Faculty

	Faculty Puneet Aggarwal, MD David Agner, MD, FACP Bobby Alexander, MD Richard Bach, MD William Bockenek, MD Leon Chandler, MD Dana Conley, MD Kelly Crawford, MD Nathan Darji, DO Sima Desai, MD Michael Dove, MD Antonio Howard, MD Dukjin Im, MD Michael Kennelly, MD Timothy Miler, MD	Charles Mitchell, DO Michael Ortiz, MD Bhavesh Patel, DO Chandee Payne, DO Terrence Pugh, MD Vishwa Raj, MD Nicole Rup, MD Laura Serrano-Ortiz, MD Matthew Shall, MD Siddarth Thakur, MD J. George Thomas, MD Douglas Thommen, MD Tobias Tsai, MD Paul Withers, MD	PAs/NPs: Cheryl Bansch, NP Amber Jackson, NP Leo Phillips, PA-C Sara Sonnekalb, PA-C Shawn Van Wallandael, PA-C Jeffrey Wiggins, PA-C Research: Mark Hirsch, PhD Lorelie Johnson, PhD
Puneet K. Aggarwal, MD Medical Director, Sports Medicine & Injury Care Pain Medicine Faculty Physician Dr. Aggarwal is a graduate of the Medical College of Virginia. He completed his residency in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine. Later, he completed an Interventional Spine fellowship at Medical College of Virginia Hospital and the Sheltering Arms Spine and Sport Center. He is board-certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine and Pain Medicine. Dr. Aggarwal is an active member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, North American Spine Society and Spine Intervention Society. His primary interests are in interventional spine care, musculoskeletal and sports medicine. During his spare time, Dr. Aggarwal enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, running and swimming.

David Agner, MD General Rehabilitation Faculty Physician Dr. Agner is board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Agner completed his undergraduate degree in Pharmacy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was a member of Rho Chi, the Pharmaceutical Honor Society. Dr. Agner received his medical degree at East Carolina University and his internship in Internal Medicine at Mount Carmel Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. His residency in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation was obtained at The Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. Outside of medicine, Dr. Agner enjoys tennis, travelling and watching movies.

James R. Alexander, MD Spine and Pain Medicine Faculty Physician Dr. Alexander is an Orthopaedic Physiatrist at OrthoCarolina specializing in Spine and Pain Medicine. Dr. Alexander received his medical degree from UNC Chapel Hill in 2000 and his internship in Internal Medicine at Carolinas Medical Center in 2001. He completed his Residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Carolinas Rehabilitation in 2004. After residency, Dr. Alexander went directly to his fellowship in Interventional Physiatry in Spine and Pain Medicine at Orthopaedic Specialists of the Carolinas from 2004 to 2005.

Richard Bach, MD Stroke, General Rehabilitation Faculty Physician Dr. Bach was enrolled in a seven year BA/MD program and received his undergraduate degree in Medical Science from Boston University and his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark, NJ. He completed his internship in an Internal Medicine at Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, NJ and his residency at the Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation which is affiliated with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Bach is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. His special interests include musculoskeletal and stroke rehabilitation. He is married with two children and enjoys hiking and golfing.

Cheryl Bansch, NP Cheryl completed her undergraduate work in the Philadelphia area, receiving her bachelor’s in science (BS) in Interdisciplinary Health Services from St. Joseph’s University and then BS in Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania both with Summa Cum Laude distinction. She then worked at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in general pediatrics, integrative care, cardiac preparation and recovery, and cardiac intensive care. After transitioning to Charlotte in 2016, she continued her clinical work at Levine Children’s Hospital (LCH) as part of the surge pool team caring for the acutely, critically and chronically ill patients in the Neonatal intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit. She also worked with the Union County Public School District and Bayada Pediatrics Home Health Care. Cheryl continued her training at Vanderbilt University and received a master’s in science in Nursing (Pediatric Acute Care Specialty). Now certified as a pediatric nurse practitioner, she joined the LCH team assisting in the rehabilitation care for children of all ages.

William L. Bockenek, MD Chief Medical Officer, Carolinas Rehabilitation Chair, Department of PM&R, Carolinas Medical Center Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Fellowship Director Clinical Professor, Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. Wake Forest School of Medicine Southeast Region Chair, Dept. of PM&R, Advocate Health Specialty Medical Director, Atrium Health Medical Group Dr. Bockenek graduated medical school at the University of South Florida and completed his PMR residency at Rutgers NJ Medical School and the Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation. He is a Clinical Professor at Carolinas Medical Center and an adjunct Professor at Wake Forest University. He is certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Spinal Cord Injury Medicine by the ABPMR, as well as Electrodiagnostic Medicine by the ABEM. He is also certified by the Certifying Commission in Medical Management as a Certified Physician Executive (CPE). When the first PM&R residents arrived at CR/CMC in 1992, he was the residency program director and remained in that role for 15 years, prior to handing the baton to Dr. Nguyen in 2006. One of the proudest achievements of his career was being a recipient of the Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award (sponsored by the ACGME) in 2004. He is a former member and vice-chair of the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, where he was chair of the Spinal Cord Injury Medicine committee and MOC committee, for many years. He was also a member and Chair of the Residency Review Committee for PMR within the ACGME and following his term on the RRC, chaired the committee that developed the initial ACGME PMR Milestones for the Next Accreditation System. He is also previously served on the Board of the American Paraplegia Society, the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals and the American Spinal Injury Association. He is the currently the director of the Program for Academic Leadership within the Association of Academic Physiatrists. Dr. Bockenek enjoys hiking, bicycling, kayaking and spending time with his family and friends in the NC mountains.

Leon Chandler, MD Medical Director, Consult Services Faculty Physician Dr. Chandler completed his undergraduate studies at The Johns Hopkins University with a BA in Public Health / Natural Sciences. He is a graduate of the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate College of Medicine. He completed his internship in Internal Medicine at Staten Island University Hospital and his residency in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Temple University Hospital. Dr. Chandler is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation as well as subspecialty board certified in Brain Injury Medicine. He has been an exam question writer for The American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR) written examination as well as an oral boards examiner for the ABPMR. Dr. Chandler is an active member of the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) and has been a member of its Education Committee and Global Academic Physiatry Task Force. He has been a workshop moderator and course director at the AAP annual meeting. He is also a member of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine and its World Health Organization Liaison Work Group for Capacity Building of the Rehabilitation Workforce in Low Resource Countries. Dr. Chandler is also a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina. Dr. Chandler’s main clinical interests are concussion, stroke and general physiatry. His other clinical interests include obesity management and wellness in the rehabilitation patient population. Dr. Chandler has attained additional certifications in acupuncture, obesity medicine and independent medical examinations. His areas of educational focus are on teaching quality improvement (QI) methodology as QI curriculum director for the Carolinas Medical Center Department of PM&R Residency Program; and as the rotation director for the inpatient PM&R consult service at CMC. His proudest moment at Atrium Health was receiving a departmental teaching award from the residency program. Dr. Chandler enjoys taking walks with his wife and 3 children. He is a “semi-retired” ITF Taekwondo black belt and enjoys rooting for his favorite teams including Manchester United, the Lakers, Mets and NY Giants.

Dana Conley, MD Spinal Cord Injury Faculty Physician Dr. Dana Conley received her undergraduate degree from Davidson College in Davidson, NC. She received her medical degree from University of South Carolina School of Medicine- Greenville, SC in 2017. She completed an Internal Medicine Internship at Greenville Health System in Greenville, SC in 2018. She completed residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Carolinas Medical Center/Atrium Health in Charlotte, NC where she served as a chief resident and graduated in 2021. During her spare time, Dr. Conley enjoys reading, staying active, watching baking shows and spending time with her daughter, husband, friends and family.

Kelly Crawford, MD Program Director, PM&R Residency Program Medical Director, Brain Injury Medicine Dr. Crawford received her undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Exercise and Sports Science, Kinesiology and subsequent Masters Degree in Pharmacology from Tulane University. She received her medical degree from The Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University. She completed her residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Cincinnati where she served as Chief Resident. Following her residency, she completed her fellowship training in Brain Injury Medicine (including traumatic brain injury and concussion management) at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Crawford is board certified in the specialty of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Brain Injury Medicine. She is an active member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the Association of Academic Physiatrists and the North American Brain Injury Society. Her clinical interests include spasticity, concussion and neurorehabilitation. Dr. Crawford is a football enthusiast and enjoys cheering for the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cincinnati Bengals. She also enjoys movies and spending time with her family and friends.

Nathan Darji, DO Brain Injury Medicine Faculty Physician Dr. Darji comes to Atrium Health following completion of an ACGME accredited Brain Injury Medicine Fellowship program at Harvard Medical School/Spaulding Rehabilitation Network in Boston, MA. He completed his preliminary internship in Internal Medicine at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, IL and his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, where he served as the Administrative Chief Resident. Dr. Darji received his medical degree from Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, IL. He completed his undergraduate degree in Neuroscience from University of Michigan- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in Ann Arbor, MI. His clinical interests include traumatic brain injuries, disorders of consciousness, stroke, neurorehabilitation, concussion and spasticity management. During his spare time, Dr. Darji enjoys cooking, exercising and traveling.

Sima Desai, MD Fellowship Director, Brain Injury Medicine Faculty Physician Dr. Sima Desai received her undergraduate degree from Emory University in Atlanta, GA, subsequently received her masters degree in Pharmacology from Tulane University and her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine. She completed an Internal Medicine internship at Flushing Medical Center in Flushing, NY and residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Tufts Medical Center where she served as Associate Chief Resident. Following residency, she completed a fellowship in Brain Injury Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Dr. Desai is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the Association of Academic Physiatrists and the North American Brain Injury Society. Her clinical interests include traumatic brain injury, stroke, neurorehabilitation and spasticity. During her spare time, Dr. Desai enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, baking and trying new food in Charlotte.

Michael Dove, MD Clinical Assistant Professor, Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, Wake Forest University Sports Medicine and Injury Medicine Pain Medicine Faculty Physician Dr. Michael Dove is an Interventional Physiatrist at Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute Sport Medicine. He received his undergraduate degree in Health Science at the University of Miami and post baccalaureate studies at Dominican University. He completed his medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University and his transitional year internship at Mercy Catholic Medical Center. He completed his Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency at University of Miami, where he was Chief Resident during his final year. Dr. Dove completed a Pain Medicine fellowship at the University of Virginia. Outside of medicine, Dr. Dove is a big fan of his hometown Chicago sports teams and University of Miami Hurricanes. He enjoys working out, golfing, spending time with family and smoking ribs, brisket and pulled pork.

Antonio T. Howard, MD Sports Medicine Faculty Physician “I believe that medicine is my calling. It is my sincere pleasure to help patients in the pursuit of restoring or maximizing function at the same time as minimizing the risk of injury and illness.” Dr. Howard decided that he wanted to be a Sports Medicine doctor when he was 12 years old. His primary training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation focused on restoring and maximizing function after illness and injury. These tenets are foundational to his approach in caring for patients. His clinical focus is the non-operative management of orthopedic complaints, nerve disorders and injuries related to sport or work activity. In addition to patient education, he offers advice about activity modification and prescribes therapeutic exercise, bracing and orthotics, as needed. He also performs nerve conduction studies and ultrasound-guided procedures. Dr. Howard received his medical degree at the University of the West Indies, Barbados. He completed his PMR residency training at Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx NY and his fellowship training in Sports Medicine at Summa Health System, Akron OH. Dr. Howard is certified with the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with added qualification in Sports Medicine. In addition to his clinical training, Dr. Howard also brings his experience as a former junior national track and field athlete and team physician for Barbados to the Central American and Caribbean games. Dr. Howard’s research interests include foot and ankle injuries. During his spare time, Dr. Howard enjoys cycling, tennis, movies, reading and hiking.

Mark A. Hirsch, PhD, FACRM Senior Scientist Director, Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Lab Director, Department of PM&R Residency Research Education Program Dr. Hirsch is a movement scientist. He was awarded a PhD from Florida State University (at age 29) and completed an NIH T32 post-doctoral fellowship in neurorehabilitation research at Johns Hopkins Hospital, in the Department of PM&R. He completed advanced training in Parkinson disease in the Department of Neurology at Dusseldorf University, Germany. His current research interests are in gait and balance and in exercise-induced neuroplasticity, mostly in Parkinson disease. Dr. Hirsch conducted pioneering research on patient/provider/scientist collaboration. His contributions to the field of exercise and Parkinson diseases have changed the clinical rehabilitative management of patients with PD. Dr. Hirsch was appointed Fellow of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. He provides leadership on a variety of ACRM committees including the Neurodegenerative Diseases group. He enjoys spending time with his wife, two boys and salsa dancing.

Dukjin Im, MD Faculty Physician Pediatric Rehabilitation at Levine Children’s Hospital Dr. Im received his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from John Hopkins University. He obtained his medical degree, residency and fellowship at University of Michigan (UM) located in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he also became board certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. Dr. Im is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine and the Association of Academic Physiatrists. He has special interests in spasticity management and disability issues where he spent 15 years doing summer camps for children with special needs. In his spare time, Dr. Im enjoys spending time with his wife and three children.

Amber Jackson, NP Amber completed her bachelor degree in Nursing at Marquette University Wisconsin. She earned her Masters of Science in Nursing major in Adult Acute Care at the same university. Immediately after completing her nursing degree, Amber joined Aurora Medical Center Grafton, WI and worked as a registered nurse at the Medical/Surgical Cardiac and Neurology step-down unit. Amber joined Atrium Health in 2019 and currently works with Traumatic Brain Injury patients. Amber is ACNP board certified with certifications in cardiovascular and pain management nursing. In her spare time, Amber enjoys quality time with her family and their golden poodle, George.

Lorelei Johnson, PhD Research Scientist Dr. Johnson completed her clinical training in speech-language pathology in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and went on to earn her doctoral degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of South Carolina. Her training during that time focused on examining the neurobiology of language as well as clinical studies of post-stroke aphasia. She then completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Center for the Study of Aphasia Recovery at the University of South Carolina to gain further training in neuroimaging analysis techniques. Dr. Johnson's research interests include post-stroke aphasia treatment and recovery, long-term quality of life and neuroimaging and noninvasive brain stimulation techniques with an overarching goal of improving the lives of individuals living with aphasia.

Michael J. Kennelly, MD, FACS Clinical Professor, Department of Urology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Atrium Health - Carolinas Medical Center Director, Charlotte Continence Center & Cabarrus Vista Continence Center Director of Urology, Carolinas Rehabilitation Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Atrium Health Women’s Care Urogynecology and Reconstructive Surgery Dr. Michael J. Kennelly is fellowship trained and board-certified urologist with subspecialty certification in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Kennelly has authored or coauthored several journal articles, book chapters and educational videos in the areas of urinary incontinence and neurourology and has lectured extensively on these topics. A Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, he is also a member of 10 professional organizations and holds several leadership positions. He is a Board of Director of the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction and Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals. He is the current President of the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, Past President of the American Paraplegic Society, Past President of the American Spinal Injury Association, in addition to recent Past Chairman of the Bladder Health Committee for the AUA Urology Care Foundation. His interests are in the medical and surgical treatment of urinary incontinence and other types of voiding dysfunction, neuromodulation, prolapse repair, complex redo female urologic surgery, neurourology and fistula repair. He participates in numerous clinical trials and regularly serves as organizer, invited lecturer and visiting professor at local, national and international events.

Timothy B. Miller, MD Stroke and General Rehabilitation Medicine Faculty Physician Dr. Miller received his undergraduate and medical degree from Louisiana State University. He completed his internship in Internal Medicine at Earl K. Long Medical Center and his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at New York University’s Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine. Following residency, he became the medical director of an inpatient rehabilitation center in Louisiana. Dr. Miller is board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. His clinical interests include stroke rehabilitation and electrodiagnostic medicine. Dr. Miller is married with two daughters and one son. He enjoys playing basketball, traveling and watching Louisiana State University football.

Charles Mitchell, DO Cancer Rehabilitation Faculty Physician Dr. Mitchell graduated with honors from the DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medical School in 2014. During medical school he was inducted into Sigma Sigma Phi (the honorary Osteopathic service fraternity), earned an MBA from the Lincoln Memorial University and taught for an additional year as an OMM/Anatomy Teaching Fellow at his medical school. He later graduated from the University of Cincinnati's PM&R residency program in 2018. During residency he was awarded the Arnold P. Gold Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award and participated in several research projects, including a retrospective pediatric cancer rehabilitation chart review and a prospective robotic intervention for post-stroke hemi-neglect. Dr. Mitchell's career interests are in cancer rehabilitation, transitional care for pediatric to adult cancer survivorship and medical technologies for rehab medicine. In his free time, he enjoys biking nature trails, exploring local food fairs and festivals and travelling to National Parks.

Michael Ortiz, MD Spinal Cord Injury, Prosthetics and Orthotics Faculty Physician Dr. Ortiz received his undergraduate degree from Emory University in Atlanta, GA and his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH. He completed an Internal Medicine Internship at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, GA and residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at University of Utah in Salt Lake City where he served as Chief Resident and graduated in 2019. Following residency, he completed a fellowship in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine at Harvard Medical School/Spaulding/VA Boston in Boston, MA. During his spare time, Dr. Ortiz enjoys sport climbing, bouldering, running, hiking, painting and studies in Greek/Roman/Norse mythology.

Bhavesh Patel, DO Cancer Rehabilitation Faculty Physician Dr. Patel completed his medical degree at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Spartanburg, SC and his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at John Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD. Dr. Patel completed a Cancer Fellowship here at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, Department of PM&R-Carolinas Rehabilitation. Outside of medicine Dr. Patel enjoys travelling with his wife and children, trying new restaurants, yoga and weightlifting, watching and playing football, basketball and volleyball.
Chandee Payne, DO Stroke Medicine and Ortho Amputation Medicine Faculty Physician Dr. Payne received her undergraduate degree in Athletic Training/Sports Medicine from Lenoir Rhyne University and her osteopathic medical degree from VCOM Virginia Tech. She completed her residency in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Carolinas Rehabilitation in Charlotte NC. Dr. Payne is a member of the American Medical Association, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Association for Academic Physiatrists. Her special interests include musculoskeletal and neurologic rehabilitation, lymphedema, prosthetics and orthotics. During her spare time, Dr. Payne enjoys cycling and weight training. She also enjoys traveling, hiking and scuba diving with her husband Steve.



Leo Phillips, PA-C Leo completed his BS in Kinesiology and Health Science, with a minor in Public Health with Cum Laude distinction, at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg. After graduating, he focused his work on healthcare, spending a great deal of time at the Sheltering Arms Institute in Richmond as a rehabilitation technician and wheelchair and seating specialist. Leo returned to school and graduated with a master’s in health sciences from Duke University, after which he received his National Physician Assistant Certification. Leo has the edge of using his previous skills in rehabilitation to help our patients with their medical, functional and mobility needs.
Terrence Pugh, MD Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, Wake Forest School of Medicine PM&R Medical Student Clerkship Director, Wake Forest School of Medicine Director of Oncology Rehabilitation, Carolinas Rehabilitation Vice-Chief of Cancer Rehabilitation, Section of Cancer Rehabilitation, Department of Supportive Oncology – Atrium Health Levine Cancer Dr. Pugh received his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and his medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine at UAB Hospital in Birmingham. He completed an Internal Medicine internship at the UAB-Montgomery Internal Medicine Residency Program. He completed his residency in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Carolinas Rehabilitation where he served as Chief Resident and joined the faculty at Carolinas Rehabilitation focusing on Cancer Rehabilitation. Dr. Pugh is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the Association for Academic Physiatrists and the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. During his spare time, Dr. Pugh enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching and participating in all types of sports, traveling, music and movies.

Vishwa Raj, MD Clinical Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, Wake Forest School of Medicine Chief, Section of Rehabilitation, Dept. of Supportive Care, The Levine Cancer Institute Medical Director, Cancer Rehabilitation Vice-Chair for Clinical Operations, Dept. of PM&R, Carolinas Medical Center Director, Cancer Rehabilitation Fellowship Dr. Raj received his undergraduate degree in biophysical chemistry from Princeton University and his medical degree from the Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He completed his internship in internal medicine at Abington Memorial Hospital in Abington, Pennsylvania and his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Dr. Raj is currently the Medical Director at Carolinas Rehabilitation and Vice-Chair of Clinical Operations for the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. He is also the Chief of Oncology Rehabilitation for the Levine Cancer Institute. Dr. Raj provides cancer rehabilitation services on both an inpatient and outpatient basis, with specific emphasis on lymphedema management, hematological malignancy and neurological tumor rehabilitation. Dr. Raj is active in many regional and national initiatives regarding the rehabilitation of oncology patients and participates in research activities relating to functional improvement for individuals suffering from cancer. His program was the first ever accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for cancer rehabilitation. He is also very involved in national initiatives relating to health care reform, patient accessibility and utilization for inpatient rehabilitation in the United States.

Nicole Rup, MD Medical Director, Carolinas Rehabilitation-Northeast Dr. Rup received her undergraduate degree in Human Physiology from Boston University, summa cum laude and her medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC. She completed her internship in Internal Medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, IL and her residency in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC). Dr. Rup is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Association of Academic Physiatrist. Her special interests include Neuro-Rehabilitation and Stroke Rehabilitation. Dr. Rup is married with two children and enjoys running & baking.

Laura Serrano-Ortiz, MD Spinal Cord Injury Faculty Physician Dr. Serrano-Ortiz received her undergraduate degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology from University of Puerto Rico with Magna Cum Laude distinction. She completed her medical degree at Ponce Health Sciences University, where she graduated with Clinical Distinction. After medical school, she stayed in Puerto Rico for residency in PM&R at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus. She then spent one year in fellowship training in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine at the University of Texas Houston McGovern Medical School and The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR). Dr. Serrano-Ortiz has an exceptional track record in education and research, and a wide range of clinical interests including those relevant to the care of SCI patients, including the management of bowel and bladder, spasticity, and mobility.

Matthew B. Shall, MD Director, Carolinas Rehabilitation, Mount Holly Associate Residency Program Director Medical Director, Stroke Program Dr. Shall earned his undergraduate degree from Miami University and his Doctorate of Medicine from the Medical University of Ohio. He completed his internship in Internal Medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School before completing his residency in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Carolinas Rehabilitation where he served as Chief Resident. Following his residency, Dr. Shall joined a private practice in Seattle, Washington, before returning home to become Medical Director of Carolinas Rehabilitation, Mount Holly. Dr. Shall is board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Association of Academic Physiatrists. In addition to numerous volunteer activities, Dr. Shall enjoys spending time with his wife and three beautiful children, riding bikes, golfing, traveling, watching movies and rooting for The Ohio State University.

Sara Sonnekalb, PA-C Sara has been practicing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation since 2016, with a focus on stroke recovery, amputees and general debility. She completed her master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies in 2016 at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, NC. Prior to this, Sara earned bachelor degrees in Athletic Training [Physical Education], as well as Health Sciences from SUNY Brockport in 2003, graduating with Cum Laude honors. She earned a Master’s degree in Developmental Kinesiology, concentrating in Exercise Physiology, from Bowling Green State University in 2005. She has 10 years of experience working in Sports Medicine with athletic teams, including 4 years as Head Athletic Trainer at Nation Ford High School in Fort Mill, SC. She was also an instructor at Catawba College in Salisbury, NC where she taught First Aid & CPR, Rehabilitation Techniques and Therapeutic Exercise. Sara's professional interests include nutrition, sports medicine and community health/wellness. In her spare time, she enjoys tennis, biking, live music and trying new restaurants.

Siddarth Thakur, MD Spine and Sports Medicine Faculty Physician Dr. Siddarth Thakur obtained his undergraduate degree from Tulane University and subsequently received a Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Fellowship from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He received his medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine. He completed a transitional year internship at Wayne State University School of Medicine and residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Thakur completed a fellowship in Pain Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Outside of medicine, Dr. Thakur enjoys playing tennis, eating Indian cuisine and spending time with family and friends.

J. George Thomas, MD Clinical Associate Professor, Dept. of Orthopedics a& Rehabilitation, Wake Forest University Medical Director, Pineville Rehabilitation Hospital, Atrium Health Pineville Dr. Thomas received his medical degree from Trivandrum Medical College in Kerala, India. He completed his internship in Internal Medicine at St. Francis Hospital and his residency in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at University of Missouri School of Medicine. Following residency, he completed a fellowship in spinal cord injury medicine at the University of Miami School of Medicine/Jackson Memorial Hospital. Subsequently, he became an attending physician on the inpatient rehabilitation unit and teaching faculty for the PM&R residency program at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics and has won several teaching awards from graduating residents. Dr. Thomas is board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and received a subspecialty certification in spinal cord injury, burns rehabilitation and wound care. He is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the American Paraplegia Society. His clinical interests include the use of neuropharmacology in cerebral injuries, spinal cord injury, burn rehabilitation and wound care. Dr. Thomas is married with two daughters and enjoys photography, traveling and playing soccer.

Douglas M. Thommen, MD Stroke, Orthotics and Amputation Medicine Faculty Physician Dr. Thommen received his undergraduate degree from The University of Richmond, Virginia in Biology & Chemistry. He received his medical doctorate from The University of Medicine & Dentistry, New Jersey, where he also completed his Internal Medicine Internship. He then finished his Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation residency program in 2008 at the JFK-Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, in New Jersey, where he was Chief Resident. Dr. Thommen is board certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and he is a member of the American Academy of PM&R and the Association of Academic Physiatrists. His clinical interests include prosthetics & orthotics, amputation medicine, gait analysis, stroke rehabilitation and spasticity management with botulinum toxin. Dr. Thommen is married with a son and two daughters. He enjoys running, hiking, boating, rock climbing, mountain biking, snowboarding, reading, puzzles, legos and playing guitar.

Tobias Tsai, MD Medical Director, Pediatric Rehabilitation at Levine Children’s Hospital Dr. Tsai received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University. He completed his internship at University of Rochester and his residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Tsai is nationally recognized as a leader in Pediatric Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, providing comprehensive services for children of all ages who have experienced a debilitating illness or injury. His clinical interests include cerebral palsy and brain injury. Dr. Tsai has presented at national and international medical conferences and is a member of many pediatric and rehabilitation medical organizations. Dr. Tsai is married and has a son and daughter and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Shawn Van Wallendael, PA-C Shawn completed his undergraduate degree in chemistry from University of Rochester, NY and his masters and doctorate degree in chemistry at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. He completed his degree in Physician Assistant with academic distinction at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC. He has been a member of Carolinas Rehabilitation for more than 20 years where he started as CNA in 1994 and transitioned to Physician Assistant in 2000. He has assisted the physicians in stroke, pediatric, orthopedic, oncology and spinal cord rehabilitation. Those from the Salisbury area may recognize him from his numerous stage appearances with Piedmont Players and the St. Thomas Players. Besides amateur theater, Shawn’s other interests include chess/games and spelunking.

Jeffrey M. Wiggins, PA-C Jeff received his undergraduate degree in biology from Georgia Southern University and earned his masters degree to become a Physician Assistant at South University in Savannah. Prior to PA school, he worked as a physical therapist assistant for almost seven years. He has been on staff at Carolinas Rehabilitation since June 2004. A member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the National Stroke Association, Jeff is certified through the National Commission of Physician Assistants. Jeff enjoys spending time with his family, watching sporting events, traveling, listening to live jazz and the outdoors.

Paul Withers, MD Stroke and General Rehabilitation Medicine Faculty Physician Dr. Withers received his undergraduate degree in biological sciences and Master of Arts in teaching from the University of Indianapolis and his medical degree from Indiana University. He completed his residency in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation from Wayne State University in Taylor, Michigan. Dr. Withers is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Association for Academic Physiatrists. His areas of interests include musculoskeletal and neurologic rehabilitation. During his spare time, Dr. Withers enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter traveling and hiking. When at home, he also enjoys board games, Frisbee and playing with his pet tortoise, Sonic.

About Atrium Health

Careers

For Employees

For Providers

For Employers

Residency Programs

Faculty

About Atrium Health

Careers

For Employees

For Providers

For Employers