PHYSICIAN
ASSISTANT
PROGRAM

Meet the PA Class of 2007--
in their own words 

updated 06/20/06

PA Home Page

Jenny Burks Pruitt 

Hello, my name is Jenny Burks and I am looking so forward to meeting all of you. I feel very humbled after reading your bios, and I am looking forward to learning from all of you and your experiences. I am from Belfast, Virginia and have been a student at JCHS for the past year. I am the third of four children and am engaged to a wonderful man, Jonathan Pruitt, who is currently seeking employment in the Roanoke area. I am excited about facing the challenges of PA school with all of you, and forming a strong support system together. 

Anil Ganga

Hello friends and welcome to JCHS. I am glad to see many friends that I know in our class and excited to meet all of you that I don't presently know. My wife and I moved to the area almost two years ago for the change of scenery and to get complete prerequisites for the school. As the father of two daddy's girls I have been busy in the ensuing years, and am delighted to be finally starting school. Having graduated from Florida State I am a big football fan. I also enjoy fishing and other outdoor sports. But in the last two years I have been busy rebuilding my 80 year old house here in Roanoke. I will try my hand at anything at least once!
See you guys soon.

Hi Everybody! My name is David Sprouse, and I'm grateful to be able to share with you what should be an exciting 2 years in PA school! I'm originally from Richmond, VA, but I've spent most of my life growing up in Virginia Beach. Although my undergrad background is in biological psychology, I'm just about to finish up my graduate degree in nutrition at Virginia Tech. Along the way, I've spent time working in various jobs such as a health food store (where I first picked up an interest in nutritional supplements and disease), a graduate teaching assistant, a course instructor at VT, and most recently, a pharmacy technician in Blacksburg. I've just recently moved in with my two fellow-PA-student roommates, Josh and Adam, along with my dog Raleigh (a giant 65-pound poodle) and his buddy Cinder the black lab-doberman. I'll miss Blacksburg, but Roanoke looks nice too, so far at least!

I'm looking forward to meeting everyone in just matter of days! In the meantime, feel free to reach me at dsprouse@vt.edu

Wow! Reading over the bios of other members of the PA class of 2007, I am very humbled by the company I will be keeping. I truly look forward to what I am sure will be 2 memorable years with our class. I am relatively new to the Roanoke area, having moved here last Aug. from Va. Beach where I lived for the past 23 years. I have 2 great kids, a 14 year old daughter Taylore, and 10 year old son, Reilly. I have been
married to my husband, Steve for almost 20 years! My family is extremely supportive of the new adventure I am about to undertake and we are all ready to buckle our seat belts for an amazing ride.

I look forward to meeting all of you in a few weeks !! Cara :)

Hey y'all! I have my southern drawl down pretty well and I've only lived here for one year. I came to Roanoke with my wife, Shar, who just completed her first year in the PA program. Being away from our families and friends has been stressful for both of us, but we have made some lifelong friends at JCHS and had some excellent experiences. I have the inside scoop on all the staff, so e-mail me with any questions:)

I have had about nine years of medical experience including surgery, dialysis, medical laboratory, and medical assisting. I was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah and miss the mountains terribly. I love to hunt, fish, ski, etc. I've been trying to become an experienced bass fisherman since moving to VA; so far with limited success. Good luck to everyone—see you in August.

Hello to everyone. My name is Carol CdeBaca. I'm 33 years old, the mother of an adorable 4-year-old girl named Juliette, and the wife of an ER nurse at Carilion Memorial. I'm originally from Colorado where I was born and raised then transplanted to Richmond when I was 15. I attended VCU for my bachelors, and moved again, this time to CT. At a community college I became a paramedic, and then moved back to Colorado in 1997. In Colorado I worked as a paramedic in the Emergency Department at Denver Health Medical Center for 6 years and now I've moved to Roanoke. This summer I'm a "homemaker" but this involves many tasks such as electrician, plumber, and landscaper. We just moved into our house over in the Wasena area on June 22. And I finally have my Internet back up. We like it here in our "old" house and the quiet neighbors, especially the neighbors in the back (we're across the alley from a cemetery.)

I'm looking forward to meeting everyone in person in August. Meanwhile, don't work too hard this summer and enjoy the nice weather. I'm still adjusting to the hills and humidity. My new home number is (540) 345-0075 and e-mail address is nickandcarolcdebaca@juno.com.

Greetings fellow classmates,

My name is Ricky Dooley and I currently live in Blacksburg, VA, where I work as a physician extender for Joe Prud’homme, MD, a local orthopaedic surgeon.  For the past two years I have worked as a graduate assistant athletic trainer with Virginia Tech Sports Medicine and as head athletic trainer for Blacksburg High School while obtaining my masters in health promotion and education. I have undergrad degrees from both Virginia Tech and JCHS. I am original from Montvale, VA, a small town between Roanoke and Lynchburg, VA.  My hobbies include board sports, coaching high school and youth wrestling, farming, cooking and working on automobiles. I am very passionate about becoming a physician assistant and look forward to working with all of you.

Hi, my name is Kathryn and I was born and raised right here in Roanoke.  I ventured to Blacksburg where I completed a BS in biology from Virginia Tech in 2001.  Go Hokies! 

I am 26 years old and have been married for almost three years to a great guy, Mike who is a firefighter/EMT-I.  We have a two year old daughter named Ashlan.  Both of our families are local and we love having them around!  We enjoy family dinners, renting movies, going to the gym, and eating out!!!

I have worked as a custom framer for five years and I am excited to be starting this new phase of my professional life.  I look forward to getting to know all of you.

Hello everyone and congratulations! My name is Tracy Scott and I look forward to our next two years together as PA students. I am originally from Charlotte NC, but have lived here in Roanoke for about 15 years. I lived in Atlanta Georgia for about two years while I worked at Emory Hospital as a Medical Social Worker (graduated from Radford University with a BS and social work/psychology degree). I currently work for a Hospice agency as their social worker and enjoy it thoroughly. Most of my experience has been in hospitals. I have been in the medical field for 6 years, which has lead me down the path to pursue becoming a PA.

I enjoy the outdoors, football and exercise on a regular basis at the Roanoke Athletic Club. I imagine this will be a great place for me to relieve some stress that we are about to endure. I am looking forward to being part of the PA class of 2007 and meeting everyone in August. Have a wonderful summer and please feel free to contact me at tracymscott@yahoo.com.

Hello everyone and Congratulations!!! My name is Kathleen Strickland (my friends call me Kat) and I am from Boaz, Alabama. I graduated from Jacksonville State University with a BS in Biology and Chemistry. I have been a Paramedic for twenty years I obtained my critical care training at Vanderbilt which prepared me for my aeromedical career. As if I didn't have enough to do I also worked Orthopedic surgery and the ER.

I am married to a outstanding man, his name is Corey who is very supportive. Corey is also a paramedic and soon to be RN. We love to travel Europe and have been rescuing abused and neglected animals for about eight years. Corey will have to stay in Alabama for right now so, I will need your support. I will bring Sugar and Dyna two of my dogs with me. I love the water and being outside.

Annette, I was glad to see you on the list and I agree about the Wal-Mart issue and Matt I have no idea what a Hokie is!!!
I will see you soon, please be careful in your travels.
E-mail: kdstrickland5@mail.jchs.edu 

My name is Jessica Davis. I received my BS in Biology from Radford University in 2002. There I met my college sweetheart and now husband, Roger. We were married May 2, 2004 and on that day I went from being an ARMY brat to something I never thought I would be, an ARMY wife. Roger left for Iraq in June 2004 and will return sometime near the end of this month (June 2005)! Needless to say I am very excited! We don't have any children, but we do have one very spoiled miniature schnauzer named Cosette. What can I say, I am a huge Les Miserables fan. I also love the Harry Potter series and anything by Michael Crichton.

Nick Floyd

Hello, My name is Nick Floyd. I am 27 years old and have been here at Jefferson College the past two semesters finishing the prerequisites for the program. I moved to Roanoke with my beautiful wife Tara and yellow lab Shellnutt after spending almost eight years in the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. I am originally from the Richmond Virginia area, but have spent a great deal of time in San Diego California when I was a sailor. My wife (of three years) is from Luray Virginia and is a Speech-language Pathologist. We enjoy playing tennis, and other outdoor activities. Both Tara and I are big football fans. I am looking forward to getting started this fall and meeting all of you.

Hello everyone and congratulations! My name is Andrea Gay and I am from Roanoke. I am 22 years old and just finished my undergraduate studies of biology pre-med at Ohio University in Athens Ohio. I was a college basketball player and I still enjoy doing anything active. My summer job has been landscaping, so I am looking forward to having some cool days in the class room. I look forward to meeting everyone!

 

Bethany Bouvy

As you can already tell, my name is Jason Montgomery. Looking over your profiles, I am honored and a bit humbled to know that I will be attending this program with you. Hopefully this information will help you get to know just a bit more about me. I was born on an army base in Nuremberg Germany, but spent the majority of my life in Sutter California.

After high school, I spent two years on a religious hiatus in New England. I attended one year of college at Ricks College in Rexburg Idaho, where I met my cute wife, Amber. We moved to Orem, Utah where I attended Utah Valley State College. Summer of 2004, I graduated with a BS. in behavioral science. During that time I have worked six years for Fed Ex as a courier and eight months of work at a UVRMC as an acute care aid for inpatient physical therapy. My medical experience is not as extensive as many of you, so I look forward to learning from your experiences.

My wife and I are the proud parents of Parker, our four year old boy and Abigail, our almost one year old girl. If you enjoy an outdoor activity, we will all get along very well. My wife is a competitive skier and I try to keep up on a snowboard. We rock climb (when my knees hold up), hike, wake board, mountain bike, etc.

I will see you all in August. If any of you would like to talk to me for any reason feel free to email me at: jamtshred@hotmail.com.

Hello and Congratulations to everyone. I am excited to meet you all. My name is Garth Mills and I am 23 years old and have a BS in Biology from Mary Washington College (now University of Mary Washington). I am a former college basketball player and enjoy working out in my spare time. I have lived in Roanoke for the last year and a half taking classes at
Jefferson to finish my prerequisites while working as a phlebotomist at the Lewis Gale Medical Center.

I hope you all have a nice relaxing summer and are as excited as I am about starting our new adventure in the fall. If you have any questions or just want to chat you can contact me at gamills4@mail.jchs.edu. Hope you all have a great summer.

Hi! I am Joshua Nowocin (No-Vo-Sin). Currently, I am an assistant football coach at Princeton University. I coach defensive backs, but I played running back, wide receiver, and contributed on special teams while at the University of Virginia. I graduated from the University with a BA in Biology and an M.Ed. in Exercise Physiology, so it will be nice to bring some Wahoo influence into Hokie land. Before I began coaching, I worked as a transplant coordinator in Washington, DC. My interests include obviously football, golf, working out, and most outdoor sports except skiing.

Best way of getting ahold of me is via email at joshua_nowocin@yahoo.com. I look forward to seeing you in the fall and working with everyone over the next two years.  

Hi guys!  My name is Irene Isaac and I live in Winston-Salem, NC.  Originally from Bangalore, India, I moved to Winston in 1997.  I graduated from UNCG with a B.S. degree in Biology.  I am currently employed at the Oaks at Forsyth, a nursing home that I’ve been working in for the last four years. I enjoy working with the elderly, many of whom I’ve become so attached too that I consider them my grandparents. 

I have a small close knit family that includes my Dad, Mom, and my younger brother, who is currently a sophomore at UNCG. I also have a dog named Rusty, who I’m crazy about.  I’m an avid reader and enjoy a variety of outdoor sports. I’m thrilled about moving to Roanoke and starting school.  I look forward to seeing everyone in August. Contact:  chirene_99@yahoo.com

Hey guys, my name is Kinnari (Kin-ari). I am 21yrs old, from Delaware, originally from Bombay, India. I am a recent graduate from University of Delaware with BA in Biology and since graduation I have been working with a Neurosurgeon handling surgeries (about a year).

I enjoy dancing, I am a part of a dance company started by a few of my friends and we perform at competitions and charity events. I also enjoy traveling and outdoor sports. I currently live with my parents and an older brother that I admire the most.

I am looking forward to moving to Roanoke and working with you guys. You can contact me at Sparklet00@hotmail.com See you all in August.

Hey! My name is Annette and I am very excited about beginning my career as a Physician Assistant! I have a wonderful fan club that consists of my loving mother, Rose, my two daughters, Tori and Toni, and my son, Terez. Two of my favorite things are crab legs and big roller coasters with steep hills, corkscrews, and loops. Currently, I am a Registered Nurse and Clinical Team Leader in an acute care facility here in Roanoke. I love educating and providing care for clients and their families. If I were asked to choose one thing in life that I think should be mandatory at all times it would be – effective communication.

I am looking forward to working with excellent faculty, staff, and my fellow PA newbie extended family for the next two years. I predict it will be intense, stressful, challenging, and yet, rewarding. However, I am convinced that together we can conquer anything. As long as I am able to get to WalMart at least once a week – I shall remain happy.

Hi, my name is Kathleen A. Hurst and I am 22 years old and currently finishing up my last semester in the Biomedical Sciences program at Jefferson College of Health Sciences. I am so excited to be entering the PA program with all of you in August and can't wait to begin our journeys as Physician Assistants. I am originally from northern Virginia and moved to Roanoke in August of 2001. I enjoy spending time with my family and when the weather is nice, I love spending my days outdoors. I am looking forward to starting the PA program because I will not have to work anymore!!:) I have worked between 40-50 hours a week since I moved to Roanoke when I was 18 to pay for school and it has definitely taken its toll. I will enjoy focusing all of my time on school and learning what interests me most.

Have a wonderful summer as we will be very busy for the next two years.......Good luck to you all and I will see you in August!  P.S. You can contact me at arieskat01@cox.net

I returned to CSU-Hayward (recently renamed CSU-Eastbay) to finish a degree in Kinesiology, and take the series of premed/pre-pa required classes.

I will be driving across the country to set up home in Roanoke, and hope to spend a great year with you in class, and another in rotations. Hopefully (in a perfect world) we all become a great support system for each other, and social gatherings will result. If you have any questions, please email me at adamhshiffman@gmail.com

First, congratulations to everyone! My name is Matt Shortt; I am 23 years old and currently live in Roanoke where I attend JCHS. This semester I will finish up my prerequisites and return home to Abingdon, Virginia for the summer to work. I attended Virginia Tech for two years before working for Bristol Neurosurgical and Bristol Orthopedics for a year and where I will return to work for my second summer.

I am a Hokie true to the heart and I will gladly tell you what a Hokie is. While I was at VT I was a cheerleader which allowed me to meet my wonderful fiancée Kristin. It is through her support as well as my family’s support that I know that my passion for becoming a PA will be fulfilled. I love to work out and participate in many outdoor recreational activities, anything that will allow me to compete. I am looking forward to meeting everyone this coming fall and cannot wait to work our way through PA school together!! 

Have a great summer and I will see everyone in August. You can contact me at msshortt3@mail.jchs.edu

Hello everyone! I'm really excited about starting class this August and meeting everybody!

I'm 28 years old and have lived in Roanoke for the last four years with my wife Carrie and our two Jack Russell Terriers, Rosco and Chloe. We both are originally from Danville, VA; but moved to Roanoke to attend JCHS. I've been a Medical Assistant for the last 8 years and have worked in Cardiopulmonary, Respiratory, Gastroenterology, and my favorite Family Practice. I'm currently employed by Lewis-Gale Clinic at the Valley View office as a Lab Tech.  

I'm looking forward to making new friends and hopefully we all will be able to support each other through the challenging and stressful academic year to come. You can contact me at jbinman4@mail.jchs.edu.  See you all this August and have a relaxing summer.

Greetings to my fellow classmates of 2007. My name is Michael Leake. I am 32 years old and currently live in Halifax, VA. I am not originally from Halifax, but I have enjoyed the eight years I have lived here. I have been married to a wonderful wife for almost eight years, who is very supportive in my returning to PA school. We have a cat and dog that we both spoil and hope to have children someday.

I have been working as a Certified Athletic Trainer for close to ten years. Eight of the ten years I have worked in a hospital’s physical therapy clinic and the local high school’s athletic program. I have been interested in medicine since I was injured playing football in high school, and the interest has just kept on growing. I am a big sports fan, especially football. I hope to continue working with athletes in some capacity when my education is complete.

I am very excited about returning to school, and I look forward to meeting and working with all my incoming classmates. I will see you in August. leakem@adelphia.net