Our Team
Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Dr. Joshua Balch
Board-Certified Internist | Medical Director | Pain Management
Dr. Ahmed Taleb, MD
Dr. Taleb is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician and healthcare executive with over a decade of progressive experience in clinical leadership, procedural excellence, and patient-centric care. Currently serving as a provider in a high-volume interventional pain medicine program in Alaska, he performs high-precision spinal injections, diagnostic blocks, and radiofrequency ablations (RFA) under fluoroscopic and ultrasound guidance.
Dr. Abu Taleb’s career is defined by a unique blend of “boots-on-the-ground” clinical grit and executive oversight. He has served in several high-level leadership roles, including Vice Chief of Staff and Chair of Medicine at Lifepoint Health and Hospital Medical Director at HCA hospitals. His administrative expertise is further bolstered by an MBA from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where he focused on healthcare efficiency and institutional quality improvement.
Driven by a commitment to treating the “whole person” rather than just symptoms, Dr. Abu Taleb specializes in multimodal recovery plans that combine advanced interventional procedures with ethical, data-driven stewardship. As a former Medical Director for Inpatient Detox and Rehabilitation, he brings a deep, protective understanding of the balance between effective pain relief and patient safety.
Education & Credentials:
- Residency: Internal Medicine, New York Medical College
- Certifications: American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM); specialized certifications in Aesthetic Medicine and various interventional therapies.
- Licensure: Full medical licenses in Alaska, California, and kentucky
Beyond the clinic, Dr. Abu Taleb is a licensed pilot and an avid traveler who remains dedicated to his “debt of gratitude”—bringing advanced pain management back to underserved communities.
Our Staff
Joanna Walls, ANP
Family Nurse Practitioner
Joanna Walls is a Family Nurse Practitioner who has resided and practiced on the peninsula 9 years. With origins in North Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi, she is still southern at heart, but has now fallen in love with Alaska. Joanna has planted roots and intends to maintain residency on the peninsula with her growing family.
Joanna attended undergraduate college at the University of Mississippi Medical Center where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in the focus of nursing. Once a registered nurse, she immediately went to work as a pediatric nurse in the city of Elvis’ birthplace, Tupelo, MS. There she spent 6 years devoted to her patients care while also starting a family and advancing in her education. Once acquiring a Master’s of Science degree from the University of Alabama Birmingham, she became a Nurse Practitioner focusing in Family Practice. With her parents and sister already residing in Alaska, Joanna and her husband took a little adventure to the great state during its beautiful summer months. One visit and they were hooked! Not only on the great fishing, but with the abundance of beauty everywhere. They knew this was an ideal region to raise their family.
For the past 6 years Joanna had been assisting Dr. Balch in compassionate care provided in the specialty of chronic pain management. She welcomes new patients and provides care to our community in clinic Tuesday through Friday. She is devoted to helping patients find improvements in their pain through interventional procedures, and other modalities of treatment in hopes of assisting patients in the direction of becoming functionally healthy.
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Baylee Phelps, OTR/L
Baylee comes from a military family and spent the first part of her childhood traveling before moving to Wasilla, where she has lived for the last 20 years. She attended Baker University in Kansas for her undergraduate in Exercise Science. She then went on to pursue a Doctorate of Occupational Therapy through Creighton University. She has gained experience in pediatric care in all settings including outpatient, school-based, equine assisted, and mental/behavioral health.
Baylee is a mom to a 2 year old little girl and thinks it’s the best job in the world…besides OT of course! In her free time, she enjoys making jewelry and spending time with her husband, daughter, and 3 fur babies. She loves hiking, camping, and can’t go anywhere without stopping for an iced coffee first.
Education & Credentials:
Baylee completed her capstone in Alaska Behavioral Health and has pursued trauma-informed education. This allowed her to obtain the ARC certification, which is a family-centered, trauma-informed treatment framework.
Treatment Philosophy:
Baylee strives to offer an empathetic and kind atmosphere for her clients. She is passionate about strengths-based care and vows to always meet her clients where they are in life.
Heather Toby, LPC
Coming soon.
Tami
Coming soon.
Lindsey Castillo, M.M., CCC-SLP
Coming soon.
Tamara Brothers-McNeil, PA-C
Coming soon.