PAEA Welcomes the 2026–2027 Student Health Policy Fellows
Health policy can feel distant from the classroom, but the decisions made in D.C. shape the education PA students receive, the communities PAs serve, and the health care system they will enter. The Student Health Policy Fellowship (SHPF) gives PA students an opportunity to step into that space and learn how advocacy can turn professional expertise into meaningful policy change.
PAEA is pleased to welcome the 2026–2027 class of Student Health Policy Fellows. Selected through a competitive application and review process by PAEA’s Government Relations Steering Committee and Government Relations team, this year’s cohort represents 21 PA students from programs across the country who share an interest in health policy, advocacy, and the future of the profession.
Meet the 2026–2027 Fellows
Samantha Abbott, Barry University
- Kezia Amonoo, Oregon Health & Science University
- Grace Armstrong, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
- Audrey Badza, Baldwin Wallace University
- Matthew Blount, East Carolina University
- Mason Britt, Frostburg State University
- Yunwoo Chung, Arcadia University
- Seth French, Augusta University
- Melissa Irek, Emory University
- Rachel Karman, University of Pittsburgh
- Raimi Liebel, Mary Baldwin University (Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences)
- Brenda Martinez, Duke University
- Maruko Myint, Keck Graduate Institute
- Sheerin Naimi, Northeastern University
- Caysi Orbison, George Washington University
- Kristine Pham, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
- Vanessa Ramirez, Franklin Pierce University, Hybrid Program-Round Rock
- Shiva Salehian, Shenandoah University
- Yougeeto Singh, Mercy University
- Ben Weitzel, Yale School of Medicine
- Elizabeth Ziola, Keck School of Medicine of USC
Beginning September 14, fellows will participate in a three-day virtual workshop that moves beyond the fundamentals of health policy to the practical skills needed to become effective advocates. Through sessions led by experienced policy and advocacy professionals, fellows will explore how legislation is developed, how to communicate with policymakers, and how PA students can make their voices heard in the policy process.
The fellowship will culminate with congressional meetings on September 16, where fellows will discuss issues affecting PA education and health care. These conversations will give students the opportunity to put their advocacy skills into practice while contributing the perspective of PA students to the national policy conversation.
The experience is designed not simply to introduce students to health policy, but to help them see themselves as participants in it. By connecting the realities of PA education and health care with the policymaking process, the SHPF prepares students to carry advocacy skills with them throughout their careers.
PAEA looks forward to welcoming the 2026–2027 fellows and supporting them as they begin their journey as health policy advocates.
Students and faculty interested in learning more about the Student Health Policy Fellowship can visit the webpage or contact SHPF@PAEAonline.org.
