Advocates for the POMA

Who We Are

APOMA

The Advocates are diverse in membership and tied together with the purpose of promoting osteopathic medicine to the public and strengthening the osteopathic family. We reach out to physicians (active and retired), spouses/significant others, widows, family members, friends and supporters of osteopathic medicine to support and promote the osteopathic profession, learn about issues facing the osteopath in your life and build a network of people sharing similar concerns and life experiences.

Contact APOMA

Mail: APOMA, 1330 Eisenhower Boulevard, Harrisburg, PA 17111-2395
Email: [email protected]

Follow APOMA on Facebook!

Click here to become a member of APOMA for as little at $25!

2022-2024 Officers

President: Kristina Eisenhardt
Vice President: Sally Ann Rex, DO, MPH, FACOFP
Secretary: 
Treasurer: Caryn Helhowski
Director: Lorna Tabby
Director: Elizabeth Swallow
Immediate Past President: Lori Hildebrand

March 11, 2024

APOMA invites anyone interested in promoting the osteopathic profession to join us at an open meeting on May 3, 2024, during the POMA Clinical Assembly and Scientific Seminar in Kalahari. During the open meeting APOMA will be electing the Board of Directors.

The positions to be filled for the 2024-2026 APOMA Board of Directors are:
President
President-Elect/Vice President
Recording Secretary
Treasurer
Director
Director
Immediate Past President will be filled by the current President, Kristina Eisenhardt.

You may click here to fill out an application. Applications are due by April 1, 2024. Email completed application to a[email protected].

Any questions, please contact Kristina at a[email protected]. Thank you!

August 17, 2023

APOMA just returned from POFPS's educational event in Hershey August 4-5.  We had a 50/50 Raffle and a raffle for 1 free night at Kalahari next year, to support the scholarship fund.  We raised about $400.  We also had our first hidden yellow rubber ducks contest.  If you found one, you received a Hershey Chocolate Bar and a 1-year membership to APOMA.  Thank you to the POFPS board for inviting us. 

That Saturday, we gave out the next group of scholarships. This year's winners are: Khin Oo, OMSI, LECOM - Student Government President, Cassandra E. Holub, OMSI, LECOM - SOMA President, Daniela Garzon-Aljure, OMSI, LECOM @ Seton Hill– Student Government President, Kyle Hamilton, OMSI, LECOM @ Seton Hill – SOMA President,David A. Peters, OMSI, PCOM - Student Government President, and Jeremiah Kinsey, OMSI, PCOM - SOMA President. These 6 young Osteopathic leaders will receive their scholarships and a 1 year membership to APOMA. Congratulations!

Thank you to everyone who donated to the scholarship fund!  We are now accepting donations for the next year, if you are interested in donating, please contact us at [email protected]. Also, if you are interested in becoming a member, please email us. The cost is $25/yr and you get to support the Osteopathic Community. 

July 27, 2023

We are looking forward to attending the POFPS's educational event in Hershey August 4-6.  Please join us there.  We will have a 50/50 Raffle and a raffle for 1 free night at Kalahari next year, to support the scholarship fund.  Each ticket will be $10.00.  Please be on the look out for hidden yellow rubber ducks.  If you find one, please bring it to the APOMA table to claim your prize.

Saturday, August 5, at 2:30pm, we will be giving out the next group of scholarships.  This year's winners are:

Khin Oo, OMSII, LECOM - Student Government President
Cassandra E. Holub, OMSII, LECOM - SOMA President
Daniela Garzon-Aljure, OMSII, LECOM @ Seton Hill– Student Government President
Kyle Hamilton, OMSII, LECOM @ Seton Hill – SOMA President
David A. Peters, OMSII, PCOM - Student Government President
Jeremiah Kinsey, OMSII, PCOM - SOMA President

These 6 young Osteopathic leaders will receive their scholarships and a 1 year membership to APOMA.  

May 16, 2023

What a fun and successful weekend we had at Kalahari!  We would like to thank Districts 3,4,5,7,8,9,11,14, Dr. Silvia Ferretti, Dr. Christina Rohanna, Dr. Richard Purse, Dr. Darlene Dunay, and Caryn Tabby for the basket donations.  They were fabulous!  APOMA would also like to thank everyone who stopped by our tables at Kalahari.  Your donations and ticket sales enabled us to raise about $2,700 for student scholarships!  It was great to meet new people, see old friends and grow our membership.  We also had a successful family fun event of mini-golf, we look to do this again next year but also at Hershey in August.  We are working hard on what we will be doing in Hershey, but what ever it is, we look forward to seeing y’all!  Congratulations to Dr. John Kalata on becoming the next POMA President!  We had a great night celebrating with you and look forward to working with you this year! 

 

Krissy Eisenhardt
President 2022-2024 
APOMA 
770-910-5711

 

Calling all districts to join the APOMA basket contest and silent auction At Kalahari. Baskets will earn POMA District Competition Points. Please put together a basket that represents your district, if possible, so that APOMA can auction it off. All proceeds from the baskets will go to the scholarship fund. Should you have questions, please contact Krissy Eisenhardt, APOMA President, at [email protected]. We look forward to seeing y’all at this new exciting location. 

We are looking for more members to join us from POMA members and their families, staff and friends. This is really easy to join. All you have to do is check the advocates box on your membership dues. The cost of membership is $25 per person and you can also sign up a spouse or some other supporter.


Past Events

OMED22

APOMA Board Members just returned from OMED in Boston, MA.  What an exciting time we all had!  The Advocates for the AOA had the House of Delegates meeting and APOMA was very well represented.  This is the annual meeting for all delegates where business is discussed and officers are elected.  APOMA is proud to have three members on the AAOA board: Lori Hildebrand, current APOMA Past President, was elected President and Krissy Eisenhardt, current APOMA President, was elected Vice President and Caryn Tabby, current APOMA Treasurer, was appointed IRAA Liaison.  We couldn’t be more proud of you!
 

APOMA also was presented a special projects award to help with scholarships and increase membership.  We are so excited to be able to help more students and the osteopathic community.  At the SAA/IRAA event Sunday, Lorna Tabby, current APOMA Director and previous APOMA President, was on a panel talking to student spouses and significant others about her experience as a Dr.’s wife and how she didn’t lose her identity.  What interesting stories she has! 

APOMA just put out their first newsletter to its members.  It tells their members all about the exciting things they are up to and how to support us.  An easy way to do that is to check the box on your membership bill.  Membership isn’t just for spouses it is also for doctors, nurses, office staff, family members, friends, and anyone else in the community who supports osteopathic medicine. Membership dues plus our tables at the Clinical Assembly and Hershey are how we are able to give scholarships to the students at PCOM and LECOM. We have given out 6 scholarships this past year and are looking to give out 10 this year.

We appreciate all the support POMA gives us!  We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving with their families and friends.

August 5-7, 2022
We had a successful weekend in Hershey at the POFPSDOs Conference!  We had a great silent auction where we raised almost $1200 for scholarships for students!  Thank you to Lorna Tabby for her generous donations and to Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association District 4 and District 8 for their baskets!!  We also want to thank Dr. Jessica Masser, D.O. For her support, leadership, and invitation to the conference!  What a great President she was of POFPSDOs!!  We also want to Congratulate Dr. Bidey for becoming the next President of POFPSDOs!

Here are some pictures of our board members, Kristina Eisenhardt, Lori Hildebrand and Caryn Tabby Helhowski in action from the weekend.

April 29, 2022



APOMA would like to thank everyone who stopped by our table in Valley Forge!  You helped us raise over $600, with donations from the cake pops, for our scholarship fund!!  At our annual meeting, we gave out 6 scholarships totaling $3,000 to the following people: 

Sejal Lakhani, OMSII – LECOM SGA President, Rebecca Wolff, OMSII – LECOM – SOMA President, Vartan Matossian, OMSII – LECOM Seton Hill SGA President, Lily Roth, OMSII – LECOM Seton Hill SOMA President, Sonya Levine, OMSII – PCOM SGA President, and Catherine Wastella, OMSII – PCOM SOMA President.  

Also at that meeting, we elected our new officers for 2022-2024.  They are: President: Krissy Eisenhardt, Vice President: Sally Ann Rex DO, MPH, FACOFP, Treasurer: Caryn Tabby, Secretary: Linda Schecter, Immediate Past President: Lori Hildebrand, and Director: Lorna Tabby.  We would like to thank Dr Joe Zawisza, Dr. Lisa Whitherite-Reig, Dr. John Kalata, and Dr. Jessica Masser for attending our meeting.  We appreciate your support and look forward to continue working with y’all!  

We ended the weekend celebrating Dr. Lisa Whitherite-Reig becoming POMA’s President.  Congratulations!!

APOMA looks forward to seeing y’all in Hershey.  We will be having a table there and will be doing the silent auction and selling more cake pops to help us with the scholarships!

October 2021


In October the APOMA members attended the annual AAOA HOD meeting virtually, at which time  APOMA Treasurer Caryn Tabby completed her year as AAOA President.  APOMA President Lori Hildebrand was sworn in as AAOA President Elect.  APOMA President Elect Krissy Eisenhardt will continue her second year as an AAOA Director.  APOMA Immediate Past President Sally Ann Rex DO was elected to the AAOA Nominating committee.

September 2021

This September the APOMA board set out on a retreat to review our goals, celebrate Caryn Tabby's 2020 presidency of the AAOA and plan for our future. Current APOMA president Lori Hildebrand chaired the meeting with caryn, Lorna Tabby, Sally Ann Rex, DO and Krissy Eisenhardt in person and Liz Swallow remotely participating. POMA president Joseph Zawisa joined us remotely to discuss cooperative efforts to jointly benefit our organizations and the osteopathic community. A strategy was developed for meeting regularly and jointly pursuing relationships with the osteopathic schools in Pennsylvania as well as their remote campuses in New York, Georgia and Florida.  Significant gains were made.  We also found time to enjoy ourselves with perfect September weather, highlighted by a pontoon boat cruise to watch the spectacular sunset over Ocean City Maryland. We look forward to announcing our successes and sincerely welcome your ideas and participation in the advocacy.

 

May 5, 2021

The annual APOMA meeting was held virtually by zoom on Tuesday May 5, 2021.  In celebration of CINCO DE MAYO a cooking demonstration was held featuring enchiladas, guacamole and margaritas.  Thank you to all who attended.

APOMA has made arrangements with the AAOA to share in the proceeds from sales of DO brooches on the AAOA web store.  The very beautiful and available in variety of colors. Visit the store and use the discount code POMA2021 at checkout to get FREE SHIPPING and share proceeds with APOMA.

February 15, 2021
In Memoriam: Tatiana Fedec

Wife of the late Dr. Stephen S Fedec, beloved mother of Deborah Erwin (John), Stephen G Fedec, D.O. (Teresa), Dr. Tamara Fedec Thornton (Andrew) and Anysia Fedec Grandmother of Elizabeth Erwin Jefferies (Harry), Jay, Stephen P, Stephen J and Jenna.

Tatiana Fedec graduated Valedictorian from her high school in Pittsburgh, Pa and earned a Pharmacy degree from Duquesne University School of Pharmacy in 1951. She was born in Colver, Pa. She was married 46 years to her beloved husband, Stephen who predeceased her in 2001. For more than 20 years she and her husband operated Fedec Pharmacy located in Philadelphia. Tina is a president of the Philadelphia Auxiliary to the Pennsylvania State Osteopathic Association 1987-1988. Her service to the Auxiliary continued as she by coordinated volunteers yearly to help at the POMA convention and serving SAA Liaison helping numerous spouses through the journey while Osteopathic Medical School students. Her faith was a big part of her life guiding her throughout life’s journey. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, godmother, aunt. She was treasured by many friends by her laughter, generosity and kind heart. People who loved her and knew her remember her favorite color of green. The “Lady in Green “will always have a place in her family and friends hearts. She has touched many people bringing sunshine into their lives.

"I credit her for getting me involved in APOMA as a volunteer and remember her fondly and always remember her in a wide brimmed hat."
– Caryn Tabby, AAOA president 2020-2021, APOMA past president 2014-2016


February 2021
Caryn Helhowski, President, Advocates for the American Osteopathic Association was featured by the AOA! Congrats!! Click here to view the very first edition of the American Osteopathic Association Affiliate Spotlight!


October 18, 2020

The Advocates for the American Osteopathic Association held their annual House of Delegate meeting virtually on October 18, 2020. At that time APOMA members Caryn Tabby was installed as the 2020-2021 AAOA President, Lori Hildebrand was installed as Vice President, and Kristina Eisenhardt was installed as a Director.  Congratulations to our APOMA members.

         
 President                    Vice President                            Director    

 

May 1, 2020
Thank you to those who joined us on May 1 Zoom Call.  Picture left of those that were in attendance and 2020-2022 officers (top-Kristina Eisenhardt, VP/President-Elect; Caryn Helhowski, Treasurer; Elizabeth Swallow, Director; 2nd row- Lori Hildebrand, President; Sally Ann Rex, DO, Immediate Past President; Lorna Tabby, Director; Linda Schecter, Secretary; 3rd row- Angela Kalcec, President AAOA; Diana Ewert, MPA, CAE, POMA Chief Staff Officer; Gene Battistella, DO, POMA President)



Mission Statement

The Advocates for the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (APOMA) shall promote and support the osteopathic profession through education, osteopathic profession through education, advocacy and collaboration.  In furtherance of its mission, APOMA shall: (i) promote and support public health and educational activities of the osteopathic profession; (ii) render service in national, state and community health endeavors; (iii) function as an affiliate of the Advocates for the American Osteopathic Association ("AAOA"); and (iv) assist and work with POMA in achieving their charitable objectives.  APOMA is organized and shall be operated exclusively for charitable, scientific and educational purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code").  The assets of APOMA are to be used to the attainment of its purposes as set forth in this Section 1.2 and shall not inure to the benefit of any person or organization.



The Advocates for the POMA are diverse in membership and tied together with the purpose of promoting osteopathic medicine to the public and strengthening the osteopathic family. We are reaching out to physicians, active and retired, spouses and significant others, widows, family members and friends, and anyone interested in promoting osteopathic medicine.

Any questions please contact: Lori HIldebrand, APOMA President at [email protected]