Children's Clinic East - Logo
Children's Clinic East - Logo
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Our Childcare Providers

The Providers

Our staff and physicians at Children's Clinic East are honored you chose us for your family's pediatric needs! To schedule an appointment, please contact one of our three clinics in Mt. Juliet, Hermitage, or Lebanon. 
Se Habla Español - providers who speak Spanish are available at our Hermitage location.

Choose a Provider to Learn More About Them

Dr. Andrew Alsentzer, M.D.

Vanderbilt University
Dr. Alsentzer is a Nashville native. He attended Vanderbilt University for undergraduate and medical school. He then moved to Charleston, SC, where he completed his pediatric residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. He enjoys being back home with his friends and family, serving the population of middle Tennessee. He and his wife welcomed the birth of their daughter in 2021. They enjoy going on walks as a family with their 100 pound lab mix. His interests include photography, sports, travel, and trying out new restaurants.
Dr. Andrew Alsentzer, M.D.
Dr. James Anderson, M.D.

Dr. James Anderson, M.D.

Vanderbilt University
Dr. Anderson is from Moline, Illinois, and attended Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and then the University of Wisconsin, Madison for his pediatric internship and residency. He spent one additional year of training as Registrar in Pediatrics at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in England. 

He has been with Children's Clinic since it was in its original building in Donelson and likes to credit Dr. Wadlington, Dr. Doak, and Dr. Gray for teaching him how to provide the best pediatric healthcare. He is fluent in Spanish. He enjoys being a teacher both to students and parents, especially on matters of childhood growth and development.

He and his wife, Jody, have one daughter. Outside of the Clinic, Dr. Anderson has enjoyed medical mission trips to Honduras with Providence World Ministries. His family enjoys working on the farm with their horses and donkeys. He also enjoys running, cycling, golf, and bluegrass music.

Dr. DeAnna Brown, M.D.

East Tennessee State University
Dr. DeAnna Brown is a board-certified pediatrician who completed her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee. She obtained her medical doctorate degree from East Tennessee State University and completed her pediatric residency at Vanderbilt University.    

As a pediatrician, Dr. Brown has trained to meet the unique needs of children through each of their developmental stages, from newborn to young adult. She cares for children with a variety of different health issues, both acute and chronic, and serves as the first point of contact for concerns regarding your child’s health. She takes special interest in proactively guiding patients and their families toward disease prevention through healthy choices such as nutrition, exercise, and prioritizing mental health. She also performs in-office procedures such as circumcisions, Nexplanon birth control implants, suturing, and ear piercing.

Outside of work, Dr. Brown enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 young sons. She and her family are both sports and outdoor enthusiasts, enjoying activities such as traveling, hiking, snowboarding, and cheering for University of Tennessee athletics. She is active in her children’s athletics and her church.  

Dr. Brown has been taking care of children in Middle Tennessee since 2010 and joined Heritage Medical Associates in 2021. She is gladly accepting new patients.

Dr. Tabitha Casilli, M.D.
Dr. Tabitha Casilli, M.D.

Dr. Tabitha Casilli, M.D.

East Tennessee State University
Dr. Casilli was born and raised in Wilson County. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Vanderbilt University, where she graduated Cum Laude. She then headed to Johnson City to earn her Doctor of Medicine degree from East Tennessee State University, Quillen College of Medicine and did her Pediatric Residency at the University of Florida. 

Dr. Casilli is a board-certified pediatrician and a delegate of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She has a special interest in child development and a passion for supporting early childhood education. 

Both Dr. Casilli and her husband, John, a nurse practitioner, are challenged to implement all of their education into the experience of being parents to their children. "Our family is very excited to 'give back' to our community in Wilson County and will be diligent to engage with the families with which we work and serve."

Dr. Beatriz Collada, M.D.

Florida International University
Dr. Collada grew up in Miami, where she also completed medical school at the (relatively young) Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University. She and her husband moved to Boston, where she completed her Pediatrics residency in the Boston Combined Residency Program (Boston Children’s Hospital/Boston Medical Center). She was part of the Urban Health and Advocacy Track in residency given her interest in underserved and immigrant health and advocacy. Her work in residency focused on improving the quality of the medical home experience for these vulnerable populations, as well as on medical education. Dr. Collada is very excited to grow her patient panel, continue her community involvement here in Middle Tennessee, and serve as a preceptor to medical students. 

When she has spare time from raising her family, she enjoys yoga, decorating, salsa dancing, baking and spending quality time with friends and family. Betty’s husband is a Pulmonary and Critical Care fellow at Vanderbilt. They are both very excited to be in Middle Tennessee.
Dr. Beatriz Collada, M.D.
Dr. Wendy Hitch, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Wendy Hitch, M.D., Ph.D.

Medical College of Georgia
Dr. Wendy Hitch, originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a board-certified pediatrician who has been with Children's Clinic East since 2001. She graduated from Houghton College in New York with a B.S. in Biology and obtained a Master's degree from LSU Medical Center in New Orleans. 

She has a Ph.D. in the immunology of tropical diseases from Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. She completed her Medical Degree at the Medical College of Georgia and finished a pediatric residency at LeBonheur Children's Medical Center and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. Dr. Hitch is a supporter of Young Life. 

She enjoys spending time with her husband and children. Special interests include travel medicine and adoption medicine. She has traveled extensively providing medical care in underserved areas such as Mexico, Ethiopia, India, Turkey, Zimbabwe, Haiti, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, and the Philippines.

Dr. Abigail Jennings, M.D.

East Tennessee State University
Dr. Jennings was born and raised in Nashville and earned her bachelor’s degree from Lipscomb University. She attended East Tennessee State University for medical school and completed her residency training in Pediatrics at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. She is board certified in Pediatrics. Dr. Jennings began her practice back home in Middle Tennessee when she joined Children’s Clinic East in 2013. She enjoys the education aspect of her job and helping families raise healthy and well-adjusted children. 

She loves spending time with her husband, her daughter Clara and their miniature schnauzer. Together they like to hike, run, cook, watch SEC football and they are active in their church.
Dr. Abigail Jennings, M.D.
Dr. Neil Kirshner, M.D.
Dr. Neil Kirshner, M.D.

Dr. Neil Kirshner, M.D.

East Tennessee State University
I am a Nashville native who finished my undergraduate degree at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. Having wanted to be a pediatrician since Kindergarten, I continued my mission in medical school at East TN State University. I then moved to Houston where I was afforded the opportunity to complete my pediatric residency at Baylor College of Medicine / Texas Children’s Hospital. Being the largest children’s hospital and one of the top 5 pediatric programs in the nation, I was grateful for the opportunity to train where I could observe /treat and not just read about the many diseases and best practices in managing children. I then practiced pediatrics in Houston for seven years before returning home to Tennessee. I joined this practice in 2003. I am board certified in pediatrics as well as a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Tennessee Medical Association. I am involved with several location medical organization and serve on several committees. 

For fun, I enjoy spending weekend time playing with my grandchildren. I enjoy both playing and following tennis. Having grown up playing hockey until my earlier adult life, I still enjoy following the Preds and am excited to see how popular it has become for kids in the Nashville area. Finally, I am a proud new dad to Grover, an 85 pound rescue dog who loves to pull me around and shed all over my car. 
Dr. Danielle LaLonde, M.D.

Dr. Danielle LaLonde, M.D.

Vanderbilt University
Dr. LaLonde is originally from Overland Park, Kansas. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Santa Cruz in California. She attended Vanderbilt School of Medicine and also did her pediatric residency at Vanderbilt. She is board certified in pediatrics. Dr. LaLonde and her husband, Mike, have 5 wonderful children: Michael, twins – Joshua and Benjamin, Elizabeth and their youngest Katherine. They feel especially blessed by Katherine who has Down Syndrome. She brings so much love and joy to her family and everyone who meets her. Dr. LaLonde’s family loves spending time together including reading, hiking, camping, and traveling. She is very thankful for the opportunity to care for families as a pediatrician.
Dr. Danielle LaLonde, M.D.
Dr. Viviana Lavin, M.D.
Dr. Viviana Lavin, M.D.

Dr. Viviana Lavin, M.D.

University of Miami
Dr. Lavin is a native of Asturias, Spain, and grew up in Mexico City. She studied medicine at the Universidad Anahuac in Mexico City, then transferred to the Latin American training program William J. Herrington, at the University of Miami, FL, where she completed medical school with the highest honors. 

She completed her internship and Pediatric Residency at Miami Children's Hospital. She then moved to Nashville and completed a sub-specialty fellowship in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at Vanderbilt University. She is a board-certified Pediatrician. Dr. Lavin is married to a local Internist and is the mother of three children. She enjoys cooking, exercising, and running marathons. Dr. Lavin is fluent in Spanish.
Dr. Donna Lett, M.D.

Dr. Donna Lett, M.D.

University of Tennessee
Dr. Donna Woodall Lett is a native middle Tennessean who has been practicing at Children's Clinic East since 2002. After graduating from Austin Peay State University, Dr. Lett received her medical degree from the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences. 

She completed her pediatric residency training in Columbia, South Carolina at Richland Memorial Hospital - USC, Columbia. She practiced pediatrics in South Carolina and later moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee where she was an assistant professor of pediatrics at TC Thompson Children's Hospital - UT Chattanooga. 

Her practice experience includes Level-2 NICU care, newborn nursery, pediatric emergency department, child sexual abuse evaluation, resident and medical student education, and outpatient pediatrics. She is Board Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is a member of the AOA Honor Medical Society.

Dr. Lett lives in Lebanon with her husband, Dr. Dwayne Lett and is excited to now be practicing exclusively at our Lebanon location. They have one adult daughter, Madeline who is a graduate of Friendship Christian School and UT Chattanooga. Dr. Lett is active in her church and enjoys running, walking her dogs, cycling, hot yoga, and travel. 

She is grateful for the opportunity to practice in Wilson County and to actively participate in the health and well-being of young family members.
Dr. Donna Lett, M.D.
Dr. Deepak Mehrotra, M.D.
Dr. Deepak Mehrotra, M.D.

Dr. Deepak Mehrotra, M.D.

University of Mississippi
Dr. Mehrotra grew up in Mississippi and attended the University of Mississippi for medical school and residency. He finished his Pediatrics residency in 1997 and served an extra year as Chief Resident at the University of Mississippi. He joined Children's Clinic East in 1998. 

His hobbies and interests include tennis, water sports, and being an ardent fan of the Nashville Predators, who coincidentally started playing hockey in 1998 - a very good year! He is also currently serving as President of the Cumberland Pediatric Foundation. 

Dr. Mehrotra and his wife, Seema, are the proud parents of two young adults. Serving the local community in his pediatric role has been "truly fulfilling and a pleasure".
Dr. Samuel Orr, M.D.

Dr. Samuel Orr, M.D.

University of Mississippi
Dr. Orr is originally from Jackson, MS. He graduated with a BA in Psychology from Vanderbilt, and a BS in Biology from Ole Miss. He graduated from University of Mississippi School of Medicine, then completed his residency at Scott and White in Temple, TX (now Baylor/Scott and White). He went on to work for, and teach for, Scott and White in Waco, TX, for twelve years before moving back to TN in 2013 to be closer to family. He and his wife are very proud of their two daughters. He still enjoys teaching students and residents, but in his free time he’s a big fan of the outdoors, and loves to cook for his family and friends.
Dr. Samuel Orr, M.D.
Dr. Kimbel Shepherd, M.D.
Dr. Kimbel Shepherd, M.D.

Dr. Kimbel Shepherd, M.D.

University of Mississippi
Dr. Shepherd is originally from Mississippi. He received his undergraduate degree from Mississippi State University and received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi. He also completed his residency at the University of Mississippi. 

After completing his training, Dr. Shepherd practiced as a board-certified pediatrician at North Mississippi Pediatrics in Tupelo, MS for five years. He joined Children's Clinic East in July 2004. Dr. Shepherd and his wife have two children. His outside interests include college sports and spending time with his family.

Dr. Allyson Somers, M.D., M.S.

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Dr. Somers is originally from Youngstown, Ohio. She attended Clemson University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Genetics. Dr. Somers then moved to Cincinnati and earned a Master of Science in Medical Genetics. She worked as a Genetic Counselor at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and ultimately desired to follow patients long term in a primary care setting and attended medical school at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She then completed her Pediatric Residency at Vanderbilt
University. During residency, Dr. Somers was part of the Advocacy Track which focused on serving Middle Tennessee communities. In her free time, Dr. Somers, her husband, and son enjoy spending time with their dog, Brody, college football (Go Tigers!), traveling, and hiking. She is very excited about caring for children and their families.
Allyson Somers M.D., M.S.
Amy Taylor, APRN, FNP-C

Amy Taylor, APRN, FNP-C

Austin Peay State University
Amy Taylor is a native of Nashville, who earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Belmont University. She worked as a registered nurse for 9 years prior to returning to graduate school. Her nursing experience includes intensive care, outpatient surgery, an allergy and ENT clinic, and an occupational health clinic. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from Austin Peay State University. She is a board-certified nurse practitioner.

Amy is married to her high school sweetheart, and together they have two children. She and her family are very involved in both their church and school communities. In her spare time, Amy enjoys running, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.
Lauren Williams, MD

Dr. Lauren Williams-Cole, M.D.

Louisiana State University School of Medicine
Dr. Williams-Cole grew up in Franklin, Tennessee and graduated from Franklin High School. She attended Auburn University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Science and graduated magna cum laude. She attended Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans where she earned her medical degree. Dr. Williams then moved to Charlottesville, Virginia where she completed her pediatric residency at the University of Virginia. While she enjoyed the opportunity to live in several different places during her training, she is excited to be back home to serve the patients of middle Tennessee. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, friends, and family. Aside from medicine, her interests include running, cooking, Auburn football, snow skiing, and traveling.
Lauren Williams, MD
Founder
Luthur A. Beazley, M.D.
04/16/1922 - 08/25/2003

Emeritus
William Wadlington, M.D.
Roland Gray, M.D. 
William Doak, M.D.
Margreete Johnston, M.D.
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