Meet the Team
Here you can read a glimpse into who your providers are and the incredible staff that will be here!
John Kelly, MD
aka "The Prankster"
Dr. John Kelly was born in Arkansas and trained in Denver bringing a unique journey that includes having a notorious serial killer as a patient during his medical education, who used banana pudding as her weapon of choice. After establishing his career in Cincinnati, he dedicated himself to serving underserved communities in Kentucky. In 2023, he made his long-awaited move to Alaska, and in 2024, he opened Northern Neurology, alongside with his exceptional team. No stranger to jokes and laughter, Dr. Kelly has been known to pull some pretty incredible stunts on his staff - from "fall into ice" challenge to pretending to haphazardly leaving expensive and necessary clinical items outside then "accidentally" running them over leaving his manager, technologist and nurse practitioner to find them the next morning in the parking lot, in the dark (while he laughed gleefully on the other end of his phone awaiting the onslaught of panicked texts from them) There is something to be said for the doctor that can connect with his patients and staff alike in a manner such as laughter and creativity. Always helping to create those new neural pathways!
With the launch of Northern Neurology, came the first and only Multiple Sclerosis Specialty clinic in Fairbanks. Dr. John Kelly is committed to making a meaningful impact in the local communities he cherishes.
Alison Armour, ANP
Alison grew up in Boston. It is still home to her family and she loves to visit but does not love the traffic! She is married to a military veteran and they have lived in a number of places since leaving Massachusetts, however Alaska is by far their favorite place and where they plan to stay. She started her career in critical care then moved to the ER before becoming a nurse practitioner. She spent years working in high intensity environments, and still gets some time when covering hospital call with Dr. Kelly - but has found her true home in Neurology. In her spare time you will likely find her exercising her brain with literature, music, the arts or just being outdoors.
Alison is one of the best parts about our care team of providers and we are lucky to have her!
Natasha DiTomaso
Manager
aka Chaos Coordinator
She’s been in the neurology field administratively for the past three years and truly loves what she does! When she’s off the clock, you’ll catch her whipping up all kinds of fun and creative projects with her Cricut. Always willing to go above and beyond to help patients find the resources they need or just listen to them, aid in navigating insurance or working closely with providers to make sure they have what is needed to give their patients the best care. Her enthusiasm for her work really shines through!
Alexis Bernier -
Front office Extraordinaire
Lexi has been an absolute gem of our team for almost three years, sprinkling her expertise and sunshine wherever she goes. Her cheerful greetings are like a magic spell, turning our patients' frowns upside down! And let’s not forget her silly side she’s the only one we know who came back from Thailand with a tattoo of the word "potato"! Always ready to help, Lexi embodies teamwork like no other, proving that happiness truly is the best medicine (next to actual medicine, of course)!
Rene Hourtienne,
Registered
Neuro-Diagnostic Technologist
Meet Rene, a passionate neurophysiology expert who started her journey in Arkansas and made her way to Texas as a teenager. After at the Medical College of Georgia in 1990, she spent years in Texas before moving to the stunning landscapes of Alaska in 2006. When she's not busy monitoring brain waves or conducting nerve studies, you can find her off-roading in the Alaskan mountains, rock crawling in Moab, or dedicating her time to rescuing both humans and animals. As a proud dog mom to five adorable pups, Rene often brings her smallest companion, Dani, a long-haired wiener dog, to the clinic, where Dani has hilariously earned the title of "Employee of the Month!"
Tara Green -
Front office :
Patient Checkout
Far North Infusion
get to know our amazing nurses with two truths & a lie!
Kristi Grobe, RN
Two truths and a lie, make sure to ask her which is which!
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I am a cheese-head all the way
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I love the cold weather the most
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I became a nurse at 19 years old and have worked as a traveling nurse for years.
Kayla James, RN
Two truth and a lie - can you pick which is which about Kayla?
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I have rafted over 350 miles of Alaska’s rivers
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My pet cat is named Minion
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I hate all pickles, can’t even smell them
Maggie Miller, RN
Two truths and a lie from Maggie - see if you can guess which is the lie!
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I love to jump out of airplanes
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I have a twin sister, Megan
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My dog weighs more than me
We love our nurses!!
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Medical Assistant's
Lead: Kurt Cater
Evan Anderson
Michele Jackson
(not an actual picture - maybe they will get me one soon!)
Our medical assistants really help the clinic function! From rooming patients to preparing charts, sending orders, answering calls, just overall helping our providers and our patients alike day to day.
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Evan has a background in human biology with several years of schooling and an eye for detail. He is personable with our patients and quick to help in any way he can!
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Michele has been a medical assistant and worked in prior authorizations, records and new patient referrals for years before coming to our clinic. She always has a smile and tries to make everyone as comfortable as possible!
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Kurt will be our newest addition to the clinical team. He has a background in the military and several years as a medical assistant. He is considerate, hard working and will go that extra mile for both patients and staff alike.
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We are quite lucky to have such a team!