Meet the Team

Born and raised outside of Baltimore, I have called North Carolina home since completing medical school. After my pediatrics training at Duke, I practiced general pediatrics for three years in Hendersonville.  During this time, I realized that my passion lies in the treatment of allergies and asthma. After a brief sojourn in Augusta, Georgia for allergy and immunology training, my family and I returned to Western North Carolina and I joined Allergy Partners.

Since then, my interest in allergy and asthma care has continued to grow. From a scientific standpoint, the field is ever changing and intellectually rewarding. From a personal standpoint, I find working with patients and families both satisfying and fun.

I strive to provide each patient with a comprehensive and personalized evaluation and treatment plan that not only treats his or her condition but fits with his or her lifestyle. I firmly believe that we should work together to control allergic diseases and asthma and not let them control you.

I have particular interest in working with patients, both adult and pediatric, suffering from allergies, asthma, eczema, and chronic sinusitis. In addition to my work with patients, I also serve as Vice-President and Chief Medical Officer for Allergy Partners. In this role, I strive to improve systems of care to ensure that all our patients and their families receive the very best care.

INTERNSHIP

RESIDENCY

FELLOWSHIP

• Medical College of Georgia

BOARD CERTIFIED

• American Board of Pediatrics
• American Board of Allergy & Immunology
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• Diplomat, National Board of Medical Examiners

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
• American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology
• American Medical Association
• Annals of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Medical Association
• North Carolina Medical Society
• Buncombe County Medical Society

Dr. Shield grew up in Newport News with severe asthma. His experiences with the wonderful doctors and nurses who took great care of him during those difficult times stimulated his interest in medicine, so it was only natural that he chose a career in Allergy and Immunology.

He feels fortunate to have trained with some of the most outstanding allergists in the country. That training, combined with his own personal experiences, gives him the ability to provide a level of care that is difficult to find elsewhere. He is honored to have been named by his peers as a Hampton Roads “Top Doc” in Allergy and Immunology on numerous occasions.

He has been happily married to his wife, Kathy, since 1988. They have four really cool, interesting children, all of whom have allergies! He loves spending time with his family and enjoys the challenge of playing a decent round of golf every once in a while.

Medical School

• Eastern Virginia Medical School

Residency

• University of Alabama, Pediatrics

Fellowship

• University of Tennessee

Professional Societies

• Diplomate, American Board of Allergy and Immunology

Although I am originally from the Midwest (Go Cornhuskers!) the Triangle has definitely become home for me and my family.

It really has been exciting to see the growth of our practice in Raleigh and fulfilling to see our patients improve.  My commitment is to enhance the quality of life for both children and adults by the diagnosis and treatment of asthma, food and environmental allergies and immune disease.

I believe that empathetic listening and patient education is key to this goal.  Outside of medicine I enjoy spending time with my children, yoga and weight training, and finding time for a date with my husband!

Medical School

• University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

Residency

• Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL

Fellowship

• Rush University Medical Center

Board Certified

• Allergy & Immunology
• Pediatrics

Professional Societies

• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
• American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology

Dr. Farooqui is Board Certified in Adult and Pediatric Allergy & Immunology, and has been in clinical practice since 2013. He joins us after serving as an Assistant Professor of Allergy & Immunology at The Ohio State University and Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He has been a principal investigator on research grants, published numerous journal articles and regularly speaks at local and national conferences. Dr. Farooqui completed his fellowship training in Adult and Pediatric Allergy & Immunology at The Ohio State University. He completed his residency and board certification in Internal Medicine from The University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, and earned his medical degree from King Edward Medical University, where he graduated in the top ten percent of his class. Dr. Farooqui’s clinical interests include a variety of conditions such as hay fever, asthma, venom allergies, sinus disease, food allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis, and immunologic disorders.

In his spare time, Dr. Farooqui loves exploring the outdoors and local hot spots with his wife Ayesha and two sons, Nyel and Mikayil. He also enjoys blazing down city roads and scenic mountain trails on his bicycles.

Medical School

• King Edward Medical College, Pakistan

Residency

• University of Tennessee Health Science Center, TN

Fellowship

• The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Board Certified

• American Board of Allergy and Immunology
• American Board of Internal Medicine

Dr. Freccia grew up in North Carolina where he attended college at Duke University. Without relinquishing his Blue Devil allegiance, he graduated from medical school at the University of North Carolina. He came to the Midwest for his internship and residency in general pediatrics at the University of Michigan (Go Blue!). He moved to Chicago where he completed his fellowship training in adult and pediatric allergy/immunology at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Freccia earned a degree of Master of Business Administration from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.

“I’m excited to practice in Chicago with my wife, Dr. Carla Luna—a true Chicagoan. We’re passionate about providing high-quality allergy, asthma, and immunology care to adults and children. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, traveling, and watching college and professional sports. We have 2 amazing young daughters who keep us on our toes.”

Medical School

• University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Internship

• University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Pediatrics

Residency

• University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Pediatrics

Fellowship

• Rush University Medical Center

Board Certified

• American Board of Allergy and Immunology
• American Board of Pediatrics

Professional Societies

• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
• American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology

Dr. Harris made the decision to pursue a career in medicine, specifically allergy and immunology, because he has always been fascinated with science and wanted to help people overcome their health concerns. To do this, he made sure that he had the educational background and up-to-date training to give his patients the best care possible. After earning his medical degree, Dr. Harris completed residency training in internal medicine and fellowship training in allergy and immunology.

“I see patients who are experiencing chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing and itchy skin, to name a few, and through comprehensive testing I am able to identify the cause of their symptoms. I then provide them with individualized treatments designed for effective, lasting relief.”

Dr. Harris prides himself on providing his patients with unhurried and informative care in a relaxed environment. He will take the time to explain their diagnoses and any recommended treatment in simple, easy-to-understand terms.

“My patients appreciate this level of personalized care; it makes their office visits a positive experience.”

Dr. Harris has been selected as a Castle Connolly 2017 Top Doctor!

Medical School

• Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Rootstown, OH

Internship

• Internal Medicine, University of California School of Medicine, Irvine, CA

Residency

• Internal Medicine, University of California School of Medicine, Irvine, CA

Fellowship

• University of California, Irvine

Board Certified

• American Board of Allergy & Immunology

Professional Societies

• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
• American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
• Orange County Allergy Society
• Orange County Medical Association, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society

Dr. Keitel’s interest in Allergy and Immunology began in college researching Tcells, an important cell in the immune system. A practice focused in the field of allergy seemed natural through his nine years of medical training. After finishing his Allergy training at Vanderbilt University, joining Allergy Partners at the Northern Kentucky hub in 2003 allowed him to practice in a family-oriented area to help care for both kids and adults.

“After a decade treating allergic diseases, the satisfaction of helping patients improve their quality of life by controlling their allergy symptoms is very rewarding.”

Originally from southern Indiana, the Cincinnati Metro area provides many exciting opportunities for entertainment, sport, and dining that were not available to Dr. Keitel growing up in the “farmland.”

Medical School

• Indiana University

Fellowship

• Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Board Certified

• Diplomate, American Board of Allergy & Immunology
• The American Board of Internal Medicine

Professional Societies

• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
• American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
• Cincinnati Allergy Society

Dr. Lantz grew up in Orangeburg, South Carolina and earned her degree in Microbiology at Clemson University before attending the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. She completed her pediatric residency at Greenville Hospital System and allergy fellowship at the Medical College of Georgia. She had the opportunity to work with Dr. Tom Tiller and Dr. Trip Johnstone as a medical student and as a resident.

“Coming back to Greenville and to Allergy Partners of the Upstate from my allergy fellowship felt like coming home.”

She is board certified in pediatric and adult allergy and immunology as well as experienced in diagnosing and treating a variety of allergic diseases and primary immunodeficiencies.

Dr. Lantz has been part of the Greenville Community for over twenty years and in her spare time, she enjoys the outdoors with her husband and their two children.

Medical School

• Universtiy of South Carolina School of Medicine

Internship

• Greenville Memorial Hospital, Department of Pediatrics

Residency

• Greenville Memorial Hosptial, Department of Pediatrics

Fellowship

• Medical College of Georgia

Board Certified

• American Board of Allergy & Immunology

Professional Societies

• The American Board of Allergy & Immunology

Dr. Michael Martucci completed his Fellowship in Allergy, Asthma and Immunology at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado. He is board certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology and the American Board of Internal Medicine.

He is a Colorado native and obtained his medical degree from the University of Colorado and completed his Internal Medicine internship and residency also at the University of Colorado. Dr. Martucci is actively involved in research related to improving asthma outcomes in patients. He has published several journal articles and given talks at the national level. He received the post-doctoral research award from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology for clinical research and patient care.

Dr. Martucci is a fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. He was recently appointed to the State Advisory Council for the Colorado Department of Education.

In his free time, he enjoys hiking, biking and exploring Colorado. Also, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children, one of whom has severe allergies. Prior to medical school he worked as an Electrical Engineer where he met his wife, who continues to work as an engineer. Dr. Martucci strongly values communication and will be an advocate for his patients.

Fellowship

• National Jewish Health

After moving to Winston-Salem in 1999 for her Allergy and Immunology fellowship at Wake Forest, Dr. Hoffmann and her husband fell in love with the area, culture and people here. She has been practicing in the area now for over 20 years.

“My interest in allergy and immunology stems not only from a fascination with the immune system, but also because I have allergies myself. In fact, one of my daughters suffers from food and nasal allergies in addition to asthma. So as a parent, I have had first-hand experience coping with these diseases.”

Dr. Hoffmann enjoys seeing patients of all ages, and her special areas of interest include environmental nasal allergies, asthma, and food allergies.

“I have found that appropriate treatment of allergic disease can dramatically improve quality of life.”

When not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband, two daughters, three cats and four dogs.

Medical School

• University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Residency

• University of Louisville, Pediatrics

Board Certified

• American Board of Pediatrics
• The American Board of Allergy & Immunology

Professional Societies

• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

Dr. Theodore Kim is a native of Washington DC and served with distinction as a U.S Army officer and physician. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Allergy Partners, PLLC, the largest single specialty allergy practice in the U.S., and as Medical Director of the Allergy Partners of Northern Virginia Flow Lab. Dr. Kim has won numerous awards such Top Doctors for Northern Virginia Magazine, Washingtonian Magazine as well as Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors and Vitals.com Patient’s Choice Awards. His special areas of interest include food allergies, food oral immunotherapy (OIT), Asthma, Allergic Rhinitis and Immunology.

Medical School

George Washington University

Residency

Internal Medicine, Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Fellowship

• Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Board Certified

• Allergy & Immunology

Professional Societies

• Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS)
• Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center (San Antonio)
• Fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (FAAAAI)
• The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (FACAAI)
• the American College of Physicians (FACP)

Dr. Lane is a native of Graham, North Carolina, he moved to Central Virginia with his wife Stephanie, who is a native of Amherst, and they currently live in Forest. They have 4 sons and in 2017 they were blessed with a daughter.

“We chose to move to the area to be near family and to serve the allergy needs of Lynchburg and Central Virginia.”

Medical School

• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill NC

Residency

• University of Virginia, Charlottesville VA, Internal Medicine

Fellowship

• University of Texas Medical Branch

Board Certified

• Adult and Pediatric Allergy, Asthma and Immunology

Professional Societies

• He is a member in the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology as well as the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
• Dr. Lane is member of the Lynchburg Academy of Medicine and served as President of the Southeastern Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Society from 2017-18.

Dr. Tiñana decided to go into the field of allergy and immunology as she enjoys working with patients of all ages.

“I believe in patient-centered allergy and asthma care, with an emphasis on knowledge, prevention, and effective management, all of which play an important role in helping those suffering from allergies and asthma to live with the greatest degree of comfort possible.”

After spending several years in Maryland and Virginia, Dr. Tiñana moved to Texas to complete her allergy and immunology fellowship and live closer to her extended family. She decided to open her practice in Corpus Christi as her parents have been residents of the area for almost 20 years.

“I am excited to serve the allergy needs of this wonderful community.”

In her spare time, Dr. Tiñana enjoys spending time with her husband, Peter, and two boys, Kai and Kameron.

Medical School

• The George Washington University School of Medicine

Residency

• Internal Medicine, University of Virginia

Fellowship

• University of Texas Medical Branch

Board Certified

• American Board of Allergy and Immunology
• American Board of Internal Medicine

Professional Societies

• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
• American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology

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Having served on the Board of Directors since 2021, Chris became CEO of Allergy Partners in 2023. Chris’ proficiencies included culture and operations change management, P&L management, strategic sales, acquisition and integration, executive team recruiting and development, administrative, federal, and state legislative and regulatory advocacy, regulatory compliance, revenue cycle management, marketing, sales, operations management, corporate communications, training, and development. Chris firmly believes that healthy cultures and strong business outcomes are inextricably linked, and that psychological safety and performance-oriented cultures matter now more than ever. That, at the end of the day, our people and how they learn to work well together, makes all the difference.

As Allergy Partners CEO, Chris empowers physicians and employees to deliver the best allergy and asthma care in the country through empathetic leadership, mutual respect, and shared success.

David Brown, M.D., is the Vice-Chairman & Founder of Allergy Partners, PLLC and a board-certified allergist and immunologist. Dr. Brown is a graduate of the University of Georgia and Medical College of Georgia, where he also received his Pediatric Residency and Allergy/Immunology Fellowship. Dr. Brown joined Allergy Partners in 1987 and started to build the network shortly thereafter. He became their President and CEO in 1994. In that role, Dr. Brown has helped Allergy Partners, PLLC to become the largest, single-specialty allergy practice in the United States, with over 180 providers at 125 locations. Dr. Brown recently shared these thoughts on his role with Allergy Partners, “I find it extremely gratifying to work with an amazing group of physicians and staff to constantly improve the care we deliver to each and every patient while also helping shape the future of our specialty.”

He is a member of several allergy/asthma-related societies (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, Southeastern Allergy & Asthma Association, the North Carolina Allergy Society, and the American Medical Association), and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southeastern Allergy & Asthma Association in 2021.