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Encounters for Normal Pregnancies

Sashi Kuppala, MD, MS

Trinity Health is pleased to welcome neonatologist Sashi Kuppala, MD, MS, to our care team in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Dr. Kuppala is double board certified in neonatology and general pediatrics, with a philosophy of care that prioritizes quality measures to ensure that infants receive the highest level of care possible.

Dr. Kuppala graduated from Rangaraya Medical College in India, where he earned both his primary medical degree and post-graduate diploma in child health. He says his early training led him in the direction of neonatology. “What stuck with me is that in the NICU, you’re supporting the life of a human being who could very well go on to make an enormous contribution to human achievement.”

Dr. Kuppala did his pediatric residency at Cleveland Clinic and completed his neonatology fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Later, to enhance his expertise he earned a Master of Science in Healthcare Quality and Safety Management from Thomas Jefferson University in Pennsylvania.

Dr. Kuppala practiced neonatology at hospitals in Kentucky and Indiana. He also served two years as medical director for Signature Care Network Health Insurance. Most recently, he served as staff neonatologist and medical director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at The Women’s Hospital in Newburgh, Indiana.

An avid hiker and mountain climber, Dr. Kuppala and his wife, Kavita, who is also a physician, have a daughter and son.

Breanna Wheeler, NNP-BC

Breanna Wheeler, NNP-BC, is a board-certified neonatal nurse practitioner and a key member of our Newborn Intensive Care team. Breanna works in collaboration with physicians, nurses and other professionals to provide comprehensive care to premature and sick newborns. A Minot native, she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Minot State University in 2009. She practiced as a staff RN at Trinity Hospital for six years, working two years in the Medical-Surgical unit before joining Trinity’s NICU team, where she managed complex care to critically ill newborns and also served as a neonatal flight nurse with NorthStar Criticair. In 2016 Breanna earned a Master of Science in Nursing from Creighton University, Omaha, specializing in neonatology. A member of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses and the American Academy of Neonatal Nurses, Breanna and her husband have two children.

Stacy Wallin, DNP, NNP-BC

Stacy Wallin, DNP, NNP-BC, is a board-certified neonatal nurse practitioner and a key member of our Newborn Intensive Care team. Stacy works in collaboration with physicians, nurses and other professionals to provide comprehensive care to premature and sick newborns. A Minot native and Minot High School graduate, she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Grand Forks, and practiced 12 years at Trinity Hospital, serving as a staff RN in the NICU and as a neonatal flight nurse with NorthStar Criticair. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice, specializing as a neonatal provider, at Creighton University, Omaha, completing her internship at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis. Stacy enjoys spending time with her two daughters and attending her nephews’ sporting events.

Carol Schaffner, MD

Carol M. Schaffner, MD, is dedicated to providing individualized care that meets a woman’s changing needs throughout her lifetime. Originally from South Dakota, she earned her medical degree from the University of South Dakota School of Medicine in Vermillion.  Her internship and Ob/Gyn residency were completed at Tulane University Hospital, New Orleans, LA.  She’s committed to comprehensive healthcare for women, with a special interest in infertility and pregnancy.

Erica Riordan, MSN, CNM

A certified nurse midwife, Erica Riordan, MSN, CNM, provides general obstetric and gynecological care for women, as well as contraception counseling and preventive medicine. The Illinois native earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Aurora University in Illinois and received a Master of Science in Nursing with a focus on midwifery from Frontier Nursing University, Hyden, Ky. Her experience includes 10 years working as on obstetrics nurse at Illinois Valley Community Hospital. She also was associated with Birth Care Staffing, an agency that assists hospitals in fulfilling specialized nursing needs. She is a member of the American College of Nurse Midwives and Midwives Alliance of North America.

Margaret Nordell, MD

A North Dakota native, Dr. Nordell practiced obstetrics and gynecology in the San Francisco area before returning to North Dakota in 1993 to join Trinity Medical Group. She’s an advocate for women’s health with a particular interest in problems related to adolescence, pregnancy, osteoporosis, and menopause. Dr. Nordell is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Allison Lesmann, FNP-C

Allison Lesmann, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FNP-C, is a board-certified nurse practitioner specializing in children’s health. Born and reared in Minot, she received her nurse training in western North Dakota and practiced at Thomason Hospital, El Paso, TX and at Trinity Health before earning her master’s in advanced nursing practice.  She completed her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN, and later accomplished post-graduate certification in psychiatric mental health nursing from Washburn University to expand her mental health knowledge to more effectively care for her pediatric patients. Allison is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the North Dakota Nurse Practitioners Association, and the American Nurses Association.  She also has certifications in ACLS, PALS, and basic life support.  Allison has a husband and three sons, with outside interests in kids activities and reading.

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Johnson, MD

As a board-certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist, Dr. Johnson is dedicated to providing individualized care that meets a woman’s changing needs throughout her lifetime. A graduate of the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Grand Forks, she completed her Ob/Gyn residency at Akron General Medical Center in Ohio, where she gained experience in the areas of high-risk obstetrics, reproductive endocrinology and infertility, in addition to performing many minimally invasive procedures using the da Vinci robotic surgery system. She is a member of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association. Dr. Johnson is a native of Minot.

Lori Dockter, PA-C

Lori Dockter, PA-C, is a certified physician assistant specializing in women’s health and primary care. As a member of Trinity’s team of Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health providers, Lori provides the full range of primary care services for women of all ages, including health and wellness counseling, physical exams, menopause care, contraception management and obstetrics.

A native of Rolette, ND, Dockter earned her RN diploma from Trinity School of Nursing. She worked in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Trinity Hospital and the birthing unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital. She completed the physician assistant program at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Lori is a member of the ND Association of Physician Assistants and the American Academy of Physician Assistants.

Jessie Fauntleroy, MD

A member of our Obstetrics and Gynecology team, Jessie Fauntleroy, MD,  is dedicated to providing individualized care that meets a woman’s changing needs throughout her lifetime, including high-risk obstetrics and laparoscopy.  A graduate of Ross University School of Medicine, Portsmouth, Dominica, she completed her Ob/Gyn residency at SUNY University at Buffalo, where she served as chief resident and assumed leadership roles in promoting wellness among mothers and newborns.  Dr. Fauntleroy also holds a Master’s Degree in Health Management Systems. A junior fellow of the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Fauntleroy is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and the Beta Kappa Chi Scientific Honor Society.