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Susan Alexander, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Susan Alexander, MD, is a family physician at the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in Asheville. She is board-certified in Family Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine. She is a clinical assistant professor with the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.
Dr. Alexander practices full-scope family medicine at the MAHEC Family Health Center at Enka/Candler. She provides primary care for newborns, children, and adults, and she provides pregnancy care. Dr. Alexander also provides inpatient care at Mission Hospital, including some obstetrics and deliveries. She also offers a wide array of in-office procedures. Additionally, Dr. Alexander provides office-based opioid medication-assisted treatment services. She speaks Spanish, and interpreter services are available as needed.
Dr. Alexander completed her undergraduate education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, medical school at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and her family medicine residency at MAHEC in Asheville.
Sandra Clark, MD, MPH
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Mike Coladonato, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Cane Creek
1542 Cane Creek Road
Fletcher, NC 28732
(828) 628-8250
I provide full-spectrum family medicine to the local community, strive to teach our resident physicians small practice practicalities and survival skills, and inspire the community to be healthful. My interests inside of medicine include international work, integrative medicine, chronic disease management, low risk obstetrics, office procedures including vasectomy, resident and medical student education, nutrition and exercise as medicine, inpatient medicine, work/life balance, Latino outreach, and advanced care planning for end-of-life discussions.
Graham Custar, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Medical School: University of Colorado School of Medicine
Residency Program: Mountain Area Health Education Center (Chief Resident)
Board Certification: American Board of Family Medicine
Dr. Graham Custar is a primary care physician who sees patients of all ages. His interests include comprehensive primary care, substance use disorders, weight management, integrative medicine, value-based care, and health technology. He promotes team-based, patient-centered care to build fulfilling, long-term relationships to optimize patient experience and health outcomes. He is passionate about advocating for his patients, and he sees his role as promoting and supporting their health needs in ways that best fit their values and preferences.
Julia Draper, MD, MPH
MAHEC Family Health Center at Enka/Candler
25 Westridge Market Place
Candler, NC 28715
(828) 418-0040
Hey all, my name is Julia Draper. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work at MAHEC after spending my clinical years of medical school as a UNC student at the Asheville campus. I was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida but I spent many holidays falling in love with the Carolina mountains. I moved to North Carolina as soon as I could and went to school at a small liberal arts college nestled in the woods of Greensboro, Guilford College. I designed my own major in Integrative Healthcare so I could examine the bio-psycho-socio-political-cultural drivers of health. I entered medicine with this perspective and continued to study how sociocultural forces shape personal and community health and disparities. My interests in medicine include (but are certainly not limited to) building social justice healthcare curricula with an antiracism lens, Adverse Childhood Experiences, reproductive justice, and best practices in rural primary care.
I enjoy living close to the land and learning about the ecological and social histories of the communities I live in. When I'm not at work you can find me in my garden, studying Spanish, off for a walk in the woods, or dreaming up affordable off-grid housing solutions.
I truly look forward to working with each and every one of you.
Nicole Evans, DO
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
E. Blake Fagan, MDClinical Director of Substance Use Disorders at MAHEC
Professor of Family Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill
Diplomate of the American Board of Preventative Medicine, Board-Certified in Addiction Medicine
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Medical School: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Residency Program: MAHEC Family Medicine
Board Certification: Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine
Dr. Fagan is the Clinical Director of Substance Use Disorder Initiatives, a family physician at MAHEC in Asheville, NC, and a Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has 26 years of experience as a physician, 23 years of experience teaching medical residents and residents, and 11 years of experience treating opioid use disorder and chronic and acute pain in the primary care setting. He enjoys seeing children, adolescents, adults, and pregnant and parenting patients. He performs a variety of procedures including circumcisions, IUD placement and removal, contraceptive implant, endometrial biopsy, cryotherapy, incision and drainage of abscesses, and steroid injections of joints.
Josh Gettinger, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Benjamin Gilmer, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Cane Creek
1542 Cane Creek Road
Fletcher, NC 28732
(828) 628-8250
Pronouns: he/him/his
Medical School: La Sorbonne, Brody School of Medicine (ECU)
Residency Program: MAHEC Family Medicine
Fellowship Program: International Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, Global Health Fellowship
Board Certification:American Board of Family Medicine
Dr. Gilmer is a compassionate physician who enjoys practicing full-spectrum family medicine including pediatrics, prenatal care, ultrasound, and hospital medicine. He has been at MAHEC’s Cane Creek practice since 2009 and is passionate about advocating for rural and global health disparities. He has worked extensively in France, Central and South America, and West Africa bringing a wholistic approach to his patients. Dr. Gilmer loves to teach and is committed to advancing medical education, interprofessional collaboration, and inspiring students to pursue rural health. His advocacy work currently focuses on bringing media attention to the social injustice of mass incarceration and the intersection of mental illness. He enjoys writing (The Other Dr. Gilmer) and speaking about the importance of advocacy in medicine.
Melissa Hicks, MDFaculty Physician
Transitional Year Residency Program Director
35 years experience in Primary Care and OB
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Areas of special interest include the full scope of family medical care, including caring for women during pregnancy and childbirth, along with the family.
Steve Hulkower, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Medical School: Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA
Residency Program: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program, Philadelphia, PA
Board Certification: Family Medicine
Dr. Stephen Hulkower is a board-certified Family Physician with decades of experience providing full-spectrum primary care to the WNC community, including acute and chronic care in hospital and office settings, office procedures, and Sports Medicine. His work in rural and underserved settings—such as Native American reservations in Arizona and North Carolina, and in Honduras and Haiti—highlights his commitment to improving access to healthcare for all. The majority of his career has featured his role as a teacher and mentor in the MAHEC Family Medicine Residency Program, training the next generations of physicians for WNC.
Sylvia Kauffman, MD, MSPH
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
MAHEC Family Health Center at Enka/Candler
25 Westridge Market Place
Candler, NC 28715
(828) 418-0040
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Medical School: University of Virginia
Residency Program: MAHEC Family Medicine
Board Certification: Family Medicine
Dr. Sylvia Kauffman enjoys caring for patients of all ages and providing them with the information they need to make decisions about their own health. She particularly enjoys prenatal and obstetrical care, women’s health, chronic disease management, and caring for Spanish-speaking patients. She believes strongly in physical activity, nutrition, and other lifestyle strategies to prevent and manage illness.
Lisa LaVallee, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Areas of special interest include women and children’s health, OB, dermatology and osteoporosis.
Marina MacNamara, MD, MPH
MAHEC Family Health Center at Enka/Candler
25 Westridge Market Place
Candler, NC 28715
(828) 418-0040
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Medical School: The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Residency Program:MAHEC Asheville Family Medicine Residency Program
Board Certification: American Board of Family Medicine
Dr. Marina MacNamara is a dedicated family physician who enjoys providing care to folks at all stages of life, including newborn, pediatric, and prenatal care. With experience in both outpatient and inpatient settings, she emphasizes a patient-centered approach to care, aiming to empower her patients to take charge of their health. Her interests include maternal and child health, complex medical needs, and mental health integration in primary care.
Boone Marois, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Susan McDowell, MDFamily Medicine Faculty Physician
Substance Use Educator
MAHEC Family Health Center at Newbridge
218 Elkwood Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
(828) 257-4747
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Medical School: Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University
Residency Program:MAHEC Asheville Family Medicine Residency Program
Board Certification: American Board of Family Medicine
Dr. McDowell is an energetic, knowledgeable, dedicated family physician with over ten years of experience practicing in Western North Carolina. She enjoys taking care of people across their lifespans, specifically focusing on chronic disease management and preventative care. She enjoys teaching medical students and residents, and has a special passion for taking care of people with substance use disorders and helping people meet their tobacco cessation goals.
William McLean, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
MAHEC Family Health Center at Deerfield
1617 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 274-1531, ext. 3286
Jessica McSurdy, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Rathika Nimalendran, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Ginger Poulton, MD, MSEd, DipABLM
MAHEC Family Health Center at Newbridge
218 Elkwood Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
(828) 257-4747
Ginger Poulton, MD, MSEd, DipABLM, is board certified in Family Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine. She is a former educator for Teach for America and a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School. Ginger completed her family medicine residency at the Mountain Area Health Education Center in Asheville and joined MAHEC’s faculty in 2013, and has enjoyed working in a variety of roles at MAHEC since then.
Currently she is the Assistant Program Director for the Transitional Year Residency Program, the lead physician for the Community Health Worker Project at MAHEC and the Family Medicine Clerkship Director for the UNC School of Medicine for the Asheville campus. Additionally, she is the Program Director for the Lifestyle Medicine Residency Curriculum which is offered to all MAHEC residents.
Outside of work Ginger is an active runner, cyclist and sports enthusiast. She loves adventuring outdoors with her husband and sons in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina.
Rebecca Putnam, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Medical School: University of Colorado School of Medicine
Residency Program:MAHEC Asheville Family Medicine Residency Program
Board Certification:American Board of Family Medicine
Dr. Putnam is a dedicated family medicine physician who loves providing evidence-informed care to people in all stages of life. She believes healthcare is a human right and loves working at MAHEC because it is a place where we strive to provide all patients with the healthcare they deserve. Her clinical interests include whole person care for adults with intellectual disabilities, women’s health, and preventive care including vaccination.
Lisa Reed, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Newbridge
218 Elkwood Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
(828) 257-4747
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Medical School: University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Residency Program: MAHEC Family Medicine Residency in Asheville
Board Certification: American Board of Family Medicine, American Board of Lifestyle Medicine
Dr. Reed is a dedicated family physician with a passion for building long-term relationships with her patients. With 15 years of experience in both outpatient and inpatient settings, she emphasizes comprehensive, thoughtful care and empowering patients though shared decision-making. She enjoys working with children and adolescents and Spanish-speaking patients. Her special interests include gender-affirming care, women’s health, and Lifestyle Medicine. She enjoys teaching medical students and family medicine residents, modelling the importance of relationship and patient-centered care. She provides prenatal care.
Stephanie Rosener, MD, IBCLC, FAAFP
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
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.
Amy Russell, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Matt Simpson, MD, MPH
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Eric Smith, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Enka/Candler
25 Westridge Market Place
Candler, NC 28715
(828) 418-0040
Genevieve Verrastro, MD, FAAP
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
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.
Jan Westphal, MD
MAHEC Family Health Center at Biltmore
123 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 257-4730
Miryam Wilson, MD, MPH
MAHEC Family Health Center at Enka/Candler
25 Westridge Market Place
Candler, NC 28715
(828) 418-0040
Dr. Wilson is a board-certified Family Medicine physician at the MAHEC Family Health Center at Enka/Candler. She attended the University of Connecticut for her undergraduate education, public health degree, and medical school. She finished her family medicine residency here at MAHEC and is currently working to complete a fellowship in maternal and child health through MAHEC.
Dr. Wilson practices full-scope family medicine including primary care throughout the lifespan and for all genders, as well as prenatal care and deliveries at Mission Hospital. She has special interest in reproductive healthcare as well as LGBTQ+ and gender-affirming healthcare. She performs a variety of in-office procedures such as IUDs and contraceptive implants, and offers office-based treatment for substance use disorders including medication-assisted treatment for opioid use. Outside of the clinic, she enjoys gardening and spending time outdoors with her partner Mike, her plott hound Balsam, and her chihuahua Mo.
