Gender Health Clinic
MAHEC's Gender Health Clinic is a new specialty clinic being offered in the Family Health Center after a group of dedicated providers recognized the need for gender-affirming care services in Asheville and at MAHEC. We are dedicated to offering a space where patients can receive care from knowledgeable providers without judgement or discrimination. Our mission is to provide compassionate, gender-affirming care for our community while also training the next generation of health care providers to offer this care.
Our interdisciplinary team includes the perspectives of family medicine physicians, obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYNs), pharmacists, behavioral health specialists, medical assistants, and office administrators.
The Gender Health Clinic is currently accepting patients who are ages 18+ and seeking gender-affirming care. Patients who have not been seen at MAHEC before will need to establish with a MAHEC provider after their initial Gender Health Clinic visit.
Call MAHEC at (828) 257-4730 and state that you would like to schedule with the Gender Health Clinic or ask your Primary Care Physician to connect you during your next appointment!
Monday-Friday: 8am-5pm (in-person and telehealth)
Tuesdays: 5pm-7pm (telehealth only)
24/7 Call Answering Service
Please note: This specialty clinic is currently offered one half-day per month.
Dr. Amelia Cline is a generalist Obstetrician and Gynecologist who joined MAHEC faculty after completing residency at MAHEC Ob/Gyn. Prior to that she received her BSPH at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and attended medical school at UNC School of Medicine.
Dr. Cline enjoys practicing the full spectrum of obstetrics and gynecology including managing high risk pregnancies and gyn care for patients of all ages. She has a special interest in rural medicine and maintaining access to high quality outpatient and surgical care throughout WNC. She works in both MAHEC’s Franklin and Asheville locations as well as Angel Medical Center and Mission Hospital. Outside of work she loves Dolly Parton, cooking, and finding new swimming holes in these beautiful mountains.
Clinical Pharmacist
Associate Professor of Clinical Education, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
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 a particular interest in health equity and transgender care and is pursuing her Master 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.
Genevieve Verrastro, MD, is a Family Medicine Physician and an Addiction Medicine Specialist. She completed her residency at MAHEC and worked at several Community Health Centers in Western North Carolina as a primary care physician. In 2020 she returned to MAHEC for the inaugural Addiction Medicine Fellowship and continues there as a faculty physician in the Addiction Medicine program. Her areas of interest include perinatal substance use disorders, care of people with HIV, and the LGBTQ community.
Outside of work, her interests include biking, whitewater kayaking, gardening, and restoring her Craftsman bungalow.
