Bonnie A. Dadig, Ed.D., PA-C, serves as Chair of the PA program. She graduated from the Child Health Associate Program at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in 1974 and received her master's degree there in 1980. In 1996. she earned a doctorate in education from the University of Georgia. Dr. Dadig coordinates the Pathology, ENT, Pulmonary and Pediatric Sections of Clinical Medicine I, II and III. She is the co-coordinator for the Psychosocial II. Bonnie continues working with the North Carolina Academy and Washington Academy for their recertification conference held each year.
Dr. Dadig's major role is the overall effective administration of the PA program's curriculum and departmental budget. Her areas of clinical interests include pediatrics and family medicine. Her academic pursuits are understanding learning styles, brain dominance and testing. She has been with the program since 1984.
Lisa Daitch, MPAS, PA-C, earned a bachelor's degree in business from the University of South Carolina in 1985. She obtained a second bachelor's in physician assistant from Augusta University in 1998 and a master's degree from the University of Nebraska in 2002. She was appointed as clinical faculty in 2004 and joined the PA department full-time in 2006. She is the Associate Director of Admissions as well as Clinical Medicine II course coordinator, section coordinator for Infectious Disease, Hematology and Oncology. She is the faculty advisor for the monthly student-run Health Fair.
Daitch has practiced clinically for the past ten years at Augusta University in the Hematology/Oncology section with a concentration in sickle cell anemia and continues to see patients two mornings a week in the Adult Sickle Cell Center. She has been a study coordinator and sub-investigator on multiple NIH funded research projects and is currently involved in ongoing research at the institution. She has had original research accepted for oral and poster presentation at American Society of Hematology and the Annual Sickle Cell Research Meetings and has co-authored multiple publications accepted in peer reviewed journals.
Kathy Holmes Dexter, MLS, MHA, MPA, PA-C, is a 2008 graduate of the Augusta University PA program and joined the department as assistant professor in 2010. She previously was a health care administrator in federal facilities and private physician practices. She earned a master's degrees in library science from the University of Maryland and, as the second civilian graduate, in health administration from the U.S. Army-Baylor University program. She taught online and traditional undergraduate and graduate health care administration courses at the University of Phoenix from 2002-08, and has owned a health care consulting company. After becoming a physician assistant, she was a neurology PA in private practice and later a hospitalist PA at GR Medical Center. She is a student advisor and lectures on professional issues, neurology and health information resources.
Alicia B. Elam, PharmD, joined the PA department as associate professor in 2013. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Mercer University in 1995 and a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Bennett College in 1990. She has over 20 years of practice experience in various pharmacy settings, including ambulatory care, nursing home consultation, clinical hospital and community medication therapy management. She served four years as a Lieutenant Pharmacy Officer in the U.S. Navy and worked as a civilian pharmacy contractor for seven years after leaving active duty. Her introduction to pharmacy began as a student at A.R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet High School in Augusta.
David R. Haburchak, MD, FACP, is medical director of the PA program and also serves as program director of the Internal Medicine Residency program and professor of medicine at Medical College of Georgia. He earned his bachelor's and medical degrees from Johns Hopkins University and is a diploma graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, and the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He completed a 24-year career in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, with many leadership positions in academic military medicine. He has received numerous awards military and civilian awards for teaching and leadership.
Since joining Augusta University faculty 1994, he has been the medical microbiology course director, interim chairman of the Department of Immunology-Microbiology, quality improvement chairman for the Section of Infectious Disease and a hospital epidemiologist in the Department of Medicine. His areas of clinical, academic and research interest include care of AIDS patients, emerging infections, the role of the innate immune system in disease and Complex Systems Theory as applied to medicine.
Sara Haddow, MSA, PA-C, is the director of education for the Physician Assistant department. She also serves as an instructor and small group leader during the didactic year. She is a 1991 graduate from the Augusta University Physician Assistant program and obtained bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Georgia. Sara has served as a faculty member since 1992 and has clinical experience in cardiology, plastic surgery, and as a renal transplant coordinator.
Sara's responsibilities include coordinating the administrative aspects of the didactic year and the cardiology and endocrinology sections of Clinical Medicine as well as teaching physical assessment and evidence-based medicine. In addition, she enjoys seeing patients in the Family Medicine Center.
Laura Lee, MHE, PA-C serves as Clinical Director and is responsible for coordinating the clinical year. She came to the Georgia Health Sciences University in 1989 and joined the PA faculty in February 1992. Laura has coordinated Medical Communications, Physical Assessment, and the Surgery and Acute Care courses and leads a CSIA I small group Fall semester. She is a member of Alpha Eta Honor Society and Pi Alpha, Physician Assistant Honor society. Laura obtained her B.S. in Allied Health as a Physician Assistant in 1986, and her Masters of Health Education in 2003 at the Georgia Health Sciences University. Her areas of interest are physical examination, obstetrics and gynecology and infectious diseases. Her personal interests include antiquing, reading, gardening, and decorating. Laura's primary professional goal is to provide the best possible instruction to GHSU's physician assistant students. Laura's greatest gift is her son, Andrew, and her personal goal is to raise a healthy and happy son.
Stevie Redmond, MPA, PA-C, earned a bachelor's degree in industrial management from Mercer University in 2008, then a master's degree in physician assistant from Augusta University in 2010. She worked as a PA for a vascular surgeon before joining the faculty full time in 2011. She is the course coordinator for Surgery and Orthopedics and shares the responsibilities of course coordinator for Medical Communications. She is also responsible for instructing a small group each semester for the first year MPH students and is a mentor for second-year teaching-assistant students. She works with a local vascular surgeon one day per week and is active on the Inter-professional Education Committee as well as the College of Allied Health Sciences Alumni Association Board.
Rebecca Rote, MPA, PA-C, joined the PA department full-time in 2012 after four years as an adjunct faculty member. She is a graduate of the Augusta University Class of 2008 and a member of the Phi Alpha Physician Assistant Honor Society. She completed a Physician Assistant Emergency Medicine Residency at the Medical College of Georgia. She previously served 12 years in the U.S. Air Force as a paramedic, independent duty medical technician and Air Education and Training Command-Special Operations combat medic instructor. She earned a bachelor of health science degree from Campbell University in 2002, and then worked in the GR Medical Center's Department of Emergency Medicine-Center of Operational Medicine as an operational medicine education coordinator and director of the EMS Academy, providing pre-hospital EMS, critical care, disaster and tactical medicine education to civilian, state and federal government personnel.
She holds instructor certifications in Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (BLS, ACLS), Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS), Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS), Emergency Pediatric Care (EPC), and Basic and Advanced Disaster Life Support (BDLS, ADLS). She serves the department as student advisor, small group leader and GAPA representative. She is course coordinator for the Emergency Medicine series, 3 and 12 Lead EKG Interpretation, Basic and Advanced Airway Management, BLS, and ACLS during the didactic year. She practices clinically one to two days per week in the Emergency Department and Urgent Care settings.
Judith Stallings, EdD, MHE, PA-C, has been with the PA department since 1996 and became program director in 2015. She previously worked the GR Medical Center Section of Gynecologic Oncology after receiving her BS degree in Physician Assistant from Augusta University in 1990. She has a master of health science degree and earned a doctorate in educational administration from Georgia Southern University in 2011.
She is director of admissions for the department and clinical medicine coordinator for the sections of gastroenterology, obstetrics and gynecology, and ophthalmology. She instructs first-year MPA students and is a mentor for second year-teaching assistant students. She conducts research into cytokine modulation by follicle-stimulating hormones and practices in the Student Health Clinic.
April Weaver, BBA, joined the department in 2012 as grant coordinator and has been department manager since 2014. She graduated from Augusta University in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in business administration.
Peggy Jeffcoat is the department's admissions coordinator and manages issues related to junior students. Her background includes sales, retail operations management and customer service.
Cyndi Watkins, AS, joined the department in 2004 and has been clinical coordinator since 2005. She has an associate's degree in business from Piedmont Technical College.
Turkeesha Williams, MHA, is the department's clerkship program coordinator. She has an extensive background in dental assisting, accounting and administrative work.
