Ms. Varellas joined the NCCAA Board in 2017, serving as Chair since 2019. Her focus is steering the strategic planning of NCCAA and leading efforts to strengthen the CAA credential. Often working in emerging CAA markets, she has experienced challenges with billing, scope of practice parity, and misinformation about the profession. She aims to elevate the brand of the profession through recognition as high quality anesthesia providers. Megan brings to the Board leadership experience from ten years on the AAAA board of directors and serving in the role of AAAA President. She has represented CAAs on multiple ASA committees and currently sits on the ASA Patient Safety editorial board. Driven to expanding CAA licensure, she spent six years lobbying and testifying for licensure in North Carolina and Oklahoma. Megan is currently a BLS, ACLS, and PALS instructor, having been the first to teach AHA courses at the Nairobi Kenyetta University Medical School anesthetist program, with the support of Case Western Reserve University.

Megan is a graduate of Emory University, achieving a Master of Medical Science degree in Anesthesiology. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Wofford College.

Megan participates in global humanitarianism and outreach initiatives. She is an outdoor sport and travel adventurer, having taken sabbaticals to complete multiple long-distance backpacking, mountaineering, kayaking, skiing, and travel objectives.

Mr. McHorse joined the NCCAA Board in 2019. His involvement includes external communications and serving on the COVID-19 response team. Mr. McHorse is committed to serving in areas that enable him to play a role in growing the CAA profession. He helped found the Texas Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants (TXAAA) and served as its President until 2019. He continues to serve on the TXAAA Board of Directors. Currently, Mr. McHorse is a CAA practicing clinically with Baylor Scott and White Health at their Round Rock campus, where he also serves as a clinical preceptor.

Mr. McHorse is a graduate of Emory University, achieving a Master of Medical Science degree in Anesthesiology and Patient Monitoring Systems. Upon graduation, he became one of the first CAAs in Texas, paving the path in this clinical career. He received his Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University.

In his free time, Mr. McHorse enjoys ranching, raising grass-fed beef, and volunteering with the Tarrytown UMC youth program.

Dr. Blake joined the NCCAA board in 2020, serving on the Test Development Committee for Certification and Recertification Exams since 2015. She is excited to see the AA profession grow and expand, and is driven to foster quality relationships between AAs and anesthesiologists. She would like to see an expansion of AA education via more schools with a diversity of rotations.

Dr. Blake is very active in the medical community. She serves on the American Society of Anesthesiologists Committee on Anesthesiologist Assistant Education and Practice, Master of Science in Anesthesia Program Advisory Committee at the Medical College of Wisconsin. In addition, she is a member of the Wisconsin Society of Anesthesiologists (WSA) and American Society of Regional Anesthesia (ASRA). Dr. Blake brings extensive teaching experience to NCCAA, ranging from teaching AA students to medical students, anesthesiology residents, and regional anesthesia/acute pain fellows. She is Faculty Director for the Anesthesiologist Assistant Education Program, Course Director for Acute Pain Management Anesthesia Resident Rotation, and Course Director for the Medical Student Integrated Clerkship in Pain Management at the University of Wisconsin. Currently, Dr. Blake is Assistant Professor, Division of Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

Dr. Blake earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. She also received her Bachelor of Science from at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dr. Blake enjoys spending time with her family and has a chicken hobby farm. An avid horse person, she breeds and shows American Saddlebred horses.

Ms. Bruce joined the NCCAA Board in January 2019. Her involvement includes serving on the COVID-19 Response Team. With over twenty years in Texas government and politics, Ms. Bruce is passionate about advocating for patient safety and for access to the highest quality, affordable healthcare. She has served as Chief of Staff in both the Texas House and Senate before becoming the Director of Governmental Affairs for the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists. Her efforts in lobbying and public policy gained her recognition from the Texas Capitol Crowd, receiving the award for Best Lobbyist for Killing Legislation.

Ms. Bruce is a graduate of Texas State University, achieving a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. She is also a Fellow at the University of Texas Center for Public Policy Alternative Dispute Resolution.

When she is not tracking the Texas Legislature and elections, Ms. Bruce enjoys spending time with her husband and twins and doing genealogy research. She and her family reside in Round Rock, Texas.

Matthew Ciotti is a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant who has been serving on the NCCAA Board of Directors since January, 2019. Matthew graduated from Case Western Reserve University’s MSA program in Cleveland, Ohio in 2008. He currently practices at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio serving as Chief Anesthetist.

In addition to serving the CAA community in a director’s role with the NCCAA, Matthew has sat on the Commission’s Test Writing Committee since 2012. He is also currently a board member in the Ohio Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants and previously held the position of President within that organization.

Matthew currently resides in Cincinnati with his wife Kayla and two young children.

Mr. Mader joined the NCCAA Board in 2013. His involvement includes serving as Chair of the Test-Writing Committee, where he oversees the development of both the National Certification exam and the Continuing Demonstration of Quality (CDQ) exam. Mr. Mader enjoys working on initiatives that help maintain the integrity of the CAA profession through a high-quality examination process. With a passion for teaching, he is a two-time award winner for the Clinical Instructor of the Year Award at Case Western Reserve University – 2003 and 2007. He also won the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Clinical Instruction in 2009 from Nova Southeastern University. Mr. Mader further supports the CAA profession through membership or board roles with OAAA, AAAA, ASA, and the OSA. He is a CAA practicing clinically as Chief Anesthetist at Mercy Anesthesiologists, Inc.

Mr. Mader is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University, achieving a Master of Science degree in Anesthesiology. He received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Wright State College.

In addition to spending time with his family, Mr. Mader enjoys scuba diving, mountain biking, and volunteering with the food bank in Dayton, OH.

Rhashedah A. Ekeoduru, M.D., is an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Dr. Ekeoduru joined the NCCAA board in 2021. Dr. Ekeoduru is the Medical Director of the Case Western Reserve University Master of Science in Anesthesia Program, Houston location. She has been an advocate for the AA profession and is committed to excellence in AA education and training.

Dr. Ekeoduru is a physician leader who delivers high caliber, safe, and efficient clinical care to very complex children. She also teaches advanced anesthesiology technical and comprehensive skills to AA students, dental trainees, medical students and nurses. Dr. Ekeoduru also serves on multiple committees and holds leadership positions at McGovern Medical School, locally, in the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists, and in the ASA. Her sub-specialty focus is on bioethics and wellness. As such, Dr. Ekeoduru is the Chair of the Fetal Ethics Board for UTHealth and is an active member of the ASA Committee on Ethics and the Committee on Anesthesiologist Assistant Education and Practice.

Dr. Ekeoduru earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Ekeoduru enjoys traveling and has visited 58 countries to date. She is also a lover of performance art.

Rhashedah Ekeoduru, MD

• Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, McGovern Medical School, UT Health Science Center at Houston


• AME Master Educator


• Medical Director, Case Western Reserve Master of Science in Anesthesia Program, Houston Campus


• Chair, Fetal Ethics Board


• UTPhysicians The Fetal Center, UTHealth


• Affiliated with Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital

Mr. Lunsford joined the NCCAA CDQ Committee in 2015 and the Board of Directors in 2022. James has interests in improving the quality and integrity of the CDQ examination along with helping the NCCAA move towards value added concepts and features for practicing certified Anesthesiologist Assistants. James served on several committees within the AAAA and as an AAAA Interim-Director prior to joining the CDQ committee.

James is a cardiac anesthetist, Associate-Chief Anesthetist, and the Student Clinical Coordinator at Physician Specialists in Anesthesia, Emory St. Joseph’s Hospital. He is Adjunct Faculty for the Emory University AA program.

Prior to becoming an Anesthesiologist Assistant, James worked as a Physician Assistant in Family Medicine, Gastroenterology, and Vascular Surgery. He currently serves the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response as a Physician Assistant member of the GA-3 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) providing high-quality rapid-response medical care when public health and medical emergencies overwhelm state, local, tribal, or territorial resources. In the aftermath of natural and technological disasters, acts of terrorism, and during disease outbreaks - as we experienced with COVID-19, DMAT members are on location protecting health and saving lives.

These experiences have given James a valuable insight into the medical community from various points of view that continue to shape him as a caregiver, NCCAA Director, and Subject Matter Expert for the CDQ exam.

James enjoys spending any free time he has with his wife and their two children, boating, and landscape gardening.