Speakers
Mark Holmes, Director of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, UNC
Presenting: Keynote
Bio coming soon.
Andy MacCraken, Director, NC Center on the Workforce for Health
Presenting: From Learning to Leading: North Carolina’s Model for Rural Workforce Sustainability
Andy MacCracken is the inaugural director of the North Carolina Center on the Workforce for Health. In that role, he leads collaborative efforts to develop and deploy statewide strategies that tackle today’s severe health workforce shortages and prepare for the future. Andy joined the Center from the North Carolina Pandemic Recovery Office, where he drove policy and research initiatives and managed $200 million in programs supporting the state’s education, workforce, and health needs. He previously cofounded and served as executive director of a national postsecondary education policy organization. Andy has an MPA and BA, both from American University in Washington, DC. He serves on the board of directors of the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle.
Sarah Bourland, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Secretary, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Presenting: From Learning to Leading: North Carolina’s Model for Rural Workforce Sustainability
Sarah Kaminer Bourland is a Senior Policy Advisor at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. In this role, she provides leadership and support for Departmental priorities relating to the health care workforce. Sarah represents NCDHHS on the Governor's Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships, leads the efforts of the NC Caregiving Workforce Strategic Leadership Council, and is serving as the interim workforce lead for NC’s Rural Health Transformation Program.
Before returning to her home state of North Carolina, Sarah served as a Senior Advisor in the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services where she worked on implementation of the prescription drug pricing reforms in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Prior to joining the federal government, Sarah led the policy and legislative teams at a national nonprofit focused on advancing policies to lower prescription drug prices. Sarah grew up in rural Western North Carolina and began her career in health care as a Registered Nurse at UNC Hospitals. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Master's in Health Policy from Harvard School of Public Health.
Patrick Woodie, President & CEO, NC Rural Center
Presenting: From Learning to Leading: North Carolina’s Model for Rural Workforce Sustainability
Since 2013, Patrick Woodie has been the president & CEO of the NC Rural Center, introducing a new era of community engagement while remaining focused on its mission of promoting sound economic strategies in rural North Carolina. Patrick initially came to the Center as the vice president of programs after leading local and regional economic development initiatives in Western North Carolina. Patrick, raised in Alleghany County where he served as a county commissioner from 2000-2004, is a graduate of Wake Forest University and Wake Forest University School of Law.
Matthew Webster, Senior Immigration Attorney, Fredrikson & Byron
Presenting: Immigration Updates: Policies and Insights; Immigration Exchange – Best Practices & Peer Networking
We have a picture of Matthew uploaded; I just am unsure how to get it to appear.
Matthew practices in the field of employment-based immigration and nonimmigrant visas for diverse employers of all sizes, with a special focus on immigration strategies for healthcare organizations, international physicians, and medical device manufacturers.
Matthew also assists clients with family, naturalization, asylum, and humanitarian immigration matters. With extensive experience in employment law, Matthew has expertise in immigration compliance issues, including worksite enforcement and I-9 audits, structuring and implementing immigration policies, and training on I-9 compliance. He also draws on his experience in litigation and appeals to advocate for his clients.
Matthew is a frequent speaker at meetings, workshops, CLEs, and conferences on immigration, worksite enforcement, and healthcare recruiting. He serves on the National Verification & Documentation Committee of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and is a former Chair of the Minnesota/Dakotas Chapter of AILA. Matthew teaches immigration law at the University of St. Thomas and was previously adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota Law School.
Jason Steele, Program Lead for the Rural Residency Planning and Development Program, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Presenting: Rural Health Policy Update from FORHP
Jason Steele is a public health analyst in the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). In this role, he oversees the Rural Residency Planning and Development Program and provides subject matter expertise on rural workforce issues. Prior to joining FORHP, Jason was a policy analyst in HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
Before working at HRSA, Jason served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Belize. Hailing from rural Alabama, Jason holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In his free time, Jason enjoys traveling with his husband and sampling great food from across the globe.
Emily Hawes, PharmD, BCPS, CPP, Director
Presenting: Workforce Partners: Update from the Sheps Center Graduate Medical Education Technical Assistance Center
Emily M. Hawes, PharmD, BCPS, CPP, is the director of the ShepsGME Technical Assistance Centers at the UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research and a professor in the UNC Department of Family Medicine. She provides collaborative drug therapy management in a family medicine clinic in rural western North Carolina. Her research focuses on team-based primary care, health workforce policy, and GME program development in rural and underserved areas.
Shelby Rimmler-Cohen, MPH, Associate Director
Presenting: Workforce Partners: Update from the Sheps Center Graduate Medical Education Technical Assistance Center; Developing the Developers: Faculty as Workforce Catalysts
Shelby Rimmler-Cohen, MPH, is the associate director of the ShepsGME Technical Assistance Centers at the UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. She is experienced in the design, implementation, and evaluation of health workforce programs and initiatives.
Tammy Norville, CEO, NOSORH
Presenting: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) Update: Rural Health Programs and Resources
Bio coming soon.
Mike Shimmens, Executive Director, 3RNET
Presenting: 3RNET Program Update: New Technical Assistance Partnerships and Initiatives
Mike Shimmens is the Executive Director for 3RNET, the nation’s most trusted resource for health professionals seeking careers in rural and underserved communities. Mike has led 3RNET since 2012. Mike works with a nine-member Board of Directors, leads a staff of four, and empowers the National Rural Recruitment and Retention Network of 52 organizational members to further 3RNET’s mission to improve rural and underserved communities’ access to quality health care through the recruitment and retention of quality health care professionals.
Mike has over 25 years of experience in the recruitment of health care professionals. Prior to leading 3RNET Mike worked for six years at the Missouri Primary Care Association as Director of Recruitment and Workforce Development. There he assisted 21 Community Health Centers and other Missouri hospitals and clinics in their health professional recruitment efforts through the Missouri Health Professional Placement Service.
Mike's first recruitment position in health care was as Director of Medical Staff Development at St. Mary's Health Center in Jefferson City, Missouri. He served in this role for nine years and recruited for all physician specialties and advanced practice nurses at this 167-bed hospital and affiliated clinics.
Mike has been a member of the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR) since 1997 and maintains their certification of Certified Physician/Provider Recruitment Professional (CPRP).
Mike has a Bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University and a Master’s degree from Western Illinois University.
Mandi Gingras, Director of Education, 3RNET
Presenting: 3RNET Program Update: New Technical Assistance Partnerships and Initiatives
Mandi Gingras is the Director of Education for the 3RNET, the nation’s most trusted resource for health professionals seeking careers in rural and underserved communities. Mandi provides recruitment and retention educational support to 3RNET members and safety net facilities across the nation.
Mandi’s experience includes 14 years as the primary care and oral health recruiter and workforce consultant for the New Hampshire-Vermont Recruitment Center, a non-profit organization and service of BiState Primary Care Association (PCA). In her role at the PCA, Mandi provided recruitment assistance (sourcing, screening and referring physicians, dentists and APPs), consulted on recruitment and retention best practices, and provided J1 visa waiver and loan repayment program support to safety net facilities in New Hampshire and Vermont.
Mandi’s career path included a move to Michigan during the pandemic where she worked for almost two years as a physician recruiter with McLaren Healthcare System and Karmanos Cancer Institute, a large non-profit integrated health delivery system made up of 14 hospitals across Michigan and Ohio. Mandi’s work there involved recruitment of surgical specialties for the 14 hospitals, affiliated practices and cancer centers. She managed the recruitment cycle from developing job posts and marketing strategies, sourcing and interviewing candidates, to coordinating site visits and contract negotiations.
Mandi grew up in a small rural town in the Midwest and understands the unique challenges and benefits that rural communities offer. She is an AAPPR member and a RACR certified recruiter through the HealthcareSource and Lean Human Capital training curriculum. Throughout her career, Mandi has been passionate about developing strategies to attract and retain providers that will thrive in rural and underserved communities. She strives to continue learning new and innovative ways to recruit healthcare professionals and is excited to share these best practices and her experiences along with the 3RNET guiding principles to help others remain competitive and be successful in their recruitment efforts.
In her personal time, Mandi enjoys spending time with her koi pond and gardens, crafting, and taking in lake-living at her new home in Michigan.
Mark Barclay, Director of Member Services, 3RNET
Presenting: 3RNET Program Update: New Technical Assistance Partnerships and Initiatives; Presenting: 3RNET Technology & Innovation Updates - What’s New and What’s Next
Mark Barclay is the Director of Member Services for 3RNET, the nation’s most trusted resource for health professionals seeking careers in rural and underserved communities. Mark serves as the primary support contact for 52 3RNET members, as well as the 5,000+ rural and underserved employers across the country that use 3RNET to improve their recruitment and retention efforts.
Prior to working for 3RNET, Mark recruited for 36 Critical Access Hospitals and four FQHCs as the Workforce Specialist at the Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Mark also helped establish TruServe, a web-based tracking system used by State Offices of Rural Health and Primary Care Offices nationwide.
Mark has maintained his Certified Physician/Provider Recruitment Professional (CPRP) certification from the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR) since 2013. Mark has both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of North Dakota.
Dave Schmitz, MD, Chair of the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences Department of Family & Community Medicine, 3RNET Senior Research Advisor
Presenting: Recruiting and Retaining Nurses to Critical Access Hospitals - A Community Apgar Project
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David Schmitz, MD, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He earned his medical doctorate from the State University of New York at Buffalo and completed residency training at the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho. He has extensive research expertise in training and retaining physicians in rural and underserved areas. He has served as the president of the National Rural Health Association and with the National Advisory Council on the National Health Service Corps. Dr. Schmitz currently serves as the Senior Research Advisor for 3RNET.
Stacy Kusler, Workforce Specialist, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Presenting: Recruiting and Retaining Nurses to Critical Access Hospitals - A Community Apgar Project
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Stacy Kusler is the Workforce Specialist at the North Dakota Center for Rural Health. She assists rural facilities to attract health professionals to their areas by working closely with health profession students during their training, and by collaborating with the North Dakota Area Health Education Center (ND AHEC) to promote and assist with rural training opportunities. She manages the state’s J-1 visa Waiver program through the ND Primary Care Office, and supports facilities who are looking to hire a J-1 candidate through the application process. Stacy is the Network Coordinator for North Dakota’s 3RNET page, is a past president of the board of directors for 3RNET.
Don Pathman, MD, MPH, Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
Presenting: What PRISM Data Tell Us About Behavioral Health Clinicians in Integrated Health Settings: Practice Trends, Clinician Satisfaction, and Retention
Donald Pathman, MD, MPH, is Professor of Family Medicine and Director of the Program on Primary Care Research at the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His previous roles included Director of Sheps Center’s Program of Health Care Workforce, Co-Editor of Education for Health, Director of UNC’s National Research Service Award Primary Care Research Fellowship, and member of the National Advisory Board of the National Health Service Corps. His three decades of research and evaluation have focused on assessing federal, state, and organization clinician workforce programs, especially those affecting clinicians for rural and underserved communities. From 2012-2025 he served as the academic lead of the 36-state Provider Retention & Information System Management (PRISM) Collaborative. Dr. Pathman practiced family and emergency medicine for more than 35 years.
Brianna Lombardi, PhD, MSW, Deputy Director for the Carolina Health Workforce Research Center, Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
Presenting: What PRISM Data Tell Us About Behavioral Health Clinicians in Integrated Health Settings: Practice Trends, Clinician Satisfaction, and Retention
Bio coming soon.
Natalie Uy, PRISM Data Analyst, 3RNET
Presenting: What PRISM Data Tell Us About Behavioral Health Clinicians in Integrated Health Settings: Practice Trends, Clinician Satisfaction, and Retention
Natalie Uy is the Provider Retention and Information System Management (PRISM) Data Analyst for 3RNET, the nation’s most trusted resource for health professionals seeking careers in rural and underserved communities. Natalie serves as the primary support contact for all PRISM participating states: providing technical assistance and training for the PRISM project and ensuring successful coordination and collaboration of project activities between participating states and the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at UNC Chapel Hill.
Natalie has been working in rural health data since 2021. Her professional background began as an elementary special education teacher in rural Arizona. She pursued a career change in 2020 earning a Graduate Certificate in Advanced Analytics for Higher Education in early 2021 from Arizona State University. From there, she worked as a Data Analyst for the Alaska Area Health Education Center Program Office where she managed data for Alaska’s state loan repayment program. Natalie also managed the data for the Alaska CACHE, an online learning management platform for healthcare workers to complete their continuing education units.
Natalie has been learning to speak Spanish in her free time and is fluent in American Sign Language. She currently lives in southern Arizona where she was born and raised in a suburb of Tucson
Cynthia Lauren Huguley, MD, Family Medicine Resident, UNC
Presenting: Emerging Workforce Perspectives: Panel Discussion with Residents and Medical Students
Bio coming soon.
Eliza Filene, MD, Family Medicine Resident, UNC
Presenting: Emerging Workforce Perspectives: Panel Discussion with Residents and Medical Students
Eliza Filene, MD, is a PGY-1 in the MAHEC Boone Family Medicine Residency Program. Originally from Carrboro, NC, she received both her undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Before medical school, she worked in Denver, Colorado, with American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes implementing community health programs. Eliza is passionate about rural primary care and mental and behavioral health. She is excited to care for patients across the lifespan as a family physician and to serve rural communities in North Carolina.
Rachel Lee, PA-C, recent Physician Assistant graduate, Methodist University
Presenting: Emerging Workforce Perspectives: Panel Discussion with Residents and Medical Students
Rachel Lee is a new Physician Assistant currently working in emergency medicine. She is originally from Naples, FL, and recently graduated from the Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC in December 2025. She has always had a passion for working with patients in underserved communities primarily because she gets to educate patients about their condition.
Kyle McDaniel, MD, PGY-2 Resident Physician - FQHC Track, UNC Family Medicine
Presenting: Emerging Workforce Perspectives: Panel Discussion with Residents and Medical Students
Bio coming soon.
Kristine Morin, Director of Communications & Marketing, 3RNET
Presenting: Breakout Session 1: Panel Discussion - Key Takeaways From the 2025 PracticeLink 3RNET Rural Resource Career
Kristine Morin is the Director of Communication and Marketing for 3RNET, the nation’s most trusted resource for health professionals seeking careers in rural and underserved communities. Kristine leads the creation of 3RNET’s communication and promotion efforts to reach health professionals, employers, and 3RNET’s Network Coordinators. She also oversees the planning and committee for 3RNET’s Annual Conference.
Prior to joining 3RNET, Kristine worked for a public relations firm in Las Vegas, Nevada where she coordinated marketing efforts for clients varying from local firefighters to international artists. She also worked as the Communication Coordinator for the North Dakota Center for Rural Health, where she led the communication efforts for several statwide and national grant programs.
Kristine has both Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in communication from the University of North Dakota.
Christy Bray, Chief Customer Officer, PracticeLink
Presenting: Breakout Session 1: Panel Discussion - Key Takeaways From the 2025 PracticeLink 3RNET Rural Resource Career
Christy Bray serves as the Chief Customer Officer at PracticeLink.com, a leading platform in healthcare recruitment. PracticeLink’s mission is to connect healthcare professionals with opportunities that best match their skills and aspirations while empowering healthcare organizations to find the talent they need to deliver exceptional patient care.
Christy has extensive experience in the healthcare industry, having held various leadership roles and served as an in-house recruiter. She is skilled in provider relations, team building, process improvement, and staffing solutions. Christy previously served on several committees for the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR).
Christy received her bachelor’s degree in health and sport sciences from the University of Oklahoma while working as a student athletic trainer. She completed her master’s degree in healthcare administration and management at Colorado State University. Christy enjoys living in Spring Hill, Tennessee, and stays busy with her sons, Orsen Allen, age 15, and Walter Aaron, age 12; her niece, Aurabella Sue, age 15; and her Sheepadoodle, Brinkley.
Drew Terry, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, PracticeLink
Presenting: Breakout Session 1: Panel Discussion - Key Takeaways From the 2025 PracticeLink 3RNET Rural Resource Career
Drew Terry is Vice President of Marketing and Communications at PracticeLink, where he leads strategy, creative, and communications initiatives that connect physicians with their best career opportunities. With more than 15 years of leadership experience, Drew began his career as a journalist and content creator before moving into marketing, where he has built multichannel campaigns that drive engagement and growth.
A passionate storyteller and team leader, Drew brings expertise in marketing, strategy and brand development. Outside of work, he enjoys playing music, cooking and exploring the outdoors with family and friends.
Carrie Torgersen, Assistant Director, Utah Center for Rural Health
Presenting: Breakout Session 1: Panel Discussion - Key Takeaways From the 2025 PracticeLink 3RNET Rural Resource Career
Carrie Torgersen is the Assistant Director of the Utah Center for Rural Health and Southern Utah AHEC, where she has worked for 27 years advancing rural health workforce development across the state. She has served on multiple statewide and national boards and councils, including appointments by the Governor of Utah to the Health Workforce Advisory Council, the Utah Primary Care Grant Committee and the Built Here Rural Health workgroup. A frequent presenter at state and national conferences, she is passionate about improving health outcomes in rural communities by connecting education, workforce, and healthcare systems.
Joyce Grayson, Director Rural Health Education & Services, KUMC
Presenting: 3RNET Member Panel Session: Fully Utilizing 3RNET and Getting Results; 3RNET Member Panel Discussion - Facilitating Career Fairs and Leveraging Technology
Joyce Grayson, MBA, Director, Rural Health Education and Services, has 20 years of experience in both the profit and not-for-profit sector of recruitment. Joyce has worked to enhance the quality and quantity of health care professionals in rural Kansas through the efforts of the Kansas Recruitment and Retention Center and the Kansas Bridging Plan. As director of Rural Health Education and Services, Joyce is responsible for program development and implementing strategies to strengthen Kansas’ health care workforce. Joyce has focused her education on health care administration and utilizes her education and background to address the need for health care in rural Kansas. In addition, Joyce shares her expertise as a consultant to other states who are looking to implement similar workforce programs.
Dorian Benjamin, Talent Acquisition Specialist, PA Primary Care Career Center
Presenting: Breakout Session 1: Panel Discussion - Key Takeaways From the 2025 PracticeLink 3RNET Rural Resource Career
Dorian Benjamin is the Talent Acquisition Specialist with the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC). Her work includes strengthening and supporting the recruitment and retention strategies of Community Health Centers and other safety net facilities throughout Pennsylvania, connecting qualified candidates to open positions, enhancing data and technology systems to streamline recruitment efforts, and managing PACHC's Career Center social media presence. She has a background in human resources, specializing in case management, policy interpretation, and employee support, as well as in various educational settings developing personalized learning techniques for students with diverse instructional needs.
Dorian holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Systems Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is also a Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), a Certified Physician-Provider Recruitment Professional (CPRP) with the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment, and a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200) with Yoga Alliance.
Bryan Hodge, MD, Chief Academic Officer, Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC)
Presenting: Growing the Pipeline: Innovative Student & Resident Engagement
Dr. Bryan Hodge serves as the Chief Academic Officer and Chair of the Department of Community and Public Health at the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in Western North Carolina. He is dedicated to advancing learning opportunities across the educational continuum, from pathway programs to health professional graduate education, residency training, and workforce support.
Dr. Hodge is the former Program Director of two rural-focused Family Medicine Residency programs and continues to practice family medicine at the Hendersonville Rural Family Medicine Residency Program, a Teaching Health Center in Hendersonville, NC. He also holds the position of Clinical Assistant Professor with the University of North Carolina Department of Family Medicine.
With a focus on rural workforce development, community engagement, and expanding access to high-impact clinical services for all populations, Dr. Hodge is nationally recognized for his efforts to improve primary health care access through innovative workforce development initiatives. As a Residency Program Solutions consultant for the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), he supports programs in enhancing physician training to better serve rural and underserved communities.
A former National Health Service Corps Scholar, Dr. Hodge has dedicated his career to providing high-quality, relationship-centered care, closing healthcare gaps, and transforming community health through education, innovation, and collaboration.
Thomas Blair, MD, MBA, FACP, Internal Medicine Residency Program Director, East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine
Presenting: Growing the Pipeline: Innovative Student & Resident Engagement
Dr. Thomas Blair is an Internal Medicine physician educator and residency program director at East Carolina University, where he is actively involved in curriculum development, resident mentorship, and workforce development. He has a particular interest in rural medical education, physician training, quality improvement, and creating innovative systems that support both learners and patients. His work focuses on preparing the next generation of physicians through evidence-based education, leadership development, and collaborative clinical practice.
Dr. Blair is passionate about addressing physician workforce needs in underserved communities and helping develop pathways that connect trainees with meaningful careers in rural and community-based medicine. He has led initiatives in residency curriculum design, procedural education, continuity clinic improvement, and resident wellness while fostering partnerships across healthcare systems and community organizations.
Joseph Pino, MD, MHA, Executive Director, South East Area Health Education Center
Presenting: Growing the Pipeline: Innovative Student & Resident Engagement
Dr. Joseph Pino is the senior vice president of medical education and research at Novant Health, in Wilmington, North Carolina. He currently holds the position of adjunct professor in the department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill where he also serves as the associate dean and campus director of the UNC School of Medicine Wilmington Campus.
Prior to this, he expanded his professional experience with several leadership roles at the South East Area Health Education Center including pediatric specialty services director, president and CEO, and currently executive director.
With an extensive professional career spanning both education and medicine, Dr. Pino has gained recognition for his commitment within this unique space. He has proven to not only be a quality educator but also one that is well received by both his students, peers and colleagues. Dr. Pino has been recognized by the Greater Wilmington Business Journal as a Healthcare Hero in the innovation category. He has also been recognized for outstanding performance as an educator with the Academy of Educators for Excellence in Teaching award, Community Preceptor the Year Award by the Coastal Family Medicine Residency Program and Excellence in Teaching Award by Baylor College of Medicine.
Dr. Pino has served on dozens of boards, councils and committees, contributing his intellect and experience. He has also authored and contributed to a number of abstracts, poster sessions, publications and education programs. To date, Dr. Pino’s academic grants funded have totaled over $2.4 million. He still serves as a preceptor in the Internal Medicine clinic with residents and medical students and a pediatric hospitalist in Wilmington, NC.
Dr. Pino received his Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University, followed by his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. His post-graduate studies included both an internship and residency in Internal medicine and Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas. He later became chief resident of pediatrics at Texas Children’s Hospital and Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston, Texas. Dr. Pino continued his education, earning a Master of Healthcare Administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Benjamin Gilmer, Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC)
Benjamin Gilmer is a family physician and Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and Mountain Area Health Education Center’s (MAHEC) Family Medicine Residency Program. He is an international Albert Schweitzer Fellow and attended Davidson College followed by medical studies at the Sorbonne in Paris, France and East Carolina University. As the Medical Director for MAHEC’s Rural Health Initiative and Rural Fellowship, he is passionate about advocating for global and rural health disparities. He has worked extensively in Central and South America and West Africa. Benjamin 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. His current book, The Other Dr. Gilmer (Ballantine/Penguin Random House) and feature film project (Concordia Films) both highlight the atrocity of mass incarceration of people with mental illness. Both projects are based on a 2013 This American Life podcast (Dr. Gilmer and Mr. Hyde), a collaboration between Benjamin and Sarah Koenig (“Serial”) which has had more than 20 million listeners. A former neurobiologist turned rural family doctor, Dr. Gilmer has lectured widely about medical ethics, global and rural health, the intersection of medicine and social justice and the pursuit of advocacy. He lives in Asheville, NC with his wife, Deirdre, their two children: Kai and Luya, and their dog, Prince Peanut Butter.
Tommy Koonce, MD, Associate Chief Medical Officer for Outpatient Services, Vice Chair of Education for the Department of Family Medicine, UNC Medical Center
Presenting: Developing the Developers: Faculty as Workforce Catalysts
Thomas Koonce, MD, MPH, is Associate Dean of Admissions at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and Professor of Family Medicine at UNC–Chapel Hill.
He also serves as Associate Chief Medical Officer for Outpatient Services at UNC Medical Center.
Dr. Koonce directs UNC’s nationally recognized Faculty Development Fellowship, where he helps prepare family medicine faculty from across the country to become effective teachers, leaders, and advocates for high-quality primary care. His work has focused on strengthening the primary care workforce through medical education, faculty development, quality improvement, and programs that support care for rural and underserved communities.
A graduate of UNC’s Morehead Scholarship program and UNC School of Medicine, he completed his family medicine residency at Pitt County Memorial Hospital in eastern North Carolina before returning to UNC as faculty.
Mary Alice Scott, Deputy Director, North Carolina GME Technical Assistance Center at the UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
Presenting: Developing the Developers: Faculty as Workforce Catalysts
Mary Alice Scott, PhD, is the deputy director of the North Carolina GME Technical Assistance Center at the UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research and adjunct professor in the UNC Department of Family Medicine. She has experience in GME program and statewide consortium leadership and GME training environment research.
Jessica Stevens, MD, Seven Peaks Family Medicine
Presenting: From Residents to Rural Owners: A Real-World Roadmap
Dr. Stevens grew up in Apex, North Carolina, but found her heart in the High Country while attending Appalachian State University. After earning her undergraduate degree, she completed medical school at UNC Chapel Hill and her rural Family Medicine residency through MAHEC Boone. Long before beginning her medical journey, Dr. Stevens was passionate about community involvement, food insecurity, and preventive care—values that continue to guide her practice today. In addition to full-scope family medicine, she has specialized training in women’s health. Dr. Stevens lives in Ashe County with her husband, Will, and their one-year-old son. Outside the clinic, she enjoys tending her vegetable garden, reading, hiking, and trail running.
Jason Karimy, MD, Seven Peaks Family Medicine
Presenting: From Residents to Rural Owners: A Real-World Roadmap
Dr. Karimy is a board-certified Family Medicine Physician with a diverse academic background. He earned his undergraduate degrees in Biology, Mathematics, and Psychology from the University of Colorado Denver, followed by a graduate degree in Molecular Medicine from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He went on to receive his Doctor of Medicine from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. Dr. Karimy completed his residency training in Family Medicine through MAHEC in Boone, North Carolina.