Psychiatry Residency

Dr. Ladd is a native of Western North Carolina 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 because of 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.

Since 2018, he has worked at MAHEC helping to grow the residency class size, starting satellite clinics, initiating an international psychiatry experience for residents/fellows, developing pediatric Collaborative Care, and helping to start the CAP fellowship. Clinically, he works as an outpatient psychiatrist providing direct patient care at MAHEC and a regional pediatric office. He also provides Collaborative Care consultation for regional pediatric offices.

Dr. Ladd is excited about helping to meet the needs of underserved children and families across Western North Carolina by training the next generation of compassionate psychiatric providers who will be equipped to serve community members throughout their life span.

I grew up in the small town of Black Mountain, North Carolina just outside the Asheville area and am fortunate to call the Blue Ridge Mountains my home. Medicine has always been a strong influence on my life because of my mother, a nurse practitioner, who taught me at an early age the meaning of caring for others. After graduating from Appalachian State University with a degree in chemistry, I chose to follow in the footsteps laid before me, and dedicate myself to the art and science of healing.

I attended medical school at the Campbell University College of Osteopathic Medicine, and trained further in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege to live and travel across this great state and to learn in depth about the variety of culture and history that define it. It is a tremendous honor to be able to return to my roots by joining the MAHEC family and to help provide for the very population that helped me become the person I am today.

Hello and thank you for exploring Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in Asheville, NC. I am originally from Eastern North Carolina, where I received degrees in biology and chemistry at East Carolina University (ECU). I then completed my medical degree at ECU’s Brody School of Medicine.

I am honored to now be a part of the MAHEC family for my psychiatry residency. I was drawn to this program for its blend of excellence in training with the unique collegial and benevolent atmosphere that I craved. I additionally chose the city of Asheville for its natural beauty, thriving social community, and incredible diversity of culture and thought.

A medical career was always within my plan, but psychiatry captured my interest more recently as I consider it to be the most interesting, challenging, and creative branch of medicine. As Pulitzer prize-winning political pundit and psychiatrist Charles Krauthammer said, psychiatry “combines the practicality of medicine and the elegance of philosophy.” Our residency was created to address the grave need for mental health services in Western North Carolina, and I personally hope to remain in this area for my career. My further interest is the changing economic and political landscape of medicine and I am completing a Master's in Business Administration to focus on this topic.

My interests include outdoor activities such as hiking, whitewater rafting, and mountain biking, which I have found in abundance around Asheville. I love all sports, though tennis is my favorite. I play piano and enjoy reading, film, and exploring Asheville’s thriving restaurant and beer scenes with friends and family.

Dr. Fender completed his general psychiatry residency at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2013. He was selected as a chief resident for his final year of training. Since 2013, he has been practicing hospital-based psychiatry at Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC. His clinical work at this time is predominantly consultation-liaison psychiatry and electroconvulsive therapy.

Dr. Fender works with residents throughout their time at MAHEC in the evidence-informed decision-making course. He supervises and provides didactic instruction for PGY3 residents during their time on the consultation-liaison service and electroconvulsive therapy rotation. He also coordinates the consultation-liaison case conference series.

Dr. Freeman is a graduate of Eastern Tennessee State University Quillen School of Medicine and completed his general psychiatry residency at Virginia Commonwealth University (formerly Medical College of Virginia) in Richmond, VA. He was a PGY4 chief resident and then completed a consultation and liaison psychiatry fellowship at VCU.

Since 2015, he has lived in Asheville, NC, with his wife and three children. His primary role is that of clinician, managing one of the adult Copestone units, and providing emergency room and consultations as needed. He is an adjunct assistant professor at UNC Chapel Hill and provides instruction for medical students and MAHEC psychiatry residents. He enjoys working with learners at all levels. When not at the hospital, he is home with family or eating popcorn in one of our local independent theaters.

My name is Luke, and I am originally from Cranberry, which is a small town in Western North Carolina. I received bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology from East Tennessee State University where I focused on behavioral neuroscience. I received my medical degree from Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine Carolinas Campus. I am excited to be a member of the MAHEC family and their mission to address the mental health needs in Western North Carolina. Professional interests of mine include neuropsychiatry and forensic psychiatry.

Dr. Nina Leezenbaum is a licensed psychologist. She received her PhD in developmental and clinical psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and completed her APA Internship and post-doctoral training at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Department of Psychiatry and serves as the Clinical Director of the UNC TEACCH Autism Program in Asheville. Dr. Leezenbaum specializes in diagnosis, assessment, and intervention for individuals on the autism spectrum. She provides clinical supervision and mentorship to students, residents, and fellows and trains professionals worldwide on the fundamentals of autism and evidence-based techniques. Her specific clinical and research expertise is focused on autism in infancy and early childhood as well as parent child interactions. Dr. Leezenbaum has authored several peer-reviewed publications in the field of autism and developmental disabilities.

My name is Ron and I am overjoyed to be a part of the MAHEC family and participate in the tremendous work they are doing here in vibrant Asheville and western North Carolina in general.

I was born in Providence, RI, but my family moved around to Massachusetts, Minnesota, Colorado, and Ohio. I went to college at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, where I fell in love with the vast beauty that is the Blue Ridge Mountains. During college, I tutored children at local elementary schools and delivered food to families in need in the surrounding community. I also spent a summer volunteering in the Dominican Republic and putting my Spanish major to good use. After completing my medical school education at Brown University, I am elated to live in the mountains once again and serve the people that live there.

I chose psychiatry because of the wonderful and unique communication that psychiatry encourages between caregiver and patient. I also seek to play a large role in increasing access to mental health resources so that patients from all walks of life may receive the care they need. With its emphasis on reaching the underserved, evident warmth, and scenic location, MAHEC was definitely the right choice for me. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me!

My name is Audrey, and I’m excited to be joining the MAHEC family and serving the Western North Carolina community.

I’m from Atlanta and received my bachelor’s degree in biopsychology at Oglethorpe University. I then went on to medical school at the Medical College of Georgia. I have been interested in psychiatry since high school and went into medical school knowing I wanted to be a psychiatrist. My specific interests within psychiatry are treatment-resistant depression, psychotic disorders, and neurostimulation.

Outside of psychiatry, I enjoy traveling and experiencing different cultures. I spent five months studying abroad in Madrid, Spain, and one month volunteering at a medical clinic in Cusco, Peru. At home, I enjoy cooking, exercising, and playing with my dog, Bella.

Dr. Mason came to Asheville in 2008 to work at the Julian F. Keith Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Center in Black Mountain, NC. After three years of addiction and general psychiatry at that facility, he began working for the department of psychiatry at Mission Hospital.

Originally from Memphis, TN, Dr. Mason received his undergraduate degree in industrial and systems engineering from Georgia Tech, then completed medical school and psychiatry residency at the University of Tennessee. He was awarded the Psychiatry Resident of the Year in his fourth year of training. After a year as chief resident, he remained in the department as an associate professor and was awarded the Golden Apple Teaching Award both as a resident physician and as an attending.

His primary focus of practice has been hospital-based consultation-liaison psychiatry, but he has broad experience in various practice environments including community mental health and private practice clinics, public and private hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and skilled nursing facilities.

My name is Joseph, and I am originally from Jackson, Mississippi. I grew up vacationing in Western North Carolina every July for as long as I can remember, and it is hard to believe that I will now be living here 365 days a year! I am relocating with my wonderful wife of three years, Regan, who has also matched at MAHEC in family medicine. We are a sappy pair of high school sweethearts and cannot wait to begin our new exciting life together in beautiful Asheville. We are also accompanied by our two sister kitties, Ygritte and Sansa.

I first developed a conscious fascination with the human mind as an undergraduate at the University of Mississippi while pursuing degrees in biology and psychology. At the same time, I began to realize how much I love communicating with people, friends and strangers, listening to their stories and learning about their lives and what makes them who they are. As I prepared for the transition back down to Jackson for medical school at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, I had a strong feeling that I would ultimately end up in the field of psychiatry. Five years later, it turns out I was right! Additionally, Regan and I have both developed a passion for rural practice, and I know that MAHEC is the perfect place for us to develop the knowledge and skills required to thrive as rural providers.

I look forward to soaking up everything Asheville and the surrounding area has to offer from craft beer to whitewater kayaking to bluegrass music and everything in between! When I’m not occupied with my clinical duties, you may find me laboring in our garden, reading a good book, or out hiking one of the many peaks in the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains.

Danielle is originally from Tucson, AZ, and completed her undergraduate degree in neuroscience at the University of Florida. She continued her graduate studies at the University of Florida College of Medicine with a focus on psychoneuroimmunology, specifically researching the role of inflammatory cytokines and neurotrophic factors on the septohippocampal system.

During that time, she discovered her love of teaching through her work as a neuroanatomy teaching assistant and later developed a behavioral neuroscience course for the precollegiate science training program. After earning a doctoral degree in biomedical sciences, she volunteered at a free clinic for indigent and underserved populations, which inspired her interest in community medicine.

During medical school, Danielle continued to teach neuroanatomy, her work at the community clinic, and was elected by her peers to serve as president of their psychiatry interest group. In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature camping, hiking, and kayaking. She also enjoys travel, attending festivals, and the arts.

Dr. Nicholls is a general and child/adolescent psychiatrist. Before attending UNC School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, he was an active lawyer, working for a federal judge and then for large firms in North Carolina and Georgia. After medical school, he completed his residency in general psychiatry and his fellowship in child/adolescent psychiatry at UNC Hospitals where he remained on faculty as Medical Director for its child/adolescent inpatient units. Dr. Nicholls and his family moved to Asheville in 2012 and he has worked in a variety of inpatient, outpatient, and managed care settings. He is a native of Western North Carolina and when he is not working, he enjoys time with family, various sports, and all kinds of music.

Dr. Dustin Patil is an Addiction Psychiatrist at the Julian F. Keith Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Center and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina. He earned his medical degree at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. 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. He is board certified in addiction psychiatry, general psychiatry, and addiction medicine.

Despite an undistinguished pseudo-academic career, bereft of any honors, he enjoys his work treating patients with substance use disorders and teaching trainees about addiction.

Dr. Pohl is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been working with a variety of populations for the past 30 years. She specializes in psychodynamic psychotherapy working with client populations experiencing trauma, eating disorders, dissociative disorders, emotional dysregulation and mood disorders.

She is keenly focused on the physician/patient relationship and works with the residents to establish appropriate therapeutic rapport with an emphasis on understanding transference, countertransference, establishing boundaries, and how to deepen the therapeutic relationship and therapeutic interventions to achieve psychological healing. Her motto is "Every interaction with a patient is a psychotherapeutic intervention." She works with the residents to understand their impact and opportunity in every patient interaction.

Katie Rowe is a licensed psychologist who joined the MAHEC team as a therapist for the clinic-based therapy team as well as faculty member for the psychiatry residency program. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from East Tennessee State University in 2017. She went on to complete her predoctoral internship at the University of Kansas Medical Center and her postdoctoral fellowship through the Colorado Health Foundation in Denver, both of which focused on providing integrated behavioral health services for underserved and underrepresented populations within primary care and health psychology. Dr. Rowe previously worked at Denver Health in which she served in the role of postdoctoral supervisor and clinician within internal and family medicine clinics.

In her current role, Katie offers individual therapy, ongoing supervision and training to psychiatry residents and psychology practicum students, and engagement in program development and evaluation for the department. Katie works primarily with adults who are experiencing concerns with mood (e.g., major depression, adjustment issues, anxiety-related disorders); individuals with medically complex needs; issues associated with age-related changes; individuals facing difficult interpersonal challenges, and individuals in the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Katie practices primarily from an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy lens and actively utilizes other modalities such as DBT-informed and Trauma-informed care.

Meagan Tucker-Wiles (she/her) is a licensed clinical psychologist who earned a PhD from UNC, Greensboro and received advanced training with the VA healthcare systems in Albuquerque, NM and San Diego, CA.  Dr. Tucker-Wiles’ career has focused on reducing access barriers to high quality behavioral healthcare through direct patient care and program development and evaluation. She provides short term psychotherapy to OBGYN patients with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, utilizing primarily cognitive behavioral and third wave therapies. Dr. Tucker-Wiles offers precepting and consultation to OBGYN medical residents and faculty. She is a faculty member for the Psychiatry Residency Program and regularly contributes to psychiatric resident didactics and provides clinical supervision to student learners.

Sarah Wells Slectha, MD, received her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was a Morehead Scholar. She participated in medical volunteer work abroad immediately after college and then completed an AmeriCorps service program before beginning medical school at the UNC School of Medicine. Dr. Wells completed her general psychiatry residency and a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at UNC Hospitals. While there, she developed a love for teaching and was awarded the Kaiser Permanente Excellence in Teaching Award for Residents.

Sarah is currently an adjunct assistant professor of psychiatry at the UNC School of Medicine as well as the course director for the longitudinal curriculum of the psychiatry third-year clerkship at the Asheville campus. She is a full member of the UNC School of Medicine’s Academy of Educators and is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Wells enjoys providing medication management and psychotherapy for children, adolescents, and adults in a variety of settings. She has a special interest in working with girls in a therapeutic boarding school setting. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys travel, hiking, dance, and spending time with family.

Susan Whitley, MD, was raised in New York City, but has deep roots in Western North Carolina. She is passionate about partnering with individuals to set goals toward improving their total health—including mental health, substance use, and physical health challenges.

Dr. Whitley is a graduate of the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC, followed by a combined Residency in Family Medicine and Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in New York, NY. Throughout her training, she remained intrigued by the interplay between physical and mental health and the role of substance use. She decided to pursue subspecialty training in Addiction Psychiatry at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY, to further hone her expertise in the management of addictions.

Dr. Whitley is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Family Medicine with added subspecialty certification in Addiction Psychiatry. She has over 20 years of experience including patient care, program administration, and the teaching of students and residents. She is an expert in the treatment of opioid use disorder, including multiple publications on this topic. Dr. Whitley has spent her career focusing on access to care for underserved populations with complex healthcare needs and is excited to join the MAHEC team.

Stephen A. Wyatt, DO, is a Board-Certified Psychiatrist with added subspecialty certification in Addiction Psychiatry. He practiced emergency medicine for 12 years prior to entering a psychiatry residency at University Hospitals of Cleveland. He was then accepted into the NIDA clinical research fellowship in addiction psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. He is an adjunct professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina. He is a past president of the AOAAM. He is the current Chairman of the NC Psychiatric Associate Addiction Psychiatry Committee and Vice Chair of the Coalition on Physician Education in Substance Use Disorders a national organization focused on addiction medicine medical school education. He was a Co-Chair for the 2020 focused update of the ASAM Clinical Guidelines for Office-Based Opioid Treatment. He is a clinical expert for the SAMHSA-funded Provider Clinical Support System (PCSS); Medication-Assisted Treatment and Implementation Projects.