A new door in Kari Mills’ life swung – or slid – open in 2013, when she decided to leave her decade-long career as a manager for an automated door company and walk through the steps to become a nurse. Mills, a family nurse practitioner and longtime Dahlonega resident, is now joining Northeast Georgia Physicians Group Dahlonega to continue caring for the community she has long called home.
“I love Dahlonega and am so happy I get to continue investing in my favorite little mountain town,” Mills said. “These are my people, and I want each and every one to remain healthy and know they have the best health care right here.”
A mother of two boys – Avery and Gray – Mills spent much of her life staying busy raising them with her husband, Ryan, and working managerial jobs. It wasn’t until 2016, when she earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of North Georgia (UNG), that she felt she found her place. Originally, it was simply for job security, but she said she soon realized she was always meant to find a second career later in her life.
“I discovered that it was always in God’s plan for me to become a nurse,” Mills said. “I enjoy this career so much, and I think that shows through my dedication to my patients.”
Mills went on to earn her master’s degree in nursing from UNG and has worked in a few different settings as an emergency department nurse as well as a behavioral health nurse.
When she’s not working, Mills enjoys spending time with her family and traveling to the Florida coast to renovate a historic home in Apalachicola.
NGPG Dahlonega is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located at 95 Morrison Moore Parkway West in Dahlonega. Call 706-864-3323 to schedule an appointment with Mills or visit ngpg.org/mills to learn more.
NGPG is an affiliate of Northeast Georgia Health System.
