Providers
Primary Care
Location(s): McDowell Health Center
Dr. S. Todd Wallenius
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Wallenius entered medicine with a desire to provide whole person, team based, integrated primary care to individuals and families in a community health center setting. After completing UNC School of Medicine at Chapel Hill, where he earned awards in Family Medicine, Community Service, and
The James Bell Bullitt Award in recognition of unusual achievement, Dr. Wallenius completed a Family Medicine Residency and Behavioral Medicine Fellowship at MAHEC. Dr. Wallenius maintains certifications from the American Boards of Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine, and the American Academy of HIV Medicine. Dr. Wallenius joined WNCCHS in 1998, serving as Director of Behavioral Health from 2004-2012, and then as Chief Medical Officer from 2012-2023. At the McDowell Health Center, he is providing access to HIV Specialty Care to patients with HIV who are established with a primary care provider.
Location(s): Minnie Jones Health Center
James Holbrook, FNP
Nurse Practitioner
James Holbrook is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner who began work at WNCCHS in October of 2020. He obtained his BSN in Nursing from Western Carolina and his Doctorate of Nursing practice from East Tennessee State University. He began his practice in Evanston, IL, where he completed
the Jane R. Perlman Advanced Practice Provider Emergency Medicine Fellowship. He then returned to Asheville where he worked in both emergency and urgent care as well as an outreach provider for Vecinos, inc. Farmworker Health Program in Cullowhee, NC. He is an HIV specialist certified through the American Academy of HIV Medicine, and he has worked with Partners in Health in Port Loko, Sierra Leone in the Maforki Ebola treatment unit and at Princess Christian Maternity Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He has also volunteered in Rwanda and Mexico. James speaks English and Spanish and enjoys reading, climbing, and spending time with his family.
Location(s): Minnie Jones Health Center
Dr. Addison Fuller
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Fuller (they/he) is a board certified family physician who joined the WNCCHS team in 2016 after graduating from MAHEC’s Family Medicine Residency Program. The sole recipient of the Gold Humanism Award at East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine and
a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, Fuller has a passion for community and underserved medicine. Their practice includes transgender health, HIV care, women’s reproductive health and obstetric care, and minor in-office procedures. Fuller is a certified HIV specialist, and is a member of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, and the American Academy of Family Physicians. In their spare time, Fuller is an avid collector of records and all things kitschy, a social justice activist, an animal lover, and a mediocre vegan chef.
Location(s): Hominy Valley Health Center
Dr. Amit Patel
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Patel is a board-certified family medicine physician who joined WNCCHS in January of 2021. He is a graduate of Ross University School of Medicine and East Tennessee State University Family Medicine Residency Program in Johnson City. Dr. Patel is from Asheville and is excited to be caring for the
community that helped raise him. His scope of practice ranges from pediatrics to adult medicine.
Location(s): Minnie Jones Health Center
Dr. Jennifer Abbott
Dr. Abbott is a board-certified family physician who has worked at WNCCHS since 2005. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado School of Medicine and MAHEC Family Medicine Residency Program. Her practice includes pediatric, adolescent and adult medicine, with a special focus on transgender health and gynecological procedures. She is certified as an HIV specialist through the American Academy of HIV Medicine, and is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the World Professional Association For Transgender Health. She is fluent in Spanish.
Family Medicine Physician
Lenea Ferrantelli, PA
Physician Assistant
Location(s): Minnie Jones Health Center
Lenea is nationally board-certified Physician Assistant who graduated from Duke University with a Masters of Health Science in 2015. As a recipient of the Underserved Community Scholarship at Duke, Lenea is extremely passionate about working in community health and ensuring access to quality
health care for all. She has participated in global health work in both Tanzania and Costa Rica. With completion of an advanced practice clinician safety net residency program at WNCCHS in 2016, she has been on staff as a primary care provider since. Her scope of practice includes pediatric, adolescent, and adult medicine. She is a certified HIV specialist by AAHIVM and is fluent in Spanish.
Dr. Wade Davis
Family Medicine Physician
Location(s): Minnie Jones Health Center
Dr. Davis (he/him) is a board-certified family medicine physician who joined the WNCCHS team in 2020 after graduating from University of Colorado Swedish Family Medicine Residency Program in Denver, CO. He is a graduate of East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine. He is originally from Eastern Tennessee and moves back to
Western NC to be close to family/friends and enjoy the Appalachian Mountains. Dr. Davis practices full-spectrum family medicine including pediatrics, prenatal care, Adult medicine, HIV medicine, GYN procedures including colposcopy and ortho injections. He is a certified American Academy of HIV Specialist. Dr. Davis chose WNCCHS because of his passion for serving those who are unable to obtain affordable appropriate health care. In his free time, he enjoys biking, fishing, skiing, and spending time with family/friends and hiking with his two hyperactive dogs and wife.
Gayla Waller, RPh, CPP
Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner
Location(s): Minnie Jones Health Center
Gayla Waller, RPh, CPP, is a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner who joined WNCCHS in January 2009. She attained her Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy from Samford University and began practice as a Consultant Pharmacist in nursing homes throughout Alabama. Additional prior roles include Clinical Pharmacist in the intensive care units at the University of Alabama at
Birmingham Hospital; a Clinical Pharmacist for physical rehabilitation hospitals; Pharmacy Information Manager at Soma.com and CVS.com; and Manager of Clinical Services for CVS Corporation. She sees the greatest opportunity to provide clinical pharmacy services at WNCCHS, where one can positively impact the health of patients over the span of years.
Gayla is currently pursuing her Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) credentials. She maintains certifications from the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, the American Academy of HIV Medicine, and Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Her most recent certificate programs include dyslipidemia management, anticoagulation and integrating pharmacists into primary care.
In her free time, Gayla’s interests include gardening, reading, cooking, dining out, and exploring nature.
Location(s): Minnie Jones Health Center; Hominy Valley Health Center, McDowell Health Center
Dr. Ivana Baumgarten
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Pediatrician
Dr. Ivana Baumgarten was born and raised in beautiful Slovenia, where she finished medical school and pediatric residency with a focus in infectious diseases. She spent many months in Africa working in different local health care
settings. After meeting her future husband, they decided to settle in the U.S., where she has just finished her second pediatric residency at East Carolina University. In her free time, she can be found with her husband and kids somewhere in the nature.
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Family Nurse Practitioner
Emily McFalls, FNP
Location(s): McDowell Health Center
Emily McFalls, FNP, is a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner who graduated from South University with her MSN in May of 2023 with high honors. She earned her BSN from East Tennessee State University prior to becoming a nurse practitioner and has practiced as a registered nurse for over 17 years. She has experience in the areas of progressive care,
vascular conditions, cardiology, and occupational medicine. Emily was born and raised in McDowell County and brings a deep-rooted commitment to providing high-quality care to her neighbors and fellow community members. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and serving the youth in her church. Her hobbies include gardening and food preservation.
Physician
Dr. Patrick Contino
Location(s): Minnie Jones Health Center
Dr. Contino is a board-certified family physician who enjoys caring for the entire family. After attending medical school at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Dr. Contino completed a Family Medicine Residency at Martin Army Community Hospital in Fort Benning, Georgia. He later served as a faculty member
and won the Best Teacher Award in 2003.
Dr. Contino maintains certification from the American Board of Family Medicine and is a 28-year member of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He joined WNNCHS in August of 2022. He speaks English and Spanish and sees patients of all ages.
He enjoys traveling and making outdoor pizzas for his family and friends.
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Physician Assistant
Venecia Marte, PA
Location(s): Hominy Valley Health Center
Venecia Marte, PA is a Physician Assistant with more than 15 years of experience. Fluent in both Spanish and English, Venecia's diverse experience spans across various medical disciplines, ranging from physical therapy & rehabilitation to internal medicine, psychiatry, and cardiology. She recently made the move to Canton, NC,
from New York City, where she previously held positions at Elmhurst Medical Care of Queens and Montefiore Medical Center, among others.
Family Nurse Practitioner
Jennifer Lepkowski, FNP
Location(s): Minnie Jones Health Center
Jen Lepkowski is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner. Although not native to WNC, she has been in Asheville for nearly two decades. She graduated with her Masters in 2017 from Western North Carolina University (WCU) where she was honored with the Outstanding FNP student award and received the sought-after Mary Lewis Wyche fellowship.
She has experience in urgent care, occupational medicine, primary care, and work in corporate wellness. Jen was honored with the Mercy Award in 2021 for Outstanding performance. Jen’s BSN is also from WCU and she has a BSN in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a certificate in psychology from Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a certified yoga instructor and can be found hiking, biking, paddling, reading, or working on her metal art in her time off.
Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner
Mike Smith, CPP
Location(s): Minnie Jones Health Center
Mike Smith, PharmD, is a clinical Pharmacist Practitioner who joined WNCCHS in March of 2015. Michael graduated with his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Campbell University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 1998. GO CAMELS!
Mike has a passion for HIV care which led him to attaining his certification as a HIV Pharmacist from the American Academy of HIV Medicine. His other medical interest includes diabetes, hypertension, and warfarin management.
In his free time, Mike enjoys camping in New England with friends, cheering on the NC State Wolfpack, and spending time with the best dog in the world, the sweet Bella Mae.
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Jon Hemstreet
Location(s): Minnie Jones Health Center
Dr. Hemstreet is a board-certified family physician raised in the foothills of western North Carolina. He graduated from Duke University with an undergraduate degree in French. He completed his medical studies at Tulane University where he received the American College of Physicians Internal Medicine Award for Excellence. He returned
to Asheville to complete his residency at MAHEC in 2002. For two decades, Dr. Hemstreet has been dedicated to underserved populations in Miami, Tampa, and most recently in a small-town family practice in North Central Florida. There, he assisted rural and elderly patients whose medical access was limited.
Family Nurse Practitioner
Bryce May, FNP
Location(s): Minnie Jones Health Center
Bryce May is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner that came onboard with WNCCH in August 2023. He works part-time and teaches in the BSN program at the University of Pikeville in Kentucky as well. He has been a part-time resident in Asheville for over 10 years and plans to become a full-time resident of North Carolina in 2024.
Bryce was born and raised in a rural Kentucky Appalachian area. He graduated from the University of Charleston with a BSN and later graduated from Chamberlain University in Illinois with his Nurse Practitioner Degree. He has been a nurse with extensive hospital care in all fields for over 20 years. Bryce previously worked as a Night Shift ER Nursing Supervisor in a Level 1 Trauma Center. He is currently working toward obtaining a certification as an HIV specialist through AAHIVM.
Bryce’s goal is to provide the highest quality compassionate care for all walks of life.
Family Nurse Practitioner
Laura Durkin, FNP
Location(s): Minnie Jones Health Center
Laura is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner who graduated from Emory University in 2008 with a dual focus in family and emergency medicine. After working for nearly a decade at the Mission Emergency Department, she decided to take her practice in a different direction, geared towards primary care. After a few years of experience in this new area of medicine, she is excited to join the WNCCHS team as of January 2024. Building relationships and making a difference in our local community is what drew her interest to the organization. Her philosophy of patient care is to treat others the way she would want to be treated. In her personal time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, gardening, playing music and being outdoors.
Behavioral Health Services
Aryana Calcagni, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Aryana is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Social Work at Simmons College in Boston. Aryana strives to create safe and collaborative therapeutic spaces and approaches therapy with compassion, warmth, humor, and respect. Aryana seeks to work toward therapeutic goals in partnership and draws upon several clinical modalities with a trauma-informed
lens, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Aryana has experience working in various levels of care, including inpatient and outpatient mental health and dual diagnosis settings. Aryana enjoys spending her free time hiking in the Blue Ridge mountains with her husband and their dog, cooking, and practicing yoga.
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Mattie DeAngelis, LCSWA
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Mattie DeAngelis is a licensed clinical social worker associate who joined WNCCHS in 2022. She received her Master’s in Social Work at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. As an undergraduate, Mattie studied sociology and gender studies; she also received a certificate in mediation and conflict transformation. Mattie utilizes a person-centered approach and strives to
create a safe and compassionate therapeutic space. She uses a variety of therapeutic modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and solution focused therapy. Mattie works with adults and families in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Angela Hensley, LCMHC, LCAS
Behavioral Health Therapist
Angela Hensley holds dual licenses as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist. She earned her Master of Arts and Education Specialist in Mental Health Counseling from Gardner-Webb University, accredited by CACREP, in December 2010. Additionally, Angela holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services from Gardner-Webb
University and an Associate of Applied Science in Drug and Alcohol Technology from Western Piedmont Community College.
With more tha 20 years of experience in behavioral health and addictions, she has worked extensively with children, adults, and families in both community and inpatient/outpatient settings. Angela's counseling approach centers on humanistic principles, emphasizing counseling as a collaborative effort that thrives on trust and rapport-building. She prioritizes unconditional positive regard, mutual respect, and authenticity in establishing a robust therapeutic rapport. Her goal is to assist individuals in discovering their true selves, enabling them to lead fulfilling lives through self-awareness, understanding, and acceptance.
Utilizing a person-centered and strength-based approach, Angela incorporates various treatment modalities and evidence-based practices, including motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, seeking safety, mindfulness, and experiential therapy.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Angela enjoys engaging in art creation and appreciation, spending quality time with her two rescue pit bulls, hiking, and remote camping.
Valerie McKeon, LCSWA
Behavioral Health Therapist
Valerie McKeon is a licensed clinical social worker associate. She completed her Master’s of Social Work at Loyola University of Chicago’s bilingual program with a concentration in Migrant Studies. She has experience working with adults and children in outpatient, residential, and crisis services settings. Valerie provides therapy in Spanish and English and particularly enjoys working with children, adolescents, and families.
She loves incorporating play and art into the therapeutic process. Valerie works with individuals to deconstruct oppressive narratives and find their strengths and empowerment. When working with kids, she strives to attend to the child’s whole environment, helping caregivers and families find the best solutions to support their loved one at home and outside of the therapy session. Her approach is person-centered and trauma-informed and incorporates various modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, dialectical behavioral therapy, play therapy, narrative therapy, and brief solution-focused therapy. She brings her whole self into the therapy room and encourages clients to do the same.
When not working, she enjoys hiking, biking, and climbing in the beautiful mountains around Asheville, as well as playing with dogs, cooking, and tending to houseplants.
Nathan Rice, LCSW, LCAS
Medication for Opioid Use (MOUD) Coordinator / Clinical License Supervisor
Nathan is from Asheville, NC and absolutely loves the area with all its diversity and beautiful mountains. Nathan graduated with his Master of Social Work from Eastern Tennessee State University. Nathan has worked in the field for over three years with a focus on Substance Use Disorders and
underserved populations. Recently, Nathan served as a Substance Abuse Counselor with a local Methadone clinic. Working as a clinician, Nathan has developed an understanding of the importance of Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder. Nathan educates clients, the community, and stakeholders against the stigma associated with MAT and works to expand the life-saving treatment to anyone seeking services.
Nathan utilizes a down to earth and client-centered approach with all clients. Nathan has been trained in Seeking Safety, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, The Matrix Model, Motivational Interviewing, mindfulness, grounding techniques, and several other modalities. Nathan utilizes a Trauma-Informed approach and attends to clients as a whole person. Nathan has a unique approach and appreciates the therapeutic relationship created with everyone he serves. Nathan takes time to get to know each person while creating meaningful treatment experiences guided by the client. Outside of work, Nathan enjoys spending time with friends and family, attending concerts, listening to music, watching movies, and swimming. Nathan is a huge tennis fan and loves collegiate basketball.
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Serrina Stevens, LCSWA
Behavioral Health Therapist
Bio to come.
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Anna Shriver, LCMHCA
Behavioral Health Therapist
Bio to come.
Megan Aldana, LCSW
Behavioral Health Therapist
Megan is a licensed clinical social work associate who is bilingual in English and Spanish. She obtained both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Appalachian State University.
Megan has several years of experience working with children and families in a therapeutic setting, including intensive in-home, day treatment, outpatient therapy, and
school-based services. She utilizes a very strengths-based approach and various evidence-based treatment modalities, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and Alternatives for Families: a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT).
Outside of work, Megan enjoys hiking and traveling to museums, zoos, and theme parks with her family.
Liz Jimenez, LCSWA
Behavioral Health Therapist
Bio to come.
Dental Services
Dr. Amanda Meade
Dentist
Bio to come.
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Dr. Kasee Metcalf
Chief Dental Officer
Dr. Kasee Metcalf is a general dentist who joined the WNCCHS team in 2015. She received a BS in Biology from Wake Forest University and attended dental school at UNC-Chapel Hill School of Dentistry. Dr. Metcalf completed General Practice Residency training with MAHEC in Asheville.
A native of Western North Carolina, Dr.
Metcalf was happy to return to the mountains to practice dentistry. In her free time she enjoys backpacking, travelling, and the Asheville food scene. She and her husband have a dog named Dallas who loves to hike with them.
Dr. Heather Berkheimer
Dentist
Bio to come.
Dr. Hilary Garrison
Dentist
Bio to come.
Kay Mccollum
Dental Hygienist
Kay graduated from Dekalb College's dental hygiene program In 1980. She then went on to earn her Bachelor's and Master of Education degrees from Georgia State University. Kay taught in the Dental Hygiene Department at Dekalb College for several years before moving to the private practice sector of dentistry.
Kay has enjoyed being a dental hygienist at WNCCHS for almost 10 years.
Megan Lesneski
Dental Hygienist
Bio to come.
Dr. Mark Snelson
Dentist
Dr. Snelson graduated from UNC School of Dentistry in 2018 and joined WNCCHS at that time. He enjoys working with the team at WNCCHS and appreciates the opportunity to serve our patients.
Terri Lovelady
Dental Hygienist
Terri earned her degree in dental hygiene in 2003 and is continually extending her knowledge, taking part in courses dedicated to the latest dental methods, materials, and technologies. She knows the importance of taking the time to educate patients about oral care and how it is linked to their systemic health. By demonstrating integrity, responsibility, and compassion, Terri aims to
do right by her patients and her team. Her personal goals are to grow old, value humanity (and all earthlings), and to find herself outside more often.
Angela Mannanova
Registered Dental Hygienist
Angela received her master's degree in foreign languages from Kishinev State University in Moldova. She moved to the U.S. with her husband in 1991 and earned a degree in dental hygiene in 2000. Angela practiced dental hygiene at a private practice until she joined WNCCHS in February 2021. She is committed to serving the community and positively impacting the lives of her patients -- one person at a time! In her free time, Angela enjoys hiking to waterfalls, reading, cooking and decorating.