An official website of the State of Florida 
The Board
The Board Is Made Up Of 15 Members
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.
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.
The Council on Physician Assistants consist of five members appointed by the State Surgeon General. Two members of the Council must be licensed physicians (one medical doctor and one osteopathic physician) in good standing in this state who are residents of the state and who have been engaged in the active practice. Three members must be licensed physician assistants in good standing in this state who are residents of the state and who have been engaged in active practice. If you are interested in becoming a member of this Council, please click here to complete the DOH questionnaire.
Members of the Board
Chairs
Amy Derick, M.D.
Chair
Matthew R. Benson, M.D.
Vice-Chair
Members
Scot Ackerman, M.D.
Wael Barsoum, M.D.
Steven A. Christie, M.D., J.D.
Gregory Coffman, M.D.
David Diamond, M.D.
Patrick Hunter, M.D.
Nicole Justice
J. Matthew Knight, M.D.
Nicholas W. Romanello , Esquire
Hector Vila, M.D.
Michael Wasylik, M.D.
Zachariah P. Zachariah, M.D.
Vacant
After the expiration of their term, board members can continue to serve until they have been replaced, reappointed, or resign.
Organizational Structure of the Board
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 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: Wendy Alls
ChairHector Vila, M.D. – Chair
Member(s)
Tiffany DiPietro, D.O. – Vice Chair
Steven Christie, M.D.
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: Wendy Alls
ChairJohn Byrnes, P.A. – Chair
Member(s)
Katie Callaway, P.A. – Vice Chair
Dayne Alonso, P.A.
Wael Barsoum, M.D.
(D.O. member – Vacant)
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: Wendy Alls
ChairNicole Justice, Consumer – Chair
Member(s)
Scot Ackerman, M.D. - Vice Chair
Steven Christie, M.D.
Matthew Knight, M.D.
Hector Vila, M.D.
Michael Wasylik, 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: Bettye “Cherise” Strickland
ChairNicholas Romanello, Consumer – Chair
Member(s)
William Kirsh, D.O. – Vice Chair
Gregory Coffman, M.D.
Michael Wasylik, M.D.
Zachariah Zachariah, M.D.
Christopher Creegan, Consumer (Osteo)
Valerie Jackson, 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: Bettye “Cherise” Strickland
ChairHector Vila, M.D. – Chair
Member(s)
Matthew Knight, M.D. – Vice Chair
Scot Ackerman, M.D.
Matthew Benson, M.D.
Amy Derick, M.D.
David Diamond, M.D.
Nicole Justice, Consumer
Nicholas Romanello, Consumer
Zachariah Zachariah, M.D.
William Kirsh, D.O.
Monica Mortensen, 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: Bettye “Cherise” Strickland
ChairNicholas Romanello, Consumer – Chair
Member(s)
William Kirsh, D.O. – Vice Chair
Gregory Coffman, M.D.
Michael Wasylik, M.D.
Zachariah Zachariah, M.D.
Christopher Creegan, Consumer (Osteo)
Valerie Jackson, 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
ChairGregory Coffman, M.D. – Chair
Member(s)
Matthew Benson, M.D. – Vice Chair
Steven Christie, M.D.
Patrick Hunter, M.D.
Michael Wasylik, 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: Bettye “Cherise” Strickland
ChairHector Vila, M.D. – Chair
Member(s)
Matthew Knight, M.D. – Vice Chair
Scot Ackerman, M.D.
Matthew Benson, M.D.
Amy Derick, M.D.
David Diamond, M.D.
Nicole Justice, Consumer
Nicholas Romanello, Consumer
Zachariah Zachariah, M.D.
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: Bettye “Cherise” Strickland
ChairDavid Diamond, M.D. – Chair
Member(s)
Nicholas Romanello, Consumer – Vice Chair
Wael Barsoum, M.D.
Amy Derick, M.D.
Patrick Hunter, M.D.
Matthew Knight, M.D.
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: Bettye “Cherise” Strickland
ChairDavid Diamond, M.D. – Chair
Member(s)
Nicholas Romanello, Consumer – Vice Chair
Wael Barsoum, M.D.
Amy Derick, M.D.
Patrick Hunter, M.D.
Matthew Knight, M.D.
Hector Vila, M.D.
William Kirsh, D.O.
Monica Mortensen, D.O.
Board Staff
Board Staff
Ashleigh K. Irving
Acting Executive Director
Wendy Alls
Program Operations Administrator, Initial Licensure
Cherise Strickland
Program Operations Administrator
Angela Denson
Regulatory Supervisor Consultant
Karrell Goldwire
Regulatory Supervisor Consultant
Cyra Williams
Regulatory Supervisor Consultant
Janai Moton-Brown
Regulatory Supervisor Consultant