LIFESTYLE MEDICAL CENTERS - Key Persons
PA, Family Medicine - Bariatric Medicine Blair Busby, PA Book an Appointment with Blair Blair is a board-certified physician assistant. She earned her undergraduate degree in Exercise and Sport Science from UNC-Chapel Hill. She completed the PA program at East Carolina University and practiced in bariatric surgery and weight management for seven years. Prior to PA school, she worked at a food and nutrition policy watchdog organization, then in research studies on cardiovascular disease and sleep apnea, as well as dietary intervention and behavior change. Blair is passionate about the prevention and treatment of chronic disease and believes we must acknowledge and address the complex role of biology, behavior, and environment as key part of quality medical care. She believes in the utilization of lifestyle medicine to empower patients with the education and confidence to be the fundamental player in their own health. In her spare time, you'll find her reveling in the joys of her family, reading library books, shopping at thrift stores, and scrolling the comments section for misinformation.
Brandi grew up in IL and moved to NC in 2010. She worked in restaurant management for over a decade before deciding to begin a career in nutrition after experiencing the profound effect proper nutrition had on her own health. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from North Carolina Central with a BS in Family and Consumer Sciences-Nutrition & Dietetics and completed her dietetic internship there as well. She completed her Master's degree at N.C.C.U. in Nutritional Sciences with a concentration in Integrative Nutrition and Weight Management. Her specialties include weight management, metabolic disorders, hormonal disorders, and autoimmune disease. Brandi believes in taking a functional approach to helping her patients to manage chronic conditions, weight, and preventative healthcare. Having personal experience with metabolic and autoimmune diseases, Brandi is passionate about helping others with these conditions. In her free time, Brandi enjoys traveling, reading, baking, yoga, and spending time with her family.
Job Titles:
- Physician Assistant
- Certified Physician Assistant With a Background in Physical Medicine
Carey Amato is a certified Physician Assistant with a background in Physical Medicine, Orthopedics, Pain Management, and Obesity Medicine. Carey earned her bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in Physical Education and Health with a concentration in Exercise Science. She then earned a master's degree in Physician Assistant Studies from the Medical University of South Carolina. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Medical Science at A.T. Still University. Carey enjoys practicing medicine that works to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. She also believes in patient education and empowering patients to play an active role in their own healthcare. Carey enjoys coaching gymnastics and caring for her three children in her spare time.
Job Titles:
- Director of Clinical Outcomes
Dr Richard Henderson, M.D., Ph.D., is Director of the Continuous Quality Improvement Program at LifeStyle Medical Centers. He leads our on-going efforts to monitor and improve the quality and value of the care we provide, often utilizing clinical outcomes data from hundreds, and sometimes thousands of patients. In addition to his M.D. degree, he also has a Ph.D. degree in Physiology, both from the University of Chicago. In his 32-year career as a physician at UNC Hospitals and faculty member in the UNC School of Medicine he gained extensive experience in clinical research, and has nearly 100 publications in medical journals. He is a long-time advocate for lifestyle medicine, firmly believing that lifestyle choices are hugely important keys to one's health and well-being.
Hannah was born and raised in Raleigh, NC. She received a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from North Carolina Central University and continued here for her Dietetic Internship and Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences. As a Dietitian, she aims to assist patients in achieving optimal living and desired weight loss through whole foods-based eating patterns, active lifestyles, and individual well-being. She is a strong believer that all things can exist in moderation-including food! When not at work, she enjoys yoga, hiking, nature documentaries, and snuggling with her mini goldendoodle.
Katie was born and raised in Aberdeen, North Carolina. She came to Raleigh, NC to complete her undergraduate education at Meredith College where she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Foods and Nutrition. She went on to complete her Dietetic Internship at North Carolina Central University and began her career in Dietetics in 2007.
Registered Dietitian Kim Lee, MS, RD, LDN Make an Appointment with Kim Kim was born and raised in Naperville, IL. She attended Saint Louis University in St. Louis, MO, for undergrad, receiving her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. She stayed at Saint Louis University to complete her Dietetic Internship and then finished her Master of Science in Dietetics through Kansas State University.
After graduating from Framingham State University with a B.S. in Food and Nutrition, Laura moved to North Carolina to complete her dietetic internship and begin her career as a Registered Dietitian. Laura has experience in weight management, integrative and functional nutrition, eating disorders, food allergies and sensitivities, infant nutrition, and thyroid disorders. Food and nutrition became an important part of her life when she realized its essential role in disease prevention and intervention. She loves working one-on-one with clients and empowering them to make healthy eating a natural and sustainable part of their daily lives. She believes that healthy food can be personalized to work its magic on everyone. In her free time, Laura enjoys reading, experimenting with new recipes, and going for hikes with her fiancé and dog.
Job Titles:
- Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
Makayla Downs is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner who has experience in primary care, specifically with a focus on women's health. Makayla has a bachelor's degree in Nursing from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville along with a master's degree in nursing from the University of St. Francis-Joliet.
Throughout her career as a nurse and Nurse Practitioner, she has worked with veterans and active-duty service members on a Medical-Surgical unit serving as charge nurse, done pediatric and adult telephone triage, and treated women in a GYN/primary care clinic that did clinical research as well. She brings her GYN background to LMC and is able to offer hormone testing to her female patients but also to her male patients (hello cortisol, I'm thinking of you!). She specifically helps women understand how hormones work in the body and the changes their body may be going through, particularly during the perimenopause and menopause years.
Makayla has a passion for finding the root cause to a health concern and working with her patients where they are at in their health journey. She believes in non-judgmental, mindful care and can provide accountability and support for her patients. Her goal is to help make lifestyle recommendations that are sustainable and individualized. She believes that the care she provides at Lifestyle Medical Center is not only about considering nutrition but also sleep, mental health, activity, family, etc. and with her work and life experience she is able to help patients meet their goals.
In her spare time, Makayla is the mother to 4 young children and enjoys volunteering in the local community, trying new restaurants, and listening podcasts and audiobooks.
He completed medical training at Mercer University School of Medicine and went on to Internal Medicine training at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. In his time as an internist providing primary care, he recognized weight as a primary problem driving many patients' health concerns. Always eager to improve, he completed training and certification in obesity medicine. This training required high-level exposure to endocrinology problems, and once again, Dr. Fiacco pursued further training in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Learn more about Dr. Fiacco
Nicholas Fiacco has been a Tarheel for most of his life, spending most of his childhood in the Charlotte, NC, area. After some time away, he returned to the Tarheel State in 2016 and is proud to call North Carolina home.
Throughout his youth, athletics was an important part of his life as he competed competitively in baseball and wrestling. While a series of injuries ended his competitive wrestling career, over the last two decades, he transitioned the love of the sport to other endeavors competing in short and long-distance endurance events. His experience in sports has shaped his education and experience in how lifestyle can translate to healthcare.
Dr. Fiacco is a proud veteran and brings his understanding of the time in uniform to his practice. He is also a proud husband and father of two wonderful kids, bringing to the bedside an understanding that life can be busy, messy, and imperfect. Just as with life, your health is a journey. He looks forward to joining you on that journey and helping you reach your health goals.
Job Titles:
- Board Certified Physician Assistant, Board Certified Lifestyle Medicine Practitioner, Functional Medicine Practitioner
Board-certified Physician Assistant, Member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Sherrie Stapleton, PA-C Make an Appointment with Sherrie Board-certified Physician Assistant with over 12 years of experience in fields including Internal Medicine, Endocrinology (Diabetes and Thyroid disorders), and ENT. Over 5 years was spent working at Joslin Diabetes Center in Syracuse, NY, helping patients with both insulin dependent, and non-insulin dependent diabetes improve control of their condition, and enhance their overall health and well-being. She achieved Bachelor and Masters Degrees from Boston University specializing in Exercise Science and Nutrition. For five years she worked in the Fitness Industry as a Personal Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor, and Assistant Fitness Director. In 2009 she received her degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY. Promoting a healthy lifestyle to prevent adverse health has always been a passion of hers. Working with other providers, health departments, and local organizations, she developed and implemented health education programs, improving the health and well-being of her patients and community. Her goal is to provide others with the education and resources needed to help regain control over their health; reduce the adverse effects of chronic illness; and to reduce the reliance on prescription medications.