2023 Leadership Team
Meet Our Planning Committee
Our Advisory Board & Conference Lead Team consists of practicing clinicians who have a proven track record of supporting the education of their fellow dermatology professionals. Working with the Conference Lead, the Advisory Board Members are responsible for planning the educational curriculum and recruiting a world-class faculty to lead the instruction.
Matthew Brunner MHS, PA-C, DFAAPA
Founder & Conference Lead | Since 2020
Matthew Brunner received his Master of Health Science degree in PA studies in 2000 from the University of South Alabama. He has practiced as a dermatology PA in metropolitan Atlanta since 2001. Throughout his career, he has had the honor of being selected by his peers to serve in a number of capacities including President of both the SDPA and GDPA, CME Director of Conferences for the SDPA, Conference Director for the GDPA's Dermatology PEARLS Conference, and most recently as a Founding Trustee of the Dermatology PA Foundation.
He was awarded the AAPA Distinguished Fellow (DFAAPA) designation in 2017 by the American Academy of Physician Assistants. His passion remains focused on expanding professional education opportunities for his fellow dermatology peers. He resides in Macon, GA, with his spouse and two dachshunds. In his free time, he enjoys traveling and planning new adventures.
Eileen Cheever, MPAS, PA-C
Founding Advisory Board Member | Since 2020
Eileen Cheever MPAS PA-C received her Masters Degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Seton Hall University. She has been in clinical practice as a dermatology PA since 2008 and currently works at Clearview Dermatology in central Massachusetts.
Outside the office, she enjoys giving back to the profession through education and lectures frequently at dermatology conferences around the country. She also served as SDPA CME Summer Conference Chair from 2015-2020. In her spare time, she enjoys cheering on her favorite Boston sports teams and exploring the outdoors with her husband and their dog, Jasta.
Jennifer Conner, MPAS, PA-C
Founding Advisory Board Member | Since 2020
Jennifer M. Conner, MPAS, PA-C grew up in Indiana and received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Marian University in Indianapolis in 2003. Following her undergraduate education, she attended the U.S. Army Interservice Physician Assistant Program at Fort Sam Houston and earned a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies in 2005 from the University of Nebraska.
She served in the U.S. Army National Guard for 11 years as a medic, Medical Specialist Corps officer, and battalion physician assistant. Jennifer began her career as a PA in dermatology in 2006. Jennifer is a past president of the Society of Dermatology PAs and a founding trustee of the Dermatology PA Foundation.
Douglas DiRuggiero, DMSc, PA-C
Founding Advisory Board Member | Since 2020
Douglas completed his Doctorate degree at Lynchburg University and his Master's degree and PA training at Duke University. After practicing Internal Medicine for 2.5 years, he specialized in dermatology 22 years ago. He enjoys medical and surgical dermatology, clinical research, publishing, and mentoring. Douglas is a nationally-recognized medical lecturer and a passionate dermatology teacher who has received a National Clinical Science Award for published research, Clinical Preceptor of the Year by PA, NP, and medical residency programs, Georgia Humanitarian PA of the year, Presidential Volunteer Service Lifetime Achievement Award, and most recently, the National Dermatology PA of the Year by the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants (SDPA).
Douglas' leadership involves being the past President of both the Georgia and New York Derm PA societies, founding board member of the Derm PA Foundation (DPAF) and served as the only PA on the Dermatology Hall of Fame executive board. His wife and three children are his most prized possessions.
Keri Holyoak, MPH, MSHS, PA-C
Founding Advisory Board Member | Since 2020
Keri Holyoak received a joint Master of Public Health/Master of Science in Health Sciences from George Washington University. She has practiced as a dermatology Physician Assistant since 2005. She is a past president of the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants (SDPA), the Utah Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants (USDPA), an adjunct clinical instructor at the University of Utah Physician Assistant Program, and founding trustee of the Dermatology PA Foundation. She served on a content development workgroup with the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) creating educational activities on AAD’s online learning center. She’s overseen conference education planning for dermatology PAs since 2012 and including serving as the CME Director of Conferences for the SDPA until 2020.
Vicki Roberts, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA
Founding Advisory Board Member | Since 2020
Vicki Roberts graduated from the University of Florida in 1999 with a Masters in Physician Assistant Studies. Since then, she has been working as a dermatology PA at Palmetto Dermatology in West Columbia, SC where her clinical focus is general dermatology and surgery. Ms. Roberts is a published author and has been frequently asked to speak at various dermatology conferences. She has been an adjunct instructor at the USC School of Medicine PA program since 2016. In this role, she has taught clinical dermatology and dermatology procedures to the PA students and is involved with interviewing prospective students for the program each year. Vicki is a Founding Board of Trustee for the Dermatology PA Foundation (DPAF). She has also volunteered her time in various positions including serving as president of her state dermatology PA society (SCSDPA) from 2010-2011. Starting in 2011, she served on the board of directors for the Society of Dermatology PAs (SDPA) as Director at Large from 2011-2013 and president from 2014-2015.
Veronica Richardson, ANP-BC, DCNP
Advisory Board Member | Since 2022
Veronica Richardson is a dermatology certified nurse practitioner who currently practices in the Department of Medical Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. She obtained both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Her NP career began on a fast-paced inpatient hospitalist medicine service, where she gained invaluable experience caring and managing acutely ill. Since 2011, Veronica has been caring for patients with a wide variety of dermatologic conditions from simple to the complex. She has a special interest in caring for patients with Psoriasis as well as a passion for educating Advanced Practice Providers and students about Dermatology. In 2017 she combined her interests in education and Psoriasis and was invited to sit on the medical advisory board of the National Psoriasis Foundation, where she is the Chairperson of the Advanced Practice Providers Psoriasis Education Program. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her husband Liam, spoiling her two dogs, snowboarding, and traveling.
Victoria Garcia-Albea, NP
Advisory Board Member | Since 2023
Victoria Garcia-Albea is a pediatric nurse practitioner working at Lahey Clinic Dermatology in Burlington, MA. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with her BSN in 2003 and her MSN in 2006. She then completed the Lahey Clinic Dermatology Nurse Practitioner Fellowship Program in 2007. She worked at Lahey Dermatology from 2007 until 2011. She then worked at Mystic Valley Dermatology in Stoneham, MA from 2011 until 2019. In 2019 she returned to Lahey Clinic to take over as director of the Lahey Clinic Dermatology NP Fellowship Program. She is Assistant Director of the Lahey Dermatology Hair Loss Center for Excellence, and is the lead NP for the Lahey Clinic Hansen's Disease Program. She serves as the Continuing Education Chair for the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) Dermatology Special Interest Group. She has published many book chapters and scholarly articles, lectures at local colleges and universities, and has spoken at numerous conferences and review courses. She has been married to the love of her life since 2008 and has 2 school-age boys. She enjoys her work immensely, but outside of work you can find her running, biking, hiking and snowboarding.
Lisa Weiss, MMSc, PA-C
Advisory Board Member | Since 2023
Lisa Weiss received her Masters Degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Emory University. She has been in clinical practice in Dermatology since 2014, and currently works for Dermatology and Skin Surgery Center in the metro Atlanta area. Lisa enjoys both medical and cosmetic dermatology and loves seeing patients of all ages.
Outside the office, Lisa is integrally involved in the Georgia Dermatology Physician Assistants, having just completed her term as President of the organization. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her husband, all things Peloton, and being a mom to her two children.
Jenny Laminack, MPA, PA-C
Content Reviewer | Planning Committee | Since 2021
Jenny is a native of Stapleton, Georgia. She graduated with honors from Jefferson County High School in 2006 and obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Biology from Georgia Southern University in 2010. During her time as an undergraduate student at Georgia Southern, Jenny was one of the founding members of the Hearts and Hands Clinic, a non-profit clinic in Statesboro, Georgia that serves uninsured patients in Bulloch County. She continued to volunteer there for several years while obtaining her Master's Degree in Biology. She was also a Molecular Biology Initiative fellow in a National Science Foundation grant designed to help rural teachers by utilizing graduate students to teach Molecular Science through interactive labs.
After graduation with her Master's Degree in Biology in 2013, Jenny went on to earn her Masters of Physician Assistant degree from Georgia Regents University (formerly Medical College of Georgia). As a PA student, Jenny received the prestigious Beard Award for Excellence in patient care and excelled in her academic and clinic training at Georgia Regents University.
Vanessa Winokur, MMS, PA-C
Content Reviewer | Planning Committee | Since 2021
Vanessa grew up living in both the United State and South America and is fluent in Spanish. She attended Emory University where she completed her Master of Medical Science Degree in the Physician Assistant Program. Vanessa spent her first year in clinical practice as a Pediatric Physician Assistant. She enjoys taking care of patients of all ages. Vanessa has practiced in Dermatology since 2002. She is an active parent and member of numerous professional organizations.