PARSEC > GOVERNANCE > BOD ELECTIONS

Board of Directors Elections

PARSEC is seeking PAs who are ready to guide projects that connect our community, strengthen PA-led research and support educators and learners. This election cycle includes several openings, each with a two-year term and onboarding support.

2025/26 Open Board Positions

The following positions are open for election for the 2025/26 term:

  • Co-Chair

  • Education Director

  • Research Director

  • CME Events Director

  • Membership Director

For full descriptions of each position, download the PARSEC Elections Info Package.

Each elected position carries a 2-year term and includes onboarding support and collaboration with current board members.

Key Election Dates

  • December 6, 2025 at 12 PM EST: Application deadline

  • December 7–13, 2025: Review period

  • December 15, 2025 at 12 PM EST: Candidate list announced, voting opens

  • December 29, 2025 at 12 PM EST: Voting closes

  • January 2, 2026: Election results released

BOD Candidates

Co-Chair

1 seat, 1 candidate

  • CO-CHAIR

    Overview: The Co-Chairs lead the Board and the Association in fulfilling its mission. They chair meetings, set agendas, and represent PARSEC in public and professional forums. The Co-Chairs ensure smooth operations and collectively share responsibility for developing and executing PARSEC’s strategic plan. Terms are elected in alternating years to maintain continuity of leadership. The outgoing Co-Chair transitions into the Past Chair role for a one-year term.

    Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

    • Lead board and organization meetings, set agendas, and provide guidance for achieving strategic goals.

    • Oversee and collaborate on the development of PARSEC’s multi-year strategic plan and annual goals.

    • Act as primary spokesperson, representing PARSEC in public forums, at conferences, and during key stakeholder meetings.

    • Ensure effective communication and collaboration between committees to advance PARSEC’s mission cohesively. Oversee documentation and updates of policies and procedures, ensuring all board activities adhere to governance standards.

    • Prepare and present the Annual Report highlighting achievements, challenges, and strategic focus areas

  • Running for:
    Co-Chair

    Conflicts of Interest:
    None

    Why are you interested in joining PARSEC’s BOD?
    I want to continue the work we’ve been doing to ensure a strong foundation on which PARSEC can grow. This includes continuing to work on projects that increase our efficiency and legitimacy, building our strategic partnerships, and advancing and developing our ideas to promote research and scholarship for Canadian PAs.

    Bio:
    Gabriel DeMone grew up all over the BC interior, between Kamloops, Merritt, and Prince George. Shortly after graduating from UNBC, he joined the CAF in 2009 as a Medical Technician. He spent much of his time in uniform in Ontario, serving with 2 Field Ambulance in Petawawa, Montfort Clinic in Ottawa, and the CF Health Services Training Centre in Borden. In 2019, he was accepted on the final course of PAs trained by the CAF. Upon completion in 2022, Gabe was posted to Halifax, where he served on HMCS St Johns. In 2023, after 14 years of service, he retired from the CAF to take a position working in the Emergency Department at Red Deer Regional Hospital as the first PA in the department. Gabe is dedicated to the advancement of the PA profession in Canada and served as the Alternate Director for BC on CAPAs Board of Directors from 2023 to 2025, during which time he was actively involved in efforts to promote PAs in the province. In early 2025, he took on a role as a Director-at-Large with PARSEC (PAs for Research, Scholarship and Education in Canada) on their Board of Directors, and played an active role in helping to refresh their Strategic Plan and By-Laws. He recently began pursuing a Masters of Precision Health through the University of Calgary with a focus on Health Professions Education Leadership and an ultimate goal of integrating this emerging study of medicine with an emerging medical profession.

Research Director

1 seat, 2 candidates

  • RESEARCH DIRECTOR

    Overview: The Research Director chairs the PARSEC Research Committee's efforts to foster a culture of inquiry and innovation within the PA community, guiding the strategic planning and execution of research initiatives. The director manages all aspects of the committee's operations, including developing and coordinating initiatives such as journal clubs, research workshops, mentorship opportunities, and organizing PARSEC Research Committee meetings. The director actively participates in Board of Directors meetings and collaborates with other committee chairs to ensure efforts are aligned and cohesive.

    Key Tasks and Projects:

    • Coordinate PA Journal Clubs

    • Collaborate with key stakeholders (i.e. CAPA) on joint research initiatives (including, but not limited to, Poster Presentations)

    • Research Workshops

    • Supervise volunteers and committee members as needed for execution of committee objectives and events

    • Curate Resources for PA Research

    • PA Research Mentorship Program and Networking Opportunities

    • Other duties as assigned/directed by the board

  • Running for:
    Research Director

    Conflicts of Interest:
    I'm involved with the CAPA BOD and discussion with various political parties to further the PA profession.

    Why are you interested in joining PARSEC’s BOD?
    My interest in joining the PARSEC's BOD is to bring forward PA. research into mainstream, not only with regards to clinical research, but also in human resources and social sciences. During my studies I have found that we need to use new technology to facilitate data gathering and thus getting our partners and colleagues to participate in research project. PARSEC is a good vehicle to assist PA when developing a research protocol and ensuring adequate scientific rigidity and evidence based. The profession is still progressing in the country, which reinforce the importance of assisting PA's in research development and seeking partners. It is important to recognized research efforts and acknowledge those who dare.
    More about Guillaume:
    I served 28 years in the Canadian armed forces, seven of those as a PA. I was involved in a number of deployments, Agreement Canada survey in charge of the clinic preparation and survey process. I was also assuming primary care clinical and administration director. Following my retirement, I worked has a orthopedic PA and a consultant in workplace healthcare and safety. I have been for the past four years the alternate director for the Quebec region and now the director of the Quebec region on the board of directors with CAPA. I was involved with the conference planning committee for two years. I'm currently finishing a master of law and policy in health care at Sherbrooke University.

  • Running for:
    Research Director

    Conflicts of Interest:
    None

    Why are you interested in joining PARSEC’s BOD?
    I'm most excited to continue the growth of PARSEC's research branch moving forward. Joining as secretary helped me get my feet wet and learn more about the initiatives and opportunities and now I'd like to step forward to take on a more active role in shaping where the organization heads next, focusing on my personal favourite thing to talk about, PA research!

    More about Katrina:
    Katrina graduated from the McMaster Physician Assistant program in 2018 and began her career in Winnipeg, Manitoba, working in Adult Psychiatry. After three years in the prairies, she returned to her home province of Ontario and now practices in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at CHEO in Ottawa. Katrina currently serves as the PA Practice Lead at CHEO, where she is dedicated to expanding opportunities and enhancing clinical integration for Physician Assistants. She is also actively involved in PA education as a capstone supervisor and clinical preceptor for students from the University of Toronto and McMaster programs. Katrina’s research interests began well before her PA training. As an undergraduate student completing a double major, she was unable to choose between biology and psychology for her thesis project - ultimately deciding to complete a thesis in both subjects. This early commitment to research sparked a passion that led her to work as a clinical research coordinator in psychiatry prior to entering PA school. Throughout her PA career, she has continued to advocate for PA-led research and the advancement of the PA role in academic studies. Katrina has published peer-reviewed articles and has served as a sub-investigator on clinical research trials. Katrina has had the privilege of serving as Secretary for PARSEC, where she helped support several exciting projects, including the virtual PA shadowing initiative. Inspired by the growth of PARSEC, she is running for Research Director to help PAs feel confident engaging in and contributing to research. She is eager to launch the PARSEC Journal Club and - fresh off her CAPA 2025 Most Interesting Case win - hopes to lead a seminar on how to write attention-grabbing case reports that highlight the unique skills PAs bring to patient care.

Education Director

1 seat, 1 candidate

  • EDUCATION DIRECTOR

    Overview: The Education Director chairs the education committee, overseeing all activities related to the curation and creation of education-specific content aimed at prospective and seasoned clinical preceptors and PA educators (preceptorship, engaging students, enhancing clinical reasoning, giving feedback). The director is responsible for ensuring alignment with PARSEC’s educational objectives and facilitating collaboration among committee members. The director actively participates in Board of Directors meetings and collaborates with other committee chairs to ensure efforts are aligned and cohesive.

    Key Tasks and Projects:

    • Chair the PARSEC Education Committee

    • Collaborate with key stakeholders (i.e. CAPA) on joint education initiatives (including, but not limited to, PA Educator Award)

    • Supervise volunteers and committee members as needed for execution of committee objectives and events

    • Curate resources for PA educators and PA clinical preceptors

    • Other duties as assigned/directed by the board

  • Running for:
    Educator Director

    Conflicts of Interest:
    None

    Why are you interested in joining PARSEC’s BOD?
    I would like to see an increase in preceptors as our PA student population increases espcially ensuring that any student who wants one has access to a OBGYN rotation. Furthermore Canadian PAs always need more CME events, particularly since regulation
    More about Erin:
    PA since 2014 in both the US and Canada, preceptor for PA students and faculty at University of Toronto and McMaster PA programs.

CME Events Director

1 seat, 1 candidate

  • CME Event Director

    Overview: CME Event Director is tasked with the coordination of any/all CME Events undertaken by PARSEC, in collaboration with the Education and/or Research Committees as indicated (Virtual Journal Clubs, Virtual Shadowing, Research Workshops etc). The CME Event Director will be directly responsible for coordinating with Accreditation Bodies for eligibility verification of said events and distribution of credits when warranted. Actively participates in Board of Directors meetings and collaborates with other committee chairs to ensure efforts are aligned and cohesive.

    Key Tasks or Projects

    • Coordinate CME Events

    • Supervise volunteers as needed for execution of events

    • Ensure events align with PARSEC’s mission and objectives

    • Issue CPD Certificates

    • Post-Event Feedback

    • Other duties as assigned/directed by the board

  • Running for:
    CME Events Director

    Conflicts of Interest:
    None

    Why are you interested in joining PARSEC’s BOD?
    As a motivated individual who is passionate about creating opportunities for others to succeed, I would be honoured to join the PARSEC Board of Directors as the CME Events Director. I am inspired by the organization's commitment to leadership, collaboration, excellence, curiosity, and integrity, and I intend to actively uphold these values while working alongside like-minded PAs who share a vision for advancing our profession through research and education. I am eager not only to maintain the strong foundation already established within this role, but also to expand it by seeking creative and inclusive ways to engage diverse audiences across the PA community in CME events. My goal is to facilitate bringing PA students and practicing PAs together enabling us to learn from one another and gain meaningful insight into the experiences of our colleagues nationwide, ultimately strengthening networks and fostering connections within our communities across Canada.

    More about Emily:
    In 2022, I completed my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science at the University of Guelph. From there, I worked as a clinical assistant in the Department of Genetics at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, where I found my passion for combining clinical work, research, and education. During my time as a clinical assistant, I strengthened my organizational abilities, improved my skills as an effective communicator, and gained valuable experience recruiting research participants for various studies. I then applied to and was accepted into the McMaster University Class of 2025 PA program. During my two years as a Physician Assistant student, I had the honour of being elected Advocacy and Outreach Representative as a member of the McMaster Physician Assistant Student Association (MPASA). In that role, I organized events and presentations to bring awareness to, and promote the PA profession to pre-PA students across the Greater Toronto Area. As a member of MPASA, I fostered inclusivity and participation among fellow PA students by encouraging and involving others in planning and decision-making processes. Furthermore, I actively supported my fellow MPASA team members by assisting with additional duties when needed to ensure the success of the group as a whole. I have recently started my career as a new-graduate family medicine Physician Assistant (Candidate) in Hamilton, Ontario, and I hope to continue to be involved in academia as I progress throughout my career.

BOD Elections Process

Application Process

1. Complete the PARSEC BOD Application Form. Responses should be concise and clear, as they will appear on the candidate information page.

2. Review by the Nomination Committee. The committee reviews all applications to confirm eligibility and role fit.

3. Candidate Announcement. Eligible candidates are announced to members and posted on the PARSEC website.

Voting Process

All members receive a link to the candidate information page and a secure voting link. Votes are confidential and must be submitted before the deadline.

Conflicts of Interest

Applicants must disclose any potential conflicts such as professional overlap, financial interest, or personal relationships that could influence decision-making. Disclosures are reviewed by the Nomination Committee to determine whether they can be managed.

FAQs

  • Any current PARSEC member in good standing may apply. Candidates must be able to commit fully to the responsibilities of the role, uphold PARSEC’s mission and values, and serve for the full term.

  • All Board of Directors positions listed in this election cycle carry a two-year term, with onboarding provided to support a smooth transition.

  • Board members contribute approximately 4-6 hours per month, which includes meetings, preparation, and committee involvement. Additional time may be needed during major events or active project periods.

  • Your candidate statement, background, and responses to the application form questions will be included on the Candidate Information Page to help members make informed decisions.

  • PARSEC uses an independent, secure third-party voting platform. Members receive a confidential voting link, cast their vote externally, and the third party manages all ballot collection and tabulation. This ensures fairness, transparency, and complete independence from internal influence.

  • Yes. All votes are collected and counted by the third-party provider. Individual voting data is never shared with PARSEC, and results are delivered only after verification is complete.

  • Election results are announced to the membership after the third-party provider completes tabulation and verification. Successful candidates are also notified directly.

  • Conflicts may include professional overlap, financial interests, leadership roles in related organizations, or close personal relationships that may influence decision-making. Applicants should disclose any relevant details in the application form. The Nomination Committee will determine whether disclosed conflicts can be managed.

  • Full position descriptions are available in the 2025/26 PARSEC BOD Application Package, included in Appendix A and Appendix B.

  • For questions or accessibility needs during the application or voting process, email admin@parsec.live