Meet Our Clinical Staff
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John C. Pittman, M.D., Medical Director
Dr. Pittman received his medical degree from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia in 1986 and attended the Pediatric Residency Program at NC Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina with an emphasis in Preventive Medicine. Later, while serving as Emergency Department Director at hospitals in Rocky Mount and Southport, NC, he began exploring ways to combine conventional medicine with nutrition, botanicals, and other natural therapies as an integral part of clinical medical practice.
Since founding the Carolina Center in 1994, Dr. Pittman has further enhanced his understanding of integrative medicine through clinical training at the Autism Research Institute and the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society’s Physician Training Program.
He has lectured frequently at the UNC School of Medicine’s Program on Integrative Medicine and presently serves as a member of the state’s Vector Disease Task Force and was the former President of the North Carolina Integrative Medicine Society. From the beginning, Dr. Pittman’s vision for the Center was to bring together multiple healing modalities in order to help patients overcome chronic degenerative illnesses and bolster their health and wellness.
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Amanda Roper, PA-C., Physician Assistant
Amanda Roper is a native of North Carolina. She has always been interested in health care and knew from an early age that Physician Assistant was the career path for her. She received her BS in Biology with minor in chemistry from Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC in 2011 and continued at Methodist University PA Program, receiving her Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies in December 2013. Amanda has held various positions before finding her way to Carolina Center. She has experience in family medicine, pediatrics, and women’s health. Amanda has a passion for Integrative Medicine, seeing firsthand the issues with traditional medical practices and understanding the need for a holistic approach to healthcare and health concerns. Amanda and her husband Powell enjoy outdoor activities at their coastal river home, relaxing, spending time with friends and family, crocheting, and cuddles with her Border Collie, Jackson.
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Lindsey Adams, FNP-BC., Nurse Pracitioner
Lindsey Adams (Neely) is a New Jersey native and has lived in Raleigh since 2020. She received BS in Communications from James Madison University in Virginia in 2011, then a BS in Nursing from Shenandoah University in 2014. She earned a Master’s of Science degree in 2020, also from James Madison University and began working as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2021. Lindsey has always had an interest in preventive medicine and has seen firsthand the shortcomings of the sick care healthcare model. Lindsey worked as a Nurse Practitioner in primary care, obesity medicine, and integrative medicine prior to finding her way to Carolina Center in 2023 where she practices Functional and Integrative Medicine with a focus on chronic disease and tick-borne infection. Lindsey joined the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society in 2025 and is currently completing her Functional Medicine Certification. Lindsey enjoys spending time with her son, husband, and Golden Retriever Charlie, as well as friends and extended family. She loves to travel, cook, read, garden, bake sourdough, and take care of her family's new pet quail.
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Nyree Charles, RN, BSN
Nyree began her healthcare journey in 1990 as a Medical Assistant, where she developed a deep appreciation for patient care and the vital role healthcare professionals play in people’s lives. It was during these early years that she realized her true calling—to become a nurse. Balancing work and family life, she pursued her dream step by step, earning her Associate Degree in Nursing in 2017 then a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Throughout her studies, she has been driven by a passion for holistic care and wellness, believing that true healing encompasses the mind, body, and spirit. Her experiences as a mother of three further reinforced her understanding of the importance of compassionate, patient-centered care. Today, as a registered nurse, she brings both her personal and professional experiences into her practice and strives to empower my patients, helping them achieve not only physical well-being but also a sense of balance and fulfillment in their lives.
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Karla Melcher, RN, BSN
Karla received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing with High Distinction from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1996 and was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. In the early years of her nursing career, she worked in geriatrics and was intrigued by the aging & disease process and began to study about wellness & disease prevention. Karla struggled with headaches from the time she was a child, and as she learned more about health issues and holistic health care, she discovered that food allergies and toxins were the root causes, and she was able to restore her health with the help of an integrative clinical nutritionist. Karla has been working in Integrative and Functional Medicine for over 15 years, assisting others to learn what we put into our bodies’ matters, and that with the right resources, our bodies can journey towards healing. Karla is certified in heavy metal toxicology and chelation therapy from International IV Nutritional Therapy Global Physician Education and performs IV infusion therapy for the Carolina Center as well as our affiliated practice, Restore Health & Wellness.
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Heather LeBlanc, RN
Heather graduated with her Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, NC in 2016. Her work experience has included in-patient hospital care, out-patient medical and surgical clinics, and managerial and administrative responsibilities. Heather joined the Carolina Center in 2022, having always had a passion for natural and holistic therapies, providing Colon Hydrotherapy in our Wilmington location.
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McKinley Mather-Pike, RN
McKinley graduated with her Associate’s Degree in Nursing in 2016. She then spent a year in South Africa doing community health education in a rural township with a small non-profit run by her now-husband’s family. Upon returning to the States, she began working on a Spine/Ortho unit and pursuing her bachelor’s at UNC Wilmington. She worked on surgical units for the majority of her career as a staff nurse, and then as a travel nurse on medical/surgical units for a couple of years. She transitioned to integrative medicine because she holds a passion for holistic pursuits of health and finding root causes. She entered the field of nursing to partner with people in their health journeys with a whole-person perspective. McKinley is passionate about wellness, outdoor recreation and adventure, and gardening-especially when her husband and little boy are beside her. She is strongly connected to her patients and their stories and enjoys incorporating that relational context to create stronger nursing care. McKinley joined Carolina Center Wilmington location in 2023 where she provided colon hydrotherapy and IV infusion therapies.
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Andrea Williams, RMA, Office Manager
Andrea was born and raised in Ocala, Florida. She moved to Raleigh, NC in 2012 with her beautiful daughter. She graduated from Miller-Motte College in Sept. 2016 with an Associates Degree In Applied Science, joining the Carolina Center staff shortly after graduating. She has been in the healthcare industry for over 20 yrs. and enjoys getting to know our patients, working as their health care advocate. With her caring demeanor she strives to make The Carolina Center a welcoming environment. In her free time, she enjoys mediation, relaxation, taking care of the elderly and spending time with family.
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Tachelle Griffis, CMA, NBCHT
Tachelle was born and raised in Raleigh, NC where she currently resides with her son Xavier. She graduated from Miller-Motte College in 2019 with her Associate’s Degree in Applied Science as a Certified Medical Assistant, starting work at the Carolina Center shortly afterward. Tachelle underwent two years of training and gained valuable experience as our Colon Hydrotherapist, gaining her National Board Certification in Colon Hydrotherapy in 2024, offering Expedited Colon Hydrotherapy sessions at the Carolina Center. In her free time, she enjoys the beach, the pool, anything aquatic, and a good laugh! Her Motto is “Don’t worry, be happy!”
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Kelly Dansby, LMBT
Kelly is a Certified Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage Therapist offering Vodder Method Full body and Multi-day Manual Lymphatic Massage. Kelly graduated from the Healing Arts and Massage School in Raleigh, NC in 2019 and was licensed with MLD International in 2020. Kelly bring 10+ years of social work and education experience working with populations with special needs, chronic disability, and rehabilitation service coordination. Her personal experience with a connective tissue disorder, co-infections of Lyme Disease and lymphedema have led to a natural holistic mindset to health and wellness, with a passion for educating others about the benefits of lymphatic awareness and massage. Kelly joined the Carolina Center in Raleigh in 2021 where she has provided Manual Lymphatic Drainage massage as well as earned certification as a Thermographic Technician, performing infrared thermal imaging for our affiliate company, Carolina Thermascan.