Faculty/Staff

Shannon Ijams, MPAS, PA-C
Program Director, Assistant Professor
Shannon earned a bachelor's degree from Kansas State University where she studied biology and gerontology.  In 1997, she graduated from the Wichita State University Physician Assistant Program.  Her past clinical experiences include the Department of Veteran Affairs and the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless.  Prior to assuming the role of Program Director within the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine Physician Assistant Program, Shannon served as the Director of Clinical Education and Associate Director.  In addition to administrative responsibilities, her teaching involvement includes Geriatrics, Underserved Medicine, Clinical Medicine, and Professional Issues in Medicine and Health.  Shannon participates in the clinical training of students in the Physician Assistant Longitudinal (PAL) Student Clinic at OU Family Medicine. 

Meredith Davison, PhD, MPH
Director of Research and Evaluation 
Dr. Davison received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Oklahoma City University, her Master of Arts degree from the University of the Pacific, and her Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She earned her Master of Public Health from the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa in 2009. Dr. Davison has more than 13 years of PA education experience, in addition to 15 years in medical education. She is an experienced accreditation site visitor for the Accreditation Review Commission for Education of the Physician Assistant. Dr Davison is a native Oklahoman and served for eight years as the Director of Midwestern University’s Illinois PA program.

Janelle Whitt, DO
Medical Director
Dr Whitt received her Bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University and also completed her residency at Oklahoma State University. She is the Medical Director of OU Physicians Community Health and also serves as the Medical Director for the PA Program.

Autumn Ackerman, MSPAS, PA-C
Director of Admissions, Assistant Professor
Autumn graduated from the Missouri State University Physician Assistant Program in 2005.  She has served as a clinical preceptor for the Tulsa program since 2008.  Her clinical work experience as a PA includes primary care with the OU Community Health clinics and outpatient Family Medicine.  As the Director of Admissions, she oversees the recruitment and admissions process for applicants, and she also serves as core faculty for the Physician Assistant Longitudinal Student Clinic.  Her teaching responsibilities include teaching in several Clinical Medicine modules.

Chris M. Brasel, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Dr. Brasel received his B.A. in Biology from Wesleyan University (1992) and, after working several years in the biotech industry, returned to school and received his Ph. D. in Biomedical Sciences from Oklahoma State University- Center for Health Sciences (2008). Dr. Brasel teaches in two areas of basic science in the PA Program- Physiology and Medical Genetics. He actively uses new pedagogical models for his courses, such as the flipped classroom, and pursues research related to the use of digital media in medical education.

Marci Deck, MHS, PA-C
Assistant Professor
Marci earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Oklahoma in 2010. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine PA program in 2013. Her clinical work experience as a PA includes eight years in outpatient internal medicine. She joined the OU-Tulsa PA faculty in 2021, and is involved in teaching several modules in the Clinical Medicine course. Marci also serves as a preceptor in the Physician Assistant Longitudinal Clinic.

Lee Luetkemeyer MHS, PA-C
Director of Pre-Clinical Education, Assistant Professor
Lee earned a bachelor of science in radiologic technology radiation therapy from the University of Oklahoma in 2004. She graduated from the OU-Tulsa PA program in 2010. Lee’s clinical work experience as a PA includes internal medicine, geriatrics, gastroenterology, hematology/oncology, and bone marrow transplant. Her teaching responsibilities include clinical medicine and co-director of the capstone course. Lee also serves as a preceptor in the Physician Assistant Longitudinal Clinic.

Jeremy Paysnoe, MHS, PA-C
Director of Clinical Education, Assistant Professor
Jeremy earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – OKC where he studied Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences. He worked in emergency medicine as a radiologic technologist for several years before returning to school and graduating from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – Tulsa PA Program in 2018 with a Master’s in Health Sciences. Jeremy’s clinical work experience as a PA is primarily within occupational medicine where he saw patients for work-related injuries and pre-employment or annual medical evaluations/certifications in an urgent care setting. In addition to teaching Physical Diagnosis, Jeremy also serves as a preceptor in the Physician Assistant Longitudinal Clinic.

Ashley Gregg, MA
Student Program Coordinator
Mrs. Ashley Gregg is our Student Program Coordinator. She coordinates student enrollment and second-year student clinical rotations. Ashley serves as liaison between the PA program and clinical preceptors at OU and in the Tulsa community. Ashley received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication and her Master of Arts in Communication from Northeastern State University. Prior to joining the OU-Tulsa PA program, she was an Academic Advisor for 9 years at Northeastern State University and currently serving as the Alumnae Relations Advisor for her National Sorority, Sigma Sigma Sigma the last 6 years. Ashley recently received the Tulsa Alumnae Woman of the Year Award from the Tulsa Area Alumnae Panhellenic and is actively involved in various other student and community organizations. 

Crystal Peterson
Staff Assistant
Mrs. Crystal Peterson is our Staff Assistant and has been with the PA program since December 2018.  She coordinates student enrollment, program events, and didactic courses. She also maintains applicant and student records, grades, program social media accounts, program calendars, and program emails. Crystal earned her bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Rogers State University in Claremore and is currently working on her master’s degree in Human Relations from OU-Tulsa.