LANTERN HEALTH - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Certified Health and Wellness Coach
- Health Coach
Alison Lively is a board-certified health and wellness coach and seasoned allied health professional with over 18 years experience. Alongside her sister and business partner, Alison ran a successful holistic health clinic in Greenville SC for 15 years where she had the privilege of supporting thousands of people of all ages make healthy lifestyle modifications. Alison has called WNC her soul home for the last 3 years and has devoted her work to supporting the health and well-being of older adults, focusing her studies and advocacy efforts on helping seniors grow whole instead of old. Combining her background in social and health sciences, Alison's personal mission is to develop a safe and supportive partnership with each person she works with to become the best versions of themselves at any age.
Alison believes there are many paths to the same destination and the ultimate goal of a health coach is to provide a roadmap for change at the client's own pace and in their own time. Alison is dedicated to providing a coaching experience that fosters positive, sustained behavior change for enhanced life quality and longevity.
Alison's passions include positive psychology, lifestyle science, teaching, advocating for seniors, cooking, playing the mandolin, being active outdoors, and her own personal development.
Ben is a family physician with a background in international studies and public health. He completed his schooling at UNC Chapel Hill before pursuing full-spectrum family medicine training at MAHEC in Asheville, NC, where he served as chief resident. After a year on faculty, he then founded Lantern Health, where he seeks to redefine the experience of primary care and transform healthcare to work better for everyone.
Ben grew up over the mountains in Tennessee and is married with two children. He feels deeply connected to this collective community and looks to each day as an opportunity to seek adventure and balance in this landscape, including the wonderful privilege of caring for and empowering people and families in striving for optimal health.
Ben's specific interests include: direct primary care and system-level innovation and design; lifestyle medicine and the role of food, movement, and habit in health and wellbeing; community transformation and implementation science; men's health including vasectomy; and educating the next generation of providers.
Job Titles:
- Lab & Clinical Services Specialist
Brittany White is an Asheville native who grew up right here in downtown Asheville. She graduated from AB-Tech where she received her A.A.S and became a Certified Medical Assistant. Brittany plans to attend nursing school to further her healthcare career. She enjoys being a problem solver and patient advocate, and her bubbly personality allows our patients to feel welcome and more at ease while under her care. Outside of work, Brittany spends time focusing on her accessories business and spending time with her puppy Kobe.
Dr. Andrea Preston comes to Lantern Health with 15 years of primary care experience. Originally from Michigan, she attended medical school at Michigan State University before completing her residency here in Asheville at the MAHEC program. After her training, she worked in a variety of settings including at community health centers and in Indian Health. More recently, she has worked at a local private practice doing full scope family medicine. Dr. Preston is passionate about developing deep, meaningful relationships with patients and their families. She is thrilled to grow these relationships in the setting of direct primary care, where the hoops, hassles and time constraints present in an insurance model of care have been removed.
Dr. Preston's professional interests include care for women and children, lifestyle medicine and nutrition, as well as office procedures.
When not caring for patients, Dr. Preston can be found spending time with her husband and 2 young daughters, trying new recipes, digging in the dirt or hiking in the woods.
Job Titles:
- Family Physician
- Physician
Heidi is a family medicine physician excited to be joining Lantern Health in 2022. Originally born and raised in northeast Ohio, she spent more than a decade in Providence, Rhode Island for education and training - interrupted only for an adventurous year abroad in Argentina. After she and her husband welcomed twins in the same year as she completed her family medicine residency at Brown University, they decided to settle in Asheville which had long been attractive as a place to live and raise a family.
Prior to this chapter, Heidi devoted 7 years to academic family medicine - resident teaching and full spectrum clinical practice - at MAHEC. This was rewarding, challenging, and foundational to her love for this community, and she remains grateful for these experiences and relationships. Her professional interests continue to include pediatrics, reproductive care including contraception and pregnancy care, gender-affirming care, health justice, group medical care, and medical education and innovation. Having been interested in the direct primary care model since residency, she is looking forward to the flexibility and adaptability of a practice model that allows more dedicated space for the patient-physician relationship - as well as more transparency, personability, and accessibility in the way healthcare reaches people.
In life outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, following kids' activities, hiking with the dog, exploring the culinary and cultural offerings of Western North Carolina, playing piano, crafting, dancing (as long as no one is watching), and playing tennis.
Job Titles:
- Family & Sports Medicine Physician
J.D. was raised in north Florida and attended medical school at Florida State University. He completed both his Family Medicine residency and Sports Medicine fellowship at UNC Chapel Hill. While at UNC, he had the pleasure of serving as a team physician for the UNC Tar Heels and the NC Central University Eagles.
In 2019, J.D. moved to Asheville with his family and spent 4 years with Asheville Orthopedic Associates practicing sports medicine and non-surgical orthopedics. During this time, he served as the team physician for UNC Asheville Athletics from 2019-2021.
Julie has lived in Asheville for 8 years, and although it feels like home now, she will always claim her Texan roots. She graduated from Texas State University with a degree in Health and Fitness Management.
Since being here, she has worked in the medical field in various roles including administrative assistant, insurance pre certifications, and front desk staff. Welcoming patients, making connections, and helping them feel heard is important to her, and she is excited to be part of the Lantern Health team where this same vision is shared.
In her free time, Julie enjoys taking walks with her husband and two young sons, trying new Pinterest recipes, and reading memoirs.
We are actively looking at additional location opportunities, hopefully transforming the experience of primary care for as many people as possible in the process. If you are a physician or employer interested in a location in your community, please contact us.
We illuminate the path toward a better and brighter future in healthcare.
Katarina, originally from Atlanta, Georgia, has found her home in Asheville alongside her partner Jordan and their cherished canine companions, Juno and Nova. She is deeply immersed in her academic journey, currently pursuing a master's degree in social work at the University of North Carolina Pembroke with the aim of becoming a mental health therapist focused on serving lower-income communities. Katarina's passion for healthcare accessibility for all drives her commitment to making a difference in underserved populations.
Outside the office, Katarina leads a rich and fulfilling life. She enjoys various hobbies, including snowboarding during the winter months, staying engaged in local politics, exploring new destinations through travel, honing her tennis skills on the court, and embracing the tranquility of paddle boarding on serene waters. Additionally, she finds immense joy in spending quality time with her furry companions, creating cherished memories and fostering a deep bond through shared activities and adventures.
Kate is a family physician originally from Knoxville, Tennessee. She joined Lantern in 2020 after five years of practice in Clyde, NC with Mission Health. After a unique medical school experience in New York City, she trained at MAHEC in Asheville, where she served as chief resident. Alongside Ben during residency, she developed a shared interest in primary care innovation (and direct primary care specifically) in the region and is excited to rekindle this shared passion as part of the Lantern team. While Kate cherished the relationships with her patients in rural Haywood County, the rush and volume expectations of a traditional medical practice meant that she couldn't spend the time on wellness, prevention, and mental health that she feels are foundational to good health.
Outside of the office, Kate enjoys exploring Western North Carolina with her husband and son. She is keenly interested in WNC's history and culture, particularly bluegrass music, and is also an avid soccer fan.
Kate's specific interests include: primary care innovation, public health, rural health, lifestyle medicine, and the impacts of mental health on general wellbeing.
Kathryn McClellan is a family physician and Asheville native. After nearly 15 years in the San Francisco Bay Area, she returned to Asheville in 2021 and loves taking care of her home community. She values that Lantern's model gives her the time and resources to provide comprehensive and personal care. Prior to joining Lantern she worked in primary care at the Asheville Veterans Health Administration, and has also worked in inpatient medicine and reproductive health. She attended Stanford University School of Medicine followed by residency in Family and Community Medicine at UCSF. She also has a Masters degree in Reproductive and Sexual Health Research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Kathryn's professional interests include reproductive health, preventive care, optimizing chronic disease management, LGBTQ health, and menopause. When she's not at work, Kathryn loves being outside with her children, working in her garden, and spin classes.
Kelly found her way to the mountains of NC more than 20 years ago and decided to call it home in 2001. She has a long history of providing administrative support to health care practices in the area. Her experience includes serving as the Patient Coordinator at New Dawn Midwifery for several years, as the Office Manager at WNC Birth Center for several years, and as the Office Manager and Admissions Coordinator at Widening Circles for a year. In addition, she has earned her degree in Medical Office Administration and is working on earning a degree in Office Management.
With a passion for quality patient care, Kelly is dedicated to fostering relationships in health care, firmly believing that people should be partners in their wellness. She is excited to join Lantern Health and the mission to help create an authentic experience with a focus on helping others to achieve optimal health.
When not engaging in the work she loves, Kelly enjoys spending time with her husband, 3 children, 4 cats, and 2 dogs. She is happiest outdoors, either running, hiking, or gardening, although staying in to watch a Star Wars movie or show or Doctor Who is also appealing.
Kelsey Thistle is an LPN with a passion for helping others. She has been an LPN for five years, after trying her hand at screenprinting, being a florist, waiting tables, delivering pizzas, and working as a freelance seamstress. She is originally from a small town in Vermont, and she has also lived in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Colorado. Kelsey is married to the love of her life, and they have two adorable children, Luna and Asher. She and her partner owned a whiskey bar together in New Hampshire, and after selling the business during COVID, life took them on a road trip in a camper for two years while Kelsey was a travel nurse. To round out their adventurous family, they have the fastest dog in the world, a pug mix named Willow. When Kelsey is not busy with work and family, she enjoys knitting, playing Jeopardy and trivia, and exploring the outdoors.
After growing up in Maryland, Rachel moved to Rocky Mount, North Carolina, for the Teach for America program. She taught high school science for three years and then decided to pursue her medical and public health degrees at the University of North Carolina. There, she also completed her Family Medicine residency and an obstetrics fellowship.
In 2018 Rachel and her family happily relocated to the mountains to join Ben, a former medical school classmate, in practice at Lantern Health. Rachel sees value in the Direct Primary Care (DPC) model for individuals and families, through all life's stages. While taking advantage of a trusted relationship between physicians and patients, DPC casts off many limitations imposed by traditional healthcare and insurance.
Rachel's specific interests include: women's health, including prenatal and obstetric care, contraception management and breastfeeding medicine; newborn and child health; LGBTQ health; palliative care; medical education; mindfulness practices, and technology to improve experience in health care.