For Immediate Release
Contact: Jenni Roberson, 703.380.2764

American Academy of PAs Announces 2020-21 Board of Directors

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (July 1, 2020) —The American Academy of PAs (AAPA) Board of Directors began its 2020-2021 leadership year on July 1. Beth R. Smolko, DMSc, MMS, PA-C, will lead the organization as AAPA President and Chair of the Board.

Smolko was first elected to the AAPA Board of Directors in 2016, following many years of service in AAPA’s House of Delegates. She has also served in multiple leadership positions at the Association of Family Practice PAs (AFPPA), including on their board of directors and as their representative to national discussions on Hepatitis C at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the White House. Smolko is the founding Program Director and Department Chair at Frostburg State University’s PA Medicine Program.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the national professional organization that represents over 140,000 of my fellow PAs,” Smolko said. “This is both an exciting and challenging time to be a PA. At the start of 2020, no one could have predicted what would unfold this year. I am proud to say that PAs have stepped up as proven leaders on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, demonstrating the critical role of PAs in delivering accessible, quality healthcare to patients as valued members of a healthcare team. PAs will continue to tackle challenges head-on to ensure accessible, effective, and compassionate patient-centered healthcare for all populations. I am humbled to lead AAPA during such a pivotal time.”

Members of AAPA’s 2020-2021 Board of Directors are:

  • President and Chair of the Board: Beth R. Smolko, DMSc, MMS, PA-C (Washington, D.C.)
  • President-elect: Diane M. Bruessow, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA (Middle Village, New York)
  • Immediate Past President: David E. Mittman, PA, DFAAPA (Boynton Beach, Florida)
  • Vice President and Speaker of the House of Delegates: William T. Reynolds, Jr., MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA (Dallas, Pennsylvania)
  • Secretary-Treasurer: Lauren G. Dobbs, MMS, PA-C (Aledo, Texas)
  • Director-at-Large: Jeremy A. Adler, DMSc, PA-C, DFAAPA (San Diego, California)
  • Director-at-Large: CMDR Billy S. Collins, DHSc, MS, PA-C (Bethesda, Maryland)
  • Director-at-Large: Bethany Grubb, MPH, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA (Dallas, Texas)
  • Director-at-Large: Stephen D. Lewia, Jr., MPAM, PA-C (San Bernadino, California)
  • Director and Second Vice Speaker of the House of Delegates: Leslie Clayton Milteer, PA-C, MPAS, DFAAPA (Maple Grove, Minnesota)
  • Director-at-Large: Jennifer Orozco, MMS, PA-C, DFAAPA (Bartlett, Illinois)
  • Director and First Vice Speaker of the House of Delegates: Todd A. Pickard, MMSc, PA-C, DFAAPA (Houston, Texas)
  • Student Director: Katie Ganser, PA-S (Golden, Colorado)
  • Interim CEO: Lisa M. Gables, CPA (Clifton, Virginia)

PAs are medical professionals who diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, and often serve as a patient’s principal healthcare provider. With thousands of hours of medical training, PAs are versatile and collaborative. PAs practice in every state and in every medical setting and specialty, improving healthcare access and quality.

To learn more about AAPA’s leadership team, visit aapa.org/bod.

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About the American Academy of PAs
AAPA is the national membership organization for all PAs. PAs are medical professionals who diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, and often serve as a patient’s principal healthcare provider. Learn more about the profession at aapa.org and engage through Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.