A member of our Ear, Nose and Throat team, Robert Fischer, MD, is an otolaryngologist, dedicated to providing high-quality, up-to-date care to adults and children with ear, nose and throat conditions. Dr. Fischer is board-certified in Otolaryngology with three decades of ENT experience. He is well-equipped to provide medical and surgical care for the full range of disorders, from ear and sinus problems, to head & neck surgery and facial plastic surgery. A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Fischer earned his medical doctorate from the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed his Otolaryngology residency at Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Virginia as part of a 10-year association with the U.S. Navy Medical Corps. After discharge, he practiced at Duluth Clinic in Minnesota and Wind River ENT in Lander, WY, before joining Trinity Health in 2015. He practiced four years with Sanford Health in Bemidji, MN, before returning to Trinity.
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Melissa Andreasen, FNP-C
A member of our pediatrics team, Melissa Andreasen, MSN, FNP-C, is a board-certified family nurse practitioner, dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based care to children and adolescents. A graduate of Minot State University, Melissa earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2013 and began her nursing career as an RN with Trinity Health. She served patients in the addiction services, intensive care, and same day surgery units before shifting her focus to advanced practice nursing. While pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Cincinnati, she worked part time as a clinical nurse instructor with Dakota College at Bottineau. She completed her Family Nurse Practitioner training 2020 and joined a private primary care practice as a family care provider, helping pediatric, adult, and geriatric patients manage the full range of acute and chronic health conditions. Melissa is board certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She loves spending time with her two children when she’s not at work.
Joseph Stonehocker, CPNP-PC
Trinity Health is pleased to announce that Joseph Stonehocker, CPNP-PC, has joined our team of providers at Trinity Health Western Dakota in Williston. A board certified pediatric nurse practitioner, Joseph has spent the last three years serving the healthcare needs of Williston-area young people. He provides primary care to children ages 0 to 18, with an emphasis on general and acute pediatric care, annual well-child visits, and mental health support, including ADHD diagnosis and treatment. He’s also trained in various surgical procedures such as circumcision and tongue-tie correction. Originally from Canada, Joseph was reared in Edmonton, AB, and moved to the United States with his family at an early age. He graduated from Utah State University and earned both his Master of Science in Pediatric Nurse Practice and his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UT Health San Antonio, part of the University of Texas system. A devoted husband and father, he and his wife have five children. They enjoy family time and attending youth sporting events.
William Sisa, MD
Dr. Sisa is a pediatrician, dedicated to providing holistic care that promotes the well-being of children, adolescents, and their families. He is specially trained to manage the full range of children’s physical, mental, and emotional health problems, including acute and chronic conditions, behavioral difficulties, and developmental disorders.
Dr. Sisa earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada, and completed his pediatric residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, a teaching hospital affiliated with Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City.
Dr. Sisa grew up in Ghana, where he won the Presidential Award for being the best student from one of the 10 regions in Ghana at the Junior High School level, after which he proceeded to Major in Science at the best high schools in Ghana. Upon completion of high school, he started a remedial school in his hometown which is currently a high school in Ghana.
He proceeded to the University of Ghana where he majored in Chemistry. Upon arrival in the USA, he worked as a quality control chemist at NicePak PDI helping to develop some of the HPLC methods used to test the Super Sani Wipe the most popular hospital disinfectant used in hospitals in the USA. Dr. Sisa was pursuing a graduate Studies in Biochemistry at The City University of NY before he decided to pursue medicine at the St. George’s University School Medicine.
During clinical years in NYC, he got interested in teaching and mentoring of high school students in the science field, and completed several hours of volunteer work teaching. During residency, he participated in various research projects and had one of his research topics presented at the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) 2020 Conference in Washington, DC.
He loves driving, playing volleyball, and soccer.
Maria Li, MDCM
Maria Li MDCM, MSc, FAANS is a board-certified specialist in neurosurgery. With over 20 years of experience as an attending neurosurgeon, she brings an abundance of expertise to help patients afflicted with a wide breadth of conditions affecting the brain, spine, and peripheral nerves. Dr. Li earned her medical degree, completed her neurosurgery residency including an enfolded orthopedic spine fellowship, and earned a Master of Science in neuroscience in Montreal. Following her training at McGill University and the Montreal Neurological Institute, she did a post-doctoral laboratory fellowship in neurophysiology at the University of California at San Francisco and later completed a clinical fellowship in skull base and cerebrovascular surgery at the Seattle Neuroscience Institute.
She has practiced general neurosurgery in the USA for a decade, trying to improve the services available to local patients, including recently implementing a cranial neurosurgery program where none existed. Her academic career practicing, teaching, and doing clinical research spanned almost a decade in Montreal teaching hospitals affiliated with McGill University and the University of Montreal. Her neurosurgical practice consisted of 50% cranial and 50% spinal surgeries, with a focus on brain tumors.
Dr. Li is dedicated to maintaining the highest, most up to date standards, participating in the annual maintenance of certification program of the American Board of Neurological Surgery, which fosters excellence and lifelong learning. Dr. Li is a member of several medical and neurosurgical organizations. She continues to serve as a reviewer for the journal Neurosurgery.
Earl Brewley, Jr., MD
Dr. Brewley is a board-eligible, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon who specializes in treating complex diseases of the upper extremity. His expertise includes advanced shoulder and elbow arthroscopy as well as primary and revision joint replacement surgery of the upper extremity. He earned his medical doctorate from Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, DC, and completed his orthopedic residency at Albany Medical Center in New York, where he served as chief resident. He completed a highly coveted shoulder and elbow fellowship in Tampa, FL, with Drs. Mark Frankle and Mark Mighell at the Florida Orthopaedic Institute. Under their supervision, Dr. Brewley performed over 150 shoulder replacements and over 100 arthroscopic shoulder procedures. Upon graduation, he completed additional training in Japan under Hiroyuki Sugaya, MD, and Teruhisa Mihata, MD, PHD, to learn additional arthroscopic techniques, including superior capsular reconstruction for irreparable rotator cuff tears. Dr. Brewley’s research interests include age-related outcomes in shoulder arthroplasty, alternative treatments for post traumatic elbow arthritis, and biomechanics stability in revision shoulder arthroplasty. He is a fellow member of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and an editorial reviewer for the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. In his leisure he enjoys reading, hiking, writing poetry, and cheering for the New York Yankees.
Emily Stevens, FNP-BC
Emily Stevens, FNP-BC, is a board certified nurse practitioner specializing in Orthopedic Medicine. She works with physicians and other members of the orthopedic team to manage the care of patients affected by a broad range of musculoskeletal conditions, including sports-related injuries. A longtime Minot-area resident, Emily earned an Associate of Science in Nursing from Dakota College at Bottineau, where she received the “Excellence in Nursing” award and was selected for membership in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Concordia University Wisconsin and completed her Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner through the University of Cincinnati. Emily’s clinical experience includes seven years working as an RN in Trinity Hospital’s Surgery Department. She and her husband, Ryan, have two daughters. They enjoy spending time together at her husband’s family ranch. She’s a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and North Dakota Nurses Association.
Brent Knudson, DO
Dr. Knudson is an orthopedic surgeon who brings advanced expertise to the care of people with bone, joint, and muscle disorders. His areas of focus include joint replacement surgery of the knee, hip, and shoulder. He is also passionate about sports and taking care of sport-related injuries, as well as routine fracture care.
Originally from Mandan, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry/Nutrition from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and received his medical degree at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. His residency training was completed through Michigan State University at McLaren Oakland, known for its advanced orthopedic program. During his residency, Dr. Knudson trained in all aspects of orthopedic surgery, with special emphasis on joint replacement, direct anterior hip replacement, sports medicine, and trauma care.
His experience also includes five years as a flight surgeon with the US Air Force and Air Force National Guard, two and a half years of which were spent with the 5th Medical Group at Minot AFB. The remaining time was spent in Japan, Afghanistan, and Michigan.
Dr. Knudson and his wife, Kelly, have three children. Whether fishing or hunting, they enjoy spending their free time in the beautiful North Dakota outdoors.
Alycia Coutts, FNP-C
A board-certified nurse practitioner, Alycia Coutts, FNP-C, cares for patients as a member of our Ear, Nose & Throat team. She works with otorhinolaryngology surgeons and other team members to manage the care of children and adults with acute and chronic ENT conditions such as ear infections and other concerns, sinusitis, head & neck problems, and sleep issues. Alycia received her Master of Science degree in Family Nurse Practice from Simmons University. Prior to that she earned an Associate of Science Degree in Nursing from Williston State College and worked as an RN at Trinity Health as a family practice nurse and a charge nurse in Labor & Delivery. A member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and the North Dakota Nurse Practitioner Association, Alycia enjoys spending time outside with her family and watching hockey.
Andrea Sebelius, AGPCNP-BC
A nurse practitioner specializing in Adult Geriatric Primary Care, Andrea works with physicians and other members of the orthopedic team to manage the care of patients affected by a broad range of musculoskeletal conditions, including sports related injuries. Originally from Leeds, ND, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Mary, Bismarck, and completed her Master of Science in Nursing as an Adult Geriatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner through the University of Cincinnati. A member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Andrea enjoys all outdoor sports as well as basketball, which she played both in high school and college.