Advocates for the POMA

Who We Are

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

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: Linda Schecter
Treasurer: Caryn Helhowski
Director: Lorna Tabby
Director: Elizabeth Swallow
Immediate Past President: Lori Hildebrand

Past Events

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!

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.

         

 

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)