Our Directors, Faculty & Staff

Mary Catherine Brake Turner, MD, FACP, FAAP
(She/her/hers)
Clinical Associate Professor
Director, Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program
Director, Transitional Care
brakem@ecu.edu

Primary Specialty: Combined Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Board Certifications: American Board of Internal Medicine; American Board of Pediatrics
Residency: Baylor College of Medicine
Medical School: Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
Professional Interests:  Transition Medicine
Current research projects:  Sub-I for Pfizer PCV20 trial NeXXstep study

Colby B. Dendy, MD, MPH, FAAP
(She/her/hers)
Associate Program Director
Clinical Assistant Professor

Primary Specialty: Combined Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Board Certifications: American Board of Internal Medicine; American Board of Pediatrics
Residency: Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University/Vidant Medical Center
Medical School: John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX
Master of Public Health: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health
Professional Interests: Physician wellness, LGBTQ+ health, global health and underserved populations, telemedicine, adolescent medicine

Lacy Hobgood, MD, FACP, FAAP
(He/him/his)
Clinical Associate Professor
Director, Adult and Pediatric Health Care
Division Chief, Medicine-Pediatrics

Primary Specialty: Combined Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Board Certifications: American Board of Pediatrics, American Board of Internal Medicine
Residency: Christiana Care Health Systems
Medical School: University North Carolina School of Medicine
Graduate School: North Carolina State University, Master of Zoology
Current research projects:  PI for Pfizer PCV20 trial NeXXstep study and Sub-I for Sanofi RSV trial VAD00001
Professional Interests:  Chronic Disease Management, Comprehensive care of children and adults, Quality Improvement.  Governor of NC Chapter of American College of Physicians, 2019 – 2023

Angie Mathai, MD, FAAP
(She/her/hers)
Clinical Associate Professor

Primary Specialty: Combined Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Board Certifications: American Board of Pediatrics, American Board of Internal Medicine
Fellowship: Michigan State University: Primary Care
Residency: Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, and Vidant Medical Center
Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine, Dominica, West Indes
Research Interests: Inpatient quality improvement related to early recognition of sick patients, medication reconciliation, early mobility
Professional Interests: Emotional intelligence

Tim Powell, MD, FACP, FAAP
(He/him/his)
Clinical Associate Professor

Primary Specialty: Combined Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Board Certifications: American Board of Internal Medicine; American Board of Pediatrics
Residency: Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Medical School: Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University
Professional Interests:  Diabetes management and mental health care in adults and children, Medical student education
Current research projects:  Sub-I for Pfizer PCV20 trial NeXXstep study

Kristi Lynn Vena
Program Administrator

Matt Ledoux, MD, FAAP
Associate Professor
Interim Vice Chair, Pediatrics
Division Chief, Pediatric Critical Care
Co-Medical Director, Maynard Children’s Hospital at Vidant Medical Center
Medical Director, ECMO
Director, Sedation
Vice Chair, Inpatient Medicine

Primary Specialty: Pediatric Critical Care
Board Certifications: Pediatric Critical Care; American Board of Pediatrics
Fellowship: University of Virginia
Residency: Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University/Vidant Medical Center (Formerly Pitt County Memorial Hospital)
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine

Jennifer Emberger, MD, MPH
Clinical Assistant Professor

Primary Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Board Certifications: American Board of Internal Medicine – Infectious Diseases, American Board of Internal Medicine, American Board of Pediatrics
Fellowship: Virginia Commonwealth University Health System
Residency: Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University/Vidant Medical Center
Medical School: University of Maryland School of Medicine
Graduate School (MPH): University of Maryland School of Medicine
Research Interests: Antimicrobial and diagnostic stewardship, Global health, transition care of HIV positive young adults

Hsiao Lai, MD
Assistant Professor

Primary Specialty: Nephrology, Internal Medicine
Board Certifications: Nephrology; American Board of Internal Medicine Pediatric Nephrology; American Board of Pediatric Nephrology
Fellowships: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH; University Hospital / VAMC of University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Residency: Lebonheur Children’s Hospital and Methodist University Hospital, Memphis, TN
Medical School: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Affiliations: American Society of Nephrology; American Society of Pediatric Nephrology; National Kidney Foundation; American Heart Association; American Society of Internal Medicine; American Academy of Pediatricians

Suzanne Lazorick, MD, MPH, FAAP
Associate Professor

Primary Specialty: Pediatrics
Board Certifications: American Board of Pediatrics, American Board of Internal Medicine, Eligible in Preventive Medicine
Fellowship: NRSA Primary Care Research and Preventive Medicine at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Residency: Combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Medical School: University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Graduate School: University of North Carolina School of Public Health
Research Interests: Obesity prevention and treatment, quality improvement, changing physician behavior, medical student education in preventive medicine and population health

Andrea Whitfield, DO
Assistant Professor

Primary Specialty: Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Board Certifications: Board Eligible, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology; Board Eligible, American Board of Pediatrics; Board Eligible, American Board of Internal Medicine
Fellowship: Medical University of South Carolina
Residency: Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University/Vidant Medical Center (Formerly Pitt County Memorial Hospital)
Medical School: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
Graduate School: MAC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Dale Newton, MD, FAAP
Professor Emeritus
Director of the PA Program at ECU