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Jarod Coffey is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Behavioral Health Provider.  Jarod earned his BS in Psychology and Master of Social Work Degrees at the University of Iowa.  Just before coming to work at MAHEC, Jarod worked for ten years at Mission Children’s Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.  Prior to Mission, Jarod worked at the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Center of Western North Carolina where he developed his skills in CBT interventions.   Jarod has worked collaboratively on integrated care initiatives with other professionals in specialty medical departments including internal medicine, oncology, general pediatrics, gastroenterology, neurology, pulmonology, endocrinology, and developmental pediatrics, among others. Over the past few years, in addition to working with patients and their families, Jarod has been the lead trainer in a project that provided behavioral health providers in rural clinics with integration training to promote and offer more of the services remotely that are provided at Mission’s regional developmental pediatrics clinic. Jarod is an energetic and empathetic therapist who loves to see kids and adults benefit from evidence-based treatment approaches that promote overall success in day-to-day life.  Jarod enjoys working with all ages of patients, but has a particular affinity for working with children, adolescents, and their families.  Jarod has particular interest in treating people with Tics, Anxiety, ADHD, Autism, Sleep Issues, and working with families on effective parenting using Conscious Discipline and other strategies.  When he is not at work, Jarod enjoys spending time with his family and riding his mountain bike in the woods.

I’ve been a LCSW since 2008 after receiving my Master of Social work Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.  I’ve worked in a variety of social work and clinical settings including residential social work in low-income housing, community mental health, and medical social work.  I enjoy working primarily with the adult through geriatric populations, as well as  high-risk underserved populations. As a social worker, I value advocating and coordinating care with a systems based approach to mental health.  I like working with individuals with complex trauma, borderline personality disorder, and mood disorders.  I’m trained in CBT for chronic pain, so I also enjoy working with individuals with chronic pain and opioid use dependency.  I’m a certified Resources for Resiliency educator, and I’m passionate about how this population health model can improve mental health in our communities.  I have an eclectic approach to therapy based on my training in DBT, CBT, ACT, and somatic processing therapies.    

Areas of clinical interest include depression, anxiety and PTSD. Valerie utilizes cognitive-behavioral strategies as well as mindfulness and acceptance based approaches.

Eduardo Fabian Moreno is a Bilingual Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) who enjoys working with both English and Spanish speaking children, families, and adults dealing anxiety, depression, trauma- and stress-related disorders. He also enjoys working with those who are neurodiverse (ADHD, Autism, and Down syndrome), as well as those in the LGBTQ+ community. He utilizes an integrated approach towards counseling that focuses on client-centered engagement, psychoeducation, solution-focused and motivational interviewing, along with CBT and EMDR. Eduardo Fabian also uses nature as a metaphor along with creative and expressive arts within his work. Eduardo Fabian is bicultural, a first generation Mexican-American on one side, and a Western North Carolinian on his other side. Being from the Brevard and Hendersonville area, he attended Brevard College for his undergraduate degree, getting a B.A. in Psychology. Later, he attended Western Carolina University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program in which he acquired his M.S. degree and has since engaged in community mental health services. He values the unique journeys we humans go through in this life, seeking to honor the humanness we all have and our efforts towards wellness – collectively and individually.

Lucie is a therapist in the Center for Psychiatry and Mental Wellness. She enjoys working with children, adolescents, and adults managing all kinds of challenges, from stress, anxiety, or psychosis to trouble concentrating or controlling impulses. She has worked in the field since 2009 and has extensive experience supporting parents and their children with severe behavioral problems, as well as individuals/families involved in legal or child protective services systems. Lucie received her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University, and a Master of Public Education Policy from Vanderbilt University. She is passionate about providing evidence-based services and remedying any barriers to people accessing services.

Cheryl Harrington is a Certified Nurse-Midwife who cares for women of all ages and provides full-scope midwifery care. She is an advocate for shared decision-making and patient empowerment. She received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at UNC Greensboro and her Master of Science in Nurse Midwifery at East Carolina University. The majority of her nursing career has been in Women’s Health and specializing in labor and delivery. In addition to prenatal appointments and attending deliveries at Mission Health Systems, she also provides well-women gynecologic, preconception counseling, and contraceptive services.

Wendy Jones joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in March 2020.  She is a Certified Nurse-Midwife, and received her midwifery degree at Oregon Health & Science University, in Portland, OR.  Before moving to Western North Carolina, Wendy was working with the Navajo and Hopi population in Northern Arizona. When she is not working, she likes to run on the trails around Asheville.

Cheryl Harrington is a Certified Nurse-Midwife who cares for women of all ages and provides full-scope midwifery care. She is an advocate for shared decision-making and patient empowerment. She received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at UNC Greensboro and her Master of Science in Nurse Midwifery at East Carolina University. The majority of her nursing career has been in Women’s Health and specializing in labor and delivery. In addition to prenatal appointments and attending deliveries at Mission Health Systems, she also provides well-women gynecologic, preconception counseling, and contraceptive services.

Undergraduate: University of Kentucky
Dental School: University of Kentucky College of Dentistry
Residency: Dentistry, Wake Forest University School of Medicine / NC Baptist Hospital
Chief Resident: Dentistry, Wake Forest University School of Medicine / NC Baptist Hospital
Past or current faculty appointments: Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Mountain Area Health Education Center, University of North Carolina Adams School of Dentistry

Dr. Cummins grew up in central Kentucky and has had a rich career in various dental venues.  While in college and dental school at the University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY), he won numerous awards, and then completed a residency in dentistry at Wake Forest University School of Medicine / North Carolina Baptist Hospital (Winston-Salem, NC).  While in his final year of residency, he was honored to serve as the chief resident.  Following successful completion of the residency, he moved to Newport News, VA, and worked as an associate in private practice, while being on staff and holding hospital credentials at Riverside Regional Medical Center.  While in Newport News, he was also on the clinical faculty at the Medical College of Virginia’s School of Dentistry, in Richmond, VA.  He later returned to Wake Forest University School of Medicine to be on full-time faculty in the dental residency program.  He then returned to his home state of Kentucky and opened (from scratch) & ran a solo private practice for fifteen years, near his home town.  After retiring from his private practice, he came to MAHEC, in Asheville, NC, to continue his career by sharing what he has learned throughout the years with both dental residents (at MAHEC) and students (from University of North Carolina Adams School of Dentistry).  He, himself, also sees patients at MAHEC Dental Health Center.  His special interest within comprehensive dental care is crown and bridge dentistry.

Dr. Gutierrez was born and raised in Utah at the base of the Wasatch Mountains and is happy to be amongst the mountains as a part of MAHEC.  After his undergraduate studies were completed at Brigham Young University, he attended the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco, California, gaining a love of helping others achieve their oral health goals.  Following graduation from dental school, he completed a 1 year AEGD residency at the University of New Mexico.

Prior to joining MAHEC, his career took him back to his home state of Utah where he developed and directed a dental clinic within an established community health center.  It was there that he fostered an even greater love of practicing in rural communities and helping people that haven’t had the ability to access dental care on a routine basis. 

He approaches dentistry with prevention in mind and loves helping people find confidence in their smile. 

Undergraduate: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Dental School: UNC Adams School of Dentistry - Chapel Hill

Dr. Ken Hornowski grew up in Asheville, received his DDS in Chapel Hill in 1979 and returned to Asheville where he practiced for more than twenty years. He then became an Adjunct Professor in the AEGD Residency program at the UNC School of Dentistry in Chapel Hill where he taught for the next fifteen years. Once his daughters started having grandchildren he returned to Asheville full time. He retired for a couple of years and then was excited to have the opportunity to once again teach residents in the outstanding Dental MAHEC Residency. Dr. Hornowski has lectured on Practice Management issues in the US and at the Southern European Dental Conference in Lodz, Poland. He truly enjoys teaching Residents and fourth year UNC Scholars as they know it is time to to understand how to provide excellent and enriching treatment for their patients.

After graduating With Honors from the University of North Carolina Adams School of Dentistry, and completing her residency and fellowship, Dr. Jowers came to Western North Carolina to help develop a hospital-based oral health program for Mission Hospitals. The resulting program successfully advocated for positive change and provided care to underserved people for two decades, and Dr. Jowers presented that program at the Surgeon General’s Conference in Washington, DC. She then taught with East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine, where she served as Assistant Director for one of their learning centers until she was recruited to UNC at MAHEC.

Her interests include:

• teaching new doctors and providers to be compassionate and effective. 
• providing the public with better education in oral health and wellness. 
• creating new ways to reach people with information, understanding and care
• providing operating-room oral rehabilitation for people who can’t tolerate adequate outpatient dental care.

Hi, everyone! I am honored and excited to be continuing my journey with the MAHEC dental team!

I was born and raised on the eastern side of the state in Greenville, NC. I completed my undergraduate education in economics at UNC-Chapel Hill and Doctor of Dental Medicine degree at ECU School of Dental Medicine. As a fourth year dental student, I rotated through two community service learning centers in Western NC: Sylva and Spruce Pine. I fell in love with the mountains in NC and continued my dental education at the MAHEC general practice residency. I am excited to stay with MAHEC as an adjunct faculty member to share experiences while teaching and continuing to learn with my fellow colleagues in the dental profession. 

During my days off from dentistry, I love spending time with family and friends and traveling. 

I am a North Carolinian through and through!  I was born and raised in Raleigh and attended college and dental school at UNC-Chapel Hill.  I was fortunate enough to do my General Practice Residency at MAHEC in 2011-2012….and to get married to my husband Chris who is also a dentist and MAHEC graduate.  We moved away for a few years after residency but missed the mountains and soon returned to western North Carolina to stay.  I truly enjoy all aspects of general dentistry and my heart is in helping people and treating patients like family.  My work in private practice, dental education, and public health is a unique blend and has made me a better dentist, educator, and person.  I am very active in continuing education and hold leadership positions in the Buncombe County Dental Society and the North Carolina Academy of General Dentistry.  When I am not working I am soaking up quality time with our young daughter, riding my Peloton bike, or out walking our Labradoodle Flossy who we spoil completely rotten.  

Undergraduate: Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, MI
Dental School: University of Michigan

Dr. Shields joined MAHEC Dental Residency Faculty in 2018 following 32 years of general practice in Southwestern Michigan.

Dental School: Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon
Master’s in Clinical Research: University of California, San Francisco CA.
General Practice Residency: Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte NC
Oral Medicine Specialty: Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte NC

Dr. Valdez has been at MAHEC since finishing his specialty training in 2018. He currently is the GPR residency program director and director of dental education at MAHEC. Dr. Valdez has a special interest in hospital dentistry and medically complex patients, oral lesions, facial pain, and oral complications from autoimmune conditions and cancer treatment. He is the recipient of the Lester Burket Memorial Award from the American Academy of Oral Medicine and has multiple publications in peer-review journals. Dr. Valdez is also the service line leader for dentistry at Mission HCA hospital and serves as a board member of the Health and Human Services in Buncombe County. 

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; she completed medical school at Wake Forest University School of Medicine; and she completed her family medicine residency at MAHEC in Asheville.

Blake Fagan, MD, is a family physician at the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in Asheville, chief education officer at UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC, and a faculty member of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Dr. Fagan directs the office-based opioid treatment services provided at MAHEC’s family health centers and trains healthcare providers and medical residency programs across the state in medication-assisted treatment, safe pain management, and safe opioid prescribing practices. Dr. Fagan completed his undergraduate education at the University of Missouri–Columbia, medical school at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and his family medicine residency at MAHEC in Asheville.

Since July 2018, Dr. Frayne has served as President of MAHEC.  He joined the MAHEC Department of Family Medicine in 2006 and held several leadership positions including Medical Director, Assistant Residency Director, and Medical Director of the Department of Continuing Professional Development and the Simulation Center. 

He attended Boston University and the University of California at Irvine College of Medicine, and completed a Family Medicine Residency at Lancaster General Hospital in Pennsylvania.  He then spent four years as a rural primary care physician in Linville, North Carolina.  He is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine with UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine and is a clinical preceptor for medical students at the UNC School of Medicine Asheville Campus. 

Preconception healthcare and advocating for women’s health and improved birth outcomes is an area of great interest to Dr. Frayne.  He has been involved in grant-funded collaborations to expand the IMPLICIT Interconception Care model and state and federal Preconception COIIN projects.  He has served as a member of the NC State Preconception Health Strategic Planning Team since 2016, is the co-chair of the clinical working group of the National Preconception Health and Healthcare Initiative, and sits on multiple national steering committees focused on improving reproductive health for women.  He has collaborated with colleagues to publish numerous articles on this topic and is a presenter at state and national conferences.

Dr. Frayne’s vision is to improve the health of the community by impacting the system from the ground up, both personally and professionally. He believes that the health of our community will be transformed if we focus on healthcare through an intergenerational lens - improving the health of women before pregnancies to achieve a healthier mother and child, and ultimately a healthier family and community. We can only do this well if we transform the way we deliver healthcare. Transformation can happen by focusing on quality outcomes and population health, expanding beyond the clinic structure and into the community AND dedicating ourselves to ending racism and creating equity for all.

I joined MAHEC in 2015, inspired by the quality,patient-centered, innovative healthcare that is the core of this organization.I was born and raised in northeast Ohio, then completed my undergraduate degree in psychology, medical school training, and family medicine residency training all at Brown University in Providence RI. After that, my next stop was Asheville, where I plan to stay!

My spouse and I were drawn to the cultural andoutdoor activity offerings this area provides and are delighted to be raisingour family here. I have a particular interest in full spectrum women’sreproductive health, pediatrics, group medical care including Centering Parenting(a group visit model for well infant care), and resident teaching. My favoriteaspect of family medicine however, is the diversity of seeing patients all theway from the newborn stage through end-of-life care.

My practice is full-spectrum, including prenatal/delivery care as well as adult/pediatric hospital care, although most of my clinical time is in our outpatient clinics seeing adults, children, and prenatal patients for their primary care needs. I see patients at both our Biltmore office and speak Spanish at a conversation level. I also provide transgender care services.

Susan has been in the WNC region since 2010 and enjoys taking care of patients from age 0 to 100.  She currently practices mainly at the MAHEC Newbridge site.  Special interests include women's health, chronic disease management, substance use disorder treatment, and care of children.

Dr. Oat-Judge is the Assistant Program Director and OBCurricular Director at the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) FamilyMedicine Residency program in Asheville, North Carolina.

Dr. Oat-Judgereceived her medical degree from The John Hopkins School of Medicine in 2010and completed an OB/GYN internship at Brown Medical School in 2011, a FamilyMedicine residency at MAHEC in 2014, and a Maternal Child Health Fellowship atBrown Medical School in 2015. She provides comprehensive primary carefor patients of all ages (newborn through geriatric) and all genders.  Sheperforms a variety of procedures such as skin biopsies, joint injections,ultrasound, and management of pregnancy loss/miscarriage.  She has aspecial interest in reproductive health care and provides prenatal care forpregnant patients, hormonal treatment for transgender patients, and all formsof contraception including vasectomies, IUDs and contraceptive implants.

Dr. Oat-Judge speaks Spanish and welcomes Spanish-speaking patients.  Sehabla español! 

Ari Pence is a Family Medicine Physician who recently graduated from residency at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL.  Dr. Pence practices full-spectrum family medicine, including obstetrical care. She believes in holistic, patient centered care for each individual. She has completed advanced training in Integrative Medicine through the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. She is currently pursuing her IBCLC and Perinatal and Postpartum Mental Health provider licensure. She feels strongly about destigmatizing and providing excellent behavioral health care across the lifespan. She is also part of the OBOT team and cares those struggling with addiction. Outside of work she enjoys hiking, traveling (pre-COVID times), and spending time with her husband and their 2 year old daughter Poppy. She is fluent in Spanish.

I’m originally from Falls Church, VA. I graduated from the University of Virginia in 2004. It was there that I first became interested in medicine while serving as an impromptu Spanish medical interpreter at a free clinic in the area. After college I joined Teach for America. I worked as a high school science teacher in Phoenix, AZ, while enjoying lots of active pursuits out West. I spent my summers abroad working with healthcare personnel in Honduras and Uganda and decided to switch career paths.

I graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in 2010 and was thrilled to come to Asheville for residency training at MAHEC. My husband and I have settled here with our two sons, and continue to enjoy all of the wonderful outdoor activities Asheville has to offer. I became board certified in Lifestyle Medicine in 2019 and am the Program Director for the Lifestyle Medicine Residency Curriculum.

I chose Family Medicine because I was excited by the opportunity to form long lasting relationships with patients and to help connect patients to valuable resources they need in the community.  I am thrilled to be working at the MAHEC Family Health Center at Newbridge, a satellite office on the North side of town.

I came to MAHEC for my residency after developing a love for full spectrum care during medical school in Colorado. I was chief resident and as faculty am happy to run the Adult IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) Assessment clinic where I provide primary care consultation to adults with special needs. I am also the medical director of the Acute Care Clinic which was the first outpatient clinic testing for and treating COVID in Western NC. I serve as faculty in both the Asheville Family Medicine residency and in our newer Transitional Year program, focusing on outpatient family medicine.

My favorite part of being a family doctor is getting to stick with my patients through all of life’s transitions, and also adapting to the new needs these transitions bring. During medical school I waffled between going into adolescent medicine, addiction, infectious disease, obstetrics, pediatrics, hospice, and geriatrics.  I get to do all of these as a family doctor!

In my free time I enjoy hiking, maintaining my garden, cooking, and most of all spending time with my family.

Undergraduate: Indiana University
Medical School: New York Medical College
Residency: Montefiore Medical Center, Primary Care and Social Medicine

Dr. Rebecca Bernstein has worked in WNC as an internal medicine hospitalist for the past 12 years. She previously served as medical director of the inpatient diabetes program, leading a unique team of providers caring for patients with inpatient hyperglycemia and diabetes Her medical interests include closing the gap in health outcomes for our most vulnerable populations and helping future generations understand that racial equity is a key part of our community’s health. Her current practice site includes the Mission Hospital.

Undergraduate: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Medical School: University of Maryland at Baltimore
Internship: Internal Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Residency: Internal Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Chief Resident: Internal Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Fellowship: General Internal Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Past faculty appointments: University of Alabama at Birmingham (Associate Program Director), University of Louisville (Associate Program Director), Virginia Commonwealth University (Program Director, Associate Chair)

Dr. Stephanie Call was recruited to start the MAHEC Department of Internal Medicine and the Internal Medicine Training Program in the fall of 2019. She brings with her a passion for General Internal Medicine, both in the office and in the hospital, and a wealth of clinical and educational experience. Her clinical interests include primary care for patients infected with HIV, behavioral health, health coaching for the management of chronic disease and promotion of healthy lifestyle, and health screening. Dr. Call is a nationally recognized educator, recently receiving the national Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine Distinguished Medical Educator Award. She was also a recipient of the Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award - one of the highest honors bestowed by the medical education national community. Dr. Call was also recognized as Working Mother of the Year in 2012 for demonstrating that you don’t have to choose between a fulfilling career and a wonderful personal life (And her three daughters, Alex, Katie and Emma, agree!).

Undergraduate: North Carolina State University
Medical School: George Washington University School of Medicine
Master’s in Public Health: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Residency: Internal Medicine- Primary Care, Yale University

Originally from Western North Carolina, Dr. Dill completed her medical training at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, CT, after she completed her M.D. at George Washington University. She is interested in medical humanities, community care in under-resourced areas, and issues in rural health. She worked as a hospitalist and primary care provider in rural Central New York prior to joining MAHEC IM. Dr. Dill is passionate about a humanistic approach to care and pursues team-based approaches to provide the best possible patient care.

Undergraduate: Western North Carolina University
Medical School: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Master’s in Public Health: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Residency: Internal Medicine- University of Virginia

I was born and raised just one county over in Clyde, so moving back to Western North Carolina was in a literal sense “coming home.” Primary care is my passion—being the first person patients come to, having the opportunity to advocate for them, and helping them navigate our complex medical system is challenging but so incredibly rewarding.

In the clinic, I see patients with medical students and residents and co-manage MAHEC’s Post-Acute COVID Clinic with an excellent team of nursing staff and with assistance from Behavioral Health, Peer Support, and Social Work. Through collaborative team efforts such as this, the process of getting patients the help they need is easy and efficient. Within the realm of doctoring, my interests lie in improving health disparities in rural communities and training future doctors to thrive in caring for underserved populations. 

Undergraduate: Texas A&M University
Medical School: Baylor University, College of Medicine
Internship: Internal Medicine, Primary Care, University of Colorado
Residency: Internal Medicine, University of Mississippi
Chief Resident: Internal Medicine, University of Mississippi
Past faculty appointments: University of Louisville (Associate Program Director, Medical Director)

Dr. Nancy Kubiak moved to western North Carolina to direct the MAHEC Internal Medicine practice as it grows to train the next generation of great general internal medicine specialists for the area. Her clinical interests include quality improvement and endocrinology in primary care.

Dr. Lau moved to Asheville to become a clinical educator and to practice geriatrics in a variety of settings. Her clinical interests include whole-person care, complex medical-psychosocial situations, care transitions, and collaborative interprofessional care.

Current practice sites:

• Givens Estates Health Center
• Givens Estates Clinic
• MAHEC Home-Based Primary Care
• Mission Hospital

Undergraduate: University of Illinois
Medical School: University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine
Residency: Internal Medicine-Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati
Past faculty appointments: University of Cincinnati, (Program Director of the Cincinnati Hospital Group Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency)

Dr. Mueller has been a primary care doctor since she finished residency in 1994.  She trained as both an internist and pediatrician at the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.  She has a special interest in patient wellbeing as well as complex medical care, chronic care management, shared decision making with patients, and genetics.  With more than 30 years in clinical practice, she is considered a master clinician/diagnostician.  In the management of chronic disorders such as chronic insomnia and chronic pain, she believes in the integrative approach which focuses on exercise, nutrition and mental health and minimizes medicinal interventions.  While these approaches require maximum patient engagement, they are also the most rewarding in pursuing our greatest health potential!

Carriedelle Wilson Fusco, MSN, FNP-BC, holds a master’s degree in nursing from Vanderbilt University and is board certified as a family nurse practitioner. Carriedelle joined the MAHEC Family Medicine Residency program in Asheville in 2012 and works with an interdisciplinary team to care for patients with chronic pain on chronic opioid therapy and patients struggling with opioid addiction and other substance use disorders. She also teaches medical, nursing, and pharmacy students; medical residents; other learners; and community providers in the management of chronic pain and substance use disorders. Carriedelle is the co-medical director for office-based opioid treatment services at MAHEC Family Health Centers. 

Erin Gonzalez joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in April 2018.  She is a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner skilled in routine annual physicals and management of gynecological issues such as sexually transmitted infections, abnormal Pap smears and contraception.  Erin also works in conjunction with our OB/GYN physicians to care for both low and high-risk obstetrical patients throughout their prenatal and postpartum courses. She received her MSN and BSN Degrees from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts.

Katie Lillethun joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in September 2018.  She is a Family Nurse Practitioner who provides full-scope care for women of all ages. She received her Masters of Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner Degree from East Tennessee State University and her Bachelors of Science Nursing Degree at Eastern Kentucky University. She also has a degree in English and Film from Emory University. Before joining MAHEC, Katie worked in primary care for more than six years with Hot Springs Health Program in Madison County. She was a nurse for many years at Mission Hospital Emergency Department Level II Trauma Center before returning to school for her Masters’ Degree.  Katie’s passion has always been Women’s Health and she enjoys caring for women of all ages. In her spare time, she’s typically engaging in an outdoor activity with her husband and her two young boys.

Candie Moore MSN, APRN GNP BC is a board certified Geriatric Nurse Practitioner. She received her post master’s graduate degree from St. Louis University and has over 25 years experience working with the elderly.

Candie has provided primary care to the frail elderly in multiple settings including: Acute Care,  Memory Care, Palliative Care, Hospice Care, Post Acute Care, Long Term Care and Assisted Living. 

Candie strongly believes it takes a village to provide quality care to older adults. This philosophy is what drew  her to MAHEC and our beautiful mountain community. She currently provides primary care at the Deerfield and Givens CCRC’s. Candie and her husband moved to Black Mountain to be closer to their children and grandchildren. She enjoys family, cooking, music, gardening, swimming, boating, fishing and the outdoors.

Dr. Lisa Carroll is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist. She joined the MAHEC Maternal-Fetal Medicine division in 2020 after completing Medical School at the University of North Carolina, Ob/Gyn Residency at Boston Medical Center, and MFM Fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. Throughout her training and career, Dr. Carroll’s clinical and research interests have been guided by her commitment to social justice and equity for marginalized populations.

Dr. Carroll specializes in providing care for women who are ‘at risk’ and considering pregnancy, or those who are experiencing ‘high-risk’ or complicated pregnancies for a variety of reasons. Dr. Carroll sees patients who are undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic procedures such as comprehensive ultrasound, chorionic villus sampling and genetic amniocentesis. She also consults with patients who have medical and surgical disorders coincident with or prior to pregnancy, which includes heart disease, chronic hypertension, diabetes/other endocrinologic disorders, kidney/gastrointestinal diseases and infectious diseases. Otherwise healthy women who may require these services are those whose pregnancies are at markedly increased risk for adverse outcomes, such as those with abnormal serum screens, multiple gestations, recurrent preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes or growth abnormalities of the fetus. Dr. Carroll considers it a great privilege to walk with women through questions and complications that arise in pregnancy in effort to achieve the healthiest possible outcomes for women and their growing families.

Dr. Amelia Cline is a generalist Obstetrician and Gynecologist who joined MAHEC faculty after completing residency at MAHEC Ob/Gyn. She received her BSPH at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. She attended medical school at UNC School of Medicine and completed her clerkship year in the longitudinal program at the Asheville Campus.

She enjoys practicing the full spectrum of obstetrics and gynecology and provides care in both MAHEC’s Franklin and Asheville locations. She has a special interest in rural medicine and is completing a 2 year rural fellowship through the MAHEC Rural Fellowship program. Outside of work, she loves Dolly Parton, cooking, and finding new swimming holes! She is thrilled to get to stay and continue to serve the women of WNC.

Dr. Currens provides general gynecologic and obstetrical care for women. She has special interest in pediatric and adolescent gynecology, gynecologic care for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities, resident and medical student education, and mindfulness education for health care providers. 

Dr. Dixon is originally from Tallahassee, Florida, and fell in love with Asheville and MAHEC during her Ob/Gyn residency many years ago. After spending time in private practice in South Carolina, she joined the faculty in 2012 and provides General Obstetric and Gynecologic care to adolescents and women of all ages. She has experience in managing a full range of general gynecologic problems including contraception, endometriosis, pelvic pain and prolapse, urinary incontinence and menopausal symptoms. Dr. Dixon emphasizes the importance of patient education and prevention to promote wellness. When surgery is necessary, she is committed to using minimally invasive surgical techniques. She has a special interest in office procedures including Essure tubal sterilization, hysteroscopy, and endometrial ablation.

Dr. Elizabeth England grew up in the mountains of East Tennessee.  She joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in May 2018 after working as a rural Ob/Gyn in the far Western portion of North Carolina.  She completed Medical School at Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, and her Residency at MAHEC Ob/Gyn. 

Dr. England has a special interest in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery as well as resident and medical student education. She enjoys practicing the full range of generalist obstetrics and gynecology in the hospital and in the office.  She enjoys virtually all outdoor activities including whitewater rafting, mountain biking, and snow skiing.

Dr. Rob Malsby joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in April 2019. He previously served as the Assistant Deputy Commander for Women’s Health, Winn Army Community Hospital, Fort Stewart, GA. He was also Chief of Clinical Operations and teaching faculty in the Department of Ob/Gyn at Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, NC, after serving as Division Surgeon with the 82nd Airborne. He received numerous Commendation and Service Medals while providing service to our country. He is an Associate Clinical Professor with the University of North Carolina School of Medicine’s Department of Ob/Gyn and now serves as Medical Director with MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists.

Dr. Nathan Mullins is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist and addictionologist with expertise in substance used disorders in pregnancy.  He works as the medical director for an opioid treatment program as well as part-time faculty for the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) ob/gyn residency program. Dr. Mullins earned his medical degree from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and completed his residency at MAHEC. 

Nathan obtained his DATA-2000 waiver in 2016 and began treating pregnant and postpartum patients with buprenorphine for opioid use disorder as part of multidisciplinary team at MAHEC where he supervises and educates MAHEC residents and serves as a consultant for community physicians on the treatment of opioid use disorder in pregnant patients. Dr. Mullins is also the medical director for a community-based opioid treatment program that uses both methadone and buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder.

Dr. Patricia Overcarsh joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in October 2019.  She has trained in various regions of the country and is happy to now call Asheville home.  She completed a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and completed residency at Oregon Health & Science University and medical school at Emory University School of Medicine.  Dr. Overcarsh provides full-scope Ob/Gyn care and has a special interest in treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding, endometriosis, fibroids, and pelvic pain.  Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, and playing tennis.

Dr. Kiran Sigmon is a general obstetrician and gynecologist with a particular interest in the diagnosis and management of vulvar skin disease and sexual pain. She started the MAHEC Vulvar Clinic in 2006 to assist other providers in the WNC region with difficult cases including recurrent vaginitis, lichen sclerosis, lichen planus, lichen simplex chronicus and vulvodynia, to name a few. She works with other local providers to provide patients with opportunities to explore treatments including physical therapy, acupuncture, and nutritional counseling. She also helps patients address the psychosocial components of living with chronic pain by working closely with local mental health professionals. Dr. Sigmon feels strongly about educating patients, other providers and the community about issues related to genital health and sexuality, and many local physicians rotate seeing patients with her in the Vulvar Clinic.

Dr. Amy Willis joined MAHEC Ob/Gyn Specialists in October 2017.  Before moving to Asheville, Dr. Willis was an Ob/Gyn at Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Bragg and was a Staff Physician at the 21^st Combat Support Hospital in Tikrit, Iraq.  She completed her Residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Medical School at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine.  She also received her Master’s Degree in Public Health from the Yale University School of Public Health. 

Dr. Willis has an interest in advanced gynecologic care and treating women of all ages from adolescence through menopause.  Her special interests include in-office procedures, contraception, infertility, abnormal bleeding and menopausal disorders.  Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, reading historical fiction, hiking and traveling.

Dr. Dixon is originally from Tallahassee, Florida, and fell in love with Asheville and MAHEC during her Ob/Gyn residency many years ago. After spending time in private practice in South Carolina, she joined the faculty in 2012 and provides General Obstetric and Gynecologic care to adolescents and women of all ages. She has experience in managing a full range of general gynecologic problems including contraception, endometriosis, pelvic pain and prolapse, urinary incontinence and menopausal symptoms. Dr. Dixon emphasizes the importance of patient education and prevention to promote wellness. When surgery is necessary, she is committed to using minimally invasive surgical techniques. She has a special interest in office procedures including Essure tubal sterilization, hysteroscopy, and endometrial ablation.

My clinical focus is on same-day appointments and acute care. I enjoy this role and the great work environment at the Family Health Center.

I am originally from Greenville, SC. I graduated from the College of Charleston in 1995 with a BS in Physical Education/ Exercise Physiology. I found my love of medicine at UNC Chapel Hill where I worked as a lab technician. I graduated from the Physician Assistant program at George Washington University in 2007. I greatly enjoy all aspects of patient care and am passionate about healthy living. Currently, I work with UNCA students at the Health and Counseling Center.  In my free time, I love spending time with my husband and kids. We love to bike, swim, and play outside. I am also an avid cyclist and enjoy yoga as well. 

Dr. Baker specializes in the psychiatric assessment and treatment of children and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities.  He has been the Medical Director of the MAHEC IDD Behavioral Health Clinic since January, 2015.  He is also Medical Director for NC START West, a consultative agency which serves IDD patients in WNC.  He graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine in 1987 and completed residencies in general and child/adolescent psychiatry at the University of Colorado in 1993.  Dr. Baker received board certification in both Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in 1994.  Since moving to Asheville in 1994, he has primarily practiced in community mental health. For the past 10 years, his clinical focus has been increasingly on individuals with IDD and psychiatric disorders.

Dr. Buie is program director of the Psychiatry Residency  and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Wellness.  He treats adults with all psychiatric conditions with particular interests in bipolar disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, and anxiety disorders.  He is trained in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a treatment for severe depression.  Dr. Buie attended the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill as an undergraduate on a Morehead Scholarship.  He obtained his medical education at the University of the North Carolina School of Medicine.  He completed a residency in internal medicine at a Columbia University training hospital in New York and a psychiatry residency at Cornell Medical College, also in New York.  Dr. Buie is an adjunct associate professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.  He is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the UNC School of Medicine.  He is a past president of the North Carolina Psychiatric Association, is president of the North Carolina Psychiatric Foundation, and is a member of the American College of Psychiatrists. In his free time, Dr. Buie enjoys hiking the beautiful trails of the Blue Ridge mountains, making wine and working in his permaculture garden. 

Dr. Laura Hodges is a general adult psychiatrist. She attended medical school at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and completed her residency training at Brown University. Following completion of her training, she worked for several years in community psychiatry, where she worked with people with severe and persistent mental illness and enjoyed helping her patients recover to lead full and meaningful lives. She has a special interest in medical education, and is thrilled to join the MAHEC faculty, where she looks forward to working with trainees. She enjoys practicing a full range of general adult psychiatry. 

Dr. Ladd is a native of Western North Carolina (WNC) who completed his education throughout this region. He majored in Environmental Studies and Philosophy at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Then he attended medical school at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine due to its focus on serving rural Appalachia. In wishing to stay close to the community he wanted to serve, he completed his general psychiatry residency and child and adolescent fellowship at Wake Forest Baptist Health where he served as a Chief Fellow. Clinically he focuses on adult and pediatric outpatient psychiatry at multiple locations in WNC. He heads the program’s LatinX concentration that has expanded mental health services at a pediatric office rooted in the nation’s oldest migrant health center,  partners with Vecinos farmworker health program through volunteer psychiatric consultation, and provides the mental health component of MAHEC’s medical trips to Honduras. He is excited about helping to meet the mental health needs of the underserved children and families across WNC by training the next generation of compassionate providers who will be equipped to serve community members throughout their life span.

Dr. Patil is the Medical Director of Addiction Services at the MAHEC Center for Psychiatry and Mental Wellness. He completed his undergraduate education at Vanderbilt University and earned his medical degree at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine. He completed his general psychiatry residency training at Boston Medical Center/Boston University School of Medicine, where he also completed a fellowship in addiction psychiatry. Following completion of his training, Dr. Patil worked as the Director of the Division of Addiction Psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center in Boston for several years prior to relocating to Asheville and joining MAHEC. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, backpacking, meditation, and spending time with his family and dog.

Dr. Dominique Huneycutt is a licensed psychologist who directs outpatient psychotherapy services in the Dept. of Psychiatry.  In addition to providing clinical services, Dr. Huneycutt is actively involved in healthcare education, including teaching and supervising residents and students and developing programs to support mental wellness. Her areas of clinical expertise include working with children, adolescents, and families; trauma/ACES; anxiety and mood difficulties; stress management; and complex cases. She maintains a private practice and is active in several professional organizations. Dr. Huneycutt is honored to be a winner of the Western NC Psychology Association’s William Bruce Award. Originally from Virginia, Dr. Huneycutt earned her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College.  She attended graduate school in Philadelphia in the unique joint program for law and clinical psychology, earning her M.A. from Hahnemann University; her law degree from Villanova University School of Law; and her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Drexel University. Dr. Huneycutt enjoys the outdoors; exploring national parks; experiencing WNC’s arts and music; and spending time with family, friends, and her golden retriever.

Hello there! I’m Kathryn, and I can’t be more excited to be here at MAHEC for fellowship.

I grew up in North Dakota, and after receiving a degree in nutrition at the University of North Dakota, I attended medical school at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Washington. I recently completed residency training in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. There I developed a particular interest in musculoskeletal disorders and sports medicine. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to get to know the Asheville community =)

My happy place is in the mountains, and in my free time you can find me running the trails, camping, or chasing the next sunset with my dog, Tucker. My professional interests include diagnostic and interventional ultrasound, women’s health in athletics, and human performance and biomechanics.

My name is Laura Jacobson, and I am one of the incoming primary care sports medicine fellows at MAHEC. I grew up in Sheboygan, WI with my parents and younger brother.  Growing up, I enjoyed having the opportunity to play a variety of sports but came to love soccer the most. I attended the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse as a molecular biology and Spanish major and was lucky to be able to continue playing soccer during my time there. I then moved to Chicago for medical school. During medical school I found my niche in family medicine, and knew that I wanted to pursue a career that included both primary care and sports medicine. I moved back to La Crosse, WI and completed my residency at Gundersen Health System. Outside of medicine, I enjoy traveling (especially visiting National Parks), hiking, kayaking, playing soccer, and reading. I am looking forward to starting my sports medicine fellowship at MAHEC and am excited to explore Asheville!