CHI Memorial Medical Group has welcomed Dr. Andrew Harper to CHI Memorial Surgical Associates – Parkway.
Harper earned his medical degree from Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta and completed an internship and general surgery residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. A U.S. Army Reserve veteran, he served nine years including active duty during the Persian Gulf War. He brings more than 30 years of surgical experience to the practice.
CHI Memorial Surgical Associates provides minimally invasive laparoscopic, robotic-assisted and traditional general surgery. Harper’s specialties include treatment for gallbladder and gastrointestinal diseases, appendicitis, colon diseases, thyroid and parathyroid disorders and all types of hernias.
Harper will see patients at CHI Memorial Parkway, (4700 Battlefield Parkway). Call 706 841-4214 to make an appointment.
Simmons leads new Crabtree chapter
Crabtree Farms has named Liz Simmons as its new executive director, ushering in what she describes as “a season of growth and emergence” for the longtime Chattanooga urban farm.
Simmons says she steps into the role “with deep gratitude for the land that has sustained this work, for the people who have cared for it and for the community that continues to believe in what grows here.”
She calls Crabtree a place “where seeds of learning, connection and nourishment are planted and nurtured,” adding that the farm’s mission remains focused on expanding access to locally grown food, providing farm-based education and cultivating community.
Simmons praises the staff she’s joined as “a gifted and hardworking team whose creativity and dedication inspire me.”
She says her goals are to ‘listen well, learn with humility and lead with joy as we nurture sustainability, restoration and legacy in the work ahead.”
Describing Crabtree’s story as “a harvest made possible by the hands and hearts of many,” Simmons invites supporters to continue advocating for the farm “so that together we can build what is good and lasting for generations to come.”
Grey named president of Physician Enterprise
CommonSpirit Health has appointed Dr. Marijka Grey as president of physician enterprise for the Tennessee and Georgia Market.
Grey says she looks forward to shaping “a unified clinical vision that strengthens care delivery and supports providers across Tennessee and Georgia.”
She will oversee physician enterprise clinical quality and standards, operations, patient experience and engagement for employees and providers. She will also collaborate with population health leadership on initiatives to improve community well-being and work to expand diverse provider services and networks across the region.
Grey brings extensive experience in medical group operations and clinical leadership within integrated health systems, along with deep knowledge of CommonSpirit Health’s local markets, to the role.
Grey previously served as president of CHI Memorial Medical Group and chief medical officer of the Mission Health Care Network. In those roles, she worked closely with Glyn Hughes, the current physician enterprise president for Tennessee and Georgia, who will retire Jan. 1. Most recently, she was system vice president of ambulatory transformation and innovation for CommonSpirit Health.
Beyond her administrative work, Grey holds faculty appointments at the Center for Primary Care at Harvard Medical School and at Morehouse School of Medicine. She serves on the boards of the American Medical Group Association, the Catholic Health Association and the Tennessee Medical Association.
Before joining CommonSpirit, she led more than 850 physicians and advanced practice providers at WellSpan Health in York, Pennsylvania. Locally, she served as president of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society in 2021 and continues to serve on its foundation board.
Grey earned her medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, completed her internal medicine residency at York Hospital and received her MBA from Mount Saint Mary’s University.
Gwyn earns state ED credential
Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Coordinator Tessa Gwyn has earned the Tennessee Certified Economic Developer (TCEcD) designation after completing the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services’ 92-hour certification program.
The program offers training on economic trends, development principles and community-focused strategies tailored to Tennessee.
A California native and marine biology graduate of the University of California Santa Cruz, Gwyn previously worked with aquariums and zoos across the country before joining the Chattanooga Chamber three years ago. In her current role, she supports prospect inquiries, workforce initiatives, business retention and expansion, company recruitment and other economic development efforts.
Gwyn joins fellow TCEcD recipients Lindsay Hiatt, director of economic development, and Miriam Hamilton, director of research, on the Chamber’s economic development team.