Board of Directors

Dr. Champion graduated from PA school in 1980 in Cleveland, Ohio. He went on to earn a BS degree from the University of the State of New York in 1983. While stationed in Berlin, Germany he earned a Master of Education from Boston University. He returned from Europe in 1987 to attend the Clinical Perfusion training program at Penn State Hershey with a second year of training at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, DC. In 1994, Dr. Champion earned the Master of Medical Science at St. Francis College (now University) in Loretto, PA. His doctoral degree was earned at Nova Southeastern University in 2004 at the Doctor of Health Sciences program in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Additionally, he went on to earn an MBA from the Western Governors University program in 2015. Most recently, Dr. Champion has attended the Master of Science in Surgical Science and Practice program at Oxford University, where his dissertation has been published and he graduated in NOV 2021. Of note, Dr. Champion is the only PA that has been accepted to the Oxford program as it has been designed for only surgeons and he will be the only non-surgeon this program has graduated.

Dr. Champion has a total of 35 years military service, starting as a private and finishing as a colonel. His professional interests are in trauma surgery, cardiac surgery and emergency medicine. He served as a past AAPA Surgical Congress chair, is a Distinguished Fellow of the AAPA as well as a Fellow Member of the APACVS. He has served as president of the AAPA Veterans Caucus, the Society of Army Physician Assistants and a number of committees icluding the Surgical Chair at AAPA HOD. He has authored a number of articles and a book on surgical assisting. Dr. Champion continues to work in surgery and emergency medicine as well as run three corporate entities.

Jill Gore graduated from Gannon University's PA Program in 2004. She has worked in primary care, general pediatrics, adult hematology-oncology and adult bone marrow transplant. Her tenure with the BCPAS BOD has included the positions of Vice President, Interim President, and Secretary. She has been the Newsletter Editor since 2008. She serves on the BCPAS CME Committee. In addition, she has given many presentations at national and regional conferences and review courses and has published multiple articles.

Dr. Tammy Rawls is an Assistant Professor and the Director of Admissions in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies at the School of Health Professions, UT Health San Antonio.She holds a BS in Biology from the University of South Carolina, a BS and a Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and a Doctorate in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Lynchburg.Dr. Rawls is a highly experienced, Air Force-trained physician assistant with 32 years of professional experience—25 years in clinical practice and 8 years in PA education. After serving as both an airman and an officer, she retired from the Air Force in 2000 with the rank of Captain. Following her military career, Dr. Rawls worked in private practice, the University Hospital System, and at UT Medicine's Department of Neurology. Her areas of practice include Family Medicine, Urgent Care, Seizure Clinic, Epilepsy Monitoring, and Stroke Services.Currently, her focus is on teaching in the Physician Assistant Studies program at UT Health. Dr. Rawls is married to retired Chief Master Sergeant Brian Rawls, and together they have a blended family of four.

Dr. Derrick Varner is originally from Chicago and served nearly 30 years in the United States Air Force and has extensive expertise in health sciences, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Aerospace Medicine, academia, medical research and now life science/ biotech industry. Currently Dr. Varner works at ThermoFisher Scientific/ImmunoDiagnostic Division as a Senior Medical Science Liaison. In this role, Dr. Varner educate and communicate effectively with Healthcare Providers on Atopic and Autoimmunity disease states and foster relationships with Key Opinion Leaders and Specialists across the globe.  One of his proudest moments was launching the ThermoFisher Scientific PrestIge Award, which is an $25,000 Research Grant given annually to inspire U.S. Allergy Fellows to conduct research in molecular allergy to improve patient care and add to the body of research knowledge.

Dr. Varner graduated from the Interservice Physician Assistant program accredited through the University of Nebraska College of Medicine with his BS and master’s degree in physician assistant studies.  He also, obtained his PhD from Trident International University.  He currently practices PRN at Laurel Ridge Treatment Hospital providing medical consultation seeing pediatrics to geriatric population.  Also, he practices aesthetic medicine at A’nis Aesthetics MedSpa in Cibolo.

Continuing his servant leadership, Dr. Varner is a Character Coach with Nation of Coaches, assigned to the Texas A&M of San Antonio University inaugural Men's Basketball Team. Also, Now Start Community Foundation, Vice President of a 501(c)3 organization that provides educational, health and mental care resources to underserved communities in San Antonio.