An official website of the State of Florida 
The Board of Medicine
The Florida Board of Medicine plays a leading role in the ever-changing health care environment through dialogue with the public, the legislature, academia and the medical community.
The Board consists of fifteen members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. Twelve members of the Board must be licensed physicians in good standing in this state who are residents of the state and who have been engaged in the active practice or teaching of medicine for at least four years immediately preceding their appointment. One of the physicians must be in private practice and on the full-time staff of a teaching hospital in this state and one must be a graduate from a foreign medical school. The remaining three members must be residents of the state who are not, and never have been, licensed as a health care practitioner. One member of the Board must be a licensed health care risk manager and at least one member of the Board must be 60 years of age or older. If you are interested in becoming a board member, please visit www.flgov.com/eog/leadership/appointments.
Members of the Board
Chairs
Amy Derick, M.D.
Chair
J. Matthew Knight, M.D.
Vice-Chair
Members
Scot Ackerman, M.D.
Gobivenkata Balaji, M.D.
Matthew R. Benson, M.D.
Steven A. Christie, M.D., J.D.
Gregory Coffman, M.D.
David Diamond, M.D.
Lee Gross, M.D.
Patrick Hunter, M.D.
Nicole Justice
John Littell, M.D.
Nicholas W. Romanello, Esquire
Deborah Sargeant
Hector Vila, M.D.
Are you a current or new board member? Helpful resources and information pertinent to your position are available on the new Division of Medical Quality Assurance (MQA) board member website.
If you are interested in becoming a board member, the site contains material that provides insight into the duties and responsibilities of the role. To view the site, please visit flhealthsource.gov/board-members.
After the expiration of their term, board members can continue to serve until they have been replaced, reappointed, or resign.
The Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance, serves as the principle administrative unit for the Board. The Board is supported by a full-time professional staff based in Tallahassee. The Board’s activities are supported in full by fees paid by its licensees. All Board members serve four-year terms. To learn more about becoming a member of the Board, visit the Governor’s Appointment Office website or email their office at appointments@eog.myflorida.com.
Board Staff
Morgan Rexford, MPH
Executive Director
Derrick Montgomery
Deputy Executive Director
Section: Administrative and Licensure Maintenance Section
Responsibilities: Board meeting coordinator, new legislation
Jammie Lay
Program Operations Administrator, Initial Licensure
Section: Initial Licensure Section
Responsibilities: Oversees the Initial Licensure Section, Credentials Committee Meeting Coordinator
Ingrid Gomez
Regulatory Supervisor Consultant
Section: Initial Licensure Section
Responsibilities: Oversees the Endorsement and Exam Licensure Section
Jessica McLaughlin
Regulatory Supervisor Consultant
Section: Initial Licensure Section
Responsibilities: Oversees the Endorsement and Exam Licensure Section
Rene Blue
Regulatory Supervisor Consultant
Section: Administrative and Licensure Maintenance Section
Responsibilities: Oversee functions of Registration/Inspection Programs
Michelle DeVeas
Regulatory Supervisor Consultant
Section: Administrative and Licensure Maintenance Section
Responsibilities: Oversees the Administrative Section
Vacant
Regulatory Supervisor Consultant
Section: Initial Licensure Section
Responsibilities: Oversees the Endorsement and Exam Licensure Section
Board Councils & Committees
Anesthesiologist Assistant Committee
This committee interviews license applicants whose prior history, including malpractice cases, raises questions of concern regarding the ability to practice with skill and safety, or questions about an Anesthesiology Assistant applicant’s performance in school or prior practice in other jurisdictions. This committee also makes recommendations for rule creation and/or changes relating to the regulation of this profession.
Staff Contact: Morgan Rexford
Chair: Hector Vila, M.D.
Vice Chair: Steven Christie, M.D.
Members:
Tiffany DiPietro, D.O.
Council on Physician Assistants
The Council on Physician Assistants makes recommendations to the department on the licensure of physician assistants. It develops rules regulating the use of physician assistants by physicians and makes recommendations to the Board of Medicine and Board of Osteopathic Medicine regarding all matters relating to physician assistants. It addresses concerns and problems of practicing physician assistants in order to improve safety in the clinical practice of a licensed physician assistant.
Staff Contact: Morgan Rexford
Chair: John Byrnes, P.A.
Vice Chair: Katie Callaway, P.A.
Members:
(Vacant P.A.)
Matthew Knight, M.D.
Monica Mortensen, D.O.
Credentials Committee
This committee interviews license applicants whose prior history, including malpractice cases, raises questions of concern regarding the ability to practice with skill and safety, or questions about an applicant’s performance in medical school or prior practice in other jurisdictions. The committee reports to the full board with recommendations on approval or denial of applications.
Staff Contact: Morgan Rexford
Chair: Scot Ackerman, M.D.
Vice Chair: Nicole Justice, Consumer
Members:
Gobivenkata Balaji, M.D.
Steven Christie, M.D.
Amy Derick, M.D.
Matthew Knight, M.D.
Hector Vila, M.D.
Joint Committee on Medical Marijuana
This committee was tasked with developing a consent form so the law could be implemented and qualified physicians could begin complying with the requirements for issuing a physician certification to a qualified patient. The Committee would be working on specific provisions of SB8-A passed during the 2017 Special Legislative Session and related to the medical use of marijuana.
Staff Contact: Derrick Montgomery
Chair: Nicholas Romanello, Consumer
Vice Chair: William Kirsh, D.O.
Members:
Lee Gross, M.D.
John Littell, M.D.
Deborah Sargeant, Consumer
Terry Reid-Paul, Consumer (Osteo)
Joint Rules/Legislative Committee
This committee develops recommendations for amendment of Board rules or creation of new rules, to clarify standards or to impose requirements to strengthen patient protection and quality of care. This committee also makes recommendations to the full board regarding bills filed with the legislature.
Staff Contact: Michelle DeVeas
Chair: Hector Vila, M.D.
Vice Chair: Matthew Knight, M.D.
Members:
Scot Ackerman, M.D.
Matthew Benson, M.D.
Amy Derick, M.D.
David Diamond, M.D.
Lee Gross, M.D.
Patrick Hunter, M.D.
Nicholas Romanello, Consumer
Watson Ducatel, D.O.
Monica Mortensen, D.O.
Tiffany Di Pietro, D.O.
Physician Certification Pattern Review Panel
Section 381.986, Florida Statutes requires the Board of Medicine and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine to jointly create a physician certification pattern review panel that shall review all physician certifications submitted to the medical marijuana use registry. The panel shall track and report the number of physician certifications and the qualifying medical conditions, dosage, supply amount, and form of marijuana certified. The panel shall report the data both by individual qualified physician and in the aggregate, by county, and statewide. The physician certification pattern review panel shall, beginning January 1, 2018, submit an annual report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Staff Contact: Derrick Montgomery
Chair: Nicholas Romanello, Consumer
Vice Chair: William Kirsh, D.O.
Members
Lee Gross, M.D.
John Littell, M.D.
Deborah Sargeant, Consumer
Terry Reid-Paul, Consumer (Osteo)
Vacant, Consumer (Osteo)
Probation Committee
This committee monitors the compliance of licensees who have been disciplined and placed under conditions or license probation in Final Orders. The committee reviews required reports of compliance and requires personal appearances from probationers as part of ongoing monitoring, until such time as the conditions of probation are fulfilled. The committee presents recommendations to the full Board regarding further action when a licensee is determined to be out of compliance, or to restore full licensure when all conditions have been satisfactorily completed.
Staff Contact: Tammy Davis and Takara Lawyer
Chair: Gregory Coffman, M.D.
Vice Chair: Patrick Hunter, M.D.
Members:
Matthew Benson, M.D.
Steven Christie, M.D.
John Littell, M.D.
Rules/Legislative Committee
This committee develops recommendations for amendment of Board rules or creation of new rules, to clarify standards or to impose requirements to strengthen patient protection and quality of care. This committee also makes recommendations to the full board regarding bills filed with the legislature.
Staff Contact: Michelle DeVeas
Chair: Hector Vila, M.D.
Vice Chair: Matthew Knight, M.D.
Members:
Scot Ackerman, M.D.
Matthew Benson, M.D.
Amy Derick, M.D.
David Diamond, M.D.
Lee Gross, M.D.
Patrick Hunter, M.D.
Nicholas Romanello, Consumer
Surgical Care and Quality Assurance Committee
This committee reviews the Board’s rules relating to standard of care for office surgery to determine necessary and appropriate revisions to strengthen patient safety and minimize the risk factors that contribute to adverse patient incidents. This committee addresses issues related to quality of care and standards of practice and formulates policy recommendations for the full Board’s consideration and studies quality of care issues as they arise.
Staff Contact: Michelle DeVeas
Chair: David Diamond, M.D.
Vice Chair: Nicholas Romanello, Consumer
Members:
Amy Derick, M.D.
Patrick Hunter, M.D.
Nicole Justice, Consumer
Deborah Sargeant, Consumer
Hector Vila, M.D.
Joint Surgical Care & Quality Assurance Committee
This committee reviews the Board’s rules relating to standard of care for office surgery to determine necessary and appropriate revisions to strengthen patient safety and minimize the risk factors that contribute to adverse patient incidents. This committee addresses issues related to quality of care and standards of practice and formulates policy recommendations for the full Board’s consideration and studies quality of care issues as they arise.
Staff Contact: Michelle DeVeas
Chair: David Diamond, M.D.
Vice Chair: Nicholas Romanello, Consumer
Members:
Amy Derick, M.D.
Patrick Hunter, M.D.
Nicole Justice, Consumer
Deborah Sargeant, Consumer
Hector Vila, M.D.
Tiffany Di Pietro, D.O.
Monica Mortensen, D.O.
Watson Ducatel, D.O.