Our team

Mark L. Higdon, DO, FAAFP

Program Director and Designated Institutional Official

Dr. Higdon is a board-certified family physician who graduated from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine and has finished his family medicine residency in Fort Benning, Georgia. Dr. Higdon also completed a Family Medicine Faculty Development Fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As a husband, father of three boys and a retired Army colonel, Dr. Higdon is committed to his faith and service to others. He was a former family medicine program director, director of graduate medical education and has more than 20 years of academic experience. His academic interests include physician leadership, hospital administration and work-life balance.

Kelley V. Lawrence, MD, IBCLC, FAAFP, FABM

Assistant program director

Dr. Lawrence is a board-certified family physician who completed both her undergraduate and medical school training at UNC Chapel Hill and then completed her family medicine residency at the Lawrence Family Medicine Residency Program in Lawrence, Mass. Her area of concentration within her training program was maternal child care, particularly low-risk prenatal/obstetric care as well as breastfeeding medicine. She and her husband have four young children and understand the value of balance between work and family life. Dr. Lawrence also contributes to our faculty team through her experience in care for the underserved/uninsured and interests in international and integrative medicine.

Heather Doty, DO

Director of osteopathic education and assistant program director

Dr. Doty is a board-certified family physician who graduated from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She completed her residency training at Memorial Hospital in York, Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the Novant Health Family Medicine Residency Program, she spent 12 years working in urgent care settings. During that time, she served as medical director of five urgent care clinics and helped to create an integrated urgent care model to improve patient access and provider satisfaction.

Dr. Doty’s academic interests include healthcare administration, physician resilience, integrative approaches to healthcare and preventive medicine. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and five children and volunteering with organizations that serve those in need.

Lauren Penwell-Waines, PhD

Associate program director and director of behavioral science

Dr. Penwell-Waines is a licensed psychologist who completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees at West Virginia University. Following this training, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship in health psychology at the Medical College of Georgia and the Behavioral Science Family Systems Educator Fellowship through the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. Dr. Penwell-Waines' professional interests include integrated care, health behavior change, and physician wellness. She believes in living a well-rounded life and enjoys traveling, cooking, eating, and fitness.

Kira Harris, PharmD, BCPS, CDE, CPP

Outpatient clinical pharmacy specialist and assistant program director

Dr. Harris is a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist and clinical pharmacist practitioner who completed her undergraduate and pharmacy school education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She completed her postgraduate year one pharmacy practice residency at the Durham VA Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, and her postgraduate second year ambulatory care specialty residency at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, North Carolina. She practiced at Novant Health Crown Point Family Physicians for eight years before joining the residency program in March 2017. She has a special interest in diabetes management and cardiovascular risk reduction. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children and living an active and healthy life.

Katherine Haga, DO

Assistant Program Director

Dr. Haga is a board-certified family physician who graduated from Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency training with the Novant Health Family Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Haga was involved in resident leadership with the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians and served as Chief Resident. She has professional interests in the business of the healthcare system/healthcare operations, community engagement, advocacy, whole-person health, and empowering young physicians. She enjoys time with her husband, friends, and family, as well as being outdoors and exploring new places.

Puja Dalal, MD

Assistant Program Director

Dr. Dalal (she, her, hers) is a board-certified family physician who went to the University of South Carolina for both her undergraduate and medical school training. She completed her residency at Swedish Family Medicine First Hill in Seattle, Washington. After working for a CHC in the greater Seattle area and internationally in New Zealand, Dr. Dalal returned to South Carolina to complete a Primary Care Ultrasound Fellowship at Prisma Health/USCSOM in Columbia, SC. Her academic interests include point-of-care-ultrasound, social justice in medicine, medical education and care of underserved populations. When not working, you can find her catching the sunset on a hike, making s'mores when camping, asking for directions in another country, attempting not to fall into the water when paddleboarding or trying salsa moves on the dance floor.