Dr. Boecker received his undergraduate degree from Bloomfield College in Bloomfield, New Jersey, and earned his medical degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pennsylvania. He completed his internship in osteopathic medicine at Doctor's Hospital, which is now known as Northlake Hospital in Tucker, Georgia. Prior to joining Piedmont Physicians Group, Dr. Boecker was in private practice in Acworth. He has practiced in the Acworth area for over two decades. Dr. Boecker is board certified in family practice, he is a member of the American Osteopathic Association, Medical Association of Georgia, American College of Osteopathic Family Practitioners and the Cobb County Medical Society. Dr. Boecker is accepting new patients and welcomes most major insurance plans. Dr. Boecker is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. His top areas of expertise are Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism, Hypertension, Familial Hypertension, and Sinusitis.

Amy Varner, M.D., received her bachelor of science degree in biology from Murray State University where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She then went on to obtain her doctorate in Medicine from the University of Kentucky while a member of the AOA Honor Society. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Emory University in Atlanta. Dr. Varner is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association.Dr. Varner specializes in executive physicals, anxiety, depression and ADHD, for patients' ages 16 and up. Dr. Varner also performs pap smears and has a special interest in preventative health.In her spare time, Dr. Varner enjoys spending time with family, traveling and being outdoors.Dr. Varner welcomes new patients and accepts most insurance plans. Dr. Varner is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. Her top areas of expertise are Vitamin D Deficiency, Xanthoma, Familial Combined Hyperlipidemia, and Cirrhosis.

Ryan Cantwell is a primary care provider, practicing in Internal Medicine in Kennesaw, Georgia. Dr. Cantwell is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. His top areas of expertise are Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young, Familial Hypertension, Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism, and Hypertension. Dr. Cantwell is currently accepting new patients.

Hitendra Patel is a Pulmonary Medicine specialist and an Intensive Care Medicine provider in Kennesaw, Georgia. Dr. Patel is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. His top areas of expertise are Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Drowsiness, Excessive Daytime Sleepiness, and Idiopathic Hypersomnia. Dr. Patel is currently accepting new patients.

Brion J. Lock, M.D., graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Mich. He earned his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Mich. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Lock was chosen to serve as chief resident for one year after completion of his internal medicine residency in 2002. He stayed at UAB to complete his pulmonary and critical care fellowship and served as chief fellow during his final year of training.Dr. Lock is described as hard working and passionate about the practice of medicine. His colleagues consider him to be very energetic and industrious with regard to patient care. Prior to joining Piedmont Physicians, Dr. Lock was in practice with Georgia Lung Associates for 7 years. Dr. Lock is board certified in critical care and pulmonary disease, and specializes in cough and airways diseases including asthma, COPD, and bronchiectasis.In his spare time, Dr. Lock enjoys sports, cooking, and traveling with his family.Dr. Lock welcomes new patients and accepts most insurance plans. Dr. Lock is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. His top areas of expertise are Chronic Cough, Lung Metastases, Bronchiectasis, Lung Nodules, and Advanced Bronchoscopy.

Stuart Simon, M.D., FCCP, earned his medical degree from Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Ga. He completed his residency and internship in internal medicine at Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, where he was chief medical resident. He completed his fellowship in pulmonology and critical care medicine at Yale University.Dr. Simon received his undergraduate degrees in biology and sociology from Tulane University. Prior to joining Piedmont Physicians, Dr. Simon was in practice with Georgia Lung Associates. He holds board certifications in critical care medicine, pulmonary disease and internal medicine.Dr. Simon specializes in emphysema, lung cancer, pulmonary rehabilitation and respiratory exercise physiology and rehabilitation.In his spare time, Dr. Simon enjoys biking and exercising.Dr. Simon welcomes new patients and accepts most insurance plans. Dr. Simon is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. His top areas of expertise are Lung Metastases, Lung Nodules, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and Pneumonia.

Dr. Kakarala earned her bachelor's degree cum laude, from Washington University in Saint Louis, double majoring in biology and anthropology. She earned her medical degree from the University of South Florida where she graduated in the top third of her class. Dr. Kakarala completed her residency at Rush Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Prior to joining Piedmont Physicians Group, Dr. Kakarala was in practice at Melbourne Internal Medicine Associates in Florida where she earned the Member Satisfaction with Primary Care Physicians award two years in a row. This award is determined by patient satisfaction surveys and is given to the top ten percent of primary care physicians in the Health First network. She has done research on various projects at Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri; Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland; University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, and the University of Vienna in Vienna, Austria. Dr. Kakarala believes that establishing personal relationships with her patients is important and enjoys the continuous learning opportunities that practicing modern medicine provides. In her spare time, Dr. Kakarala enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, cooking, yoga and tennis. Dr. Kakarala is accepting new patients and welcomes most major insurance plans. Dr. Kakarala is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. Her top areas of expertise are Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism, Hypertension, Familial Hypertension, and Hypothyroidism.

Samuel Gilbert is a primary care provider, practicing in Family Medicine in Acworth, Georgia. Dr. Gilbert has been practicing medicine for over 33 years and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. His top areas of expertise are Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism, Hypertension, Familial Hypertension, and Sitosterolemia.

Kristine Ortega is a primary care provider, practicing in Family Medicine in Acworth, Georgia. Dr. Ortega has been practicing medicine for over 24 years and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. Her top areas of expertise are Hypertensive Heart Disease, Enlarged Liver, Pediatric Myocarditis, and Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism.

Dr. Russell is board certified in family medicine and has been practicing medicine for two years. Prior to joining Piedmont, he was working in the urgent care setting and has now transitioned to primary care. Dr. Russell specializes in primary care and treats a broad range of patients in this field. He has a special interest in lifestyle medicine.In his spare time, Dr. Russell enjoys playing the piano and gardening.He is accepting new patients and welcomes most major insurance plans. Dr. Russell is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. His top areas of expertise are COVID-19, Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), Common Cold, and Cellulitis.

Dr. Ansari earned his bachelor's degree magma cum laude from the University of Guelph in Guelph Ontario, double majoring in Environmental Science and Microbiology. He earned his medical degree abroad from the University of Sint Eustatius School of Medicine in the Netherland Antilles where he graduated in the top 5 percent of his class. Dr. Ansari completed his residency at Mercer University School of Medicine at Navicent Health in Macon Georgia. He served as chief resident and won awards for teaching and research into vaccine compliance.Before joining Piedmont, he worked both in a traditional primary care practice in Dayton, Ohio and in urgent care at American Family Care (AFC) in West Cobb. Dr. Ansari believes in understanding a person's humanity and how it relates to their health. He is passionate about preventative care and enjoys working with his patients to find common ground.In his spare time, he loves spending his time with his wife and two children, playing music, hiking, and is an avid gardener. Dr. Ansari is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. His top areas of expertise are Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), Hyperlipoproteinemia Type 4, Familial Hypercholesterolemia, and Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HoFH).

Breanna Joiner, MD, is a board-certified Family Medicine Physician. She earned her medical degree from Albany Medical College and completed her residency at John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County. Dr. Joiner holds her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science from CUNY School of Medicine (formerly Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education).Dr. Joiner has been practicing medicine for three years. Prior to joining Piedmont, she served as a Family Medicine Physician with Northwell Health Physician Partners in New York.Her special interests include preventative wellness and women's health, with an emphasis on supporting healthy lifestyle choices, preventative screenings, and personalized care through every stage of life.In her spare time, Dr. Joiner enjoys gardening and plant care, traveling to experience new cultures, exploring different cuisines, watching movies, and spending quality time with family and friends.Dr. Joiner is accepting new patients and welcomes most major insurance plans. Dr. Joiner is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. Her top areas of expertise are Familial Hypertension, Hypertension, Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism, and High Cholesterol.

Richard Antonio is a primary care provider, practicing in Family Medicine in Woodstock, Georgia. Dr. Antonio has been practicing medicine for over 17 years and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. His top areas of expertise are High Cholesterol, Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism, Hypertension, and Familial Hypertension.

Sandra Roberson is an Allergy and Immunologist in Woodstock, Georgia. Dr. Roberson is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. Her top areas of expertise are Grass Allergy, Allergic Rhinitis, Sinusitis, and Hives. Dr. Roberson is currently accepting new patients.

Brad Goodman is an Allergy and Immunologist in Marietta, Georgia. Dr. Goodman is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. His top areas of expertise are Nonallergic Rhinopathy, Ozena, Sinusitis, and Allergic Rhinitis. Dr. Goodman is currently accepting new patients.

Christine Morris is a primary care provider, practicing in Family Medicine in Marietta, Georgia. Dr. Morris has been practicing medicine for over 10 years and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. Her top areas of expertise are Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Asthma in Children, Asthma, and Oral Herpes.

Samuel Szumstein, M.D., earned his medical degree from Universidad Central de Venezuela in Caracas, Venezuela. He completed his residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed his pulmonary, sleep and critical care medicine fellowships at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Prior to joining Piedmont Physicians, Dr. Szumstein was in practice with Georgia Lung Associates. Previous to that, he was an assistant professor at the University of Virginia and helped train residents and worked as a staff physician at Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salem, Va. He is board certified in pulmonary diseases, critical care medicine and sleep medicine. In his spare time, Dr. Szumstein enjoys spending time with his family, while traveling, hitting the slopes, riding jet skis, watching sports and listening to a wide range of music. Dr. Szumstein welcomes new patients and accepts most insurance plans. Dr. Szumstein is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. His top areas of expertise are Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Lung Metastases, Excessive Daytime Sleepiness, and Irregular Sleep-Wake Syndrome.

Kendall Jefferson is a Pediatrics provider in Kennesaw, Georgia. Dr. Jefferson is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. Her top areas of expertise are Obesity in Children, Asthma in Children, Scarlet Fever, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Dr. Jefferson is currently accepting new patients.

Natanyah Siegel is an Intensive Care Medicine specialist and a Pulmonary Medicine provider in Kennesaw, Georgia. Dr. Siegel has been practicing medicine for over 18 years and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. Her top areas of expertise are Asthma in Children, Asthma, Lung Metastases, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Dr. Siegel is currently accepting new patients.

Kimberly Dao-King is a Pediatrics provider in Kennesaw, Georgia. Dr. Dao-King is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Asthma in Children. Her top areas of expertise are Obesity in Children, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Viral Gastroenteritis, and Asthma in Children. Dr. Dao-King is currently accepting new patients.