Community Training

Teressa Watts, MD joined Marathon Health in 2015 as the Medical Director for the Charlotte, NC market. Prior to joining Marathon Health, she worked for Atrium Health as an attending physician in the Family Medicine Residency Program and in private practice. Dr. Watts graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine and completed her residency at Atrium Health in Charlotte. She was named NC Family Medicine Resident of the Year. She is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Family Medicine. She has more than 28 years of medical experience. Dr. Watts is passionate about addressing health care disparities in her community and enjoys health education and women’s health.

Dr. Ajiri Smith Barnes is a board certified family medicine physician practicing in Charlotte, North Carolina.  She was raised in Charlotte and graduated from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, NC.  She earned Bachelor of Science in Psychology,  with a concentration in health psychology from Duke University in 1994. She worked as a research assistant at Duke Clinical Research Institute prior to medical school,  contributing to clinical trial research for heart disease, leukemia and breast cancer clinical research trials.  She is a graduate of Indiana University School of Medicine in 2005 and completed her medical training at Carolinas Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program – Urban Track, with a concentration in underserved medicine.     

Dr. Barnes has over 18 years of clinical experience, prior to coming to Marathon Health, practicing at Atrium Health Primary Care Cabarrus Family Medicine-Prosperity Crossing,  where she served as Site Based Medical Director for 8 years .  She has been named as a Charlotte Top Doctor.  She has a passion for preventative care and for recognition of social, emotional, mental factors that can impact health and disease processes.   She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,  Incorporated.   She is married with a daughter and son.

Rachael Pennell is the Director of Integrated Behavioral Health at Charlotte Community Health Clinic. Rachael is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Her interests include health equity, access to care, and de-stigmatizing mental health. Rachael serves as a health community partner to the UNC Charlotte School of Social Work’s Integrated Behavioral Health Program providing training and practicum opportunities to MSW Integrated Behavioral Health Scholars.

Dr. Jackson is a Clinical Assistant Professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte School of Nursing. She has been a nurse practitioner since 2012 board certified in family health, hospice, and palliative care. She received her BSN from Waynesburg University, MSN from Duquesne University (Pittsburgh), and DNP from Chatham University (Pittsburgh). She has specialized in hospice and palliative medicine since 2012. She currently practices at Hospice and Palliative Care Charlotte Region in addition to her full-time faculty role. She is currently a member of the Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses Association (HPNA), a member of national HPNA Educational Review Committee, and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.