Student Academy Board of Directors
Each year, AAPA student members elect these PA student leaders to represent all PA students in the U.S. The PA Foundation appoints a PA Foundation Student Representative, and the AAPA Board appoints two graduate advisors. The following individuals are the national Student Academy leaders through June 30, 2024.
The Student Academy Policy Manual is available here. In addition to the AAPA Policy Manual and other governing documents, the Student Academy Policy Manual guides the business and work of the Student Academy Board of Directors and the Student Board Committees.
Board of Directors
Appointed Positions
Graduate Advisor
President-elect Brittny Dawkins
Brittny Dawkins (she/her/hers) is a second-year, first-generation Caribbean American PA student in the inaugural cohort at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in health sciences at Howard University in Washington, D.C. With a passion for servant leadership and advocacy, Brittny served in a few roles throughout her PA school journey to help advance the profession. She recently served as a Student Delegate for the House of Delegates at the 2023 AAPA Conference in Nashville, voting on critical policies for the organization. She was selected as one of 21 fellows nationwide for the 2022-23 PAEA Health Policy Fellowship where she connected with New York legislators for support of two PA bills and completed a community-based advocacy project. In the fall of 2022, she returned home to Washington, D.C. for AAPA’s Leadership and Advocacy Summit where she was immersed in federal advocacy at the U.S. House of Representatives.
During her first year, she served as a Student Academy Representative where her goal was to bridge the AAPA’s Student Academy and her respective student society at Ithaca College. Throughout her PA school journey, Dawkins spearheaded multiple Project Access initiatives to raise awareness of underrepresented groups in medicine. Most notably, she collaborated with The Village in Ithaca, N.Y., a nonprofit organization that provides academic equity and community resources to underserved students in the area and hosted an interactive workshop consisting of education about the PA profession and performing clinical skills. She also collaborated with her alma mater, Howard University, and hosted a virtual Project Access event to raise awareness about the PA profession, discuss the need for minority representation within medicine, and provide insight on the PA program admissions process. Dawkins is extremely passionate about advocacy, mentorship for pre-PAs of color, addressing healthcare disparities, and promoting health equity.
During her time at Howard University, Dawkins served as the chief of staff in her student council where she led several directors to create healthcare events, resources, and volunteer opportunities for students interested in healthcare. She founded The Audacity of the Black Woman in Medicine and Healthcare, an annual forum that highlights the meaning of being a double minority in medicine/healthcare and how to thrive professionally in the face of adversity. With a passion for global health equity, she participated in a 10-day internship in Phitsanulok, Thailand shadowing orthopaedic and cardiac surgeons; studied abroad and conducted research on cardiovascular disparities in Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and co-organized a healthcare service trip to Cuba to explore their healthcare and educational system. After graduating college, Dawkins remained in the Washington, D.C. area to stay focused on her goal of becoming a PA. She worked as a phlebotomist and primary care and dermatology medical assistant during her gap years, where she accrued her patient contact hours. During the pandemic, she became a Maryland Reserve Corps volunteer to help increase the accessibility of COVID-19 testing and vaccines in her local community.
Although she is a New York native, Dawkins plans to return to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area to provide patient-centered, culturally competent healthcare to urban communities and advocate on Capitol Hill for the profession and her patients. Her future dream is to mobilize acute care clinics on the island of Jamaica and increase access to basic healthcare for those in rural areas. In her spare time, Dawkins is always on the go – she loves exploring new cities, hosting gatherings at her apartment, attending festivals, eating Thai food, or spending quality time with her nephew, Blain.
President Kierra Gipson
Kierra Gipson is a new graduate PA practicing in cardiothoracic surgery in New York City. Gipson holds a bachelor of science in molecular and cell biology from East Caroline University and a Master of science in biomedical sciences from Lincoln Memorial University.
Gipson was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia but moved to Dallas, Texas during high school where they were able to fully dive into her interest in medicine. Gipson began their college career at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, North Carolina. While working toward their degree, they played college rugby and took on leadership roles such as President of the UNCC Women’s Rugby Team. Gipson then transferred to East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina where they obtained their Bachelor of Science in molecular and cell biology while working as a non-emergency EMT. After college, they gained valuable experience working on small cell lung cancer research at a molecular diagnostics laboratory for two years while also coaching women’s rugby for both UNCC Women’s Rugby and the University of North Carolina Greensboro. After graduating in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gipson returned to the research company where they previously worked to fill the role of laboratory supervisor for their new COVID-19 clinical laboratory.
While in PA school, Gipson gained student advocacy experience as a Student Academy Representative (SAR), HOD student delegate in 2022, as the Student Academy President-elect. In 2022, Gipson was also nominated to the LBGT PA Caucus Student Leader Fellowship, where they spent a year creating the LBGT PA Caucus Mentor Program. The goal of the program is to provide a safe space and encouraging support network for LGBTQIA+ and LGBTQIA+ BIPOC identifying PA students and new graduates.
Gipson is on mission to bring diversity and advocacy to the forefront of the PA profession. As a proud African American and member of the LGBTQ+ community, Gipson is all too familiar with the disparities in health care for both populations. Gipson has also noted such disparities in education, which further fueled their passion for student advocacy and adequate representation of all populations in medical education. Their goal is to have more difficult but necessary discussion about these topics, to advocate for minorities in spaces that will help foster positive, impacts, and one day provide excellent medical care for everyone.
In their free time, Gipson enjoys learning new skills, taking on woodworking or DIY projects, spending time with friends, or watching any Marvel movie or show.
Chief Delegate Alec Williams
Alec Williams is a second-year PA student at Quinnipiac University in North Haven, Connecticut.
Originally born and raised in Syracuse, New York (“Go Orange!”), but he has lived in Connecticut for the past five years, earning his bachelor’s degree in health science studies from Quinnipiac in 2022. During his undergraduate studies, Williams worked in a variety of positions to gain a comprehensive understanding of the collaborative healthcare system. He worked as a physical therapist aide, as a COVID-19 contact tracer for the New York State Department of Health, and as an emergency department technician.
Additionally at Quinnipiac, Williams has served on the executive board for the Quinnipiac PA Club and co-founded a student advisory committee for the undergraduate portion of Quinnipiac’s direct entry PA program. His diverse experiences have helped him discover his passion for advocacy and creating positive change within his community, which he hopes to continue with his work as Student Academy chief delegate. Inspired by his devotion to support those around him, he has volunteered with the Ability Experience to build accessible environments in which children with disabilities can play sports, as well as with QTHON, sponsoring a Connecticut Children’s Hospital Miracle Child.
In his first year as a graduate PA student, Williams became involved in the Connecticut Academy of PAs, serving as a student representative, organizing state-wide student events, and beginning research with a peer on Connecticut PA students’ mental health and support from within their programs. On a national level, he has worked to advocate for PA students though representation on the House of Delegates’ Standing Rules Committee and as a delegate for the Student Academy this past May in Nashville. Motivated by the work of his mentors and predecessors, Williams hopes to empower other students to have their voice heard and work to move the profession forward.
When he isn’t in class or on clinical, he enjoys playing basketball, going to Yankees games, and embarrassing everyone else at the dinner table by taking pictures of his plate to satisfy his inner foodie!
Director of Diversity & Outreach Shumuel Ofosu-Koranteng
Shumuel Ofosu-Koranteng (he/him/his) is a second-year PA student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He is also UMB’s Class of 2023 AAPA Student Academy Representative.
Ofosu-Koranteng attended Rutgers University – Newark, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in neuroscience with a minor in biology. During this time, Ofosu-Koranteng engaged in various student organizations including the Election Committee, Organization of African Students, and Minority Association of Pre-Health Students. He has a strong passion for teaching and was formerly a mathematics and science tutor for Rutgers Educational Opportunity Fund students, an undergraduate teacher’s assistant in a general chemistry lab, and a mentor to Newark high school students. Shortly after graduating from Rutgers, Ofosu-Koranteng gained healthcare experience as an EMT, scribe, and medical volunteer.
Having been born in Ghana and moving to New Jersey at a young age, Ofosu-Koranteng was exposed to multiple ethnicities, religions, and economic classes; he acknowledged the challenges faced by the disadvantaged and vowed to enforce a change. He has engaged in multiple community outreach events to help the marginalized but understands that policies have a permanent effect. In his role as Director of Diversity and Outreach, Ofosu-Koranteng plans to address the needs of underrepresented populations, including individuals dealing with mental health issues, neurodivergence, and the LGBTQ+ population.
Post-PA graduation, Ofosu-Koranteng is interested in pursuing internal medicine and pediatrics. Ofosu-Koranteng is an avid sports fan, soccer and boxing being his favorites. He also enjoys cooking, going to the gym, and spending time with friends and family.
Director of Student Communications Madeline Ramirez
Madeline Ramirez (she/her/hers) is a PA student at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She served as the social media manager for the GW PA Program and DCAPA for the 2022-23 school year.
Ramirez is originally from Rio Grande City, Texas. She attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she received a Bachelor of Science and Arts in nutrition while minoring in music. During her undergraduate career, she participated in an NIH-funded research study and health program where she taught and translated cooking, gardening, and nutrition lessons for low-income and primarily Hispanic children in Austin. She then pursued a Master of Science concentrating in health promotion from the University of Texas at San Antonio so she could have a bigger role in public health, and help underserved Latino communities like her own.
In her role as Director of Student Communications, Ramirez plans to use inclusion and representation to create unity and improve relationships between PA students and their programs. She hopes that with this unity, students can band together to become informed and make decisions that impact not only them, but their future patients, PAs, and the profession.
Northeast Regional Director Jhocelyn Mesias
Jhocelyn Mesias (she/her/hers) is a second-year PA student in the inaugural class at Kean University in Union, New Jersey. She currently serves as the president for her program’s student society and a mentor for first-year PA students through her program and PA state society. She received her Bachelor of Arts in biology with a minor in Spanish from Rutgers University in May 2016. Prior to PA school, she gained clinical experience as a medical assistant in specialties including pain management, gastroenterology, bariatric surgery, and as a scribe at a pediatric urgent care. She also volunteered on a medical mission to serve a small community in the Dominican Republic, and hopes to continue to do so as a practicing PA.
Mesias has been involved in starting her program’s student society and helped coordinate fundraisers including book collection and a school supply drive for underserved communities, in collaboration with New Jersey PA schools and a state society. In her role as Northeast Regional Director, she hopes to enhance communication between SARs and coordinate service projects within her region. She is passionate about PA student involvement and advocacy and hopes to inspire more students to participate in opportunities offered through AAPA.
In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family, traveling, exercising, and exploring new restaurants.
Mid-Atlantic Regional Director Patrice Farquharson
Patrice Farquharson, MPH, is a second-year PA student at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over the past year, serving as student delegate and PSPA student director-at-large, she attended the House of Delegates meeting to help create policies, and started building community amongst PA students across the state of Pennsylvania.
Farquharson began her PA journey as a pre-PA by attending the AAPA’s Leadership and Advocacy Summit, to learn about the current challenges and potential solutions facing the profession and lend her support in a more informed way. She continues to advocate for diversity, inclusion, and justice through a human-centered and evidence-based lens. She is passionate about tackling the challenges faced by marginalized students, as they impact timely degree progression and certification.
Originally from New Jersey, Farquharson pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology at the University of Kentucky. She then began working in various disciplines. Her work experiences enhanced her interest in social determinants of health, leading to the pursuit of a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree with a concentration in community health and prevention. While earning her MPH, she focused her research on medical mistrust and the impacts of health disparities. Following graduation, she served her community alongside parents and teachers, petitioning for increased accessibility and safety for all K-12 students.
Farquharson is looking forward to continuing to serve the community and stay actively involved with the AAPA as a practicing PA. When not studying or volunteering, she can be found exercising, traveling, exploring Philadelphia, and spending time with friends and family.
Southeast Regional Director Jillian Miller
Jillian V. Miller (she/her/hers) is a second-year student at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. She currently serves the AAPA Student Academy as the Southeast Regional Director and, before her current position, Miller served on the Student Academy’s Communication and Outreach committee in 2022-23. Miller has experience in emergency medicine and dermatology, and plans to work in primary care after graduation as an NHSC scholar.
Miller earned her Bachelor of Arts in linguistics with a minor in French and francophone studies at the University of Florida, making her a proud double gator as she strives to complete her master’s degree. As an undergraduate, Miller served as the pre-PA director for the university’s pre-health organization, helping other prospective PA students build their resume and become familiar with the structure of PA school. She also served as an ambassador for the International Scholars Program, encouraging students to study abroad and experience new cultures. While completing her courses, Miller worked in the local hospital’s emergency department as a scribe and continued to do so throughout the pandemic. Upon graduation from UF, she received the Dean’s Medal of Excellence for Liberal Arts and Sciences and then began her time as medical assistant at a dermatology clinic, working to spread awareness of skin cancers in the Gainesville area and the surrounding rural area of Lake City, Florida.
Apart from pursuing her education, Miller is known to volunteer at animal shelters, and at local events teaching families about Florida’s aquatic habitats. She also enjoys painting canvases, paddle boarding on Florida’s many springs, and traveling around the world – her best adventure was living in Alexandria, Egypt.
North Central Regional Director Alyssa Lannoo
Alyssa Lannoo is a second-year PA student at Indiana University in Indianapolis, Indiana. Originally from south Overland Park, Kansas, she completed her undergraduate education at Cornell University, where she excelled both academically and athletically. As the captain of the varsity volleyball team, Lannoo was actively involved in various student-athlete leadership organizations.
During her time at Cornell, Lannoo developed a passion for academic research, particularly in the fields of integrative neuroethology and cognitive neuroscience. Her dedication led her to work in several labs, conducting studies on attention and memory in humans using fMRI data. She successfully completed an honors thesis in this area and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology.
Following her undergraduate studies, Lannoo relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, where she pursued a career in research. For five years, she served as a clinical research manager at the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Centers. In this role, she managed multiple projects investigating the long-term effects of repetitive head impacts on later-life health, primarily focusing on former contact sport athletes. Lannoo made significant contributions to scientific manuscripts, book chapters, and presentations.
While Lannoo found fulfillment in research, she recognized the desire to have a more direct clinical impact on participants and patients. This realization motivated her decision to pursue PA school. Currently enrolled at Indiana University, Lannoo has engaged in various leadership roles within AAPA. Serving as an AAPA Student Academy Representative and contributing to the Leadership and Diversity Committee, she is dedicated to fostering student advocacy and empowerment. As the North Central Regional Director, she eagerly anticipates facilitating connections and engagement among PA students.
Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Lannoo cherishes spending quality time with her husband and cat, Narby. She finds fulfillment in volunteering at a local free clinic and actively engaging with her community. Lannoo’s friendly and approachable nature allows her to enjoy meeting new people and she is always open to making meaningful connections.
South Central Regional Director Grace Mitchell
[email protected]
Grace Mitchell is a dreamer. She dreamed of playing college basketball as a little girl and dreams of being a health care provider now! From the basketball court where she played for the Nebraska Cornhuskers to PA school at Northeastern State University in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Mitchell participates with her whole heart. She will bring this same passion to representing the South Central region as an AAPA regional director. At the University of Nebraska, she earned a bachelor’s in exercise health science. Before PA school, she was a medical assistant at an obstetrics/gynecology clinic near her rural hometown of Wellington, Kansas.
Currently, Mitchell is a second year PA student at Northeastern State University, where she has served her class and community as vice president, community outreach officer, and Student Academy Representative for AAPA. Since high school, she has been a long-term volunteer, leader, speaker, and mentor for youth through many organizations including the Big Ten Student Athlete Advisory Committee and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She values community, faith, health, and inclusion, and serves all with resilience, encouragement, and humility.
Upon graduation, Mitchell aspires to specialize in dermatology with a particular interest in plastic surgery. She is open to other fields and is excited to learn more. When not practicing, she will continue to volunteer, whether for AAPA or in community organizations. For fun, she has exchanged her basketball for a pickleball, which she enjoys playing with her mom. She looks up to her sister as she is a dentist and gives the best style tips. She also likes to watch sports, relax on the lake, and run with her dog Zeke. Mitchell lives by fellow Kansan Dorothy’s quote from “The Wizard of Oz”: “Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.”
Western Regional Director Ana Ahmad
[email protected]
Ana Ahmad (she/her/hers) is a second-year student at the University of Southern California (USC) PA Program. At USC she serves as a chair for the Pre-PA Pathways Program, where she engages in outreach to diversify the PA profession and offers mentorship to those on their journey to PA school. Ahmad’s goal is to provide free resources to the pre-PA community through this program and social media. She also serves as a lead for her Trojan Trainer Team, which serves unhoused communities in Los Angeles County. Ahmad’s passion for the unhoused community is strong, as she has also founded her own non-profit, Hungry to Help Organization, that provides nutritious food-relief and health education to the unhoused community in her hometown of San Pedro. She hopes to work in street medicine during her career as a PA.
Ahmad has a desire to serve underserved populations in a primary care setting and be a part of bridging the gap in medicine for her patients. From completing a Bachelor of Science in health science at San Jose State University, to working in a rural AIDS/HIV clinic in Mombasa, Kenya, leading various medical missions, creating a non-profit in her community, to now being a PA student, Ahmad has had an exciting journey.
As a Western regional director, Ahmad is looking forward to developing relationships with Student Academy Representatives and connecting with other passionate individuals in this new journey. She hopes to inspire other first-generation students and those who come from humble beginnings like herself, so that they can accomplish their dreams and make a difference with their story.
Aside from medicine, Ahmad loves to spend time with her family and friends. She often shows her love with cooking. She loves the beach and will take any opportunity to get to the ocean. Ahmad is a social butterfly and values quality time with her loved ones. She is looking forward to a bright future as a PA!
PA Foundation Student Representative Jamee Williams
Jamee Williams is a second-year PA student at the University of Maryland Baltimore where she serves as the Maryland Academy of Physician Assistant (MAPA) student representative for the class of 2023. She is also serving as the PA Foundation Student representative.
Williams holds a Bachelor of Arts in public policy with a minor in global health from Duke University. Prior to PA school, she worked for various organizations involved in the health policy field such as Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and Mathematica. As a health advisory services analyst at Mathematica, she worked with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on their Accountable Health Communities Model. Her team at Mathematica helped CMS to test and disseminate a screening tool for hospitals and clinics to assess health-related social needs in Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in order to reduce health disparities and healthcare costs. Williams has also worked as an EMT and as a medical assistant for a dermatology clinic and an internal medicine clinic.
As a PA student and as a future PA, Williams aims to leverage her health policy background to campaign for policies that boost the PA profession at the macro-level. Policies that raise awareness for the profession and influence PA education are integral to equipping PAs to effectively champion health equity across the nation.
A D.C. metro area native, Williams enjoys exploring the area’s new restaurants and spending time with her family and friends.
Check back soon to meet your new Student Academy Graduate Advisor!
Kaci Hardsock, MS, PA-C
Kaci Hardsock, MS, MSPA, PA-C, is an early career PA working in cardiothoracic surgery in Denver, Colorado. She has been closely involved with AAPA since 2017 through both volunteer and leadership roles. She is a member of the Colorado Academy of PAs and APACVS. Hardsock previously served as a delegate in AAPA’s House of Delegates, as well as Chief Delegate to the Student Academy (a role that also sits on the Student Academy Board of Directors). She is passionate about leadership, advocacy, and mentorship. She believes there is no better feeling than working with others to help find their strengths and ignite their passions.
Hardsock is a 2020 graduate of Monmouth University PA program. She earned a Bachelor of Science in human nutrition, food, and exercise at Virginia Tech and a Master of kinesiology with a focus in clinical exercise physiology at James Madison University. Hardsock enjoys weightlifting, boxing, reading, and adventuring with her three dogs.
PAEA Graduate Advisor Annie Wildermuth, MMS, PA-C, CAQ EM, RD
Annie Wildermuth, PhD, PA-C, CAQ EM, RD, is an assistant professor in the Center for Health Professions Education at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences as well as adjunct faculty at Butler University DMS Bridge Program, George Washington University PA Program, and University of Nebraska Medical Center PA Program. She has practiced emergency medicine since 2012. Her research interests include admissions, hiring, and leadership, and she has published and presented nationally in these areas. Wildermuth has considerable experience working with the U.S. Military in medical education, and she feels honored to support our service members. She serves on the PAEA Future Educator Development Steering Committee and as the PAEA Graduate Advisor to the Student Board. She loves engaging with new faculty and teaching faculty development, working both in her program and with the military in this capacity. She is a proud graduate of the Arcadia University PA Program and earned her PhD in Biomedicine from Salus University, where her dissertation focused on admissions interviews as performance predictors in PA education. Wildermuth is a staunch advocate for holistic admissions and reducing barriers to entry to the PA profession.
Wildermuth is originally from East Lyme, Connecticut and currently lives in Washington, D.C. As a University of Connecticut alumna and former UConn Women’s Basketball manager, she avidly roots for the Huskies. She enjoys the ocean, triathlons, and spending time with her fiance and family.
The Student Academy’s Assembly of Representatives (AOR) annually elects PA student leaders who represent PA students around the country. The following individuals are the Student Academy leaders through June 30, 2019. The Student Academy Board met in October in Alexandria, Va. for their annual board meeting. They also meet via conference call throughout the year.
The Student Academy’s leadership includes:
Student Academy Board of Directors
President Stephen Lewia, MPAM, PA-C
Stephen Lewia is currently a PA Fellow in the Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant (EMPA) Fellowship at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in San Bernardino, California. Through this program, he will also work towards his Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) degree through the University of Lynchburg. Lewia attended PA school at the University of Lynchburg in Lynchburg, Virginia. He served as president of his student society, as well as class president for the 2018 cohort. Since starting PA school, Lewia has become very interested in PA advocacy. In his first year at Lynchburg, he served as a student delegate for AAPA’s House of Delegates (HOD), as well as a student representative on a HOD reference committee. In his new position as Student Academy President, he plans to increase student involvement through education and awareness. With the radical changes the PA profession faces, his goal is to be an advocate for a more informed student body.
Lewia earned a BS in Biology and Master of Teaching from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). While at VCU, he also attended a local community college and became a nationally registered paramedic. After graduating from VCU, he taught biology and anatomy at an inner-city high school in Richmond, Virginia. When he wasn’t teaching, he volunteered for a local rescue squad where he worked to bridge the education gap between paid and volunteer providers.
President-elect Cooper Couch
Cooper Couch is a second-year student at University of Southern California’s Primary Care PA Program where he serves as president of his class and student society and as co-chair of USC’s Student Run Clinic Executive Board. After a trip to Washington, D.C. with his class and PA Education Association (PAEA), he became passionate about PA leadership and advocacy. In the summer of 2018, Couch was a National Medical Fellowships Primary Care Leadership Program (PCLP) scholar. He is currently completing a one-year student leader fellowship with the LBGT PA Caucus.
Prior to PA school, Couch graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Middlebury College where he studied Spanish literature and linguistics and studied abroad for a year in Madrid, Spain. At Middlebury, he co-founded a grassroots mental health project that created a peer-support system to better address students’ mental health needs and support campus diversity and inclusion initiatives. Upon graduation, he served on the board of directors at a local humane society in Vermont and worked as the reunion host coordinator for Middlebury College, a bilingual patient services coordinator at a free clinic in Vermont, and as a phlebotomist at a local hospital. He then moved to Denver, Colorado, where he worked as a clinical assistant at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Couch values compassion, honesty, and intentionality in his interactions with others. He volunteers at multiple non-profit organizations that support low-income individuals, empower youth, and promote equality. He is committed to working in primary care with medically underserved populations. While volunteering at Roundup River Ranch in Colorado, Couch met his fiancé Marty. In their free time, Couch and Marty enjoy long-distance running, cooking, hiking, camping, and traveling together.
Chief Delegate Hillary Bennett, PA-C
Hillary Bennett is a trauma/critical care PA at OU Medical Center and a recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center (OUHSC) located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
She has served the Student Academy for the past two years as a student delegate for the AAPA House of Delegates (HOD), as well as a student representative on an HOD reference committee. While on HOD, she helped pass Optimal Team Practice at AAPA’s 2017 Conference. She also co-authored a 2018 HOD resolution regarding loan parity amongst healthcare professionals. She is currently a member of the HOD Standing Rules Committee, Student Academy’s Leadership, and Advocacy & Policy Committees.
Bennett served as the OUHSC Christian Medical and Dental Association secretary. With a passion for the medically underserved, she has participated in multiple medical missions including trips to Guatemala, Mexico, and South Sudan.
Prior to PA school, Bennett earned a Bachelor of Science in Health, P.E., and Sport Management concentrating in kinesiology from Southwestern Christian University. During her undergraduate education, she participated in Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislation (O.I.L.)., which allowed her to engage with state and federal legislators while authoring, presenting, and passing state legislation. This understanding of diplomacy demonstrated the importance of advocacy for education, healthcare, and the PA profession.
In her free time, Bennett enjoys spending time with family, traveling, participating in outdoors activities like kayaking, camping, and hiking, and running with her dog, Survivor.
Director of Outreach Kaila Gaughan
Kaila is a second-year PA student at the University of Kentucky (UK) in Lexington, Kentucky, where she serves as the class of 2019’s Assembly of Representatives (AOR) representative. During her time in PA school, Gaughan has developed a passion for PA advocacy and interprofessionalism. In 2017, she was selected for the PA Education Association (PAEA) Student Health Policy Fellowship where she had the opportunity to advocate for PA education on Capitol Hill. She continued her advocacy at the state and federal level by taking part in Kentucky’s Lobby Day in Frankfort and AAPA’s Leadership and Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C. in March 2018. She has taken part in many different interprofessional opportunities during her time at UK.
In her new position as director of outreach, Gaughan hopes to get more students involved with advocacy and promote interprofessional opportunities between different healthcare students. She hopes that more students will find the passion that she has and will get involved with furthering our profession.
Prior to PA school, Gaughan received her Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, and worked as a certified nursing assistant and an emergency medical technician. In her free time, Gaughan enjoys spending time with her biggest supporters (her friends and family), reading, being outdoors, travelling, and playing with her cat, Pharaoh.
Director of Student Communications Diana Wiley
Diana is a second-year PA student at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC), where she currently serves as president of her class and student society. As a first-year student, she sat on the Executive Board of the OUHSC Student Government Association, as well as the Oklahoma Association of PAs’ Board of Directors as chair of the Student Advisory Committee. She is passionate about PA advocacy and being a voice for the profession, and inspiring other students to do the same.
Prior to PA school, she attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology-Biomedical Sciences. After graduation, she worked for a disability and supplemental insurance company where she saw first-hand the devastating impacts of chronic illness. This ignited a passion for disease prevention, and she began to appreciate the critical role that diet and exercise play in the development of chronic disease. She went back to school and graduated with a Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences from OUHSC in 2016.
After graduation, Wiley plans to work in a rural Oklahoma community and hopes to increase access to quality healthcare to underserved patients across the state. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, cooking, and exploring local restaurants and breweries with her boyfriend. She is an advocate of animal rescue and frequently fosters for the local humane society in addition to wrangling four dogs of her own.
Northeast Regional Director Brittany Palaski
Brittany Palaski is a second-year student at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Iinstitute of Health Professions program. Born and raised in Boston, Palaski received her Bachelor of Science in clinical lab sciences with a minor in disability studies at University of Massachusetts Lowell in 2015, graduating magna cum laude.
While at UMass Lowell, Palaski served as captain of her dance team, leading the team to their first national qualification in history. She also served as chair of the leadership legacy committee on Omnicron Delta Kappa (ODK), a leadership honors society. In addition to her leadership commitments, Palaski tutored organic chemistry and genetics, allowing her to find a passion for teaching and educating. While at UMass Lowell, she also founded Speaking Through Dance, which allowed students in need to obtain scholarships towards their dance education as well as raise awareness for autism. After graduation, Palaski moved to Concord, Massachusetts, and started working as a medical and surgical assistant at a local dermatology practice.
During her time as northeast regional director, Palaski plans to use her position to communicate student stories, and connect schools throughout the northeast. She is inspired to listen to other student experiences and use them to continue advocating for the PA profession.
After finishing PA school, Palaski plans to remain in the Boston area with her husband and pursue a career in dermatology or pediatrics. In her spare time, Palaski continues to teach and choreograph for the local dance community. She also enjoys traveling and will take any and all opportunities to explore.
Mid-Atlantic Regional Director Mike Gumpert
Mike Gumpert is a first-year PA student at the Jefferson College of Health Sciences, where he also serves as the vice president of the student society. Gumpert graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2009, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in English and entered the Navy as a nuclear submarine officer. Over the next eight years his passion for helping others and empowering those around him in dynamic environments led him to the discovery of the PA profession. Gumpert prepared for PA school by volunteering as an aid at an emergency room while he worked though his biological science prerequisites.
Gumpert’s goal for the mid-Atlantic region is to increase collaboration between programs and empower fellow PA students to get involved with the evolution of the PA profession. He is a firm believer that the best solutions can come from any experience level and strives to give his peers a voice.
Gumpert currently lives in Roanoke, Virginia, where, in his free time, he enjoys travel, hiking, camping, kayaking and reading.
Southeast Regional Director Frank Stooksbury
Frank Stooksbury currently attends the PA program at Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina. He began his medical training and leadership experience in the U.S. Air Force in 1999. Stooksbury was placed in charge of his training group and was an honor graduate from Airman Leadership School. After leaving the service, Stooksbury became the lead imaging technologist at Edward White Hospital in Florida, working in that capacity for seven years.
Stooksbury moved to North Carolina at that point to be closer to family. In North Carolina, he worked in interventional radiology at Moore Regional Hospital, while finishing his undergraduate degree from Grand Canyon University. While at Moore Regional, Stooksbury was promoted to run the interventional radiology department and worked closely with physicians and PAs to deliver outstanding care to their patients. After finishing his undergraduate degree in healthcare administration, Stooksbury focused on taking advanced science courses through Campbell University until starting the PA program. Stooksbury looks forward to serving the southeast region as southeast regional director.
North Central Regional Director Kellie Niehaus
Kellie Niehaus is a second-year PA student at Ohio University (OU) in Dublin, Ohio, where she currently serves as president of her class. Prior to PA school. Niehaus received a Bachelor of Science with honors from University of Dayton (UD), with a major in pre-medicine and a minor in psychology.
During her undergraduate education, Niehaus was actively involved in volunteering at a local free clinic, Reach Out of Montgomery County. Additionally, she elected to participate in UD’s Semester of Service program where Niehaus interned full-time at a homeless shelter, assisting in rehousing homeless men, women, and families in the greater Dayton, Ohio, area.
At Ohio University, Niehaus is energetically involved with her school’s student society as well as in expanding the number of interprofessional activities available to her peers with medical students at OU’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. Niehaus is also a member of the student committee of the Ohio Association of PAs. Her clinical interests include: emergency medicine, trauma surgery, and expanding care to the underserved.
As north central regional director, Niehaus hopes to encourage constituents of the district to engage in community service, interprofessional activities, and continued advocacy for the PA profession. She is consistently inspired by the boundless intelligence, passion, drive, and ingenuity PA students across the country possess and is eager to work with the students of the north central district this year.
In her free time, Niehaus enjoys spending time with her family, rugby, backpacking, and anything else that gives her an excuse to get outdoors!
South Central Regional Director Nelson Head
Nelson Head is a second-year PA student at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He currently serves as class vice-president and the AOR representative for his program.
Prior to PA school, Nelson attended Texas Christian University on a swimming scholarship and graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology in 2013. He served as president of the TCU Student-Athlete Advisory Council and was awarded with the Big XII Conference Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarship. Upon graduation, Head then worked as a medical scribe in the emergency room and outpatient urology at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, and then as a surgical assistant at St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
As south central regional director, Head hopes to foster relationships with other students and their constituent programs as well as serve as a mentor and resource to AORs in his region, fostering skills to achieve the goals of the Student Academy as a united, collaborative team. Since starting PA school, Head has been very interested in PA advocacy, attending the AAPA Leadership and Advocacy Summit in March 2018 as well as Oklahoma’s “PA Day at the Capitol” in April 2018.
In his personal time, Head enjoys playing with his golden retriever, Harley. He is also very active in exercise and enjoys attending live music events, trying new restaurants, traveling, and cheering on his TCU Horned Frogs at football games (Go Frogs)!
Western Regional Director Brittany Hager
Brittany Hager is a second-year student at the University of Washington’s MEDEX Northwest program in Tacoma, Washington. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Washington Seattle campus in 2013 and worked as certified nursing assistant in preparation for her PA studies.
During her undergraduate education, Hager was a member of the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students, an organization dedicated to representing minority pre-health students on campus and increasing healthcare access for the underserved. She also learned the significance of working with cultural competence and participated in outreach in several disadvantaged communities throughout Washington state.
Off campus, Hager served as a counselor to at-risk homeless youth at YouthCare, a Seattle-based non-profit. The majority of her time was spent at Casa de los Amigos, a safe haven for undocumented immigrant minors while they sought legal counsel. Many of these adolescents were affected by gang activity and/or trafficking. Hager enjoyed learning about each client’s unique experience while interpreting Spanish-English, teaching math, and organizing group outings. She also volunteered as a recreational therapy assistant for patients with dementia at SeaMar, a community-based organization committed to providing quality, comprehensive healthcare to indigent populations, especially Latinos.
Hager’s program is primary care-focused and she is excited by the possibility of working in community health after graduation. In April 2018, she was awarded the MEDEX Northwest Richard A. Smith Scholarship for her commitment to increasing access to healthcare for the underserved in addition to her broad and global perspective on healthcare issues.
As western regional director, Hager hopes to gain insight into the needs and concerns of PA students while strengthening communication between PA students and the Assembly of Representatives.
Appointed Positions
PA Foundation Student Representative Jamie Pepi Shelstad
Jamie Pepi is a second-year PA student at Bethel University in Tennessee where she currently serves as the AOR representative for her program and is a member of an opioid crisis student volunteer group. Driven by a passion for global and underserved populations, Shelstad volunteered in numerous rural clinics and began her studies of public health while living in Gaborone, Botswana during her undergraduate education. Prior to PA school, Shelstad earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in neuroscience from the University of Colorado at Boulder, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Spanish language and linguistics from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Shelstad also worked towards her Masters of Public Health with a global health emphasis at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
As a recipient of the 2017 Timi Agar Barwick Scholarship for Humanism in Medicine, Shelstad is eager to give back as means of appreciation. As the PA Foundation student representative, Shelstad hopes to engage and expand service leadership among PA students by connecting to individuals and schools on a personal level. Through increasing philanthropic participation, she hopes to increase awareness of cultural competency and inspire her fellow students to get involved with their passions on local and global levels.
After graduation Shelstad will participate in a Spanish immersion program just outside Guatemala. She then hopes to work with a pediatric subspecialty while using her public health and medical education to support and empower global underserved communities. In her extra time, Shelstad enjoys hiking, traveling, baking, finding new adrenaline activities, or doing anything out in the sunshine.
Graduate Advisors
AAPA Graduate Advisor – Jennifer Feirstein, MSPAS, PA-C
Jennifer is an assistant clinical professor and academic coordinator in the Department of PA Studies at Northern Arizona University, Phoenix, Arizona. She has been in PA education since 2013, and prior to that worked full-time in primary care medicine. She received a master’s degree in PA studies in 2004 from Arcadia University and a bachelor’s degree in health sciences with an emphasis in physiological sciences from the University of Arizona in 2002. Feirstein has been very active in the Arizona State Academy of PAs (ASAPA) since 2004. She has been a delegate to the AAPA since 2006, and has also served on the ASAPA Board of Directors, CME committee, and student and community outreach committee. She has previously been involved with the AAPA as a member and chair of its Public Relations Committee. She has also become involved with the PA Education Association (PAEA) and currently serves on the PACKRAT exam development board.
Feirstein’s professional interests include fostering student leadership, increasing the percentage of PAs practicing in primary care medicine, and professional organization policy.
PAEA Graduate Advisor – Jon Kilstrom, PA-C
Jon is an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) PA Program in Omaha, Nebraksa, where he primarily oversees clinical skills instruction. He graduated in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Emergency Medical Services from Creighton University in Omaha and in 2014 with a master’s degree in PA studies from Union College in Lincoln, Ne. As a student, he served as the AOR representative for his PA program.
Following graduation, Kilstrom worked in internal medicine and urgent care for Baylor Family Medical Center in Grapevine, Texas. Upon returning to Nebraska, he began working in emergency medicine where he continues to practice in addition to his academic duties at UNMC.
Kilstrom has 15 years of experience in emergency medical services, working as a paramedic prior to attending PA school. He remains an active advisory board member for the Creighton University EMS Education program. He serves as the UNMC student society advisor, is a member of the UNMC PA Program and College of Allied Health Admissions Committee, serves on the Nebraska Opioid Treatment Subcommittee, and is a member of the UNMC Grievance Committee.
Kilstrom’s professional interests include emergency medicine, simulation in healthcare education and admissions practices in PA education.
PA Foundation Student Representative Jamie Pepi Shelstad
Jamie Pepi is a second-year PA student at Bethel University in Tennessee where she currently serves as the AOR representative for her program and is a member of an opioid crisis student volunteer group. Driven by a passion for global and underserved populations, Shelstad volunteered in numerous rural clinics and began her studies of public health while living in Gaborone, Botswana during her undergraduate education. Prior to PA school, Shelstad earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in neuroscience from the University of Colorado at Boulder, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Spanish language and linguistics from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Shelstad also worked towards her Masters of Public Health with a global health emphasis at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
As a recipient of the 2017 Timi Agar Barwick Scholarship for Humanism in Medicine, Shelstad is eager to give back as means of appreciation. As the PA Foundation student representative, Shelstad hopes to engage and expand service leadership among PA students by connecting to individuals and schools on a personal level. Through increasing philanthropic participation, she hopes to increase awareness of cultural competency and inspire her fellow students to get involved with their passions on local and global levels.
After graduation Shelstad will participate in a Spanish immersion program just outside Guatemala. She then hopes to work with a pediatric subspecialty while using her public health and medical education to support and empower global underserved communities. In her extra time, Shelstad enjoys hiking, traveling, baking, finding new adrenaline activities, or doing anything out in the sunshine.