Healthcare
IN THE HEARTLAND
Kinnick Event Center | Coralville, Iowa
SPEAKERS
Additional speaker bios will be updated as they are provided by the speaker.
List of Services
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Morgan Jansen, PA-C
Session: Cancer Genetic Risk Assessment: The Basics
Morgan Jansen was born and raised in Solon, Iowa. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Genetics with a secondary major in Spanish at Iowa State University. After her undergraduate studies, she matriculated into the University of Iowa PA Program. She graduated from the University of Iowa in 2022 and began working as a Physician Associate in Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of Iowa Health Care in 2023. Morgan spends most of her time in general OBGYN, evaluating and treating gynecologic and obstetric concerns across the lifespan. However, in addition to her generalist work, she also works in the High-Risk Breast and Gynecologic Cancer Clinic, completing genetic risk assessments and treating patients who are high-risk for cancer secondary to hereditary cancer syndromes. In 2025, she completed the Intensive Course in Genetic Cancer Risk Assessment through City of Hope in Duarte, California. She also obtained her certification in Cancer Genetic Risk Assessment (CGRA) through the National Consortium of Breast Centers (NCBC).
Morgan currently lives in Ely, Iowa, with her husband, Caleb, and her chocolate lab, Lucy. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, gardening, traveling, and hiking.
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Brian Olshansky, MD, FACC, FAHA, FHRS, FESC
Session: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
Brian Olshansky, MD, FACC, FAHA, FHRS, FESC, is an Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and is an internationally known electrophysiologist. He directed two Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology and the Fellowship Training Programs.
Dr. Olshansky is recognized globally for expertise syncope, arrhythmias in athletes, arrhythmia mechanisms, autonomic cardiovascular control, artificial intelligence, multi-center randomized clinical arrhythmia trials, supplements, placebo response, and treatment of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias using devices, ablation, and drugs. He is a practicing clinical cardiac electrophysiologist. He has been involved in multiple clinical trials.
Dr. Olshansky is a member of numerous editorial boards, lectures internationally, and is a mentor to a multitude of trainees throughout the world. He has published several books, >400 peer-reviewed manuscripts and is an editor of the ventricular tachycardia section of ESC Cardiovascular text. He is an editor of EPSAP. Dr. Olshansky has trained many electrophysiologists at the University of Iowa and Loyola University. He is a critical reviewer and innovator.
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Kelly T Schmidt, WHNP-BC, MSN, BSN
Session: IUD Workshop
Kelly Schmidt is a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner and Senior Medical Educator with more than 30 years of nursing experience. Throughout her career, she has practiced in a variety of clinical settings, including critical care, orthopedic/neurosurgery, labor and delivery, and women's health. Her diverse healthcare background and passion for patient care have shaped her expertise in women's health and reproductive medicine.
Kelly began her nursing career in Nebraska and later served in the U.S. Air Force, providing care in locations across the United States and internationally. She also practiced at Mayo Clinic and with the Obstetrix Group of Colorado before joining Bayer as a Medical Educator in 2021. Kelly enjoys sharing evidence-based education with healthcare professionals and helping improve patient care through clinical learning and professional development.
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Beverly DiCorso, PA-C
Session: POCUS for PA-C: Practical application of POCUS Pearls
Beverly DiCorso, PA-C, is a practicing emergency medicine physician assistant (PA) at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with a passion for teaching and point-of-care-ultrasound (POCUS). She grew up in Buffalo, NY and attended the University at Buffalo, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences before attending Emory University, where she then obtained a Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies. She went on to complete the PA Emergency Medicine Residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and has since stayed on as a staff PA in the emergency department there. When she is not caring for patients and their families, she can be found teaching PA students, working on coursework for her Ed.D. in Health Professions Education, spending time outdoors, or cuddling with her two cats, Macbeth and Opal.
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Leon Jons, MD
Session: GLP-1s and the new frontier
Leon Jons, MD, is the medical director of the Weight Management program in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of Iowa.
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Karissa Soltys, MD
Session: Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy in Pediatrics
Dr. Karissa Soltys is a Clinical Assistant Professor in General Pediatrics at Iowa Healthcare and an Associate Program Director for the University of Iowa Stead Family Pediatrics Residency. In her role as Associate Program Director, she oversees the resident continuity clinics and general pediatrics curriculum. She completed her medical school training at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and completed residency training and a chief resident year at the University of Iowa Stead Family Pediatrics Residency. Her passions within medical education involve developing board-relevant general pediatrics content for trainees and collaborating with colleagues to support trainees’ career preparation through rotational design and networking. Her and her husband Matt have three small children who have given her valuable perspective and have shaped the way she cares for her patients.
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Nicole Bro, MPAS, PA-C, RDN
Session: Nutrition 101: For the Primary Care Provider
Nicole is a proud PA-C and registered dietitian currently serving on faculty as an assistant professor for the Department of Physician Associate Services & Studies at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. She works clinically in nephrology and has past experience in emergency medicine, urgent care, and PA education. Additionally, Nicole serves on the board of directors for the Iowa PA Society as treasurer and is currently chairing the fall CME planning committee. She received her BS in Dietetics through Iowa State University and completed her dietetic internship through the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. She worked professionally as a dietitian for the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program in central Iowa prior to returning to the University of Iowa to become a physician associate. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Tyler, their children, Willa (4), and Oliver (1), and their “fur children” Birdie (dog) and Minnie (cat). She enjoys running, cooking, gardening, movies, and music.
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Yashasvi Manektala, PA-C
Session: No Blushing Required: A guide to addressing Sexual Health in the primary care setting
Yashasvi Manektala, PA-C, is a Physician Assistant at University of Utah Health Men's Health Clinic specializing in urology with a focus on men's health, specifically men's hormones and sexual function.
Yash's clinical goal is to address patient concerns with compassion and realism and engage in shared decision making regarding the best treatment for each patient.
He completed a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology at Iowa State University where he assisted in research focusing on weight training and cardiovascular function. He then completed the Physician Assistant program at the University of Iowa where he was awarded the Rex Montgomery Scholarship as well as the Dennis R Oliver student recognition award. He was recently recognized as the winner of the 2023 Urology APC excellence award.
Yash has given presentations on Physician Assistant Interest in Men's Health and Other Post-Graduate Sub-Specialty Training.
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Andrea N. Weber, MD
Session: Hidden in Plain Sight: Recognizing and Managing OTC and Unregulated Substance Use
Dr. Andrea Weber is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Iowa in the Departments of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine.
She is board-certified in internal medicine, psychiatry, and addiction medicine and specializes in providing medical and psychiatric health care to people who use drugs. She is the Assistant Director of the University of Iowa Addiction and Recovery Collaborative (UI ARC) within the Department of Psychiatry, represents psychiatry on the Iowa Medical Cannabis Board, and is the current President of the Iowa Society of Addiction Medicine (IASAM). She has been the Principal Investigator on 4 federal service grants focused on novel educational curricula and healthcare delivery for substance use disorders.
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Sarah Auerbach, DO
Session: Making Measles History...Just when You Thought it Already Was
Originally from the east coast (Baltimore), I’ve slowly made my way west to Iowa and now love living in the Midwest. I completed my pediatric residency at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock and my pediatric infectious diseases fellowship at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. In my free time I enjoy traveling somewhere I’ve never been before, rooting for Iowa women’s basketball and my beloved Baltimore Ravens and hanging out with my 3 rambunctious dogs and 2 calico cats.
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Karen Vandehaar
Session: Shift Happens: Keeping Up with the Ever-Changing World of Medicine.
Karen Vandehaar, MPAP, PA-C, ATC, is an Assistant Professor in the PA Program at Des Moines University, where she serves on the didactic faculty team. She earned her Master of Physician Assistant Practice from the University of Dayton in 2017 after a career in athletic training, including a Master of Science in Athletic Training from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and 5 years of clinical practice at UMass Lowell and Eastern University.
Prior to joining Des Moines University, Vandehaar practiced as a hospitalist in the Des Moines area for more than 7 years and worked in the emergency department for over 3 years. She continues to maintain a limited clinical practice while teaching full-time. Her professional passions include clinical education, patient care, and fostering the next generation of healthcare providers. Vandehaar lives in the Des Moines area with her husband, Christian, and daughter, Vivian.
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Kuan Xing, PhD
Session: AI in Medicine: What PAs Need to Know, Question & Do
Dr. Kuan Xing is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, and the Associate Director of Educational Measurement Research and Development at Office of Consultation and Research in Medical Education (OCRME) at the University of Iowa. With expertise in psychometrics and healthcare simulation, Dr. Xing integrates these disciplines to advance medical education research. His recent scholarly work has focused on the ethical, responsible, and evidence-based implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medical education and assessment. In collaboration with Dr. Brian Gin and colleagues, Dr. Xing has contributed to the development and validation of an AI-powered virtual learning and assessment platform that incorporates virtual patients, virtual learners, and virtual supervisors.
Dr. Xing and Dr. Gin currently co-chair the Assessment Community with the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Division I Education in the Professions. He is the immediate past Chair of the Grants and Research Committee at the Association of SP Educators (ASPE) and currently serves on the ASPE/AI Steering Committee. Additionally, Dr. Xing has co-led an AI workshop with Dr. Gin, Dr. Lauren Maggio, and Dr. Ahreum Lim at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, titled “Designing the Future of Education with AI: Tools, Simulation, and Research.”
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David Asprey, PhD, PA-C
Session: AI in Medicine: What PAs Need to Know, Question & Do
David Asprey currently serves as Associate Dean for Medical Education and Professional Programs at the Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa. In addition, he is Professor and Chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies and Services and was appointment as the Denis R. Oliver Endowed Chair. He holds secondary appointments in the Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitative Sciences. His academic background includes Bachelor’s degrees from Bethel University and the University of Iowa Physician Assistant Program, and a Master’s Degree in Instructional Design and Technology and a PhD in Higher Education from the University of Iowa.
He has served on the national board of the Physician Assistant Education Association including a term as President and was appointed to the Federal Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry (ACTPCMD) where he served as the Vice Chair. He also served as a member of the Institute of Medicine’s Committee on Governance and Financing of Graduate Medical Education. He served 9 years as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Physician Assistant Eduction. He is the recipient of several awards including the Ben Pardini Interdisciplinary Teaching Award, the Physician Assistant Education Association’s Master Faculty Award, The University of Iowa’s President and Provost Excellence in Teaching award, and Bethel University Alumnus of the Year Award.
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Aaron Scherer, PhD
Session: How To Have More Productive Conversations About Vaccines
Dr. Aaron Scherer is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa. He earned his PhD in Psychology at the University of Iowa and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan’s Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine before returning back to Iowa as a faculty member.
Dr. Scherer’s research focuses on discovering and utilizing insights from the psychological sciences to create innovative communication-based interventions that promote the appropriate use of health services. Dr. Scherer served as a member of the WHO Behavioral and Social Drivers of Vaccination Workgroup and recently completed a 5-year cooperative agreement with CDC to conduct surveys with healthcare professionals and the US public to help inform the recommendations of CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
While Dr. Scherer is passionate about vaccines, he has collaborated with others in 13 different medical specialties and has received funding from NIH, CDC, NSF, and US Department of Veterans Affairs.
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Jeremy L. Nelson, DMSc, MPAS, PA-C
Session: PAs Are Essential: Advancing the Profession with Purpose
Jeremy Nelson serves as Director/Second Vice Speaker of the House of Delegates on the AAPA Board of Directors. He has spent nearly two decades involved in AAPA, most of that time in and
around the work of the House of Delegates (HOD), where he has
developed a deep appreciation for the role of thoughtful, member-driven governance in shaping the profession.
PA Nelson practices emergency medicine in both urban and rural settings, an experience that has shaped how he views access, adaptability, and the everyday challenges physician associates navigate. He also works in PA education and will serve as the inaugural program director for the Doctor of Medical Science program at the University of Iowa, which he helped design and bring through approval. In addition, he serves as a state PA regulator, contributing to licensure and public protection at the state level.
PA Nelson’s leadership is grounded in a belief that good governance depends on clear process, mutual respect, and a willingness to learn from others. He is known for his engagement in the detailed work of the HOD, particularly reviewing testimony and helping identify where consensus exists. He approaches each role with curiosity and a steady presence, recognizing that strong outcomes are built through collective effort, not individual perspective. PA Nelson also cares deeply about ensuring students and early career PAs see themselves in the future of the profession and have meaningful opportunities to grow within it.
He earned his PA degree at the University of Iowa and later completed a Doctor of Medical
Science degree after more than a decade in clinical practice. His leadership approach has
been shaped through years of service, mentorship, and experience working across clinical,
academic, and organizational settings.
PA Nelson lives in Iowa with his husband and their two children. Outside of work, they enjoy
traveling together, finding new places to explore, and making time for adventure whenever
they can.
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Jamie Bonner
Session: Bone Health With GLP-1s
Jaime Bonner is a family nurse practitioner with over 10 years of experience, including eight years in medical oncology and two years in orthopedic bone health.
In her role in Orthopedic Bone Health, she cares for patients with osteoporosis to optimize lifestyle and medication management. As part of the team building the Oncology Bone Health Clinic within orthopedics, she sees patients with cancer and cancer treatments that impact bone health.
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Lee Kral, PharmD, FASHP, CPE, NBC-HWC
Session: EDS & Chronic Pain Management
Dr. Kral is a Clinical Associate Professor at The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and a faculty member of the Pain Medicine Fellowship at The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. She received BS and Pharm.D. degrees from The University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, completed residency at The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. She is a Certified Pain Educator, a Nationally Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach and a Certified Pain Management Coach. She runs a chronic pain medication management clinic within the Pain Management Clinic at UIHC working with chronic pain patients. She also works with the Acute Pain Service, engaged in pre-operative pain assessments for the surgical teams and peri-operative interdisciplinary pain management. Her areas of research are central sensitization and pain pharmacology.
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Heather Kowalski, MD
Session: Screening for Hip Dysplasia: When, How, Why
I went to Wayne State University School of Medicine in 2004 and earned my MD in 2008. I then started residency at Henry Ford in 2008 and was chosen as administrative Chief Resident during my chief year. I matched at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for a Pediatric Orthopedic fellowship and then started my career at the University of Iowa in 2014. I was promoted to Associate Clinical Professor 4 years ago.
During my time at the University of Iowa, I have taken on several teaching and administrative roles. I am the Orthopedic Surgery medical student Clerkship Director and the Orthopedic Surgery Associate Program Director. I am the Vice Chair of Quality for the Orthopedic department. I am the Medical Director of the Children’s Surgery platform at Stead Family Children’s Hospital. I have focused my research on resident education and was awarded a grant from POSNA for pediatric supracondylar humerus pinning simulation research. Through that, I have presented several times at POSNA and have had several publications.
I am the faculty mentor for the Ruth Jackson Orthopedic Society Chapter at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. I am the immediate Past President of the Iowa Orthopedic Society, have served as Humanitarian Committee Chair for 8 years, and have been a Board member for this society as well.
I have pursued leadership education through the AOA Apex leadership course and have been a member of AOA for 4 years. I participated in RLF as a senior resident and ELF as a junior faculty.
My husband is a Urogynecologist also at the University of Iowa, and we have 2 young children who keep us very busy outside of work.
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Jason Wilbur, MD, FAAFP
Session: The 3Ds of Late Life: Depression, Dementia, and Delirium
Dr. Wilbur is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine, Vice Chair for Education, and Mary Ristine Brodie Professor of Geriatric Education. His responsibilities include overseeing all educational programming in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Iowa, including undergraduate medical education, residency programs, fellowship programs, and continuing medical education initiatives, which reach several hundred regional healthcare providers annually. In his daily work, he cares for adult patients with acute and chronic medical conditions, in hospital and clinic settings, and teaches students, residents and fellows about their care as well. He serves on multiple institutional and departmental committees that focus on patient care, quality improvement, and education. He has been involved in several departmental and institutional research efforts (e.g., patient recruitment, review of study design) and has written review articles and book chapters on a number of topics in family medicine and geriatrics. His areas of interest include geriatric medicine, diagnostic error/diagnostic reasoning, graduate medical education, and quality improvement.
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Sydney Gangestad
Session: Legislative Update & 2027 Outlook
Sydney is an attorney and lobbyist with over 10 years of public policy experience. In her various policy roles, she has developed a fundamental understanding of the legislative process and a non-partisan and bi-partisan approach to lobbying to help advance clients’ legislative agendas.
Sydney represents client interests at the Iowa legislature and executive branch. She assists in developing their legislative agendas and is active at the Capitol during session advocating for clients, and garnering support from legislators and other entities with similar interests.
As policy is made to implement legislation, Sydney represents clients before regulatory committees and testifies as needed in state agency hearings, and board and commission meetings.
Sydney also provides clients policy analysis and has experience educating constituency groups to inform members about changes that will impact them in proposed or new legislation.
Prior to joining Davis Brown, Sydney served as the Special Counsel and Legislative Liaison for the Iowa Judicial Branch where she represented the interests of the Iowa judiciary before the legislative and executive branches. She assisted the State Court Administrator and the Iowa Supreme Court in policy development for the state court system.
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Logan Murray
Session: Legislative Update & 2027 Outlook
Logan brings nearly a decade of government relations experience building and maintaining bi-partisan relationships at all levels of government. Through his previous roles as a political staffer and lobbyist, Logan has developed a reputation as a trusted resource for clients, policymakers, and legislators.
After graduating from Drake University Law School, Logan joined the Iowa House Republican Caucus as a Legislative Analyst and Policy Advisor. He drafted and analyzed proposed legislation for state and local government and labor committees. He also served as the primary staffer for the Transportation Budget and the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund. This role required Logan to have a thorough understanding of the political, fiscal, and industry impacts of approximately 150 bills per session and $500 million worth of appropriations. The diverse slate of bills gave Logan expertise in the public bidding process, gaming, alcohol, occupational licensing, and financial and election laws.
Upon leaving the caucus staff, Logan served as a multi-client lobbyist and attorney at an Iowa-based boutique law firm and later at a regional law firm where he represented trade associations, non-profit organizations, municipal governments, law enforcement, a casino, and national corporations.
Thank you to our conference sponsor
