MAHEC - Key Persons
Aimee Feste is a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) at MAHEC OB/GYN Specialists. She provides personalized care from your first period until after menopause, plus all the important health events in between. Her interests are providing individualized care that focuses on partnering with the woman, and active involvement of clients and families. Aimee's interests include focusing on health and wellness and physiologic labor and delivery and providing "Centering in Pregnancy" prenatal care.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Director of the General Practice Residency
- Director, General Dentistry Residency Program / MAHEC Dental Health Center at Biltmore
- Director, General Dentistry Residency Program / MAHEC Dental Health Center at Columbus
Dr. Valdez has been at MAHEC since finishing his specialty training in 2018. He currently is the GPR residency program director and director of dental education at MAHEC. Dr. Valdez has a special interest in hospital dentistry and medically complex patients, oral lesions, facial pain, and oral complications from autoimmune conditions and cancer treatment. He is the recipient of the Lester Burket Memorial Award from the American Academy of Oral Medicine and has multiple publications in peer-review journals. Dr. Valdez is also the service line leader for dentistry at Mission HCA hospital and serves as a board member of the Health and Human Services in Buncombe County.
Amadeo Valdez, DDS, MAS, director of the General Practice Residency (GPR) Program here at MAHEC, grew up in Coahuila, a small border town in Mexico. There, students have to decide their career path early on. At a young age, he narrowed down his options to lawyer, physician, or dentist. He quickly ruled out lawyer and decided being a physician and having to treat terminally ill patients wasn't the best fit for him. He ultimately settled on dentistry, which he considered the best of both worlds. Dr. Valdez has strong memories of going to the dentist as a child. He remembers loving the smell of the alginate that was used to make dental impressions. "I guess it planted a seed," Valdez said.
After completing dental school, Dr. Valdez received a scholarship to go UCSF for a two-year program in clinical research where he focused on oral health and diabetes. As he approached graduation, he realized he missed interacting with patients so he decided to go into a general practice residency at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center.
A residency is not required to practice general dentistry, but, according to Valdez, dental residencies provide practitioners with valuable skills that can't be learned in the classroom. He uses the metaphor of learning to ride a bike. If dental school is the tricycle phase and residency is the training wheels, then private practice is like biking the Rocky Mountains.
Amanda Murphy is a Certified Nurse-Midwife and cares for women of all ages in the office, specializing in labor support during childbirth. She is the Centering Pregnancy Director and delights in the bonds that form during that experience. Her belief is that healthcare is a partnership between provider and patient and that the best outcomes start with a relationship. Amanda is also Director of Mothering Asheville, a Community Centered Health Home initiative. In addition to prenatal appointments and attending deliveries at Mission Hospital, she also provides well-woman gynecologic, preconception counseling, and contraceptive services.
Job Titles:
- Co - Director, UNC Asheville - UNC Gillings MPH Program
Ameena Batada, DrPH, MPH, is a professor of Health and Wellness at UNC Asheville. Dr. Batada facilitates courses on community health, health equity and justice, health communication, and related topics. Dr. Batada's research activities include working with community partners and students to better understand the impact of their health and education programs and conducting research to support policy advocacy pertaining to a range of social drivers of health. She also is the 2021-2024 faculty fellow with the Key Center for Community Engaged Learning at UNCA. Prior to coming to Asheville, Dr. Batada was the director of education, research, and outreach with Sesame Workshop India in New Delhi, and before that she worked as an advocate for national school nutrition standards and limits on marketing junk food to children with the Center for Science in the Public Interest . Dr. Batada's DrPH is in Population and Family Health Sciences with a certificate in Health Communication from Johns Hopkins University and her MPH is in Maternal and Child Health with a certificate in International Health from UNC Chapel Hill. You can learn more about Dr. Batada on her UNCA profile page.
Job Titles:
- Medical Director, Project CARA
Dr. Marietta joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in January 2023 after working for seven years as a rural family medicine physician in Polk County, NC. She completed her Family Medicine Residency in 2012 at Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency, and she was board certified in Addiction Medicine in January 2022. She is passionate about caring for pregnant and parenting people with substance use disorders and working to bring these services to more people in rural communities. She also has specific interests in comprehensive reproductive health access, providing gender-affirming care, and teaching medical students and resident physicians. Outside of work, she enjoys yoga, hiking, swimming, visiting local fairs and farmers' markets, and exploring all the beautiful nooks and crannies of Western North Carolina with her family.
Dr. Currens provides general gynecologic and obstetrical care for women. She has special interest in pediatric and adolescent gynecology, gynecologic care for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities, resident and medical student education, and mindfulness education for health care providers.
Anne McClintic, MS, is honored to serve as the Chief of Talent Management. Drawn to both the human-centered and strategic elements of workplace design, she sees her role as first and foremost "creating an environment in which all can do their very best." With over twenty years of experience in human resources and talent/organizational development, mostly in healthcare, she's passionate about attracting, retaining and developing the key talent needed to serve MAHEC's mission through a strengths-based approach. A native of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Anne has been privileged to call WNC home for over twenty years.
Ashley Steward, MBA, has worn many hats during her healthcare career. She's been an office manager and a consulting analyst, and she also worked in clinical informatics and finance. Ashley's passion for making healthcare accessible has been a driving force throughout her career.
"I believe that healthcare is a right for everyone, and I wanted to do my part in ensuring that this idea becomes a reality," Ashley said. "While my role isn't clinical, I really think that all of us play a part in ensuring that everyone has access to healthcare when they need it, and that it's given to them with great care."
When Ashley came to MAHEC in December of 2020 as a program manager in the Department of Continuing Professional Development, she was looking for a job in public health that would have a direct impact on healthcare. While in this role, she helped identify the need for a team that could collaborate with departments across MAHEC by fostering long-term, sustainable partnerships; guiding ideas from abstract to actionable; and connecting innovators with funders - all while keeping a focus on equity.
She was the first member of this new Health Integration and Innovations Team and has worked hard to build it from the ground up. Since its inception, the team has grown to five members and now collaborates with several of MAHEC's clinical departments. Ashley looks forward to supporting more departments across the organization. Eventually, her goal is for the innovations team to become a resource, not only for MAHEC, but also for our community partners as well.
"There are a lot of great ideas in the community, but not everyone has the resources that MAHEC has," Ashley explained. "I want to be able to partner with community organizations and help them establish the infrastructure they need to be sustainable long term."
Bailey Allen is finishing up his first year at the UNC School of Medicine, but he won't be paying rent in Chapel Hill for much longer.
Bailey is one of three students recently accepted into the School of Medicine's Fully Integrated Readiness for Service Training (FIRST) Program, an accelerated program that enables students to complete their medical degree in three years followed by placement in an NC family medicine residency program and then three years of postresidency practice in an underserved area of the state.
Born and raised in a small town in eastern North Carolina, Bailey knew exactly where he wanted to complete his medical school education and residency.
"I've lived in North Carolina all my life. This is my home and where I want to stay," he explains. "I've never lived in Western North Carolina, but I enjoy spending time outdoors and look forward to doing that here. That's what I love about living in a rural area - being close to nature. I know this will help me provide the best patient care."
Having grown up in a town with only a few thousand residents, Bailey is keenly aware of the barriers to accessing healthcare in rural areas - maybe more aware than most.
"Columbus County where I grew up is the third largest county in the state. We have only one hospital, and it's located in the middle of a spread-out county," he shares. "There are people in Columbus who don't have a car or reliable transportation. That makes getting good healthcare challenging if not impossible."
Transportation isn't the only barrier Bailey is eager to address as a rural family physician. It can be hard to find healthy food and even harder to find health education in rural areas, especially for those who don't speak English.
While on summer breaks as an undergrad at UNC Charlotte, Bailey volunteered at his local health department and helped educate patients about how to prevent and manage chronic health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.
"I was surprised how many people knew so little about what impacts their health," Bailey notes. "Looking ahead to this next year, I'm excited to partner with patients at MAHEC to help them learn how to improve their health."
As a FIRST Program scholar at UNC's School of Medicine Asheville Campus at MAHEC, Bailey will receive an excellent medical education, clinical training, and the opportunity to create long-term relationships with patients from day one.
Job Titles:
- CFT Mental Health Education
Beth England, MD Ob/Gyn Generalist MAHEC OB/GYN Specialists 119 Hendersonville Road Asheville, NC 28803 (828) 771-5500 Dr. Elizabeth England grew up in the mountains of East Tennessee. She joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in May 2018 after working as a rural Ob/Gyn in the far Western portion of North Carolina. She completed Medical School at Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, and her Residency at MAHEC Ob/Gyn. Dr. England has a special interest in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery as well as resident and medical student education. She enjoys practicing the full range of generalist obstetrics and gynecology in the hospital and in the office. Dr. England enjoys virtually all outdoor activities including whitewater rafting, mountain biking, and snow skiing.
Dr. Bre Bolivar is a recent graduate of the MAHEC Ob/Gyn Residency Program and is delighted to stay in Asheville as a faculty member. She currently works as an Ob/Gyn Hospitalist where her primary role is to care for hospitalized obstetric patients and manage obstetric emergencies. She also provides urgent gynecologic care and consultation for patients in the emergency department or those already admitted to the hospital. Dr. Bolivar also serves as the Patient Safety Officer for Women's Services at Mission Hospital. Her specific interests include improving management of obstetric hemorrhage and decreasing the rate of cesarean section. She finds joy in helping women feel comfortable during their hospital stay while navigating unexpected experiences. Outside of work, Dr. Bolivar enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter.
Dr. Barrow enjoys the opportunities and challenges that come with rural practice. "In a rural community, everybody knows you. You are taking care of your neighbors, your friends, your coworkers," he explains. "I try to treat everyone the way I would want my family to be treated. This means always doing the right thing and, in a small town, your reputation depends on it!"
Dr. Barrow explored another opportunity last year when he approached the Mountain Area Health Education Center about transitioning his practice from another healthcare system. MAHEC was excited to expand its ob-gyn services as part of its commitment to improve access to healthcare, especially in rural communities like Brevard whose hospitals have seen labor and delivery closures over the past several years.
Dr. Barrow and MAHEC Women's Care at Brevard are also helping to build a pipeline of well-trained physicians for rural and medically unserved communities. MAHEC ob-gyn residents and medical students from the University of North Carolina frequently join Dr. Barrow's care team to learn about practicing and operating in a rural setting. He enjoys teaching them the nuances of rural practice including the importance of developing a broad skill set, making the most of available resources, and collaborating with other colleagues.
Job Titles:
- Chairman, Department of Community and Public Health / Interim Chair, Department of Family Medicine
- Clinical Assistant Professor
Bryan Hodge, DO, works each day to ensure MAHEC is making a positive difference in the community. As chair of the Department of Community and Public Health at UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC, Dr. Hodge leads initiatives to expand community outreach, build pathways that support equitable access to health careers, and train public health leaders through the school of public health. A former National Health Service Corps Scholar, he has committed his career to providing high-quality relational care and serving his community. He continues to practice and teach family medicine with the Hendersonville Rural Family Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Hodge's special interests include creating new models of care delivery, rural workforce development, and interdisciplinary health professions training. He believes that community health transformation requires a strong commitment to community engagement, collaboration, and innovation.
Dr. Hodge is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the UNC School of Medicine in Chapel Hill. He helps residency programs across the country achieve educational and clinical excellence through his role as a Residency Practice Solutions consultant for the American Academy of Family Practice.
Bryanna Williams, CMA, has known she wanted to go into healthcare from a young age when her grandfather was hospitalized with pneumonia and eventually passed away. That experience served as a catalyst and inspiration for her to begin her healthcare journey. In the sixth grade, Bryanna attended her first MAHEC program, the MAHEC Health Careers Summer Camp for middle school students on the campus of Western Carolina University.
Since then, Bryanna has attended multiple MAHEC programs, and now she works here full-time as a CMA. She attended the Future Leaders in Healthcare Conference (FLHC) for several years in high school and was later a student leader and chaperone. She was also a Minority Medical Mentoring Program (MMMP) intern and participated in the WNC Healthcare Experience and Rural Training (HEART) summer internship during college.
"I think the WNC HEART and the MMMP internships were the most helpful for me," Bryanna shared. "With MMMP, I was able to explore different types of specialties like cardiology, OB, pediatrics, and see what I liked, what I was comfortable with, and see what I didn't like as well."
All throughout her middle and high school years, Bryanna's goal was to become a pediatrician. It wasn't until she was in college that Bryanna started thinking about changing her plans and becoming a physician assistant (PA). She realized that being a PA would be a better fit for her, and she's been on that path ever since.
Bryanna became a certified nurse assistant (CNA) and worked in nursing homes and home health care. Then, Bryanna heard about MAHEC's new CMA Pathways program that helps CNAs receive their certified medical assistant certification (CMA). She applied and became MAHEC's first CMA Pathways graduate working at MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists.
Dr. Gonzalez-Espinoza was born and raised in San Salvador, El Salvador, Central America. He attended dental school at Universidad Evangelica de El Salvador. He completed an International program in Prosthodontics at New York University, NY, where he discovered the topic of his passion: implant dentistry. He completed a Master's in Science in Periodontology program in Munster, Germany, in 2017.
In 2011, he joined the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry in San Francisco, CA, as an Assistant Professor, where he became Course Director for Preclinical Implant Dentistry and a Clinical Faculty member of both the surgical and restorative teams for implant services working in the Preventative and Restorative Departments of Oral Surgery, a position he held for 12 years until he decided to join MAHEC.
He is a Fellow of the ITI (International Team for Implantology) and is passionate about mentoring others to advance in the implant field.
Carlos Pena Magos has wanted to be a physician since he was a child, but growing up in a low-income neighborhood, he didn't think that dream could be a reality until he got to high school. Because of his good grades, teachers started telling him about different scholarship opportunities and encouraging him to apply. That encouragement, plus an internship shadowing healthcare providers at a local hospital, convinced Carlos to try for a career in the medical field.
With the support of scholarships, Carlos was able to attend Western Carolina University, where he's now a senior majoring in emergency medical care. Next, he wants to go to medical school and eventually return to his hometown of Hickory, NC, to open a clinic, and help those that need it the most while giving back to the community that raised him.
"Lately I've been observing how expensive it is to get healthcare," Carlos said. "With my clinic, I really want to focus on long-term benefits. I want to be able to educate patients and give them routine service at an affordable price. So that even if you have economic issues, there's always an opportunity to get help, something that is not offered as much in my community."
As an AHEC Scholar at MAHEC, Carlos completes at least 40 hours of community-based, experiential, or clinical training each year. For his spring semester hours, he decided to volunteer at WCU's vaccine clinic. As an emergency medical technician, Carolos was able to step in and start administering vaccines.
"It felt like a sense of duty," Carlos said. "It was an opportunity to help out the community because they really needed volunteers. They needed help and I had the skills to do it, which felt really good."
In addition to getting hands-on experience serving the community, Carlos enjoys hearing from other medical professionals through AHEC Scholars about how they're helping their communities. It's a great opportunity for him to hear about different needs and unique ways healthcare workers are striving to meet those needs.
"AHEC Scholars is great for anyone interested in the medical field because you get so many opportunities to discover new interests or new ways to learn and serve the community," Carlos explained.
We know wherever he ends up, Carlos will find a way to serve his community and make it a better place!
Job Titles:
- Director, Division of Maternal - Fetal Medicine
- Maternal - Fetal Medicine Specialist
Dr. Carol Coulson is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist. She specializes in providing care for women who are 'at risk' and considering pregnancy or those who are already pregnant and 'high-risk' or complicated for a variety of reasons. Dr. Coulson sees patients who are undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic procedures such as comprehensive ultrasound, chorionic villus sampling, and genetic amniocentesis. She also consults on patients with medical and surgical disorders coincident with or prior to pregnancy including heart disease, chronic hypertension, diabetes and other endocrinologic disorders, kidney and gastrointestinal diseases, and infectious diseases. Otherwise healthy women who may require these services are those whose pregnancies are at markedly increased risk for adverse outcomes such as those with abnormal serum screens, multiple gestations, recurrent preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes, or growth abnormalities of the fetus.
Job Titles:
- Vice - Chair of the Board of Directors
Cheryl Harrington is a Certified Nurse-Midwife who cares for women of all ages and provides full-scope midwifery care. She is an advocate for shared decision-making and patient empowerment. She received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at UNC Greensboro and her Master of Science in Nurse Midwifery at East Carolina University. The majority of her nursing career has been in Women's Health and specializing in labor and delivery. In addition to prenatal appointments and attending deliveries at Mission Health Systems, she also provides well-women gynecologic, preconception counseling, and contraceptive services.
Diana Sanchez didn't know how to pursue a career in healthcare or even if it was a possibility because she never knew anyone who had done it. The first person to encourage her interest in medicine was her sophomore health science teacher at Clyde A. Erwin High, Mary Ingle. She introduced Diana to the Mission Possible internship program at Mission Hospital in Asheville. Diana got the internship, and, for the first time in her life, she could visualize herself working in a hospital.
"I knew I wanted to do medicine, but I was really young, and I didn't have the background," Diana said. "Being in the hospital, having a badge, and wearing scrubs, I felt really official. After I had that opportunity, I knew I wanted to continue learning."
After Mission Possible, Diana participated in several of MAHEC's Center for Health Professions Education programs including the MAHEC Medical Mentoring Program (formerly known as the Minority Medical Mentoring Program), Health Careers Education Awareness Conference, and AHEC Scholars. These programs continued to open the door to the world of medicine for Diana by giving her confidence in her abilities as a student and a future medical professional.
"I didn't have much academic support at home," Diana said. "I know my parents really tried, but a lot of my learning was on my own. I just felt a little discouraged about my academic abilities and what I could do in the future with college and even with healthcare. MAHEC really provided me with that support and let me know it's possible. You can get along through life if you have the right mentors and if you're nurtured from a young age."
Diana said one of the most significant learning opportunities she experienced at MAHEC was the Medical Interpreter Series. Even though Diana is a first-generation Mexican-American and a native Spanish speaker, she said learning medical terminology was a totally different beast.
When she worked for three years as a CNA, Diana was surprised to learn that she was the only Spanish speaker on her floor, especially considering the number of Spanish speakers in Western North Carolina. She was often unofficially asked to interpret for providers. "That experience just added to my motivation to provide for the community because there's such a big need for Spanish-speaking providers."
Diana is currently in medical school at UNC Chapel Hill and is considering the UNC School of Medicine Asheville campus at MAHEC for her 3rd year, partially because of her history here.
"I loved working with the community, and I understand how MAHEC works," Diana explained. "I've seen how they treat their residents, their students, and the population they serve. It's what calls me back home. MAHEC has had a huge impact on me, and it makes me want to come back."
Dolly Pressley Byrd was born and raised in Western North Carolina. She returned to the area and joined MAHEC in 2005 as a Certified Nurse Midwife. Dolly loves her experience of being "with women through their lifetime"-especially fostering new and growing families. Dolly embraces the shared decision-making model and encourages her patients to be involved in the process of planning their care. In addition to prenatal appointments and attending deliveries at Mission Health Systems, she also provides well-women gynecologic, preconception counseling, and contraceptive services-specializing in IUD and Nexplanon insertions.
Dr. Amelia Cline is a generalist Obstetrician and Gynecologist who joined MAHEC faculty after completing residency at MAHEC Ob/Gyn. She received her BSPH at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. She attended medical school at UNC School of Medicine and completed her clerkship year in the longitudinal program at the Asheville Campus.
Dr. Cline enjoys practicing the full spectrum of obstetrics and gynecology and provides care in both MAHEC's Franklin and Asheville locations. She has a special interest in rural medicine and is completing a 2-year rural fellowship through the MAHEC Rural Fellowship program. Outside of work, she loves Dolly Parton, cooking, and finding new swimming holes! She is thrilled to get to stay and continue to serve the women of WNC.
Dr. Amy Willis joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in October 2017. Before moving to Asheville, Dr. Willis was an Ob/Gyn at Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Bragg and was a Staff Physician at the 21st Combat Support Hospital in Tikrit, Iraq. She completed her Residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Medical School at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. She also received her Master's Degree in Public Health from the Yale University School of Public Health.
Dr. Willis has an interest in advanced gynecologic care and treating women of all ages from adolescence through menopause. Her special interests include in-office procedures, contraception, infertility, abnormal bleeding and menopausal disorders. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, reading historical fiction, hiking and traveling.
Dr. Ashley Navarro joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in September 2022 after completing fellowship in Complex Family Planning at the University of North Carolina and her residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. She received a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences at Clemson University and a Masters in Public Health from the University of South Carolina (Go Tigers!). Dr. Navarro has an interest in complex family planning and comprehensive gynecologic and obstetric care. She has special interests in complex contraception management, miscarriage management, and LGBTQI+ care. She enjoys teaching medical trainees and advocating for reproductive justice and equity.
Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, all outdoor activities, caring for too many houseplants, and spending time with her family and three cats.
Dr. Erica Manogue joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in February 2022. Her Residency was completed at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center after finishing medical school at the University of South Alabama. After spending a few years in private practice in Atlanta, GA and Auburn, AL, she and her family moved to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Dr. Manogue has an interest in obstetrical and gynecologic care for women of all ages. She enjoys teaching residents and has special interests in pediatric and adolescent gynecology. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 kids, as well as baking and hiking.
Dr. Katherine Grette joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in October 2022 from the University of South Alabama, where she completed residency before joining faculty. Dr. Grette has a passion for educating patients about their health, as well as for training resident physicians. Her clinical interests include polycystic ovarian syndrome, chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and minimally invasive surgical techniques. She participates in women's health research and will continue to act as a resource for resident research at MAHEC.
Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, time with family, and an annual two week hunting trip in the Idaho wilderness! She is excited to explore all that Asheville has to offer.
Dr. Kathryn Davidson is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist. She joined the MAHEC Maternal-Fetal Medicine division in 2014 after completing medical school, residency and fellowship at the University Of Florida. Although she grew up on the Space Coast of Florida, she previously called North Carolina home while attending undergrad at Wake Forest University. She is passionate about helping families grow by optimizing the health of each pregnancy.
Dr. Davidson specializes in providing care for women who are 'at risk' and considering pregnancy, or those who are experiencing 'high-risk' or complicated pregnancies for a variety of reasons. Dr. Davidson sees patients who are undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic procedures such as comprehensive ultrasound, chorionic villus sampling and genetic amniocentesis. She also consults with patients who have medical and surgical disorders coincident with or prior to pregnancy, which includes heart disease, chronic hypertension, diabetes/other endocrinologic disorders, kidney/gastrointestinal diseases and infectious diseases. Otherwise healthy women who may require these services are those whose pregnancies are at markedly increased risk for adverse outcomes, such as those with abnormal serum screens, multiple gestations, recurrent preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes or growth abnormalities of the fetus.
Dr. Ken Hornowski grew up in Asheville, received his DDS in Chapel Hill in 1979, and returned to Asheville where he practiced for more than twenty years. He then became an Adjunct Professor in the AEGD Residency program at the UNC School of Dentistry in Chapel Hill where he taught for the next fifteen years. Once his daughters started having grandchildren he returned to Asheville full time. Dr. Hornowski retired for a couple of years and then was excited to have the opportunity to once again teach residents in the outstanding Dental MAHEC Residency. He has lectured on Practice Management issues in the US and at the Southern European Dental Conference in Lodz, Poland. Dr. Hornowski truly enjoys teaching residents and fourth year UNC Scholars as they know it is time to understand how to provide excellent and enriching treatment for their patients.
Dr. Kiran Sigmon is a general obstetrician and gynecologist with a particular interest in the diagnosis and management of vulvar skin disease and sexual pain. She started the MAHEC Vulvar Clinic in 2006 to assist other providers in the WNC region with difficult cases including recurrent vaginitis, lichen sclerosis, lichen planus, lichen simplex chronicus and vulvodynia, to name a few. She works with other local providers to provide patients with opportunities to explore treatments including physical therapy, acupuncture, and nutritional counseling. She also helps patients address the psychosocial components of living with chronic pain by working closely with local mental health professionals. Dr. Sigmon feels strongly about educating patients, other providers and the community about issues related to genital health and sexuality, and many local physicians rotate seeing patients with her in the Vulvar Clinic.
Dr. Lauren Knowlson joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists as faculty in August 2019 after completing her Residency training at MAHEC. She received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Doctorate of Medicine degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill. Dr. Knowlson has a passion for residency education, curriculum innovation, and resident wellness/well-being as well as an interest in residency research and simulation. She joined the residency leadership team as Associate Program Director in January 2022 and has served on the Clinical Competency Committee and as both the Outpatient Curriculum Director and Advocacy Curriculum director.
Dr. Knowlson has an interest in obstetrical care and advanced gynecologic care and surgery for women of all ages. She enjoys teaching residents and has special interests in gyn surgery, gyn office-based practice, and pelvic and vulvar health.
Outside of work, she enjoys running and spending time with her family in the beautiful mountains of Western NC.
Job Titles:
- Maternal - Fetal Medicine Specialist
Dr. Lisa Carroll is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist. She joined the MAHEC Maternal-Fetal Medicine division in 2020 after completing Medical School at the University of North Carolina, Ob/Gyn Residency at Boston Medical Center, and MFM Fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. Throughout her training and career, Dr. Carroll's clinical and research interests have been guided by her commitment to social justice and equity for marginalized populations.
Dr. Carroll specializes in providing care for women who are ‘at risk' and considering pregnancy, or those who are experiencing ‘high-risk' or complicated pregnancies for a variety of reasons. Dr. Carroll sees patients who are undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic procedures such as comprehensive ultrasound, chorionic villus sampling and genetic amniocentesis. She also consults with patients who have medical and surgical disorders coincident with or prior to pregnancy, which includes heart disease, chronic hypertension, diabetes/other endocrinologic disorders, kidney/gastrointestinal diseases and infectious diseases. Otherwise healthy women who may require these services are those whose pregnancies are at markedly increased risk for adverse outcomes, such as those with abnormal serum screens, multiple gestations, recurrent preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes or growth abnormalities of the fetus. Dr. Carroll considers it a great privilege to walk with women through questions and complications that arise in pregnancy in effort to achieve the healthiest possible outcomes for women and their growing families.
Job Titles:
- Program Director, Maternal - Fetal Medicine Fellowship
Dr. Lisa Foglia joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in September 2022. She recently retired from the US Army after over 24 years of service. She completed her Residency and MFM Fellowship at Madigan Army Medical Center. She was most recently the Designated Institutional Official at Womack Army Medical Center at Ft. Bragg, NC. She enjoys teaching residents and fellows and was the OB/Gyn Residency Program Director at Madigan for seven years. She has special interests in medical education, health equity and simulation. She is also active in ACOG, and currently serves as the Chair of the Armed Forces District.
Outside of work, she enjoys hanging out with her dog Sophie, yoga and enjoying all the culinary delights that Asheville has to offer.
Job Titles:
- Director, Addiction Medicine Fellowship
Dr. Nathan Mullins is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist and addictionologist with expertise in substance used disorders in pregnancy. He works as the medical director for an opioid treatment program as well as part-time faculty for the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) Ob/Gyn residency program. Dr. Mullins earned his medical degree from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and completed his residency at MAHEC.
Dr. Mullins obtained his DATA-2000 waiver in 2016 and began treating pregnant and postpartum patients with buprenorphine for opioid use disorder as part of a multidisciplinary team at MAHEC where he supervises and educates MAHEC residents and serves as a consultant for community physicians on the treatment of opioid use disorder in pregnant patients. Dr. Mullins is also the medical director for a community-based opioid treatment program that uses both methadone and buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder.
Dr. Ruslan Garcia was born in Cuba, grew up in Miami, and did his residency in New York City, so when he accepted a position at Appalachian Mountain Community Health Center (AMCHC) in Murphy, North Carolina, most people thought he wouldn't last long. That was two years ago, and Dr. Garcia is still going strong and loving his work.
When he was looking for his first job out of residency, Dr. Garcia new he wanted to work in a rural environment where he could provide a broad scope of care and continue to learn and grow in a variety of areas. During his residency in New York, he started to get frustrated with the way medicine works in a big city.
"There are many specialists, and sometimes that's really good, but sometimes it's not. You could go to seven different doctors and if they don't all talk to each other, you get very fragmented care," Dr. Garcia said.
Over the past two years, Dr. Garcia has helped transform the clinic from a general practice that served basic primary care needs to an integrated practice that supports patients with opioid use disorder and hepatitis C. AMCHC also now has one of the most robust diabetic clinics in the area.
Dr. Garcia credits a lot of his success to his connection with MAHEC. When he first arrived in Western North Carolina, Dr. Garcia applied for a MAHEC rural fellowship and was accepted.
Dr. Suzanne Landis is highly regarded among colleagues and community partners for her vision, innovation, research and commitment to excellent care for all patients.
Dr. Landis was the Director of the Center for Healthy Aging at the Mountain Area Health Education Center in Asheville, NC where she had an active clinical and teaching practice with the Family Medicine Residency. She practiced geriatrics at Givens Estates in Asheville and focused research efforts on changing systems of care for geriatric patients. Dr. Landis is a tenured professor in the Department of Family Medicine at UNC Chapel Hill and has mentored scores of residents and led several quality improvement initiatives and community coalitions to improve healthcare. She retired from her teaching and clinical practice at MAHEC in August 2015.
In 1995, in response to the growing number of uninsured residents of Buncombe County, Dr. Landis led a group of physicians to create Project Access, a network of volunteer physicians serving over 3,000 patients each year. The program has won numerous awards including the Innovations in American Government Award and as many as 100 communities across the country have replicated this model.
Dr. Landis has served as a National Health Service Corps physician, a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Innovation Advisor, and a Hartford Practice Change Leader.
Suzanne Landis, MD, MPH is a skilled clinician, teacher, researcher, and innovator whose work has greatly benefitted our region, state and the country.
Job Titles:
- Chairman, Department of Ob / Gyn
- Chairman, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians
Dr. Beth Buys is a general Obstetrician and Gynecologist at MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists. Dr. Buys completed her undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Hope College, Masters of Science in physiology and biophysics from Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis, and Medical School at Indiana University School of Medicine. She moved to Asheville in 1999 for Ob/Gyn residency at MAHEC. After residency she joined the MAHEC faculty. As Department Director, Dr. Buys has a special interest in resident education, ensuring residents today are prepared for a changing healthcare system which will include patient centered care and team based practice. She enjoys practicing the full range of generalist obstetrics and gynecology.
Dr. Buys is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist and an Oral Board Examiner with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Beth Buys, MD, is a visionary leader and educator who is passionate about transforming obstetric and gynecologic health and, in the process, improving the health of entire families, communities, and future generations. As chair of MAHEC's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Buys leads a multidisciplinary team that includes maternal-fetal medicine specialists, ob/gyn physicians, perinatal addiction and behavioral health specialists, certified nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, doulas, pregnancy care managers, and community partners who provide wraparound support to eliminate health inequities and address social determinants of health. Dr. Buys also works with our ob/gyn residency program and research initiatives to advance best practices and expand the rural healthcare workforce.
Dr. Buys is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and an oral board examiner with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is also a graduate of MAHEC's ob/gyn residency program. She has called Asheville home since 1999.
Job Titles:
- Adjunct Professor for UNC 's School of Nursing
- Chairman, Continuing Professional Development AHEC Director
- Nursing Education & Pharmacotherapy Education
Francisco Castelblanco, DNP, RN, serves as director of our Mountain AHEC and chair of the Department of Continuing Professional Development at UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC. In his role as AHEC director, he works closely with MAHEC's CEO and president and the NC AHEC Program Office to align regional programs with statewide initiatives for maximum impact. As departmental chair, Dr. Castelblanco guides a talented team of medical faculty and program planners in the delivery of more than 1,000 educational programs for approximately 10,000 health professionals across the state each year.
A cardiac nurse by training and adjunct professor for UNC's School of Nursing, Dr. Castelblanco knows how critical ongoing education is for delivering the highest quality patient care. He also understands the importance of equitable care, and he has devoted much of his career to advancing health equity through educational programming, minority youth career mentoring, and community service on boards that have included Buncombe County Health and Human Services, Asheville-Buncombe Institute of Parity Achievement, Center for Diversity Education at UNC Asheville, Asheville Latin Americans for Achieving Success, Pisgah Legal Services, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, and Thrive.
Ginger Poulton, MD, MSEd, DipABLM, is board certified in Family Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine. She is a former educator for Teach for America and a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School. Ginger completed her family medicine residency at the Mountain Area Health Education Center in Asheville and joined MAHEC's faculty in 2013, and has enjoyed working in a variety of roles at MAHEC since then.
Currently she is the Assistant Program Director for the Transitional Year Residency Program, the lead physician for the Community Health Worker Project at MAHEC and the Family Medicine Clerkship Director for the UNC School of Medicine for the Asheville campus. Additionally, she is the Program Director for the Lifestyle Medicine Residency Curriculum which is offered to all MAHEC residents.
Outside of work Ginger is an active runner, cyclist and sports enthusiast. She loves adventuring outdoors with her husband and sons in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina.
Job Titles:
- Advanced Practice Practitioner / MAHEC Family Health Center at Newbridge
Job Titles:
- Women 's Health Nurse Practitioner
Heather Miracle is a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, which means that she can diagnosis and treat women throughout their pregnancies and throughout their lifespan-from adolescence to old age. Many women choose to have a nurse practitioner as their primary provider for things like Pap smears, breast exams, and other routine gynecologic services, as well as prenatal care. Heather has a special interest in pregnant patients who have diabetes. She is originally from eastern Pennsylvania and has lived in the Midwest, but has happily settled in Asheville with her family where they enjoy an active outdoor life in the mountains.
Irene Ulrich grew up in Cary, NC and graduated with her PharmD from the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy in 2012 (go Heels!). She completed her residency in ambulatory care at Mission Hospital and MAHEC from 2012-2013. Upon finishing residency, she worked as a clinical pharmacist in a specialized anticoagulation service at Mission Hospital before starting as a clinical pharmacist with MAHEC. She practices primarily at the MAHEC clinic at Newbridge in Woodfin, NC. In addition to providing direct patient care for chronic disease management, she has particular interest in health equity and transgender care and is pursuing her Master's of Public Health degree with the UNC Gillings School of Public Health. She feels fortunate to be a part of a truly interdisciplinary primary care team with the common goal of providing outstanding care to the people of western NC. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her family including her husband, Bruce, and daughter, Ila, and enjoys running, traveling, and snuggles with her dogs, Gryffindor and Bowie.
Jacquelyn Hallum, MBA, MHA, MAHEC director of health careers and diversity education, has known Bryanna since she was born and knows five generations of her family. Jacquelyn says she and Bryanna both come from families with high academic expectations.
"We all grew up in the segregated Southside of Asheville and had to work hard for it all," Jacquelyn explained. "It was a pleasure and an honor to watch Bryanna continue her family's legacy of excellence. Her determination is unwavering. She doesn't ask for special treatment, all she asks is for the opportunity. I could not be more proud."
In August, Bryanna will embark on the next stage of her journey when she joins the physician assistant program at the Emory University School of Medicine. Emory's program is ranked fifth in the nation. It's been a privilege to watch her journey so far, and we're all excited to see Bryanna's continued growth towards her admirable career goals!
Jeff Pigg brings 12 years of experience in healthcare, specifically practice operations, to MAHEC. He has served as a CEO, CFO, Practice Administrator, and Executive Director in addition to being a MAHEC Board Member and chair of the finance committee. Jeff will lead MAHEC's operations in the clinical arena.
Job Titles:
- Dental Community Faculty
- Dental Community Faculty / MAHEC Dental Health Center at Biltmore / 123 Hendersonville Road / Asheville, NC 28803
Judi Layton has provided full-scope Midwifery and Ob/Gyn care to women in Western North Carolina for the past nine years. During this time, she has educated and assisted patients with substance use access mental health and addiction treatment in rural counties. She is excited to join the MAHEC team and will be providing full-scope care to women in Project Cara and in the Ob/Gyn clinic. Judi received her MSN in Midwifery from the University of Pennsylvania in 2001. She is currently pursuing a Post Graduate Certificate in Psych Mental Health Nursing and plans to specialize in Perinatal Substance Use Disorders and Postpartum psychiatric issues. She is a proud mother of two teenage boys and loves spending time with her family.
Job Titles:
- Chairman, Department of Dentistry and Oral Health / MAHEC Dental Health Center at Biltmore
- Chairman, Department of Dentistry and Oral Health / MAHEC Dental Health Center at Columbus
- Chairman, Department of Oral Health / Dentistry
After graduating with honors from the University of North Carolina Adams School of Dentistry, and completing her residency and fellowship, Dr. Jowers came to Western North Carolina to help develop a hospital-based oral health program for Mission Hospitals. The resulting program successfully advocated for positive change and provided care to underserved people for two decades, and Dr. Jowers presented that program at the Surgeon General's Conference in Washington, DC. She then taught with East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine where she served as Assistant Director for one of the learning centers until she was recruited to UNC at MAHEC.
Dr. Jowers' interests include: teaching new doctors and providers to be compassionate and effective; providing the public with better education in oral health and wellness; creating new ways to reach people with information, understanding and care; and providing operating-room oral rehabilitation for people who cannot tolerate adequate outpatient dental care.
Katherine Jowers, DDS understands the chasm that exists between achieving oral health and the social, economic, educational, and systemic barriers that stand in the way of achieving it. As Chair of MAHEC's Department of Dentistry and Oral Health, she heads clinical care and dental health profession education, as well as outreach and interprofessional initiatives that expand access to oral health education and care. She is also a UNC professor and the director of the UNC Adams Rural Oral Health and Wellness (AROW) Scholars, an innovative UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC program that provides educational and clinical care opportunities for UNC dental students who intend to establish practice in underserved NC communities.
Dr. Jowers is a Western North Carolina native, an honors graduate of the UNC Adams School of Dentistry, and a long-time advocate for oral health in our region. In her two decades in WNC, she has created nationally recognized hospital- and community-based oral health programs. She is committed to expanding MAHEC's oral health initiatives in new and exciting directions.
Katie Lillethun joined MAHEC OB/GYN Specialists in September 2018. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner who provides full-scope care for women of all ages. Katie received her Masters of Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner Degree from East Tennessee State University and her Bachelors of Science Nursing Degree at Eastern Kentucky University. She also has a degree in English and Film from Emory University. Before joining MAHEC, Katie worked in primary care for more than six years with Hot Springs Health Program in Madison County. She was a nurse for many years at Mission Hospital Emergency Department Level II Trauma Center before returning to school for her Masters' Degree. Katie's passion has always been Women's Health and she enjoys caring for women of all ages. In her spare time, she's typically engaging in an outdoor activity with her husband and her two young boys.
Laura Martin has enjoyed her career working in infant and early childhood mental health. For the last 15 years she's been the director of child development at Verner Center for Early Learning, but, a few years ago, Laura started grappling with the idea of going back to school. Ultimately, working alongside people with master's degrees and PHDs inspired her to take the leap. Now in her late 40s, Laura's finishing up her master's degree in social work at Western Carolina University.
Laura first started working with young children because she saw a potential for positive change. Providing mental healthcare for children at the beginning stages of their development can set off a ripple effect that changes lives and communities.
"I'm a hard-core believer in prevention," Laura shared. "You keep hearing this term all the time in public health: upstream. I believe if we can support infant mental health, maybe we don't have teenagers struggling with substance use and mental health issues. Maybe our prison population would look really different if we focused on infant and childhood development, care, and education."
Having worked in infant mental health for many years in Asheville, Laura was well aware of MAHEC before going back to school. But hearing about the work MAHEC's behavioral health team is doing in the field of addiction, specifically with perinatal substance use disorders, convinced her to complete her required internship here. MAHEC has hosted an MSW intern from WCU each year since 2018. In this year-long internship, students complete 250 hours of clinical work each semester.
Here at MAHEC, Laura collaborates with physicians on ways to support patients, sits in on precepting sessions, and helps with mental health crises in the clinics, among other things. Most of her time here is focused on adult mental health issues-a big departure from the population she's used to working with.
"I've spent my career focusing on infant mental health, which definitely encompasses the caregiver, and we are always thinking about the caregiver's mental health but not in a diagnostic way," Laura explained. "I'm really learning a lot about how to diagnose grown-ups."
At WCU, Laura is also learning about management and leadership within the field of social work. Her main goal after she finishes her education is to start a behavioral health team at Verner that will provide additional early intervention services. The skills she's picking up, like how to conduct behavioral health intakes, will help her as she develops a clinical team from the ground up.
We look forward to seeing how Laura continues to positively impact lives and communities in Asheville as she starts this new chapter at Verner Center for Early Learning!
Laurie Jenkins is originally from North Carolina but grew up in Colorado. After completing the nurse midwifery program at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio, she moved to Philadelphia and practiced there as a nurse midwife for many years. Laurie relocated to Weaverville several years ago, where she owns and runs a small dairy goat farm. Laurie has many years of experience providing both low-risk and high-risk midwifery care to pregnant families. She also provides GYN care and family planning services. She joins the MAHEC team with a strong commitment to quality patient care and advocacy, and a passion for educating our future healthcare providers.
Job Titles:
- Family Medicine Faculty Physician / MAHEC Family Health Center at Newbridge
Donations may have tax advantages. Donations to MAHEC as a 501(c)3 organization are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Contact Lizzie.Cozart@mahec.net for more information.
Job Titles:
- Project ECHO® Program Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Dental Health Center at Biltmore / 123 Hendersonville Road / Asheville, NC 28803
Dr. Cummins grew up in central Kentucky and has had a rich career in various dental venues. While in college and dental school at the University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY), he won numerous awards and then completed a residency in dentistry at Wake Forest University School of Medicine / North Carolina Baptist Hospital (Winston-Salem, NC). While in his final year of residency, he was honored to serve as the chief resident. Following successful completion of the residency, he moved to Newport News, VA and worked as an associate in private practice, while being on staff and holding hospital credentials at Riverside Regional Medical Center. While in Newport News, he was also on the clinical faculty at the Medical College of Virginia's School of Dentistry in Richmond, VA. Dr. Cummins later returned to Wake Forest University School of Medicine to be on full-time faculty in the dental residency program. He then returned to his home state of Kentucky and opened (from scratch) and ran a solo private practice for fifteen years, near his home town. After retiring from his private practice, Dr. Cummins came to MAHEC to continue his career by sharing what he has learned throughout the years with both dental residents (at MAHEC) and students (from University of North Carolina Adams School of Dentistry). Dr. Cummins also sees patients at MAHEC Dental Health Center. His special interest within comprehensive dental care is crown and bridge dentistry.
Dr. Earnest grew up in Mooresville, NC, near Lake Norman. He completed his undergraduate studies at University of North Carolina Wilmington majoring in Biology. He then went on to complete his dental education at LECOM School of Dental Medicine in Bradenton, FL. Following graduation, he completed a general practice residency at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, CT. While in residency, he had the opportunity to treat a wide variety of patients both within the dental and medical setting. Since graduation, he has practiced both in Florida and North Carolina. He is very excited to join MAHEC as full-time faculty for the opportunity to help educate new dentists and to provide dental services to WNC.
Job Titles:
- Dental Hygienist / MAHEC Dental Health Center at Biltmore
I was born and raised in Asheville and have been a dental hygienist for 16 years. I completed my training at AB Tech and have worked at MAHEC for 15 years. I enjoy getting to work as a team with our dentists in patient care and having the opportunity to work with dental students from UNC. I am very excited for the coming school year to work with the underserved student populations in our new school based oral health program.
Melinda Ramage has worked in women's health with a focus on substance use disorders and diabetes for the past 10 years. She is passionate about eliminating the stigma associated with substance use disorders and ensuring every woman has access to the quality care. Melinda provides ob/gyn services for women with substance use disorders during pregnancy and throughout the lifespan. As a certified addiction advanced practice provider, Melinda has educated and trained healthcare providers in North Carolina and nationally in evidence-based practices in addiction medicine. Melinda is a board certified nurse practitioner who works directly with our Maternal Fetal Medicine team in management and consultation of our high risk obstetrical patients.. Melinda earned her Bachelor of Science from Purdue University and her Master of Science from Western Carolina University. She is also a certified diabetes educator.
Dr. Osta was born and raised on the eastern side of the state in Greenville, NC. She completed her undergraduate education in economics at UNC-Chapel Hill and Doctor of Dental Medicine degree at ECU School of Dental Medicine. As a fourth year dental student, she rotated through two community service learning centers in Western NC - Sylva and Spruce Pine. Dr. Osta fell in love with the mountains in NC and continued her dental education at the MAHEC general practice residency. She is excited to stay with MAHEC as an adjunct faculty member to share experiences while teaching and continuing to learn with her fellow colleagues in the dental profession. During her days off from dentistry, Dr. Osta enjoys spending time with family and friends and traveling.
Job Titles:
- Chairman, Department of Pharmacotherapy
Mollie Ashe Scott, PharmD, BCACP, CPP, FASHP, is chair of the Department of Pharmacotherapy at UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC and regional associate dean for UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, where she oversees the school's Asheville campus. Dr. Scott is also a practicing clinical pharmacist who is responsible for the initial development of MAHEC's ambulatory care pharmacy services and residency programs. Dr. Scott recognizes the key role clinical pharmacists play in improving health outcomes, and she ensures MAHEC pharmacists and pharmacy students are engaged in interprofessional care teams and research projects. Her clinical interests include geriatrics and women's and rural health. She is committed to training clinical pharmacists who can develop sustainable ambulatory care services and demonstrate their value for improving the quality of patient care and reducing healthcare costs.
Dr. Scott is a nationally recognized pharmacotherapy educator and leader who has been named a fellow by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) for her work to advance the profession. She currently serves as a task force chair for the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists, and she is a former chair of ASHP's Section of Ambulatory Care Practitioners.
Naomi Llamas spent her entire high school career anxiously awaiting the day when she would be a senior and could apply to be in MAHEC's Minority Medical Mentoring Program (MMMP). She had spotted a flyer for MMMP on a tour of high school when she was in eighth grade and instantly knew she wanted to be a part of it. From that day forward, Naomi never lost sight of her goal of becoming an MMMP intern.
Once Naomi finally reached her senior year, she applied and was accepted. The program lived up to all those expectations and then some.
"With MMMP, I got a lot more experience than I thought I would," Naomi shared. "I got trained to become a doula, which I thought was pretty cool. They also offered a medical interpreting class, which was very helpful. I'm honestly blessed to have this experience."
The most memorable part of the MMMP program for Naomi was getting to watch doctors and nurses training in the MAHEC Simulation Center. She remembers sitting behind the glass with the simulation instructor as she explained to them what was going to happen next.
"It was interesting to see how the doctors and nurses reacted and what steps they took in each situation," Naomi said. "It was one of my favorite parts of the whole experience."
Naomi has known from a young age that she wanted to pursue a career in healthcare. Her older brother has health issues that cause him to be in and out of the hospital, so Naomi has spent a lot of time caring for him and translating for her parents, both of whom are from Mexico. She discovered early on that she has a passion for helping people.
With all the time spent in hospitals, Naomi couldn't help but notice the lack of Hispanic people working there. That lack of representation is another motivating factor in Naomi's career choice. "We're a minority in the healthcare field, and I always wanted to see someone who looks like me," Naomi said.
Now Naomi is a junior at Mars Hill University and in her first year of nursing school. She's also in her first year of another MAHEC program: the AHEC Scholars. She says a lot of what she's learning in didactics has helped her in her nursing classes.
"I can align what we learn in class with the didactics, and I can find ways to connect them," Naomi said. "So it's helping out with my school as well as allowing me to learn new things and broaden my experiences."
We wish Naomi all the luck as she continues learning and gaining experiences, in and out of the classroom!
Job Titles:
- Chairman, Department of Internal Medicine
Job Titles:
- Community Health Transformation Program Director
Norman Zarr moved with his family to Miami, Florida from Middletown, NY when he was two years old and lived there through his college years at the University of Miami in Coral Gables. He attended the University of Tennessee Dental School in Memphis and when on to work at the Virginia Health Department for more than two years. Upon leaving the Health Department he returned to Miami and started a dental practice in Hialeah where he worked for over 35 years. Dr. Zarr then took over another dental practice in Coral Gables, Fl, retiring from practicing general dentistry after four more years.
After trying retirement, he found his way back into the profession as an Adjunct Professor at the Nova Southeastern University School of Dental Medicine where he taught for a number of years. From that position, Norm then accepted another adjunct professorship at the Midwestern School of Dental Medicine in Glendale, AZ where he worked and taught for another three years.
Patricia Overcarsh, MD, MPH Ob/Gyn Generalist MAHEC OB/GYN Specialists 119 Hendersonville Road Asheville, NC 28803 (828) 771-5500 Dr. Patricia Overcarsh joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in October 2019. She has trained in various regions of the country and is happy to now call Asheville home. She completed a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and completed residency at Oregon Health & Science University and medical school at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Overcarsh provides full-scope Ob/Gyn care and has a special interest in treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding, endometriosis, fibroids, and pelvic pain. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, and playing tennis.
Dr. Shields joined MAHEC Dental Residency Faculty in 2018 following 32 years of general practice in Southwestern Michigan.
Dr. Rob Malsby joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in April 2019. He previously served as the Assistant Deputy Commander for Women's Health, Winn Army Community Hospital, Fort Stewart, GA. He was also Chief of Clinical Operations and teaching faculty in the Department of Ob/Gyn at Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, NC, after serving as Division Surgeon with the 82nd Airborne. He received numerous Commendation and Service Medals while providing service to our country. He is an Associate Clinical Professor with the University of North Carolina School of Medicine's Department of Ob/Gyn and now serves as Medical Director with MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists.
Dr. Fan has been practicing general obstetrics and gynecology at MAHEC since 2013. After receiving her residency training at MAHEC, she graduated and joined our Ob/Gyn faculty because of her love for the program and the people she met along the way. Dr. Fan specializes in resident education and full spectrum Ob/Gyn care, which includes contraception, prenatal care, menopause, osteoporosis and office procedures. When she is not seeing our patients, she enjoys baking, watching movies and hiking.
Job Titles:
- Allied Health & Dental Education
Job Titles:
- Assistant Program Director for the Asheville Hospice
- Interim Director, UNC School of Medicine Asheville Campus
After fellowship, she practiced as a palliative medicine attending at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and served as an Instructor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School. While at MGH, Dr. Whitlock was active in teaching medical students, residents, and fellows. During her time in Boston, she also completed the Harvard Medical Ethics Fellowship.
Dr. Whitlock currently serves as the Assistant Program Director for the Asheville Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship and the Associate Program Director for the UNC School of Medicine Asheville Campus. She remains active in teaching learners at all levels. She is particularly interested in teaching advanced communication skills.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of the UNC Asheville - Gillings MPH Program
- Co - Director, UNC Asheville - UNC Gillings MPH Program
As assistant director of the UNC Asheville-Gillings MPH Program, Sarah teaches leadership and place-based health theory and implementation and develops practicum and culminating experience opportunities for Asheville MPH students. For over twenty-five years, Sarah has worked with broad-based Healthy Carolinians partnerships, health departments, federally qualified health centers, and medical practices to promote community health and develop the rural health workforce in Western North Carolina (WNC) and West Virginia. As a NC DHHS consultant with the Division of Public Health, she helped WNC health departments and Healthy Carolinians partnerships assess and address community health priorities. She also developed school-based health centers, interprofessional initiatives to improve geriatric care, and community campaigns to promote heart disease management and long acting reversible contraception. Her research and practice interests lie in promoting oral health, interprofessional education, and helping clinicians engage communities to promote evidence-based care. She graduated from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health with an MPH in health behavior/ health education and Harvard University with a BA in social anthropology and women's studies.
Shanya Whiteside, CMA, learned how to be a caretaker before she ever stepped foot into a classroom. Growing up, she and her mother took care of her grandmother. Every morning, Shanya would make her grandmother's breakfast, take her sugar levels, and give her insulin if she needed it-all while getting herself ready for the day. After school, she would do it all again.
That experience inspired Shanya to pursue a career where she could continue caring for people. In 2016, she graduated from Brevard High School as a certified nurse assistant (CNA). She worked several different CNA positions before she heard about MAHEC's new CMA Pathways program that helps CNAs receive their certified medical assistant (CMA) certification. She applied and became one of two CMA Pathways graduates working at MAHEC's Internal Medicine Clinic.
Job Titles:
- Chairman, Department of Psychiatry
Steve Buie, MD, has been a leader in expanding access to quality mental healthcare in Western North Carolina for decades. A skilled psychiatrist, Dr. Buie has made it his mission to train physicians who can meet the mental health needs of our region, which has a shortage of mental health professionals and higher rates of depression, suicide, and substance use disorders.
As Chair of MAHEC's Department of Psychiatry, he guides a team of psychiatrists, psychologists, behavioral health professionals, school counselors, and peer support specialists in caring for patients of all ages with a range of mental health needs. As director of MAHEC's psychiatry residency and fellowship programs, he is committed to training well-rounded psychiatrists who can work with rural, underserved populations and provide expert consultation in primary care settings. He is well-qualified for these roles and has been honored for his leadership as a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a Distinguished Alumnus of the UNC School of Medicine, where he is an adjunct associate professor. Dr. Buie currently serves as the president of the North Carolina Psychiatric Foundation and is a past president of the North Carolina Psychiatric Association.
Job Titles:
- Family Medicine Faculty Physician
Susan has been in the WNC region since 2010 and enjoys taking care of patients from age 0 to 100. She currently practices mainly at the MAHEC Newbridge site. Special interests include women's health, chronic disease management, substance use disorder treatment, and care of children.
Dr. Dixon is originally from Tallahassee, Florida, and fell in love with Asheville and MAHEC during her Ob/Gyn residency many years ago. After spending time in private practice in South Carolina, she joined the faculty in 2012 and provides General Obstetric and Gynecologic care to adolescents and women of all ages. She has experience in managing a full range of general gynecologic problems including contraception, endometriosis, pelvic pain and prolapse, urinary incontinence and menopausal symptoms. Dr. Dixon emphasizes the importance of patient education and prevention to promote wellness. When surgery is necessary, she is committed to using minimally invasive surgical techniques. She has a special interest in office procedures including Essure tubal sterilization, hysteroscopy, and endometrial ablation.
Job Titles:
- Center for Healthy Aging Co - Directors
Today, MAHEC is saying goodbye to long-time friend and special project super star Cathy Nielson, MPH, who is retiring for the third and, she swears, last time. In 2007, Cathy ended her long career as an occupational therapist at UNC Chapel Hill. Her second retirement was from Mountain BizWorks where she spent several years helping local entrepreneurs and communities thrive.
In 2014, Steve Crane, MD, coaxed Cathy out of a brief second retirement to help him with the development of a patient-centered EHR under an AHEC Innovations grant. Since then, Cathy's public health, planning, and grant writing skills have made her an invaluable contributor to many initiatives here at MAHEC including Caring 4 You, a mobile care management and primary care services program for high-risk patients; MAHEC's IDD adult primary care clinic; and home-based primary care.
"Cathy has played a quiet but critical role in helping MAHEC care for vulnerable populations," Dr. Crane shares. "She's mentored numerous students and young faculty in how to provide person-centered care by focusing on patients' goals."
When asked what made her come out of retirement for the last time, Cathy wasn't at a loss for words.
"For me, the three most important aspects of a workplace are that the work makes an impact on people's lives, that the employees are treated with respect, and that innovation is valued," she explains. "I found all three at MAHEC."
For the past two years, Cathy has worked closely with Center for Healthy Aging co-directors Tasha Woodall, PharmD, and Will McLean, MD, to develop home-based primary care services for MAHEC patients 50 years of age and older with complex care needs. Cathy helped coordinate a community-based interdisciplinary care team to ensure patients could reach their health goals including those related to social determinants of health like fresh food and stable housing. She also helped secure funding for the program's expansion though grant writing and management.
"One of the single best things I have done in any work situation was this past winter when I helped get COVID-19 vaccines to our home-bound patients," Cathy shares. "Everything I needed from work was realized in that experience - great people doing good work for the benefit of our community."
As Cathy prepares for her third and final retirement, she looks forward to engaging her intellectual curiosity in new ways through creative projects, traveling with friends, and discovering new daily rhythms and activities. She knows from her early training that these are all things that make for a satisfying life in or out of retirement.
Job Titles:
- Dental Health Center at Biltmore / 123 Hendersonville Road / Asheville, NC 28803
Wendy Jones joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in March 2020. She is a Certified Nurse-Midwife, and received her midwifery degree at Oregon Health & Science University, in Portland, OR. Before moving to Western North Carolina, Wendy was working with the Navajo and Hopi populations in Northern Arizona. When she is not working, she likes to run on the trails around Asheville.
Wesley Roten grew up in a small town in the northwestern corner of North Carolina. With only 1,500 residents, the Christmas trees on West Jefferson's many farms far outnumber the residents. Wesley's first introduction to a career in medicine was an after-school job cleaning the small family practice where his mother worked as a medical assistant. He later shadowed one of the practice's physicians as an unpaid intern. This early mentor inspired Wesley to apply to medical school at UNC in Chapel Hill.
Once there, Wesley became aware of the Kenan Primary Care Medical Scholars program that encourages students to seek rural health careers in North Carolina by providing financial support, enhanced rural health training, and guaranteed acceptance to the more rural-focused Asheville campus for the clinical year. Wesley knew he wanted to practice rural family medicine and jumped at the opportunity to become one of the 43 scholars to attend the Asheville campus since the program's inception in 2013.
He wasn't the only one. In 2018-19, 40% of Wesley's classmates were Kenan Scholars.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Ex - Officio
William Hathaway, MD, has spent more than two decades working to improve health across Western North Carolina as a MAHEC board member, chief medical officer for the region's largest hospital system, a practicing cardiologist, and now as our chief executive officer. In all of these roles, Dr. Hathaway's commitment to equity and improving access to healthcare has been a principle that has guided his health transformation efforts. Dr. Hathaway has championed the expansion of MAHEC's graduate medical education programs and hospital-based services to ensure we are developing the healthcare workforce necessary to promote the well-being of all those living in our region including our rural and under-resourced communities.
Dr. Hathaway is keenly aware that individual and community health are influenced by an array of social, economic, and environmental factors. He has devoted much of his professional and personal time to addressing these social determinants of health by developing robust community partnerships and serving on a variety of regional boards including the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, YMCA of Western North Carolina, and the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe County.
A longtime supporter of MAHEC, Dr. Hathaway is proud of MAHEC's commitment to patient care, serving the underserved, and educating the next generation of healthcare workers. He is grateful for the opportunity to guide our not-for-profit's efforts to meaningfully improve the health and wellness of all those who live and work in Western North Carolina.
Zach Levin, CPA, is a lover of information and analysis. He is a certified public account who isn't afraid to balance a budget and takes seriously his responsibility to manage MAHEC's assets and obligations to deliver maximum value to our region. As MAHEC's chief financial officer, Zach ensures our non-profit is fiscally responsible and fully accountable to granting agencies, funders, partners, our employees, and community members. With Zach at the helm, you can be sure that investments in MAHEC are investments in Western North Carolina's long-term health.
A North Carolina native, Zach graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in accounting from Appalachian State University and has called Asheville home since 2009.