MANAGEMENT STAFF


Sean Harrison

Executive Director

After co-founding Alliance Medical Ministry and serving as an active member of the Board of Directors, including as chair from 2000-2005 and 2007-2009, Sean Harrison was appointed Executive Director in February 2009. Sean has a diverse background with over 15 years of management experience in entrepreneurial start-ups and Fortune 500 organizations. Sean’s passion for health care and the working uninsured began nearly 10 years ago when he and three members from Cary First United Methodist Church envisioned a ministry to fill the health care gap faced by the working uninsured. Sean, along with Dr. Charles Mann, Jack Stone and David Wilson, worked earnestly with many volunteers and early staff, including Dr. Susan Weaver, to make their dream a reality.

Sean graduated with a BS in Computer Science from the University of Maryland and relocated to Raleigh with IBM. After earning his MBA from Duke, Sean founded and was CEO of Netstation, which was acquired by Nortel Networks. Later he started WindWire, a wireless software & service company, acquired in 2003. In 2004-2005 Sean piloted a prepaid low cost health benefit program for uninsured workers. Prior to his appointment at Alliance, he was COO of Brightdoor, a real estate software & services company.

Sean and his wife Karen have 3 children ages 6-12. They are all active members of Cary First United Methodist Church.

Dr. Tara Lewis

Medical Director

Tara Lewis, M.D. joined the staff of Alliance Medical Ministry in September of 2007 as a staff physician. In December of 2008, she accepted the role of Medical Director. She is passionate about teaching her patients the importance of living healthy, whole, spiritually fulfilled lives. She has been quoted as saying that the opportunity to work at Alliance “just seemed to fit with what my mission is,” which is focusing on underserved communities.

Dr. Lewis received her undergraduate degree from Vassar College, where she majored in Anthropology and Archeology, with a minor in pre-med. She went on to receive her medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN and completed a Family Medicine and Obstetrics residency at Wright State University in Dayton, OH.

The staff and patients of Alliance love Dr. Lewis’s compassionate nature and big smile and are thrilled that she chose to bring her talents here.

Michele Miles

Director of Operations

Michele joined the staff of Alliance Medical Ministry in March of 2008 serving as the organization’s first Director of Operations. Prior to joining the staff, she had acquired several years of experience working in the managed care and public health industries. Previously, she held leadership roles within Texas Tech University Health System and Florida Department of Health acquiring a considerable amount of knowledge in strategic planning, implementation of organizational policies and procedures, and development of process improvement initiatives. Michele received her Bachelor of Science degree in Healthcare Management from the University of Alabama and her MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She takes great pride in her decision to work in a setting that allows her to be of assistance to individuals in underserved communities who might otherwise get lost in the system.

Nicole B. Emswiler, Pharm.D.

Manager of Pharmacy Services

Nicole attended Campbell University School of Pharmacy and obtained her doctor of pharmacy degree (Pharm.D.) in May 2005. She then completed a 1 year pharmacy residency through Campbell School of Pharmacy at Wilson Community Health Center where her clinical practice primarily focused on diabetes, hypertension, and lipid management. After completion of her residency, she accepted a pharmacy practice faculty position at Campbell University School of Pharmacy as Director of Experiential Programs. While at Campbell, she was asked to assist Alliance in the expansion of pharmacy services on a volunteer basis in January 2007. In August 2007, she accepted a part-time position at Alliance as Manager of Pharmacy Services and currently oversees all pharmacy activities which include the prescription assistance program, sample medications, and a formulary of Person Street Pharmacy medications. She also manages Alliance’s anticoagulation clinic and provides diabetes education and therapy management. Nicole finds it rewarding to be able to provide medical and spiritual assistance to those in need in our community.

Regina Heroux, RN, MS, OCN

Director of Programs & Outreach

Regina has over 22 years experience in nursing that includes home health, oncology and chronic and preventative health. She developed and managed patient programs and community outreach services at a major cancer center in Raleigh, including special survivorship events and cancer screenings. She joined Alliance Medical Ministry in the fall of 2007 to help expand and develop patient programs and outreach services, including free health screenings (cervical, breast, diabetes, prostate) targeting underserved and minority populations. She enjoys networking with community agencies and organizations throughout Wake County that share a vested interest in community programs that benefit adults & their families at high risk for disease.

Regina has a Masters in Adult Education with her specialty in program planning & evaluation and enjoys talking to community groups about reducing risk factors for chronic diseases through prevention, maintenance and control strategies (i.e. healthy nutrition, physical activity, tobacco cessation, weight control and age-appropriate screening). Her ultimate satisfaction is linking community members to health-related resources throughout Wake County, including Alliance Medical Ministry.


CLINIC STAFF


Dr. Sheryl Joyner, Board Certified Internal Medicine

From the first day the clinic opened in January 2003, Dr. Joyner has been involved with Alliance and the mission of serving the working uninsured. Prior to joining Alliance she spent 10 years at Benson Area Medical Center.

Dr. Mike Watson, Board Certified Family Practice Physician

In the early Alliance days, Dr. Watson served as a volunteer provider, a post he happily filled for nearly 2 years. He then left to work as a full time physician at a rural North Carolina health clinic. In January 2009, Dr. Watson came back to Alliance as a part-time physician and focuses on Alliance’s Hispanic and male patient populations. He brings 18 years of community health care services with 3 separate clinics throughout rural North Carolina.

Dr. Anne McLaurin, Board Certified Family Practice Physician

After volunteering actively in Alliance’s Saturday clinic, Dr. McLaurin joined Alliance as a part-time physician in spring 2009. She has devoted 31 years to health care in Wake County, including tenures at Wake Health Services, Wake Women’s Correctional Facility, her own private practice and the SAS Institute’s Health Care Center, where she spent 13 years prior to joining Alliance.

Elisa Poulson Vicario, P.A.

Elisa has her Bachelor of Science from the College of William & Mary and attended the Duke University Physician Assistant program.

She was a healthcare volunteer in Ghana, West Africa for two years in the Peace Corps from 1983-1985. She and her husband Mike have two daughters, Elizabeth and Julian. Elisa’s motivation for working with Alliance is to share God’s love and care through the Medical Ministry.

Kim Conklin, RN

Nursing Manager

Kim received her nursing degree from Angelo State University in Texas. She first volunteered at Alliance in 2003, just after the clinic opened. In November 2004 she started working with Alliance full time as the Nurse Manager and has been here ever since. She is happy God has planted her here where she can combine her nursing skills and faith to serve.

Maria Pinto, R.N.

Maria has been a registered nurse since 1983. A native of Chile, South America, Maria joined Alliance in 2004 and finds joy in helping all her patients, with a special focus on the Hispanic population.

Robin Schroder, R.N.

Robin has been at Alliance since 2007, starting out as a volunteer. She went into nursing 30 years ago so she could help people with their health care needs.

Kimberly Peterson

Patient Services, Reception

Kimberly, also known as K.P., was one of the original employees at Alliance, and boasts to being here the 1st day the clinic opened. She moved to North Carolina from Colorado and loves her work at Alliance.

Natalie Pinto

Patient Services & Reception, Bi-lingual

Natalie was born in New Jersey but moved to North Carolina with her family by the time she started school. She graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelors in Business Administration in 2005. She joined Alliance in 2006.

Bianka Espinal

Patient Services & Reception, Bi-lingual

Bianka recently relocated from NYC. She has over 12 years experience in working on community health care needs.