Officer Nominations
Below are the Officer candidates to be nominated by the Leadership Development Committee at the Annual Membership Meeting on April 24, 2025, from 6:30 – 9 PM. Once elected, each will join President Patrick Nakashima-Moran, DO, for the year as MAOPS officers.
Officers are elected by a majority vote of all Trustees present and voting at the annual membership meeting. Members with concerns regarding any officer candidates may submit those concerns in writing to Executive Director Brian Bowles by April 1. All concerns will be considered by the Board of Trustees prior to official nominations.
Patrick Nakashima-Moran, DO
President
St. Louis, Missouri
I am Patrick Nakashima-Moran, DO, and I practice primary care in the Greater Saint Louis area. I was born and raised in Saint Louis. I attended Southeast Missouri State University for undergrad and Kansas City University for medical school. While there, I spent most of my clinical rotations in Fort Myers, Florida. I returned to St. Louis and completed my Osteopathic Family Medicine residency at St. Luke’s Des Peres Hospital in 2018. Since then, I have worked for a multispecialty (not hospital) medical group in the greater St. Louis area. I have been an active member of MAOPS since residency, although most of my participation was going to MOAC and district meetings. I participated less during my first 1-2 years as an attending, but I have been participating in and leading various MAOPS committees for the last few years. I have gained camaraderie and mentorship through MAOPS, which I did not have in my earlier medical Training. I look forward to and am excited to help MAOPS be the voice and advocate for osteopathic physicians. I am honored to accept your nomination and will continue to serve in any way I can.
Elizabeth Lucore, DO, MPH
President-elect
Springfield, Missouri
Dr. Elizabeth Lucore graduated from Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2008. In 2011 she completed her residency with the CoxHealth Family Medicine Program in Springfield, Missouri with emphasis in obstetrics. Elizabeth is board certified in Family Medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine.
After 14 years of family medicine clinic, inpatient care and full-scope obstetrics in Monett, Missouri, she is now serving as Medical Director of Jordan Valley Senior Care PACE Jordan at Jordan Valley Health Center (FQHC) in Springfield, Missouri. She is excited to be part of the team bringing this unique model of all-inclusive geriatric care to the region in a program that has been growing steadily since it opened in the summer of 2024. In the meantime, she is enjoying the new rhythms of outpatient-only work — with residents, advocates, and as always, OMT.
Dr. Lucore has been an active member of MAOPS since 2011 and served as chair of the Convention for MOAC 2023. She is a past board member and Ozark District liaison. Elizabeth is grateful for this opportunity to contribute to MAOPS, promoting the profession and encouraging the next generation of proud osteopathic physicians.
Ken Heiles, DO, FACOFP dist.
1st Vice President
Dr. Heiles is currently serving as KCU-COM Joplin Campus Dean. He began his career at KCU as the Assistant Dean for Clinical Education, located on their Joplin campus, then was named the Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education, before assuming his current role. For the past 30 plus years, he has dedicated himself to treating the rural and underserved, as well as the education of future osteopathic physicians. He has 20 years’ experience as the Director of Medical Education and Osteopathic Family Medicine Residency Director in Pine Bluff, Ar., where he was affiliated with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He has also served as the Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education for the DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine at Lincoln Memorial University and was the founding Dean of the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he was instrumental in guiding the developing school to achieve Provisional Accreditation. For 25 plus years before joining the medical school faculty, he had a rural private family medicine practice in Star City, AR.
Dr. Heiles is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Following graduation, he completed an internship at the then Shenango Valley Osteopathic Hospital and a residency at Millcreek Community Hospital. Upon completion of his residency, as part of a National Health Service Corp commitment, he was assigned to Star City, AR for four years. After his NHSC commitment was up, he stayed in Star City as well as became involved in Graduate Medical Education.
Dr. Heiles has been very active in associations, from local to national. He served as President of the Arkansas Osteopathic Medical Association and President of the Arkansas Chapter of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, where he is a founding member. In 2010-2011, Dr. Heiles served as National President of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP). He also began serving the ACOFP Foundation in 2008, serving as president from 2011-2021. He has also served on various education committees for the American Osteopathic Association and the ACOFP. He currently serves AACOM as the Past-Chair of the Council on Residency Placement, the Past-Chair of the Assembly of Council Leaders, and is a member of the UME-GME Task force and participates in their sub-committees. He also serves as the Vice-Chair of the Assembly of Osteopathic Graduate Medical Education (AOGME). With his position on AOGME, he is currently serving AACOM on the Executive Committee of the Board of Deans.
Throughout his professional career, Dr. Heiles has been, and remains, dedicated to the training of primary care physicians to serve, primarily, in the underserved regions of the country, as well as assuring the finest of care to all the patients he has touched.
In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Michelle, their children and their 5 grandchildren.
Megan McBride, DO, FAAP, FACOP
2nd Vice President
Megan McBride, DO, FAAP is a St. Louis–born pediatrician. She earned her undergraduate degree from Truman State University, completed medical school at Kansas City University, and trained in pediatrics at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. Dr. McBride has been active in MAOPS since she was a student and currently serves on the Board of Trustees. She is also active in the St. Louis Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons.
Dr. McBride loves working with children and has a special interest in lifestyle medicine. She is an active volunteer in her son’s school and throughout the community. One of the original Wetzel Scholars, she has been involved with MAOPS and attending its annual convention since her first year of medical school.