District Chairperson – Effective January 1, 2020

Dr. Fiscus has been engaged in the AAP on the local, state and national levels for more than 20 years. She became active in the Tennessee Chapter (TNAAP) as chair of the Young Physicians’ Committee, planning the chapter’s first conference for young physicians. She has served as vice president, president and immediate past president of the Tennessee Chapter, chair of the chapter’s Nominating Committee, and member and chair of the chapter’s Legislative Committee. She has been heavily involved in legislative affairs on the state level and spent significant time lobbying the Tennessee state legislature on behalf of children.

Dr. Fiscus is co-creator and medical director of the Behavioral Health in Pediatrics (BeHIP) program, a TNAAP initiative focusing on improving the management of behavioral health disorders within primary care.

In 2015, Dr. Fiscus was elected District IV representative to the AAP National Nominating Committee and, in 2018, was elected chair by the committee’s members.

Dr. Fiscus was co-owner of a two-pediatrician practice in Tennessee for 17 years before pursuing a new career in public health. She serves as medical director of the Tennessee Department of Health’s Immunization Program where she oversees administration of the Vaccines for Children program and coordinates clinical response to vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks.

Dr. Fiscus graduated from Indiana University and Indiana University School of Medicine, and completed her residency in pediatrics at the James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis.

District Vice Chairperson – Effective January 1, 2020

Dr. Purcell is a general pediatrician in private practice, delivering care to children and families for more than 20 years in her hometown of Louisville, Ky. She joined East Louisville Pediatrics after residency, beginning her career as a partner of the practice. She received her B.A. degree from Otterbein University and her M.D.  degree from Medical College of Ohio. Additionally, she earned her M.B.A. degree in 2018 from Indiana’s distinguished Kelley School of Business.

Dr. Purcell maintains a part-time clinical practice and devotes additional time to numerous professional activities. She also serves as an assistant clinical professor gratis at the University of Louisville Medical School and actively participates in teaching rotating residents and medical students.

She is a past president of the AAP Kentucky Chapter and has completed terms for both secretary/treasurer and vice president. During her tenure as president, the chapter garnered two AAP Chapter Awards of Excellence. She continues to develop and lead chapter initiatives, including curbing e-cigarette use by partnering with the AAP Julius B. Richmond Center of Excellence and the parent/caregiver driven organization, Operation Parent.

Additionally, Dr. Purcell has championed work on substance abuse prevention, collaborating with the Kentucky Department for Public Health, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Disabilities. Nationally, she maintains membership in the AAP Sections on Breastfeeding and Telehealth Care.

Dr. Purcell has two children and two grandchildren and enjoys running and cooking as hobbies.

Other District IV Representatives

Section on Medical Students, Residents and Fellowship Trainees
Allison “Alli” Black, MD
Chair-Person Elect
Kentucky

CATCH Facilitator
Emily Vander Schaaf, MD, FAAP
District IV Representative
North Carolina

PROS Coordinator
Debbie Greenhouse, MD, FAAP
District IV Representative
South Carolina

National Nominating Committee
District IV Rep
Kim Boland, MD, FAAP
Kentucky

Chapter Forum Management Committee
Debbie Greenhouse, MD, FAAP
District IV Rep
South Carolina