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Mission Hospital
428 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801

Hi- I’m Victoria Johnson! I am originally from northern Wisconsin along the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. I am a Badger at heart and have completed all my schooling at UW Madison. After graduating with my bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Neuroscience, I moved back to northern Wisconsin and became an EMT because while I was interested in medicine- I did not feel I had a complete understanding of what it truly entailed. The time I was able to spend with patients driving them an hour away to the nearest hospital really solidified my understanding of the severity of the health disparities facing my rural community. This experience inspired me to pursue medical school through the rural track at UW-SMPH where I was able to receive additional training for practicing in underserved areas.

I fell in love with general surgery during my core rotations. I found that everything I had liked about other specialties were all incorporated in general surgery with the bonus of having many career pathways through fellowship or general practice. Having the opportunity to serve such a multifaceted diverse population in Asheville and surrounding areas is an honor and I look forward to getting to know this new community. I knew MAHEC was the program for me the more I learned about its tight knit culture and fierce dedication to our education without sacrificing a patient first mentality. While I do not know what my practice will look like in the future, I know that I want to be involved in medical education. I cannot wait to expand on my teaching skills during residency so one day I can teach the next generation of general surgeons.

I am thrilled to move to Asheville as it is the perfect fit for my outdoorsy lifestyle. I am an avid fisherman and love to bike and hike (and afterwards, having the best local food and drink is a must). I look forward to settling into residency so I can get a dog and spend my free time exploring all that the Blue Ridge Mountains have to offer!

Mission Hospital
428 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801

Hi everyone! My name is Thomas, and I grew up in Northern Maine where I spent much of my time working on my family’s potato farm. I attended Colby College in Waterville, Maine, where I studied biochemistry and explored my love for medicine and helping others. During this time, I also followed my passion for music and performed a lot of local shows with my best friend, Scott. Throughout my time in the Maine Track program at Tufts University School of Medicine, I became more interested in rural and community hospital general surgery. I knew MAHEC would be the perfect place to learn as a surgical resident given the incredible culture, wonderful support by the faculty and staff, and beautiful location with opportunities to serve the communities of Western North Carolina.

Outside of the hospital, you can find me at local concerts, enjoying the food and craft brewing scene, playing tennis or pickup soccer, or exploring the WNC area with my fiancée and our dog, Hazel. I am so excited to see where this journey takes us.

Mission Hospital
428 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801

Hello! My name is Mei Ray (it rhymes). I was adopted from China and grew up in Memphis, TN. I graduated from The University of Alabama where I majored in art and minored in biology and psychology. I moved back to Memphis to serve with Impact America, an AmeriCorps program, as their FocusFirst coordinator before attending medical school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. I am grateful for my time at UT Chattanooga as a preliminary general surgery intern and excited to continue my surgery journey at MAHEC.

Outside of the hospital, I enjoy hiking, painting, baking for Café Mei, and cuddling with my cat Appy.

Mission Hospital
428 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801

My name is Mandy Stallard, and I am incredibly excited to join the MAHEC General Surgery Residency Program. I was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and lived in both Virginia and New York while my father served in the Navy. We eventually settled in Johnson City, Tennessee to be closer to our family. The Appalachian area quickly became home, and I loved growing up surrounded by both the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains.

My academic journey led me to the University of Tennessee Knoxville (Go Vols!) where I pursued a degree in Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology. I then attended the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Spartanburg, South Carolina for my medical training. During my clinical rotations at Haywood Regional Medical Center, I discovered my passion for General Surgery and recognized the vital role MAHEC plays in providing healthcare to the Western North Carolina community.

My professional interests lie in Surgical Critical Care, Transplant Surgery, and Hepatobiliary Surgery. Outside of medicine, I spend my time playing tennis, exploring Asheville with my dog Leo, trying out new restaurants, and reading Science Fiction books. I am so thankful for the opportunity to complete my General Surgery Residency at MAHEC and am looking forward to the next 5 years!

Mission Hospital
428 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801

My name is Greg Watts, and I was born and raised in Tulsa Oklahoma and lived in a town outside of Tulsa called Broken Arrow until I was about 12 years old. My family then moved to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania where I ended up completing middle and high school. During that time, I was involved in a variety of sports including football, basketball, and wrestling. After completion of high school, I attended the University of Kentucky for undergraduate majoring in Psychology with a minor in Business, graduate school for a master’s in medical sciences, and then Medical School.

My family consists of my wife an Internal Medicine Resident here at MAHEC, My mother and father, and my younger sister. In our free time my wife and I enjoy outdoor activities such as pickleball, hiking, and taking our golden retriever Bailey on new adventures. We also enjoy finding time for reading, going to coffee shops, and trying new restaurants.

My clinical interests are very broad and include a vast majority of the areas of general surgery. Two subspecialty disciplines that are most fascinating to me currently are minimally invasive surgery or trauma and surgical critical care.

I am excited about completing my surgical residency at MAHEC because I feel confident it will provide a training environment with high clinical volume, an apprenticeship type training model, and a close-knit collegial environment.