Heather Bidinger

Heather Bidinger first began her career in education as a swim teacher in high school and gymnastics coach in college; all while preparing for her own career as a Physician Assistant (PA). Her Master’s degree was unique in that she was one of a few students and one of only five US institutions to confer a Master’s degree in PA education. Her area of content focus was in administration, management and education.

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Early into clinical practice, Ms. Bidinger began a more formal career in education, affiliating with Augsburg College in 1999 as a clinical PA preceptor, then as an assistant professor and Clinical Coordinator, developing a passion for the intersections of teaching and learning across academic and professional practice concepts.

In 2009, Ms. Bidinger expanded her role, creating and developing a new graduate medical education program. This PA program design was unique, applying adult learning theory to deliver curriculum and assess students using integration and innovative design. These efforts were concurrent to a newly developing graduate college and school of health, to which her participation and contributions leaned into broader scopes of teaching and learning across the spectrum of disciplines and complexities.

Her teaching at both universities extended beyond the PA program to include international, interprofessional, graduate and undergraduate courses. She has engaged pre-professionals through mentorship and extended learning through coaching with post professionals. In recent years, she has focused on teaching and leading new teachers and leaders, through co-facilitation of national PA education association workshops and her own coaching and consulting.

In addition to teaching and medical practice. Ms. Bidinger has served as President of the MN Academy of PAs (2019-2021). She has also authored, co-authored and presented on numerus professional and education topics, ranging in venue from local state legislation to national American Academy of PA presentations. Throughout her career, she has led one-on-one education with both patients, PA students and new PA faculty. She is adept at handling small group learning as well as teaching through large group, public in-person and virtual speaking events. She has been awarded national and local grants for research and scholarly work on topic areas of education and received awards for her professional contributions, including; MN PA of the Year (2013) and Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) national designation.

Among her most cherished educator role, she is the mother of seven- in all stages of education from preschool to college graduate.

Donna Degracia

Donna Degracia began her career in education in 1972 as a Peace Corps volunteer in South Korea. There, she taught University English for one year before transitioning to a maternal and child health program where she was responsible for community education on infant and child nutrition and contraception.

She later used her teaching skills in Panama where she taught English to children from preschool through high-school.

Throughout her career as a physician assistant (PA), she has engaged in one-on-one education with both patients and PA students. In 1998, she expanded her scope by taking a faculty position at the PA program at Augsburg University, followed by over ten years as curriculum coordinator for the PA program she helped design at St. Catherine University using an integrated approach that combines foundational and clinical science throughout the curriculum, using innovative teaching methods based on adult learning theory and experiential learning.

Her teaching at both universities extended beyond the PA programs to include interprofessional, international, graduate, and undergraduate courses in leadership and social justice, drawing on a background in international studies and liberal arts.

In addition to teaching and medical practice, Ms. DeGracia is an award winning author of three books, both fiction and non-fiction, and co-author of numerous articles and presentation on a variety of topics.

She is active in the community through her work with the Breast Cancer Education Association (BCEA) where she presently serves on the education committee planning and presenting webinar and conference content, and is active in grant writing and research to reduce disparity in screening and treatment; as well as on the board of directors and 2022 vice president.