2026 CME Conference Speaker Bios
Jessica Bell, PA-C
Events: Destin • Myrtle Beach • Orlando • Las Vegas
Topic: Men’s & Women’s Health
Jessica Bell is a board-certified physician assistant specializing in urogynecology and sexual medicine in Corvallis, Oregon. She is a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP) and Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health ISSWSH (IF). She is also a Healthy at Every Size (HAES) registered practitioner. She works in the clinic and as a surgical extender in the operating room.
Her clinic practice includes evaluating and treating patients for female sexual pain, including vulvodynia, lichen sclerosus and hormonal tissue changes. She also sees patients for pelvic floor dysfunction, pelvic organ prolapses, incontinence and bladder pain. Her expertise includes treating hormonal symptoms during the menopause transition. Female sexual medicine concerns are addressed from a biopsychosocial approach and treatment plans always include education. She is a LGBTQIA+, kink-positive and a trauma-informed provider. She prides herself on taking the time to educate patients on her evaluation and treatment plan so they can be a partner in their own care.
The whole person approach is important, and she works closely with her patients’ PCPs, specialists and pelvic floor physical therapists. Special interests include partnering with cancer survivors regarding their sexual health and cancer journey.
She is also the Medical Director of Sarah’s Place, a 24hr sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) center in Oregon that provides treatment and resources to anyone who has experienced sexual assault, domestic violence or non-fatal strangulation.
Her surgical skills have taken her on multiple surgical missions to Guatemala and she helped found the surgical non-profit Scenic Northwest Surgical Outreach.
As an undergraduate at Central Washington University, she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and psychology with minors in sociology and chemistry. She earned her master’s in physician assistant studies through Heritage University. Her expertise in menopause care and holistic sexual medicine has come from additional training via conferences and continuing education.
Yoga, dancing, music, creating, community and family fill her free time.
Sarah Bolander, DMSc, PA-C, DFAAPA
Events: Destin • Myrtle Beach • Pensacola-September • Orlando
Topic: Orthopedics
Saraah Bolander has been a dedicated PA educator for the past 12 years, serving as faculty at Northern Arizona University and as adjunct faculty with the University of Lynchburg’s DMSc program. She balances her academic career with clinical practice in orthopaedics at Cactus Pediatric Orthopaedics, where she has worked for over 18 years. Sarah routinely presents at national conferences and facilitates orthopaedic workshops. She has contributed to book chapters, co-authored a medical review book and published in several peer-reviewed journals. She was the 2024-2025 AAPA-PAEA Research Fellow, focusing her research on PA-specific doctoral degrees. Deeply committed to ongoing medical education and professional development, Sarah serves on several national continuing education committees, including co-chairing the Physician Assistants in Orthopaedic Surgery (PAOS) conference.
Laura Bush, PA-C
Events: Destin • Pensacola Beach-September
Topic: Dermatology
Laura Bush, a dermatology Physician Associate, has 34 years of experience. She earned a Master of Medical Science from Emory University in 1991 and a Doctor of Medical Science from the University of Lynchburg in 2020. She has practiced in emergency medicine, family practice and dermatology for the past 24 years. Laura is a distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Associates and a Diplomate Fellow of the Society of Dermatology Physician Associates (SDPA).
Laura has held leadership positions within the Georgia Dermatology Physician Assistants (GDPA) and for the SDPA, where she served as president from 2023 to 2024. Additionally, she is a trustee of the Dermatology Physician Assistant Foundation (DPAF) and a member of the Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) coalition.
For the past 18 years, she has practiced dermatology in private practice in Fayetteville, Georgia, where she provides exceptional patient care, particularly in complex medical dermatology.
Alongside her full-time career as a DermPA and extensive volunteer work, Laura guest lectures at PA schools, has published several articles, and enjoys mentoring the next generation of healthcare providers.
Family is central to everything in her personal life: her son Christopher, who has Down syndrome and brings immense joy; her supportive husband Paul; and her 88-year-old mother, who has more Instagram followers than she does. She enjoys writing in her free time and hopes to publish a book someday soon.
Jennifer (Jen) Carlquist, PA-C, FMACP, ER-CAQ
Events: Hilton Head Island • Nashville • Orlando • Las Vegas
Topic: Cardiology & Emergency Medicine
Jennifer Carlquist is a physician associate of over 18 years who works in inpatient cardiology. Previously she worked for 16 years in the emergency room. She was one of the first PAs in the country to earn the ER – CAQ. She has authored papers for various urgent care journals and is a repeat speaker at state and national level conferences. In her spare time, she enjoys painting, heart themed art, and has been a featured in international art exhibitions and locally in San Francisco, CA.
Randee Masciola, DNP, APRN-CNP, WHNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP
Events: Pensacola-July • Hilton Head Island • Nashville • Denver
Topic: Men’s & Women’s Health
Randee L. Masciola, a nationally certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, is an associate clinical professor at The Ohio State University (OSU) and the Director of DNP Education. With more than 28 years of clinical experience, Dr. Masciola is an alumnus of OSU where she received a BSN and MS prior to receiving her DNP from Case. She servers on the Board of Directors of The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) and is past board member of the National Association of Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners. Dr. Masciola received the 2024 Outstanding Service to NONPF award and was awarded the Ohio March of Dimes 2020 Nurse of the Year Award for Academic Education. She is a fellow in American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the National Academies of Practice (Nursing).
Her scholarship focuses on the role and scope of practice Nurse Practitioners and the DNP in healthcare, APRN education and evidence based sexual and reproductive healthcare. She has written manuscripts and textbook chapters and speaks nationally as a clinical expert on male sexual and reproductive health, global health and evidence based clinical management on multiple female sexual and reproductive health issues.
Dr. Masciola lives in Alpharetta, GA with her husband of 28 years. She is a die-hard Buckeye fan, and enjoys boating and reading, but her passion is traveling with her husband and young adult children.
Heather Roebuck, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP
Events: Myrtle Beach • Pensacola-July • Hilton Head Island • Orlando
Topic: Dermatology
Heather Roebuck has extensive experience in medical and cosmetic dermatology. She has published a dermatology column as well as numerous CEU articles and is a national speaker and promoter of learning for various professional organizations, companies and universities. She is actively involved in dermatologic research and is a national cosmetic instructor. Ms. Roebuck has earned degrees in Biology, Psychology, and Doctor of Nursing Practice and is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She enjoys assisting patients of all ages and abilities with various conditions of the skin. Dr. Roebuck has specialized training in teaching adults and will ensure your learning activities are fun, interactive, and relevant to your current educational needs.
Sarah Schroeder, PhD, ACNP-BC, MSN RN, AACC
Events: Destin • Myrtle Beach • Pensacola-July • Pensacola-September • Denver
Topic: Cardiology & Emergency Medicine
Sarah E Schroeder is a board-certified Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with more than 20 years of cardiac experience as a nurse, and 15 years of cardiac experience as a NP. She finished her PhD in nursing with a focus of frailty assessment in advanced heart failure and left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) in December 2022, and continues her passion for improving quality of life in the LVAD population, at Bryan Heart in Lincoln, NE. She started as a Diploma graduate from Bryan School of Nursing in 2001, which then led to her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2007 and Master of Science in Nursing in 2010, all from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha, Nebraska.
Sarah has worked the last 11 years as a Mechanical Circulatory Support Nurse Practitioner and Program Manager and has served on multiple boards for societies in her field (ICCAC, ISHLT, ASAIO) and recently is the Past-president for the newly created VAD-C™ Certification exam. She is a leader in the nursing and allied health field of mechanical circulatory support and enjoys mentoring others to push themselves to be their best versions of themselves.
With a passion for research in the field of advanced heart failure and mechanical devices, she is the Principal Investigator for two multi-center studies, including the feasibility testing of a new tool to help LVAD patients anticipate expectations following the choice of LVAD therapy. She has contributed as a co-author to multiple critical care/cardiac chapters in the last few years and has a variety of peer-reviewed publications.
She enjoys travelling with her family, attending a college swimming meet for one of her two college-aged sons, or simply taking a jog outside to enjoy nature and the surrounding elements.
Ashlyn Smith, MMS, PA-C, DFAAPA
Events: Nashville • Pensacola-September • Denver • Las Vegas
Topic: Endocrinology
Ashlyn Smith is a board-certified Physician Associate, Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of PAs, and a certified Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Coach with 14 years of clinical expertise and over a decade of commitment to medical education.
Ashlyn is the owner, educator, and clinician at ELM Endocrinology & Lifestyle Medicine, PLLC, a telehealth-based specialty practice focused on expanding access to high-quality, endocrine care and education with the whole-health approach embodied by the specialty principles of lifestyle medicine. She also co-launched the Independent PA Collective, supporting PAs in starting and scaling innovative, independent healthcare and other PA-led ventures.
Ashlyn is Past President of the American Society of Endocrine Physician Assistants and lectures regularly on pituitary disorders at Creighton University’s PA Program.
Vanessa Smith, PA-C
Events: • Pensacola-July • Hilton Head Island • Nashville • Denver • Las Vegas
Topic: Orthopedics
Vanessa Smith is a physician associate with over 16 years of experience in Orthopedic Hand Surgery. She started her journey in healthcare when she completed her bachelor’s degree in athletic training at Bethel University in St. Paul, MN. Following PA school at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago, IL she worked at a Level 1 Trauma Center in St. Paul, MN. For the past 14 years she has continued her work in Hand Surgery in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
In addition to working alongside surgeons and holding independent clinic managing non-operative hand and wrist injuries, Vanessa is involved with research, quality improvement initiatives, acting as a liaison between orthopedics and referring providers and teaching. She has given numerous lectures locally, at national conferences and webinars as well as regular in-services for primary care providers, residents and students with hands-on workshops for splinting, casting, cast saw safety and orthopedic pearls.
In 2022, Vanessa brought her creativity and passion for teaching to the internet, developing an online orthopedic resource aimed to educate and equip physicians and advanced practice providers to excel in providing orthopedic care before referring to the specialist – OrthoRefresh.com. In 2025 she self-published a comprehensive orthopedic splinting resource “The Splinting Guide eBook.”
Vanessa was honored to be the first Advanced Practice Provider on the American Association for Hand Surgery (AAHS) board of directors 2020-2023 and continues to be an active member of AAHS.
She is able to pursue all these endeavors because of her most awesome husband, Chuck. When not at work, she’s riding the rollercoaster of parenting three daughters!