APAO Delegates and Liaisons 

 

AAPA/APAO Medical Liaison to ASCO

 

Laura Mitchell is a Hematology/Oncology Physician Assistant at the Atlanta VA Medical Center in Decatur, GA where she serves on the inpatient consulting team.  She graduated from Mercer University Physician Assistant program in 2014. Upon graduation, she spent 5 years working in Primary Care in urban and rural settings of West Georgia then transitioned to inpatient Hematology/Oncology in 2020. Laura is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, Association of Physician Assistants in Oncology, Georgia Association of Physician Assistants and African Heritage Physician Assistant Caucus where she serves as the Scholarship Committee Chair.  Her vision as a physician assistant is to not only provide quality care but to also educate patients of their disease, complications, treatments including lifestyle changes, that will lead to an improved quality of life.  In her spare time, she enjoys travelling, spending time with family and friends, cheering on her local sports team. Laura looks forward to representing AAPA, APAO as Medical Liaison to ASCO. 

 

AAPA House of Delegates 

Theresa Rodgers, PA-C obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science with a minor in Psychology from Texas A&M University in 2011 and obtained her Master of Physician Assistant Studies from The University of Texas Medical Branch in 2013. Since graduating from PA School, she has been employed at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in the department of Melanoma Medical Oncology since 2014. Theresa has inpatient and outpatient experience and is credentialed in doing ommaya taps with intrathecal treatment for patients with leptomeningeal disease. She is an active member of AAPA, APAO, Texas Academy of Physician Assistants, Texas Gulf Coast PA Association and is the Melanoma representative for the MD Anderson PA Senate. Theresa has leadership experience in the MD Anderson Public Relations Committee where she helps organize PA week events, writes articles for the PA newsletter, and organizes a Back To School Drive for MD Anderson pediatric cancer patients. She has a passion for research and has been co-author for numerous manuscripts with her colleagues in the Melanoma Department.

 

AAPA House of Delegates Alternate

Elizabeth Fitzgerald, PA-C is currently practicing as a Physician Assistant with the inpatient Hematology group at Mayo Clinic Rochester and is an Instructor for the College of Medicine. She received her education at Western Michigan University where she also served as the public relations chair for her programs chapter of SAAPA. She currently is a member of the APAO membership committee. She has a passion for Palliative Care for the hematology patient and has undergone additional training through the Shirley Haynes Palliative Care Institute at California State University. Additional interests include CAR-T, Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma and the unique needs of the Adolescent and Young Adult patient population. 

 

APAO Members who serve on ASCO Committees

Heather Hylton, PA-C

  • Member, Clinical Practice Committee's Advanced Practice Providers Task Force  
  • Editorial Board, Journal of Clinical Oncology-Oncology Practice
  • CancerLinQ Oncology Leadership Council (AAPA Representative)
  • Advisory Panel, Cancer.net

 

Todd Pickard, PA-C

  • Chair, Advanced Practice Provider  Task force
  • Member,  Clinical Practice Committee
  • Member, ASCO eLearning Editorial Board
  • Member, Cancer.net review Board

 

Eric Tetzlaff, PA-C

  • Member, Advanced Practice Provider Task Force
  • Member, Oncology Clinician Well-being Task Force