Physician Assistant Program - Southwest Florida
Faculty and Staff
Julie Keena, MMSc, PA-C
Program Director
Ms. Julie Keena was born in South Carolina but moved to south Florida at the age of 2. In 1985 she graduated from Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA with a B.A. in Biology. She then attended the Emory University PA Program, from which she graduated in 1987 with a Master of Medical Science degree.
Upon graduation, she returned to south Florida and completed a yearlong residency in Neurological Surgery at the University of Miami and then continued to work in neurosurgery for 4 more years. She then went to work for the Department of Neurology where she continued to work until 1997. At that time she joined the staff of the NSU PA Program Fort Lauderdale as a lecturer. She subsequently held the positions of Clinical Director, Academic Director, Associate Program Director and Director.
In 2004, she was tasked to develop and open the new NSU program in Naples, Florida, now the Southwest Florida Program. Under her guidance, the program achieved full accreditation from the ARC-PA and has enjoyed continued growth over the last four years. Professor Keena is a fellow of the AAPA, a member of the Florida Academy of PAs, and a member of Pi Alpha, the PA National Honor Society.