Mission | History | Board
MISSION STATEMENT
Good Shepherd Clinic of Dawson County strives to make Dawson County a better place by providing health care for those who have none.
HISTORY
The Good Shepherd Clinic was the vision of Dr. Mark Weaver, Organizing Pastor for Grace Presbyterian Church in Dawsonville, Georgia. Dr. Weaver and the congregation at Grace saw the need in the community and began to serve the community’s underprivileged with holiday meals and then a café. Dr. Weaver began sharing his vision of a clinic for those with no health insurance, and church members took on many roles in their journey to establish a clinic for the Dawson County community. In September, 2009 the clinic opened its doors in the basement of the church, with three exam rooms and an office where Prescription Assistance volunteers worked during clinic hours to help provide free prescription assistance to clinic patients.
In 2010, the clinic lost its visionary, Dr. Weaver, to a fatal brain aneurysm, but his vision lives on. An expanded Board of Directors, drawing on talented volunteers from within the community, has helped lead the clinic to its current status as a vitally important part of the community. Now located in modern facilities at 200 Dawson Commons Circle, Suite 200 in Dawsonville, an expanded wider range of services includes general medical care; basic dental care; women’s Wellness screening; prescription assistance; eye exams and glasses; and information, referral and advocacy for health and support services. The clinic does not provide emergency care or treat chronic pain requiring narcotics.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman of the Board
Jane Stuckey, RN, BSN, MS
Ms. Stuckey is Chairman of the Board of Good Shepherd Clinic. She received a Certificate in Healthcare Finance from the University of Florida; a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Bethune Cookman College; and a Master of Science in Health Services Management from the Florida Institute of Technology. She has served as Chief Operating Officer in both non-profit and for-profit healthcare systems, and in 30+ years as a Clinical Strategist she specialized in master strategic facility planning and operational understanding. She has completed more than 35 healthcare projects nationwide, including projects at Mt. Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY; Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY; Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, GA; Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC; Caritas St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Boston, MA, and; Holy Redeemer Hospital and Medical Center, Meadowbrook, PA.
Members of the Board
Katia M. Adams, MD
Dr. Adams is a Family Practice specialist in Dawsonville affiliated with Northeast Georgia Medical Center and Northside Hospital Forsyth. She graduated with honors in 1986 from Faculty of Medical Sciences of Santa Casa De Sao Paulo, her residency at University Hospital – University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Having more than 31 years of diverse experiences, licensed in Georgia and Kentucky, she is a member of American Board of Family Medicine.
Phillip J. Bonner, DDS
A graduate of the Emory University School of Dentistry in Atlanta, Dr. Bonner served in the U.S. Army Dental Corps, followed by private practice. He founded a healthcare public relations agency; co-founded a major dental trade show in China; founded the Center for Professional Journalism at the Pankey Institute, and; served as Editor-in-Chief of Dentistry Today magazine. He has published three books, one textbook chapter, and 200+ articles; selected articles have been syndicated worldwide by The New York Times Syndicate Sales Corporation. He received journalism awards from The International Film & TV Festival of New York, and the International College of Dentists. He served as Secretary-General of the China International Symposium on Dentistry; founded the non-profit Oral Health Education Foundation, and; served on the National Oral Cancer Steering Committee (National Institutes of Health). He is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, Academy of Dentistry International, and International College of Dentists, and is a member of the American Dental Association.
Jo Brewer
Ms. Brewer graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a BS degree in Clinical Laboratory Science and a Masters of Business Administration. She is currently the Executive Director of the Medical Plaza 400 and Laboratory Services for Northeast Georgia Health System where she has been employed for over 30 years. She serves as the 2017 Chairman of the Board of the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce. She is also a board member of the Georgia Chapter of the Clinical Laboratory Management Association and an active member of the Dawson County Rotary Club. She is an active member of Grace Episcopal Church where she serves as Lay Eucharistic Minister and Lay Reader. Jo has been married to Steve for 38 years and they have one grown son. When she is not involved in community activities, Jo enjoys yoga, zumba and gardening.
Brian Burke, OD
Dr. Burke was a medic in the 9th Infantry Division for 3 years after graduating from high school in Kettering, Ohio. After completing his enlistment, he attended Wright State University before graduating from The Ohio State University with a Doctorate in Optometry in 1990. He then completed a one year residency at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Chillicothe, Ohio. After 20 years in north metro Atlanta, he opened Dawson Vision eye clinic in 2003. Locally, he has been awarded the ‘Outstanding Citizen of the Year’ in 2015 and ‘Business Leader of the Year’ in 2016. He has been an active member of the Dawson County Rotary Club since 2005 and a volunteer doctor at the Good Shepherd Clinic since 2015.
Joe F. Fortune, Jr.
Mr. Fortune is a graduate of Georgia State University and the American Institute of Banking. His career included the Trust Company of Georgia (now SunTrust) and almost 30 years at the Coca-Cola Company, from which he retired as manager of systems for manufacturing. He has 12 years of experience working in free clinics. He is a member of Grace Presbyterian Church in Dawsonville, GA, sings with the Dawson Community Chorale, and is a member of the Dawson County Tax Equalization Board.
Martha R. Holbrook
Ms. Holbrook is a realtor with the Norton Agency in Dawsonville, GA. She is a former banker with over 30 years in the industry. Mrs. Holbrook currently serves as the treasurer for the Dawsonville Lions Charities, Inc. and is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Resources Interaction Council (Ric-Rack), which is a local Food Pantry and Thrift Shop in Dawsonville. In addition to her charitable work, she serves as an Ambassador to the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce, representing the Good Shepherd Clinic, and in 2016 she was named Ambassador of the Year at the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce. In 2017 she was named an Outstanding Citizen of Dawson County.
Joey Homans
Mr. Homans graduated cum laude from Washington State with a BA degree, and earned a JD degree from the University of Puget Sound School of Law which included one year at UGA law school. Joey is a longstanding (1989 – present) member of the law firm of Fox, Chandler, Homans, Hicks & McKinnon; they have offices in Dawsonville and Gainesville. He has a wide diversity of experience. Joey served as General Counsel for: Etowah Water (1993-2004), Gilmer County Board of Tax Assessors (2008-2012), Hall County Board of Tax Assessors (2010-2016), Dawson County (1997-2016), and the City of Demorest (2014–Present). Joey is very active in the Dawson Community ranging from a youth sports coach, member of Kiwanis (former President) and member of the Dawson Chamber of Commerce. He is married to Kristie Myers and has four children, Whitney, Katie, Michael and Shelby.
Lauren Leibel
Lauren Leibel is the Corporate Events Manager for 6140 Events. She has been in event management for over 10 years, and has worked in many facets of the industry. Some areas of expertise include business development, event consulting, social media management, and overall event logistics. Lauren is excited to be involved in the clinic and in the Dawson community.
Dick McNeill
Mr. McNeill graduated from the University of Arizona with a BS degree in Finance, and from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, where he earned an MBA with a major in Marketing. He served in the US Army for eight years, and was honorably discharged as a Captain; he was awarded the Army Commendation Metal. During his 32-year career at The Coca-Cola Company he held many Marketing and Sales Management positions; he retired as a Vice President and subsequently returned to Coke for two years as a consultant. He served for six years as an adjunct professor at UNG where taught Marketing and Business Communications; while at UNG he started and managed the Cottrell Speaker Series for the business school. Dick is an active member of the Rotary Club of Dawson County, and Grace Presbyterian Church where he serves as a Ruling Elder.
Ann Moore
Ms. Moore is from northeastern Pennsylvania and graduated from Wilkes University with a BS in Nursing. She worked as an Emergency Room Nurse for 12 years. She then moved to Georgia with her husband (and clinic Good Shepherd Clinic physician), David. After a few years as a “stay at home Mom” she returned to nursing, working as the School Nurse at Vickery Creek Elementary School in Forsyth County, retiring from that position 1 year ago. She serves as Secretary of the Board, Good Shepherd Clinic.
David Moore, MD
Dr. Moore graduated from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, and after completing his family practice residency moved to Sautee, Georgia. He initially practiced at the Village Health Clinic in Helen, Georgia for three years, repaying his National Health Corps obligation. He has since practiced in Cleveland, Georgia for five years and Cumming, Georgia for the past 21 years as part of the North East Georgia Medical Center physician group. He is board certified in family practice and a fellow of the American Academy of family Practice.
Marjorie M. O’Byrne
Ms. O’Byrne graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in history and political science and minors in psychology and education. She taught history at the secondary education level for two years. After her move to Georgia, she began at Pacesetter Steel Service, Inc as an executive secretary. She advanced through a number of positions and in 1995 was made Vice President of the company. She remained in that position until her retirement in 2000. During her tenure at Pacesetter she oversaw the growth of the company from three employees in an office park to 210 employees with service centers in Chicago, Marietta, Philadelphia, Houston and St Louis. She is active in Grace Presbyterian Church in Dawsonville, GA.
Douglas Edward Powell
Mr. Powell is a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Good Shepherd Clinic, and served as Treasurer for 5 years. He received a B.S. in Business Administration from Kansas State University in 1967. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in U.S. Army, serving as an Army Aviator, flying helicopters. He served a tour in Vietnam, receiving a Bronze Star and the Air Medal. After 43 years with Phillips 66 and Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., where he became a Marketing Director and Corporate Accounts Sales Manager, he retired in 2010. Doug and his wife, Mary, were part of a small group who founded Grace Presbyterian Church in Dawsonville in 2005, and in 2008, they and a group of church members, led by Dr. Mark Weaver, Organizing Pastor, laid the groundwork to begin Good Shepherd Clinic as a mission project. Doug and Mary are ordained Deacons and Elders in the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. They are also both ordained Stevens Ministers and Steven Leaders.
Wayne Watkins
Mr. Watkins is a member and elder of Grace Presbyterian Church in Dawsonville, GA. He is responsible for the Grace-in-a Box food ministry of Grace Presbyterian Church that uses closet space within the Good Shepherd Clinic to distribute meals on Thursdays when the Clinic is open. He is retired from the U.S. Military, and is also a retired Claims Adjustor with the Claims Division of State Farm Insurance. He is trained in CPR and is a member of the Dawson County Emergency Response Team (CERT). He is current President of Dawson Co. Chapter 970 of the Vietnam Veterans of America.
Acting Dental Director
Dwight R. Weathers, DDS, MSD
Dr. Weathers received his DDS and MSD degrees from Emory University School of Dentistry. He served in the U.S. Air Force; served on faculty of the Emory dental school, including Chairman of the Department of Oral Pathology, and served as Dean of the dental school from 1985-1992. He moved to the Emory University School of Medicine in 1992, serving as Professor of Pathology and Dermatology, Program Director of the Division of Oral Pathology, and Vice-Chairman for Oral Pathology, Department of Pathology. He served as President of the American Board of Oral Pathology; President of the Northern District Dental Society; and Alternate Delegate to the American Dental Association. He is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists, Pierre Fauchard Academy and the Georgia Academy of Dental Practice. He is author of 70+ peer-reviewed articles and several book chapters, and has lectured internationally. He was co-investigator and principal investigator on several grants.
Clinic Manager
Kay Parrish
Ms. Parrish served as bookkeeper of her family’s farming business in Peach County, GA before attending the University of Alabama, School of Nursing. She later graduated with a BS degree in Accounting from Georgia State University, and went to work for Ernst & Young in 1987 in the Management Consulting division, reaching the position of Area Facility Manager for the East Coast. She left E&Y in 2001 when Consulting was purchased by CapGemini. She has also worked for Cohen Pollock Merlin & Small law firm as the Firm Administrator and as accountant for Bradley Maple, CPA and Gibbs Gardens. She has served on the Fund Raising Committee of her family’s Kay Community Training Center for the Mentally Handicapped in Peach County; as a Special Olympics swim coach; as a volunteer with Everybody Wins Atlanta; and as a volunteer at Good Shepherd Clinic in prescription assistance. She also served as Secretary of the Board of Directors of Good Shepherd Clinic before becoming Clinic Manager. In 2017 she was named an Outstanding Citizen of Dawson County.