Meet Inspira Advantage’s PA School Admissions Experts

Oresta graduated from Rutgers University’s PA program, and her years of coaching and admissions experience inform her approach to PA counseling. She has guided many students to acceptance at top-tier PA programs, including Rutgers University, Temple University, Drexel University, and the University of Miami. Oresta also serves as an alumni interviewer for Rutgers’ PA program, evaluating applicants to help select students for incoming classes.

Monica has over 10 years of clinical practice in urgent care, occupational medicine, and health advocacy. She earned a Master’s in physician assistant studies from the University of Southern California after completing her psychology degree at the University of California, Los Angeles. Throughout her career, she has combined her commitment to patient care with a passion for guiding the next generation of physician assistants.

Deniece graduated from Eastern Virginia Medical School’s (EVMS) PA program and is a board-certified PA with a clinical foundation in emergency medicine, urgent care, telehealth, and medication-assisted treatment. She served on the EVMS PA program admissions committee, where she reviewed applications and interviewed applicants while directly contributing to the decision-making process.

Cady (Arcadia) is a highly accomplished board-certified emergency medicine physician assistant and Fulbright Scholar with a passion for global health. She graduated from Wake Forest University’s PA program and is a board member of Physician Assistants for Global Health. Currently, Cady works at MedStar Emergency Physicians in Washington, D.C., where she diagnoses, treats, and educates patients in a high-acuity, high-volume urban emergency department.

Janet is a certified OB/GYN physician assistant at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, NY, where she has been practicing for five years. She works in both inpatient and outpatient settings in NYC and precepts PA students. Janet has coached students for over eight years and has successfully guided several PA students to success.

Madison graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center’s PA program, where she was elected Class Officer and served as Interview Co-Chair, evaluating 1,000+ PA applications and interviewing 400+ candidates during her tenure. She currently works in the Trauma section of the Orthopedics & Rehabilitation Division Department at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Joseph is a PA practicing in the NewYork-Presbyterian Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. He earned his BS in health sciences from Stony Brook University before graduating with honors from Weill Cornell Medicine’s physician assistant program. With over 10 years of coaching experience, Joseph has guided students to acceptance at PA schools including Stony Brook, Hofstra, Weill-Cornell, Mayo Clinic, Touro, NYIT, and others.

With seven years of combined mentorship experience and an active role in PA admissions, Rachel brings a deep understanding of what top PA programs seek from a clinical and evaluative standpoint. She has interviewed hundreds of applicants as New Student Admissions Chair at Mercer University’s PA program, and has helped numerous students navigate interviews, personal statements, and scholarship applications.

Jill is a professor at Temple University’s PA Program with 17 years of admissions committee experience. She earned a Master of Health Science in physician assistant studies from Drexel University and a Doctor of Medical Science from A.T. Still University. Jill previously served as the Departmental Admissions Chair for the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine’s PA program and now interviews and screens applicants for Temple University’s PA Program.

Beena is a PA and integrative medicine practitioner with extensive experience in oncology, holistic health, and patient advocacy. She earned a Master of Science in physician assistant studies from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine–New York and a BS in biology from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Beena has practiced at several of New York City’s leading academic medical centers, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Columbia University Medical Center, and Weill Cornell Medical College.

Martin is a physician assistant with advanced training in emergency medicine and a demonstrated commitment to healthcare access, education, and leadership. He earned a BS, MPAS, and MPH from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he also served on the student admissions committee and as Class President. Following graduate school, he completed an emergency medicine fellowship at Marquette University. Martin has since been invited back to serve on the University of Wisconsin–Madison PA program admissions committee.

Christina is a family medicine PA who attended the University of California, Berkeley, before graduating from the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions’ (MGH IHP) PA program. During her time at MGH IHP, Christina served as a graduate assistant and admissions ambassador, guiding over 100 applicants through the PA school admissions process and helping them craft authentic, compelling applications.

Jay is a PA working at the Cardiac ICU at Hartford Hospital, where he treats some of the most critically ill cardiac patients in the northeast. He graduated with a Master of medical science in physician assistant studies from the Yale School of Medicine and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s in Biology from Fairfield University.

Rebekah brings several years of mentorship experience to her role as a PA admissions coach. She has guided students into programs such as the University of South Carolina, Medical University of South Carolina, and North Greenville University. She has also served as an interviewer for both the USC and Charleston Southern PA programs and worked as a student admissions ambassador, giving her firsthand insight into what admissions committees value most.

Dr. Cunningham’s impressive career as a PA includes serving as a PA at NUI Langone Medical Center for 14+ years, where she specialised in emergency medicine, robotic surgery, and comprehensive care transitions. She has over 10 years of coaching experience and served on the City College of New York’s PA program admissions committee as an interviewer.

With eight years of experience on admissions committees, Ashley has evaluated thousands of applications and interviewed hundreds of applicants across multiple institutions, including PA programs at Arcadia University, Arkansas Colleges of Health Education, Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, High Point University, and Touro University California, as well as the DO program at Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Annie is a certified PA practicing at Tampa Bay Spine and Sport. She graduated from Gannon University with a Master’s in physician assistant studies, where she served on the admissions committee as an interviewer and as Class President of her cohort. Annie is a member of the Pi Alpha National Honors Society, the American Academy of Physician Assistants, and the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants.

Dr. McKernan is a PA specializing in medical and surgical dermatology. She has over six years of coaching experience, including precepting PA students as APP Director of Education at Apex Skin. She serves as President of the Ohio Society of Dermatology PAs, Chief Delegate for the Society of Dermatology PAs (SDPA) at the annual American Academy of Physician Associates House of Delegates meeting, and Vice Chair of the SDPA CME committee.

Kendal is a certified physician assistant practicing in inpatient neurology at Union Health in Terre Haute, Indiana. She has been a preceptor for Indiana State's PA students for years and has taught several neurology lectures in the program's didactic year. Kendal also published a case study as the lead author in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science.

Ken is an experienced physician assistant who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation. As a board-certified and licensed PA, Ken works closely with a physician to diagnose, treat, and provide non-surgical management for a wide range of spine, hip, knee, and shoulder disorders. With over five years of coaching experience, he has successfully guided several students toward PA school acceptance.

Before attending George Washington University’s PA program, Anusha attended the University of Maryland. During college, she served as the Pre-PA Society President, mentoring hundreds of students on PA admissions. She has worked as a peer mentor through GW’s PA program and frequently appears on alumni speaker panels to guide undergraduates. Anusha received a letter of commendation from the GW PA Program Director for her outstanding GPA.

Apexa is a board-certified physician assistant working at the Center for Spine and Sports Rehabilitation Medicine with five years of experience in orthopedics, sports medicine, and pain management. With her clinical background and passion for mentoring, she guides pre-PA students through the application process. She specializes in personalized counseling, drawing from her extensive experience in various orthopedic settings.

Ashley is a board-certified family medicine PA working at Charles River Community Health in Massachusetts. She uses her background as a school administrator and healthcare experiences to guide PA applicants to their dream programs. Ashley is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) and enjoys mentoring as well as having students shadow her in her clinic.

Isabelle is a urogynecology PA working at Northside Hospital Atlanta, where she has trained advanced practice providers. She graduated from the Morehouse School of Medicine’s PA program, where she served as Secretary of the Executive Committee, aiding the program in acquiring full accreditation. She also acted as a liaison between the student body and faculty and served as the Physician Recruitment Co-Director for the medical school’s rural clinic.

Paulina is a PA with a diverse background in clinical practice, research, and leadership. She has worked in general and colorectal surgery, as well as on NIH and CDC-funded grant projects in infectious disease and quality improvement. Currently, she serves as a Clinical Lead at AMI Expeditionary Healthcare, overseeing a team of 40 clinicians and routinely reviewing resumes and conducting interviews.

Dr. Whitworth is a specialized PA in gastroenterology and hepatology working at the VA Danville Illiana Healthcare System. He leverages his journey from Airman in the US Air Force to physician assistant, his mentorship of pre-PAs, and his experience at the Veterans Health Administration to provide in-depth, personalized guidance to aspiring medical professionals.

Reilly is a certified PA working in pediatric critical care at Baycare in Tampa, FL. She began her higher education journey at Penn State University, where she was the President of the Pre-PA Club, helping 500+ students learn about the PA profession and application process. She served on Gannon University’s PA program admissions committee, where she reviewed applications and interviewed candidates.

Before attending the University of Colorado’s PA program, Quinn graduated magna cum laude from the University of Virginia, double majoring in biology and French. During her studies, she worked as a research assistant, medical scribe, rural emergency medical technician, and medical assistant. Over the years, Quinn has gained experience in several specialties, including orthopedics, emergency medicine, neurology, and dermatology.

Jordan is an NCCPA-certified physician assistant and board-certified athletic trainer in the Greater Tampa Bay area in Florida, working in pain management, orthopedic surgery, and orthopedic spine surgery. She has served on the Gannon University admissions, conducting Zoom interviews alongside a faculty member and evaluating prospective applicants. During her time in PA school, Jordan was Class President and worked as a graduate assistant tutor for PA students.

Kylie is a licensed and board-certified physician assistant providing urgent care in Tampa, FL, who graduated with honors from South College's PA program. She earned the Physician Assistant Program Leadership Award, served as Class Vice President, served on the admissions committee by facilitating interviews, and mentored pre-PA students.