Contact Us
For general questions about MAPA please contact our organization email at: metrolinapa@gmail.com.
MAPA Officers
PRESIDENT: GABRIELLE PETERS-CARR, MHS, PA-C
Gabrielle hails from Little Rock, Arkansas. She fell in love with North Carolina after attending Duke University's physician assistant program. Gabrielle's philosophy of care is to help patients achieve optimal health through promoting a healthy lifestyle and disease prevention. Gabrielle believed that family medicine would allow her the greatest opportunity to combine her love of preventive medicine and dynamic patient interactions. Her professional interests include preventive medicine, women's health and adolescent medicine. During her free time, Gabrielle enjoys creating adventures with her family, giving back to the community and traveling.
VICE PRESIDENT: CANDACE LOCKLEAR MHS, PA-C
I was drawn to my field due to the complexities and comorbidities I saw in primary care. I work to bridge the gap of transitional care for patients at discharge, and I strive to enhance hospital medicine communication with patients in ways that are clear and easy to understand.
As a board-certified physician assistant, I focus on caring for people who are hospitalized. I received my bachelor's degree in chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, my master’s degree in biomedical sciences at Wake Forest University and my master’s degree in physician assistant studies at Pfeiffer University.
Away from work, I enjoy Pilates, kettlebell work and weight training. My significant other and I are pet parents to 2 domestic shorthair cats.
SECRETARY: ALICIA LOHSE, MHS, PA-C
Alicia is a graduate of the University of Iowa PA program, close to where she grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. After graduating PA school, she moved to Charlotte with her husband and now practices in family medicine. She values the opportunities to develop long-term relationships with patients and walk alongside them throughout their health journeys. With a background in nutritional science, she is especially drawn to the preventive focus of family medicine. Outside of the clinic, she enjoys spending outside and being physically active through hiking, swimming, running, cycling, etc!
TREASURER: PETER GUERTIN, MHS, PA-C. EM-CAQ
Peter is the Director of Operations and Clinical Integration for Wake Forest Emergency Providers, where he supports more than 30 Advanced Practice Providers across three clinical sites. A practicing emergency medicine PA since 2017, Peter also serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Elon University PA Program, teaching Clinical Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Point-of-Care Ultrasound, and mentoring students during their clinical year.
Before entering medicine, Peter spent ten years as a firefighter and paramedic. That experience shaped his commitment to high-acuity care and ultimately led him to pursue a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Elon University. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management from Springfield College and will complete his Doctor of Medical Science in Healthcare Leadership from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in May 2026, with research focused on onboarding new and inexperienced APPs into high-acuity specialties.
In addition to clinical practice, Peter serves on multiple accreditation and quality committees, including Stroke and American College of Cardiology accreditation initiatives, Duke Antimicrobial Stewardship Network, and Advocate Health’s Transition to Practice Committee.
His career pivot came when he stepped from the bedside into site-level and then system-level leadership. Realizing that helping the people who help patients can multiply impact in powerful way. He is passionate about streamlining operations, reducing non-clinical burden, and building systems that allow frontline clinicians to focus on what matters most: patient care. Peter sees his role as a bridge between bedside medicine and executive strategy, helping shape how APPs practice, lead, and thrive in complex healthcare systems.
