Our Team

Our team is made up of people who are passionate about helping people just like you achieve your weight and life goals.  We understand each journey is an individual one and we take the time to really get to know you and create the best plan for you. From your initial information session to surgery and on with our lifetime of support we are always here to answer your questions and cheer you on.

Dr. Kenneth Mitchell
Bariatric Surgeon

Dr. Mitchell is the Medical Director of our Bariatric & Metabolic Services program. He is a board certified general surgeon who has performed more than 1,500 bariatric surgeries since 1997. Dr. Mitchell is a fellow of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). 

Dr. Mitchell is committed to:

• Helping obese patients achieve their weight and life goals
• Resolving the serious medical issues associated with obesity
• Providing a lifetime of support to his patients

Dr. Mitchell lives in Charleston with his wife Dawn and three daughters Bailey, Sophia and Olivia.  He enjoys the outdoors, golf, music, photography and helping his patients transform their lives.

“The purpose of our bariatric surgery program is not to make people smaller, it’s to make people healthier,” says Dr. Mitchell.

Dr. Johnny Weeks
Metabolic Program

Dr. Weeks is board certified in Family Medicine and Obstetrics-Gynecology. He received his bachelors from North Carolina State University and his medical degree from the University of North Carolina. He completed his residencies at the Greenville Hospital System and the Medical University of South Carolina.
 
Dr. Week's special interests are in preventative medicine, women's health and weight loss. He lives in West Ashley with his wife and two children.

Rebecca Rand, LCSW, LISW-CP
Clinical Therapist
(843) 958-2555

Rebecca is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years experience providing psychotherapy. She specializes in Bariatric Behavioral Health. Rebecca currently provides behavioral health assessments for patients considering surgery and offers counseling for patients after surgery. Rebecca also provides psychotherapy services for patients requesting individual and couples counseling at Roper St. Francis Healthcare.

Patricia Jarrell
Clinical Manager
(843) 958-2562

Patricia "Trish" Jarrell is a registered nurse with over twenty-five years of experience, investing the majority of her nursing career caring for laboring mothers. She had weight loss surgery in 2002 and lost over two hundred pounds. While she knows the celebration of weight loss, she also knows the disappointment of weight regain following surgery and the feeling of success that comes from losing those added pounds. Trish’s own weight loss surgery experience changed her life profoundly and makes her a fierce proponent for this surgery. She now works as the clinical manager of the Bariatric & Metabolic Services program, assisting those patients "rebirth" themselves through weight loss surgery.

Alexis Ratowsky, RD
Registered Dietitian
(843) 958-2590

Alexis is a registered dietitian for the Roper St. Francis Bariatric & Metabolic Services program. She holds a certificate in Adult Weight Management through the American Dietetic Association, completed her dietetic internship at New York University, and earned her bachelor's in dietetics at the University of Georgia. Before joining the bariatric team, she worked as a clinical dietitian for Roper St. Francis Healthcare. Alexis is a nutrition writer for House Calls magazine.

Alexis first gained an appreciation for food as a means for promoting health and wellness while spending much of her childhood in Ecuador. Alexis enjoys cooking, staying active, being outdoors, traveling, and sharing her passion in nutrition to help individuals enhance their health and fulfill their potential.

Rebecca Ard
Bariatric Program Specialist
(843) 958-2590

Rebecca’s primary role is to assist each patient in understanding their treatment options and the resources available. She helps patients with understanding insurance coverage and the clinical requirements for surgery.  Rebecca serves as a liaison between every patient and those providers taking care of them. With a true passion for helping others, Rebecca gets to know each patient personally and coaches them along their journey. Her favorite part of working with the bariatric program is witnessing the positive changes in life this program provides. While weight loss surgery improves health, it also improves the quality of life. The happiness that exists in each patient’s life and in their smile, is rewarding to Rebecca and she feels blessed to take part in such a wonderful experience.

Rebecca lives in Charleston with her husband Chris and their Labrador, Drake. She enjoys photography, baseball, traveling and time spent with family and friends.

 

Melissa Gravlee, RN
Nurse
(843) 958-2590

Melissa Dutcher Gravlee is a registered nurse with more than 20 years experience. She has been a part of the Roper St. Francis Healthcare family since moving to Charleston in 1993. Although her career has primarily been focused in Emergency Medicine, she has actively served on several multidisciplinary healthcare committees and nursing councils. Most recently she served as the Hospital Chair Person for the Bon Secour St. Francis Workforce Retention and Recruitment Council. During her tenure as Chair for that council, St. Francis achieved the recognition of becoming a Magnet Hospital through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Currently, Melissa has the pleasure of working with Dr. Mitchell and his team as they further develop the Bariatric & Metabolic Services program at St. Francis Hospital.

When she is not working, Melissa enjoys spending her free time outdoors with her husband, Tab, their four children, and their two wonderful grandsons.