Ms. VanderMeulen has extensive experience and training in leadership at the local, state and national levels. She is a past president of the PA Education Association and has been an active volunteer in other state and national professional organizations. Stephane has successfully led the development, accreditation and implementation of two PA programs and held a key role in launching the distant campus of an established PA program. As the chair of a department of health professions, she has been responsible for performing market analysis and feasibility studies to investigate and implement the development of new health professions education programs. She possesses expertise in curriculum design and delivery, holistic admissions, strategic planning, and educational innovation.

Michel Statler, DMSc, PA-C Emeritus

Consultant, Certified Professional Coach

Michel Statler is an experienced PA educator with over thirty years of experience gleaned from wearing a variety of hats including clinical coordinator, academic coordinator, associate program director, program director and associate dean. Michel originally graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Arts in German and minor in biology and Chemistry. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the Surgeon Assistant Program at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and worked as a surgical physician assistant for 14 years in cardiac surgery, ENT, and neurosurgery before becoming a PA educator in 1994. Michel earned her Master of Liberal Arts degree in Psychology from Southern Methodist University; and she completed her Doctoral degree in Medical Sciences through the education track at the University of Lynchburg.

As an educator, Michel has been actively involved with curricular development, assessment, and student mentoring. She has a particular interest in faculty development having served on program and university faculty development committees as well as serving as a member of the PA Education Association’s Faculty Development Institute and a facilitator for the Advanced Skills Faculty Development workshops.

Her extensive experience in multiple roles in PA education has provided a wealth of experience to draw upon to mentor faculty. She completed a coaching program hosted by the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center and is now a certified professional coach. Michel enjoys empowering faculty to finding solutions to the daily challenges they face and also promoting their professional development.

Michel was the first PA educator to work as a staff member for the PAEA where she had the opportunity to work with PA educators across the country.  She worked closely with the Assessment Institute and Exam Development committees  on the development of  a new exam administration platform and a new line of testing products that included End-of-Rotation examinations that were initially launched in 20213.  She is a Past President for the Physician Assistant Education Association and current President for the PA Foundation Board of Trustees. 

Michel has received numerous awards and recognitions including the Texas Academy of PAs PA Educator of the Year, PA Teacher of the Year at Midwestern University, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Sciences (RFUMS) Outstanding Educator Award, UT Southwestern Outstanding Faculty Award and Outstanding Educator Award; and she was inducted in the Master Teacher Guild at RFUMS and the Southwestern Academy of Teachers at UT Southwestern.  Even though she formally retired in 2024, she remains passionate about teaching and current holds adjunct faculty positions at UT Southwestern and Southern California University.