Lawrence J. Lutz, MD, MSPH
Professor and Department Chair

Dr. Lutz graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor degree in Computer and Communication Sciences and received his medical degree at Wayne State University. After residency, he was a Robert Wood Johnson fellow at the University of Utah where he did his Preventive Medicine training. At various times at Utah, he was the FP Program Director, Division Chief, and Fellowship Director. While at the University of Colorado, he was the Director of ASPN, a multi-national, clinic-based research network. He is the founding chair of the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at Emory.

“I came here to develop a program that would take advantage of the many resources and opportunities available to those training in Family Medicine.”

Susan C. Schayes, MD
Assistant Professor,
Division Chief Emory Family Medicine

Dr. Schayes went to  medical school at the University of Alberta, and then completed Residency Training at Queen’s University, in Kingston, Ontario. She enjoys working and living in a warmer climate than her Canadian roots. She is the Division Chief for Family Medicine at Emory, and the previous Program Director. Dr. Schayes is passionate about Family Medicine, her Family and International travel.  She is able to combine her three passions with working in the cruise line industry. Dr. Schayes is particularly proud to be with a “destination residency program”, “a program of excellence” and the “best program in the South” in Family Medicine.

“Emory truly is the best- and can do more with your talent than any other Family Medicine Program.“

Wayne Blount, MD, MPH
Professor

Wayne Blount, MD, MPH is Professor & is double boarded in Family Medicine and in Preventive Medicine. Undergraduate education was West Point; medical school was Univ of Miami; internship & residency were Dewitt Army Hopspital, Ft. Belvoir VA.; faculty development fellowship was Madigan Army Medical Center and the Univ. of Washington. MWM looking for all intelligent, bright, teachable, physicians who want to be Family Physicians to start a meaningful,fun, 3-yr. educational experience.

Oguchi Nwosu, MD
Assistant Professor

Dr. Nwosu attended medical school at The University of Lagos, Nigeria. He went on to complete an obstetrics and gynecology fellowship (equivalent of residency) at Homerton Hospital in the U.K. before realizing that OB/GYN was too limited in scope for him. Subsequently, he completed a family medicine residency at Lutheran Medical Center in New York. Being naturally ‘warm bodied,’ he was attracted to Georgia where after 4 ½ years in private practice he became a faculty member in Emory Family Medicine beginning Feb. 2005. He has interests in women’s and children’s health. He cherishes the opportunity to teach and mentor residents and students. He is married with one son and his interests and hobbies include playing with his son, family and friends, being active in church, participating in charitable activities, traveling, and watching football (Go New York Jets!), soccer and basketball.

Justin Glass, MD
Assistant Professor

Dr. Glass graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in 1997. He completed residency in Family Medicine through the Providence St. Peter Hospital Residency Program of the University of Washington affiliated residency network. He worked for five years as a medical officer with the Navajo Area Indian Health Service. In that capacity he provided comprehensive outpatient, inpatient and OB care at Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock, New Mexico. In 2005, he joined Emory Family Medicine as an assistant professor. He enjoys precepting students and residents in both the outpatient setting and the hospital.

Eddie Needham, MD
Assistant Professor,
Residency Program Director

I attended Emory University School of Medicine and completed a residency in Family Medicine at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii. I served as a faculty physician in the US Army at Fort Benning, Georgia, then became a faculty member at Emory Family Medicine. I have been the Program Director since 2003 and look forward to the bright future of Emory Family Medicine. I love teaching, especially procedures. Emory will make awesome clinicians out of students and residents. We position our residents to succeed.

I have a lovely wife and five awesome children. We love to play volleyball and soccer. We like camping in the North Georgia Mountains and on the Florida beaches. I especially like to fish for trout and large mouth bass. I am an active in my church.

Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that, becomes what the world needs is people who have come alive!

Joanne Williams, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Student Programs Director

Ashley Owen, PhD
Behavioral Medicine

Dr. Ashley Owen obtained her undergraduate education from the University of the South (Sewanee). She completed her masters and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of South Florida and finished her postdoctoral fellowship here at Emory prior to joining the faculty in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. She currently works as a Licensed Psychologist with specialized training in the reciprocal effects of medical illness and psychological processes as well as women's health issues. Ashley enjoys working with individuals from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds and she has a variety of clinical specialty areas addressing issues such as depression, anxiety, adjustment to pregnancy, smoking addiction, chronic illnesses, and intimate partner abuse.

Kara McDaniel, NCC, LPC, PH.D.
Behavioral Medicine

Kara McDaniel is a Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and a Clinical Member with the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). Kara has specialized training in Marriage and Family Therapy, and over the past 10 years, she has worked with individuals, couples, and families in a variety of professional, clinical, and educational settings

On a more personal level, Kara was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and at age 6, all of the winter apparel was left behind for the southern region of the United States-Louisiana, the Pelican State or most famously known for Mardi Gras. “Throw me some beads, Mister!” Kara and her husband now call Georgia home and have two sweet and beautiful pets, Mickey D., the dog (named after McDonalds; inside story) and Riley, the cat. Of course, they would beg to differ about being called pets since they act akin to humans more often than not.

Kara has a great love for animals and enjoys laughing, spending time with family and friends, dining on Italian and traditional southern cuisine, gazing at the changing colors of fall, traveling, event planning, watching movies, listening to music, and attending professional baseball games. Go Yankees! Go Braves! Okay, so Kara’s loyalties are a little divided. Luckily, she has enough love for baseball to go around.

Susana A. Alfonso, MD
Assistant Professor

Dr. Alfonso went to medical school at the Medical College of Georgia and then completed residency training at Emory Family Medicine Residency Training Program. She is the Medical Director of Emory Family Medicine at Dunwoody and Assistant Residency Program Director. She was raised in Atlanta and enjoys waterskiing, tennis, and watching her two sons play any sport. She is an active parishioner at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church where she coordinates meals for Nicholas House for Homeless Families and is a Eucharistic Minister. She also volunteers as a physician at the Good Samaritan Clinic and the Migrant Healthworkers Project regularly.

Lianne Beck, MD
Assistant Professor

Dr. Beck completed her Family Medicine residency training at the University of Florida in Gainesville in 1999. Subsequently, she came to our program and completed a 2-year fellowship in Faculty Developement. She has been a full-time faculty member since 2001.  

Being an "Army Brat" I never imagined I would stay 7 years in one city, but I have found a home here in Atlanta, doing what I love most, teaching and taking care of a diverse group of patients. Everyday brings something new and challenging. What I enjoy most is being able to learn from my patients and my colleagues.

William J. Meinert, MD
Professor and Vice Chair

Dr. Bill Meinert is a 1968 AOA graduate of the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine. He completed his residency in Family Medicine while on active duty in the Army Medical Department in 1971. Since then he has spent the last 37 years in active practice, as well as Family Medicine education. He has chaired 4 different hospital teaching departments, both in military and civilian life, and has chaired the Department of Family Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Dr. Meinert is currently a "part-time" faculty member and his primary teaching interests are ambulatory primary care and physician health and well-being.