Blackstone Valley Community Health Care

 Physicians,

Family Practice,

America Foster, MD

• Graduated from the University of Vermont School of Medicine
• Board Certified Family Practice Physician
• Has been with Blackstone Valley Community Health Care for over six years
• Other languages spoken besides English: Fluent in Spanish

Kay Sharma, MD

• Recieved her Medical Degree from the University of Rajasthan in India
• Completed her post graduate studies at the Family Medical Center in Massachusetts
• Over thirty years of experience in private and community health centers
• Has been certified by the American Board of Pediatrics
• Other languages spoken besides English: Fluent in Hindi/Gujrafi

Internal Medicine,

Carla Martìn, MD

Coming soon.

Jose Polanco, MD, FACP

Coming soon.

 Pediatrics,

Karla Fuentes, MD

• Received a Doctor of Medicine and Surgery from The National University of Nicaragua
• Completed additional Fellowship Research Study at Hasbro Children’s Hospital
• Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics
• Over twenty years of direct patient care experience
• Other languages spoken besides English: Fluent in Spanish

Carla Martìn, MD

Coming soon.

Neelam Thapa, MD

Bio coming soon.

Obstetrics and Gynecology ,

Jose Eugenio-Colon, MD

Gretchen Paranya, MD

• Graduated from McGill University Faculty of Medicine
• Completed residency at the University of Vermont in Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Active staff member of several area hospitals including Women & Infants
• Speaks English, some French and some Spanish

Physician's Assistant,

Adriana Reyna, PA-C

Dian Cullion, PA-C

• Graduated from the Yale University School of Medicine, Physician Assistants Program
• Member of the Academy of Physician Assistant and the American Asthma Educator Society
• Has a special interest in asthma and is a certified Asthma Educator
• Has over 20 years of experience in Internal Medicine and Cardiology
• Other languages spoken besides English: Comfortable speaking Spanish with patients

Robert Bowden, PA-C

• Graduated with a Bachelor of Science from University of Southern Maine
• Received a Master of Science from the University of New England Physician Assistant Program
• Came to us from St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, Massachusetts
• Speaks English and Spanish

Certified Nurse Midwives,

Michele Bauer, CNM

• Graduated from the Nurse Midwifery Program at the University of Rhode Island
• Has delivered hundreds of babies during her career
• Provides Women’s Health Services including: annual pap smears, family planning, colposcopy, gynecological exams, obstetrics, and primary care
• Other languages spoken besides English: Fluent in French and comfortable speaking Spanish with patients

Karen Walser, MSN, CNM

• Graduated from Georgetown University with a Master’s of Science in Nurse Midwifery
• Member of the American College of Nurse Midwives
• Provides Women’s Health Services including: annual pap smears, family planning, gynecological exams and obstetrics

Behavioral Health Services,

Laurice Girouard, MA, MSW, LICSW - Director of Behavioral Health

• Graduated from Smith College with a Master’s Degree in Social Work
• Completed a Master’s in Romance Languages and Literature at Boston College and a Bachelor of Arts at Simmons College
• Completed advanced certificate trainings in specialty treatment: Trauma Recovery, Mood Regulation, and Integrated Behavioral Health and Primary Care
• Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
• Provides individual, family, couples, and group therapy for patients of all ages
• Languages spoken besides English: Fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, and French

Cresson Carrasco, M. Ed, MSW, LICSW - Behavioral Health Clinical Case Manager

• Graduated from Smith College with a Master’s Degree in Social Work
• Completed a Master’s in Education at Erikson Institute for Advanced Study in Child Development at Loyola University and a Bachelor of Arts at Western Maryland College
• Completed advanced certificate trainings for the treatment of vulnerable populations: End of Life Care and Educator of Infant Massage
• Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
• Provides individual, couples, family, and group therapy for patients of all ages

Tirza Goncalves, MSW, LICSW - Behavioral Health Clinician

• Graduated from Rhode Island College with a Master’s Degree in Social Work
• Completed a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work at the University of Massachusetts
• Provides individual, couples, and group therapy for patients of all ages
• Languages spoken besides English: Fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, and Creole

Katya Vallon, MA, CAGS, LMHC - Behavioral Health Clinician

• Graduated from Salve Regina University with a Master’s Degree in Counseling and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Mental Health Counseling
• Completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Physician Assistant Sciences and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at Saint Francis University
• Completed advanced certificate trainings in integrative psychotherapy and trauma recovery
• Licensed Mental Health Counselor
• Provides individual, couples, family and group therapy for patients of all ages

Thamara Davis, MD - Psychiatrist

• Completed the Psychiatry Residency Training Program and the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training Program at Brown University
• Graduated from Medical School at the Catholic University of Guayaquil, Ecuador
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist; Board Certified in Adult and General Psychiatry
• Provides psychiatric evaluation and medication management for patients of all ages
• Languages spoken besides English: Fluent in Spanish

Nurse Care Managers,

Jill Taormina, RN

Bio coming soon.

Paula Wolf, RN

• Knowledgeable Registered Nurse, having worked in nine states
• Almost 20 years of hospital based utilization review and case management experience
• Completed a two year program in Whole Health Education in Boston
• Enjoys cycling and gardening in her spare time

 Dental,

Christine Bender, DMD - Director of Clinical Dentistry

• Graduated with a Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania
• Received the Delta Dental Student Leadership Award and the Community Dentistry and Pediatric Dental Health Award
• National Health Service Corps Scholar

Lalita Bhattacharya, DMD, PhD - Director of Dental Education and Programming

• Graduated with a Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania
• Had over 20 years of experience before joining Blackstone Valley Community Health Care in 2007
• Actively involved with dental care and its delivery system to elderly patients in nursing homes
• Other languages spoken besides English: Fluent in Bengali

Yanli Ding, DMD, PhD - Dentist

• Graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Doctor of Dental Medicine
• Member of the American Dental Association and an award winner from the Academy of Operative Dentistry
• Other languages spoken besides English: Fluent in Chinese

Gloria Hwang, DMD - Dentist

Bio coming soon.

John P. Kiang, DMD - Dentist

Steven Young, DDS - Oral Surgeon

• Received a Doctor of Dental Surgery from Columbia University College of Dental and Oral Surgery
• Certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Active member of several dental organization
• Other languages spoken besides English: Fluent in Mandarin Chinese and familiar with Spanish