Meet Our Providers
Janet Dees, MDWhile other children were dreaming of growing up to be firefighters, police officers, nurses, and teachers, Janet Dees was dreaming of being a pediatrician. That dream became a reality when she started working with underserved kids through Guilford Child Health, and her wonderful experience there prompted her to take a chance and open her own practice. After receiving her master of business administration degree from Wake Forest University in 2001, Dr. Dees opened Northwest Pediatrics. Though she started out as the only physician at the practice, her staff has since grown to include five physicians, two nurse practitioners, and a physician assistant. She is most proud of how the team at Northwest Pediatrics works together to provide children and their families with the best possible care. Credentials:
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Did You Know...Dr. Dees won Triad Mom's on Main "Favorite Pediatrician" in 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021! |
Jennifer Summer, MDWhen Dr. Summer started medical school, she thought that she wanted to work in geriatrics. As she started doing pediatric rotations in med school, however, she began to see that children had more potential. Working in pediatrics was an opportunity to set kids off on a healthy path, rather than having to undo health mistakes with geriatric patients. She is from New York and came to North Carolina while her husband was doing a residency and she was doing rotations. They were supposed to be here for three years and then go back to New York, but they fell in love with the south and never went back. She and her husband now have two children. Two of her favorite quotes are “I wasn’t born in the south, but I got here as fast as I could” and “I am a New Yorker with a southern heart.” Credentials:
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Did You Know...Dr. Summer has a secret love of rap music! She has been known to take the microphone from the DJ and sing her favorite raps in front of groups of people. |
Kate Vapne, MDEver since she was a little girl, Dr. Vapne wanted to be a doctor. Her aunt was a healthcare provider, and she used to take Dr. Vapne with her to the hospital, where she would sing to the patients. She went to nursing school and became a pediatric nurse, and then she loved it so much that she went on to medical school in Russia and became a pediatrician. Now she helps care for the practice’s children as well as her own. Credentials:
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Did You Know...Dr. Vapne loves yoga, exercise, and travel. She also loves her hairless sphynx cats! |
Melody DeClaire, MDA native of Lakeland, Florida, it was at the University of Florida that Dr. DeClaire decided she wanted to be a doctor. She went to medical school knowing that becoming a pediatrician was her ultimate goal. Prior to attending medical school, Dr. DeClaire Volunteered at Shands Hospital in Florida. While volunteering, she fell in love with the children at the hospital and discovered her passion for newborn and infant care. Dr. DeClaire stays busy with her three beautiful children, a son and twin daughters. She loves to travel and spend time with her family.
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Did You Know...Dr. DeClaire is a huge Florida Gators football fan and attends the Florida-Georgia game every year decked out in blue and orange! |
David DeWeese, MDA native of Greensboro, Dr. DeWeese taught high school Latin and Greek before discovering his calling as a pediatrician, and still has a special interest in helping teenagers and their families navigate the transition to adulthood. He maintains memberships in the AAP Sections on Adolescent Health and LGBT Health and Wellness. He is a voracious reader, especially of science fiction and fantasy, and can otherwise be found playing video games, kicking a soccer ball with his daughter, or cheering on his beloved Tar Heels.
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Did You Know...Dr. DeWeese has never actually given up on his childhood dream of going to space. |
Donna Brandon, PA-CDonna became interested in medicine while working with special needs individuals as a music therapist. After she completed her training at Wake Forest Medical School, she worked in Winston-Salem in adolescent medicine. Credentials:
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Did You Know...Donna stays busy keeping up with her two children and multiple pets. She enjoys cooking and taking road trips to visit friends and family. |
Elizabeth Christy, FNPElizabeth Christy started off thinking that she wanted to be a dentist and even worked as a dental assistant for a period of time. Ultimately, she decided to go to nursing school. She worked for a long time in the adult ICU and was never really interested in working in pediatrics until she had children of her own. This helped her decide to go back to school to get her Nurse Practitioner’s degree. She was hired directly from school and has been a part of the Northwest Pediatrics team since. Credentials:
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Did You Know...Elizabeth loves to joke and be silly. She’s also very adventurous; she likes outdoor activities like kayaking and paddle boarding, and she once jumped out of an airplane to go skydiving! |
Heidi Smoot , FNPHeidi discovered her passion for nursing in the 6th grade while shadowing a family member who was a nurse. After starting nursing school, she worked in a nursing home as a CNA. Through work, education, and clinical rotations, Heidi realized that her passion was in pediatrics. Currently, she specializes in ADD/ADHD, anxiety, and depression in our adolescent clinic. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, cooking, and running. Credentials:
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Did You Know...Heidi loves to travel and has visited: St Thomas and St John in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Key West, Florida and the islands of Oahu and Hawaii. Heidi has also visited eleven other European and Caribbean nations. |
Angela Bracken PA-CAngela taught elementary school in Colorado and North Carolina before transitioning from the whiteboard to a white coat. She is delighted that as a Physician Assistant she can continue working with children and their families at Northwest Pediatrics.
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Did You Know...Angela lived in Australia for six months where she developed an abiding affection for Nutella. |
Our Medical Staff - A Perfect Blend of Knowledge, Skill and Compassion
