OAPA Committees
Build your leadership skills, grow your network, and give back to your profession through volunteering with OAPA!
OAPA depends on volunteers to pursue our mission. If you are interested in joining a committee or volunteering in another capacity, please consider the options below and contact oapa@ohiopa.com to express your interest.
Awards Committee
The Awards Committee is responsible for honoring OAPA’s commitment to excellence through recognition of PAs and other PA supporters who have enhanced the PA profession through their service to the profession, community, and OAPA. Responsibilities include:
- Establishing the process by which nominations for awards and scholarships are accepted including a description and qualifications for each.
- Soliciting nominations for OAPA awards and scholarships.
- Developing criteria for evaluating nominees and selects recipients for awards and scholarships prior to the annual conference.
- Presenting awards and scholarships at the annual conference.
- Encouraging nominations and collaborating with the BOD to apply for AAPA and other external awards.
- Scholarships shall be awarded by subcommittees and other bodies appointed by the chair of the Awards Committee as outlined for each scholarship.
- The committee shall include the president, president-elect, and immediate past president.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Awards Committee Chair Jenny Brantingham, PA-C, at oapa@ohiopa.com.
Bylaws Committee
The Bylaws Committee monitors and makes recommended updates to OAPA Bylaws and policies:
- The vice president is the parliamentary advisor of the OAPA Bylaws and Policy Manual and chair of the Bylaws Committee unless otherwise designated by the BOD.
- The vice president and/or ED shall have the authority to correct typographical, format, and/or grammatical errors if they do not alter the intent of the policy.
- Meet, at a minimum, annually to ensure OAPA Bylaws and Policy Manual are updated based on current PA practice standards and needs of the Association and are congruent with AAPA Bylaws and Policy Manual.
- Policies adopted by the BOD shall be reviewed two years after adoption and will be automatically reaffirmed unless revised or referred by the BOD during the year of expiration.
- Inform the membership of proposed Bylaws amendments in accordance with Article XVI of the OAPA Bylaws.
- Develop appropriate language for amendments to the Bylaw or Policy Manual.
- Review and ensure that OAPA adheres to the AAPA Guidelines for Ethical Conduct for the PA Profession.
- Assist the chief delegate to the AAPA House of Delegates (HOD) with preparation of resolutions as needed.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Bylaws Committee Chair Michell McDiffett, PA-C, at oapa@ohiopa.com.
Communications Committee
The Communications Committee serves as the editorial body for the OAPA's website, electronic newsletter, and social media platforms. Responsibilities include:
- Curating content for OAPA’s publications from OAPA members, board of directors, committee chairs, and other parties as warranted including, but not limited to, written articles and photos obtained while attending OAPA related activities.
- Assisting OAPA with executing social campaigns by maintaining an online presence via OAPA social media channels.
- Collaborating with the executive director and website host on the development and maintenance of OAPA's website and review content for updates on a quarterly basis.
- Assisting the executive director and website host when necessary to conduct OAPA business.
- Acting as a resource to maximize communication and develop methods to enhance and expedite the productivity of OAPA functions and meetings.
Follow OAPA on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Communications Committee Chair Michal Sittek, PA-C, at oapa@ohiopa.com.
Diversity Committee
The Diversity Committee has a vision to uphold and encourage different ideas, promote continuing education, foster connections, and instill professionalism. It has a mission of striving to promote a culture of respect, inclusivity, and equity within the PA community to highlight the differences that make us unique. The committee will create ongoing dialogue that encourages and enables PAs to provide the best care possible to all populations through such actions as events, research spotlights, and newsletter updates.
Responsibilities include:
- Advancing OAPA’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by supporting and contributing to the overall DEI strategy, goals, programs, and initiatives.
- Partnering with the board of directors to create pipelines of diverse members and leaders to join OAPA.
- Collaborating with other committees, organizations, and staff, as needed, to ensure implementation around equity and inclusion program initiatives.
- Developing strategies to educate the public about health disparities and identify educational and professional development opportunities on DEI matters for OAPA members.
- Developing sustainable strategies for historically marginalized students leading to diversifying the PA profession.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Diversity Committee Chair Karen Roane, PA-C, at oapa@ohiopa.com.
Education Committee
The Education Committee works to provide quality, cost-effective, CME conferences for OAPA members. Responsibilities include:
- Planning, conducting, and evaluating OAPA’s overall professional educational program and strategy with the assistance of the executive director.
- Consulting on the CME accreditation process and associated criteria, identifying specialty areas for content development based on emerging opportunities for the profession, and providing recommendations regarding format and scope of specialty programming.
- Acting as a champion for OAPA’s overall education program, including annual conference, pharmacology conference, specialty meetings, and CME accreditation.
- Providing CME in accordance with the AAPA Guidelines.
- Working work with staff to provide input on strategies to improve the experience and ensure the relevance of OAPA conferences and specialty meetings. This shall include surveying conference and meeting attendees to inform future educational activities.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Education Committee Chair Adrian Gorzitze-Maxey, PA-C, at oapa@ohiopa.com.
Elections Committee
The Elections Committee ensures continuity of leadership for OAPA:
- The Elections Committee is composed of 3 non-candidate board members appointed by the president and the vice president serves as the chair for an even number of members to allow for majority voting.
- Develop the election process for OAPA board of directors officers, AAPA delegates, and the student representative-elect in collaboration with the board.
- Maintain the OAPA election manual including definition of elected positions, terms of service, process for declaring candidacy, rules for the election process, voting, reporting results for all elected positions and propose updates as needed.
- Notify the membership of the election process for all positions according to the OAPA election manual.
- Oversee the election process according to the election manual with support from the secretary-treasurer and executive director.
The Elections Committee includes only board members and is not open to volunteers. But if you are interested in the OAPA leadership, please consider running for the board! Elections take place each spring for select board positions.
Government Affairs Committee
The Government Affairs Committee is actively involved at the state and national level to ensure that PA practice standards in the state of Ohio are consistent with AAPA initiatives. Responsibilities include:
- Ensuring that current statutes and rules regarding PA practice in Ohio are fairly interpreted and applied.
- Identifying statutes and rules that need to be updated to enhance PA practice in Ohio.
- Collaborating with AAPA and OAPA lobbyists to draft and/or review statute and rule language necessary to enhance PA practice in Ohio.
- Responding to legislation and rules that may have an impact on PA practice in Ohio in collaboration with the executive director and and lobbyists who will consistently monitor legislation and rules that are introduced in the Ohio general assembly and by government agencies in Ohio.
- Acting on all requests to contact state legislators or other interested parties by phone or in writing and encourage colleagues and other stakeholders to do the same.
- Representing the OAPA in meetings with government officials and/or other interested parties to ensure PA practice standards align with current national guidelines.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Government Affairs Committee Chair Rev. Josanne Kissel Pagel M.Div., MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, C-EBS, Karuna®RMT, at oapa@ohiopa.com.
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee promotes OAPA membership to PAs across Ohio. Responsibilities include:
- Promoting membership in OAPA to PAs and PA students as well as other potential members as outlined in OAPA Bylaws.
- Recommending annual dues amounts and renewal frequency for OAPA membership to the board of directors.
- Developing and implementing membership recruitment drives for all levels of membership as outlined in OAPA Bylaws.
- Collaborating with the executive director to send membership renewal notices as necessary to maintain current members and encourage renewed membership for lapsed members.
- Evaluating membership requirements and making recommendations for updates to the board as necessary to enhance OAPA membership.
- Collaborating with the executive director for collecting and depositing membership dues, maintaining the membership database, and supplying membership lists to the board upon request.
- Collaborating with the executive director, website host, and other entities to collect membership data and analytics to assist with membership growth and involvement in OAPA activities.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Membership Committee Chair Kare Frey, PA-C, at oapa@ohiopa.com.
Public Affairs Committee
The Public Affairs Committee is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining public relations and educational programs to increase awareness and support of the PA profession to all public, legislative, and medical stakeholders. Responsibilities include:
- Developing materials for distribution to the media, general public, legislative bodies, and other health professionals consistent with the public relations and education campaign.
- Collaborating with executive director, committees chairs, and board of directors to prepare responses to questions from the media, general public, legislators, and other health professionals about the PA profession at local, state, and national levels.
- Participating in print, radio, and television interviews when necessary to bring awareness and acceptance of the PA profession to the public, legislative, and medical stakeholders.
- Designing and maintaining the OAPA exhibit and staff the exhibit as needed.
- Identifying and participating in community events to promote the PA profession and provide public education consistent with the public relations and education campaign.
- Promoting PA Week throughout Ohio.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Public Affairs Committee Chair Michell McDiffett, PA-C, at oapa@ohiopa.com.
Reimbursement Committee
The Reimbursement Committee advocates for improved reimbursement policies across the state of Ohio and is available to educate hospital administrators, physicians, and other healthcare personnel regarding the current regulatory environment and how healthcare establishments can receive payment for services rendered by a physician assistant. Responsibilities include:
- Collaborating with the executive director to respond to third-party reimbursement questions regarding federal, state, and private insurance concerns/issues.
- Identifying statutes and rules regarding reimbursement for PA practice in Ohio that need to be updated to improve PA reimbursement in Ohio.
- Collaborating with AAPA and OAPA’s lobbyist to draft and/or review statute and rule language regarding PA reimbursement necessary to enhance PA practice in Ohio.
- Responding to reimbursement legislation and rules that may have an impact on PA practice in Ohio in collaboration with the executive director and lobbyists who will consistently monitor legislation and rules that are introduced in the Ohio General Assembly and by government agencies in Ohio.
- Representing the OAPA in conducting business with state and federal agencies on PA reimbursement issues in Ohio.
- Participating in AAPA STAR reports/calls and providing updates regarding PA reimbursement matters to the board of directors.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Reimbursement Committee Chair Clayton Rotuno, PA-C, at oapa@ohiopa.com.
Student Affairs Committee
The Student Affairs Committee is responsible for actively engaging Ohio PA students and is responsive to student needs. The committee includes both practicing PAs and students and is always open to fresh ideas and insights that can allow this committee to grow and aid in student involvement. Responsibilities include:
- Collaborating with the student representative to serve as a liaison between the Ohio PA students and OAPA.
- Promoting PA student awareness of OAPA including, but not limited to, the benefits of membership, volunteerism, and participation in OAPA-sponsored events.
- Encouraging the professional development of Ohio PA students.
- Promoting student involvement in the PA profession.
- Collaborating with the Student Representative to coordinate OAPA participation from the State Chapter Student Representative (SCSR) for Ohio PA Programs.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Student Affairs Committee Co-Chairs Tyler Fitzgerald, PA-C, and Daniel Bixel, PA-S, at oapa@ohiopa.com.
Ways and Means Committee
The Ways and Means Committee oversees the financial health of OAPA:
- The committee shall be composed of the president-elect, secretary-treasurer, and president, and shall receive assistance from the executive director. The president-elect shall serve as the chair of the committee.
- Develop an annual budget for approval prior to the start of the fiscal year. The committee shall work to maintain a balanced budget where possible.
- Advise the executive director on the management of surplus funds with approval from the board of directors.
- Review the financial activities of the secretary-treasurer on a biannual basis, or more as needed.
- As indicated, the committee shall request the board of directors to authorize an audit of the OAPA financial statements by an outside entity and shall be responsible for identifying the objectives and approved cost of such an audit.
The Ways and Means Committee includes only the specified board members and is not open to volunteers. But if you are interested in the financial operations of OAPA, please consider running for the board! Elections take place each spring for select board positions.
