WELLSTAR - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Manager, Communications and Stewardship
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Founder and Former CEO of Karna LLC
Ambica Yadav is the Founder and former CEO of Karna LLC, a rapidly growing organization focused on providing health-related professional services in the areas of health science, research, information technology, and management consulting. Karna has been recognized as one of the fastest growing private companies in the U.S. (Inc. 500) and in Atlanta (Pacesetters Award). Prior to Karna, Mrs. Yadav has worked with several premier health-focused firms including Constella Group (now SRA International), WebMD, and Ernst and Young. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and a Master of Public Health from Emory University Rollins School of Public Health.
Job Titles:
- Annual Giving Development Officer
Atlanta Hawks Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins also energized the sold-out crowd by hopping on stage to add two tickets to the auction for NBA playoff game four between the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks. Wilkins, who partners with Wellstar as a health ambassador, also shared impassioned words on destigmatizing mental health and how it has impacted his own family.
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Trustee / Community Member
Beth A. Kost - Chief Compliance Officer, SVP
Job Titles:
- Chief Compliance Officer
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Senior Vice President
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair of the Foundation Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Leadership Team
- President
- Ex - Officio Member
- Health System
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Trustee / Community Member
Job Titles:
- Director of Community and Public Affairs at WSB - TV
Job Titles:
- Chief Human Resources Officer
- Executive Vice President
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Foundation Board of Trustees
- Chairman / the Bottoms Group
Job Titles:
- Primary Care Physician With Wellstar since 2012. Primary Care Physician With Wellstar since 2012
Dr. Amy Barfield received her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia.
Dr. Barfield is currently in practice with Wellstar Family Medicine.
Dr. Arif Aziz is board-certified in gastroenterology. He has been in practice since 1996. Dr. Aziz received his medical degree from Dow Medical College in Pakistan. He completed internships in general surgery, cardiology, and internal medicine at the Civil Hospital Karachi in Karachi, Pakistan. He also completed an internal medicine residency at Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. He completed both a residency and a gastroenterology fellowship at the State University of New York in Buffalo, NY.
Dr. Aziz has, over his career held many leadership position which include, Chief of Gastroenterology at VA Medical Center in Huntington, West Virginia, Chief, Section of Gastroenterology Joan C Edwards School of Medicine, Huntington, WV, Chief of Section of Gastroenterology, Kennestone Hospital, Chair Department of Medicine, Kennestone Hospital, President of Medical Staff, Kennestone Hospital, Chair of Board of Managers of WellStar IPA and Chair of Board of Managers of Wellstar Clinical Partners. He was named Wellstar Health System's Physician of the Year for 2015.
Job Titles:
- Chief
- Member of the Board
- Officer
- Member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Society
- Pediatrician With Wellstar since 2005. Pediatrician With Wellstar since 2005
Avril Beckford, M.D is the chief pediatric officer for Wellstar Health System. She is a member of the Wellstar Board of Trustees, Wellstar Medical Group Executive Board and Wellstar Clinical Partners. Currently, she practices at Wellstar Medical Group, Pediatric & Adolescent Center, a practice she founded in metro-Atlanta.
Dr. Beckford serves as past president of the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She also has served on the National Nominating Committee of American Academy of Pediatrics. She is a past member of the Board of the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Past chair of the Section on Families and Professionalism.
Dr. Beckford is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Society and has held a teaching position at Penn State University Children's Hospital. She is the author of the parenting book: "Allow Your Children to Fail if You Want Them to Succeed." As well as the children's books: "I Love You 65 Bulldozers" and "The Tooth Fairy."
Dr. Avril Beckford practices at Wellstar Pediatric & Adolescent Center. She is an Academy of Pediatrics fellow and past Georgia chapter president. She completed her residency at Penn State Children's Hospital and her medical degree at the University of Cape Town. She joined the Wellstar Board of Trustees in 2011.
Job Titles:
- Pediatrician
- Pediatrician With Wellstar since 2019. Pediatrician With Wellstar since 2019
Dr. Brandi Lewis is a caring and compassionate pediatrician. She is a board-certified pediatrician and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Lewis graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and then went on to do her residency at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Her experience includes training and teaching future physicians. She worked with residents and medical students at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and taught medical students as an Assistant Professor at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Lewis cares deeply that parents and their children learn about the challenges of growth, development, behavior, preventive health, and management of illness while receiving the treatment they need. She is hard-working, passionate, loving, and caters to her patients with the utmost care and concern. She is passionate about the overall well-being of children. She has interests in culinary medicine, nutrition, and population health. In her free time, Dr. Lewis enjoys spending time with her husband and their two children, baking, and photography.
Job Titles:
- Primary Care Physician With Wellstar since 2017. Primary Care Physician With Wellstar since 2017
Dr. Jeremy Boyd received his medical degree from Saint Matthew's University School of Medicine in West Bay, Cayman Islands. He completed his family medicine residency at Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center in the Bronx, NY.
Dr. Boyd is board-certified in family medicine.
Job Titles:
- Cardiologist With Wellstar since 2016. Cardiologist With Wellstar since 2016
Dr. Joshua Willis received his bachelor's degree from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, La. He received his medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C. Dr. Willis completed his internal medicine residency at Tulane University in New Orleans, La. He completed his cardiology fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Willis completed his interventional cardiology fellowship at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Dr. Willis is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology. He is a fellow of the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention and the American College of Cardiology.
Dr. Willis currently is in practice with Wellstar Cardiovascular Medicine.
Job Titles:
- Surgeon With Wellstar since 2015. Surgeon With Wellstar since 2015
Dr. Katherine Kohler received her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine in Augusta, Georgia. She completed her Trauma Surgery and General Surgery residency at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Dr. Kohler is currently in practice at Wellstar Medical Group Surgical Specialists of Atlanta.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Vice Chair
- Research Advisory Council
Dr. Mark S. Berry, Ph.D., P.E., is currently senior vice president of research and development (R&D) for Southern Company Services. In this role, he leads all activities of Southern Company's industry-leading R&D organization and guides the company's strategic advancement of technologies that provide clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy for customers in a net-zero future. This includes developing low- and no-carbon technologies, including advanced nuclear and the hydrogen economy; advancing energy storage, renewable, distributed generation and transportation solutions; modernizing the grid; and promoting negative-emission and sustainability innovations.
Named to the position in June 2022, Berry previously served as vice president of Southern Company Services R&D, as well as vice president of environmental and natural resources for Georgia Power, the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, where he oversaw Georgia Power-owned natural resources and managed environmental compliance and stewardship programs to meet or surpass all environmental laws and regulations.
Over his career, Berry has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility, including director of Southern Company research and technology management, managing a portfolio of research related to emission controls, energy efficiency, renewables, power delivery, central station generation and carbon capture, utilization and storage. He served as director in the generation sector at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), where he managed research and development efforts in renewables, water management, carbon capture and storage, and advanced fossil generation; and director of energy and environment at Southern Research. He was also manager of environmental assessment for Southern Company's research and environmental affairs organization, where he managed the company's regulatory response to federal rule-making activity and the environmental science research program.
Prior to joining Southern Company, Berry attained the commissioned rank of lieutenant commander in the United States Navy as a surface warfare officer. While on active duty, he served upon the USS Gunston Hall (LSD-44) in the capacities of deck officer and combat information center officer. After joining the reserves, he served as an engineering officer supporting the USS Sentry (MCM-3) and as an intelligence officer supporting the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA HQ).
Berry holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Alabama A&M University, and a bachelor's and master's degree in mechanical engineering and Ph.D. in interdisciplinary engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He also earned a master's degree in public and private management from Birmingham-Southern College and is a registered professional engineer. He is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta. Berry is currently pursuing a chief technology officer certificate from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
Berry is vice chair of the Research Advisory Council at EPRI. He is an advisory board member of the Strategic Energy Institute at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the School of Engineering at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Berry is a board member of Wellstar Health System and serves on the boards of the Georgia Conservancy and the National Wildlife Federation. Berry is a member of 100 Black Men of Atlanta, where he leads the mentoring efforts for the organization. Berry also teaches thermodynamics as an adjunct professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and is a program evaluator for the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Berry is an active, lifetime member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. He has established two scholarships for minority students pursuing a degree in engineering in the name of his grandfathers - an endowed scholarship in the name of Marion Luscious Nell at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the Simpson Berry Sr. Endowed Scholarship at Alabama A&M University.
Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Berry and his wife, Crystal, have four children.
Job Titles:
- Director of Radiation Oncology
Dr. Taylor is the Director of Radiation Oncology at Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center and has been with Wellstar since 2015. He received his PhD at Princeton in Electrical Engineering and Physics and his medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina. He completed his residency at University of Alabama-Birmingham and his National Science Foundation-NATO Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Job Titles:
- Chief Behavioral Health Officer
Job Titles:
- Internal Medicine
- Internist With Wellstar since 2016. Internist With Wellstar since 2016
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- President of Richardson Management Group
Ed Richardson is President of Richardson Management Group (RMG), an IT staffing and federal government contracting firm headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Prior to launching RMG, Ed served in technology leadership roles at such firms as The Home Depot, Alltel Information Services, SciTek and Accenture. As an active community volunteer, Ed has served as Chairman and Treasurer of the South Cobb Redevelopment Authority, Secretary of the Cobb Schools Foundation and member of the Cobb Hospital Authority and Wellstar Cobb Regional Health Boards. Ed received his bachelor's degree in mathematics from Morehouse College and also holds a master's degree in operations research from Georgia Tech.
Job Titles:
- Coordinator Foundation Projects
Job Titles:
- Exec. Director, Strategy & Communications
Frank P. Ros was the Team Captain of the University of Georgia's 1980 National Football Champions, Academic All-SEC and past recipient of the University of Georgia Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Post-Graduate Award. He currently serves as Vice President, Hispanic Strategies for The Coca-Cola Company where he transformed a one-market urban community relations program, Coca-Cola Presents Art of Harmony, into a nine-market, nationally recognized and award-winning property. Born in Barcelona, Spain, Ros lives in Kennesaw, Georgia with his wife, Jan Floyd-Ros, and sons, Frank VI and Bryce where he enjoys mountain biking, weightlifting, running and reading.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Partner
Greg Morgan is the partner-in-charge of the Atlanta office of Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC, where he is responsible for the administration of the Atlanta office and ensuring Mauldin & Jenkins meets client expectations. He is a certified public accountant and graduate of Georgia Southern University. Morgan is a previous chairman of the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- President of Callaway Foundation, Inc
A native of LaGrange, Speer Burdette is president of Callaway Foundation, Inc., Fuller E. Callaway Foundation, and Charitable Services Company. Burdette received a BA in mathematics from Vanderbilt University and an MBA in Accounting from the University of Alabama. He has served on the West Georgia Health System Board of Trustees since 2009, including a term as board chair, and joined the Wellstar Board of Trustees in 2016. He is active on the boards of the Downtown LaGrange Development Authority, Troup Country Recreation Commission, Industrial Development Authority, LaGrange Personal Aid Association, Medical Park Foundation and LaGrange College. Burdette is an Elder at First Presbyterian Church in LaGrange.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Executive Vice President / Chief Information & Digital Officer
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Market President for North Fulton & Forsyth Counties for BB & T
James Holmes serves as the Market President for North Fulton & Forsyth Counties for BB&T. James is responsible for overseeing the commercial banking team and integration of all other lines of business. James is a 24-year banking veteran that has been employed with BB&T since 2005. As a strong believer in community service, his community involvement includes current board positions on the Executive Board of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Carl Sanders YMCA Board of Directors, and Wellstar North Fulton Regional Health Board. James is the 2017 recipient of the GNFCC's Harry Rucker, Jr. Volunteer of the Year Award. He is a graduate of Leadership Cobb, Cherokee, and Sandy Springs programs. James is a graduate of Morris Brown College and Louisiana State University Graduate School of Banking.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Founder and President of Superior Plumbing Services, Inc
Jay Cunningham is the founder and president of Superior Plumbing Services, Inc. In 1988, he began Superior Plumbing Services which specializes in residential plumbing services throughout the greater Metro Atlanta area. Superior Plumbing is well known throughout the Metro Atlanta area for its commitment to the betterment of the community.
In recognition of his widespread community service and active philanthropy, Jay was awarded the 2017 Cobb County Citizen of the Year. He serves on numerous boards including governor appointed Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board since 2012, Technical College System of Georgia and the State of Georgia Workforce Development Board. Superior Plumbing Services has been recognized as a top 25 small business by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. Jay has seven children, nine grandchildren and resides in Kennesaw with his wife, Lee.
Job Titles:
- Chief Nurse Executive
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Senior Vice President
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Executive Vice President
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Co - Owner
- Funeral Director
- Member of the Board
John McKibben is a licensed funeral director and co-owner of a family funeral business in Hogansville, GA. John currently serves on the Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center Board of Trustees, and is a past member of the FLAG Bank Board of Directors in Stockbridge, GA, and The Citizens Bank Board of Directors in Hogansville, GA. John is also currently serving or has also served on the Central Midwest Georgia Chapter of American Red Cross; Hogansville Development Authority; Hogansville Downtown Development Authority; Meriwether County-City of Hogansville Joint Development Authority; LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce; United Way of West Georgia. John is a graduate of Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science in Atlanta, GA and has a Bachelor's of Business Administration from Georgia College, now Georgia College and State University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Foundation President
- Senior Vice President / Foundation President
Julie Teer, Wellstar Foundation President, said, "The Gala was a monumental step in helping our Wellstar Foundation bolster collaboration among healthcare workers, community providers, and private and public sectors to enhance the well-being of every community we serve; this includes a pivotal philanthropic focus on behavioral health which is needed now more than ever. Caring for one-in-six Georgians, Wellstar is not only uniquely positioned but committed to transforming healthcare for everyone in Georgia through corporate and community partnership."
Job Titles:
- Regional Development Officer
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Emeritus / S.a. White Oil Company
- Owner and President of S.a. White Oil Company, Inc.
Kim Gresh, Owner and President of S.A. White Oil Company, Inc., was celebrated as Philanthropist of the Year and David Bottoms, President at The Bottoms Group and Chair of the Wellstar Foundation Board of Trustees, was presented with the Exemplary Service Award.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Senior Vice President / Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer
Leo Reichert - Chief Legal Officer, EVP
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President
- General Counsel
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Director of Strategic Giving
Job Titles:
- Regional Development Officer
Job Titles:
- Regional Development Officer
Job Titles:
- Director of Hospice Development
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Executive Vice President / President, Kennestone and Windy Hill Hospitals
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- President, Owner and Co - Founder of Sundial Plumbing
Mitzi Moore is president, owner and co-founder of Sundial Plumbing in Marietta. She has more than 23 years of experience emphasizing business development and leadership in the plumbing contract industry. She serves on numerous boards, including Kennesaw State University and Chattahoochee Technical College.
Dr. Sunkireddy is the physician overseeing this Center for Best Health location, and she is welcoming new patients to both primary care and the Center for Best Health.
Dr. Swayze is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and current president of Pinnacle Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, LLC. He started practice in Marietta in 1992 and specializes in surgery of the hip and knee. He received his undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering from Vanderbilt University and his medical degree from the University of Mississippi. His orthopedic training was completed at Emory University.
Otis Brumby received his BBA in finance from The University of Georgia's Terry College of Business, and his JD from The University of Georgia's College of Law. Brumby is president of Times-Journal, Inc. that publishes 3 daily and over 30 weekly community newspapers and magazines in suburban Atlanta, Northwest Georgia and Alabama. Brumby is greatly involved with numerous civic and professional organizations across Cobb County and the state of Georgia.
Job Titles:
- Regional Development Officer
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Chief, Division of Cardiology
Dr. Douglass serves as Chief, Division of Cardiology and Director, Cardiovascular Services at Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center. He practices clinical and interventional cardiology at Wellstar Metro Atlanta Cardiovascular Medicine. In addition, he serves as clinical assistant professor (Cardiology) at Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr. Douglass received his undergraduate degree in biology from Northwestern University and medical degree from Meharry Medical College. He received postgraduate training in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease at Emory University School of Medicine. He is also a past Chair of the Hospital Board of Atlanta Medical Center.
Job Titles:
- VP Foundation Strategy & Growth
Job Titles:
- Chief Experience Officer
- Executive Vice President
- Member of the Leadership Team
Fitz Johnson comes from a strong military background. He is a 1985 graduate of The Citadel Military College of South Carolina and served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserves for more than 21 years. Johnson holds a MS from Troy University and a JD from The University of Kentucky College of Law. Johnson joined forces with his father, Brigadier General (R) Walter F. Johnson, at Eagle Group International, a company his father founded in 1995. Eagle Group International, a defense contracting firm, specialized in technical services to the federal government in the areas of logistics, healthcare, training, and information technology. It was sold to Lockheed Martin in May 2008. While with the company Johnson served as chief counsel, vice president for Human Resources, executive vice president, chief operating officer, president and CEO. Johnson is on many boards and committees throughout the community including the Wellstar Foundation Board, Cobb Energy Centre Foundation, Cobb Chamber of Commerce board, Chairman's Club and Leadership Cobb. He is the chairman for the Board of Governors for Women's Professional Soccer and chairman for the Atlanta Beat Soccer Foundation. Johnson has also served for several years on the Marietta High School Governance Team. He is a member of the Kentucky Bar, and also serves his community as a member of Chi Gamma Gamma chapter of Omega Psi Phi, Inc. Johnson attends St. Joseph Catholic church in Marietta.
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Trustee / Community Member
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Owner of Brock Investments, Inc
W. Charles Brock is the owner of Brock Investments, Inc. and is the owner of various real estate investments. He is an organizer and Chairman of Georgia Heritage Bank, serves on the Paulding Hospital Authority, Paulding Regional Board and Wellstar Board of Trustees. Born and raised in Paulding County, Brock attends First Baptist Church in Dallas, GA.