Primary Care for Advanced Practice Providers: Clinical Management of GI, ENT, Endocrinology, Pain Management, and more

Becky Hodgkins Ness, PA-C, MPAS, FNK is a physician assistant with Mayo Clinic Health Systems, where she manages dialysis patients, inpatient and outpatient, runs a CKD clinic, sees outpatient hospital follow ups, rounds and consults on inpatients and runs an outreach CKD clinic in a satellite site. She is an assistant professor of medicine for the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and the immediate past chair for the Council of Advanced Practitioners (CAP) for the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). Becky is an active member of the Minnesota Association of Physician Assistants where she has served in various board roles.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Becky Ness has employment relationships with the Mayo Clinic Health System Mankato, the University of South Dakota, and the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Becky Ness is a member of the American Academy of Nephrology PAs, the American Academy of Nephrology Physician Assistants, the American Academy of PAs, and the National Kidney Foundation.

 

Maria Colandrea, DNP, NP-C, CORLN, FAANP, FFNMRCSI, is an otolaryngology nurse practitioner at the Durham Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, with a practice focus on general outpatient otolaryngology since 2012. She has contributed to the publication of two clinical practice guidelines from the American Academy of Otolaryngology on Meniere’s disease and adult patients with a neck mass. Her practice focuses on general outpatient otolaryngology. Dr. Colandrea is the co-chair of the AANP Otolaryngology SPG.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Maria Colandrea has employment relationships with Durham VA Medical Center, University of North Carolina School of Nursing, and the Duke University School of Nursing. She a receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Maria Colandrea is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the Society of Otolarygology Head and Neck Nurses, the North Carolina Nursing Association, and the American Academy of Critical Care Nurses.

Tracey Long, PhD, MS, MSN, RN, APRN-BC, CDCES, CCRN, CNE, COI, has worked as a Family Nurse Practitioner in endocrinology, critical care, and primary care, earning degrees from Brigham Young University, Purdue University and UNLV. Dr. Long is an award-winning educator who presents on a range of topics reflecting her expertise, including medical Spanish, cultural competency, diabetes education, and critical care.

 

Her certifications span both diabetes and critical care specialties: she is a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES), a Certified Critical Care Nurse (CCRN), and a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE). She teaches a diabetes educator certification course and serves as a critical care clinical instructor, translating her credentials directly into hands-on training for other nurses.

 

Having lived in Spain and served as a health welfare missionary in Colombia, South America for 18 months, international work remains central to her career. Bringing nurses and healthcare professionals to international medical clinics in Central and South America is one of her favorite activities. As an international speaker, she continues to share her expertise across borders.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Tracey Long has employment relationships with Utah Body and Soul, College of Southern Nevada, Chamberlain College, and Travelers Education Group. She receives compensation as a freelance writer and editor. Tracey Long receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Tracey Long is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, the American Diabetes Association, the National Certified Diabetes Educator Association, and the American Nurses Association. She is on the editorial board of the Journal of Medical Education Development and is a contributing editor Yangtz Journal of Medicine.

Doris Dike, Esq., is a healthcare attorney with years of experience in compliance, contracts, and trademarks. She is the founder and principal of Dike Law Group, a firm that represents healthcare providers, entrepreneurs, investors, and others interested in healthcare business.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Doris Dike is the owner of Dike Law Group and Affinity Neuro Care. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Doris Dike has no relevant non-financial relationships.

 

Sameer Berry, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer of Oshi Health, a venture-backed, virtual care clinic that provides GI care to patients at no cost. He is active in the GI digital healthy ecosystem, and consults for startups and large payors, and he is a frequent speaker at industry conferences. Dr. Berry conducts grant-funded clinical research and is currently funded by the University of California, San Francisco to study the impact of multidisciplinary GI care on outcomes, utilization, and patient experience. Dr. Berry completed the gastroenterology and hepatology fellowship program at the University of Michigan. He completed his residency training at Cedars-Sinai and spent additional time training in interventional IBD at the Cleveland Clinic. He received a medical degree from the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine and an MBA from Duke University.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Sameer Berry has an employment relationship with NYU Langone Health. He receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Sameer Berry is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and the American College of Gastroenterology.

Dennis Rivenburgh, MS, ATC, PA-C, DFAAPA, is a physician assistant who provides medical care to patients in the outpatient setting. Have provided first assist in surgery, with a specialty in orthopedics and sports medicine. Dennis has been a Certified Athletic Trainer for over 30 years. He also serves as an expert witness, both in defense and plaintiff cases.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dennis Rivenburgh has employment relationships with Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and ExpressCare Urgent Care Centers. He receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dennis Rivenburgh is a distinguished fellow member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, a fellow member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the Physician Assistants in Orthopedic Surgery, and the Academy of Physician Assistants in Legal Medicine.

Amy Siple, APRN, has been working as a nurse practitioner, serving the primary care needs in long-term care for over 25 years. Amy has been appointed by three Kansas Governors to serve on boards and task forces to represent the needs of older adults and serves as chair of the Kansas Board for Adult Care Home Executives. Amy is a TEDx speaker, a sought-after national presenter on a variety of geriatric topics, and a content expert for Project Echo, delivering best practice updates to rural and underserved communities.

Under her leadership as president of the Kansas Advanced Practice Nurses Association, Kansas became the 26th state to pass full practice authority for APRNs. She was given the AANP state award for excellence in 2023 and the Healthcare Hero Award by the Wichita Business Journal in 2024. Additionally, Amy is a certified John Maxwell leadership speaker, coach, and trainer. Her most recent article The ABCD Approach for Managing Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Dementia was published in the August 2023 issue of Nursing.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Amy Siple is the owner of AmySipleNP, LLC. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Amy Siple is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the Geriatric Advanced Practice Nurses Association.

Treston Clark-LaRue, MSPH, PA-C, is a public health physician assistant in a North Carolina rural health department supporting a variety of services including pediatrics, family planning, prenatal, employee health, and STD treatment. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Campbell University. He is passionate about men’s health and engaging men in their own health at a young age. Treston presents to an after-school program on topics suc has sexual health and personal hygiene, and is an actice preceptor for the Campbell University PA program.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Treston Clark-LaRue has an employment relationship with Harnett County Health Department. He receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Treston Clark-LaRue is a member of the North Carolina Public Health Association.

Jennifer Bidey, DNP, CRNP, FNP-BC, is a nurse practitioner dedicated to serving the LGBTQIA+ community. Her current role is as a nurse practitioner and medical director of the LGBTQIA+ Affirming Practice at Haddonfield Primary and Specialty Care, Jefferson East. She specializes in gender affirming care, gender affirming hormone treatment, PrEP, and primary care.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Jennifer Bidey has employment relationships with Jefferson Health and Plume. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Jennifer Bidey is a member of the Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality, The Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals, and The American Association of Nurse Practitioners.®

 

Dr. Macia Drummond, holding a PhD in nursing from Molloy University, is an experienced psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner based in Brooklyn, NY. Her praxis spans over twenty years, encompassing roles as director of weekend operations at a large nonprofit home care agency. Her diverse expertise intertwines clinical acumen with a profound understanding of administrative leadership. This merger aims to reform norms in medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction and enhance clinical provider and emergency room practices in assessing, treating, and referring individuals with opioid use disorder.

Her research focus extends to policy restructuring, advocating for innovative strategies such as “OUD algorithms” to facilitate transitions beyond addiction. Dr. Drummond’s steadfast commitment to patient-centered care underscores enduring positive outcomes, driven by meticulous data assessments. Her approach emphasizes not only clinical excellence but also systemic improvements, ensuring a holistic transformation in opioid addiction care pathways.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Macia Drummond has employment relationships with NY Psychotherapy and Counseling Center and Visiting Nurse Serve of New York. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Macia Drummond is a member of the Nurse Practitioner Association New York State.

Teri Woo, PhD, ARNP, CPNP-PC, CNL, FAANP, is professor and director of nursing at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Washington. She completed her BSN, MSN and post Masters PNP certificate at Oregon Health Sciences University, and her PhD in nursing at University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing. Dr. Woo is a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and lead author of Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice Nurse Prescribers and has written and lectured extensively in the area of nurse practitioner prescribing and pediatric pharmacology. She served on the NAPNAP board from 2017 to 2021 and has served on the Pediatric Nurse Certification Board Pharmacology CE committee since 2002. Dr. Woo practices as a PNP-PC at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital Urgent Care in Washington.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Teri Woo has an employment relationship with Mary Bridge Urgent Care Clinic. She receives compensation as a consultant and receives a grant from the Nursing Workforce Diversity. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Teri Woo is a fellow of the American Nurses Association and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. She is the co-editor of the Pharmacology column in the Journal of Pediatric Health Care.

Filissa M Caserta, MSN, ACNP-BC, CNRN, is certified as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Neuroscience Registered Nurse who works in endovascular neurosurgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. She has worked in the field of neurosciences, specifically neuro-critical care and endovascular neurosurgery in various capacities for most of her 34-year nursing career. In addition to her role as a Nurse Practitioner, Filissa has held positions as nurse manager, adjunct faculty at The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, and program director for nursing practice.

She instituted the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program for The Johns Hopkins Hospital Neuroscience Critical Care Unit. Filissa has contributed to a wide variety of academic publications on neurocritical care and advanced practice nursing. She has shared her specialty expertise through national and international lectures.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Filissa Caserta has employment relationships with John Hopkins University and AnitCancer 360, LLC. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-Financial: Filissa Caserta is a member of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN) and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN).

Mikala Riddlesworth, PA-C, MMS, has been a certified physician assistant for over 15 years. She has spent her career practicing primary care and dermatology. Additionally, she has worked as a professor at several physician assistant programs. Mikala has spoken professionally at multiple education conferences teaching providers about skin conditions and treatment options as well as documentation and billing.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Mikala Riddlesworth receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Mikala Riddlesworth has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Deanna Bridge Najera, MPAS, MS, PA-C, DFAAPA, completed her PA education at Chatham University in Pittsburgh. She attended the University of Maryland for her undergraduate degree and also obtained a master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Shippensburg University. She currently splits her time between a suburban emergency department and a county health department. Additionally, she provides limited outpatient psychiatric services at a community mental health agency and a local college. She is a regular speaker on the state and national level and has served in multiple leadership capacities.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Deanna Najera is the co-owner of EpiVeritas Analytics and Consulting. She has employment relationships with MedStar Emergency Physicians, Carroll County Health Department, and True North Wellness Services. She receives speaking honoraria from the American Academy of Physician Associates, the Maryland Academy of Physician Assistants, and the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Associates. In addition, she receives speaking honoraria and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. Ms. Najera serves on the Advisory Board for the College of Education and Human Services at Shippensburg University. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Deanna Najera is a distinguished fellow of the American Academy of PAs and a fellow member of the Maryland Academy of PAs, the Washington DC Academy of PAs, the Pennsylvania Society of PAs, the Society of Emergency Medicine PAs, and the Society of PAs in Addiction Medicine.

Damien Fisher, PharmD, AE-C, graduated from Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy with Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2004. He prolonged his studies and completed an American Society Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) accredited residency with an emphasis on community and ambulatory care at the University of Tennessee. He became intrigued in academia, during his career has held three Clinical Assistant Professor positions at Hampton University School of Pharmacy and University of Houston College of Pharmacy, as well as South University School of Pharmacy. His passion in the ambulatory care world is within the areas of pulmonary and dermatology. He is currently ce4rtified as an asthma educator and is heavily involved with the American Lung Association (ALA) as a national presenter. He extended his oratory skills to other organizations such as Georgia Pharmacist Association, National Pharmacist Association, and the Better Breathers Club. He serves as a board member to the National Association Certified Asthma Educator Board and as clinical consultant to the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) advocating for asthma educators’ opportunities. Damien is currently working at University of Texas Medical (UTMB) as an outpatient pharmacy clinical practice specialist within the specialty of pulmonology, dermatology, and allergy. As a patient advocate in this position, Damien ensures his patients achieve healthy outcomes from biologic or nonbiologic medications.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Damien Fisher has employment relationships with the University of Texas Medical Branch, Texas Southern University, CVS Pharmacy, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, and the American Lung Association Speaking Bureau. He receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Damien Fisher is a member of the National Pharmacist Association. He is a medical advisory board member for the American Lung Association.