Illinois Academy of PAs

What Illinois Academy of PAs does

The Illinois Academy of Physician Associates (IAPA) is a private nonprofit professional membership organization headquartered in Springfield, Illinois, representing more than 5,000 licensed physician associates (PAs) across the state. It operates as the recognized statewide intermediary between Illinois PAs and regulators (notably the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation), with an explicit mandate to advocate for scope-of-practice modernization, deliver continuing medical education (CME), and provide licensing, renewal, and legislative-update resources to practicing PAs, PA students, pre-PA students, affiliate clinicians, and PA training programs.

IAPA's product portfolio is membership- and event-driven rather than technology-driven. Core products include six membership tiers (Fellow Member at $160/year, Fellow Member with Auto-Renewal at $140/year, Pre-PA Student at $30/year, PA Student at $35/year, Affiliate Member at $135/year, and Institutional/PA Program Membership at $1,000/year), plus two annual CME conferences (the multi-day Fall CME Conference in Burr Ridge and the Spring CME Conference in Carbondale), an annual Lobby Day in Springfield, licensing/renewal resources, and a "Prepare for Illinois' Future" universal test-preparation initiative for PA students. The underlying technology stack is lightweight: a Glueup-powered self-serve membership and event registration portal sitting on a Squarespace-hosted website, with no proprietary software, AI/ML capabilities, or APIs disclosed.

The business model combines subscription recurring revenue (membership dues and institutional fees), event-based affiliate sponsorship revenue (CME prospectus packages and pharma-sponsored dinners with partners such as Sanofi and GRAIL), and advocacy-driven non-cash value delivered through legislative wins such as House Bill 3637 (signed August 22, 2025) and active support for SB271/HB2468. GTM motion is community-led — anchored by conferences, Lobby Day, member referrals, and direct online enrollment — with customer acquisition distributed across practicing PAs, students, affiliate clinicians, and PA programs. Headcount is 12 employees, consistent with a small association operating model that outsources web management (The TJK Group) and relies on volunteer leadership including President Hazel Domingo, PA-C, and Executive Director Timothy Kinsey, PA-C.

Name

Illinois Academy of PAs

Legal name

Illinois Academy of Physician Associates

Website

https://illinoispa.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Illinois Academy of Physician Associates (IAPA) is a Springfield, Illinois-based nonprofit professional membership organization representing 5,000+ licensed PAs statewide, delivering advocacy, CME conferences, licensing resources, and tiered membership services to practicing PAs, students, and PA programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Professional Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDADACAF

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Accreditation Bodies (Institutional & Programmatic)

SECONDARYEDADAKAM

Institutional Planning, Performance Management & Accreditation Liaison

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Institutional Governance & Administration (School/College/University Admin)

Keywords

• Physician assistant advocacy
• Continuing medical education
• Professional membership association
• Healthcare workforce advocacy
• Scope of practice legislation

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from practicing PAs (Fellow Members), PA students, Pre-PA students, and affiliate members. Tiers include Fellow Member ($160/year), Fellow Member Auto-Renewal ($140/year), Pre-PA Students ($30/year), PA Students ($35/year), and Affiliate Members ($135/year).
2. Institutional Memberships: PA Programs and institutions can purchase organizational memberships for $1,000/year with optional associated individual memberships at discounted rates.
3. Event Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship opportunities for Fall CME Conference, including sponsorship tiers and prospectus-based packages for pharmaceutical and healthcare companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Illinois Academy of PAs (IAPA) is a statewide nonprofit professional membership association serving physician associates (PAs) in Illinois. It sells tiered memberships (Fellow, Student, Affiliate, Institutional), hosts recurring CME conferences and a Lobby Day advocacy event, and delivers licensing/renewal resources and legislative advocacy on behalf of its members.

Product overview

The Illinois Academy of PAs (IAPA) operates as a professional membership organization for physician associates in Illinois, offering a portfolio of membership tiers (Fellow, Student, Affiliate, and Institutional memberships ranging from $30-$1,000/year), major CME conferences (Annual Fall CME Conference and Spring CME Conference), and professional resources including licensing guidance and student support services. The organization serves as the primary resource for PA practice, advocacy, and education in Illinois.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fellow Membership Full annual membership for practicing and emeritus physician associates who graduated from an ARC-PA accredited program or passed PANCE; includes voting rights and eligibility to hold office at IAPA. Priced at $160/year.
• Fellow Membership with Auto-Renewal Annual Fellow membership with automatic renewal at a discounted rate of $140/year, designed to reduce lapse risk for practicing PAs.
• Pre-PA Student Membership Annual membership for pre-PA students at $30/year, providing access to IAPA's network and resources for PA school preparation (no voting privileges).
• PA Student Membership Annual membership at $35/year for PA students enrolled in provisionally or fully ARC-PA accredited programs; grants privileges of the floor but no voting.
• Affiliate Membership Annual membership at $135/year for Illinois-licensed allied healthcare providers, physicians, and APRNs seeking interprofessional networking and CME with PAs.
• Institutional Membership Annual institutional membership at $1,000/year for PA programs and institutions, including optional associated individual memberships at 10% discount, organization spotlight on homepage, and 2-year student memberships.
• Annual Fall CME Conference Premier multi-day continuing medical education conference held October 15-17 in Burr Ridge, Illinois, featuring clinical updates and early-bird pricing (EARLYBIRD 10% off, STUDENTEARLY 20% off).
• IAPA Spring CME Conference One-day continuing medical education conference held in Carbondale, Illinois, bringing together PAs for clinical updates, legislative advocacy, and networking.
• Lobby Day Annual advocacy event held in Springfield, Illinois for PA leaders and colleagues to engage with state legislators on PA practice modernization.
• Licensing and Renewal Resources Comprehensive member-only resources and guidance for PA license renewal in Illinois, including CME requirements, controlled substance licensing, and compliance information.
• PA Student Support Services Resources and support services for Pre-PA and PA students including educational preparation, professional development, and connections to PA programs across Illinois.

Quantifiable outcome

• Historic progress: First time legislation advanced out of the Senate Licensed Activities Committee
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Illinois Rural Health Association (IRHA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 October 2025IRHA has formally endorsed legislation to modernize PA practice in Illinois. The partnership aims to improve healthcare access in rural and underserved communities by allowing PAs to practice to full extent of their license, similar to APNs. Margaret Vaughn, IRHA Executive Director, stated that PA scope should be equivalent to APN under Illinois law.
• American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAPA works with AAPA to develop the most effective path forward for PA practice legislation. AAPA provides national support and resources for state-level advocacy efforts.
• Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)coreOthersIAPA serves as a resource on PA practice for IDFPR. The organization has been in communication with IDFPR to correct discrepancies in licensing requirements and recommends issuance of updated FAQ documents.
• SanofiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIAPA partnered with Sanofi for a dinner event on February 26, 2025 featuring Dr. Anita Swamy, Pediatric Endocrinologist, to discuss T1D screening and treatment.
• GRAILminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIAPA partnered with GRAIL for a dinner event to learn about multi-cancer early detection and receive updates on IAPA activities.
• Senator Javier Loera CervantescoreOthersSenator Cervantes introduced SB271 and has been a steadfast champion of PA practice modernization legislation. His leadership and partnership have been instrumental in moving the legislation forward.
• PA Program PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAPA partners with 10+ PA programs in Illinois including: North Central College, SIU DMSc Program, Dominican University, Midwestern University, Southern Illinois University, Chamberlain University, Rush University, Rosalind Franklin University, Northwestern University, and Touro University Illinois. These partnerships provide student membership benefits and program support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA): The national professional membership organization for PAs. Highly comparable as IAPA's national counterpart, offering similar CME, advocacy, and member services but at the national level rather than state scope.

Others

• Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA): Accreditor for PA education programs referenced in IAPA's student membership eligibility criteria. Indirectly comparable as the regulatory body underpinning IAPA's PA program partnerships.
• National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA): Certifying body for PAs in the U.S. Comparable as part of the broader PA professional ecosystem that IAPA interacts with on member credentials and licensure pathways.

Direct peers

• New York State Society of Physician Assistants (NYSSPA): A fellow state-level PA membership organization offering advocacy, CME, and member services to New York PAs. Directly comparable in mission, revenue model (membership dues + conferences), and operating structure to IAPA.
• California Academy of PAs (CAPA): State chapter professional association for PAs in California. Operates with the same member-tier, CME, and advocacy model as IAPA, representing a parallel organization in a much larger PA market.
• Texas Academy of Physician Assistants (TAPA): Texas-based state PA professional society providing CME, advocacy, and member benefits. Closely analogous to IAPA in structure, dues tiers, and event-driven revenue mix.

Regional players

• Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS): Statewide professional association for Illinois physicians. Adjacent peer given overlapping Illinois healthcare policy advocacy focus and similar membership-association model, though serving a different profession.

Emerging players

• Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA): National organization representing PA educational programs. Comparable to IAPA on the institutional/program side of IAPA's membership (PA Program Partnerships) and shares focus on PA workforce development.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/illinois-academy-of-pas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Illinois Academy of PAs