Dr. Melvin G. Lee - Medical Director, Raleigh Urgent Care Network

Dr. Lee is a Board Certified Family Practitioner (Canada) with 26 years of experience in Family Practice; Obstetrics, Urgent and Emergent Care, and Occupational Medicine. Prior to joining RUCN, he served as the President of Metro Memphis Physicians Group - a network of six urgent care clinics that staffed eight full-time physicians, three full-time nurse practitioners, and four part-time physicians. Dr. Lee served as a Physician for Urgent Care Baptist Minor Medical in Memphis, Tennessee from 1997-2004 before accepting this promotion.

From 1981-1997, Dr. Lee owned and operated his own Family Physician practice in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada. This office based Family Medicine practice specialized in Obstetrics, Emergency Room On-Call services, Hospital Admissions and ongoing Hospital Care, house-calls, and Nursing Home care.

Dr. Lee is a member of the following associations:

Prior to his career as a physician, Dr. Lee was a Captain in the Canadian Royal Navy where he served as a Crew Commander and pilot for the Submarine and Coastal Patrol from 1969-1974.

Asheville Urgent Care:

Anna Harrelson, M.D. - Medical Director

Dr. Harrelson has served the Asheville/Hendersonville community since 2006 as a Resident at Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC), and later as a Physician at both Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care and a Hospitalist at the TST Medical Group at Pardee Hospital.  She is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Medical Academy.  In addition to her regular duties, Dr. Harrelson also served as a member of the Mission Hospital Code Blue Committee from 2006-2009.

Ossie Alvarez, RN, PA-C - Practice Manager

Urgent Care of Cary:

Christopher Van Ooteghem, MS PA-C - Practice Manager

Chris has practiced as a board certified Physician Assistant since 2004. He has worked in Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Urgent Care, providing a unique blend of experience in treating both acute and chronic diseases and maladies. He strives to provide a caring, relaxing atmosphere for each patient while working together toward optimum health and well-being.

Chris graduated from Winthrop University in 2000 with a Bachelors of Science in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. After working in research for 2 years, Chris returned to school and received a Masters in Physician Assistant Studies from South University in Savannah, GA. Chris is a member of the American Association of Physician Assistants and the North Carolina Association of Physician Assistants.

FastMed of Cary Urgent Care and Family Practice:

Sue Horlick, MS, PA-C - Practice Manager

Ms. Susan J. Horlick has been practicing medicine since 1991, and has worked in various areas including Urgent Care and Primary Care. She likes the variety that that these bring and enjoys getting to know each and every patient. Some of her patients have seen her for years. Prior to coming to RUCN, Sue worked as a pharmaceutical representative in NYC and also as a Registered Dietitian.

Sue graduated from the Duke University Physician Assistant Program in 1991 and later received her MS from Duke in 1995. She is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the North Carolina Physician Assistants and also the Triangle Academy of Physician Assistants. Sue loves to teach, and presently she teaches Physician Assistant students affiliated with ECU, Duke and other PA programs.

Sue lives in Cary with her husband and three sons.  She looks forward to meeting new people and taking care of their medical needs.

FastMed of Wake Forest:

Wendell John, MSN, FNP-C - Practice Manager

Mr. Wendell is a native of New York City. He received his Bachelor of Science in Nursing  (BSN) with a Minor in Sociology from Northeastern University in Boston, Mass where he gained  extensive experience in Trauma Intensive Care and Emergency Nursing. In 2003 he earned his Master's Degree in Nursing (MSN) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner.  His Nurse Practitioner experience includes Family Practice, Emergency Medicine and Urgent Care. His profound passion to impact the lives of others has lead him on faith based medical mission and church construction projects in Venezuela and Peru. He loves to teach future Nurse Practitioners and currently serves as Adjunct Faculty to the East Carolina University-Nurse Practitioner Program. He is also Clinical Instructor for The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-Nurse Practitioner Program.

His clinical interests include Prostate Cancer, Tuberculosis and MRSA. He enjoys spending time with his family, studying God's word, competing in Triathlons, writing and cheering for UNC.

Clayton Urgent Care:

Waseem Garbia, PA-C - Practice Manager

Waseem began his education at George Mason University leading him to the Jefferson College of Health Sciences in Roanoke VA, graduating with a Bachelors of Health Science.  With a concentration in rural health medicine, much of his experience involved providing medical care to the underserved at rural clinics along Appalachian Trail. Waseem has practiced as a board certified Physician Assistant since 2003, beginning his career in Washington DC practicing in general, plastic, and laparoscopic surgery; assisting in various surgeries and managing the surgical practice. In 2006, Waseem moved to the North Carolina, beginning work in critical and general cardiology. He joined the Raleigh Urgent Care Network in 2008, practicing emergency medicine, and is the current Practice Manager for Clayton Urgent Care. Waseem also works concurrently at Eastern Carolina's Emergency Department. He prides himself on being a caring and attentive provider to all his patients.

Fuquay Urgent Care:

Robin Elledge, PA-C - Practice Manager

Robin Elledge has been practicing medicine for over 12 years as a physician assistant. She has worked in several areas of medicine, including family practice, emergency medicine, cardiothoracic surgery and, for the last 7 years, urgent care. Robin graduated from Randolph-Macon College in 1993 with a Bachelors of Science in Chemistry, and received her Bachelors of Health Science at Methodist University in 1998.  She practiced family medicine in the Fayetteville, North Carolina area for 3 years following completion of her Bachelors of Health Science. She moved to the Raleigh area and completed her Master's Degree in Physician Assistant studies with a concentration in Urgent Care Medicine at the University of Nebraska in 2005. Upon opening Fuquay Urgent Care in 2003, she has served as the Practice Manager and lead physician assistant in the practice for the last 6 years. Robin lives just inside Holly Springs with her husband and three children.  Aside from serving the Fuquay and nearby communities' medical needs, she enjoys traveling, photography, spending time with her family and as a North Carolina native, loves Duke basketball.

Wake Urgent Care:

Dr. Wanda Godfrey - Medical Director

Dr. Godfrey Has been enjoying an active Family Practice in Johnston county since 10/93.  Before starting at Wake Urgent Care and Family Clinic in June 2004, she was at Johnston Family Care Center doing outpatient Primary Care as well as inpatient care at JMH and at area Nursing Homes.  Prior to moving south, Dr. Godfrey practiced Family Medicine and Obstetrics in Massachusetts, where she grew up.  Dr. Godfrey did her undergraduate studies at Boston University.  She then did a two year assignment in Sierra Leone, West Africa with the Peace Corps.  She attended the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine and then did her Family Practice Residency through Georgetown University in Washington, DC. She lives in Clayton with her three children who keep her very busy.

Reza Hatefi, PA-C - Practice Manager

Reza Hatefi, PA-C - Director of Provider Relations, Cedar Creek Medical Group:  Mr. Hatefi graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a B.S. in Psychology in 1992, and later attained his B.H.S. from the Physician Assistant Program at Methodist College in 2000.  He has served as a Physician Assistant at the Central Carolina Hospital Emergency Department (part-time) since 2000, and in 2004 he joined Urgent Cares of America as the Practice Manager for Wake Urgent Care in Garner.  In addition to these responsibilities, Mr. Hatefi also serves as the Director of Provider Relations for Cedar Creek Medical Group, where he is responsible for the recruitment and hiring process for new health care providers, as well as the training and review of mid-level providers within the organization.

Boone Urgent Care:

Dr. Tim Dailey - Medical Director

Dr. Dailey has served the Boone community since 2004 as both a doctor at Appalachian Family Practice, and an attending physician and PRN hospitalist at Watauga Medical Center.  He is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the North Carolina Medical Society, and he is certified with the American Board of Family Practice.  In addition to his practice, Dr. Dailey has also served on the Medical Records Committee at Watauga Medical Center since 2006.

Angie Gonder, FNP - Practice Manager

A Floridian by birth, Angie considers herself "nearly native" to Boone after having fallen in love with the area during a weekend trip in 1984 and a subsequent relocation a year later.  With the exception of a brief hiatus in Colorado to attain her Masters of Science in Nursing, Angie has been working in, living in, and caring for the Boone area for 23 years.  Her extensive resume includes service as both a Medical Surgical, Intensive Care, and Emergency Department Staff Nurse for the Watauga Medical Center.  More recently, Angie has served as a Family Nurse Practitioner in Boone at the Watauga Medical Center, at Hudson Primary Care, and at the medical practice of Dr. Hank Clay Jr. 

Hendersonville Urgent Care:

Anna Harrelson, M.D. - Medical Director

Dr. Harrelson has served the Asheville and Hendersonville community since 2006 as a resident at Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC), and later as a physician at both Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care and a Hospitalist at the TST Medical Group at Pardee Hospital.  She is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Medical Academy.  In addition to her regular duties, Dr. Harrelson also served as a member of the Mission Hospital Code Blue Committee from 2006-2009.

Ossie Alvarez, RN, PA-C - Practice Manager

Ossie Alvarez began his medical career in 1984 as an Army Medic with 11^th Special Forces Group in Miami, Florida. After his enlistment he attended Miami-Dade Community College to obtain his RN in an accelerated Nursing program where he graduated in 1991 on the Deans' list. He then attended the Physician Assistant program at the prestigious Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, PA where he graduated on the Deans' list in 1997.  Upon graduating the PA program in Philadelphia and passing his National Boards, he worked predominately in Emergency Medicine with training and practice experience in Cardiology, Interventional Radiology, and Urgent Care. He has served as Adjunct Faculty and is a founding faculty member of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicines (PCOM) Physician Assistant program. In addition, he has educated students for PCOM, Hahnemann University, and South University Physician Assistant program during their clinical rotations. Ossie has now been practicing as a Physician Assistant for 12 years. He is fluent in English and Spanish. His approach to caring for his patients is simple: he loves and treats all of his patients as if they are part of his family. Prior to coming to RUCN, Ossie previously practiced as both an Interventional Radiology PA for Asheville Radiology Associates and as the Mid-Level Provider Supervisor for Sisters of Mercy Urgent Cares in Asheville.