About us
WHO WE ARE
PillarsDx delivers concierge laboratory services for healthcare providers and individuals who expect precision, speed, and personal attention. Unlike traditional laboratory models, we offer high-priority testing across multiple disciplines, including toxicology, molecular diagnostics, pharmacogenomics (PGx), and blood-based testing, supporting care in clinics, offices, facilities, and rehabilitation-based settings. By consolidating advanced diagnostic capabilities under one trusted laboratory partner, we help providers streamline workflows, improve turnaround times, and make more informed, patient-centered clinical decisions.
Service is not an add-on at PillarsDx, it is foundational. Our experienced leadership and laboratory teams bring decades of combined expertise in diagnostics, laboratory operations, compliance, and healthcare administration, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and reliability with every result. With a priority testing model delivering dependable turnaround times, within 24 to 48 hours, and we combine advanced technology with personalized, hands-on support. The result is a laboratory partnership that is sophisticated, responsive, and built on human connection, without compromise.
Meet Our Leadership
Fern Johnson
Owner
Fern Johnson is a dynamic and results-driven leader with over 25 years of experience spanning accounting, financial management, and laboratory operations. She holds a B.S. in Business Management from Eckerd College and an MBA in Accounting from Keller Graduate School of Management.
Fern has led strategic initiatives across both the for-profit and non-profit sectors, with a strong track record in mergers and acquisitions, financial restructuring, and sustainable growth. Her expertise in healthcare operations was sharpened during her leadership at one of the nation’s largest privately held cancer genetics laboratories, where she oversaw Accounting, Finance, and Revenue Cycle Management—culminating in a successful eight-figure LOI.
As the Owner of PillarsDx, Fern leverages her deep operational and financial knowledge to drive innovation and efficiency in the diagnostics space. She is also the founder and CEO of Career Sisters LLC, a consulting firm dedicated to empowering women of color in business and leadership. A published author and sought-after speaker, Fern is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
She resides in Johns Creek, Georgia, with her husband and four children. In her free time, Fern enjoys reading, traveling, and mentoring the next generation of leaders.
Joseph G. Hackel
Medical Director
Dr. Joseph G. Hackel serves as the Medical Director at PillarsDx, where he brings over two decades of expertise in pathology and dermatopathology. He received his medical degree from Mercer University School of Medicine and went on to complete his residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Hackel further honed his skills through a prestigious Dermatopathology fellowship at the Ackerman Academy in New York City. He is double board-certified by the American Board of Pathology and the American Board of Dermatology.
Throughout his career, Dr. Hackel has been committed to providing accurate, timely diagnoses to support optimal patient care. Since joining Bako Pathology Services in 2008, he has played a key role in leading diagnostic efforts, leveraging his deep expertise in skin-related conditions. His passion for pathology, combined with his dedication to improving patient outcomes, makes him a valuable leader in the field.
Leadership Team
