Board Members

Dr. Joseph T. Bell is a prominent pediatrician and medical director at Children’s Health Pembroke and Catawba Indian Health Service Unit in North Carolina. Notably, he is the first American Indian pediatrician in the state and a member of the Lumbee tribe. His career has been marked by dedication to culturally sensitive healthcare and advocacy for the American Indian community. Dr. Bell’s efforts extend to supporting future medical professionals; he helped establish the Dr. Joseph Bell Scholarship Endowment at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, which aims to support Native American students pursuing careers in healthcare.

In recognition of his outstanding career, Dr. Bell received the Region 3 Golden Stethoscope Award in 2023 and was honored by the Lumbee Regional Development Association and his hometown of Pembroke. He has long emphasized the need for increased Native American representation among healthcare providers, focusing on improving health outcomes through community-based, culturally aware medical care.

Dr. Bell's advocacy and mentorship continue to shape health equity efforts in North Carolina and beyond, particularly in pediatric and community health settings.

Dr. Julie S. W. Childers, MD PhD is a pediatrician and partner at Thomasville-Archdale Pediatrics PLLC. She completed her medical training in Detroit, Michigan before settling in North Carolina, where she completed a Pediatrics residency at Duke University followed by a Palliative Care fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She specializes in supporting children with medical complexity and advocates for accessible, high-quality and evidenced-based care for all children.

Prior to medical school, Dr. Childers completed a PhD in Computer Science at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and worked at Google's New York office as well as Microsoft India in Bangalore where she oversaw technology design to support a local community of underserved women. She also volunteered in Tanzania, teaching computer skills to school-aged children in a rural setting. It was experiences serving those communities that launched her into a career in medicine to support the underserved.

She is both excited and humbled to be serving on the board of CFNC where innovation in provision of pediatric care is achieving our collective vision of supporting all children and particularly those with complex medical and social needs.

Dr. Mark Lins is a board-certified pediatrician at Salisbury Pediatric Associates in Salisbury, North Carolina, where he has been practicing since 1993. He specializes in general pediatrics and adolescent medicine, with a focus on comprehensive well-child care and developmental health. As the president and laboratory director of Salisbury Pediatric Associates, Dr. Lins plays a pivotal role in maintaining high standards of pediatric care at the practice.

Dr. Lins completed his medical education at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University and his residency at North Carolina Baptist Hospital. His practice emphasizes a patient-centered approach to pediatrics, fostering long-term health and wellness for children and adolescents. Beyond his clinical expertise, Dr. Lins is dedicated father and husband while enjoying outdoor activities such as running, hiking, gardening, and fly fishing.

Dr. Christopher Magryta, MD, is a pediatrician with a pediatric prevention first focus that is rooted in first principals functional medicine/integrative healthcare. Based at Salisbury Pediatric Associates in North Carolina, Dr. Magryta has dedicated his practice to combining conventional medicine with integrative approaches, emphasizing preventive care, nutrition, and holistic treatment for pediatric patients. His expertise extends to areas like allergies, asthma, autism, and immunology.

Dr. Magryta studied medicine at Emory University before training in Pediatrics at the University of Virginia. He completed a fellowship in integrative health with Dr. Andrew Weil at the University of Arizona. This diverse background has enabled him to integrate nutrition and lifestyle practices into pediatric care effectively. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Magryta is known for his educational outreach, including his newsletter and Dr. M’s Women and Children First podcast, where he shares insights on child health and wellness. The science of today is on display as the reason for disease is now in laser focus giving us the upstream levers to pull on in order to unwind the immune dysregulation and disease inducing realities of the day. 

Jonathan Peddrick is a Certified Public Accountant at the firm DMJPS. 

Dr. Ricardo Pojol is a partner at Children’s Health of Carolina, PA, a Pediatric practice located in southeastern North Carolina.  He practices at the Lumberton site.

Originally from the Philippines, he obtained his medical degree from UERM in Manila, and completed his Pediatric Residency at Wake Forest University/Bowman Gray School of Medicine. Dr. Pojol is the consummate pediatrician as his love for children drives all of his clinical decisions.