Program Faculty
A major strength of the program is the diversity of experience and expertise within the faculty.
Core Faculty
Elizabeth Geller, MD is a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology as well as Fellowship Program Director in the Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery and currently serving as interim Division Director of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. She is board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Duke University, then completed medical school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and residency in Ob/Gyn at the University of California at Irvine. She completed her Fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2008. She has established an expertise in robotic and minimally invasive surgery and is a founding member of UNC’s Computer and Robotic Enhanced Surgery (CARES) Center. She is Ob/Gyn Clerkship Director for the UNC Physician Assistants Training Program. She also directs the Interstim Neuromodulation Program and serves on the UNC Data Safety Monitoring Board. Her national leadership roles include the position of member of the AUGS Board of Directors, membership on the AUGS Program Committee, prior Chair of the Fellowship Directors Committee and prior Programming Chair for the AUGS Fellows Day held during the AUGS annual scientific meeting. During residency at the University of California at Irvine she also served as Chief Administrative Resident, ACOG Section Chair, and Lead Fellow for the AUGS Fellows Task Force. Her teaching excellence is demonstrated by receiving the Berlex Best Teaching Resident Award at UC-Irvine, the Fellows Teaching Award at UNC and the annual Golden Tar Heel Teaching Award as faculty at UNC. Her research interests include clinical outcomes with robotic pelvic reconstructive surgery, minimally invasive surgery for incontinence and pelvic floor dysfunction, neuromodulation, cognitive function with the use of anticholinergics, and predictors of chronic pain after mesh implant.
Jennifer Wu, MD, MPH is a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and has served as the Division Director of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery from 2018-2019 and 2020-2021. She has also held a number of leadership roles including interim Chair of the Department of OB/GYN (07/19-04/20), Senior Vice Chair of OB/GYN (04/20-02/21), and Associate Clinical Service Chief, Women’s Health at UNC Hospital. She now serves as the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs for UNC School of Medicine, a role which entails overseeing faculty affairs and leadership development and the educational enterprise. While a majority of her time is dedicated to her Vice Dean role, she maintains a clinical and surgical Urogynecology practice and remains involved in research.
She earned her B.A. in Biology from Harvard University and her M.D. from the University of California at San Francisco. She trained in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital & Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA and then completed a fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Concurrently, she completed the NIH T32 Triangle Clinical Research Fellowship in Reproductive Health and received her Masters in Public Health in Epidemiology at the UNC School of Public Health. After graduating from fellowship in 2007, she served on the faculty at Duke University until 2013, when she decided to rejoin the UNC- Chapel Hill Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Wu is a former Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH) K12 scholar and NICHD K23 career development award recipient. She remains actively involved with NIH-funded studies, industry-sponsored trials and investigator-initiated studies. She has been very engaged in the American Urogynecologic Society and is currently the Vice President of AUGS.
Marcella Willis-Gray, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medical Director of our Raleigh FPMRS clinical practice. Dr. Willis-Gray grew up in Chesapeake, VA and went to Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans where she obtained a degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. She went on to attended medical school at the University of Virginia and then came to the triangle to complete her residency in OB/GYN at Duke University. She completed her fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery here at UNC in 2018. Her areas of surgical expertise include laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy, vaginal reconstructive repair, and sacral neuromodulation.
She has a specific interest in medical education and is the Co-Director of the Reproductive Medicine block for the 2nd year medical students and Medical Student Clinical Clerkship Director for the Urogynecology Division. She also heads the Transition to Residency Course for 4th year students interested in OBGYN and 1st year course title Contemporary Topics in Reproductive Health. Dr. Willis-Gray is also passionate about health care disparities and increasing diversity within medicine. She is amember of the UNC OB/GYN Diversity Task Force. Her research interests include clinical outcomes research, postoperative recovery and minimizing opioid medication usage.
Christine Chu, MD, MSCI is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Research Division Director. Dr. Chu is originally from Canada. She attended the combined pre-medical/medical program at Penn State and Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. She completed residency at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York in 2013 and fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at University of Pennsylvania in 2016. After fellowship, she was an assistant professor at Washington University in St. Louis until 2021, and joined the division at UNC in July of 2021. She is board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. At the national level, she is an active member of AUGS, and is currently serving as part of the Asymptomatic Bacteriuria writing group. She is also part of the education committee for IUGA. Her research interests include prevention of recurrent UTIs with non-antibiotic prophylaxis as well as the impact of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and physical function on pelvic floor disorders, particularly in older women. She is also a teaching instructor for an FPMRS fellowship program associated with Mekelle University and Hamlin Fistula Hospitals in Ethiopia, with the goal of assisting Ethiopian physicians in expanding FPMRS care and research in the area.
Antonia Decker, PA is a Physician Assistant in the Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. She received her undergraduate degree from UCLA and later a graduate degree from USC in the field of Computer Science. After working in the aerospace industry for a decade, she pursued her dream of working in the field of medicine, first by becoming a licensed practical nurse, and later pursuing a second master’s degree from Rosalind Franklin University School of Medicine in physician assistant studies. She has practiced in the field of Urology for several years, and joined our group in July 2019. She has a passion for helping to improve the quality of life for women and is excited to expand her knowledge in this growing and important field.
Adriane Osborne, NP is a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner in the Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive surgery. She received her BA in Psychology from The University of North Carolina at Asheville, and later, a Master’s in Public Health from Tulane University. She received her BS and MS in Nursing from Virginia Commonwealth University, and has worked in clinical research, infectious diseases, public health, and women’s health. Adriane joined our group in August 2020, and is excited to promote optimal care and well-being for her patients.
Antonia Decker, PA is a Physician Assistant in the Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. She received her undergraduate degree from UCLA and later a graduate degree from USC in the field of Computer Science. After working in the aerospace industry for a decade, she pursued her dream of working in the field of medicine, first by becoming a licensed practical nurse, and later pursuing a second master’s degree from Rosalind Franklin University School of Medicine in physician assistant studies. She has practiced in the field of Urology for several years, and joined our group in July 2019. She has a passion for helping to improve the quality of life for women and is excited to expand her knowledge in this growing and important field.
Leigh Anne Wall, NP is a Family Nurse Practitioner in the Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive surgery. She received her undergraduate at Queen’s University and received her graduate Nurse Practitioner degree from University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She previously worked in Family practice for 2 years near Richmond, Virginia. She also joined our group in July 2019. She is passionate about Women’s Health and is excited and rewarded daily by the patient population she cares for.
Fellows
Amy Askew, MD is a third year clinical fellow in the Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery. She is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She received her undergraduate degree at the University of Pennsylvania, and received an MPH in Health Policy, Law and Ethics from The University of Virginia. She received her Doctor of Medicine degree from Duke University. She completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University. Dr Askew will complete her fellowship in June 2022.
Samantha Margulies, MD is a second year clinical fellow in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. She is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She completed a dual-degree, B.S./M.D. program at St. Bonaventure University for her undergraduate and The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences for her medical degree. Dr. Margulies completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Dr Margulies will complete her fellowship in June 2023.
Ijeoma Agu, MD is a first year clinical fellow in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. She is board eligible in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She completed her undergraduate degree at Duke University and her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Dr. Agu completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, Texas. Dr Agu will complete her fellowship in June 2024.
Off-Service Faculty
Minimally Invasive Gynecology
Erin Carey, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Division Director of the Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery Division. Dr. Carey received her Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Doctor of Medicine in a combined BA-MD program at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, in 2006. She completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in 2010 and a fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopy and Pelvic Pain at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2012. Dr. Carey also received a master of science in clinical research at the UNC-Chapel Hill Gillings School of Public Health in 2012. She worked at the University of Kansas Medical Center as an Assistant Professor at the Center for Pelvic Pain and Sexual Health, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology before returning to UNC in 2016 to lead the MIGS Division.
Gynecologic Oncology
Paola Gehrig, MD, Professor, Division Director
Linda Van Le, MD, Professor
John Soper, M.D., Professor
John Boggess, Professor
Vickie Bae-Jump, Professor
Wendy Brewster, Professor
Leslie Clark , Assistant Professor,
Lauren Dockery, Assistant Professor are all members of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology. Our gynecologic oncologists have extensive experience in complex pelvic surgery as well as expertise in complex pelvic reconstruction, gastrointestinal, and genital-urinary procedures. Areas of expertise include large and small bowel procedures, ureteral anastomosis and reimplantation, and urinary diversion procedures. They are also nationally recognized researchers, educators, and mentors in the subspecialty of Gynecologic Oncology and have served as exceptionally strong supporters of the Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery fellowship program both at the local and national levels.
Urology
UNC, Chapel Hill, North Carolina:
Kristy Borawski, MD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Urology. Dr. Borawski received her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine in a combined BS-MD program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Albany Medical College in 2003. She completed her Urology residency in 2009 at Duke University Medical Center and then stayed at Duke for a fellowship in Urodynamics, Reconstructive Urology and Incontinence, which she completed in 2010. She joined UNC Urology in 2010 and has served as the Director of Urodynamics since August 2010. She has expertise in Female Urology, Reconstructive Urology and Neurourology, with a special interest in the urologic management of spinal cord injured patients.
UNC Rex, Raleigh, North Carolina:
John Kaspar, MD is a urologist at Associated Urologists of North Carolina with a special interest in female urology. He is board certified in Urology and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. He received his Bachelor’s degree at Washington University in St. Louis, a Master’s Degree in Microbiology and his medical degree at Wake Forest University. He completed an internship in general surgery and residency in urology at Pennsylvania State University. He has been in private practice for 21 years.
Colorectal Surgery
UNC Rex, Raleigh, North Carolina:
Laura Altom, MD is a fellowship trained colon and rectal surgeon with North Carolina Surgery. She is board certified in both general and colon and rectal surgery. She completed her medical degree at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, general surgery residency training at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and her colon and rectal fellowship training at the Oschner Clinic in New Orleans. She also studied health outcomes and has a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She sees all aspects of colon and rectal surgery including colon and rectal cancers, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis and other benign disease of the colon and rectum, all benign anorectal disorders such as hemorrhoids, fissures and fistulas, pelvic floor issues such as rectal prolapse and fecal incontinence, as well as performing high resolution anoscopy for screening of anal dysplasia.
Reza Rahbar, MD is a fellowship trained colon and rectal surgeon with North Carolina Surgery. He completed his medical degree at UNC, followed by residency in general surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He completed a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at Louisana State University Medical Center. He is Board certified in General Surgery and Colon and Rectal Surgery. His interests include colon and rectal cancers, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis and other benign disease of the colon and rectum, and benign anorectal disorders such as hemorrhoids, fissures and fistulas.
Timothy Sadiq, MD is a fellowship trained colon and rectal surgeon with North Carolina Surgery. He completed medical school at the University of Kansas, followed by a general surgery residency at UNC, and a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at The Lahey Clinic in Massachusetts. He completed his Surgical Residency at UNC. He is Board certified in General Surgery and Colon and Rectal Surgery. His interests include complex anorectal disorders, transplantation and stem cell research.
Women’s Health Physical Therapy
UNC Rex, Raleigh, North Carolina:
Erika N. Johnson, PT, MPT is the Lead Pelvic Health Physical Therapist at our Raleigh location located at UNC Rex Hospital. She received her Bachelor of Health Science in Computer Science at Mary Washington College (now University of Mary Washington), Fredericksburg, VA in 1996 and a Masters in Physical Therapy at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA in 1998. For 20 years I she has been dedicated to increasing public and professional awareness regarding rehab treatment options in women’s and men’s pelvic health. In addition to treating patients, her other professional interests include program development and collaboration with practitioners, including UNC Urogynecology Fellows. Having the access and opportunity for this collaboration has greatly improved patient’s access to services and to the level of care provided.
Research
Wendy R. Brewster, MD, PhD is the Director of the Center for Women’s Health Research. The mission of the CWHR is to improve the health of women through multidisciplinary research, education and advocacy through the development of researchers and community partnership. Dr. Brewster is also an Associate Professor in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, and an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health. Dr. Brewster is a population scientist with a research interest in early detection and prevention of gynecologic malignancies. Dr. Brewster’s academic interests are also in the areas of gynecologic oncology and cancer epidemiology. Dr. Brewster is a clinically active member of the Gynecologic Oncology Division in the Department of Obstetrics. Dr. Brewster received her medical degree from the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and completed residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. She then completed her GYN Oncology Fellowship and PhD with an emphasis in cancer epidemiology at the University of California, Irvine
William Whitehead, PhD is a Research Professor of Medicine and holds a joint appointment in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Whitehead is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in Gastrointestinal Medicine specializing the fields of constipation and fecal incontinence. Dr. Whitehead has served as a site Co- Principle Investigator to the Pelvic Floor Disorders Network. He is coordinator of the rotation in the GI Procedures laboratory and serves as an active research mentor to the Fellowship. He has a primary interest in defecatory dysfunction and fecal incontinence, and behavioral and biofeedback therapy for functional gastrointestinal disorders. His expertise includes anal manometry and anorectal biofeedback therapy. Dr Whitehead actively participates in the monthly Pelvic Floor Disorders Conferences.