Dana Sayre-Stanhope, Ed.D, PA-C. - Program Director

Virginia Joslin, PA-C, MPH - Division Chief, Physician Assistant Program; Coordinator of Development, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine

My Background

I grew up in Syracuse, New York, well known for having the cloudiest days in the nation. No wonder I stayed in Atlanta since discovering the wonderful climate and long growing season, when we moved here in 1979. I have been married to the same man for 34 years, who loves to fly his plane, and we have a son,  a  daughter, and one grandchild. I attended Washington College on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and LeMoyne College in Syracuse. My husband has been in sales and management since we married, thus we have lived in many locations: Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, and New Hampshire. I graduated from the Emory University PA Program in 1983, and began working as a PA in ENT Surgery. In 1984 I joined the PA Program faculty as Academic Coordinator. In 1986, I began working 1 half-day per week in General Internal Medicine at one of the Grady Hospital Neighborhood Health Clinics. In 1991, in addition to working on my master’s degree, I became the acting Program Director. I received a Master’s in Public Health: Behavioral Science and Health Education from the Rollins School of Public Health in 1992. I became the full-time Program Director in 1995. During the summer of 2007 I moved to an exciting new role, that of Division Chief, Physician Assistant Program,  and Coordinator of Development, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine.

My Interests

I love to garden flowers, especially roses and dahlias, and vegetables. Formerly a competitive tennis player, I find exercise an essential life activity, and now swim laps regularly since arthritis ended my tennis. I love classical and new age music, reading historical fiction, sailing in Maine, and spending time with my family. One of my greatest joys is teaching PA students, particularly Geriatrics. I am a firm believer that students need to be nurtured and supported as they try to balance their personal life with their professional training, and also in the team approach.

Theresa Berry, MD, M.Ed. - Medical Director

My Background

“Remember to feed the horses before school this morning.” “Yes, mom.” And another day had begun. I grew up in Marietta, Georgia when there was still farm land, before the shopping malls and people took over.  And as a “good Southern daughter”, I attended the University of Georgia and received my Bachelor’s of Science in Agriculture.  I stayed another year there and earned my Masters in Secondary Science Education.   After teaching high school science (everything except Chemistry and Physics) for a number of years in Virginia and Maryland, I decided to further my education and return to school.  I attended the University of Maryland School of Medicine and in 1997 received my MD degree from that institution. My husband and I, however, were itching to “go home” and so we journeyed to Atlanta to a residency  in Obstetrics and Gynecology.  Life has a way of happening to you and so it was that during my intern year I had a difficult pregnancy which resulted in time off from residency, a preterm delivery, and a career change to Family Medicine.  I completed my residency in Family Medicine, went on to a Faculty Development Fellowship, and joined the faculty of that Department lending my talents to the educational aspects of training health care providers.  Currently, I teach Physician Assistant Students, Medical Students and Family Medicine Residents. 

My Interests

Of late, my interests have been shaped through the eyes of my five year-old son’s love for fire trucks.  Something, I’m told, he inherited from his father.  We can often be seen at local fire departments checking out the pumper engines and ladder trucks.  I also enjoy cooking and gardening with plants native to Georgia.  Of importance to me is balancing my  professional career with being a mom, wife, sister and friend.

Liz Valdes, PA-C, MMSc  - Clinical Coordinator

My Background

I was raised in Southeastern Florida where the balmy breezes and sandy beaches are well known. I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology on Florida’s west coast at the University of South Florida. While attending college I was married and had two wonderful daughters. After being in the work force for several years, I decided it was time to follow my “calling” and begin a career in medicine. In 1996, I entered into the Emory PA Program. Since graduating, I have been working in Family Practice in Lilburn, GA. Very recently, I returned to Emory to join the PA Program faculty as Clinical Coordinator.

My Interests

Marquitha Mayfield, PA-C, M.Ed. - Academic Coordinator

My Background

I am a native Georgian and grew up in  the “city by the shore”,  Savannah.  After completing high school there, I came to Atlanta to attend Emory University.  Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would still be at Emory some 30 years later.  While an undergrad student at Emory College, I was introduced to the “new” career path of being a Physician Assistant by PA students taking classes with me.  I subsequently elected to join them and graduated in Emory’s fourth class in 1976 with a Bachelor of Medical Science Degree.  My first job as a PA was at Emory Clinic doing clinical research.  Since then, I have held a variety of clinical, administrative and academic positions, which has included serving as   Director of Family Planning, OB-GYN Clinic Director, a Surgical Assistant in Ophthalmology and in Vascular Surgery and a Family Practice PA.  In 1980 I joined the faculty at Morehouse School of Medicine in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine where I was a Clinical Instructor and also served as Director of the Community Health Unit.  After 5 years, I transferred to the Department of Internal Medicine where I served as Academic Coordinator for their clinical medicine courses and also taught second year medical students interview and physical exam skills for 5 years.  While at Morehouse I also completed a Master of Education degree at Georgia State University in 1986.   In 1991, I joined the faculty at the Emory PA program as Assistant Professor and Academic Coordinator.   I have been married for over 30 years and my husband and I have 3 adult daughters, (2 of whom are also married.) and one grandchild.  We look forward to our last daughter graduating from Emory this year. My husband and I live in Lithonia, approximately 18 miles from Emory, where we share 6 acres with the deer, wild foxes, a family of wild rabbits and huge hawks.

My Interests

In my spare time, I can usually be found with a tool belt strapped to my waist happily working on some home remodeling project or in my workshop, building furniture.  I have also worked with my husband building houses for homeless Vets.   My kids often remind me that there were times they would have to introduce me to their friends from my perch either on the roof or in the crawl space under a house.  My husband and I like to travel and recently completed a trip to South Africa.  I also like working with computers, watching PBS network programs and reading about the history of different world cultures. 

Karen Newell, PA-C, MMSc- Academic Coordinator

Background

I was born and raised in Golden, Colorado (home of Coors Beer). I graduated from Colorado State University in 1986 with a double major in biology and zoology and a double minor in anatomy and music. I completed the Emory PA Program in 1989 and the Norwalk Hospital/ Yale University School of Medicine Post-Graduate PA Surgical Residency Program in 1990. I have worked clinically in a variety of positions including Cardiothoracic Surgery, Emergency Medicine (Grady Hospital) and Orthopedic Surgery. I joined the faculty in 1995.

Interests

In addition to being a PA, I am a musician (percussion). I teach private lessons, am a drum line instructor for high school marching band and frequently perform locally in various settings. I am an avid contemporary jazz listener as well as a former member and frequent follower of the drum and bugle corps activity and indoor drum line competitions. I have also always been interested in mammals, insects, fish and amphibians. Consequently, we have a dog (Espresso), a cat (Frisky) and several fresh and salt water aquariums/terrariums going at any given moment. The last several years, I have been very busy with my two young sons and all of their various interests such as soccer, baseball, gymnastics and swimming.

Terry Mize, PA-C, MMSc- Director of Development / Admissions

My Background

Catherine Wilson Dragon, PA-C, MMSc - Clinical Coordinator

My Background

I was born and raised in Memphis, TN. I travel there frequently to visit family still living there, and yes I have seen the real Elvis walking around Memphis- but that was when I was a teenager and thought the Beatles were the best things on earth. I did enjoy Memphis’ rich musical heritage while growing up and try to make it down to Beale Street when I am home to listen to the blues. From Memphis I went to Connecticut College and then University of Colorado in Boulder. I lived in Colorado for 5 years and when I moved to Atlanta I completed my Bachelor’s degree in 1980 through the Emory PA Program. After graduation I worked in the Winship Clinic in Surgical Oncology at Emory University Hospital and later in Plastic Surgery. I joined the Emory PA faculty in 1986 and have served as Clinical Coordinator for many years. I enjoy watching the students mature clinically and professionally. I earned my Master of Medical Science degree in 2003. I am very interested in the intersection of health and human rights. I currently work one half day a week in the AVON Comprehensive Breast Center, Georgia Cancer Center of Excellence at Grady Memorial Hospital.

My Interests

Tom Himelick, PA-C, MMSc - Director of Community Projects and Co-Coordinator of the Career Master of Medical Science Program; Coordinator, South GA Farmworker Health Project; Webmaster

Allan Platt, PA-C, MMSc - Co-Coordinator of the Career Master of Medical Science Program, Advanced Didactic Coordinator

My Background

William H. Bryson, PA-C, MMSc - Part-time Faculty; Advanced Didactic Coordinator

My Background

In August of 2001, I moved from my comparatively small hometown in North Carolina to the big city of Atlanta to begin Emory’s Physician Assistant Program.  Prior to that time, I had spent my entire life in the Triangle area of central North Carolina – Durham, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh.  I graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1996 with a degree in Health Policy and Administration.  After graduation, I quickly realized that I was much more interested in the clinical side of healthcare.  For several years, I worked for Orange County Emergency Medical Services responding to 911 calls and the Duke University Department of Medicine conducting clinical research into two of the leading preventable causes of death in the United States - obesity and tobacco abuse.

I was drawn to Emory because of the program’s focus on primary care in underserved populations.  Having worked extensively with low-income populations as a Community Shelter Coordinator in North Carolina, Emory’s mission struck a cord with me – I wanted to serve where the need was greatest.  Emory seemed a perfect fit for me – a feeling which has turned out to be true for many reasons.  While at Emory, I met my wife - also an Emory PA!  After 28 months of training, I graduated in December 2003, having developed an interest in Academic Medicine.  Still fresh from graduation, I began a full-time six-month Faculty Fellowship with the PA program.  I now have the perfect job, combining all my interests in patient care and academics.  Three days per week, I am in clinical practice at the Emory South Dekalb Clinic, an outpatient family medicine setting.  Two days each week, I work for the PA program tutoring and teaching first year students in their Clinical Medicine courses, conducting rotation site visits and Board review sessions for clinical year students, and directing two of the senior year courses.

My Interests

I grew up half way between the beach and the mountains – a great place for my favorite hobbies – fishing, hiking, and skiing.  However, once arriving in Atlanta and discovering the many opportunities a metro area offers, I have not looked back once although I still sneak away for a weekend in the nearby mountains or at the coast as often as possible!