Our full-time Pediatric Anesthetists from left to right: Elizabeth Gay, Holly Hefner, Megan Dowdy, Holly Holman, and Lauren Lowell.
Ryan Delaney, CRNA
Megan Dowdy, CAA
Megan Dowdy was born and raised in Barnwell, SC, and completed her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at Winthrop University. She proceeded on to her Master of Medical Science in Anesthesiology at South University in Savannah, Georgia. Megan has a special interest and ability in information technology and is our Information Technology Liaison, serving on the Anesthesia Informatics Committee. She enjoys spending time with her two sons, reading, and being at the beach.
Holly Edmonds, CRNA
Holly Edmonds joined the Pediatric Anesthesia Team at CHOG in 2017. She previously worked at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, in Florida, after earning a Master of Science degree in Nurse Anesthesia from Florida International University in 2010.
Holly is a native of Pennsylvania, but also spent many years living in Maryland. Her undergraduate degrees include Bachelor of Science degrees in both Anthropology and Fine Arts (Towson University) as well as a BS in Nursing from the University of Maryland. She was a critical care RN at Johns Hopkins prior to becoming a CRNA.
Among her interests outside of anesthesia, Holly enjoys reading, gardening, exercise, and time with family, including pups Maui and Finn.
Holly Holman, CRNA
Holly Holman has been a CRNA since 1999. As a consequence of the pandemic, she was given the incredible opportunity to join CHOG in August 2020. Thanks to mentoring from the entire CHOG anesthesia team, who have generously shared their time and expertise, she has transitioned to full-time pediatric practice, a role she absolutely adores!
Holly earned a Master of Nursing degree (Nurse Anesthesia) in 1998 from the Medical College of Georgia. The Nurse Anesthesia Program was established in 1995 and she was a member of the second graduating class. During graduate school, she was honored by the Georgia Association of Nurse Anesthetists as the 1998 Outstanding Student Nurse Anesthetist for the state of Georgia. Following certification as a CRNA, she worked at University Hospital (Augusta) providing general, cardiac, and obstetric anesthesia care. In 2001, she returned to St. Joseph Hospital (Augusta), where she had begun her nursing career. She spent the next 20 years there in general and obstetric anesthesia practice, while also serving as the Lead CRNA.
Prior to the pursuing a career in anesthesia, Holly graduated in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (minor emphasis in Psychology) from Clemson University. She then worked at St. Joseph Hospital for 7 years as a med-surg, pediatric, and PACU RN.
At Children's Hospital of Georgia, Holly has assumed the role of Chief Pediatric Anesthetist, succeeding Laurie Yates, who expertly served in this leadership capacity for 23 years.
Holly's outside pursuits include gardening, travel, concerts, time with family/friends (especially her nephew, Wyatt), and fun with her dog, Riggs.
Lauren Lowell, CRNA
Hometown: Summerville, SC
Sara Norman, CRNA
Danielle May, CAA
Alison Brigham, CRNA
Elizabeth Gay, CRNA
Elizabeth was born and raised in Augusta, Georgia. She attended The University of Georgia and Augusta University, receiving her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Foreign Language in Spanish. She received her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Augusta University in 2020 and has been a nurse anesthetist at CHOG since. She’s a member of the cardiac anesthesia team and serves as clinical coordinator for the Augusta University CRNA students. She loves spending time with her husband, Michael (who is also a nurse anesthetist), and her calico cat, Tilly.
Angie Hicks, CRNA
After practicing in nursing over 10 years, Chuan (Angie) Hicks advanced her education and pursued her career as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. She received her Master’s degree in Nursing Anesthesia from Augusta University in 2018. With her passion in the pediatric population, she has worked at Children’s Hospital of Georgia since 2019. After a brief break from graduate studies, Angie completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from AU in December 2021. Angie also served in the U.S. Army for 12 years, both on Active Duty and in the Reserves.
Kelly Stamper, CRNA
Beth Wilkes, CRNA
Beth Wilkes is a graduate of Clemson University with her BSN in 1999. After working at Richland Memorial and Greenville Memorial Hospitals (now Prisma Health) in the Cardiovascular ICU, she attended the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Nurse Anesthesia Program and graduated in 2004. After graduation she was a practicing CRNA in Knoxville, TN, for 2 years and then Charlotte, NC, for 10 years with a variety of patient populations.
Beth returned to SC in 2016 and has practiced at Lexington Medical Center, Aiken Regional Medical Centers, and Prisma Health Midlands.
During that time, developed a passion for advocacy and served on the SCANA board (2019-2022) as Trustee, PAC Chair, and President (2021-2022) and remains on the Programs and Research and Scholarship Committees. She finished her Doctorate of Nurse Anesthesia Practice from the Medical University of South Carolina in 2022. In January of this year, she joined the faculty at Augusta University in Augusta, GA, where she teaches in Simulation and advanced principles of nursing anesthesia. Her areas of interest include OB and pediatric anesthesia, ultrasound guided regional anesthesia, and non-operating room anesthesia. She practices clinically two days a week at Wellstar MCG Hospital and the Children's Hospital of Georgia.
Beth Wilkes resides in Aiken, SC with her husband David, who is a veterinarian, and her two boys who are 15 and 13.
Laurie Yates, CRNA
Laurie Yates received a Master’s degree from the U.S. Army Graduate Program in Anesthesia Nursing in 1989. After nearly 10 years on active duty, she separated from service in 1993, and settled in Augusta, working as a CRNA at the Medical College of Georgia Hospital. In 1999, she devoted her practice exclusively to pediatric anesthesia when the Children’s Hospital of Georgia opened its doors. In December 2021, Laurie received her Doctorate of Nursing Practice, and since March of 2022, she has been a full-time faculty member at Augusta University’s Nursing Anesthesia Program. In this role, Laurie is able to maintain a clinical practice in pediatric anesthesia, her first love, while educating future CRNAs in the classroom and clinical setting.
