We are a month away from Day on the Hill!

Please make plans now to spend the morning of January 31st at the Utah State Capitol with us.

Breakfast starts at 8:00 am and the program will end at 10:00 and then we will be visiting legislators.

We are excited to announce our speakers for the Day on the Hill:

 

Keynote Speaker: Utah's Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson

As lieutenant governor, she is Utah’s chief election officer and serves as secretary of state. Lt. Gov. Henderson has dedicated her time in office to removing barriers to success for all Utahns, ensuring that elections are well run, and bolstering the state’s relationship with Native American tribes. In politics, Lt. Gov. Henderson stands by the wisdom of the U.S. Constitution, free markets, fiscal conservatism, federalism, and the blessings of freedom and liberty. 

A mother of five adult children, Lt. Gov. Henderson spent her 20s working, wiping her children’s noses and bottoms, and helping put her husband, Gabe, through school. She dropped out of college during her first year at BYU to raise a family in Spanish Fork.

Before Utahns elected Lt. Gov. Henderson as the second-highest official in the Beehive State, she served eight years in the Utah Senate representing south Utah County. As a senator, Sen. Henderson built a reputation as a strong conservative and champion of women and families.

A consensus seeker, Lt. Gov. Henderson assembles every point of view to find solutions. She is a staunch advocate for expanding opportunities for all Utahns. 

While in office, Lt. Gov. Henderson created Return Utah, a first-in-the-nation state program for Utahns who have been out of the workforce for an extended period. Return Utah helps people gain relevant experience as they re-enter the workforce.

Lt. Gov. Henderson works closely with Utah’s eight federally recognized Native American tribes on infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economic development issues. For example, Lt. Gov. Henderson’s work with leaders from the Navajo Nation, state government, San Juan County, and Blanding City helped secure a deal to bring running water to the Diné community of Westwater.

Lt. Gov. Henderson has a passion for history and stands on the shoulders of Utah’s many history-making women like Seraph Young Ford, Martha Hughes Cannon, Becky Lockhart, Alberta Henry, and so many more.

While serving as lieutenant governor, she returned to college and earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Brigham Young University. Lt. Gov. Henderson loves theater, history, and rural Utah. She hopes to improve how Utah responds to domestic violence.

Lt. Gov. Henderson and her husband Gabe reside in Spanish Fork and spend as much time as possible with their children, three sons-in-law, and two adorable grandsons.

Viet Le, MPAS PA-C, Intermountain Healthcare 

Mr. Le joined Intermountain Heart Institute Cardiovascular Research in 2012. He devotes a portion of his time to seeing patients in clinic and the rest of his time to research projects.

Mr. Le’s research interests are wide and varied. He particularly enjoys the study of mobile health technologies and interventions. He has also studied the efficacy of over-the-counter supplements and substances such as Omega 3 and Vitamin D, as well as the familiarity of genetic diseases.

Mr. Le currently serves as a co-investigator on Intermountain's INSPIRE registry. The purpose of this prospective registry is to collect biological samples, clinical information, and laboratory data from patients diagnosed with any healthcare-related conditions who are seen at facilities affiliated with Intermountain Healthcare. The INSPIRE registry is then used to investigate a wide range of research questions.

Viet most recently received the distinction of APP Researcher of the Year for Intermountain Health, 2022, as well as Top PA, CardiologyPoint of Care Network, POCN. 2022.

Timothy McCreary, DMSc, MMS, PA-C, CAQ-PSY, United State Public Health Services

Dr. McCreary began his medical journey as a US Army medic in 1999 and now serves as a Commander with the United States Public Health Service where he is stationed in North Eastern Utah. He provides ambulatory psychiatric care for thousands of Native Americans living in Utah and dedicated leadership and advocacy for the PA profession in the state of Utah and across the country.

Over the past decade he has served in a number of significant roles in the PA profession, he is a past president of the Public Health Service Academy of Physician Assistants (PHSAPA), and Utah Academy of Physician Assistants (UAPA).

As President of the UAPA he spearheaded a radical modernization of the Utah PA practice act (allowing direct billing for PAs, granting PA responsibility for the care they provide, the ability of experienced PAs to practice independently) and the Utah Mental health practice act (introducing PAs into the act for the first time, and establishing qualifications for PA independent practice as mental healthcare providers). He is a dedicated PA educator serving as a clinical instructor for dozens of PAs over many years and presently works as an adjunct clinical faculty member for PA training from five different states.

Over his career, he has presented and written on a variety of topics in mental health, public health, and primary care. He believes in the capacity of PAs to provide expert mental health services as integrated behavioral health specialists in primary care, as well as mental health providers on in-patient psychiatric medicine teams. He developed the world's first DSMc psychiatry track at Rocky Mountain University in 2019 and continues to serve as the Psychiatry track director where he has contributed to and advised curricular content for all 5 new doctoral courses, engaged instructors, leads, and supports a multi-disciplinary faculty. 

Please come.  We need your voice. 

#PAsGoBeyond #advocacy