About Us

Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, Duke Health

Amy Lee is an Internal Medicine and Pediatric physician at Duke and specializes in palliative care with a particular focus on care for children and adolescents with medical complexity and chronic illnesses. She also has a strong passion for local and global advocacy having worked with the underserved here in Durham as well as serving in Taiwan, Kenya and Haiti. Amy enjoys spending time with her family and friends, going to concerts and DPAC shows, drinking bubble tea, hiking with her dog (Eno), watching Disney/Pixar movies, and rooting for Duke basketball and the Buffalo Bills!

Oakdale Advisors LLC

Kevin Almond received his B.S. in Pharmacy from UNC-Chapel Hill. He spent his first eight years owning and operating businesses in small communities throughout North Carolina. He spent the next two decades in higher education with UNC. More recently, he has consulted in the biotech industry and various nonprofits, assisting with fundraising, governance, organizational structure and communications. Kevin lives in Chapel Hill and is a member of Christ Community Church. He grows his faith through daily Bible reading, a group Bible study that has been meeting since 1994, and conversations with friends and colleagues at the NC Study Center as well as the elders in his church.

Gastroenterologist, UNC REX Digestive Healthcare

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine, UNC Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Michael Dougherty is a gastroenterologist at UNC Health, seeing patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings at UNC REX, as well as the GI Latino Clinic and endoscopy units in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, where he maintains some involvement in research and educational activities. He is particularly interested in underserved Latino populations and in global health, including leading regular endoscopy trips to Guatemala. Michael began volunteering with Samaritan Health Center in 2016. He lives with his wife Jennie and their two daughters in Durham, where they attend Christ Central Church.

Board Member

Edwina Gabriel is originally from Birmingham, Alabama. She moved to North Carolina in 1980 and obtained her nursing education from UNC-Chapel Hill and graduate degree from NC State University. She serves many residents who are food insecure and works with area outreaches to assist the homebound elderly and youth in Durham’s West End. She also co-facilitates Community Garden start-ups through the Grow Your Own Community Garden Initiative. Through her local church fellowship, Church of Philadelphia in Durham, she facilitates support to ministries and orphanages in Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti and the Philippines.

Attorney, Huff, Powell & Bailey

Paul Hlad is a litigation attorney with a broad range of experience. Since starting practice 20 years ago, Paul has defended medical and professional malpractice cases. His experience also encompasses the defense of commercial, products liability, premises liability, fraud and trucking matters. Mr. Hlad started practicing in a small boutique law firm that provided only medical and legal malpractice defense services where his first attorney mentor reminded him often that it was a steep learning curve from law school to private practice. Fast forward 20 years, and Mr. Hlad has tried over 50 cases to verdict in North Carolina and Virginia, to include professional liability cases, products liability cases, and general liability cases.

Nurse Practitioner/Clinical Associate, Duke Pediatric Pulmonary Division

Susie is a Nurse Practitioner with the Pediatric Pulmonary Division at Duke University, caring for children with asthma and chronic lung diseases, and an Adjunct Faculty member at the Duke School of Nursing. She is involved in clinical care, teaching, and asthma research. Susie has been a part of Christian Community Health Fellowship, a national organization focused on healthcare to the under-served, and has also done medical outreach work among NC migrant farm workers and in Haiti. Her clinical, research, and community interests focus on vulnerable children and families, and the systemic barriers and health disparities faced by them. Susie lives in Durham and enjoys art, reading, hiking, and involvement at Blacknall Presbyterian Church.

Board Member

Matt Oettinger is the Chief Medical Officer at CopilotIQ, a healthcare company serving seniors with chronic disease, providing high-frequency, connected care. He is also an Adjunct Instructor of Family Medicine at UNC, working as a Hospitalist at Chatham Hospital in Siler City. Previously, Matt served as Vice President of Population Health at WellCare of North Carolina, leading clinical initiatives for a 400,000 person Medicaid and Medicare population. Additionally, he has held leadership roles at Included Health (formerly Grand Rounds Health) and Alignment Health. Matt currently volunteers at Samaritan Health Center, and is a member at The Summit Church. Matt, his wife Tiffany, and his two daughters, Zoe and Annalise, live in Raleigh.

Retired

Todd has been a resident of Durham for almost 30 years. Prior to his retirement in 2023, he served as Associate VP for Administrative Systems at Duke University and spent his entire career in higher education administration. Todd and his wife Melinda have been supporters of Samaritan Health since its inception. Todd has volunteered for many years with Durham Habitat for Humanity and currently serves on their Homeowner Services committee. He is an elder and founding member at Christ Central Church in Durham. Todd has a B.S. from the University of Virginia, an MBA from James Madison University and an M.A. from Duke University. Todd and Melinda have three grown children and three grandchildren and enjoy traveling, reading and volunteering.

Board Member

Dr. Ramos is a general dentist who owned and led her solo practice from 1996-2024. She graduated from the University of Colorado School of Dentistry in 1989, where she graduated in the top of her class and served as class president. Dr. Ramos completed the Advanced General Dentistry Residency Program at the University of North Carolina, followed by a Geriatric Fellowship at the Duke University and UNC Program on Aging. She is a member of the American Dental Association, NC Dental Society, Durham/Orange County Dental Society, and the Triangle Chapter of the NC Association of Women Dentists. Dr. Ramos lives in Durham with her physician husband. She volunteers as an interpreter at Samaritan Health Center, and she enjoys running, reading, oil painting, and serving in her church and community. Dr. Ramos served on the board of Trinity School where she began and chaired the diversity committee and currently serves on the Advisory Council of Trinity School. Most of all, Dr. Ramos loves spending time with her family and traveling together.

Obesity Medicine Physician, UNC Physicians Network

Sarah Ro is the Director of UNC Physicians Network Weight Management Program. She is a Diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and helped create community-based weight management clinics in over 10 different communities in central and eastern North Carolina. This program has increased access to evidence-based obesity care for socially vulnerable populations most impacted by obesity. Sarah is passionate about decreasing health disparities and inequities in treatment of obesity in children and adults. She used to volunteer at Samaritan Health Center when it was being launched. She is a founding board member of Luke Charity Clinic providing access to healthcare for Asian immigrant families who lack health insurance in Raleigh. She lives in Hillsborough with her husband, Young Whang, an oncologist at UNC and they have three grown children. They are active members at Waypoint Church in Durham.

Assistant Finance Manager, AISIN World Corporation of America, Inc.

Nancy was born and raised in Japan. She has worked as an in-house and free-lance interpreter, a CPA, and a corporate accountant. Nancy received her B.A. in Economics from Calvin College; she holds a Master of Arts in Japanese Studies and a Master of Science in Accounting. She is a member of Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church.