Board of Directors
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President - Nicole Soucy, PA-C
Nicole Soucy received her undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Florida in 2011. She then pursued her Master of Physician Assistant Studies from the University of North Texas Health Science center and graduated in 2015. Nicole has been a member of the Association of Physician Assistants in Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (APA-AAI) since 2016. She has served as Secretary of the organization and currently produces the organization’s newsletter. She is an allied health member of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) and is a fellow member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). Nicole resides inDallas, Texas with her husband and daughter. She currently works at the Allergy and Asthma Center of Duncanville in Duncanville, Texas. Nicole is passionate about treating patients with allergies and asthma and is honored to serve on the board of directors.
Past President - Heather O'Connell, PA-C
Heather O’Connell is a practicing physician assistant since 2015. She graduated with her MS in Physician Assistant Studies from Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona. She works in private practice with Arizona Asthma and Allergy Institute in Phoenix, Arizona where she enjoys treating patients of all ages. She is a certified asthma educator and has a special interest in pediatric asthma as well as allergic contact dermatitis. She is currently serving a 2 year term (2022-2024) as a member at large to this board.
Secretary - Elise Tetelman, PA-C, MBA
Bio to come.
Treasurer - Gabriel Ortiz, MPAS, PA-C, Founder
Gabriel Ortiz, MPAS, PA-C, has been a Physician Assistant in Allergy and Asthma since 1991. He has participated in numerous clinical trials for allergy and asthma medications and antibiotics. He received his third BS degree in Physician Assistant studies from the University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston in 1989 and his Masters of Physician Assistant studies in Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1999. Gabe is Co-founder and past president of the American Academy of Physician Assistants in Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Gabe is the former Liaison from the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) and the AAAAI Liaison to the AAPA. He is also the former AAPA Liaison to the National Institutes of Health-National Asthma Education and Prevention Program –Coordinating Committee. His research on the use of pharmacotherapy in the management of asthma and topics related to the treatment of allergies has appeared in Annals of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, Physician Assistant, Journal of the AAPA, Journal of Asthma, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Advance for the PA, Advance for NP and PA, Clinical Advisor, The Journal of Family Practice and CHEST. He has served as chair or co-chair for several PA and NP conferences and has given numerous lectures at local, state and national conferences including the AAAAI. In February 2008, Gabe was awarded the recognition of Distinguished Fellow of the AAPA.
PA Member at Large: Katie Smiley, PA-C
Katie Smiley, PA-C, is a certified physician assistant who currently serves as the Grants and Clinical Director of the Allergy & Asthma Medical Group and Research Center (AAMGRC) of Rady Children’s Hospital, in San Diego, CA. She also is a sub-investigator on all of the clinical trials AAMGRC is a part of. She also is the clinic coordinator for the pediatric and adult multidisciplinary atopic dermatitis program through Rady Children’s Hospital and University of California San Diego, respectively.
Katie received her physician assistant training at George Washington University in Washington, DC and graduated with a master of science degree. She began her professional career in pediatrics prior to relocating to San Diego, CA and Rady Children’s Hospital. She is a dual-specialty PA, with clinical training in both pediatric dermatology and allergy/immunology.
PA Member at Large- Mallory Logsdon, PA-C
Physician Assistant practicing at Florida Allergy and Asthma Associates with Dr Steven Louie since 2013 and working with Allermi Medical Associates since 2022. Attended The University of Florida in Gainesville, FL earning a Bachelors of Biological Sciences, B.S. in 2009 and moved onto Graduate Training at Nova Southeastern University Physician Assistant Program earning a Masters of Medical Science, MMS Graduated with Honors. Other memberships include American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), Florida Academy of Physician Assistants (FAPA), Hereditary Angioedema Association (HAEA), Broward-Palm Beach Allergy Society. In my spare time, I am hanging out with my little girls (twins) and husband. There is nothing better than evening beach sessions with the family and traveling!
NP Member at Large - Lauren Runyon, APRN, FNP-C
Lauren Runyon is a Nurse Practitioner in the Department of Internal Medicine – Allergy and Immunology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2010 and worked in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas from 2010 to 2017. She went on to complete her Master of Science in Nursing at the University of Texas at Arlington in 2017.
Mrs. Runyon has specialized in Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology since 2017. She is an Allied Health member of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology and currently serves as clinical assistant faculty at the University of Texas at Arlington. She is also pursuing her Ph.D. in Nursing at Texas Woman’s University.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and baking
NP Member at Large - Ashley Lynn, FNP-BC
Ashley Lynn has been a Family Nurse Practitioner since 2013 when she graduated with her Master’s degree from Illinois State University. As a nurse practitioner she has gained knowledge in a variety of specialties as well as in general practice which she adds to her knowledge in asthma, allergy, and immunology at Midwest Allergy Sinus Asthma and Respiratory (MASA+R) to comprehensively care for patients. These specialties include neurology and integrative medicine as well as experience caring for children and adults with neurodiversity and special needs.
At MASA+R, Ashley has continued to expand her knowledge and practice including assisting with managing the immunoglobulin IV treatments and biologics as well as seeing patients with autoimmune encephalopathies.
When Ashley is not caring for patients at MASA, she enjoys teaching in her faculty positions as well as spending time with her family and friends, serving at and attending church, and camping!
Director at Large - Bill Sanders, DMS, PA-C
Bill’s career in medicine began in the early 1980s following his time in the service as an Army Ranger. After working as a paramedic in Central Florida and later as a flight medic at the University of Florida in Gainesville, he attended and graduated from the PA program there in 1988. Five years later he began working with an allergist in Gainesville and, through a series of events, ended up starting his own practice in 2000. He received a master’s degree in health care management in 2002. In 2006 Bill joined the Army Reserves as a medical officer and has been deployed twice. For about ten years, Bill was employed as an adjunct instructor at a local community college where he taught basic medical courses. He received his Doctor of Medical Science degree in 2022. He has been an active member of AAPA and ACAAI for most of his career, and he is also a past president of this club.
Executive Director - Monique Ochoa, CMP
Monique is the owner of Plan-it Satisfaction, an association management company which specializes in small medical associations. Monique is a certified meeting professional with a bachelor’s degree in business and a concentration in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management from the University of New Orleans. Monique has over 10 years of meeting planning experience and many years of managing physician assistant groups.
