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

Mohammed Tarrabain, MD

• Received a Doctor of Medicine from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon
• Completed his Family Practice Residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
• Certified by the American Board of Family Medicine
• Over five years of experience in medicine
• Other languages spoken besides English: Fluent in Arabic

Internal Medicine,

Jeffrey Harris, MD, PhD

• Received both MD and PhD degrees from the University of Pennsylvania
• Active member of several medical organizations and committees
• Has been a visiting physician an professor in Mexico, Guatemala, Spain, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic
• Other languages spoken besides English: Fluent in Spanish

Bruce Hookway, MD

• Graduated from Brown University Medical School
• Has a special clinical interest in diabetes
• Other languages spoken besides English: Fluent in Spanish

Ernesto Mirabal, MD

• Received a Medical Degree from the University of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic
• Has a special interest in Geriatrics (elderly)
• Likes to learn about different cultures
• Other languages spoken besides English: Fluent in Spanish

 Pediatrics,

Peter Howland, MD

• Graduated from New York Medical College
• Received a Master’s in Public Health from Harvard School of Public Health
• Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics
• Had over 22 years experience before joining BVCHC in 2004

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

Obstetrics and Gynecology ,

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,

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 Degree 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 Skills, and Integrated Care (physical and emotional)
• Provides individual, family, couples, and group therapy for patients of all ages
• Other languages spoken besides English: Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and French

G. Thamara Davis, MD - Psychiatrist

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
• Provides individual, couples, family, and group therapy for patients of all ages
• Completed advanced certificate trainings for the treatment of vulnerable populations: End of Life Care and Educator of Infant Massage

Tirza Goncalves, MSW - Behavioral Health Case Worker

Connect Care Choice,

Sandra McNamara, RN, CCM - Nurse Case Manager

• Graduated from the Mastin School of Nursing as a Registered Nurse
• Her special clinical interests include asthma, diabetes, and heart disease
• Case Manager focusing on patients with chronic diseases

 Dental,

Lalita Bhattacharya, DMD, PhD - Dental Director

• 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

• Graduada de Médico en Medicina Dental de la Universidad de Pensilvania
• Ya tenía más de 20 años de experiencia cuando en el 2007 se unió al Centro de Salud Comunitario de Blackstone Valley
• Participa activamente en cuidados dentales y en la manera que se ofrecen servicios a pacientes de la tercera edad en los centros de residencia para ancianos
• Idiomas que habla además del Inglés: Habla Bengalí con fluidez

Brandie Ard, DDS

• Graduated with a Doctor of Dental Surgery from Meharry Medical College
• National Health Service Corps Scholar
• Clinical interests focus on minority oral health and children

Christine Bender, DMD

• 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

Lindsay Cassidy, DMD

• Graduated from Tufts University with a Doctor of Dental Medicine
• Actively involved in community service programs focused on helping inner city children
• Clinical interests include: helping families achieve better oral health and patient education

Yanli Ding, DMD, PhD

• 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

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