Elections

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Hello SPAP members! Please participate in the 2012-2013 elections below. Please only vote once and send your choices in no later than April 15, 2012. Thank you for participating in this years election process.

Please vote for your choice of the position President Elect, SPAP 2012-2013.

My name is Lauren Davey and I have been practicing as a Physician Assistant for the past five years at the Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE, specializing in Pediatric Genetics. I have been a member of the Society for Physician Assistants in Pediatrics for two years and have had the honor of serving as the Association’s Student Representative for most of 2011 and into 2012. As my current term as the Association’s Student Representative is expiring, I would like to continue to serve the Association as a member of the Executive Board and take on a new responsibility as the Secretary for the Association. I feel that I have the leadership and organizational skills necessary to excel in that position - skills that I need to use as the Physician Assistant Liaison between all of the physician assistants who work at A.I. DuPont and our Hospital administration. In that role, I am responsible for scheduling and preparing meetings amongst the physician assistants, organizing and coordinating the clinical rotations for physician assistant students at our Hospital, and serving as the direct communication link between the physician assistants and Hospital administration. In 2012, I was also appointed to serve on the Board of the Regulatory Committee for Prescriptive Authority for Physician Assistants for the State of Delaware. Outside of my responsibilities as a physician assistant, I am also an active member of the Communications Committee for my Homeowners’ Association, and have been appointed to serve on the Park and Recreation Board for my Township. I believe that the leadership, organizational and communication skills that I need to utilize in those various roles will serve everyone in SPAP well if I am chosen to be the Association’s next Secretary.

Please vote for your choice of Student Representative on the SPAP Board 2012-2013.

My name is Courtney Bishop, and I am currently a first-year student at Chatham University. I completed my undergraduate schooling at Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) and graduated with Bachelors of Science and Arts degrees in Zoology with a secondary concentration in Developmental Psychology. I have many traits that would benefit SPAP, including strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills, as well as a strong history of leadership and attention to detail. Additionally, I am passionate about pediatrics and the welfare of children, and look forward to working with others who share this vocation!

Your interest and experience in Pediatrics:
I have a strong interest in working in Pediatrics in the future, and hope to focus on increasing overall pediatric health and decreasing sports injuries in the pediatric athlete population. Additionally, I am interested in pediatric patient advocacy and focusing on patient education for the patient as well as the parent that has the decision making power.
During the summers while I was an undergraduate student, I volunteered weekly at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and continued year-round after graduation until the start of PA school. I volunteered both in the NICU and surgical wards. My primary responsibility was patient support, and I would spend the majority of my time holding and comforting infants, and playing and talking with toddlers and adolescents. Additionally, I have worked for many years as a youth swim coach and instructor for multiple local community programs, including an area Special Olympics swim team. From these experiences, I have learned the art of relating to and interacting with children of varying ages, and how to effectively communicate with their parents.

Other leadership positions you have held:
• Chatham University Student Director of Puerto Rican Cohort
o Responsible for communication between Puerto Rico cohort students and Pittsburgh student body
o Main contact point for Chatham University faculty regarding Puerto Rico cohort student concerns
• Miami University Club Swim Team Executive Board 2006-09:
o President 2008-09, Vice President 2007-08, Fundraising Chair 2006-07
o As President, managed the daily business of the team of over 100 collegiate members, and ran weekly executive board meetings
o Arranged and organized meets and communicated with other Club Swim Teams throughout the
country to coordinate meet schedules
o Received “Leader of the Year” award from Miami University Club Sports Organization in 2009
o Developed first collegiate Club Dive Team in Nation
• Meet Director- 2009 ASA-U National Championship Swim Meet:
o Organized and served as Meet Director of the ASA-U Club Swimming Nationals, that was considered by 
Swimming World Magazine, to be one of the largest national meets ever held
o Coordinated and directed all aspects of the ASA-U Club Swimming Nationals, including the bidding process 
and the organization and hiring of meet officials
o Served as liaison between the Club, University and ASA Officials
• Miami University Rec Center Advisory Committee 2008-09:
o Advised the Director of Recreational Sports on policies and procedures of the Recreational Center
o Created community involvement events for Recreational Center Staff, including a canned food drive
o Organized the first annual Recreational Center Student Staff Olympics

Hello! My name is Caroline Walburg and I am running for SPAP’s Student Representative position. I am currently a 1st year PA student at Barry University in Miami, FL interested in working in pediatrics after I graduate. Even before I began PA school I knew I wanted to work with children as I continuously volunteered for organizations such as TOP Soccer (aimed at getting special needs children involved in sports), Big Brothers Big Sisters and at a local children’s school dedicated to special needs children. I am thrilled to be able to merge my interest in medicine with my love for children as I continue my education by becoming a PA. These organizations have made me recognize how much of an impact I can have on someone’s life, and by getting involved and spreading the word, how many more people can be touched. It is with this motivation that I look to become SPAP’s Student Representative and increase awareness of the organization to the student community.

As a student myself and President of my class, I understand the time commitments and ‘removal from reality’ life currently seems to be while in school, but this perspective also gives me great advantage to connect with other students in spreading the word and awareness of SPAP. Through association with my state chapter and the national student academy portion of the AAPA, I also hope to increase involvement by connecting with student representatives from other schools that may be unaware of SPAP, especially those focused in some of the national children’s projects being run by AAPA.

Please enter a nominee or possible candidate for Treasurer on the SPAP Board 2012-2013

Gabriel Ortiz MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA Pediatric Pulmonary Services- El Paso, TX.
I am interested in running for the position of member at large of the Society of PA in Pediatrics. I have been in an allergy and asthma practice for over 20 years, and most of my patients have been pediatric. I have been very active with the AAPA, Texas Academy of PA’s (TAPA) and AAPA-Allergy Asthma and Immunology. I have not been a member of SPAP for very long only because I have been so active in other organizations.
In 1999 the AAPA HOD approved the AAPA-Allergy Asthma Immunology- which I co-founded. I have served as the AAPA-AAI President, and currently the treasurer and CME chair.
In 2003 I served on the West Texas area TAPA’s Legislative committee.
I was the former AAPA Liaison to the NIH/NAEPP-coordinating committee from 2000-2005.
In 2005 I became the AAPA Liaison to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma Immunology (AAAAI), and at the same time the AAAAI asked me to be their Liaison to AAPA. I continue in those roles today.
In 2010 I began to serve as co-chair of the AAAAI Advance Practice Course (CME-program) for NP’s and PA’s. I served as co-chair 2010-2011 and Chair 2011-2012 and committee member 2012-2013.

Proposed Bylaws Change:

Current Bylaws: Article VII: Election of the Board of Directors
Section 6: The election of officers shall be conducted electronically or by mail at least 30 days prior to July 1.
Section 7: The elected officers shall take office on July 1. Their term of office runs from July 1 to June 30 for the tenure detailed in Article VI, Section 4.

Proposed Change:
Section 6: The election of officers shall be conducted at the annual CME Conference by ballot vote of the attendees present. The SPAP membership will be sent an electronic ballot during or immediately following the CME conference. The elected officials will be determined after the ballots from the conference and the electronic ballot are counted. Those interested in an office, who cannot attend the conference, can submit their platform statement prior to the conference if they would like to be considered. The board of directors can vote to hold elections by electronic ballot only if necessary.

Section 7: The elected officers shall have a mentoring period beginning April 1st where they will assist the officer that they will be replacing and attend conference calls. The elected officers will take office on July 1. Their term of office runs from July 1 to June 30 for the tenure detailed in Article VI, Section 4.