President: Nicholas Pennings, DO
Dr. Pennings is an Associate Professor and Chair of Family Medicine at CUSOM. He is Board Certified in Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine. Dr. Pennings moved from private practice into academic medicine joining the faculty of the Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2013. He serves as Chair of Family Medicine and as the director of the Campbell University Health Center. Dr. Pennings is a fellow of the Obesity Medicine Association and serves as an Executive Director for Medical Education for the Obesity Medicine Association.
Immediate Past-President: Robert Agnello
Dr. Agnello has served a member of the NCS ACOFP since 2010. He was active in the Pennsylvania associated osteopathic communities from 2001-2010. He is a graduate of the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2001. Dr. Agnello is a graduate of the Warren Hospital Family Medicine Residency program in Phillipsburg, NJ. He also participates in multiple American Academy of Osteopathy committees including the AAO Membership Committee and the AAO Economics Committee. He is currently employed as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine.
President-elect: Mary Gaffney, DO
Dr. Gaffney is a family medicine physician practicing in Charlotte with Gaffney Health Services. She graduated from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is affiliated with Novant Health Presbyterian Hospital.
Vice-President: Jordan Wong, DO
Dr. Wong is a employed with UNC Primary Care in Smithfield. He completed his residency at the Sampson Medical Regional Medical Center. In recent years, he has served in several roles at the ACOFP including the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force (now Advisory Group), Resident Council, Editorial Committee, as a reviewer for Osteopathic Family Physician, and as Resident Governor on the Board of Governors. He is a graduate of the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine, Pikeville, Kentucky.
Secretary-Treasurer: Anthony (Tony) Elkins, DO
Dr. Elkins is a graduate of the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and is Board certified in Family Medicine. He is employed with Iredell Primary Care, in Mooresville. He specializes in family medicine and musculoskeletal medicine. Dr. Elkins was awarded the NCS-ACOFP Physician of the Year Award in 2023.
Membership Chairperson: Jennifer Hill, DO
Dr. Hill is a Core Faculty Member with Harnett Health Family Medicine Residency Program. She is a graduate of the Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency at the Harnett Health Family Medicine Residency Program.
Member at Large: Gina Micchia, DO
Dr. Micchia has practiced family medicine for 25 years, 16 of which were in North Carolina. She graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is employed with Novant Health in Wake Forest, where her practice focuses on women’s health issues.
Member at Large: Slade Suchecki, DO
Dr. Suchecki is an MDVIP affiliated physician whose primary care practice serves both New Hanover and Brunswick Counties, of North Carolina. He is affiliated with Dosher Memorial Hospital and Novant Brunswick Community Hospital. Dr. Suchecki is a graduate of the United States Military Academy and the University of Pikeville-Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine (KYCOM). He is a Veteran who served in the US Army, 101st Airborne, 801st Main Support Battalion and MEDDAC. In addition to his professional affiliation with NCS-ACOFP and NCOMA, he has served as a member of the Board of Directors of NCAFP and is currently the Vice President of the Brunswick County Medical Society, and a previous member of NC Medical Board Review Panel.
CUSOM Representative: Brian Kessler, DO
Dr. Kessler is the dean of Campbell University’s Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine. Kessler was associate dean of clinical affairs for the medical school in 2011, two years before it opened its doors to students in 2013. Prior to being named Dean at CUSOM, he spent five years as the vice president, dean and chief academic officer for Lincoln Memorial University’s DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tennessee. He is the President-elect of the ACOFP Board of Governors.
Resident Representative: Theresa Mullarney-Regetz, DO
Dr. Mullarney-Regetz is a PGY 2 at the Southern Regional AHEC in Fayetteville. She is a graduate of the Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine.
Trustee Emeritus: Barbara Walker, DO
Dr. Walker received her D.O. degree from the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP), completed her Residency in Family Medicine at Womack Army Community Hospital, completed a Faculty Development in Family Medicine Fellowship at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and received a Doctor of Sciences Honoris Causa degree from Campbell University in 2011.
She retired from the United States Army as a full Colonel in 2006 after more than 25 years of service. Dr. Walker was one of the three founding physician faculty at the Family Medicine Residency in Wilmington, North Carolina and later established this as an American Osteopathic Association approved program. She has served as President of the North Carolina Osteopathic Medical Association, as a member of the AOA Board of Trustees, and the NC Medical Board.
CUSOM Student Representative: Ashely Batjer
Student Dr. Batjer is an OMS-1 at CUSOM. She is from Arlington, Texas and graduated from Baylor University in 2018 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology. She has resided in North Carolina for the last five years, and hopes to secure a placement in a Family Medicine Residency program within the state and incorporate integrative techniques into her practice.
Executive Director: Nancy Guy
Nancy has served as the Executive Director for NCS-ACOFP since 2016. In addition to her work with NCS-ACOFP, she was employed as the Director of Physician Relations and CME for the Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, and as the Director of NCOMA until December 2021. Before her employment at CUSOM, she served as the Director of the Lillington Chamber of Commerce for six years, and prior to that, worked for 30 years in county and state government.