Meet our Staff-Frye Regional Medical Center-Hickory, NC

Becky Steele is a registered dietitian and the program coordinator for the Surgical Weight Loss Program at Frye. Becky received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Nutrition from Memphis State University. She began her career in dietetics working on a heart transplant team and then spent several years working as a cardiac dietitian. Becky has worked at Frye since 2000. She previously held the position of chief clinical dietitian at Frye before beginning work full-time as the Surgical Weight Loss team dietitian in November 2001. She has been with the team since its inception, educating greater than 1400 patients to date. Becky took on the additional duty of program coordinator in December 2003. She enjoys her multiple duties and loves working with our patients on a daily basis.

Jock Stetz is the bariatric nurse with the Surgical Weight Loss Program at Frye. Jock received his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Fitchburg State College, Fitchburg, MA in 1975 and a Master of Arts in Health Services Management from Webster University, St Louis, MO in 1986. Jock served 27 years in the US Army with 20 of them as an Army Nurse Corps officer. His military nursing experience includes assignments in Intensive Care Units, Recovery Rooms, MASH Hospitals, surgical units, instructor at the US Army Academy of Health Sciences and the Army Burn Center. These assignments took him to Europe and the Far East several times. He has been at Frye since 1996 as a staff nurse on the surgical unit and has been with the Surgical Weight Loss Program since its inception in 2001, serving as Bariatric Charge Nurse from 2003 to 2007. He came to work in the Surgical Weight Loss office since 2007. Jock is a Certified Bariatric Nurse, having passed the first certification exam in June 2007.

Jennifer Hinkle is the Bariatric Charge Nurse on Second Surgical. She started working at Frye as a CNA in 1998 and 2nd surgical became her “home” in 1999. She graduated from Gaston College with her nursing degree in 2002 and started working as an RN in June of that year. Jennifer has worked with Bariatric patients since the beginning of the program and became the Bariatric Charge Nurse in January 2007. She has been an enthusiastic addition to our small staff.

Julie Dickison is the Surgical Weight Loss Program's clinical and health psychologist. A health psychologist specializes in the emotional impact of medical conditions and works with medical doctors to assist treatment. Dr. Dickison has been very involved in pre-surgical screenings and therapy for Surgical Weight Loss patients since the start of our program in 2001. Julie recognizes how important mental attitude and lifestyle change are for long-term success after bariatric surgery, and is very proud to be delivering this care option for all of the current and prior surgical weight loss patients at Frye.

Lisa Craig is the insurance utilization specialist. Her duties include coordinating information flow between patients, surgeons, hospitals and insurance carriers. She is also responsible for scheduling all appointments and surgeries for our surgical weight loss patients. Lisa has nearly 20 years experience in the healthcare industry, from desk clerk to office manager, and has been part of the surgical weight loss team since 2001.

Meredith Cline is the administrative assistant with the Surgical Weight Loss Program at Frye. Meredith has been at Frye since 2003. She initially worked Certified Nursing Assistant in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit before coming to the Surgical Weight Loss Program four years ago. Recently, Meredith received certification as a Phlebotomy Technician. She says she is lucky to have a very touching job and gets to see our patients’ lives change. As the administrative assistant, she answers incoming calls and helps guide patients with record collection to prepare their charts for surgeon’s review. Meredith always looks forward to helping each of our patients as they embark upon the journey to a healthier and happier life.

420 N CENTER STREET, HICKORY, NC 28601 | 828-315-5000