology, and nutrition. Busby also held two part-time jobs, one working in the student organization suite within the campus union, and the other as a dance teacher in her hometown. Aside from these responsibilities, Busby was able to complete shadowing experiences in multiple hospitals in the area, including the University of Chicago Medicine, Porter Regional Hospital, Comer Children’s Hospital, and Franciscan Healthcare Alliance.

In her graduate career, Busby served as the class president of her cohort, as well as the president and Student Academy Representative (SAR) for Valparaiso University’s Physician Assistant Student Society (VUPASS). In this role, she was the liaison between the program’s faculty members and students, as well as between the university’s graduate school and the PA Program. She was elected the vice chair of the Graduate School Advisory Committee from her role as VUPASS liaison and had the ability to advocate for the graduate school’s presence on campus.

As North Central Regional Director, Busby hopes to increase the amount of communication and resources between programs in the region. Her goal is to serve as a resource for the region as well to help provide programs with ideas on how to connect with their communities or further connect them with AAPA. She aims to expand these goals during her term and continue to facilitate the region’s growth.

In her free time, Busby enjoys a dinner date at Taco Bell with her fiancé, Alex, and a long walk with her fur baby, Cappy.

Anna Rose Darin

University of Southern California

Anna is a second-year PA student attending University of Southern California’s Primary Care PA Program. She graduated magna cum laude from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Science in biology and a minor in microbiology. Prior to PA school, she gained her clinical experience predominantly by working as a medical scribe in an emergency department and as a medical assistant in a general surgery practice.

Darin strives to make meaningful contributions to society through volunteer work. She first developed a passion for medical service while volunteering within the free clinic of her hometown. While attending Cal Poly, she embarked on medical service trips with Healing Hearts Across Borders (HHAB) to Tijuana to assist in setting up and running temporary medical clinics. She has taken on a leadership role at USC serving as a committee member and Care Team Coordinator for the USC Student Run Clinic Wellness Center Program. Most recently, Darin has participated in the Age-Friendly Student Senior Connection Program, in which she speaks with an older adult in the community by phone to lessen any hardships they may be experiencing due to self-isolation and social distancing as a result of COVID-19. She regularly volunteers with the USC Pipeline Program, encouraging local youth to consider a career in healthcare.

Outside of her studies, Darin is an avid surfer, yogi, runner, and traveler. She is looking forward to serving her role as a member of the Service Committee to share her enthusiasm for volunteer work with her peers. Darin is eager to discover new volunteer opportunities and to encourage fellow PA students to play an active role in their communities.

Ashley Joldersma

Thomas Jefferson University

Ashley Joldersma is a second-year PA student and Philanthropy chair at Thomas Jefferson University – East Falls in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She completed a Bachelor of Science at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Prior to her PA program, and throughout her undergrad, she worked as a float Patient Care Assistant at Mercy Health St. Mary’s Hospital and volunteered weekly at Children’s Healing Center, creating fun, active, and educational programing for immunocompromised children and their siblings. She also participated in a Medical Mission trip to Belize with her fellow GVSU pre-PA club members back in 2016.

Daniela Arriagada

Seton Hall University

Daniela is a first-year PA student at Seton Hall University School for Health and Medical Sciences in Nutley, New Jersey. She is determined to bring more service opportunities to her local campus and work together to impact her community in a positive way. Before attending her current PA program, she graduated from Rutgers University with her bachelor’s degree in biology and psychology. After graduating, she served as a physical therapy aide and traumatic brain injury research assistant in a rehabilitation facility for two years. During her free time, Arriagada enjoys playing the ukulele, cooking, and spending time in the great outdoors!

Danielle Berube

University of Saint Joseph

Danielle Berube is a first-year PA student at the University of Saint Joseph in Connecticut. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in biology with minors in Spanish and psychology from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2019. While in her undergraduate program, she worked as a physical therapy aide where she fell in love with healthcare. She also volunteered with a migrant farm clinic providing free healthcare and was involved in the Collegiate Health Service Corps where she organized programs to educate underserved communities on healthcare promotion and disease prevention. These experiences made her aware of the injustices in healthcare and ignited her passion for working with underserved communities. In her free time, Berube enjoys dancing, baking, crafting, and spending time with family and friends.

Elise Carney

University of Florida

Elise is a current first-year student at the University of Florida–Go Gators! Originally from Vermont, she moved around for some time before deciding to move to Florida and attend PA school. Some of her favorite cities were Valencia, Spain and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Prior to PA school she worked as a medical assistant in a primary care clinic that served pediatric patients, adolescents, new Americans, and the youth LGTBQ+ populations. She also volunteered with hospice as a Spanish translator for patients and families. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, swimming, kayaking, and really anything that involves being outside! She hopes to continue to volunteer her time and use her Spanish throughout PA school and as a PA in community-based clinics.

Ellie Songer

Quinnipiac University

Ellie Songer is a first-year student at Quinnipiac University in North Haven, Connecticut. She is also a scholar in the University of Connecticut’s Urban Service Track/Area Health Education Center Network Program, in which she joins students from various interprofessional health disciplines to encourage health promotion and disease prevention in underserved communities. Through this program and as a member of the Service Committee, she hopes to apply her passion for community service in overcoming health care barriers and tackling the social determinants of health that limit accessibility to underserved populations.

Prior to PA school, Songer graduated with a Bachelor of Science in health science studies in the pre-PA track at Quinnipiac University. She also minored in biomedical science as well as Spanish, with hopes of utilizing her Spanish as a PA to overcome language barriers with patients. Songer took a cultural health class as her senior capstone to further explore her passion for public health policy, social determinants of health, and medicine.

Throughout undergrad, Songer served more than 400 hours of community service at a local hospice in her hometown, assisting residents in all daily living activities. In addition, she spent over 200 hours volunteering at local nursing homes as a companion to seniors in her community. One of her favorite experiences was being a camp counselor at the Rochester Rotary Sunshine Campus, which allowed children and adults with disabilities to enjoy the true summer camp experience.

Songer grew up in Rochester, New York, and enjoys being outdoors, cooking, and traveling. She competed in Division I Cross Country and Track & Field throughout her four years as an undergraduate, which has stemmed a strong interest in pursuing orthopaedic surgery as a PA. As a representative in the Student Athlete Advisory Committee at Quinnipiac, she researched and promoted community service opportunities for athletes to get involved in. She is excited to have this opportunity on the Service Committee to carry this passion onto PA school.

Haley Elise Gravely

Indiana State University

Haley Gravely is currently in her didactic year at Indiana State University, which is also her alma mater. She graduated in 2017 with her Bachelor of Science in biology with honors alongside minors in chemistry and public health. During her time at Indiana State University, she was a research assistant at Indiana University School of Medicine – Terre Haute. She was fortunate to be published alongside other authors in Frontiers in Immunology. Following her time at university, she traveled extensively through the United States and then worked in various healthcare office settings while waiting to start her journey with the Peace Corps. She was placed in South Africa in the Health Sector with a focus on HIV/AIDS. After returning home, she joined the pharmaceutical industry in the diabetes division and then changed course toward PA studies when she realized how much she loved the challenge of being a health care provider. All her previous adventures in life led her to interest in women’s health, plastic/reconstructive surgery, diabetes, and infectious disease. Her passions lie in community service and women’s empowerment. She is an avid lover of the outdoors, where she is often joined by her dog, Diyaa, and her fiancé Josh.

Hollis Moore

Case Western Reserve University

Hollis Moore is a second-year PA student at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio where she serves as Health and Wellness Committee co-chair for her student society. She is originally from Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology from the University of Michigan. Prior to PA school, Moore was a nurse’s aide at a memory care facility and also at the Cleveland Clinic. She is passionate about volunteering her time in her community through efforts such as food pantries, performing health screenings and connecting people with free clinics in their area, going to schools to educate children about healthy habits, among other volunteer events. Moore is also a former Team USA figure skater and has traveled around the world to compete. In her free time, she likes to hang out with her dog, workout, and spend time with her family and friends.

Jacqueline Berolini

Quinnipiac University

Jackie Berolini is originally from Bridgewater, Massachusetts and is a first-year PA student at Quinnipiac University in North Haven, Connecticut. Berolini enjoys serving the community, helping others, and advocating for the PA profession. Prior to PA school, she graduated from Quinnipiac University with a Bachelor of Science. During her undergraduate, Berolini led the elderly branch of Quinnipiac University’s largest community service organization Community Action Project. Prior to PA school, Berolini worked as a certified nursing assistant and personal care aide. In her free time, Berolini enjoys hiking, going to the beach, and spending time with friends and family.

Kirsten R. Kenny

Quinnipiac University

Kirsten Kenny is a first-year PA student at Quinnipiac University in North Haven, Connecticut but grew up in Seattle, Washington. She graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with degrees in kinesiology and French.

Prior to starting her graduate program, she worked in specialized recreational therapy/outdoor recreation as well as a float pool PCT at UWMC-Montlake. Along with working as a PA, she has an interest in working in public health research, stemming from her past experiences interning for Seattle Children’s Research Institute and working as a research assistant in undergrad where she helped develop a Google Map add-on for older adults in Pierce County to find exercise programs based on different customizable criteria.

She has volunteered for Special Olympics Washington since 2010 when she helped start her high school’s first SOWA Unified sports program then subsequently her university’s first program. For the past 10 years she has been able to work with the SOWA community in different capacities including as a medical volunteer, tournament manager, coach, program founder, and Unified partner. She remains grateful for this community and intends on continuing to advocate for expanding SOWA and similar accessible recreation programs and remains dedicated to being a life-long volunteer.

In her free time, Kenny enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, practicing yoga, spending time with friends and family, and reading.

Marian Bornhorst

Mercer University

Marian is a first-year PA student at Mercer University from Roswell, Georgia. She attended the University of Georgia (go dawgs!) and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in athletic training in May of 2019. At UGA, she was able to work with many sports teams, including a season with the university’s football team. With football, she was able to be on the sidelines of both the SEC championship and National Championship games as well as travel to Pasadena, California for the Rose Bowl. In the fall of 2019 before starting PA school in January, she practiced as a licensed Athletic Trainer for two different companies and worked her first waitressing job at a local seafood restaurant. Although the pandemic has put a strain on in person learning, she has enjoyed every second of her program and is excited to be that much closer to clinical year.

Nicole Castelluccio

Seton Hall University

Nicole Castelluccio is a first-year PA student at Seton Hall University in Nutley, New Jersey.

Castelluccio grew up in a small community in Byram Township, New Jersey until beginning undergraduate studies in South Carolina at Coastal Carolina University. There she graduated with a B.S. in integrative biology. Following graduation, she immediately began working as a medical scribe at Grand Strand Emergency Department, a Level 1 Trauma Center, in Myrtle Beach. After two years and two promotions to both chief medical scribe and head trainer, she sought after hands-on patient care opportunities and began working as an ophthalmic technician for a Corneal Surgeon at Griffin Eye Center. There she was able to participate in volunteer opportunities for Opening Eyes at the Special Olympics, providing children with special needs free glasses with updated prescriptions. She is looking forward to continuing serving the community as a member of the Service Committee.

Castelluccio enjoys spending her free time with her family and German Shepherd, Heidi, going to the lake or down the shore, and practicing her faith. She is excited to begin her studies at a Catholic University and be able to commute from her hometown surrounded by her amazing support system of family and friends!

Peter Lambrou

University of Mount Union

Peter Lambrou is a first-year student at the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. He graduated in 2014 with a master’s degree in occupational therapy and has been practicing in a nursing home for the past five years. Lambrou recently returned to school to fulfill his lifelong dream of pursuing a career as a PA. During his time in school, Lambrou has engaged in service learning at nursing homes and at the county board of developmental disabilities, as well as promoting his current profession during occupational therapy month. Lambrou is looking forward to using his past experience to further promote the PA profession as vital to the healthcare system. In his free time, Lambrou enjoys spending time outdoors, exercising, traveling, and attending live music and sports events.

Rachael Hart

DeSales University

Rachael Hart is a second-year student at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pennsylvania. She received a Bachelor of Science in biology from DeSales University. During her time at DeSales University, she has volunteered with the Center for Service and Social Justice which has led to involvement with the American Cancer Society and Habitat for Humanity. Hart has participated in a number of service trips and intends to continue to volunteer in similar ways in her local and national community moving forward. She is currently a volunteer with the DeSales Free Clinic which provides medical care to the residents of a homeless shelter in Allentown, Pennsylvania. In her free time, she enjoys running, trying new foods, and cheering on her favorite sport teams.

Rebecca Knaley

Case Western Reserve University

Rebecca is a first-year student in Case Western Reserve University’s PA Program. Prior to matriculating at CWRU, she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from the University of Cincinnati. She worked as a patient care assistant on an orthopaedic and neurological surgery floor. She also spent time in her undergraduate years volunteering at an underserved health clinic in downtown Cincinnati where she realized her passion for providing high quality healthcare to all patient populations.

Rebecca Parada

Seton Hall University

Rebecca Parada is a first-year PA student at Seton Hall University. She graduated from Montclair State University in 2018, earning a Bachelor of Science in biology. Throughout her undergraduate career, Parada was eager to delve into the profession and began shadowing PAs in many specialties, including orthopaedic surgery, adult/pediatric urology surgery, pediatrics, and family medicine.

In addition to her shadowing experience, Parada volunteered at Hackensack Meridian Health Mountainside Medical Center in the Emergency Department in 2019. She has worked as a patient care associate at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center on the cardiac step-down and telemetry unit, gaining hands-on experience with her patients. She is determined to continue working throughout PA school to help make a difference in her patients’ lives.

As a member of the Service Committee, Parada wants to help advocate for the PA profession and encourage her peers and patients to educate those around them. She also wants to aid in providing more access between pre-PA and PA students and our communities.

Parada currently lives in Clifton, New Jersey and enjoys her daily walks, working out, and spending time with her family and friends. Her favorite expression is “It’s a good day to have a great day!”

Samantha Carroll

Stephens College

Samantha is a second-year PA student at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. Prior to PA school, she attended the University of Missouri, where she completed her bachelor’s degree in nutrition and fitness and her master’s degree in public health. While in graduate school, Carroll worked as an exercise physiologist in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and exercise stress testing. This is where she developed her passion for cardiology and preventive healthcare. While at Mizzou, she was an active member of the school’s alternative breaks program, serving as an executive board member, site leader, and participant for numerous trips. She also served as the President of the club softball team and an executive board member for the club sports federation.

Carroll is a 2020-2021 PAEA Student Health Policy Fellow. She is passionate about access to healthcare, rural healthcare, preventive healthcare, and underserved populations. Outside of school, Carroll enjoys volunteering within her community, playing softball, playing tennis, hiking, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Sebastian Cuitiva

University of Florida

Sebastian Cuitiva is a first-year student at the University of Florida PA program. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in general health from the University of Miami and is originally from Bogota, Colombia. After undergrad, he completed a Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in epidemiology. He also worked as an oncology clinical research coordinator for the first Phase 1 clinical trials to open in the Miami Cancer Institute of Baptist Health South Florida.

His goals are to help expand healthcare for underserved rural communities in Florida and Colombia as well as advocating for the importance of social determinants in everyday medical practice.

When not doing schoolwork, Cuitiva enjoys soccer, weightlifting and music.

Skylar Groth

University of Lynchburg

Skylar Groth is a current second-year student at the University of Lynchburg in Virginia. She graduated from Xavier University with a major in biology and minors in chemistry and American Sign Language. Before starting PA school, she worked as a CNA at a residential care facility for dementia patients.

At the University of Lynchburg, Groth serves as the vice president of the student-led organization, Student Without Borders (SWOB). SWOB’s main mission is to provide free medical care to local and international communities. Every year SWOB gives a monetary donation to support the Free Clinic of Central Virginia and organizes medical mission trips where they provide health education and medical treatment to hundreds of patients.

Her personal goal as a PA is to use medicine as a means to serve her patients and community. As a part of the Service Committee, she hopes to increase awareness of service opportunities to underserved populations and make them more available to all programs. In her free time, Groth enjoys playing soccer, traveling, hiking, trying new foods, and spending time with friends and family.

Paula Miksa

Lincoln Memorial University

Paula Miksa is the director of interprofessional education and an associate professor at the LMU PA Program where she is actively involved in many aspects of program accreditation, teaching, course directing, and promoting interprofessional education. She is also actively involved in the program’s annual international mission trips. Miksa has recently graduated with her doctor of medical science degree in education, and has held the title of both director of didactic education and director of clinical education in the LMU PA Program.
Miksa has worked clinically in emergency medicine, family medicine and gastroenterology and she currently volunteers weekly at her local free clinic. She has served on the Tennessee Association of PAs (TAPA) Board of Directors, on several TAPA committees and most recently served two years as one of the TAPA House of Delegate representatives. Miksa is currently the public affairs chair for the South Carolina Association of PA’s (SCAPA).
Miksa enjoys working with PA students and especially enjoys promoting the PA profession locally and nationally. When she isn’t working, Miksa enjoys hiking, running and camping with her family.