Ob/Gyn Residency
Hello! My name is Mieke Fortune. I am from Fredericksburg, Virginia, which is approximately 1hr south of Washington, D.C. I studied Biology and Spanish at Virginia Commonwealth University. After graduating, I wore multiple hats as a medical scribe, substitute teacher, and a volleyball referee. I attended medical school at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN. It was at Meharry where I fell in love with OB/GYN and serving underserved communities. My personal interests include playing volleyball, running, spending time with my family, binging shows on Netflix and traveling. I am excited to join the MAHEC family and discover all the amazing things Asheville has to offer!
Hello! My name is Danetta Green, and I am from Sumter, SC. I attended Emory University for my undergraduate education, where I received a BS in Biology and a BA in Psychology/Linguistics. After college, I spent two gap years working at Emory’s Office of Undergraduate Admission before beginning my medical school training at the University of South Carolina, School of Medicine, Greenville. As a medical student, I was involved in multiple organizations, including SNMA, LMSA, CMDA, and various programs/organizations that work to uplift and empower individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. I fell in love with the Obstetrics & Gynecology Specialty due to the limitless opportunities for me to guide and advocate for my future patients! With a commitment to providing equitable, compassionate, and patient-centered care to everyone, I knew that MAHEC would be the perfect fit for me! I am incredibly excited to begin my journey as a MAHEC Ob/Gyn resident!!!
My interests include addressing and reducing social/racial disparities in healthcare; increasing access to care for medically underserved patients; patient education and advocacy; and global health initiatives. For fun, I enjoy spending quality time with family and friends, planning events, creating schedules, watching Sci-fi and Marvel movies, exploring new places and restaurants, and singing Hamilton the musical/Pentatonix/Gospel/R&B at the top of my lungs while air drumming!
I’m from Camden, a small town on the coast of Maine. I grew up exploring the ocean, lakes, rivers, and mountains of Maine. I love cooking, knitting, skiing, hiking, and nearly every water activity. I attended Bates College in Lewiston, ME, where I studied biology and public health. After college, I worked as a clinical research assistant at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA and then spent a year serving with AmeriCorps for Playworks, a non-profit harnessing the power of play to teach social-emotional skills and conflict resolution, at an elementary school in Dorchester, MA. After a nice break from academia, I started medical school at Tufts University in their Maine Track program.
In medical school, my interest in reproductive health grew and I fell in love with OB/GYN. I love being a jack-of-all-trades, building longitudinal relationships while also serving patients acutely and supporting people in a time of crisis. I spent my third and fourth years of medical school in Maine and became interested in rural health, I can’t wait to further this passion as I start my career in Western Carolina. I strongly believe that the role of a physician is to be not only a healthcare provider but a teacher and an advocate. During my interview at MAHEC, I found these values echoed by the residents and faculty, along with a warm and inviting culture that could be felt even virtually over Zoom. I am beyond excited to begin residency with such supportive and welcoming people and explore Asheville’s restaurants, breweries, and great outdoors with my dog, Auggie!
I grew up in Connecticut, and have lived in the Northeast my whole life, so I’m excited to begin a new journey down South. I attended Brown University as an undergraduate where I studied psychology, then headed up to Boston to get my masters degree at Tufts and work as a medical scribe for a year before finally heading to medical school at UConn. During medical school, I became passionate about reproductive justice as well as LGBTQ+ and gender diverse reproductive healthcare. I am lucky enough to have family in Asheville so I have gotten to know the beautiful and diverse community through them, and I feel privileged to continue my training at MAHEC.
Outside of medicine, I love musical theater, my cats, my plants, weightlifting, and having adventures with my amazing partner. I can’t wait to explore North Carolina!
I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky and moved to Chicago for undergrad at Loyola University Chicago where I studied biology. After graduating, I moved back to Louisville where I worked as a nurse aide for two years before attending the University of Louisville School of Medicine. While in medical school I served as student council wellness chair and discovered a passion for student and resident wellness. I am also passionate about providing LGBTQIA+ care and advocacy for reproductive care.
Outside of medicine I love playing tennis, reading, and spending time with friends and family especially outdoors. I am so happy to be joining the team at MAHEC and cannot wait to explore all Asheville has to offer.
Hello! My name is Christen Jarshaw and I have lived in Central Oklahoma since I was about 4 years old. I attended the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK, where I was a member of the Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band for 4 years (clarinet) and graduated with a BS in Biochemistry. After a quick gap year working as a medical scribe and doing REI and MedEd research, I started medical school at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center in Oklahoma City, OK.
I am driven by advocacy in all things, and I have always been one to take charge of my own education and to not settle for the status quo when I see better can be obtained. I co-founded and lead an interprofessional Reproductive Health Symposium to improve pro-choice and gender-affirming medical education, then I accidentally founded the Oklahoma Menstrual Equity Coalition to address period poverty in Oklahoma through legislation and community partnerships. MAHEC is a program that mirrors my values in a way I did not think possible -- I cannot wait to learn and grow with such an intentional group of people.
Outside of medicine, I always find something to fill my free time! Most often, I enjoy knitting/sewing, watching Star Trek, listening to NPR podcasts or jazz music, and conversing with friends.
Hello! My name is Palak Patel, and I am originally from Florida. Specifically, I grew up along the Space Coast, close to the Kennedy Space Center, which I think contributed to my interest in the sciences. I completed my undergraduate education with a degree in biochemistry from the University of Florida in Gainesville and attended medical school at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
In medical school, I realized that I liked hands-on care and being able to follow my patients both inside and outside of the hospital. I also enjoyed following up with patients and forming longitudinal relationships with people over time. Along the way, I learned about the inequalities and stigma women face when it comes to medical care, especially regarding maternal mental health care and substance use during pregnancy. When I completed my obstetrics and gynecology clerkship, I fell in love with the field because it offered a little bit of everything that initially drew me to medicine! I am thrilled to be joining the MAHEC Ob/Gyn family for many reasons, including the warm, convivial atmosphere that the program has cultivated over the years and the passion that the faculty and residents demonstrate for healthcare advocacy and caring for marginalized people in the community.
In my free time, I like to read mystery novels, play video games, try out new foods with friends and family, and practice my crocheting skills. I look forward to living in a state with mountains and am excited to explore North Carolina!
Hey everyone! My name is Anna, and I’m a proud native of Richmond, VA. I spent 18 lovely years in my home state, and I’ve been on the move ever since! I attended UNC Chapel Hill (Go Heels!!!!) for college and majored in Global Studies with a concentration in global health. I fell in love with public health during my time at UNC, which ultimately led to a gap year in the Sacred Valley of Peru. While in Peru, I worked at an NGO alongside Community Health Workers (specifically working with their Women’s Health program) and spent as many weekends as possible trekking in the Andes. Following this year, I knew public health would be central to my future career, so I headed up to Boston for my MD/MPH at Tufts. While I’ve loved my years in the North, the mountains are calling and I must go! I’m over the moon to call NC home once again.
I have always wanted to be an Ob/Gyn. In my mind, there is no better combination of longitudinal patient care, complex physiology and procedures, and opportunities for advocacy. Going into residency applications, I knew I wanted to be part of a program that is deeply invested in the community at large and the well-being of their residents. With such a commitment to equity, compassion, and growth as individuals, MAHEC is everything I could have hoped for (and more).
Outside of the hospital, you can catch me running, hiking, trying new restaurants/wineries/cideries (a gluten free gal), and watching sporting events of all kinds. I’m so excited to build a community in Asheville and honored to be part of the family!!
Hello! My name is Lexi and I am thrilled to train at MAHEC Ob/Gyn. I have had many homes – I was born in Connecticut but moved to the United Kingdom when I was six and lived there until I was 14! I found my way to Tufts University in Boston where I majored in International Relations. I was not pre-med, but I had a passion for yoga, nutrition, and exercise. After college I ventured out to Lander, Wyoming where I led outdoor backpacking and rock-climbing expeditions for the National Outdoor Leadership School. I loved my time in Wyoming – the big open sky, awe-inspiring mountains, and down-to-earth people. I also really enjoyed mentoring students and teaching wilderness medicine. Eventually, my love of well-being and health brought me to a post-bacc pre-med program at Tufts University. Through this process I thought about becoming a naturopath, midwife, or family medicine physician – it was not until medical school at the University of Vermont College of Medicine that I solidified my love of Ob/Gyn. The blend of surgery, deep patient relationships, and clinical care makes this the best field in medicine! Some of my specific interests include integrative medicine, MFM, fertility, trauma informed care, and medical education.
While I have deeply loved my wonderful friends and home in Vermont the past four years, I am looking forward to building a new community in Asheville, North Carolina! I love to ride my bike, ski, practice yoga, hike, play tennis, and hang out with my very friendly golden retriever, Bodhi.
Hello! My name is Hannah. I grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and moved to Western NC to attend college at Appalachian State University where I majored in Cellular & Molecular Biology. During undergrad, I fell in love with caring for medically underserved populations through exposure to the Western NC medical community. I began to observe the unique inequities, stigma, and challenges that women face regarding their healthcare, which initially sparked my interest in Ob-Gyn. After college, I moved away from the mountains to attend medical school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During medical school, while continuing to fall in love with the field of Ob-Gyn, I explored interests researching social determinants of health, providing care for individuals with housing insecurity, and bettering medical education.
Outside of medicine, I enjoy reading, being outdoors, trying new restaurants or cooking new foods at home, and playing piano & cello. I am so thrilled to be back in the mountains for residency, and I can’t wait to work with the wonderful patients and providers at MAHEC!
Hello! My name is Rebecca and I am from Bellingham, Washington. Growing up surrounded by mountains, ocean, and the forest, I spent a lot of time adventuring outdoors. Backpacking, hiking, skiing, biking—I love it all! I moved to Minnesota to complete my undergraduate degree at Carleton College. At Carleton, I studied biology and education and became interested in sexual education development and access. This work ultimately sparked my excitement for a career in reproductive health. After graduation, I spent a year with AmeriCorps working to teach early child literacy in an elementary school in my hometown, which affirmed my interest in health education.
As a medical student at Duke, OGBYN felt like a natural fit. Throughout my time in medical school, I continued to find joy and purpose in teaching sexual education, advocating for access to accurate reproductive health information, and mentorship. I was enamored by the longitudinal relationships with patients, the opportunity to help people navigate some of the most emotionally complex decisions in healthcare, the variety of procedures and clinical practice, and the opportunities for advocacy. I love the breadth of OBGYN and moving forward I am particularly excited about maternal fetal medicine, family planning, care for adolescents, and advocacy surrounding reproductive health education. During my interview at MAHEC, it was clear that the residents and faculty mirrored my values and were deeply committed to patient-centered care, equity, and advocacy. I am exceptionally excited to have the opportunity to train in this environment!
Outside the hospital, I love cooking, running, hiking, and biking. I am thrilled to build a community in Asheville and to begin exploring everything that the area has to offer!
I was born and raised in North Carolina. Some would say I’m a North Carolina Gal. I grew up in a small town called Pinehurst. I completed my undergraduate studies at UNC-Chapel Hill where I majored in psychology and minored in American Indian and Indigenous Studies. After my journey as a tarheel, I found myself in wolf territory where I earned my Master’s in Physiology from NC State University. Last but certainly not least, I spent four years at East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine where I earned my MD. I love NC, and I am excited to continue serving the state in Asheville. I am excited to serve more Native communities towards the western side of the state as Native health is a personal passion of my own.
My husband and I are looking forward to exploring Asheville with our two pups Kaia and Ozzy, and I am excited to continue this journey with them by my side. When I’m not working or studying, I enjoy participating in physical fitness competitions. I’ve tried my hand at CrossFit, Olympic Lifting, and Powerlifting. I’m still deciding and excited to see what my next goals will be while in Asheville. I’m not the best runner, but who knows, maybe a marathon! I also enjoy sitting down and reading a good book or nerding out with my Nintendo Switch playing Animal Crossing. I am excited to learn how to be the best OBGYN I can be at MAHEC.
Hi! I’m Jacqueline. I’m originally from St. Petersburg, FL but have lived in various other places ever since heading to college at Pepperdine University where I majored in International Studies. I’ve been fortunate to call Malibu, CA, Florence, Italy, Portland OR, Boston, MA, and now Asheville, NC my home over the years, and have learned so much, met incredible people, and gained diverse perspectives through these experiences. I’ve always had an interest in women’s health and social justice, as well as caring for and advocating for underserved populations. Medical school affirmed my love of OB/GYN as I found that it blended everything I love in medicine: caring for women, having deep longitudinal relationships with patients, providing preventive care, and surgery!
Outside of medicine, I am passionate about spending time outdoors, exercising, mindfulness activities such as yoga, meditation, and breathwork, quality time with friends, playing games, and traveling (particularly in Latin America). I am so excited to join the MAHEC family, with its affirming, supportive, and intentional community culture, and excellent OB/GYN training. I am also so excited to live in and explore the beautiful mountainous city of Asheville, NC!
I am originally from Chicago, IL, but grew up and have spent most of my life in Fort Mill, SC. I attended College of Charleston for undergrad, studying biochemistry and chemistry, with a minor in Spanish. Here I got my first opportunities working with underserved populations, first in the Charleston area as an EMT, then abroad in Peru and Ecuador working with the international organization Medlife. I stayed for medical school at MUSC where I figured out that OBGYN was the perfect field to combine all the aspects of medicine that I love, from longitudinal care to surgery and health equity through patient education. It also has been the field to allow me to be creative in medicine, working in the realm of graphic design for a gynecologic oncology podcast!
Now, I’m so excited to call MAHEC and Asheville my home.
In my free time, I love reading, running, swimming, basically any activity where I can be outdoors. I also really enjoy organizing events, whether it be a group outing to trivia, or a game night and salsa sampling party.
Hello! My name is Anastasia Luna. I was born and raised in a small town in Russia, but after moving to the U.S., I’ve proudly called Kansas City home. I completed my undergraduate and master’s degrees in biology at the University of Missouri–Kansas City and attended A.T. Still University–College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, MO, for medical school.
During college, I volunteered as a medical interpreter at a free clinic, which sparked my passion for working with underserved communities and solidified my desire to become a physician who makes a difference. In medical school, I fell in love with OB/GYN because it combines everything I love about medicine—building long-term relationships with patients, advocating for women’s health, and working with my hands in the OR.
Outside of medicine, I enjoy painting, crocheting, gardening, and spending time outdoors. I also love hiking, so living near the mountains feels like a dream come true. I can’t wait to explore all the beauty this area has to offer. I’m so excited to be joining the MAHEC family and look forward to growing alongside an amazing group of residents and attendings.
Hello, I’m Yuna. Born in Hawaii and raised in Colorado, I graduated from Vanderbilt University with a double major in Anthropology and Molecular & Cellular Biology. I later earned a Master of Science in Modern Human Anatomy from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, where I became fascinated by the incredible functions of the uterus, from pregnancy to its role in overall health. This sparked my passion for reproductive health and led me to attend medical school at the University of Colorado, where I developed a profound enthusiasm for both medicine and surgery.
Having grown up without health insurance, I am deeply passionate about working with underserved populations, particularly those who are uninsured and face significant barriers to accessing healthcare. Much of my free time is spent volunteering at free clinics in the community, where I’m able to provide care and support to those in need. In addition, I have a strong focus on medical education and creating psychological safety for all learners, regardless of their level. Currently, I am particularly drawn to gynecologic oncology, as it combines two aspects of clinical practice I love most: forming long-lasting relationships with longitudinal patients and the intricate study of surgical anatomy.
Outside of medicine, I enjoy slowing down with traditional tea ceremonies and expressing myself through various forms of art, including watercolor and digital painting. I also prioritize taking care of my body through strength training and yoga. I’m excited to begin this new chapter in my life and to explore all that North Carolina has to offer, both professionally and personally.
Hi! I’m Olivia Spaulding, and I’m thrilled to be joining the MAHEC OB/GYN family! I grew up in Lumberton, NC, and am a proud member of the Lumbee Tribe. My path to medicine has been deeply shaped by my roots and a commitment to improving health equity, especially for Indigenous and underserved communities.
I earned my undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and a master’s in Medical Nutrition from Arizona State University. During medical school at Howard University College of Medicine, I fell in love with OB/GYN for its blend of clinical care, advocacy, and opportunities to influence reproductive health policy. My interests include Indigenous health, culturally respectful care, and expanding access in rural communities.
Outside the hospital, I enjoy going to the theatre, streaming my latest binge, and spending time with my friends and family. I’m so excited for all that’s ahead in Asheville and beyond!
