Campus Directories

Julie Andersson,

Jocelyn Bollins, DO

Jocelyn Bollins, DO is a family physician originally from Ohio. She received her undergraduate degree in Botany from Miami University and received her medical degree from the Ohio Univeristy Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine in Athens, Ohio. She worked as a family physician at Galloway Family Medicine in Galloway, Ohio prior to moving to Minnesota with her family in 2007. After taking some time off to be with her two children, Dr. Bollins joined the PA program at CSS as adjunct faculty in 2017. In 2019, she joined the clinical team and in 2021 she became the Director of Clinical Education for the PA program at CSS. Dr. Bollins enjoys creating visually appealing lectures for students and also coordinating clinical rotations for PA students during their clinical phase. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children at their lake cabin in Ely, MN.

Kenneth Botelho, DMSc, PA-C

Dr. Kenneth Botelho, DMSc, PA-C, is the Founding Program Director of the Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) program at The College of St. Scholastica. He currently serves as President-Elect of the Society of PAs in Family Medicine and is an elected delegate to the AAPA House of Delegates, where he advocates for innovation and primary care leadership across the profession.

With over a decade of experience in primary care and a passion for health systems transformation, Dr. Botelho is the founder of Paving Practices, a national initiative dedicated to strengthening the PA workforce through postgraduate training, leadership development, and education reform. He is a published author in Medical Teacher, KevinMD, and the Duluth News Tribune, where his writing focuses on healthcare innovation, equity, and the evolving role of PAs. His leadership integrates clinical experience, academic scholarship, and policy engagement to support the next generation of clinician-leaders.

Dana Cope,

Shawn Garvey, MS, PA-C

Shawn Garvey, MS, PA-C, DFAAPA is originally from Michigan and has a degree in biology from University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She graduated from the PA program at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Her clinical practice background includes pediatrics, rural family practice, allergy/asthma, telemedicine and urgent care. Shawn joined CSS as faculty and Director of Curriculum in 2014. She has a special interest in patient education.

"Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think. " Albert Einstein

Carolyn Jahr, DMSc, MS, PA-C

Carolyn Jahr, DMSc, MS, PA-C is a tenured Associate Professor and one of the founding faculty members of the CSS PA Medicine Program. Dr. Jahr received a BS in Health Sciences with a minor in Rehabilitation and Disability Studies and her MS in PA Studies from Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. She completed her Doctor of Medical Science Degree with a concentration in Education at A.T. Still Univeristy in Mesa, Arizona. Her original research, Remediation in the Didactic Phase: Practices and Perceptions of Accredited U.S. PA Programs, was presented at the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) Fall 2021 meeting. She is a proud first generation college student.

Dr. Jahr teaches primarily in the History and Physical Exam and Clinical Medicine course series, and guest lectures in Clinical Skills, Fundamentals of Medicine, and Professional Issues. She also develops, coordinates, and implements simulation activities in the program, including practicals and OSCEs.

Prior to becoming a faculty member, she practiced full time in general surgery, with additional experience in colorectal, vascular, and bariatric subspecialties. She was the first PA to be employed by her surgical practice, and served as the inaugural Program Coordinator for a local bariatric surgery program. She currently maintains clinical practice one day per week at Essentia Health General Surgery and has additional practice experience in urgent care and telehealth/virtual care settings.

Dr. Jahr is especially passionate about PA professional advocacy and continuing medical education, and has served the PA profession in Minnesota through a variety of roles with Minnesota Academy of PAs (MAPA) over the course of her career: President (3 year term that included time as President-Elect and Immediate Past President), Chair of the Continuing Medical Education Committee, Director-At-Large, Faculty Representative to the Board, MN Delegate to the AAPA House of Delegates (HOD), and member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

Dr. Jahr serves the community at large through her volunteer work with the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance (MOCA). In addition to volunteering at MOCA-sponsored events, Dr. Jahr helps coordinate the Survivors Teaching Students Program® for CSS PA, is a member of the Light Duluth Teal Gala Planning Committee, and serves as a MOCA Board Member.

She resides in Northeastern Minnesota with her husband and two daughters.

Grants

Minnesota Department of Health Grant: Health Professionals Training Scholarship
- Provided one-time $25,000.00 grants to four CSS School of Health Professions students who committed to working in a rural area of Minnesota for 2 years post-graduation.
NCCPA PA Health Foundation Be the C.H.A.N.G.E. (Create Health Access Now for Greater Health Equity) Grant Recipient for Diversification of the Physician Assistant Program Standardized Patient Pool Through the Recruitment, Training, and Retention of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN
Arnold P. Gold Foundation White Coat Ceremony Grant Recipient for Inaugural CSS PA White Coat Ceremony

National Conference Presentations

The Weight is Over: What Every Family Medicine PA Needs to Know About the Disease of Obesity and Surgical Obesity Management (2024; We Are Family AAPA Family Medicine Conference)
The Patient’s Pathway to Bariatric Surgery: Identifying Candidates, Referring Appropriately, and the Typical Road to Surgery (2023; AAPA National Conference)
Labs in Low Places: A Guide to Managing Nutritional Deficiencies After Bariatric Surgery (2022; AAPA National Conference)
The Weight is Over: What Every PA Needs to Know About Long-Term Surgical Obesity Management (2021; AAPA National Conference)

Sarah Johnson,

Echo Kopplin, DMSc, PA-C

Echo Kopplin, DMSc, MPAS, PA-C, has been practicing as a PA for over eight years in emergency medicine and primary care roles. As a first-generation college student, Dr. Kopplin first earned a BA in Athletic Training from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD, and went on to complete her Master of PA Studies from Union College in Lincoln, NE. Dr. Kopplin earned her Doctor of Medical Science from the University of Lynchburg in Lynchburg, Virginia, focusing on clinical leadership. As a published author, Dr. Kopplin’s works are found in JBJS Journal of Orthopedic PAs, and The PA Doctor.

As an educator, Dr. Kopplin has experience as a preceptor throughout her clinical career, as an adjunct faculty member of the Drury University PA program, lecturing in Geriatrics, and as a Student Success Coach with the Dr. Scott Massey Student Success Series. Dr. Kopplin enjoys empowering learners to reach their fullest potential by enhancing student skills and addressing challenges while proactively fostering personal and academic growth.

Alongside her clinical practice and teaching engagements, Dr. Kopplin is the President-Elect of the South Dakota Academy of PAs (SDAPA) and continues serving on various SDAPA committees, including legislative, CME, and communications; legislative co-chair of the Academy of PAs in Legal Medicine (APALM), and also serves as Secretary to the Board of Directors for Good Shepherd Free Clinic in Spearfish, SD.

Bruce Loppnow, PhD, MSH

Dr. Bruce Loppnow joined the College of St. Scholastica in 2016 as Dean of the School of Health Sciences. He retired from the position in August of 2023, and rejoined the college as an Adjunct Associate Professor in 2025 He earned a PhD in organization and management, completing a dissertation focused on healthcare leadership and implementation of electronic health records and health information systems. His BA degree is in geography and his MSH is in healthcare administration.

Dr. Loppnow has extensive professional experience in healthcare planning and marketing, and as a senior hospital executive in Wisconsin. Bruce has served as a faculty member and administrative leader in private colleges for the 30 years.

Howard Ritz, DMSc, PA-C, DFAAPA

Dr. Howard Ritz is a nationally recognized leader in physician assistant education and clinical practice, bringing over two decades of experience to the Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) program at The College of St. Scholastica. He currently serves as Associate Chief Medical Informatics Officer and practicing otolaryngology PA at Glens Falls Hospital, where he integrates clinical care with innovations in health information technology. Dr. Ritz is a past president of the Society of Physician Assistants in Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (SPAO-HNS) and now serves as immediate past-president and chair of the Education Committee, where he has advanced national CME programming and PA workforce development initiatives.

Dr. Ritz has held academic appointments at multiple institutions, authored peer-reviewed publications, and serves as a reviewer for several professional journals. He has led curriculum design, taught advanced clinical topics, and mentored PA, NP, and medical students across the continuum of education. His scholarly work focuses on PA workforce trends, specialty training, and integration into team-based care. Known for his thoughtful mentorship and passion for lifelong learning, Dr. Ritz empowers students to become forward-thinking clinician-leaders. His leadership, scholarship, and advocacy offer DMSc students a transformative learning experience grounded in real-world expertise.

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