Meet The Faculty
Dr. Oladunni Enilari, MD, MPH
Medical Director
Dr. Enilari is a fellowship-trained, board certified pulmonologist and critical care medicine specialist who treats patients in Newport News and Williamsburg. To learn more about Dr. Enilari, click here.
Dr. Som Chalise, MD
Physician Advisor
Dr. Chalise is a fellowship-trained, board-certified pulmonologist and critical care medicine specialist who treats patients in Newport News. To learn more about Dr. Chalise, click here.
John Waite, FNP-C
Program Director
John has an extensive background in critical care, with a career spanning 18 years of experience in the critical care arena. Commencing as an ICU nurse for 8 years, John transitioned into the role of a nurse practitioner with a decade of experience as a provider in critical care, pulmonary, and sleep medicine. He is currently Lead Nurse Practitioner for the critical care, pulmonary, and sleep medicine department at Riverside Regional Medical Center.
Academically, John earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and furthered his education with a Master's of Science in Nursing from Old Dominion University (ODU). Beyond his academic pursuits, John has been a catalyst for positive change, actively contributing to the healthcare landscape as a member of Riverside Health’s advanced practice provider (APP) committee, and a founding member of the APP mentoring committee.
Notably, John played a pivotal role in introducing the Difficult Airway Course to Riverside, a testament to his commitment to advancing critical care practices. His leadership style is characterized by a profound emphasis on teamwork, fostering collaborative environments essential for optimal patient care.
John extends his influence beyond the clinical setting. He is recognized as a past speaker at the Riverside Advanced Practice Provider Annual Conference, where he shared pulmonary insights and expertise with fellow healthcare professionals.
Beyond the realms of healthcare, John brings a personal touch to his life through his passion for long-distance trail running. His extraordinary commitment is exemplified by running across the state of Virginia along the Appalachian Trail, a journey dedicated to raising awareness and funds for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
As part of the core faculty of the APP Critical Care Fellowship program at Riverside Health, John understands the rigor and learning curve of caring for critical patients, and is committed to the development of APP Critical Care Fellows in their transition to practice journey.
Terry Thompson, ACNP-BC, FHM
Fellowship Director
A Virginia native, Terry graduated from Radford University with a BSN in 1981 initially working in the Radford Hospital critical care unit. In 1983, she transplanted to the Hampton Roads area and began her career with Riverside Health. Throughout her nursing career she remained dedicated to Critical Care serving as a bedside nurse in CCU, MICU, and Cardiac Thoracic Surgery. Her desire to help new nurses led her to critical care education for new graduates. As a manager of Cardiovascular services, she focused on professional development of her staff. Her love of acute care medicine led her to pursue an Acute Care Adult Nurse Practitioner certification from Virginia Commonwealth University-Medical College of Virginia in 1998.
Over the past 26 years, her NP career has spanned Pulmonary Critical Care and Hospital Medicine at Riverside Regional Medical Center as a bedside clinician, research coordinator and leader. Terry was part of the initial group of APPs that became the Advanced Practice Committee. Her passion for education helped to develop the annual APP conference. During her career, she has precepted and mentored NP students and continued to work with the development of the APP role. In addition to her clinical duties, she serves as the Associate Director of Advanced Practice providers for Riverside Medical Group, where she focuses on new program development and onboarding for all incoming APPs and is the APP Fellowship Director for Riverside Medical Group.
The APP Fellowship has been a goal accomplished with many collaborative hours between our clinical experts and administrators to bring this to life. Terry’s passion for education focuses on leadership, professional development and enhanced utilization of APPs. She is proud to be associated with this advanced educational offering.
Outside of work, Terry enjoys doing stained glass, DIY projects and the outdoor life in Hampton Roads with her husband. She has two adult daughters and 2 grand dogs Denver and Tack.
Liz Palmer, DMSc, PA-C
Associate Program Director
Liz grew up in Williamsburg, VA and earned her BA from Elon University in North Carolina in 2013. She then worked as the Chief Scribe for Riverside Health for several years prior to joining the inaugural PA cohort at Lynchburg College. While in PA school she developed a passion for PA leadership, advocacy, and education. Following graduation in 2017, Liz completed a Critical Care Fellowship at Lynchburg General Hospital in Lynchburg, VA while obtaining her Doctorate of Medical Science (DMSc) degree from the University of Lynchburg. She practiced in Lynchburg, VA and Albany, NY prior to returning to the area and joining the Critical Care team at Riverside. In her years as a PA, Liz has precepted many PA and NP students, alike, and works closely with the resident team during their rotations through the Medical ICU. Liz worked closely with other members of the Critical Care team to help develop Riverside’s inaugural APP Fellowship. She continues to practice in Pulmonary Critical Care while holding the Associate Program Director position of the Critical Care APP Fellowship.
In her free time, Liz enjoys reading, cooking, being outside in any capacity, and spending time with her husband, Blake, her son, Jack, and their Beagle, Ducky.