Dr. Romil Chadha is Professor of Internal Medicine and Chief Medical Information Officer at UK Healthcare. A board-certified internist and clinical informaticist, he brings over a decade of experience in hospital medicine, medical informatics, and operational leadership. In this interactive, case-based session, Dr. Chadha will walk attendees through the evaluation of syncope with a focus on when to suspect pulmonary embolism. Participants will review the 2017 AHA/ACC guidelines, apply evidence-based risk tools like the Canadian Syncope Risk Score, and gain strategies to optimize diagnostics—reducing low-yield testing while improving patient care in ambulatory, emergency, and inpatient settings.

Dr. Alicia Quella is the Director of Communications and PA Relations at NCCPA, with a background in emergency medicine, primary care, and epidemiology. In this session, she will provide updates on the PANRE and PANRE-LA, offering practical insights and resources to help PAs and students prepare effectively and stay current with NCCPA certification requirements.

Dr. Jennifer Barnett is an adjunct associate professor and hospital medicine PA with expertise in quality improvement and patient safety. Her session on Trauma-Informed Care will equip PAs with practical strategies to recognize and respond to trauma, foster patient trust, and integrate evidence-based approaches to improve outcomes and reduce harm.

Dr. Stephen Taylor is an experienced emergency medicine PA, educator, and passionate advocate for PA leadership. He has held multiple leadership roles and is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of PAs. In his session, Earning Your G.R.A.D.E.: A Life-Saving Framework for PAs, Dr. Taylor will share a practical model for professional growth and decision-making, inspiring attendees to strengthen their leadership skills and advance the PA profession.

Dr. Emily Keller is a neurosurgical physician assistant at OhioHealth and educator at Ashland University, with extensive experience in spine disorders. In her session, Crucial Cord Clues: Diagnosing Cervical Myelopathy, she will review key clinical signs, imaging strategies, and red flags to help PAs recognize and manage cervical myelopathy earlier and more effectively.

Cassidy Punt is a PA educator and national leader in AI integration, founding PAEA’s AI Special Interest Group and leading AI curriculum and research at Rocky Vista. He will explore how AI is transforming healthcare today and share a glimpse of what’s coming next, leaving attendees empowered to integrate these tools ethically and effectively in their own practice.

Dr. Sonu Abraham is an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist at UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute, where she leads a specialized clinic for genetic and infiltrative cardiomyopathies. She will provide a practical, case-based approach to evaluating left ventricular hypertrophy, helping attendees distinguish common causes from phenocopies like HCM and amyloidosis.

Abimbola Abiodun is an endocrinology-trained PA with a growing focus on metabolic psychiatry and is currently completing her DMSc at Butler University. She will introduce a practical, systems-based approach to uncovering metabolic drivers of depression, anxiety, and fatigue, giving attendees actionable tools they can apply in primary care and psychiatry settings.

Kim Williams is the Vice President for Health Equity and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at AAPA, with over 20 years of experience advancing public health and reducing disparities. She helped develop AAPA’s Health Equity Roadmap and will share practical strategies PAs can use to address social drivers of health, close care gaps, and promote equity across Kentucky communities.

Dr. Nicholas Biondi is an academic cardiologist at the University of Kentucky with expertise in echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, cardiac CT, and MRI. He will break down the mechanisms behind heart murmurs, review key exam techniques and grading, and provide practical guidance on when to escalate care or refer for intervention.

Amber Davis has nearly a decade of experience as a PA in primary care and inpatient medicine and previously served as an assistant professor at Emory University’s PA program. She will share practical ways to leverage AI to streamline documentation, reduce administrative burden, and help patients use emerging digital tools safely and effectively.

Deanna Najera is an experienced PA practicing in emergency medicine and community health, with a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. She has served in leadership roles at the county, state, and national levels. Deanna will review the new national clinical practice guidelines for benzodiazepine tapering and share practical strategies for safely implementing them across care settings.

Dr. Onieta Stewart is a critical care PA at UK St. Claire, where she manages complex ICU cases and serves as assistant site director for the hospital medicine and critical care residency program. Passionate about mentorship and advancing the PA role, she will inspire attendees to embrace leadership at every stage of their careers and provide practical strategies to grow as advocates and change-makers in healthcare.

Dr. Amanda Spillman is a PA specializing in orthopedic spine surgery and emergency medicine, and she serves on the Board of Directors for the Academy of PAs in Legal Medicine. She will demystify medical malpractice for PAs, helping attendees understand standard of care, recognize common risk factors, and feel confident taking the right steps if they are ever named in a case.

Dr. Amanda Miller is a surgical and critical care PA, CEO of RX14 Health, and founder of a consulting firm supporting advanced practice providers. A passionate advocate for the PA profession, she has also been featured on major media outlets. She will inspire attendees to explore non-traditional leadership roles and develop their voice in shaping the future of healthcare.

Dr. Nguyen Park is the founder and president of the Society of PAs in Genetics & Genomics, Chair of the AAPA DEI Committee, and works with the NIH’s All of Us Research Program advancing precision medicine. She will highlight the unique health considerations of military veterans and equip PAs with tools to connect service history with diagnoses across specialties.

David Bunnell is the President-Elect of the American Academy of PAs. He will share AAPA’s vision and priorities, motivating attendees to engage with advocacy efforts, strengthen their professional voice, and help shape the future of the PA profession.

Kristen Young is a pulmonary and critical care PA and adjunct faculty member at Sullivan University’s PA program, where she helped launch a fellowship program for advanced practice providers. She will review the latest GINA and GOLD guideline updates for asthma and COPD and provide practical tools to improve inhaler selection, patient education, and chronic disease management.