Laura Bleekrode, MD
Tashawna Stokes, MD
Roswell Office: 770.664.4430
Cumming Office: 678.947.4588
Meet the Team
Laura Bleekrode, MD
Owner
Roswell & Cumming Office
Dr. Bleekrode grew up in Chicago and Atlanta. She graduated Cum Laude from Providence College in Rhode Island in 1982 and received her MD from Emory University School of Medicine in 1986. She completed her residency in Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Hospital in 1989 and was in practice there until moving back to Atlanta in 1991. She practiced in Atlanta for 5 years before acquiring Alpharetta Pediatrics. Dr. Bleekrode is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She and her husband, Kim, have eight children: Katie, Joey, Kevin, Mary Beth, John, Timmy, Brendan, and Clare and 2 grandchildren: Nate & Emma.
Tashawna Stokes, MD
Roswell Office
Friday
Dr. Stokes, originally from Alabama, achieved a BS in Biomedical Sciences from Auburn University. She received her MD from the University of South Alabama. She completed her internship and residency at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. After completing a chief residency, she has worked in urgent care and private practice in Madison, Alabama. She has been practicing in the Atlanta area for about 8 years and is happy to be a part of the Alpha Peds family. Her hobbies and interests include reading, shopping, traveling, spending time with family and friends, watching Auburn football, and working with her Public Service sorority. She is married and has 2 daughters.
Meredith Pennino, CPNP
Roswell Office
Monday - Thursday
Meredith Pennino comes to us with more than a decade of pediatric nursing experience. She began her nursing career in 2007 in pediatric intensive care, and has since worked in pediatric primary care, pediatric urgent care, pediatric emergency care and adult infectious disease.
Meredith obtained her BSN from the University of South Florida in Tampa, and in December of 2020 she obtained an MSN from USF with a focus in Pediatric Primary Care. She is a licensed APRN both in the state of Georgia and in Florida, and Meredith is board-certified as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care through the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.
Meredith and her husband are originally from Florida. In early 2021, he accepted a fire chief position in Roswell. Meredith has been working as an RN in a Children's Healthcare of Atlanta emergency department since mid-2021. While keeping her emergency nursing skills up to date, she has become a CHOA Peer-Supporter, Mentor, Preceptor and Team Leader.
Meredith has also been practicing as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in an Atlanta area primary care practice since March 2022. Meredith is passionate about animal rescue and welfare. She spent more than a decade volunteering at a renowned rescue organization in Florida and has volunteered at Furkids' Cumming Cat Shelter.
Meredith also has attended and led multiple Mission trips, providing care to those who otherwise would not be able to access it. She has participated in four Medical Mission trips to the slums of Nairobi, Kenya, and once to Thailand to support an organization who rescues women from human trafficking as well as special needs orphanages.