He is a graduate from the University of Washington, School of Medicine with Honors, and completed his surgical trainings from the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center. He is board certified in Surgery and a fellow of the American College of Surgeon.  He is an active member in the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgery, and the International Federation of the Surgery of Obesity. He has written multiple publications on major surgical journals on Morbid Obesity.

Paula Harless, RN  -- Nurse Manager     Paula holds an Associate Degree in Nursing from Morris Harvey College, Bachelor of Arts from West Virginia State University, and currently pursuing a Masters in Healthcare Administration.  She has been a staff nurse and various levels of nursing management at CAMC for 27 years.  She is the Nurse Manager of the Weight Loss Center and Bariatric Unit at Women and Children's Hospital.  She helped design and open the Bariatric Unit at Women and Children's Hospital in 2003.

Dawn Bacchus, RN, MSN, C-FNP
Medical Weight Loss Program Director

Dawn holds an Associate Degree in Nursing from WV Institute of Technology, a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Nursing from West Virginia University, and is certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner under the American Nurse's Credentialing Center. She has 20 years experience as a Registered Nurse at Charleston Area Medical Center in a variety of settings, including adult and adolescent psychiatry, medical/surgical, newborn intensive care unit, and long-term (skilled) care. She has functioned in various capacities including staff nurse and management. She has 4 years of experience supervising Medical Weight Loss Programs. 

Stacy Vanbibber -- Dietitian    

Stacy holds a Bachelor's degree in Dietetics from Marshall University and a Master's degree in Nutrition and Physical Activity from James Madison University.  She has completed over 1050 supervised practice hours in various clinical, outpatient, adn community settings through the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.    

Vanessa Wiseman, RN, BSN 
Clinical Nurse Coordinator 

Vanessa received her Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing from West Virginia University of Technology. Her experience includes working as a Nurse Extern at Thomas Memorial Hospital on a Medical/Surgical unit and a RN for the Post Cardiac Catherization Unit at CAMC – Memorial Division. 

LaKesha Moore, MS
Exercise Physiologist

Lakesha holds her Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology from Marshall University Graduate School. She received her BS in Sports and Exercise Psychology from West Virginia University. Her clinical experience has been in the Diabetes and Cardiac Rehabilitation Center at Marshall University. 

Tonia Stewart
Pre-certification Specialist

Tonia has been employed at Charleston Area Medical Center for over 20 years. She has worked in a variety of settings, including:

Nursing Administration Office
Sports Medicine 
Patient Accounts
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Human Resources

She advanced from a Secretary I to a Secretary III prior to her current role at the Weight Loss Center.