Biographies

History is the essence of innumerable biographies.

~ Thomas Carlyle

The following biographies highlight the men and women who over time have contributed to the establishment, growth and development of the physician assistant profession. These are individuals whose contributions have helped shape the way physician assistants are educated, utilized, organized, evaluated, promoted and integrated into the American Health Care System and throughout the world.

To appear in this biographical section, a nominee must have made a contribution or contributions to the physician assistant profession judged to be significant in a way that is unique, pioneering or exemplary. The nature of those contributions may include, but need not be limited to, the following:

  • Helped develop the educational, accreditation, legal and certification framework that is unique to the PA profession
  • Contributed significant time, labor and leadership to a national organization thus enabling that organization to serve the best interest of PAs, PA educators and students
  • Authored books or articles that added significantly to the body of published works on physician assistants and the delivery of health care by teams
  • Recognized by peers in the health professions as one who has provided exemplary clinical, community and humanitarian service through special recognition awards and published acknowledgments
  • Served on health policy making bodies, work force study groups, international health alliances and health-related agencies to share with others knowledge about the PA profession
  • Made significant contributions to the education and mentoring of PA students and the continuing education and evaluation of graduate physician assistants
  • Pioneered the development of a new field for physician assistants in a health care specialty or practice setting

Please submit the following documentation to the PAHx for consideration: a CV or resume, or a completed Biographical Sketch Form. Please Contact us us should you have an individual who you believe should be recognized by the Society.

BIOGRAPHY HIGHLIGHTS

Peggy Valentine, PA, RN, EdD

Peggy Valentine’s career in the PA profession followed a short career as a registered nurse. She enrolled in the physician assistant program in 1977 at Howard University and practiced briefly at George Washington University Student Health Clinic. After several months, she was recruited to join the PA fa

Mansaray, Saibatu

MAJ(R) Saibatu Mansaray is currently a senior executive  service (SES)  with the Office of National Drug Control Policy where she is the Assistant     Director for Public Health, Education and Treatment Task Force in support of combating the opioid crisis. Mansaray enlisted in the US Army in October 1994 after moving to the United States from Sierra Leone, West Af...

Ann Davis, MS, PA-C

Ann Davis, MS, PA-C, retired in February 2019 after a distinguished career of more than 20 years at the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). During her career, Ms. Davis was well-known for her legisl

A FOUNDER

Joyce Nichols, PA

Joyce Nichols is the first woman to be formally educated as a physician assistant (PA). She also happens to be the first African-American woman to practice as a PA. Nichols was working as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) at Duke University when Dr. Eugene A. Stead, Jr. established his 2

BIOGRAPHY COLLECTION