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04/08/2020

OAPA Elections Open

Ballots for electronic voting for Board seats and Delegates were emailed on April 13 and voting will end on April 17.  If you are eligible to vote you have received a ballot via email.

Unopposed Board positions

Vice President                                     Jennifer Marangoni
Region 1 (Cleveland East)                   Edward Jones
Region 2 (Cleveland West)                 Michele Gavin
Region 3 (Akron, Youngstown)           Natalie Talboo
Region 4 (Columbus, Zanesville)        Cheryl Geng
Region 5 (Toledo)                               Natalie Coon
Region 6 (Dayton)                               Joyce Oiler
Region 7 (Cincinnati)                          Steven Ward

Board and Delegate positions up for election

President Elect                                    Michell McDiffett
                                                            Jared Pennington

AAPA Delegates – 2 Positions             Amie Beals
                                                            Michell McDiffett
                                                            Carmelo Roxas

President Elect Platform Statements:

Michell McDiffett

My name is Michell McDiffett and I am seeking election for President-Elect to the OAPA Board of Directors. I have been practicing as a psychiatric PA-C since 2010 and am currently full-time faculty for the PA program at Lake Erie College. 

I have been a member of OAPA since 2008. I have served on various committees and have been the Student Affairs Committee Chair since 2017. I have been the Region 1 Director to the OAPA Board of Directors since 2018. This year, I will serve as an Ohio Delegate in the House of Delegates at the AAPA annual conference. Leadership in OAPA has given me the opportunity to be inspired by some of Ohio’s most passionate PAs. 

As President-Elect, I intend to improve efforts to bring awareness to the profession, provide opportunities for professional and personal development for all PAs in Ohio, and enhance collaboration with Ohio PA programs and students. As the demand for patient care services grows, PAs are essential for expanding access to care. It is a critical time for PAs in Ohio as we are faced with practice challenges that are rooted in the current law. This year, I’ve seen my own employer of 10 years move away from hiring PAs and precepting PA students in favor of other healthcare professionals. OAPA is working hard to modernize PA practice in Ohio, but needs continued support from membership, lawmakers and the public. As President-Elect, I intend to support this work by increasing membership, encouraging participation in OAPA leadership, increasing fundraising efforts, and keeping PAs informed about the challenges that we face.

Thank you for your support!

Jared Pennington

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity.

I have been the founding director and chair of the physician assistant department at Baldwin Wallace University since 2012. I am graduate of the Hahnemann physician assistant program at Drexel University and have extensive experience as a practicing physician assistant since 2004 in abdominal organ transplantation, general surgery, emergency medicine, and pediatric neuroscience.  I received my doctoral degree from Kent State University under a specialization in health policy and management with research interests in outcomes associated with the Patient-Centered Medical Home model, Accountable Care Organizations, strategic management of healthcare institutions, child Medicaid policy, and general health economics. I maintain membership status with the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) where I have spent four years on the Leadership Development and Recruitment Council (2014-2018).  I am also a fellow member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.  In addition to the above, I continue to practice clinically at Akron Children’s Hospital for the inpatient neurology and neurosurgery services and serve on the Health Policy Subcommittee for the hospital.     

I see OAPA as the organization in Ohio who is a leading force in advocacy for practicing PAs and PAs in training.  OAPA has done a tremendous job at advocating for PA practice laws which have now surpassed other states in terms of autonomy and responsibilities when treating all populations of patients.  I see this organization as continuing to advocate for all PAs in the state of Ohio as well as acting in a more directed manner toward issues affecting PA practice, not only now, but into the future.  PA practice across the nation is on the brink of change and Ohio should be a leading participant at the table.  We are the 7th most populous state in the nation and we need to have a voice.  As President-elect and as President, I will lead the charge to make sure OAPA is involved in all formal communications involving PA practice not only in Ohio but across the nation.  I will ensure that OAPA is adequately represented at the state level including conversations surrounding workforce management both in medical practices and large health systems as well as integration of PAs in formal leadership roles across the state.  As a PA educator, a large focus of my contribution will also be targeted toward the PA programs in Ohio and how we can further engage students in advocacy locally and nationally.  Our U.S healthcare system is at a critical juncture right now, but PAs have the ability to remain committed to the cause of treating large populations of patients now and into the future.  I would like a leading role in continuing our strong advocacy and making OAPA an even stronger presence locally and across the nation. 

Delegate Platform Statements:

Amie Beals

My experience with both OAPA and AAPA will be invaluable to my position as a Delegate to the AAPA HOD. Although I have taken the past 5 years to focus on my children, to get remarried, and to enhance my career in orthopedics, these years have allowed me to look at OAPA, AAPA, and the issues facing PAs with fresh eyes.  

My experience as Co-chair of OAPA Governmental Affairs Committee - 2002-2009, Member of Governmental Affairs Committee – 2002-2015, OAPA Region 6 Trustee - 2001-2005, OAPA Rep to Medical Board PA Committee - 2009-2011, OAPA President Elect, President, and Past President - 2005-2008, AAPA House of Delegates Representative - 2004 to 2015, and AAPA Elections Committee 2010-2013 will serve me well by enhancing my knowledge and skills in the process of evaluating, discussing, and presenting the position of the constituency of the OAPA to the AAPA policy making body.

I look forward to listening and learning of the concerns and issues of PAs in Ohio, to serving again, to contributing my experiences and knowledge to the benefit of Ohio PAs, and to enhancing the practice of PAs nationwide. Thank you for your consideration.

Michell McDiffett

My name is Michell McDiffett and I am seeking election as an AAPA Delegate. I have been practicing as a psychiatric PA-C since 2010 and am currently full-time faculty for the PA program at Lake Erie College. 

I have been a member of OAPA since 2008. I have served on various committees and have been the Student Affairs Committee Chair since 2017. I have been the Region 1 Director to the OAPA Board of Directors since 2018. This year, I will serve as an Ohio Delegate in the House of Delegates at the AAPA annual conference. Leadership in OAPA has given me the opportunity to be inspired by some of Ohio’s most passionate PAs. 

As a Delegate, I intend to improve efforts to bring awareness to the profession, provide opportunities for professional and personal development for all PAs in Ohio.

Thank you for your support!

Carmelo (Mel) Roxas

My name is Carmelo (Mel) Roxas and I would like to declare my desire to serve as a Delegate.  I have been a practicing Physician Assistant for over 20 years with experience in Cardiology, Hospital medicine, Express care medicine/UCC and currently General surgery.  I am also an Army Physician Assistant for over 20 years and a veteran Army PA who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have also been a clinical preceptor for our PA students since I became a PA and I am still very dedicated to the training of our young PA students.  I have always been a champion for our PA profession in both the civilian and military worlds. I am one that believes that our profession is the best there is in the medical world and we are getting better. For the last several years, I have attended both the Pharmacology and the General OAPA medical conferences, because OAPA has done a tremendous job with the conference contents itself but also providing us with updated information regarding our profession. Thus far, our Officers and Representatives have done a tremendous job of helping pass laws and regulations to benefit our profession. However, I believe that we still have very important issues that need to be addressed, and I want to be at the forefront in helping these issues to become part of our practice and profession.

 

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