Shari Combe, MPAS, PA-C

Ms Combe earned her physician assistant degree from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She initially practiced in pediatric neurology but has transitioned to practicing in neurology with a focus on epilepsy. Ms Combe is board certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Ms Combe is currently a physician assistant at the University of Utah Physician Assistant Program and Intermountain Medical Center Neuroscience Institute in Salt Lake City. She is a past recipient of the Don Pedersen Leadership Award from the Utah Academy of Physician Assistants.

Sarah Demko, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC

Ms Demko is a nurse practitioner working pro re nata in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. She was previously a nurse practitioner in the Department of Neurology at MetroHealth Medical Center and a nurse practitioner in the emergency room at UH Cleveland Medical Center.

Ms Demko earned her master’s degree from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, and is currently earning her psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner certification from Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, Ohio.

Ms Demko is board certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and is licensed to practice in Ohio, Texas, and Washington. She is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society. In 2020, Ms Demko launched a Botox* clinic for migraine patients that is operated solely by advanced practice registered nurses.

Lucretia Long APRN-CNP, FAES

Lucretia Long received her BSN, MS, and Nurse Practitioner Certification from The Ohio State University and is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Duke University. She is also a Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

While her primary focus is outpatient care, she is a clinical researcher, serves on a variety of national committees, and is a member the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society. Lucretia has a passion for advanced practice provider [APP) mentorship and is the Lead Outpatient APP at The Ohio State University, and a Fellow of the American Epilepsy Society.

Her clinical interests include epilepsy patient education, seizure action plans, SUDEP awareness, and women’s issues in epilepsy. She is well published and serves as a reviewer for peer-reviewed nursing and medical journals. Lucretia is a board member of the national Epilepsy Alliance America and serves as faculty for the Penry Epilepsy Fellowship Program. Lucretia recently received the Women in Medicine and Science Award and is an active member on the taskforce to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with epilepsy.

Elizabeth Koontz, BSN, MSN, NP-C

Ms Elizabeth Koontz has been at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) since 2001 in several different positions. After graduating with a BS in Psychology from the University of South Carolina, she became a laboratory assistant in the infant research laboratory there. She then went through MUSC’s BSN/MSN program and worked as a therapy assistant at the Institute of Psychiatry while obtaining her degree. After completing her BSN, she worked as a Registered Nurse on the orthopedic trauma floor until graduating and moving into her current position as a Family Nurse Practitioner with MUSC’s Level 4 Comprehensive Epilepsy. She evaluates and manages the healthcare needs of pediatric and adult patients with epilepsy. She helps to evaluate patients to determine the best treatment options, including anti-seizure medications, epilepsy surgery, dietary therapy, and responsive neurostimulation (RNS)/vagus nerve stimulation (VNS).

Ms Koontz’ clinical interests include working with women with epilepsy. Many women are unsure if they can have a pregnancy due to their seizures. With the right planning ahead of time and close follow-up, most women with epilepsy can have a normal pregnancy, labor, and delivery. She also has an interest in helping patients diagnosed with nonepileptic events and helping to ensure they receive the appropriate follow-up treatment. She is a member of the American Epilepsy Society and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Kelli Rice, FNP-BC

Kelli Rice is a nurse practitioner for Ascension Medical Group’s Via Christi Epilepsy Center in Wichita, Kansas, where she has been employed since 2016. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas, then her Master of Science in Nursing at Kansas University Medical Center. As a nurse, she concentrated the majority of her career in various emergency departments. While finishing up graduate school, she considered where she wanted to practice as an APRN. Her father had a seizure disorder that ultimately led to his death in 1991, when Kelli was only 8 years old. Because of her childhood, epilepsy had always been an interest to her, and upon graduation, the timing was right. An open position at the Wichita, Kansas Epilepsy Center was advertised and the rest is history.

Jessica Bishop, MPAS, PA-C

Jessica Bishop is a physician assistant who treats patients and is a sub-investigator in clinical research trials for epilepsy at Idaho
Comprehensive Epilepsy Center in Boise, Idaho. She completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology at Colorado State University and a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies at Idaho State University. She treats with empathy and compassion to advance the lives of those who suffer from seizures. “The right diagnosis and care plan can change the life of a person living with epilepsy.”