Mission & Leadership

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.

Bryan Hodge, DO, works each day to ensure MAHEC is making a positive difference in the community. As Chief Academic Officer and Chair of the Department of Community and Public Health at UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC, Dr. Hodge leads initiatives to expand academic workforce training, community outreach, , and build pathways that support future health professionals serving where the greatest need exists.

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 Physicians.

Cindy Ireland brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across biotechnology, healthcare software, and medical education. She has held key executive roles, including VP of Technology, Chief Operating Officer/Chief Technology Officer, and VP of Product Development, as well as other senior leadership positions. She has also contributed her expertise by serving on multiple nonprofit boards, strengthening her commitment to community impact.

As MAHEC’s CIO, Cindy is committed to supporting our patients and staff with a mindset focused on innovation, excellence, and process improvement. Cindy believes that when technology is an equal partner in serving the people and processes, the organization can achieve operational excellence.

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.

Heather Norton is a Certified Public Accountant with more than 25 years of leadership experience. She spent 15 years as an external auditor serving various industries, followed by a decade with the Biltmore Company. Heather has served on multiple nonprofit boards in Western North Carolina, demonstrating her personal commitment to the community that shaped her.

Heather has built her career around collaboration, accountability, internal controls, and responsible stewardship of funds.

Dr. Amy Russell is Chief Medical & Population Health Officer at MAHEC, where she and a staff of more than 1,100 are committed to transforming rural health and wellness through education, the delivery of patient care, and a focus on community and public health.

With more than 25 years of experience in rural and underserved communities, Dr. Russell joined the family medicine faculty at MAHEC in 2013, where she continues to provide patient care. She also serves as faculty at the UNC School of Medicine Asheville campus. Her previous positions at MAHEC include serving as the Director of the Division of Health Innovation, Research and Population Health, where she led the work of improving primary care performance in Asheville and rural Western North Carolina.

Appointed in December 2023 to her current leadership role, Dr. Russell’s work centers on partnering with payors and community-based organizations to design multidisciplinary teams that equip primary care physicians and clinical team members with the skills necessary to improve access, health outcomes, and performance in value-based care.

As an organizational leader and ACO executive, she has led multidisciplinary care coordination teams—including integrated behavioral health professionals, clinical pharmacists, nurses, care navigators, and community paramedics—dedicated to identifying at-risk populations, addressing health-related social needs, and supporting individual, group, and home-based primary care.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Russell led the adaptation and expansion of a mobile integrated health model, providing vital support to rural and isolated patients. Under her leadership, her teams developed innovative processes to address social needs in collaboration with human service organizations, effectively supporting managed Medicaid and the Healthy Opportunities program in North Carolina.

In 2024, when the impact of Hurricane Helene caused many in the region to lose access to essential medical care, MAHEC leveraged its population health infrastructure to respond rapidly—staffing emergency shelters and mobile clinics to provide medication assistance, behavioral health, and prenatal care, restoring access to essential primary care services in the hardest-hit communities.

Dr. Russell completed her undergraduate degree at Emory University in Atlanta and received her medical degree at The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. As a member of the first class of North Carolina Rural Health Scholars, Dr. Russell visited rural and community health centers across the state and studied health disparities and the unique healthcare issues in rural communities.

Pursuing an interest in Family Medicine and service to medically underserved communities, Dr. Russell completed her residency training at University of Colorado’s rural residency program at Clinica Campesina, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). As a physician leader and eventually the Vice President of Clinical Services at Clinica, she implemented care initiatives including Centering Pregnancy and Centering Parenting, advanced access, and complex care management to achieve improved maternal child health and chronic disease outcomes.

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.

Dr. Jauch joined MAHEC in 2022 as Chair of the Department of Program Evaluation and Research. In this role, he supports the several Divisions within the Department and has led the creation of the new clinical trials program at MAHEC. Dr. Jauch serves in several regional roles supporting education, care implementation, research, and innovation across MAHEC, Western North Carolina, and the state.

Dr. Jauch completed a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Dayton and a Masters in Mechanical Engineering (bioengineering) at Cornell University, after which he joined the faculty in the Departments of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Kansas and the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Jauch completed medical school and an emergency medicine residency at the University of Cincinnati, subsequently joining the faculty in the Department of Emergency Medicine and the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Stroke Team. Dr. Jauch was recruited to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in 2008 to help develop the Emergency Medicine Residency Program, assist in the creation of the MUSC Comprehensive Stroke Center and Telemedicine Program, and eventually serve as Professor and Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Professor, Department of Neurology, faculty in the College of Graduate Studies at the MUSC, and adjunct Professor of Bioengineering, Clemson University. Dr. Jauch obtained his Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina - Wilmington with an emphasis in data analytics. Before joining MAHEC, Dr. Jauch served as Chief of System Research and the Director of the Mission Research Institute in Asheville, NC, and the National Medical Director for Neurosciences Research for the HCA Healthcare Research Institute in Nashville, TN, for four years.

Dr. Jauch's research has performed a wide range of industry and federally-funded phase II and III clinical trials but with an emphasis on acute conditions, specifically neurologic emergencies and stroke. Dr. Jauch is very active in numerous national organizations, including serving as past Chair of the Stroke Council for the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and immediate past President of the Southeast AHA Board of Directors. At state levels, Dr. Jauch served on the Ohio Stroke Task Force, as chair of the South Carolina Department of Health’s Stroke Advisory Committee, and currently serves on the North Carolina Justus-Warren Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force Stroke Advisory Committee and as a consultant to the NC Department of Health and Human Services Coverdell National Acute Stroke program.

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.

Julie Michalove is the Designated Institutional Official at Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in Asheville, NC. With a robust background in healthcare operations and accreditation optimization, Julie brings over 20 years of executive-level experience to her role. She possesses a comprehensive understanding of healthcare regulations, graduate medical education financial management, and healthcare accreditation (ACHC, AAAHC, JAHCO, and ACGME). Recognized for her exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and collaborative approach, Julie is dedicated to fostering an environment of excellence.

Her commitment to continuous improvement is evident in her constant pursuit of innovative ways to enhance healthcare systems and promote the well-being of those associated with the organization. Julie Michalove is a valuable leader driving positive change and operational excellence within the healthcare landscape.

Dr. Nicholls is a general and child/adolescent psychiatrist. Before attending UNC School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, he was an active lawyer, working for a federal judge and then for large firms in North Carolina and Georgia. After medical school, he completed his residency in general psychiatry and his fellowship in child/adolescent psychiatry at UNC Hospitals where he remained on faculty as Medical Director for its child/adolescent inpatient units. Dr. Nicholls and his family moved to Asheville in 2012 and he has worked in a variety of inpatient, outpatient, and managed care settings. He is a native of Western North Carolina and when he is not working, he enjoys time with family, various sports, and all kinds of music.

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.

• BA, Wake Forest University
• MSN, Yale University
• PhD, UNC Greensboro School of Nursing

Matthew Ransom, PharmD, MPH, CPP, 340B ACE, is Chair of the Department of Pharmacy at MAHEC and also serves as the Director of MAHEC’s 340B Pharmacy Services. Matt joined MAHEC in July 2021 and established the 340B program in coordination with the organization becoming a Community Health Center. He coordinated a network of contract pharmacy relationships that provide medication for MAHEC patients and contribute to the development and sustainability of medication assistance programs delivered through MAHEC’s two community pharmacies, at Biltmore and Enka/Candler. He opened the community pharmacies for retail operations in 2023. The success of these pharmacies contributes to MAHEC’s mission of improving the health of all patients in our region.

Prior to MAHEC, Matt worked at Mission Health for 14 years in the Mission Medication Assistance Program, Outpatient Clinical Pharmacy Services, and helped patients manage chronic disease as part of the Asheville Project. At Mission, Matt was recognized nationally for innovative leadership in establishing a pharmacy technician-led transitions of care program for low-income, uninsured patients discharging from the hospital. He enjoys teaching and learning with students, residents, and colleagues and started the PGY2 Ambulatory Care Residency program at Mission in collaboration with UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy.

Matt is trained as a 340B Apexus Certified Expert (ACE). He holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy (2007) and a Master of Public Health from UNC Gillings School of Public Health (2020). He is a Certified Pharmacy Practitioner (CPP) in North Carolina and completed a PGY1 Residency in Ambulatory Care at Mission/MAHEC (2008). Matt’s other interests include landscaping, traveling with his family, and exploring trails and forests in Western North Carolina.

Stephanie Rosener, MD, IBCLC, FAAFP, joined MAHEC in April 2024 as Chair of Family Medicine. Prior to that appointment, Dr. Rosener served as Program Director for The United Family Medicine Residency Program, a community-based residency program of Allina Health in St. Paul, MN, which emphasized reducing barriers to care and eliminating disparities for under-resourced populations.

Dr. Rosener began her career as a registered nurse, after receiving a dual degree of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Penn State University. She shared her nursing skills at the University of Pittsburgh’s HIV Treatment Clinical Trials Unit, Presbyterian University, and Magee-Women’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.

The Pennsylvania native continued her education, obtaining her medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, followed by residency at United Family Medicine Residency in St. Paul. She completed the National Institute for Program Director Development fellowship while serving as Associate Program Director for the Middlesex Health Family Medicine Residency Program in Middletown, CT.

In addition to her current role, Dr. Rosener has held academic appointments at the University of Minnesota Medical School, the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, the Frank H. Netter School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, Yale School of Medicine, and Boston University School of Medicine.

She is a published author and researcher with a focus on maternal child health, reduction in birth disparities, quality improvement, and innovation in graduate medical education. Dr. Rosener is also a classically trained vocalist and musician (piano, flute, sax, guitar), watercolor artist, outdoors enthusiast, and global traveler.

Dr. Mollie Scott is the Regional Associate Dean and a Professor at UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Asheville Campus. She 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.

Dr. Nathan Spell served 4 years in the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps immediately after residency and then joined the department of medicine at Emory University as a general internist. In his 25 years at Emory, he held several education leadership roles—resident clinic director in his ambulatory practice, then associate program director, and ultimately associate dean for education and professional development, including oversight of CME (Continuing Medical Education). He held administrative positions as medical director of his practice and 10 years as Chief Quality Officer for Emory University Hospital, including starting the Emory Quality Academy for professional development in quality improvement. He joined MAHEC in August 2023 as department chair.

Dr. Spell's professional passions are in the growth and development of physicians, interprofessional education, quality and safety, and addressing professional and health disparities. He was attracted to MAHEC because of how well the role of Chair aligned with his experience and the employees' infectious passion for the mission. His outlets are mountain trail running and spending weekends planning, shopping, and cooking meals for family and friends.

As Co-Director of the UNC Asheville – UNC 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 25 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.

Sandy Whitlock, MD, has been a palliative care physician at Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC since 2015. She received her medical degree from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Following internal medicine residency at the University of Chicago, she completed the Harvard Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship.

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.

Sandy has loved living in Asheville with her husband and three kids. She loves running and gardening.