Message from Board President Armenta and Vice President Earley

The Board has made favorable progress on many fronts this past year thanks to an outstanding staff led by Executive Officer Rozana Khan and the guidance of a fine Board. Sadly, we are losing two peerless Board members Jed Grant, DMSc, PA-C and Jennifer Carlquist, PA-C, but I am confident in our new leadership. Incoming President Sonya Earley and Vice-President Vasco Deon Kidd represent highly accomplished and experienced leadership and exemplify the diversity, breadth of knowledge and experience we strive for at all levels of the physician assistant profession.

In the past year, we completed the regulatory package necessary to modernize the PA practice and enhance access to high quality care for all Californians. Advice and constructive criticism from stakeholders were welcome and critical to this effort. We studied, absorbed, and incorporated stakeholder input during this laborious process. We are proud of the result and our legislative team deserves special credit. We have achieved full staffing which enhances our ability to oversee the practice which is especially important due to the increasing number of PA licensees. We made access to information, services, and tools more straightforward to our licensees. We improved efficiency in almost all aspects of our operations as can be seen from our performance metrics. We also, after having met our prior strategic goals, formed a new strategic plan that is both ambitious and achievable.

Next year will include preparation for our sunset presentation to the Legislature. The work done so far lays a compelling foundation to show that we are among the finest examples California has to offer on how government can do the work of the people with high competence and efficiency. A large part of this is the exceptional quality of our licensees and the recognition that we­–the Board, staff and licensees - are all in this endeavor together.

So, in addition to thanking and congratulating current and past members and staff, let me convey on behalf of the Board wishes for a joyous holiday season and the hopes that you view the future of the profession with the optimism we do.

Juan Armenta, Esq., President

Sonya Earley, PA-C, Vice President