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Meet Our MCH Faculty


			Sandra Augusto, MD, MPH Assistant Professor St. Georges University School of Medicine, MD (2015), MPH (2009) UMass Worcester Family Medicine Residency, 2018 Clinical/Academic Interests: Sandra's interests include global health, MCH and community health Personal Facts: My personal interests include Portuguese folk dancing, running and good food.


			Katharine Barnard MD Associate Professor UMass Medical School (2000) UMass Worcester Family Medicine Residency (2003) Clinical/Academic Interests: Maternal-child health; Care of vulnerable patients; Evaluation of asylum-seekers; Trauma-informed care Equity and inclusion in healthcare Why I Work at UMass: I love the diversity of Worcester, and the way that living and working in a small city can provide both variety and familiarity. The UMass program is full of bright, caring, interesting people. There’s a great balance of academics and community feel. Personal Facts: For me, balancing work and home means finding time every day for exercise, dogs, kids, being outdoors and preparing healthy, tasty food for my family. I also take cello lessons and play oboe in a community orchestra, so practicing almost every day is a must!


			Zachary T. Bay, MD Assistant Professor Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 2013 Lawrence Family Medicine Residency Clinical/Academic Interests: Addiction Medicine, Hepatitis C, Obstetrics/Maternity Care


			Rebecca D. Blumhofer, MD, MPH Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health Associate Medical Director, Data & Informatics at Family Health Center of Worcester Boston University School of Medicine, 2010 UMass Worcester Family Medicine Residency, 2013 Clinical/Academic Interests: Health IT.; Adolescent and Women's Health Why I Work at UMass: Working at a community health center that has a strong relationship with an academic hospital system allows me to work with incredible colleagues, serve underserved communities, and participate in a critical thinking environment that fosters innovation, data-driven decision-making, and excellence in patient care. What I Most Love About Family Centered Maternity Care: Being able to care for not just mom or baby, but both mom and baby, as well as the rest of the family, is a joy and privilege. This unique position allows me to provide holistic and comprehensive care, as the health and story of each family member affects that of the rest of the family. Personal Facts: After moving to Worcester for residency, I have now lived in Worcester for longer than any other place during my lifetime! Apart from working at the Family Health Center of Worcester and on the L&D/postpartum floors at UMass, I enjoy spending as much time as I can with my children, who are both Worcester natives. My husband teaches music at WPI and is a music critic for many venues in the Greater Boston area. We are a musical household, with violin, viola, piano, and singing filling the air on most days.

			Philip Bolduc, MD Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health Associate Medical Director of Special Populations, Family Health Center of Worcester Principal Investigator, New England AIDS Education and Training CenterUniversity of Massachusetts Medical School (2000) Lawrence Family Medicine Residency (2003) Clinical/Academic Interests: HIV and Viral Hepatitis, Addiction Care Why I Work at UMass: I work and teach at UMass because it is the academic affiliate of the Family Health Center of Worcester and is the hospital where we do our obstetric and maternity care. What I Love Most About Family Centered Maternity Care: I value the chance to serve women throughout their pregnancy, delivery, postpartum and interconception periods and care for their infants and children; the connections that grow out of such longitudinal relationships foster care that is empathic, culturally competent, patient-centered and appropriate for women and their families. Personal Facts: I'm a Worcester native and am proud to work and live in the city, a great place even before the Woo Sox came to town. I love nearly all things outdoors, especially in the winter, and am a big supporter of public parks through Park Spirit of Worcester and the Friends of Newton Hill. I am fortunate to live in a vibrant, diverse community and have work that is meaningful and fulfilling.

			Sara Casey, DO Assistant Education Director at Family Health Center of Worcester Assistant Professor Providence College University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2011 UMass Worcester Family Medicine Residency, 2014 Clinical/Academic Interests: Women’s health and public health

			Stephanie T. Carter-Henry, MD, MS, FAAFP Medical Director, Hahnemann Family Health Center Assistant Professor UMass Medical School, 2008 UMass Worcester Family Medicine Residency - Barre, 2011 Clinical/Academic Interests: Quality Improvement/Sustainability/Patient and Care team experience Family Centered Maternity Care/College Health/Mental Health Why I Work at UMass: UMass is where I discovered and fell in love with family medicine. The department of Family Medicine and Community Health has such incredible passion and wisdom about the importance of community, social determinants of health and care of families and it is exciting to work together to care for Worcester and the surrounding communities as a result. I truly believe the motto that Everyone deserves a family physician and am proud to be part of a department that strives for that. What I Love Most About Family-Centered Maternity Care: Caring for a family during family planning, pregnancy, and delivery is one of the most rewarding and intimate patient-physician relationships I have encountered. It is a privilege to care for a mother/baby dyad and the support network around them. Helping families navigate the dynamic emotions, adjustment, physical changes, fears, celebration, and sometimes grief of pregnancy and parenthood make for powerful and rewarding relationships. Personal Facts: I’m a Umass lifer – undergrad, graduate, medical school, residency, and faculty. I grew up in Massachusetts, but was born in RI where most of my extended family still live. I am married to an identical twin – Matt and we have two daughters Samantha and Elsa (not named after the movie!) and a dog (Barbara – Matt named her!). We have been in central Massachusetts since I went to medical school and consider it home.
			Henry Del Rosario, MD Assistant Professor Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University West Suburban Family Medicine Residency Program, Chicago Clinical/Academic Interests: Global health, procedures, refugee health care Why I Work at UMass: I have a passion for medical education and the theory of teaching and so am excited to be part of the culture of learning at Hahnemann. Personal Facts: I live in Providence, RI with my wife, Jisoo, a pulmonologist at Brown. When I'm not commuting, I enjoy hiking and art (particularly Zen calligraphy and photography). My artist portfolio can be found online at www.henrydelrosario.com/. I've made several trips to northern and southern China helping to teach family medicine to residents as well as establish a culture of primary care in Asia.

			Michael Ennis, MD Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health Assistant Dean of Student Advising, UMass Medical School University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 1983 UMass Worcester Family Medicine Residency (Barre), 1986 Clinical/Academic Interests: Student/Resident mentoring, family centered maternity care, travel medicine Why I Work at UMass: Teaching residents and students feels like a special privilege that I get to enjoy every day. It is definitely one of the top reasons that I have continued to work at Hahnemann for 30 years. Bearing witness to, and occasionally helping, our residents transform into highly competent clinicians is a blast! Personal Facts: I'm from the Bronx, New York. I worked as a taxidriver in NYC for several years prior to going to medical school.

			Elizabeth A. Erban, MD Assistant Professor Clinical/Academic Interests: Alternative/Complimentary Medicine; Obstetrics/Maternity Care; Women's Health UMass Medical School (medical school and residency)

			Josephine Fowler, MD, MSc, FAAFP Associate Professor and Vice Chair for Clinical Services Spartan Health Sciences University Family Medicine Residency at Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, 1996 Fellowship in Maternal and Child Health at Memorial Hospital of RI/ Brown University, 1998 Clinical/Academic Interests: Maternal and Child Health, Adolescent Health, Women's Health, Preventive and Public Health. Academic interests: Transforming the Clinical Learning Environment; GME; Health Equity in Maternal and Child Health; Disparities in Infant and Maternal Mortality; Preventive and Public Health; Quality and Patient Safety; Global Health Why I Work at UMass: HFHC at UMass is a well-respected teaching health center that cares for a diverse patient population. HFHC is a place of innovation and transformation. These were some of the reasons I chose HFHC. The providers are cohesive and support one another. At HFHC, there are opportunities to train learners and influence the next generation of doctors. What I Love Most About Family Centered Maternity Care: Family Centered Maternity Care focus on a continuum of care that results in a good birth outcome. As a family physician in an environment where potential risk can be addressed during the preconception or interconception period, we can have impact on mitigating risks and aim for better outcomes clinically and socially." Personal Facts: I am a Family Physician with a strong interest in whole person medicine, addressing mind, body, and spirit. As a maternal and child health provider, I am committed to improving the delivery of care to mothers, fathers, and children-- the family. I am committed to decreasing health disparities. I am not only interested in the care of the patient but interested in addressing the wellness of physicians and healthcare workers.
			Melanie Gnazzo, MD Assistant Professor University of Connecticut School of Medicine University of Rochester Family Medicine Residency – Inner City Brown Square Community Health Center Clinical/Academic Interests: Social Determinants of Health; Vulnerable and Underserved Populations; Maternity Care Why I Work at UMass: I felt embraced by my colleagues at the Family Health Center of Worcester Residency site, who are all motivated by their work in a community health center to seek best practices in their care, but also to provide quality training to medical learners in the setting of underserved and vulnerable populations. I work with some of the most creative, driven, and compassionate people I know! What I Most Love About Family Centered Maternity Care: While I love working with families during prenatal and labor care, I cherish that bond that further develops while seeing those families in the following years. Personal Facts: I live in Worcester with my husband and 3 kids. In free time, we enjoy the trails that pass near our backyard and the regional bike routes – and the ice cream stands one often finds on those bike routes! There is a vibrant local arts community that I love to support, and nearby many small local groceries and international restaurants I like to explore. I have many hobbies, but it’s difficult to persist in any of them; except, of course, medicine.


			Jeremy Golding, MD, ABFM, FAAFP Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health Professor of OB-GYN Department Quality Officer Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, MD, 1987 Highland Hospital/University of Rochester Family Medicine Residency (1990) Health Services Research and General Academic Preparatory Fellowship at University of Rochester School of Medicine (1991) Clinical/Academic Interests: Evidence-based medicine, adolescent medicine, women's health, computers and electronic technology in medicine, electrocardiography, dermatology, office surgical procedures, office ultrasound. I'm the associate editor of The 5 Minute Clinical Consult (Lippincott/Wolters Kluwer Health). I can’t believe I’m fortunate enough to get paid to write and edit and learn! Why I Work at UMass: I am constantly challenged by the innumerable presentations we see here in our office. I get to practice to the full extent of my knowledge, training, and experience. I have several multigenerational families in my practice, and find getting to know all my patients very satisfying. Over time, I have grown with them. I cannot imagine practicing any other medical specialty. Although I will never be in the highest paid of physician specialties, I am already the most rewarded for my work. Personal Facts: After completing a fellowship in health services research in Rochester, I practiced family medicine, college health, and emergency medicine for about 10 years before coming to UMass. I was also a medical advisor of a Planned Parenthood site in CT. I have a particular interest and expertise (certificate of added qualifications from the ABFM) in adolescent medicine. I enjoy seeing patients at Clark University. Outside of medicine, I enjoy the outdoors, especially hiking and downhill skiing. I run for exercise. I love (really love) to sing and folk dance.

			Kristina Gracey, MD, MPH Assistant Professor Albany Medical College, 2013 Albany Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program, 2016 Clinical/Academic Interests: Resident and medical student education, Maternal and Child Health, Adult Inpatient medicine Why I Work at UMass: It is an honor to be working at UMass, practicing full-fledged Family Medicine at the Barre Family Health Center while delivering babies and taking care of patients of all ages at UMass Memorial Hospital. I have a particular enthusiasm for teaching medical students and residents and feel fortunate to be surrounded by others who share the same passion. Personal Facts: My husband and I, alongside our two young children, were warmly welcomed into the UMass community when we moved here from Albany. The beauty of this area, kind people, and diverse community continue to impress us.

			Lisa Gussak. MD Associate Professor UCONN School of Medicine St. Paul Ramsey Medical Center Family Medicine Residency


			Nicholas Hajj, MD Assistant Professor UMass Medical School UMass Worcester Family Medicine Residency (Barre), 2019 Clinical/Academic Interests: Full-spectrum Family Medicine, Obstetrics, Inpatient Medicine Why I Work at UMass: As a UMass “lifer” (I did my undergrad, medical school, and residency all within the UMass system), I have come to appreciate all that UMass has to offer. The residency program is the perfect blend of high-quality training with amazing support for the residents. There is so much opportunity for learning and growth; when the time came to look for a full-time position, I realized that UMass was the best place to pursue my goals of being an academic full-spectrum family doctor in Massachusetts. Personal Facts: I enjoy cooking and archery.

			Tracy Kedian, MD Associate Professor Director, Center for Academic Achievement Assistant Dean of Academic Achievement UMass Worcester Family Medicine Residency, 1999 UMass Medical School, 1996 Clinical/Academic Interests: Family Medicine with focus on obstetrics, vulnerable populations and low English proficiency. Educational interest in learners with academic challenges. Learner assessment. Why I Work at UMass: I chose UMass to be part of a community of physicians dedicated to a continually evolving mission of service. Our patients, our learners and our community are always the focus of an enormous amount of energy and enthusiasm which drives innovation around clinical care and teaching. It is a wonderful place to be a curious, compassionate, life-long learner. We care for a population which typically experiences huge outcome disparities. To be able to deliver the highest quality family centered maternity care here and to see these families start out healthy and strong brings enormous gratification. Personal Facts: I am a mother of two teenaged boys with a husband also in medicine. Working with vulnerable populations helps us stay grounded when parenting teens gets tough. We love to travel and spend time with our friends. I like books and film and martial arts which really helps with the stress of kids and work.

			Anna McMahan MD Assistant Professor UMass Medical School UMass Worcester Family Medicine Residency (Hahnemann) Clinical/Academic Interests: Women’s health, LGBTQ health, Transgender care Why I Work at UMass: I have always wanted to be a primary care doctor and to take care of families. UMass has an incredibly strong primary care focus, and focus on family medicine in particular. Women’s health, prenatal care, and OB are also important to me, and I wanted to train in a place that would allow me to focus on these things – UMass was a perfect fit for this.

			Hilary Mislan MD Assistant Professor UMass Worcester Family Medicine Residency (Family Health Center) 2017 Albany Medical College (2014) Clinical/Academic Interests: Addiction medicine and suboxone; Maternal child health and Interconception care; Teaching Why I Work at UMass: UMass is a great, collegial working environment. Family medicine has excellent relationships with other departments, from OB to internal medicine, to other consultants. We have excellent nurses, and great access to specialists. Personal Facts: I have run 8 marathons, and I raise chickens, pigs, and sheep.

			Claudeleedy Pierre, MD Associate Director, Primary Care Psychiatry Fellowship Director of Perinatal Services Assistant Professor Brown University Alpert Medical School Boston University Family Medicine Residency Greater Lawrence Family Medicine OB Fellowship Clinical/Academic Interests: Maternal Child Health, Underserved Communities/Populations, Diabetes, Teaching, & Team Approach to Health Care

			Stacy Potts, MD, MEd Department Vice-Chair for Education and Associate Professor Former Program Director, UMass Worcester Family Medicine Residency Past-President, Family Medicine Education Consortium (FMEC) Chair of ACGME Review Committee for Family Medicine University of Vermont College of Medicine, 1998 UMass Worcester Family Medicine Residency (Barre), 2001 University of Massachusetts Faculty Development Fellowship, 2002 Clinical/Academic Interests: Adult learning in graduate medical education Why I Work at UMass: During my residency search I stumbled across UMass Worcester. I was struck by the wonderful balance between a University training program and a rural community continuity site. I stayed because I knew I would never be able to find the breadth, diversity, and strength of a Family Medicine Department elsewhere. UMass is a unique place to be as a family medicine physician in New England and I LOVE IT! Personal Facts: I have four incredible children with diverse interests, from orchestra to cattle shows and a whole lot of sports in between! I love marathon running and use it as a great excuse to travel and explore new areas.

			Amber Sarkar MD Assistant Professor Medical School for International Health at Ben Gurion University UMass Worcester Family Medicine Residency (Family Heath Center of Worcester) Clinical/Academic Interests: Full spectrum outpatient family medicine, Diabetes care and quality improvement, Obstetrics Medical Education, Refugee/Immigrant/Asylee care Why I Work at UMass: FHCW is a global village with outstanding clinic educators. Personal Facts: My personal passion is watching life take root, sprout and blossom. In the clinic I take care of people from womb to cradle to grave. At home, I delight in seeing my children grow into creative, inquisitive, explorative humans. And in my back yard, I enjoy watching seeds transform to seedlings to vegetables to cuisine.

			Sara G. Shields, MD, MS Professor University of California at San Francisco, M.D., 1989 University of Rochester, 1992 Maternal & Child Health Fellowship, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, 1994 Clinical/Academic Interests: Maternity Care, Underserved Populations, Women's Health. Co-author (with Lucy Candib, MD) of Woman-Centered Care in Pregnancy and Childbirth (Radcliffe, 2010.) My interests include breastfeeding, group prenatal care, family medicine maternity care, quality improvement in general and in maternal/child health in particular, and the humanities in medicine. I've worked in recent years with a community collaborative trying to address infant mortality, including a project to donate free Baby Boxes with educational materials to Worcester's neediest families. Why I Work at UMass: When I'm able to be with residents attending one of their own patients' deliveries, I love encouraging the residents to discover and savor their unique longitudinal connections with laboring women and their families. This continuity during maternity care is what makes our role as family physicians so special and so important. Here at Family Health, we have such an incredible opportunity to serve a truly multicultural perinatal population with support systems that provide something unique and special to families otherwise so disempowered and disenfranchised in our society. I especially appreciate my amazing colleagues who help me learn and laugh and remind me why I love this work. Personal Facts: In my nanoseconds of free time, I enjoy reading novels, knitting, and any kind of outdoor exercise except for things that worsen my fear of heights or my tendency towards seasickness. My goal is to some day complete the Cape Cod half marathon trilogy in one year so that I can get the really cool jacket. I've taken up curling, and I'm currently training to be a docent at Worcester's fabulous art museum so that I can lead more tours for medical students, residents, and doctors to teach observation, teamwork and communication skills in that unique setting.

			Olga Valdman, MD Director, Global Health Track and Global Health Fellowship Assistant Professor UMass Medical School Lawrence Family Medicine Residency Clinical/Academic Interests: International Medicine, Maternal Child Health Unlike New York and Boston where I had lived before, Worcester has the most sense of a mixed community which truly comes to life when you walk into the Family Health Center where I chose to come to. I walk into the building in the morning, look around and feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by people from all over the world, hearing numerous languages spoken at the same time and being welcomed by our staff always ready to teach me about their community. Personal Facts: Originally from Russia, I moved to the US at the age of 15. Being an immigrant myself, I have grown a deep interest and passion for working with immigrant and refugee populations, particularly in the underserved communities. While in medical school and residency, I was lucky to travel to several countries while learning about the local medical system and providing clinical services. In particular, I have travelled to Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Ghana, Ethiopia and Mexico. Back in Worcester, I co-founded an African Community Education program which works with children who are refugees from various African countries providing them with remedial education and psychosocial support; working with the African community in Worcester has been an amazing journey for me. In medicine, my biggest interests are Global Health and Maternal Child Health.

			Anna Zheng, MD Assistant Professor SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University-College of Medicine, Brooklyn, NY, 2014 SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn Fellowship at University of Rochester School of Medicine Clinical/Academic Interests: Adolescent Medicine, Obstetrics/Maternity Care, Women's Health