Meet our friendly, experienced Carolina Kids pediatricians and staff! Our pediatricians, who have over 60 years of combined experience, are fellows of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and maintain the highest level of pediatric accreditation.  We also provide onsite consultation with a certified lactation consultant when needed.

  • Dr. Willey
    Leanna Willey, MD, FAAP

    Dr. Willey completed her pediatric residency at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY. She served as chief resident of pediatric ambulatory services there, and joined Carolina Kids in 1998. Dr. Willey has served as an assistant clinical professor of pediatrics for the University of North Carolina Medical School. She is married with a son and two daughters. Besides being active in her church, she enjoys reading, playing volleyball, walking her dog and cooking.

  • Dr. Emmet
    Mari Emmet, MD, FAAP

    Dr. Emmet completed her pediatric residency training at New York’s Nassau University Medical Center in 2003. While there, she was recognized as the Beth Seaton Outstanding Resident of the Year, an award given to the most exemplary pediatric resident in the program, during every year of her training. Prior to relocating with her family to the Triangle, Dr. Emmet practiced pediatrics for over 13 years in New York, where she also taught medical students from Stony Brook University. Dr. Emmet is married with two children, and enjoys traveling, swimming, running and skiing.

  • Dr. Tanaka
    Jeff Tanaka, MD, FAAP

    Dr. Tanaka completed his pediatric residency at Martin Luther King/Charles R. Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles, where he was honored with an award for outstanding patient care. Dr. Tanaka has served as an assistant clinical professor of pediatrics for the University of North Carolina Medical School. He moved to North Carolina in 1990, and spent his first three years in Mooresville before joining Carolina Kids in 1993. Dr. Tanaka is married and has a son currently in college.  He has received a first-degree black belt in Tae Kwan Do and recently received his second-degree black belt in Aikido. Dr. Tanaka also enjoys traveling and cooking.

  • Kelly Roschen, DO
    Kelly Roschen, DO

    Dr. Roschen completed her medical training at Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine and stayed in NC to complete her pediatric residency at Vidant Health/East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. She enjoys educating on breastfeeding and asthma. Dr. Roschen is married with two sons and enjoys spending time with her family. She also shares interests in traveling, running, and being outdoors.

  • hernandez
    Alex Hernandez, MD

    Dr. Hernandez completed his undergraduate studies at Davidson College and graduated cum laude from Saint George’s University School of Medicine in 2019. He is completing his Pediatric residency at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, North Carolina in 2022, thereafter becoming board certified and joining Carolina Kids Pediatrics. He enjoys breaking down medical concepts for parents and offering education about diagnoses. Dr. Hernandez is married to a fellow Davidson alumnus; he and his wife have a daughter. He enjoys reading, drawing, meditating, and going for walks with his family.

  • Micaela Frost, CPNP
    MIcaela Frost, CPNP

    Micaela received her Masters of Science in Nursing from Vanderbilt University in 2020 with a specialty in pediatric primary care. She is certified through the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board and is a member of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

    Originally from northern Virginia, Micaela moved to the Triangle in 2018 and is married with two kids and two dogs. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and being outdoors. 

    Micaela is committed to being a life-long learner and believes in practicing according to the most up-to-date guidelines and evidence in order to give her patients the best care possible. She is passionate about caring for and educating patients and caregivers. She is looking forward to building new relationships and partnering with the families at Carolina Kids Pediatrics.

Advanced Care Team : Case Management, Care Coordinators, Triage Nurses

We are pleased to provide you with all the benefits of an advanced care team at Carolina Kids Pediatrics. This team acts as a "hub" for your child's health care, and provides a group-based, patient-centered approach to providing primary care that is accessible, continuous, comprehensive, family-centered, coordinated and compassionate. Our nurse case management team provides care coordination for children with certain chronic medical conditions. Your child's nurse case manager/care coordinator can be helpful to you with followup of chronic concerns, care coordination, arranging specialist visits, helping you connect with important community services, and more. Our telephone triage coordinator provides personalized triage of your health concerns transmitted to our office by either phone call or through our patient portal messaging system. Our current team of nurse case managers/care coordinators includes:

  • Carmen Galicia, LPN:  asthma, diabetes, prematurity, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder care coordinator
  • Tiffany Wheeler, RN: telephone & patient portal triage coordinator


Patient Care Team: Telephone Triage

We are always available to provide telephone advice about your child. Tiffany Wheeler, RN, is our lead phone triage nurse during office hours. Tiffany also coordinates our patient portal messaging system.


Provider After-Hours Access

We are pleased to provide you with access to advice when the office is closed. In order to reach our after hours nurse triage, just call our main office number at (919) 881-9009. You will be given instructions on how to reach our nurse triage line. Please use this service for urgent medical concerns that you believe should not wait until routine office hours. In general, please use our patient portal or call during office hours for non-urgent concerns, including non-urgent prescription refills or administrative/scheduling questions. Through our patient portal, you may also send a message to your child's physician through direct messaging. Patient portal messaging is designed for non-urgent or chronic health concerns, and you may expect an electronic response from your child's physician within 24 hours. For any true medical emergencies, please call 911.


Behavioral Health Provider Co-Management

Carolina Kids Pediatrics has a behavioral health co-management agreement in place with Family Psychology & Psychiatry Associates. FPPA is a group of excellent psychiatrists and psychologists with experience in pediatric mental health. A co-management agreement is a specific definition of roles and responsibilities that enables us to share medical information with your child's mental health provider more easily, coordinate care, and work together to insure your child's mental health care needs are met. Family Psychology & Psychiatry Associates can be reached at (919) 233-4131. Their website is www.fppa.com, and their office is located at 1400 Crescent Green, Suite 120, Cary, NC 27518.

Our Location

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Hours of Operation

Weekend hours are same day appointment only for urgent matters and newborn hospital follow up.

Monday

8:30 am - 5:00 pm

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm: after hours, same day by appointment

Tuesday

8:30 am - 5:00 pm

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm: after hours, same day by appointment

Wednesday

8:30 am - 5:00 pm

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm: after hours, same day by appointment

Thursday

8:30 am - 5:00 pm

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm: after hours, same day by appointment

Friday

8:30 am - 5:00 pm

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm: after hours, same day by appointment

Saturday

9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Limited availability. Call when we open to schedule.

Sunday

9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Limited availability. Call when we open to schedule.

Monday
8:30 am - 5:00 pm 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm: after hours, same day by appointment
Tuesday
8:30 am - 5:00 pm 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm: after hours, same day by appointment
Wednesday
8:30 am - 5:00 pm 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm: after hours, same day by appointment
Thursday
8:30 am - 5:00 pm 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm: after hours, same day by appointment
Friday
8:30 am - 5:00 pm 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm: after hours, same day by appointment
Saturday
9:00 am - 1:00 pm Limited availability. Call when we open to schedule.
Sunday
9:00 am - 1:00 pm Limited availability. Call when we open to schedule.