Meet Our Team

 

MEDICAL DIRECTOR

Wiley A. Smith, MD

Qualifications: Medical Degree from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in 1980

Specializations: Family Medicine

Spoken languages: English, Spanish


Dr. Smith has been practicing medicine for over 40 years. He began his career as a physician in the armed forces and then spent many years on the mission field as a medical missionary in Belize. Dr. Smith has been the medical director of Grace Medical Outreach since its inception in 2009. Dr. Smith continues to make international medical mission trips multiple times a year. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren and working on home improvement projects.

 

James Knox, MD

Dr. Knox graduated from Temple University School of Medicine in 2005.  After completing his family medicine residency program in Tyler, TX, he moved to Uganda, Africa.  He spent ten years working in Uganda and has then worked in family medicine and urgent care centers for over five years.  Dr. Knox is married to Jenny, and they have three active boys.

 

Meet Our Team

 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Andrea Ridings, RN, BSN, MS-HMI

Andrea Ridings is the Executive Director for Grace Medical Outreach. She is a Dalton native, and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (RN) from Dalton State College and a Masters in Healthcare Management and Informatics Degree from Kennesaw State University. She has been a Registered Nurse for over 22 years and has worked in many areas of healthcare, including Surgical ICU, Occupational and Population Health, and Higher Education. Prior to joining Grace Medical Outreach, she worked in a technical role implementing EMR's for rural hospitals and served as the Quality Data Steward to ensure clinical data integrity and data governance for BlueCross BlueShield of TN. 

Andrea is passionate about the work being done through Grace Medical Outreach in the North Georgia area. In her free time, Andrea enjoys spending time with her family and serving at her church, Peavine Baptist. 

 

TRIAGE AND SCHEDULING NURSE

Peyton McDaniel, RN, BSN

Peyton has worked in healthcare for over 30 years with a focus on gerontology. She joined the Grace Medical team in 2018. Peyton is married with two daughters and in her free time she enjoys reading, travel and spending time with family.  

 

Meet Our Team

 

SOCIAL WORKER

Lauren Wiley, MSW

Lauren is from Chatsworth. She is happily married to her husband, Bobby and they have two boys, Ross age 13 and Lucas age 17 as well as a four legged child Polly. She joined Grace Medical with 11 years experience in social work with a majority of that being with a department of family and children services. Lauren has her masters in social work from the University of Valdosta, and is currently a mental health therapist as well.

 

PROVIDER

Leah Elrod, RN, BSN, MSN, FNP-C

I have worked in nursing since 2003. I graduated Southern Adventist University in 2012 with MSN/FNP. I have worked in long term care setting, hospital setting, urgent care, hospice care. I enjoy helping Grace medical serve the most vulnerable patients. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and leading a girls ministry at church.

 

PROVIDER

Pam Neigbors, RN, CWON

Pam Neighbors is a Registered Nurse and held a Specialty Certification in Wound & Ostomy Care from Emory University (2004-2024). She has been a nurse for 41 years in the areas of ICU, Med/Surg, Rehab, and Home Health. Pam resides in Ringgold, GA with her husband, Bob, and three children (and their families). Pam has been serving Grace Medical patients for 10 months and has been a critical component in our ability to serve and tend to the nursing needs of our patients.

 

Meet Our Team

 

Provider

Suzanne Hill, MSN-NP

Suzanne has resided in north GA for 17 years, Chatsworth.  Received BSN and MSN-NP from Kennesaw State. She has experience in long term care, pain management, acute care.  Suzanne has three beautiful daughters and 4 amazing grandchildren. She belongs to Smyrna Baptist church  in Chatsworth and loves her church family. “Too many blessings to count. God has been so good to me!”

 

PHLEBOTOMIST

Sadie Evans

My name is Sadie Evans. I was born and raised in Dalton, Ga.  I graduated from Georgia Southern in 2020 with a bachelors degree in exercise science. I am currently in nursing school at Dalton state. I have been a phlebotomist for almost 5 years and currently do that for Grace Medical. I also work at AOSM in Dalton every now and then when I have the time between classes. I enjoy traveling, being outside, doing puzzles, and spending time with the ones I love. If I’m not doing anything, I probably would rather be at the beach or on a cruise!

 

PHLEBOTOMIST

Isaac Elrod

Bio

 

Meet our Board

  • Nathan Ott

    CHAIRMAN

  • Wes Parsons

  • Perry McLawhorn

  • Rhonda Peters

  • Diane Volzer

  • Gracie Diaz

  • Tom Pinson

  • Anthony "Tony" Harbin MD