Dr. Waits currently serves as the co-founder and CEO of Cahaba Medical Care, a Community Health Center (Federally Qualified Health Center) that started in 2004 in rural Bibb County, Alabama, and has since grown to serve with additional offices in Perry, Chilton, and Jefferson Counties. Together in 2013, he and Dr. Lacy Smith co-founded Cahaba Family Medicine Residency, where he serves as program director and DIO. He is a practicing, board-certified family medicine physician/obstetrician with active obstetric privileges at Bibb Medical Center and UAB Medical West. Dr. Waits earned his medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine. He also completed an obstetrics fellowship at the University of Alabama, as well as residency training at In His Image Family Medicine Residency in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has a particular interest in health care policy and how it touches women and children in terms of maternity and infant care; the rural poor; healthcare access; and the care of the uninsured and underinsured.

Dr. Smith joined Cahaba Medical Care in 2010 and worked with Dr. Waits to transition CMC into a Federally-Qualified Health Center (FQHC), as well as assisted in co-founding Cahaba Family Medicine Residency (CFMR). She now serves as chief medical director and chief operations officer for CMC, associate program director of CFMR, and also has an active clinical practice. Originally from Montevallo, Alabama, she attended medical school at the University of Alabama, then went to residency at Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency. She has also assisted in publishing several national publications and has helped to successfully write numerous federal and state grants. In her spare time, she enjoys running, reading and college football. She currently resides in Randolph with her husband, Luke, and their four daughters, Audrey, Lydia, Natalie and Ainsley.

Dr. Bishop grew up on a farm in rural Minnesota and earned her undergraduate degree from North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota; however, Alabama has been her home for the past several years. She received her medical degree from William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. While in medical school, she rotated as a student at Cahaba Medical Care, where she was inspired to pursue a career in family medicine. She is a graduate of CFMR’s class of 2018 and recently began OB fellowship training with CMC. Outside of work, she enjoys running, swimming, cycling and spending time with her three children.

Dr. Whiten is from the town of Trussville, Alabama, one of the suburbs surrounding Birmingham. She went to undergraduate school at Huntington College in Montgomery. There she was a member of the Huntington Hawks Volleyball Team all four years while majoring in Biochemistry. She completed her BA from Huntington College in 2011. She attended medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine - Georgia Campus and graduated in May of 2017. During one of her required rotations at Cahaba, she fell in love with the idea of practicing full scope rural family medicine. Her hobbies include playing volleyball, biking, hosting/attending game nights, watching movies and Alabama Football (Roll Tide), listening to music, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.

Dr. Lee grew up in Duncanville near Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She attended undergrad at the University of Alabama where she received her degree in chemical engineering. She then attended medical school at UAB School of Medicine and completed her residency and OB fellowship at Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency. "During medical school, I enjoyed a little bit of everything, so family medicine was the perfect specialty for me. During my rural rotations as a medical student, I fell in love with obstetrics as well, which guided me towards an OB fellowship after residency. My favorite part about being an FPOB is the ability to follow my patient pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy, after delivery, and take care of her baby and watch him/her grow up." Outside of medicine, Dr. Lee enjoys crafting (including crocheting and needlepoint) and music. She is also very involved with her church family at East McFarland Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa and is a member of their praise and worship team. She currently lives in Cottondale with her husband, who also works in the medical field as an ICU nurse.

Josh Elledge was born, raised and currently resides in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He obtained his MSN-FNP from Samford University in May 2016 and was subsequently certified through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. He has been married to his amazing wife, Elizabeth, since July 2012 and together they have a daughter, Zoe. "I am incredibly thankful and truly honored to serve the Centreville community with Cahaba,” he stated. “My ultimate goal is to simply love and obey the Lord God and His Son Jesus with all of my heart and in every aspect of my life. My true joy and peace in this life is found in walking with Him.” Outside of work, he enjoys playing basketball and softball, as well as anything else that allows him to stay healthy and in shape while having fun.

Hannah Faulkner is originally from Enterprise, Alabama and joined Cahaba Medical Care in June 2015. She grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and lives there currently with her wonderful husband, TJ, and her three sweet children, Caden, Carson and Kensley. She received her MSN-FNP from Samford University in 2015 and is currently certified through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She believes that providing care to our community is her calling from God. In her spare time, she enjoys scrapbooking, participating in community activities with her children, and spending time with friends and family.

Nikki Savage was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She has worked as nurse specializing in labor and delivery for nine years. She obtained her MSN-FNP from Samford University in May 2017 and is certified through the Academy of American Nurse Practitioners. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, dancing, and spending time with her daughter and animals.

Nicole Yartins grew up in Wilsonville, Alabama, then moved to Calera while in high school. She received her bachelor's degree in nursing from UAB, where she graduated from honors and completed a 2-year research project which entailed going to Honduras to work in a rural hospital and clinic to provide care to underserved communities. She then went on to receive her master's in nursing from the University of South Alabama. She has always had a passion to help people and loves getting to know her patients to develop personal relationships with them. In her spare time, Nicole enjoys cooking/baking, reading and spending time with family. She currently lives in Centreville with her husband, Sean, and their two sons, Ronin and Finn, as well as two dogs, 12 goats, two chickens and two pigs.

Mari was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She attended Shelton State Community College where she received her associates degree in nursing, then went on to attend Samford University where she received a masters degree in their family nurse practitioner program. She has been a nurse for 19 years, beginning her career as an LPN, then RN, before becoming a nurse practitioner in 2018. She currently lives in Tuscaloosa with her husband, their four boys, and their Belgian Malinois, Allie.

Chasity Gibson, a native of Phenix City, Alabama, joined Cahaba Medical Care in 2016 and currently resides in Tuscaloosa. She graduated from the University of Alabama in 2014 with a BS in psychology and biology. She then obtained her Master of Health Science in physician assistant studies at the University of South Alabama. Miss Gibson is board certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and playing with her dog, Hazel, as well as attending football games with friends and family.

Hayden Lightsey has been a resident of Centreville for her entire life. She graduated from the University of Montevallo in 2014 with her Bachelor's degree in Biology. She completed her Associate's degree in nursing in 2017 from Judson College. Hayden has worked for Brookwood Baptist in the Cardiac ICU since she graduated from nursing school and hired on with Cahaba Medical Care in February 2021. Hayden and her husband, Brandon, have two children, Rhett (4) and Ava Jayne (2).

Dr. Waits is a general surgery specialist in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He graduated with honors from University of Alabama School of Medicine in 1974. With more than 43 years of diverse experience, especially in general surgery, Dr. Waits affiliates with many hospitals including DCH Regional Medical Center and Bibb Medical Center. He also coordinates with other doctors and specialists in many medical groups including Cahaba Medical Care and Surgical Specialists of Alabama.

Millie Foster received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Alabama in 2013 and 2014, respectively. She previously worked in both behavioral nutrition counseling and clinical nutrition in the Sevierville, Tennessee area for one year before joining Cahaba Medical Care in March 2016. She is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine practice group. Her professional interests include functional foods and glycomacropeptide as a dietary protein supplement. She currently sees patients at CMC’s rural locations in Centreville, Woodstock, Maplesville and Marion. Outside of work, she enjoys baking, backpacking, reading and mountain biking.

Candice Hathcock was born, raised and currently resides in Centreville, Alabama and has been a registered nurse for almost eight years. She received her associate degree in nursing from Wallace State Community College in Selma in 2011, then went on to obtain her bachelor’s degree from Chamberlain College of Nursing in 2016. “I love being able to give back to the community that helped raise me. It is a great honor and privilege to serve our small community as the labor and delivery nurse and to share the experience with my patients of this very significant life change, from the very beginning of their OB care to the time they deliver,” she stated. “I enjoy working side by side with some of the most passionate and caring healthcare professionals I have ever been around.” Outside of work, Candice enjoys cooking, kayaking, camping, organizing, shopping and raising her 5-year-old daughter.

Pam Cunningham is originally from Selma, Alabama and has worked in echocardiography for 40 years. She received an associate degree in nursing from Wallace State Community College in Selma and is licensed as a cardiac ultrasound technician by Cardiovascular Credentialing International. She has completed echocardiogram preceptorship programs at both Carraway Methodist Hospital and UAB Kirkland Clinic in Birmingham, and she is also a member of the American College of Cardiology. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors, flying planes and motorcycling.

Nese Morgan joined the Cahaba Medical Care team full-time in February 2015 after contracting with the office for three years. She graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science degree in social work. Her passion for Christ and humanity extends beyond the office and into the community, where she is a member of a Bibb County civic organization that serves local residents. She is also a youth advisor and missionary at her church. She is the proud mother of an adult son and enjoys traveling, spending time with family and living life to the fullest.

April serves as our Social Worker for both of our school clinics and has more than 21 years experience in social work. She currently resides in Knoxville with her husband, Clint and their daughter, McCallie.