12/31/2024

New Leadership for OAPA Government Affairs as 136th Ohio General Assembly Begins

As the 136th Ohio General Assembly begins in January 2025, the Ohio Association of Physician Assistants (OAPA) is undergoing its own transitions within the government affairs domain.

Rev. Josanne Kissel Pagel, M.Div., MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, C-EBS, Karuna®RMT, the long-serving Chair of OAPA's Government Affairs Committee, has decided to step down from her leadership role. Pagel has served with distinction and has been instrumental in OAPA's legislative successes. After many years of dedicated service, she feels it is the right time to pass the torch.

OAPA President Nathan Hart, MS, MBA, PA-C, expressed his gratitude for Pagel’s contributions: “We are deeply thankful to Josanne for her tireless commitment to advancing OAPA’s legislative priorities. Her leadership has been a key factor in driving the progress of our profession for the last few decades.”

To learn more about Pagel's work and her reflections on OAPA’s government affairs history, please read the full article here.

In her place, President Hart has appointed Immediate Past President Matthew Freado, MBA, PA-C, as the new Chair of the Government Affairs Committee.

Freado shared his thoughts on taking on this role: “I’m grateful for Josanne’s government affairs leadership, and I am honored to take on this responsibility as we move forward. Over the past few years, my passion for legislative advocacy has grown significantly. I believe it is critical to advancing our practice, growing OAPA’s membership, and attracting future students to the PA profession.”

Freado will begin serving in this interim role on January 1, 2025, pending confirmation by the Board of Directors at their meeting on January 11.

In addition, OAPA will begin working with Hicks Partners as its new lobbying firm starting January 1, 2025. Hicks Partners is a multidisciplinary firm with expertise in government affairs, public relations, and more (read more about the selection of Hicks Partners here).

OAPA leadership recently held an in-person onboarding session with Hicks Partners, where they discussed OAPA's legislative priorities and identified short-, mid-, and long-term goals. The session also covered OAPA’s relationships with legislators, the executive branch, and other stakeholders. This productive meeting has set the foundation for a strong partnership as OAPA enters 2025.

To help OAPA advance PA practice through government advocacy, please contribute to the OAPA Legislative Fund (supports lobbying activities) and/or the OAPA Political Action Committee (supports candidates and campaigns).