Our Staff

Gastroenterologist in Tupelo, Starkville, and New Albany, MS

All our professionals at Digestive Health Specialists maintain the highest levels of accreditation and pursue ongoing education to stay abreast of the latest trends in gastroenterology.

At Digestive Health Specialists PA our doctors focus on gastrointestinal, liver and pancreatic diseases. We are pleased to have on our team:

Stephen T. Amann, MD

Dr. Amann was born in Niagara Falls, New York. He graduated from Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska. He did his Internal Medicine training at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, Florida. He then served as Chief Resident/ Instructor in the Department of Medicine. Dr. Amann then completed a fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Florida. After completing his training, Dr. Amann was on the Gastroenterology faculty of the University of Florida until coming to Tupelo in 1999. He has published numerous articles and book chapters regarding gastroenterology and pancreatic disease. He has served as a reviewer for leading gastroenterology journals. Dr. Amann is board certified in Gastroenterology and is a Fellow of the American College of Gastroenterology and member of the American Gastroenterology Association, American Society of Gastrointestinal! Endoscopy, and the North American Pancreatic Study Group. He served as president of the Mississippi GI Society (2010-12).

John B. Averette, MD

Dr. John Averette joined our practice in August 2006. He is a native of Tuscaloosa, AL. He attended undergraduate school at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Dr. Averette attended medical school and completed his residency and internship at University of Alabama School of Medicine in 2003. He completed his fellowship in gastroenterology at University of Florida in Gainesville in June 2006.

Christopher H. Decker, MD

Dr. Decker graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi in Oxford. He received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson. He completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and a fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology, as well as an advanced endoscopy fellowship, at Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans, La.

Barney J. Guyton, MD (Emeritus)

Dr. Guyton is a native of Blue Mountain, MS. He attended Mississippi College and obtained a BS degree in Biology. He did his internship and his medical residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson. He completed his fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in 1982. Dr. Guyton is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology and has been in practice in Tupelo since 1979. He is a member of American Medical Association, MS State Medical Association, American Gastroenterology Association and American College of Gastroenterology. He served as Chairman of North Mississippi Medical Center Medical Staff in 1995 and Chairman of Credentialing Committee at NMMC in the year 2000 and Chairman of the Board in 2006. Dr. Guyton served as President of the MS Gastro Society in 2005.

Roger L. Huey, MD

Dr. Huey joined Digestive Health Specialists, P.A. in September 2005. He received a B.S. degree in Biology from Tougaloo College and attended the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson, MS where he completed his fellowship in gastroenterlology in 1997. Dr. Huey served as Chief Medical Resident while at University of MS School of Medicine. Dr. Huey was in private practice in Greenwood, MS until moving to Tupelo in 2003. He is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterlology.

Noel K. Hunt, MD

Dr. Hunt joined Digestive Health Specialists in October 2008. He is a native of Iuka, MS. Dr. Hunt completed undergraduate school at the University of MS School of Medicine in 1990. He attended medical school and completed his residency and internship at University of MS School of Medicine in 1997. Dr. Hunt practiced internal medicine with North MS Medical Clinics in Tupelo until he decided to enter a GI fellowship in 2005. He completed this GI fellowship at University of Alabama-Birmingham in October 2008.

C. Allen Justice, MD

Dr. Justice joined Digestive Health Specialists in August 2010. He is a native of Lee County, MS and graduated with a chemistry degree from Mississippi State University. He attended medical school at University of Mississippi School of Medicine and completed his residency and internship at University of Tennessee in Memphis in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. Dr. Justice completed his fellowship in gastroenterology at UT Memphis in July 2010. He is board certified in internal medicine, gastroenterology and pediatric medicine.

W. Garrett Ogg, MD

Dr. Garrett Ogg joined Digestive Health Specialists in July 2012. Dr. Ogg graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from Mississippi State University in Starkville. He completed his medical training at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson, and an internal medicine residency at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He recently completed a fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, where he served as chief fellow. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine, and is a member of the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. During his medical training he was an active volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, the Jackson Free Clinic and the Charlottesville Free Clinic. In 2006, he provided primary care and education in the villages along the Amazon River through Project Amazonas.

Samuel C. Pace, MD (Emeritus)

Dr. Sam Pace is a native of Coffeeville, MS. He attended Mississippi State University and received a BS degree in Chemistry before entering medical school at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson. Dr. Pace completed his internship at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in 1976 and his medical residency in internal medicine in 1978. He was a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy from 1978-1980 at Camp Pendleton where he was involved in teaching Family Residents at the Naval Regional Medical Center. He did his fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine and completed it in 1986. Dr. Pace was president of Mississippi Gastroenterology Society from 1989-1991. He also served as Governor for Mississippi for the American College of Gastroenterology from 1989-1991. He was Chairman of North Mississippi Medical Center Medical Staff in 1993. Dr. Pace is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology and is a member of the American Medical Association, American College of Physicians, American Gastroenterology Association and American College of Gastroenterology.

John O. Phillips, MD

Dr. Phillips was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He attended the University of Memphis and received a BS and Masters degree is Biology. He attended medical school at the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham and graduated in 1989. Dr. Phillips completed his internship, residency, and fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota. Upon completion of his fellowship, he served as an Assistant Professor at University Hospital and Kirklin Clinic in Birmingham. Dr. Phillips has a special interest in treating patients with liver diseases and hepatitis. He is a member of the American Medical Association, American Gastroenterological Association, ASGE and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. He has presented two Presidential Plenary lectures at the National American Gastroenterology Association meetings and has published over 50 papers and book chapters related to gastroenterology and liver diseases. Dr. Phillips serves as the director of our Clinical Research Program.

Robert B. Smith, MD

Dr. Smith joined our practice in July 2015. He graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Spanish from Davidson College in North Carolina. He received his medical degree from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. He completed his internal medicine residency at Louisiana State University Health System in Baton Rouge, and his fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at Ochsner Clinic and Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation in New Orleans. He is a member of the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the American Medical Association and the American Gastroenterological Association. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

W. Ross Stone, MD

Dr. Stone joined Digestive Health Specialists, PA. in August of 2017. He graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biology and Spanish from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. He received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson. He completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Tinsely Harrison Residency Program, and recently completed a fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He is board certified in internal medicine, board eligible in gastroenterology, and is a member of the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

Ashley Vaughn, CFNP

Ashley Vaughn was born in Tupelo, MS , and grew up in Mantee, MS. She graduated as Valedictorian of her class from Hebron Christian School in Pheba, MS in 1999. She did her undergraduate studies at Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville, MS and Itawamba Community College in Fulton, MS. Ashley graduated with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Nursing in 2004 from Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, MS. She worked as a registered nurse at North Mississippi Medical Center for 2 ½ years and as a registered nurse at Center for Digestive Health for 4 years before obtaining a Masters of Science Degree in Nursing in 2010 from Mississippi University of Women in Columbus, MS. She worked for one year as a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner at Access Family Health in Houlka, MS, and has been working as a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner at Digestive Health Specialists, PA since December 2011.

Mary Ellen Mitchell, CFNP

Mary Ellen Mitchell, MSN, FNP is a native of Corinth, MS. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, minoring in Chemistry. Mary Ellen received her Master of Nursing degree from Vanderbilt University with Summa Cum Laude honors, ranked first in her graduating class. Mary Ellen joined Digestive Health Specialists in October 2016, with 16 years previous gastroenterology experience.

Vicki Fitzgerald, CFNP

Vicki R. Fitzgerald, MSN, CFNP, is a native of Vicksburg, MS. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Alcorn State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing degree. She is a member of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates. Vicky joined Digestive Health Specialists in May 2017, with over 16 years previous gastroenterology experience.

Leslie E. Peterson, CFNP

Leslie E. Peterson, CFNP, is a native of Starkville, MS. She graduated from Delta State University with a Master of Nursing degree. She graduated from Mississippi University for Women with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. She is a member of the Mississippi Nurse’s Association. Leslie joined Digestive Health Specialist’s Starkville location in October of 2017.

Stephanie B. Atkinson, MSN, FNP

Stephanie B. Atkinson, MSN, FNP, joined Digestive Health Specialists in February 2018, with 13 years’ previous gastroenterology experience . She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Stephanie received her Master of Nursing degree from Clemson University.

W. Carl Kellum, Jr, MD (1952-2006)

Dr. Carl Kellum was one of the founding partners of Digestive Health Specialists who passed away in December 2006. Dr. Kellum was born in New Orleans, LA but his family has long-time medical ties to this area. He attended the University of Mississippi in Oxford and graduated with a BA degree in Chemistry in 1975. Dr. Kellum attended medical school at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson and graduated in 1979. His internship, medical residency and gastroenterology fellowship were completed through the Ocshner Foundation Hospital in New Orleans. He was board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology and was a Fellow in the American College of Physicians and the American College of Gastroenterology.

Our entire staff is devoted to your digestive health care from our relaxed, friendly office to how we keep you informed along every step of your care. We’ll work with your other health care specialists including your primary care team – your health is the focus. From colon cancer screening to nutrition to clinical research, we have your digestive health covered. Contact our office today to schedule your appointment!