Awards
NAPA’s PA of the Year Award Criteria
- Awarded annually
- Must be a NAPA member
- Engaged in active practice- clinical, educational, research
- Based on medical contributions to the community and promotion of the PA profession
- Nominations from NAPA members and general public
Nominate a PA of the Year here!
“Juli is a kind and caring PA who goes above and beyond to help everyone around her. She is a great patient advocate and does what’s best for her patients in every situation.”
| Year | PA of the Year | Location |
| 2024 | Juli Habegger, PA-C | Pawnee, Pawnee County Memorial Hospital |
| 2023 | Wayne Mathews, PA-C | Omaha, UNMC PA Program, Assoc. Professor, Emergency Medicine |
| 2022 | Mark Aksamit, PA-C | Omaha, Nebraska Medicine Psyciatry |
| 2021 | Bridget Burke, PA-C | Omaha, Children’s Hospital Pediatric Orthopedics |
| 2020 | none awarded, Conference cancelled due to COVID pandemic | |
| 2019 | Peg Streubing PA-C | Omaha, Children’s Hospital Pediatric Endocrinology |
| 2018 | Lonnie Grant, PA-C | Alliance, Alliance Familiy Medicine |
| 2017 | Charles ‘Chuck’ Christie, PA-C | Holdrege, NE Family Practice |
| 2016 | Aaron Salomon, PA-C | Gothenburg, NE Family Practice |
| 2015 | David Arthur, PA-C | North Platte, NE Family Practice |
| 2014 | Bonnie Shearer, PA-C NAPA Lifetime Achievement Award |
Omaha, NE Pediatrics |
| 2013 | 16 Nebraska PAs with history of military service & deployment were recognized. MAJ Greg Loyd, 63rd Regional Support Command, Afghanistan, 2003 LTC Charles Blankman, 110th Medical Battalion, Iraq, 2003, then National Army Embedded Training Team, Afghanistan, 2007 MAJ Brian Corwin, 168th Infantry Battalion, Afghanistan, 2004 MAJ John Calabro, 1-167th Cavalry Squadron, Iraq, 2005 MAJ Andrew Loehr, 206th Area Support Medical Company, Iraq, 2006 COL Dan Danaher, 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Afghanistan, 2008 CPT Thomas Homan, 330 MP Battalion, Iraq, 2008 MAJ Dennis Rieke, Task Force 38 and 449, Iraq, 2009 CPT Thomas Weis, 844th Engineer Battalion, Iraq, 2009 CPT Amanda Young, 67th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Iraq, 2010 MAJ John Beckenhauer, 402nd Military Police Battalion, Afghanistan, 2010 MAJ Brett Scholting, 195th SpecialOperations Forward Support Company, Afghanistan, 2010 LTC Peter Hunt, 1-134th Cavalry Squadron, Afghanistan, 2010 LTC Darin Mongeon, 376th Aviation Battalion, Kosovo, 2011 CPT John Ayers, 195th Special Operations Forward Support Company, Afghanistan, 2011 MAJ James Allen, 1-134th Cavalry Squadron, Afghanistan, 2011 |
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| 2012 | ||
| 2011 | John Ries, PA-C | Omaha, NE |
| 2010 | Thomas Patrick Schmidt, PA-C | |
| 2009 | Brent Madsen, PA-C | Hebron, NE |
| 2008 | Steve Watson, PA-C | Genoa, NE |
| 2007 | Cheryl Lindly, PA-C | Omaha, NE |
| 2006 | Jeff Brietkreutz PA-C | Ord, NE Family Practice |
| 2005 | Mark Christiansen, PA-C | Omaha, NE Family Practice/ UNMC PA Faculty |
| 2004 | Lynn Kocian, PA-C | Gretna, NE |
| 2003 | Mike Weis, PA-C | Omaha, NE |
| 2002 | Chuck Scholtes, PA-C | Lincoln, NE |
| 2001 | Jacquie Brugman, PA-C | Albion, NE |
| 2000 | Barry Tiegan PA-C | Pierce, NE |
| 1999 | Paul Shellabarger, PA-C | Cambridge, NE |
| 1998 | Michelle DiBiase, PA-C | Omaha, NE |
| 1997 | Gayle Perkins PA-C | Kimball, NE |
| 1996 | James Jordan, PA-C | Blair, NE |
| 1995 | Gary West, PA-C | Wayne, NE |
| 1994 | Paul Shellabarger, PA-C | Cambridge, NE |
| 1993 | Darwin Brown, PA-C | Omaha, NE |
| 1992 | Lance Steirs, PA-C | Scottsbluff, NE |
| 1991 | ||
| 1990 | ||
| 1989 | (PA of the Year advertised in March 1989 Newsletter…. no other newsletters from this until May 1991) | |
| 1988 | March 1988 First issue of Nebraska PA Newsletter | |
NAPA’s Physician of the Year Award Criteria
- Awarded annually
- Engaged in active practice
- Must employ PA
“Dr. O’Hare is a well-known and well-loved surgeon in our rural Nebraska area. He is an outstanding provider who will always go above and beyond for his patients. Because of his incredible skills, honesty, integrity, and impeccable bedside manner, he is a role model to many other providers and his patients love him.”
| Year | Physician of the Year | Location |
| 2024 | Dr. Brady O’Hare, MD | Kearney, CHI Good Samaritan Hospital |
| 2023 | Dr. Thomas Connely, MD | Kearney, ENT Physicians |
| 2022 | Dr. David Cantral, MD | Kearney, Platte Valley Medical Pulmonology & Critical Care |
| 2021 | Dr. Brent Hood, DO | Hastings, Mary Lanning Hospital Orthopedics |
| 2020 | ||
| 2019 | Dr. Richard Klug | McCook, McCook Clinic Family Practice |
| 2018 | Dr. Dennis Bozarth, MD | Lincoln, NE Orthopedics |
| 2017 | Dr. Rodney Johnson & Dr. Jeffery Lee |
Kearney, NE Radiology |
| 2016 | Dr. William Gossman, MD | Omaha, NE Emergency Medicine |
| 2015 | Dr. Benjamin Gelber | Lincoln, NE Neurosurgery |
| 2014 | Dr. Shiuvaun Jaeger | Cambridge, NE OB/GYN |
| 2013 | ||
| 2012 | Dr. James Somers NAPA Lifetime Achievement Award |
UNMC PA Program Director |
| 2011 | Dr. Michele Mulligan Witt | Valentine, NE Family Practice |
| 2010 | Dr. Leslie Hellbusch | Omaha, NE Neurosurgery |
| 2009 | Dr. Richard Cimpl | Columbus, NE Orthopedics |
| 2008 | Dr. Michael Longley | Omaha, NE Spine Surgery |
| 2007 | Dr. Stanislaw George Sojka | Omaha, NE Cardiology |
| 2006 | Dr. David Holeting | Pender, NE Family Practice |
| 2005 | Dr. James Smith | North Platte, NE Emergency Medicine |
| 2004 | Dr. Richard Fruehling | Grand Island, NE |
| 2003 | Dr. Richard Jackson | Pawnee City, NE |
| 2002 | Dr. Richard Fitch | O’Neill, NE |
| 2001 | Dr. Ronald Sheppard, MD | Callaway, NE |
NAPA President Melissa Soester presented a gift, which was an engraved gavel, to NAPA Past President Shaun Horak in recognition and appreciation for his service to the NAPA Board and profession.
| Year | NAPA President |
| 2024 | Melissa Soester, PA-C |
| 2023 | Shaun Horak, PA-C |
| 2022 | Angela Hill, PA-C |
| 2021 | Allison Bauer, PA-C |
| 2020 | Jessica Kapple, PA-C |
| 2019 | Kurt Schmeckpeper, PA-C |
| 2018 | Nicole Buettner, PA-C |
| 2017 | Bridget Burke, PA-C |
| 2016 | Brittney Bauer, PA-C |
| 2015 | Chelsie Doane, PA-C |
| 2014 | Sandra Lloyd, PA-C |
| 2013 | Dara Schroeder, PA-C |
| 2012 | Jodi (Chewakin) Haan, PA-C |
| 2011 | Patty Scholting, PA-C |
| 2010 | Mia Hyde, PA-C |
| 2009 | Jon Monk, PA-C |
| 2008 | Kathleen Tonkin, PA-C |
| 2007 | Karen Schrader, PA-C |
| 2006 | Michelle Christensen, PA-C |
| 2005 | Karen Schrader, PA-C |
| 2004 | Curtis Royer, PA-C |
| 2003 | Tom Grothe, PA-C |
| 2002 | Dale Miller, PA-C |
| 2001 | Michelle DiBaise, PA-C |
| 2000 | Charles (Chuck) Scholtes, PA-C |
| 1999 | Debra Graesser, PA-C |
| 1998 | Roger Wells, PA-C |
| 1997 | Charles (Chuck) Scholtes, PA-C |
| 1996 | Michael Grutsch, PA-C |
| 1995 | Darwin Brown, PA-C |
| 1994 | Roger Wells, PA-C |
| 1993 | Janet Fletcher, PA-C |
| 1992 | Paul Shellabarger, PA-C |
| 1991 | Larry Kisby, PA-C |
| 1990 | Joseph Jeter PA-C |
| 1989 | Joseph Jeter PA-C |
| 1988 | Joseph Jeter PA-C |
| 1987 | John Ries, PA-C |
| 1986 | Joe Scott, PA-C |
| 1985 | Bryce Exstrom, PA-C |
| 1984 | Bonnie Shearer, PA-C |
| 1983 | Kurt Koch, PA-C |
| 1982 | Kurt Koch, PA-C |
| 1981 | Michael Grutsch, PA-C |
| 1980 | Lynn Caton, PA-C |
| 1979 | Robert Witt, PA-C |
| 1978 | Timothy Frary, PA-C |
| 1977 | Michael Grutsch, PA-C |
| 1976 | Michael Grutsch, PA-C |
| 1975 | Michael Grutsch, PA-C |
| Year | NAPA Service Awards |
| 2024 | Nicole Buettner, PA-C, Angela Hill, PA-C, Zulkoski-Weber (Lobbyist Firm) |
| 2023 | |
| 2022 | Sheri Johnson PA-C, Echo Kopplin PA-C |
| 2021 | Andy Licht, Capital Management; Risa Zimmerman PA-C, Sara Rygol PA-C, and Bethany Berg PA-C of the NAPA CME Committee |
| 2019 | Kathleen Tonkin PA-C, Bridget Burke PA-C, NAPA Legacy Award- Ann Davis of AAPA, |
| 2018 | Chuck Scholtes, PA-C, Roger Wells PA-C, Jessica Kapple, PA-C |
| 2017 | Angela Hill PA-C, Kurt Schmeckpeper, PA-C, Dara Schroeder, PA-C |
| 2015 | Special recoginition to the first graduating PA class from 1975 and Dr. Thomas Gallagher UNMC PA Program Director in 1975 NAPA Service Award to Russ Coash |
| 2012 | Peg Gullikson; conference planner/Omni Travel |
| 2008 | Karen Schrader PA-C, Jodi Chewakin PA-C, Roger Wells PA-C, Ami Jones PA-C, and Alan Brokenicky PA-C |
| 2005 | Dr. LeeRoy Meyer, UNMC Internal Medicine |
| 2004 | Kathy (Decker)Tonkin PA-C, Karen Schrader PA-C |
| 2003 | Dr Joseph Scott, Bob Reilly PA-C, Wike Westerbuhr PA-C, Deb Vokal PA-C |
| 2002 | Tom Grothe PA-C, Ann Burks PA-C, Kim Killiard PA-C, Peter Hunt PA-C |
| 2001 | Karen Schrader PA-C |
| 2000 | Deb Vokal PA-C, Tom Grothe PA-C |
| 1999 | Jacquie Brugman PA-C, Roger Wells PA-C |
| NAPA receives AAPA Constituent Organization Award of Excellence (formerly Chapter Excellence Award); 1st place Public Education Award | |
| 1997 | Chuck Scholtes PA-C, |
| NAPA receives AAPA Chapter Excellence Award; 2nd place Public Eduation Award | |
| 1996 | Carol Packard PA-C, Suzanne Eulberg |
| 1995 | Bonnie Shearer PA-C |
| NAPA receives AAPA Chapter Excellence Award; 2nd place Public Eduation Award | |
| 1994 | Linda Bastain PA-C, Mike Jensen/Pfizer Laboratories |
| NAPA receives AAPA Chapter Excellence Award | |
| 1993 | Janet Fletcher PA-C, Stan Schied PA-C, State Senator Don Wesely |
| 1992 | Michelle DiBaise PA-C, Jerry Taylor PA-C |
| Merritus Award- Jesse Edwards | |
| 1991 | John Ries PA-C, Roger Wells PA-C |
| 1990 | |
| 1989 | |
| 1988 | Bonnie Shearer PA-C |