Dr. Joel Thomas Bundy is the Senior Vice President and Chief Medical and Quality Officer for Sentara Health, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. Previously he has served as Vice President of Medical Affairs for both Sentara Leigh and Sentara CarePlex hospitals, and as a Nephrologist since 1994. He is passionate about quality and completed a master's degree in healthcare quality and safety at Thomas Jefferson University, with training as a Master Six Sigma Black Belt and Lean practitioner at Villanova University. He has been very active in various leadership positions within healthcare currently serving as President for the Medical Society of Virginia, chairing several committees with the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, past chair of several Medical Society of Virginia boards, past president of the medical staff at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, past president of the Chesapeake Medical Society, past delegate from Virginia to the American Medical Association. Nationally he has served on the board of the American College of Medical Quality and on the prestigious National Quality Forum patient safety committee. He has completed leadership programs including the Claude Moore Physician Leadership Institute, LEAD Peninsula, the University of Virginia Sorensen Institute, and AMPAC. Dr. Bundy has been recognized for his leadership across several organizations, among those as the Senior Leader award from the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, CEO award from Sentara Health, and the Jeff Miller award for leadership and commitment to those with developmental disabilities. Dr. Bundy was commissioned to the United States Navy in 1984 and subsequently served as a General Medical Officer at Cecil Field NAS in Jacksonville, Florida and then at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth until 1997. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology, and Fellow of the American Association for Physician Leadership, and is a Certified Physician Executive through the Certifying Commission in Medical Management. He earned his medical degree from Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University in North Carolina and his bachelor's degree from Jacksonville University in Florida. He completed his Internal Medicine residency and Nephrology fellowship at the University of Florida, University of California San Francisco, and the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. His free time is involved in love of all things William Shakespeare and Miles Davis, as well as trying his hand as a gentleman farmer and jazz trumpeter.

Marianna Garcia is a 2013 Physician Assistant graduate of Eastern Virginia Medical School. For the past decade, she has subspecialized in Structural Heart with focus on catheter-based interventions. She has been involved in programmatic development and best practices leading to increased clinic access, reduced patient wait times, and overall increase in patient satisfaction. She has mentored prospective students as well as new hires, and has had opportunities to extend her experience and offer expertise on more national level with speaking engagements at professional conferences. Within rapidly advancing field of Structural Heart, she has participated as Sub Investigator on more than 15 clinical trials, allowing patients access to therapies not yet readily available to general population. Marianna resides in Hampton Roads with her husband and three children and enjoys traveling, and spending time with her family.

Carleigh is a nurse practitioner practicing at VCU Health in Richmond, Virginia. She completed her undergraduate degree in nursing at West Virginia University in 2018. Carleigh went on to earn a Master of Science in Nursing degree in 2022 from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is currently enrolled in a Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Wilkes University. Carleigh worked as a bedside nurse at VCU on the Cardiothoracic Surgery Stepdown Unit for 4.5 years. Now as a nurse practitioner, she specializes in thoracic and foregut surgery in the outpatient setting. She recently became certified through the American Heart Association as a Tobacco Treatment Specialist. Carleigh uses her knowledge as a TTS to help those enrolled in lung cancer screening achieve tobacco cessation. In her free time, Carleigh enjoys spending time with her Labrador retriever, Izzy.

Born in raised in Richmond, Kim completed her undergraduate education at the University of Virginia and gained clinical experience as an EMT and ER Tech. She proceeded to the Emory University PA Program and has practiced at Yale New Haven Health, a critical access hospital in southwest Virginia, and is currently at VCU Health where she splits her time between practicing clinically with Hospital Medicine and managing the APP Transition to Practice Program. Mom of 2, wife of a fellow PA, and avid runner - Kim is excited to join you all today!

Alicia Quella is the Director of Communications and PA Relations at the NCCPA. She has served as a PA educator and has practiced in emergency medicine and primary care. She has served as an epidemiologist during the pandemic and has published research on the PA workforce, global health and issues affecting diversity in PA program admissions. Alicia earned her Masters of PA Studies degree and her doctoral degree in epidemiology from the University of Iowa.

Dr. Cheek received her medical degree from Des Moines University-College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her traditional medicine internship and neurology residency at Grandview Hospital Medical Center (now Kettering Health Dayton) in Dayton, Ohio, where she was chief resident. Dr. Cheek is board certified in neurology and holds an additional certificate of qualification in neurophysiology. She returned to her home state to practice in the Montana VA Healthcare system, where she was the Lead Physician on the Polytrauma Team and developed or expanded programs in stroke, movement disorders, multiple sclerosis and neurophysiology. Dr. Cheek is the President and CEO of Crossing Currents Consulting. As the owner of a solo practice, she combines her clinical skills and knowledge with outreach programs to promote osteopathic principles at the regional, national and international levels. She also shares her passion for medicine as adjunct professor at Touro University's Montana Campus, with an emphasis on rural and underserved practices. Dr. Cheek is a past-president of the American College of Neuropsychiatrists/American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists, member of the Montana Osteopathic Medical Association Board of Governors, active in many specialty societies, and graduate of the prestigious national Osteopathic Health Policy Fellowship.

Cindy Kleckner, RDN, LD, FAND is an award-winning registered dietitian nutritionist, culinary expert and author in the Dallas area. She is an adjunct professor at Collin College's Institute for Hospitality and Culinary Education and loves teaching the importance of how to combine the science of nutrition with the art of culinary. Through her consulting business, Cindy works with numerous companies and organizations as a health educator, recipe developer, and national speaker at conferences, consumer events and corporate wellness programs. She is well-known for her culinary nutrition programs and making nutrition come alive using food and culinary skills. She is a distinguished Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a former President of the Dallas Academy and a former Media Spokesperson for the Texas Academy. She was the recipient of the 2018 Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Outstanding Nutrition Education Award. In 2017 Cindy was honored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation with the Anita Owen Award of Recognition for Innovative Nutrition Education Programs for the Public. Cindy continues to be very active in her profession in many specialty groups, including Food and Culinary Professionals, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs Dietetic Practice Groups. Cindy was inducted into the prestigious Les Dames d' Escoffier in 2020 and currently serves as their Philanthropy Chair. Cindy is co-author and recipe developer for three national publications, the DASH Diet For Dummies, 2nd edition 2021, the DASH Diet For Dummies 2014 and the Hypertension Cookbook For Dummies 2011. She also developed recipes for several other books including Cooking in Harmony Dairy MAX Cookbook 2021.

Dr. David Munter is a retired Navy Captain, Board Certified Emergency Medicine Physician, with an MBA from The College of William and Mary. He has held numerous leadership positions- director of 5 different Emergency Departments, Chairman of a large Academic Department, Medical Director of the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Director of TRICARE for the east coast, member of the National Board of Medical Examiners, head of Emergency Medicine for the Navy, and many more. He is the recipient of multiple leadership and teaching honors and awards. He has spoken widely on managerial/leadership issues and topics around the world- and has been both the boss and had bosses in his long career.

Michelle Kerr has been a Physician Assistant for nearly 30 years, practicing initially in primary care and then expanding to urgent care. She has been at Atrium Health in NC for 13 years, practicing clinically in urgent care, and holding a leadership position within the organization. Michelle serves as an Assistant Specialty Medical Director responsible for 10 of the 30 Atrium Health Urgent Care locations, and as Chief APP (Advanced Practice Provider) for the entire Urgent Care division, advocating and representing over 120 APPs. She actively teaches, updates, and reviews the standard of care practiceses within the Atrium Healthcare system. She serves on several system-wide and interdisciplinary committees and strategy groups.
Michelle continues to serve as adjunct faculty at Rochester Institute of Technology's PA program for over 25 years, still returning yearly to lecture even after moving to NC.

Dr. Freeborne, or Nancy, has been a PA for forty years. She has worked clinically in geriatrics, primary care, and women's health. While Nancy was a geriatric clinic manager, she worked on and received an MPH in health administration. Soon after she joined the George Washington University PA Program faculty and began to pursue a Doctorate of Public Health.

After receiving a DrPH, with a concentration in health behavior, Nancy joined George Mason University faculty, teaching in public health, while at the same time advising pre-PA and pre-med students. She helped grow the popular Bachelor's of Community Health, advising countless students. Nancy transitioned to serving as the Director of Operations at a Virginia Community Health Center, and most recently has had an eight year career as a compliance reviewer for the Federal health center program.

Nancy enjoys combining her love of biological sciences with interests in psychology and social science. She blogs regularly for Psychology Today and has taught healthcare leadership at George Mason University. Most recently, she has transitioned from public health faculty, back to PA program faculty-in June she began serving as PA Program Director for Mary Baldwin University in Staunton, VA.

Bobby L. Cockram Jr, DMSc PA-C, DFAAPA
Dr. Cockram is a native of Virginia and has lived in Virginia almost his entire life. He did his undergrad at Virginia Tech and subsequently graduated from Jefferson College of Health Sciences PA school. As a PA, he has practiced primarily in Cardiac Surgery and Critical Care. He practiced initially in Roanoke and moved to Northern Virginia in 2012 and taking a position with Inova Health System. He has served in multiple leadership positions throughout his career, including the Chief APP for Critical Care at Inova Health System and a Director of the medicine service line. He currently serves as the system APP director for Inova Health System, assuming the role in 2021. As the system APP director, Dr. Cockram serves as an expert on advanced practice and leads over 1500 APPs across the health system including 5 hospitals and over 170 ambulatory centers. He is responsible for overall management and strategy for PAs, NPs, CRNAs, and Certified Nurse Midwives and has led numerous initiatives to advance the practice of APPs. In addition to his clinical and administrative roles at Inova, he is active in the VAPA serving as a director at large for VAPA and as the chair of the government affairs committee and as a delegate for VAPA for the AAPA HOD. He is an adjunct professor for the University of Lynchburg and Shenandoah University, teaching courses in healthcare administration and leadership. In his spare time he enjoys flying and volunteers as a search and rescue pilot for the USAF auxiliary. He loves advocating for the PA profession and is excited to be a part of the conference!

Experienced Physician Assistant with over 23 years' experience in Urgent Care medicine. I am also a Certified Professional Coder and Certified Evaluation and Management Coder for the past 8 years. I contribute articles/coding challenges to Evidenced Based Urgent Care Medicine, College of Urgent Care Medicine and the Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. I present Coding Excellence to state PA conferences and other organizations. Member of Novant Health's Advanced Practice Providers Leadership team for the past 7 years.

Travis Kaufman is a retired U.S. Army Officer, Physician Associate, and educator with 25 years of experience in emergency medicine, disaster response, and global health. His career spans over 70 countries across five continents, where he has advised and trained international partners to strengthen healthcare systems, improve outcomes in austere environments, and build medical resilience.

Since 2022, Dr. Kaufman has supported Ukrainian forces and NATO allies through training and advisory efforts in crisis medical response, helping to enhance humanitarian preparedness across Eastern Europe. He has led medical training in 17 countries and worked with professionals from 35 nations to advance trauma care, evacuation readiness, and system-wide emergency management.

He currently serves as an Assistant Professor and Program Director for Emergency Management & Global Health at the University of Lynchburg. Additionally, he is adjunct faculty with the Harvard Faculty Physicians at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's Fellowship in Disaster Medicine, a Wilderness Medicine instructor with AdventureMed, a Fellow of the International Board of Disaster Medicine, and a Fellowship candidate with the Wilderness Medical Society.

He became one of the few to serve as a White House Physician Assistant, providing contingency medical planning for three Presidential administrations across 524 missions.

He earned a Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) in Emergency Medicine and has been recognized with the Presidential Service Badge, the Order of Military Medical Merit, the 2025 AMSUS Allied Health Professional Award, and Colorado PA Leader of the Year (2024).

An Ironman World Championship competitor and Eagle Scout mentor, Dr. Kaufman continues to volunteer globally through missions in the Dominican Republic, Panama, Mexico, Uganda, and Tanzania. He lives in Colorado with his wife Jamie and their two children, Gabriella and Gage.

Dr. Sam Basta is a healthcare executive with a distinguished career in value-based care (VBC) transformation at a variety of healthcare organizations. Dr. Basta is currently Medical Director at ECPI University's provisionally-accredited PA Program which is anticipating matriculation of its inaugural class in 2026, and the University's Continuous Medical Education program. He is also VBC Advisor to medical technology companies. Previously, he was Chief Medical Officer at Honest Medical Group, led value-based care, population health and quality improvement at Sentara Health Plans, and was Chief Quality Officer and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Dr. Basta's VBC initiatives have been recognized nationally including a home colorectal cancer screening program that won American Cancer Society, Hall of Fame award. Dr. Basta's is the author of the weekly New Healthcare Platforms newsletter on LinkedIn with a global readership in the thousands leading to his achieving the prestigious LinkedIn TOP VOICE designation.

Laura Tice is an assistant professor at the James Madison University PA Program. She works clinically as a PA in general cardiology and has been practicing at Sentara RMH Medical Center for the past 12 years. Before joining the faculty at JMU, she served as a clinical preceptor for PA students and mentored new advanced practice providers and stress lab nurses. She resides in Bridgewater, Virginia with her husband and two children and enjoys playing volleyball.

Amanda L. Miller, DMSc, PA-C, is a distinguished medical professional with a multifaceted career spanning clinical practice, education, and advocacy. She earned her bachelor's degree from Baylor University, followed by a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Eastern Virginia Medical School, and later her Doctor of Medical Science from the University of Lynchburg. She has operated in various leadership positions as an advanced practice provider and is currently the CEO of RX14 Health Concierge Telehealth. Beyond her clinical duties, she is actively involved in medical education, policy, and keynote speaking. She serves on the guidelines committee for the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma. She has edited publications with Lippincott Williams & Wilkins and McGraw Hill and works as an editor-in-chief for PubMed StatPearls. Parallel to her medical career, Amanda Miller has pursued acting, bringing her real-life experience to the screen. She has appeared in television series on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Hulu such as The Resident, Will Trent, Tyler Perry's Duplicity, and Beyond The Gates. Her transition from the operating room to acting was influenced by her desire to explore storytelling from a different perspective. Miller has noted that her medical background provides a unique lens through which she approaches her roles, allowing her to draw upon authentic experiences in high-pressure environments. She enjoys inspiring and motivating others to live out a career they are passionate about and loves connecting with individuals on social media @officialamandamiller.

Josh Detrick is a strategic healthcare operations leader with over 20 years of clinical expertise, currently serving as Business Optimization Specialist at OrthoVirginia. As a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt working toward Black Belt certification, Josh serves as a clinical Subject Matter Expert in process improvement initiatives across the organization.

Previously, Josh served as Director of Clinical Services at OrthoVirginia, where he led 35 PAs and NPs and directed state-wide EMR standardization projects that improved efficiency and job satisfaction. Throughout his career, he has pioneered innovative practice models, including an after-hours ortho-on-call clinic that improved patient access.

Josh holds an MBA from West Virginia University and a Master of Healthcare Administration from University of Lynchburg. He is distinguished as a Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Associates and holds a Certification of Additional Qualifications in Orthopedic Surgery.

A resident of Burke, Virginia, Josh balances his professional career with family life while continuing to advocate for healthcare providers through his roles in various professional governance committees, including the VAPA House of Delegates and the AAPA Standing Rules Committee.

Rachel Pruitt has been a practicing PA since 2011. She worked in internal medicine with Centra Medical Group until 2017 when she joined the newly developed bariatric surgery program within the same organization. She has found the work fulfilling; where she used to chase chronic conditions with more and more medications, recommending diet and exercise with no real understanding of how to educate patients in these matters, she finds she now has the tools to better serve patients in their health and by treating obesity is able to see chronic comorbidities improve and medications be discontinued. When not working, she enjoys hiking, crocheting, and spending time with her husband, two children, and Great Dane. She was pregnant with her 2nd child during the development of this presentation, which made the topic even more near and dear to her heart, and she appreciates everyone joining her to learn about this special population.

Matt Bowles, MBA, PA-C, is the Director of Advanced Practice Providers for LewisGale Physicians, HCA Virginia. He has worked as a PA for the past 20 years and still practices clinically in Cardiology at LewisGale Physicians in Salem, VA. Matt completed his B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from Radford University, B.S. in Physician Assistant Studies from The College of Health Sciences, and MBA from The University of Lynchburg. Over the past two decades, he has worked clinically in Orthopedics, Emergency Medicine, Cardiology, Correctional medicine, and as a Local medical examiner in Virginia. Matt also serves on several VA PA school advisory boards and leads multiple leadership committees within HCA. He is a clinical preceptor for Radford University, University of Lynchburg, and Emory and Henry. With 20 years of APP leadership experience, Matt advocates for APPs to operate at the top of their license. He focuses on elevating APPs in organizational leadership, advancing team-based care to provide high-quality, cost-effective healthcare across all specialties. His aim is to improve best practices, orientation and onboarding, mentorship, and scope of practice for all APPs. In his free time, Matt enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, two children, and bluetick coonhound, Gilburt.

Olushola Ilogho, MPA, PA-C, is a dedicated Hospitalist PA at Sentara Health and a committed healthcare leader with experience in patient care, APP leadership, education, and advocacy.
A 2017 graduate of the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) PA program, she serves as Chair of the Advocacy and Outreach Committee for the Virginia Academy of PAs and is a past President of the Virginia Association of Minority PAs. She is also an assistant professor and community faculty member at EVMS, contributing to the Alumni Board and serves on the Sentara Medical Group's Quality and Safety Board Advisory Committee.
Passionate about education and mentorship, Olushola precepts PA students, provides monthly education for medical-surgical nurses, and serves as an expert CME reviewer for the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA). She also participated in AAPA's PAs Go Beyond project, highlighting the impact of PAs in healthcare.
She holds an Advanced Practice Provider Leadership certificate from the University of Pittsburgh and is currently pursuing her doctorate at the University of Lynchburg. Recognized for her contributions to advocacy, leadership, and patient care, she was named PA of the Year by the Virginia Academy of Physician Assistants in 2022 and received the Woman of Distinction in Health and Science award from YWCA South Hampton Roads.
Outside of her professional commitments, Olushola enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, embracing the beauty of nature, and listening to jazz music.

Matt Shortt currently serves as Vice President of Operations for American Orthopedic Partners, a musculoskeletal management services organization (MSO) that has a national footprint and an emphasis on partnering with private practices to remain independent.

Matt spent the first 12 years of his career practicing in Orthopedics at HCA and partnered with one of his collaborating physicians to open a private Orthopedic practice in Blacksburg, VA. Throughout his clinical career Matt enjoyed serving as a clinical preceptor and lecturer for several PA programs throughout the state.

As a healthcare executive, Matt has clinical leadership experience previously holding several hospital committee positions and serving as Lead APC for HCA's MSK service line, as well as serving as a clinical consultant in the medical device industry. Matt's administrative leadership experience has seen him serve as the Director of Operations with OrthoVirginia, with regional and corporate oversight responsibilities. Prior to his time with OrthoVirginia, Matt served as Director of Operations for HCA's Capital Division, with operational oversite of greater than 100 clinical sites and just under 300 Physicians and APPs. Throughout his leadership roles Matt has prioritized clinician engagement and influence to achieve organizational operational successes and sustainability.

Matt is a native of Virginia and attended Virginia Tech for his undergraduate education, completed his PA studies at Jefferson College of Health Sciences as a 2007 graduate, and earned his MBA from Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins University.

Outside of work, Matt is a husband and a father to a daughter and son that keep him busy either on or traveling to the ballfield. He enjoys traveling with his family and spending time together at their favorite place, Smith Mountain Lake.

Anna is the Prevention + Awareness Coordinator at New Creation VA. New Creation is a nonprofit organization + fair trade shop in Harrisonburg, VA that is on a mission to creatively counteract human trafficking with a local heart + a global approach.

Anna began pursuing work in anti-trafficking after discovering that this injustice occurs locally. After college, she interned with International Justice Mission and Freedom 4/24. From 2019-2024 Anna started + directed a non-profit branch out of Charlottesville that worked to raise awareness and prevention of human trafficking in Central VA. During that time she trained and presented to youth, youth workers, health care professionals, and community members. And in 2023, Anna was named Freekind's Ambassador of the Year, "for excellence in advocating to help prevent human trafficking" through their middle and high school Prevention Project program.

In 2022, Anna began working collaboratively with New Creation, before joining their team in 2025. She is grateful to work from Charlottesville, where she + her husband make their home, to continue this work of Prevention + Awareness in Central VA and the Shenandoah Valley.

Kim Ford is currently the Orthopedic Technician Team Lead for Carilion Clinic Orthopedics. He has been with the Carilion Health System for 30 years and has been working with the Orthopedic Department for the past 20 years doing casting, splinting, and bracing.

He is currently over all of Carilion's Orthopedic Clinics and works with Jefferson College of Health Sciences and their Physician Assistant program providing a casting/splinting beginner course, and as as clinical instructor during the students' Orthopedic rotation. He is also very active in teaching casting and splinting classes for any interested Orthopedic practices.

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.

Barbara practices internal medicine and has an undergraduate degree in psychology . After 3 decades of working in inner city settings, emergency medicine, and primary care, the cost of caring for patients found her questioning the sustainability of such demanding work. The demands of practice will take a toll on us all, but yoga taught her a way to juggle family, work and multiple moves away from home like nothing else did. Training as a yoga teacher has been a valuable tool for self care, has taught her to ways to process trauma while holding space for others. Using yoga to stay limber and grounded, Barbara is better able to navigate the pressures of people needing more and more from us everyday: She appreciates the chance to share these practices with others in the hope that we can learn to move through life's challenges with more grace and kindness.

CAPT Christian Rathke DMSc, PA-C, DFAAPA was commissioned in December of 2011 in the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) after seven years in the US Navy. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, VA, a Master of Medical Science with a concentration in Physician Assistant Studies from Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, CT, and a Doctor of Medical Science from the University of Lynchburg focused on administrative medicine.

He began his medical career as a National Health Service Corps scholar and medical provider, where he served as the Site Director of a newly established Community Health Center in Fredonia, AZ. His leadership extended to his election as President of the local Chamber of Commerce. As the town's only full-time “Doc,” he treated all aspects of health for his patients and served as the primary consultant to the Mayor for Public Health concerns in the town. He then specialized in cardiology for five years at Pensacola Naval Hospital in Florida and chaired the hospital's CHF practice guidelines committee. CAPT Rathke is also an Aerospace Physiologist, Dive Medical Officer, and educator training over 3,000 pilots and aircrew, the Blue Angels, and NASA Astronauts in all aspects of human performance in high-risk operational environments. As a subject matter expert in flight physiology and hypoxia, he served two years as an instructor for the US Navy Flight Surgeon program and a collaborative published researcher and instructor for the Army Air Warrior Program. Trained in public health crisis management, he has been deployed with the USPHS to respond to public health emergencies. As a USPHS Officer, his four assignments thus far have all been with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). His prior NOAA position was with the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO), serving NOAA's 12,000 employees as the Director of Office of Health Services with a portfolio of five medical programs, including Aviation Medicine, Behavioral Health, Dive Medicine, Marine Medicine, and NOAA Corps Medical Affairs. CAPT Rathke was also the COVID-19 response medical lead for the Department of Commerce and NOAA for two and a half years. Starting May 2022 as the Director of Total Worker Health, he now leads a unique comprehensive organizational approach to federal workforce support, healthy work design, and a health-in-all policies framework for the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) within NOAA and across multiple federal sectors.

Award highlights include the Department of Commerce Gold Medal, Department of Commerce Bronze Medal, NOAA Corps Meritorious Service Medal, NOAA Administrator's Award (2), PHS Outstanding Service Medal, PHS Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, and the Humanitarian Service Medal.

Fred Wu, MHS, PA-C has been an emergency medicine PA for 20 years. He is the founding program director of the Emergency Medicine PA Residency at the University of California San Francisco - Fresno and the Lead APP in the Department of Emergency Medicine. In addition to his clinical duties, Mr. Wu is also an educator and researcher with professional interests in medical education, EMS, wilderness medicine and emergency department operations.

Ryan Strauss, MPH, MSHS, PA-C is an Emergency Medicine PA and Lead Advanced Practitioner at the George Washington University MFA Department of Emergency Medicine. He is also an adjunct faculty member in the GW Department of Physician Associate Studies involved in multiple aspects of the PA program. He has been in medical education for nearly two decades including workshop instruction and presenting at countless national and regional conferences.

Chris is a physician assistant working in trauma and acute care surgery in Maryland as well as a local medical examiner for the Virginia Office of Chief Medical Examiner in the Northern Virginia Region. He is also a firefighter and paramedic, working in that role full-time prior to PA school for 12 years, and continues to be an active volunteer in that role. He continues to teach as adjunct faculty for a paramedic education program at Prince George's Community College. He has particular interests in practice, research, and education in the areas of trauma, prehospital care, critical care and forensic pathology and the intersection of these medical communities to “remove the silos.”