PAEA Revises Bylaws, Elects Officers at Annual Education Forum in Quebec City

In the organization’s first meeting as the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), approximately three hundred and fifty PA educators from around the country met in Quebec City in October for the PAEA Annual Education Forum. More than 50 educational sessions, including three one- or two-day add-on workshops and a special half-day research track, provided the bulk of the meeting content. Special data presentations, a timely keynote address, a lively awards luncheon, and the annual exhibit hall rounded out a full program. The historic city of Québec provided a charming backdrop to the meeting and proved a popular venue — many faculty members promised to return later for vacations.

Election of Officers

Dana Sayre-Stanhope, director of the Saint Louis University PA Program and sitting secretary/treasurer, was elected president elect; Charles Brakhage, director of the Interservice PA Program in San Antonio was elected secretary/treasurer, and Kevin Lohenry, director of the Midwestern University PA program in Glendale, Arizona, defeated four other candidates to be elected director at large.

The three newly elected board members will take office immediately. They join incoming president Anita Glicken, interim director and professor of pediatrics of the University of Colorado Health Science Center PA Program; past president Dawn Morton-Rias, dean of the College of Health Related Professions at the State University of New York; Frank Acevedo, associate director, New York Institute of Technology PA Program; and Jessica Boudreaux-Milligan, a student at the Saint Louis University PA Program, who joins the board as student member at large. Boudreaux-Milligan was elected by the Student Academy of the AAPA in May.

Immediate Past President Patrick Knott and Director at Large Walt Eisenhauer, who completed two terms in this position, rotated off the board. PAEA President Dawn Morton-Rias thanked them for their service at the awards luncheon and presented each with a commemorative plaque.

New Board Seat Added

At the annual business meeting the membership passed revised bylaws, which added a new board seat and clarified several articles regarding eligibility and terms of office. A special election for the additional board seat will be held over the next few weeks. Several motions concerning committees and revisions to the committee structure were referred to the board, pending a comprehensive review of committee configuration and charges to be undertaken by the new board.