Reid Blackwelder, M.D., FAAFP
Professor & Associate Dean for Graduate and Continuing Medical Education
Learn More About Dr. Blackwelder
Dr. Blackwelder is originally from Atlanta, Georgia, but considers Northeast Tennessee his home. He graduated from Haverford College in Pennsylvania and received his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine, graduating with cum laude honors. After completing his residency and teaching fellowship at the Medical College of Georgia, he became "a simple country doctor" in Trenton, Georgia, a town of 1400. This experience opened his eyes as to how much fun practicing medicine can be, as well as revealed how bizarrely the medical education system is structured.
Dr. Blackwelder decided to return to an academic setting to try and change what he could from within the system. He uses his practice experience to fill in the gaps left by his traditional allopathic training. Dr. Blackwelder is always looking to integrate different healing systems when caring for his patients, and routinely prescribes botanical and allopathic medications, discusses exercise and nutritional issues, explores a person's emotional and spiritual support systems, and refers to other healers, such as a local practitioner of Chinese medicine and Native American healers. Moreover, he has greatly enjoyed learning osteopathic techniques in Kingsport, Tennessee.
Dr. Blackwelder and his wife, Alex, relax at their home, which is a Certified National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat with wildflowers, herbs, and a family of dogs, cats, rabbits and a fox. His hobbies include soccer, volleyball, reading and going to 18th century period rendezvous.
Pete Bockhorst, D.O.
Associate Professor
Dr. Bockhorst was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and has been raised everywhere else. He has tried to live as many lives as possible. Having tried his hand at several trades including culinary and photographic arts, none have suited him as does medicine. The opportunity to meld the arts and sciences was too enticing for him. Having finished a brilliant three years in the National Health Service Corps in a rural family medicine setting, teaching is Dr. Bockhorst's next move in finding the consummate balance in life.
Mark Brummel, D.O.
Professor, Program Director
Dr. Brummel grew up on a farm in Northern Illinois, just outside of the suburban sprawl of Chicago. He attended college locally at Northern Illinois University, and medical school at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. While he enjoyed his time moving to progressively more urban environments, he ventured to the Amish country in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for residency training. While the training was excellent, he wanted to further develop areas within family medicine that he found the most interesting and decided to stay an additional year to complete a faculty development fellowship. During this year, he dedicated most of his time and efforts to sports medicine, inpatient medicine, and osteopathic manipulation.
The next step in Dr. Brummel's journey began with his wife looking for a graduate
school to attend and ended with them both finding a wonderful opportunity to grow
and live in the region. They've enjoyed the outdoor activities, the beautiful weather,
and the excellent education for their children. Dr. Brummel encourages prospective
residents to contact him to discuss sports, outdoor activities, food, sustainable
living, or anything you might be interested in.
Greg Cooper, M.D.
Assistant Professor & Clerkship Director
Dr. Cooper was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and went to the University of Tennessee Knoxville for his undergraduate degree. He then moved to Johnson City where he would pursue his medical education at ETSU's Quillen College of Medicine and attended his residency in the Kingsport Family Medicine Program. He chose to work for ETSU Health Family Medicine Kingsport after his residency because he enjoys working in both the clinic and hospital settings. Dr. Cooper also enjoys teaching, and now he can teach both medical students and residents. He is inspired by seeing learners truly understand information. While he is not working, he enjoys running, traveling, hanging out with friends, and watching movies and TV shows.
Beth Anne Fox, M.D., MPH, CPE, FAAFP
Professor & Vice Dean
Dr. Fox was born and raised in Sevierville, Tennessee. She received her undergraduate degree in nursing at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, a certificate in nurse anesthesia and a master’s in public health before leaving nursing and returning to medical school at the Quillen College of Medicine. Dr. Fox then completed her residency in the ETSU Johnson City Family Medicine Residency Program. After three years of private practice, she returned to following her desire to make a difference in the lives of the people of Appalachia. Patients are more than medical issues, and each tells a story. Dr. Fox's love of teaching medical students and residents, as well as helping them grow professionally, had led her to the most rewarding career she could imagine.
Dr. Fox's clinical interests are clinical (human patient) simulation, women's health,
and rural health. Personally, she enjoys spending time outdoors, and participating
in activities such as hiking, traveling, and exploring craft fairs and antique stores.
Chris Galletti, M.D.
Assistant Professor - Kingsport
Dr. Galletti was raised outside of Orlando, Florida, where he was a student athlete playing football and lacrosse. He pursued his higher education in the panhandle at Florida State University. After completing his undergraduate studies in biology and psychology, he worked for a local family doctor as his medical assistant, which is where he discovered his love for family medicine. Dr. Galletti remained in Tallahassee for medical school at FSU College of Medicine. Following medical school, he moved to Southwest Florida for his family medicine residency training with FSU Fort Myers. It was during his residency when he became passionate about medical education and clinical teaching. Dr. Galletti is excited to train compassionate and knowledgeable family medicine physicians at ETSU Health Family Medicine Kingsport. Professionally, he has various clinical interests including medical informatics, sports medicine, point of care ultrasound (POCUS), lifestyle medicine and behavioral health. Personally, Dr. Galletti is a self-proclaimed chef and foodie. He also enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, watching FSU sports and caring for his freshwater aquarium.
Erin Harris, M.D.
Assistant Professor & Associate Clerkship Director
Dr. Harris has had a lengthy relationship with the Kingsport program as a student, resident, and now faculty. She returned in 2010 after three years of primary care practice in Southwest Virginia. Dr. Harris is a graduate of ETSU's Quillen College of Medicine and completed an accelerated residency in family medicine at Kingsport and Holston Valley in 2006. She had long been drawn to the diversity, complexity and continuity of family medicine and is proud to have pursued the field after medical school. Dr. Harris has lived in several areas of the country with her family, but Southwest Virginia is the place she calls "home," and she considers the Tri-Cities of Tennessee and its population an extension of that. Her professional interests include medical student education, adolescent medicine, pediatrics, and inpatient medicine.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Harris enjoys spending time with her two lovely daughters
whose natural curiosity about the world and its people is a daily inspiration. She
also loves to travel and spend time with her extended family. Closer to home, she
and her family enjoy music and dance, local food and history, and time together at
work and at play here in Northeast Tennessee. Dr. Harris encourages prospective residents
to reach out with any questions about the program or area.
Sarah Hewitt, M.D.
Assistant Professor & Medical Director
Kelly Kahle, MD
Assistant Professor - Kingsport
Bio coming soon.
Heather Newman M.D.
Assistant Professor - Kingsport
Dr. Newman was born in Livonia, Michigan, but her family moved around a lot before ending up in Loveland, Ohio, for most of her childhood. She received her undergraduate degree from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, where she played on the soccer team and in the orchestra. For medical school, Dr. Newman moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where she attended Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. While at Hopkins, she discovered that she was truly passionate about primary care in the setting of complex chronic conditions. Dr. Newman attended the AAFP's yearly family medicine conference in Kansas City. During the conference, she was fortunate enough to meet Dr. Mark Brummel at the ETSU Family Medicine booth, and eventually matched into the ETSU Kingsport Family Medicine Residency Program. While in Kingsport, she met her future family (husband and two stepsons) and stayed in Kingsport until after graduation. For four years, she worked at a federally qualified health center in Mountain City, Tennessee, while also teaching medical students in the ETSU Rural Primary Care Track. Eventually, life led her back to ETSU Health Family Medicine Kingsport, and she is dedicated to helping shape the next generation of family physicians.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Newman enjoys camping, hiking and being outdoors with family.
She's played ice hockey and soccer intermittently and has been a loyal Detroit Red
Wings fan since birth. More recently, Dr. Newman can be found cheering on her boys
in whatever athletic or musical endeavor they are engaging in.
Kaitlyn North, Pharm D
Assistant Professor - Kingsport
Dr. North is from Erwin, Tennessee. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Tennessee Knoxville and East Tennessee State University and is a proud alumna of ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy (’22). Her rotation at ETSU Health Family Medicine Kingsport as a student pharmacist led her to pursue a career in outpatient family medicine. Her first year of postgraduate training was in an outpatient-focused residency in rural South Carolina at a federally qualified health center affiliated with the University of South Carolina. Her second year of residency was specialized in ambulatory care at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.
Dr. North also serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy. Her clinical interests include cardiometabolic health, pulmonary health, and continuous glucose monitoring. She also enjoys preparing student pharmacists for postgraduate training. She is honored to be back at ETSU Health Family Medicine Kingsport to serve as clinical pharmacist faculty. Outside of practice, Dr. North enjoys spending time with her husband and Chiweenie Ruth.”