The North Carolina Medical Society Board of Directors (NCMS BOD) is comprised of four executive members, four regional representatives (find your regional rep) and five at-large members.
Get to know your Board better! Click on any image below for a brief bio.
Arthur E. Apolinario, MD, MPH, FAAFP, CH
President
Member since 2000
Dr. Arthur Apolinario, or "Dr. Art" as he's affectionately called by his patients, is a board-certified family medicine physician working at the Clinton Medical Clinic, Inc. He has been active in the North Carolina Medical Society and the American Medical Association, serving as delegates to both organizations as a medical student, resident, and “Young Physician” and successfully working to pass policy relating to health care and childhood obesity as well as domestic violence. He has been president of his local county society, the Sampson County Medical Society, since 2004. He has been actively involved with the NC Medical Society since 2000 and served on the Board of Directors representing Region 3, which covers the south-central portion of the state, from 2014 to 2020. He is a 2016 graduate of the NCMS Foundation Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership’s Health Care Leadership and Management program.
After receiving his undergraduate degree in English Literature from Gannon University, he went on to New Orleans, LA for his MD at Tulane. He moved to Erie, PA to serve his residency in Family Medicine at Saint Vincent Health System, and later moved on to Newton Grove, NC to join the Clinton Medical Clinic. Dr. Apolinario has a special interest in weight loss and mind-body medicine including hypnotherapy.
Arthur Apolinario, MD, MPH, FAAFP
President
Term: 2022-2023
Eileen M. Raynor, MD, FACS, FAAP
President-Elect (Term: 2022-2023)
Member since 2009
Dr. Eileen Raynor currently works as an Associate Professor of Surgery and an Associate Professor in Pediatrics in the Department of Surgery, Division of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences within the Duke University Health System. She has been an active member of the NCMS for a number of years, serving on the NCMS Legislative Cabinet, the Medical Education Committee and the Membership and Communications Advisory Committee. She is an alumna of the KIPL Leadership College Class of 2012 and also served as President of the North Carolina Otolaryngology Society.
Dr. Raynor shares, “I would like to positively impact the quality of life for North Carolina citizens and its physicians through advocacy and collaboration. As a member of the NCMS Board, we will be able to shape the future of health care for all of North Carolina.”
Eileen M. Raynor, MD, FACS, FAAP
President-Elect
Term: 2022-2023
Michael J. Utecht, MD, FACEP
Immediate Past President (Term: 2022-2023)
Member since 2005
Dr. Michael Utecht, an emergency medicine physician living in the Triangle-area, has served on the NCMS Board of Directors since 2014 and as an NCMS Foundation Trustee since last year. He has been heavily involved with various NCMS committees over the years and is a 2019 graduate of the NCMS Foundation’s Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership Health Care Leadership and Management program. Dr. Utecht also is a past president of the North Carolina College of Emergency Physicians.
Dr. Utecht received his undergraduate degree in physiology from Michigan State University and went on to receive his MD from Wayne State University School of Medicine. He did his emergency medicine residency at Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.
He currently is an attending physician in the emergency department at the VA Hospital in Durham where he teaches residents while providing direct clinical care of veterans.
Michael J. Utecht, MD, FACEP
Immediate Past President
Term: 2022-2023
John J. Meier, IV, MD, MBA
Secretary-Treasurer (Term: 2020-2023)
Member since 2008
John Meier MD, MBA, FAAP, is a practicing internist and pediatrician in the Raleigh area. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer of WakeMed Key Community Care (WKCC), a Medicare Shared Savings Program participant and Accountable Care Organization. In his role at WKCC John also serves on the Management, Quality and Operations Committees. Dr. Meier is very active in several working groups and committees at the North Carolina Medical Society – Towards Accountable Care Task Force, Towards Accountable Care Advisory Board, the Kanof Leadership Institute Advisory Board, the Legislative Cabinet and Finance Committee.
Dr. Meier followed his interest and passion in medicine by attending medical school at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, graduating in 2004. He completed his combined Internal Medicine and Pediatric residency at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and had the opportunity to serve as the Medicine Chief Resident at WakeMed Hospital.
John J. Meier, IV, MD, MBA
Secretary-Treasurer
Term: 2020-2023
Chip Baggett, JD
Executive Vice President and CEO
With the NCMS since 2007
Email Chip Direct: (919) 719-4164
In his capacity as CEO/EVP, Chip is responsible for state level advocacy efforts (primarily focused on the NC General Assembly) as well as communications and fundraising for the NCMS and NCMS Foundation.
Chip has a long history in organizational advancement and advocacy. Dating back to college, he has fundraised in numerous paid as well as volunteer capacities. He has led successful corporate and personal annual fund programs and gone through training at the Indiana School of Fundraising. Chip has worked in many different facets of health care ranging from a children’s science and health museum and pharmaceutical sales before going to work directly for physicians and PAs as a medical society executive first at the county level and then here at NCMS.
Chip graduated from the evening program at the NC Central University School of Law and passed the NC BAR in 2016 while working for NCMS. He is proud to be married to his wife, Shanon. They have two children in addition to a Great Dane-Lab mix. Chip also loves to explore the outdoors in his spare time by bike and on foot (preferably with a loaded backpack).
Chip Baggett, JD
Executive Vice President/CEO
Claudius Jarrett, MD
Region 1 (Term: 2021-2024)
Member since 2019
Dr. Claude Jarrett is an orthopedic surgeon practicing at Wilmington Health. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Jarrett also participates in grant funded research projects addressing rotator cuff injuries, shoulder arthritis and upper extremity fractures. After graduating summa cum laude from Xavier University, Dr. Jarrett attended medical school at Northwestern University in Chicago and completed his Orthopaedic Surgery Internship and Residency at Emory University Hospitals. Dr. Jarrett is a 2021 graduate of Leadership College, a program of the NCMS Foundation’s Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership.
Claudius Jarrett, MD
Region 1 Representative
Term: 2021-2024
Charul Haugan, MD, FACEP
Region 2 Representative (Term: 2022-2025)
Charul Haugan, MD, FACEP, is the Medical Director of Clinical Optimization at UNC Health, a role she has had since 2019. She is also Physician Co-Lead of the UNC HSC Emergency Services Group, Chair of the UNC HCS Sepsis Care Optimization Committee, member of the North Carolina Medical Society, an NCMS Medical Team Task Force Member, and a Governor’s Appointee to the North Carolina State Health Coordinating Council. She received her undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins University and her MD at the University of Minnesota.
Charul Haugan, MD, FACEP
Region 2 Representative
Term: 2022-2025
Karen L. Smith, MD, FAAFP
Region 3 Representative (Term: 2020-2023)
Member since 1990
Karen L. Smith, MD, FAAFP, is a graduate of Hahnemann University School of Medicine. She trained at National Congress of Family Physician Residents, North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, Duke University, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, and Fellow American Academy of Family Physicians.
Dr. Smith has been practicing since 1992, with a private practice in Raeford, North Carolina since 2003. Dr. Smith’s practice specializes in family medicine.
Karen L. Smith, MD, FAAFP
Region 3 Representative
Term: 2020-2023
Rachel D. Keever, MD, CPE, FACC
Region 4 Representative (Term: 2020-2023)
Member since 2003
Dr. Rachel Keever, a cardiovascular disease/internal medicine physician from Asheville, is the newest member of the NCMS Board. She studied at the UNC School of Medicine where she received her MD degree, was a clinical fellow in the UNC Division of Cardiology and was a resident in the UNC Hospitals combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Program. Dr. Keever also was awarded Certified Physician Executive (CPE) status in 2016.
Dr. Keever is one of a handful of physicians who has completed two of the Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership’s programs: NCMS Leadership College in 2012 and Health Care Leadership and Management (HCLM) in 2016.
Rachel D. Keever, MD, CPE, FACC
Region 4 Representative
Term: 2020-2023
William G. Ferrell, MD
At-Large (Term: 2023)
Member since 1987
Dr. Ferrell, a Raleigh native, received a BS in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After receiving an MD from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University, Dr. Ferrell remained in Winston-Salem, where he completed an internship in medicine and a residency in neurology at North Carolina Baptist Hospital. Before returning to Raleigh to join Raleigh Neurology in 1990, Dr. Ferrell completed fellowships in neuromuscular diseases and neurosonology at Bowman Gray. Board certified in neurology since 1991, his professional memberships include the American Academy of Neurology and the American Society of Neuroimaging. Dr. Ferrell has been listed yearly in Best Doctors in America since 2001. In 2012, Dr. Ferrell completed the Leadership College Scholars Program sponsored by the North Carolina Medical Society. Currently in the capacity of Past-President, he is serving his seventh of an eight year term on the North Carolina Neurological Society Executive Board. In 2016 he was appointed Chairman of the North Carolina Medical Society Legislative Cabinet. In addition, he serves on the board of North Carolinians for Affordable Healthcare.William G. Ferrell, MD
At-Large
Term: 2023
Ronald B. Laney, Jr., MD, MPH
At-Large (Term: 2023-2026)
Member since 2002
Dr. Ronnie Laney grew up in Durham, North Carolina and always wanted to become a doctor. He says medicine combines two things he loves: people and science. He is board-certified in family medicine and has been practicing urgent care medicine since 2011. Additionally, he served as medical director for an urgent care center for five years. Trained as a primary care physician, Laney says he loves the broad scope of urgent care medicine, along with the chance to perform procedures. He says that, although medicine is challenging and patients are in need, he tries to connect with patients and address their needs, but make them feel special at the same time. In his free time, he enjoys time with his wife and friends, exercising, and playing music as a hobby musician (guitar, bass, and drums).
Ronald B. Laney, Jr. MD, MPH
At-Large
Term: 2023-2026
Jugta Kahai, MD, FAAP
At-Large (Term: 2021-2024)
Member since 2000
Dr. Jugta Kahai is a pediatrician practicing at Southeast Pediatrics. Dr. Kahai has long been involved with the NCMS through committee work and as a 2003 graduate of the Leadership College and a 2019 graduate of the Health Care Leadership and Management program, both part of the NCMS Foundation’s Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership. Dr. Kahai’s specialties include pediatric critical care medicine. She received her MD degree from MS Ramaiah in Bangalore and did her residency training at the State University of New York.
Jugta Kahai, MD, FAAP
At-Large
Term: 2021-2024
Bryant A. Murphy, MD, MBA
At-Large Member (Term: 2020-2023)
Member since 1993
Dr. Murphy practices medicine at UNC Health Care in Chapel Hill in the Department of Anesthesiology, where he is the Vice Chairman for Clinical Operations. He is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at the UNC School of Medicine. In 2012, Dr. Murphy chaired the Anesthesiology section of the National Medical Association and is an NC delegate to the American Society of Anesthesiologists. He also served as the president of the North Carolina Medical Board from 2019-2020.
Bryant A. Murphy, MD, MBA
At-Large
Term: 2020-2023
Carl J. Westcott, MD
At-Large (Term: 2018-2021)
Member since 1998
Dr. Carl Westcott is a general surgery specialist and has been practicing for 22 years. He graduated from Hahnemann University School of Medicine in 1991 and currently is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Carl J. Westcott, MD
At-Large
Term: 2021-2024