top of page

Director-at-Large Page
Meet your DALs

Neonatal-Pediatrics - Kelley Clark

Kelley Clark is Registered Respiratory Therapist who specializes in the Neonatal  and Pediatric population of Respiratory Care.  Kelley works as a Lab Specialist and a Clinical Instructor for the Community College of Philadelphia where she’s been able to take her love for teaching and expose future respiratory therapists to some of the most specialized areas in the hospital. Kelley is also an adjunct professor for the College of Allied Sciences BSRT program at the University of Cincinnati.  Kelley also enjoys her time as a pulmonary function technologist and  interventional pulmonology RT. 

​

Originally from Nebraska, she earned her Bachelors of science degree in Human Services at the University of Bellevue in Nebraska and continued on earning her Masters  Degree in Human Services at Bellevue University. Kelley joined the PSRC with over 20 years of experience as a respiratory therapist.

​

During Kelley’s free time she enjoys voiceover acting running a small business as a basket curator and is the proud mom of an aspiring professional soccer player.

Adult Acute Care - Melissa Ash

Melissa Ash, MBA, RRT, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, RRT-SDS, CPFT, AE-C serves as the Director at Large for Adult Acute Care for the PSRC.  She previously served as the Eastern District Director in 2024-2025. She also serves as a Director at Large on the Board of Lambda Beta, the National Honor Society for Respiratory Care. Ms. Ash earned her Bachelor’s degree from West Chester University in 2004 and completed her Master of Business Administration at Columbia Southern University in 2025.

​

Ms. Ash began her clinical career at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where she practiced in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) and the Intensive Care Nursery (ICN). In 2021, she transitioned into academia, joining Gwynedd Mercy University as a part-time instructor. She was appointed Adjunct Professor at Jefferson University in 2023 and, in 2025, assumed the role of Program Director for St. Luke’s Respiratory Care Program.

​

Highly engaged in professional service and leadership, Ms. Ash currently serves as Chair of the Pennsylvania Sputum Bowl Committee and is an active member of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) Sputum Bowl Committee, where she is Chair-Elect. She has presented at numerous state and national conferences and holds all specialty credentials in Respiratory Care, reflecting her commitment to clinical excellence, education, leadership, and the advancement of the profession.

Management - Jackie Oravec

Jackie Oravec is a Registered Respiratory Therapist and Certified Pulmonary Function Technician with over 40 years of experience in acute care, diagnostics, management, and education.  She also is a Registered Polysomnographic Technologist and Registered Sleep Technologist. She currently serves as the Neurodiagnostics Manager at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, PA, overseeing the Sleep Disorders Center and EEG Department.

​

Jackie has a strong commitment to education, teaching polysomnography for Gannon University and serving as an adjunct instructor for the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown’s Respiratory Therapy Program. She also contributes as a member of YTI’s Respiratory Therapy Program Advisory Board and serves on the AAST Standards and Guidelines Committee.

​

She earned her Associate Degree in Respiratory Therapy from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, later completing a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration and a Master of Public Administration with a healthcare management focus from Grand Canyon University. She also holds a Certificate in Leadership from St. Francis University. Jackie is a proud AARC member for more than 25 years.

​

Outside of her professional work, Jackie enjoys traveling, gardening, home improvement projects, and cooking. She and her husband cherish time with their three adult children and four grandchildren—with hopes for more to come.

bottom of page