Our Providers

DR. EMMANUEL U. SARMIENTO, MD

A native of Manila, Philippines. He studied medicine at the Far Eastern University of Manila where he graduated Cum Laude-Salutatorian and was a recipient of numerous academic excellence awards. His internship, residency, and adult/child allergy clinical immunology fellowship were all performed at Rush Medical College, in Illinois. 
Dr. Sarmiento was voted the most outstanding pediatric resident in 1991 and won the 1992 Alan Feinberg Award for best research, given by the Illinois Society of Allergy and Asthma. 
Dr. Sarmiento is board certified in Pediatrics and Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology. He is deeply interested in finding new strategies to manage asthma and allergies.

DR. NEIL L. KAO, MD

A native of Chicago, Illinois. He was educated at the University of Chicago and the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine in Chicago. He received post graduate training in Internal Medicine at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. His allergy, asthma and immunology fellowship training was at Rush Medical College in Chicago. 
He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Allergy and Immunology. He is a Fellow member of the American College of Physicians, and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. 
He has reviewed manuscripts and co-authored numerous articles for many professional journals. His research interests include asthma corticosteroids, clinical research, and educational theory.

LEIGH T. PAXTON, PA-C

Leigh is a native of Simpsonville, S.C. She graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She graduated with a Master of Arts in Biology from The Citadel. Leigh received her Master of Health Science in Physician Assisting from South College, Knoxville, TN. 
She is board certified by NCCPA. Leigh enjoys spending time with her family.

CANDACE A. COTHRAN, PA-C

A native of Greenville, S.C. She graduated Cum Laude from the College of Charleston with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology. She graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Physician Assisting from the Medical University of South Carolina. 
She is board certified by the NCCPA. She has been employed by Allergic Disease and Asthma Center since 1999. Candace enjoys spending time with her husband and four children.

ALEXANDRA TUCKER, PA

Alexandra is a native of Columbia, SC. She attended Clemson University where she graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry and a Minor in Biology. She then attended Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC where she received her Master in Physician Assistant Studies.

She is board certified by the NCCPA. Alexandra enjoys baking and hiking with her husband.

JENIFER PETERS, PA-C

Jenifer originally comes from Walkersville, MD. She attained her undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree from The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA in Health Policy Administration. After working a few years in ophthalmology, she returned to school and graduated in 2003 from Anne Arundel CC with a certificate in Physician Assistant Studies. Concurrently, she earned a Master of Medical Science degree from Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA the same year.

Jenifer has practice for 11 years in the specialty of Allergy and Asthma and another 5 years in Pulmonary Medicine.

She enjoys spending time with friends and family, amusement parks, lake days, raising her teenage sons, cheering on the Nittany Lions, and traveling to new places.