Jesse Scheckner
Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed two new members and reappointed another to the Board of Podiatric Medicine, a seven-member body tasked with ensuring that every podiatric physician in Florida meets minimum safe practice standards.
Appropriately and in accordance with state statutes, most of the Board, including all three of those DeSantis named Wednesday, are podiatrists.
The two new members are Robert Snyder and Cary Zinkin.
Snyder is the dean of the School of Podiatric Medicine at Barry University in Miami and an honorary visiting professor for the University of Wales. He also serves as associate editor for the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association.
He received his doctor of podiatric medicine from Manhattan’s New York College of Podiatric Medicine in 1975. To augment his degree, he completed coursework in clinical nutrition at Florida International University and attained a master of science in wound healing and tissue science from Cardiff University at the University of Wales School of Medicine.
He also holds a master of business administration with a concentration in health care from George Washington University.
Zinkin, meanwhile, is a podiatric physician at Upperline Health Florida in Oviedo, the President of the Florida Podiatric Medical Association and a member of its parent organization, the American Podiatric Medical Association.
He graduated with honors from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine in 1986.
The member DeSantis reappointed, Mark Block, served as the state Board’s Chair until his term ended on Oct. 31.
Block works in private practice in Boca Raton and is a past President of the Florida Podiatric Medical Association. He is also Chair Emeritus of the American Podiatric Medical Association’s Health Policy Committee.
He, too, earned his doctor of podiatric medicine from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine.
If the Senate approves their appointments, Snyder and Zinkin’s first terms on the Board and Block’s second would end in December 2026. Members can serve up to two four-year terms.
The Board still has one vacancy in need of filling.
Other members include Vice Chair Soorena Sadri, an ankle and foot surgeon in Fort Myers; Boca Raton podiatrist and sports foot doctor Marc Klein, whom DeSantis appointed in April; U.S. Army veteran Robert Morris, a former assistant professor of military science at Florida State University.
The site also lists St. Petersburg-based podiatrist Joseph Strickland as a current member. His term ended in October 2019, according to the Board website, but he continues to serve and participated in the Board’s Oct. 14, 2022, meeting.
DeSantis also nominated West Palm Beach podiatrist Donald Popper to the Board late last year. Popper participated in Board meetings at the Hyatt Regency Orlando this year, but he is no longer listed on the Board’s website.
The Governor holds exclusive nominating authority for the Board, which must consist of five licensed podiatric physicians with at least four years of practice in the field and two members who have never been a licensed podiatric physician or a member of any closely related profession.
At least one member of the Board must be 60 or older. All must be Florida residents.
