Sara Nicely graduated from Roanoke College with a degree in Biology and Medical Technology in 2000. She then received her PA degree from Jefferson College of Health Sciences (now Radford University) in 2002, and she earned a Master's in Physician Assistant Studies from University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2007. She advanced her education by earning the Doctor of Health Education degree at A.T. Still University in 2015. The focus of her dissertation was on developing an oral health curriculum for PA students.

Sara is now the Department Chair and Program Director for the Department of PA Studies at Radford University on the Radford University Carilion campus in Roanoke. She has worked in education since 2010. Sara's clinical background is in surgical fields, and she still works in Surgical Critical Care at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital one day per week.

Sara assumed the role of President-Elect for VAPA in 2020, and she looks forward to contributing to professional advancements in the Commonwealth of Virginia. She has developed a passion for the education and support of the PA profession and feels it important that all PAs know the history of the profession and the work that still needs to be done to allow all PAs to practice at the top of their education and licensure.

Jonathan Baker practices at Laser Surgery Care in New York City. He specializes in managing anal pathology with a focus on HPV and other STIs. He conducts clinical research on NIH-funded clinical trials focused on HPV-related disease.
Jonathan is a frequent speaker at national, specialty, and state CME events including the AAPA annual conference. He has been published in various peer-reviewed medical journals including JAAPA. He received the AAPA Paragon Award in Clinical Publishing in 2015.
Jonathan is the President-Elect of the New York State Society of PAs (NYSSPA), AAPA Liaison to the GLMA, and a Past President of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender PA Caucus (LBGT PA).

Lucas Vance is originally from Roanoke, Virginia. He received his Bachelors of Science in athletic training from Radford University and his Masters of Biology from The Citadel. He worked as an athletic trainer for seven years and also as an Academic Success Coach before attending PA school.

Jayme Siet, MOT, OTR/L, MYTT, is a licensed and practicing Occupational Therapist at the University of Virginia (UVA) Medical Center. She is certified and practicing as an Oncology Rehabilitation Specialist. Additionally, Jayme teaches an undergraduate course in mindfulness at the University of Virginia. Jayme is trained in Medical Therapeutic Yoga which she uses to lead courses for oncology patients as well as children and adolescents with disabilities at UVA's Medical Center. She is currently part of a research study for heart failure patients that utilizes yoga and journaling as part of treatment. Her professional background includes community mental health and she worked for several years in Wilderness Therapy.

Elyse Watkins has been a clinically practicing PA since 1993. She earned her PA degree from The George Washington University and was awarded a National Health Service Corps scholarship. She is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Lynchburg's Doctor of Medical Science Program where she teaches Global Health and Evidence-based Medicine, and is visiting faculty at Florida State University's and Elon University's PA programs where she teaches the reproductive medicine/women's health curriculum. She also teaches the women's health module for the University of Lynchburg's PA program.

Dr. Watkins was named Editor for the Women's Health section in the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. In addition, she speaks at multiple local, state, and national CME conferences on global and women's health issues. Her peer-reviewed publications include articles in the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, a chapter in a women's health textbook, a chapter in a pharmacology book, a book on professional practice issues for PAs, and a book on ob/gyn for clinical learners.

She is a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Association of PAs in Ob/Gyn, PAs for Global Health, the North Carolina Academy of PAs where she is President-elect, the Piedmont Association of PAs where she served for several years as vice president, and the American Academy of Physician Assistants where she is a Distinguished Fellow.

Ryan Hagan is a board certified PA and graduate of the University of Kentucky, where he earned his Master's degree and served as the president of his class. He moved to Roanoke to join the Urgent Care and Rural Medicine fellowship led by PA Christina Gardner. Ryan strives to use evidence-based medicine at various primary care locations in Southwestern Virginia. This presentation was made in collaboration with PA fellows Cayla Baker and Rachael Poff.

Dr. Keyur Shah is Chief, Section of Heart Failure, VCU Health, Pauley Heart Failure. His areas of expertise are heart failure, cardiac amyloidosis and mechanical circulatory support.

He is board certified in heart failure and transplant, cardiology and internal medicine. He completed his residency and fellowship at the University of Maryland.

Dr. Shah actively conducts clinical trials and has a research interest in cardiac amyloidosis.

Christina Saldanha received a Masters of Physiology from NC State University and a Masters of Physician Assistant Studies from High Point University. Her passion has always been women's and sexual health, both in academia and professional activities. She was a volunteer HIV counselor while she attended NC State. After completing PA studies she went on to work as a gynecologic oncology PA for three years. Her role was multi-factorial and included outpatient surveillance and chemotherapy clinic, inpatient rounding and assisting in the operating room. She was tasked with management of a variety of gynecologic cancers, and that is when cervical cancer prevention advocacy was born. She is currently practicing in family medicine and studying for the Certified Menopause Practitioner exam. She aspires to complete a post-graduate program in Sexual Health Counseling.

Adlah Sukkar, MD is a practicing Adult Pulmonologist in Fairfax, VA. In addition to a busy outpatient practice, she has attended at INOVA Fairfax Hospital for the past 10 years. Dr Sukkar is boarded in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and completed her training at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, MD. She was the recipient of a NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award. Current areas of clinical interest include Interstitial Lung Disease and Endobronchial valve placement for advanced COPD.

Blake Rogers is an early career hospitalist and critical care PA practicing in southside Virginia. He is a 2018 graduate of the James Madison University PA Program. Blake earned his DMSc in 2023 from the University of Lynchburg. Additionally, Blake is on the PA Medicine Advisory Board for the University of Lynchburg PA Program and teaches as an Adjunct Faculty for their DMSc program.

Dr. Talreja is Director of the Catheterization Laboratory and Director of the Coronary Care Unit at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital. He is an Assistant Professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School of Medicine and Instructor in Clinical Medicine at the Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Talreja is a graduate of the University of Virginia, Vanderbilt University, and the Mayo Clinic.

Lesley Dorsey is a practicing physician assistant in the U.S. Navy. She is currently serving on the USS John C. Stennis. She is a graduate of the Interservice Physician Assistant Program and was awarded her MPAS from the University of Nebraska in 2016. She graduated in May 2020 with her Doctorate in Physician Assistant Studies from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences where she did her doctoral research in optimizing the use of PrEP.

Megan Allison received her Master's Degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Jefferson College of Health Sciences (now Radford University) in Roanoke, Virginia. After graduating from PA school, Megan started working at a dermatology office in Lynchburg, Virginia. Since this time, she has enjoyed treating a variety of skin conditions in patients of all ages as well as performing several different cosmetic procedures. She advanced her education by receiving her Doctor of Medical Science Degree from the University of Lynchburg in 2018. Upon graduation, she was published in the Journal of Dermatology for Physician Assistants (JDPA), the official clinical journal of the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants (SDPA). In addition to practicing medicine, she enjoys public speaking and is the author of four books. Megan is married to her high school sweetheart, Ben, and together they have a beautiful little girl named Olivia.

Marianna Wills is a PA-C working in Emergency Medicine in Richmond, Virginia. She graduated Randolph Macon College with a Bachelors of Science and a major in Spanish, and obtained a master's degree in 2019 from Jefferson College of Health Sciences/Radford University Carilion. As a recent graduate during a pandemic, she has embraced her new life by adopting a quarantine puppy by the name of Oakley. When not studying and learning more about emergency medicine, she can be found hiking, running or teaching Oakley how to be a good boy.