Primary Care Providers

Kenneth Borie, DO

As a family medicine physician Dr. Borie enjoys seeing a baby for a well-child exam and then later in the day seeing the great-grandparents. He loves nursing home care as well and is strongly committed to caring for his long term patients towards the end of their lives. Teaching is also very important to Dr. Borie as he enjoys imparting his knowledge and wisdom to a new generation of physicians.

Kathleen Bryant, MPH, APRN, BC

As Gifford’s school-based nurse practitioner, Kathleen Bryant will primarily work with students in the health clinics of the local elementary and high schools. She has 20 years of experience as a nurse practitioner. During that time, she has worked in school-based health centers in Vermont, including Berlin where she created and coordinated a program in the local PreK-8 school. Bryant also spent time in nursing education at both Norwich University and the University of Vermont.

“By being in the school, you develop a different relationship with the children that you don’t get with a periodic visit to the clinician’s office.”

Daniela Caserta, MA, LMFT

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) Daniela Caserta works with patients of all ages on their mental health journey. Her approach to care begins with using a developmental lens to determine what is organically or biologically indicated and goes from there: “We all get to be writers of our story,” she says. “While we are living a story that we did not author, we can create our to-be-determined narrative. When someone possesses that sense of determination to change their story, it’s really where science and humanity meet.”

Daniela says trauma is inherent in the human experience but varied in how it affects people. She works to reduce shame around the effects of trauma and helps patients mitigate those effects going forward.

Daniela is mom to two 20-something daughters, and lives with her husband, mother, and dog in central Vermont, where she’s been over 20 years. She enjoys walking, reading, puzzle games, and spending time on the water.

Melanie Clark, FNP

Family Nurse Practitioner Melanie Clark serves on the Primary Care team at Chelsea Health Center. Her approach to patient care is holistic. “My goal, always, is to encompass the whole patient,” she says. “I utilize evidence-based guidelines and policies to provide optimum care with compassion.”

Melanie’s vast clinical experience includes a wide range of care for all ages in a fast-paced urgent care setting; wellness care, routine health maintenance, and psychological support in a family health setting in an underserved area; obstetric and gynecological care for women; pediatric care for children of all ages; and medical and surgical nursing care for patients with acute and chronic illness, oncology care, and palliative care in a small community hospital.

Rachel Coombs, MD

“For me, the most rewarding aspect of practicing family medicine is the ability to connect with people about what is most important to them. This allows us to create a shared vision of health and work toward it together. And I enjoy providing full-spectrum care where I’m able to care for the entire family, from pregnancy, birth, and beyond through geriatrics and everything in between. Seeing my patients in their family context helps me understand them on a deeper level, which is so important for community health.”

Emilija O. Florance, MD

Dr. Florance sees patients of all ages, newborn to geriatric, and provides a wide range of care, from chronic disease management to women’s health. Her approach to care is based on developing a partnership with each patient. “I love connecting with patients, getting to know them and the community I serve,” she said. “I also enjoy the variety offered by practicing family medicine. Each day is different and rewarding, whether I am working with a diabetic patient or with an expectant mother.”

Ryan Heney, MD

Dr. Ryan Heney serves on the Primary Care team at Bethel Health Center and provides care to patients of all ages. Dr. Heney is passionate about addressing a variety of patient needs through “the entire spectrum of the human experience,” he says. “I like to think of my primary role as an educator, and it’s how I frame working with patients. I want them to make an informed decision based on options I give them. Hopefully, this approach empowers patients to take the lead in their health.”

Jessica Heney, MD

Dr. Jessica Heney serves on the Primary Care team in Randolph and is deeply committed to providing personalized care to patients at every stage of life.

“We take care of people from cradle to grave, all ages, all genders,” she says. “What I like about family medicine is that it’s varied—from physical and well visits, to treating UTIs, to managing diabetes. Every day looks different depending on who is on the schedule. I really like getting to know patients over time, and it’s fun to see people taking care of themselves.”

Aleena Herrick, NP

Nurse Practitioner Aleena Herrick serves on the Primary Care team at Gifford Health Center at Berlin. Her philosophy of care is patient-oriented. “It’s so important to listen to what patients have to say,” she says. “Just listening is a huge part of what I do.”

Herrick, who followed in the footsteps of her grandmother, a nurse, in pursuing a career in health care, relocated to the Green Mountain State from Georgia. She was drawn to Gifford by its rural community and Vermont vibes.

Julie Holland, DNP

Julie has a passion for public health and global health, fueled by her commitment to “doing the most good for the greatest amount of people.” She describes her approach to care as patient-centered, inclusive and holistic, “considering all areas of a patient’s life and creating shared goals based on a patient’s priorities.”

Meghan Ketcham, APRN

As an advanced practice registered nurse, Meghan provides psychiatric care for patients of all ages. She meets with patients who may need extra help on their mental health journey, who are generally seeing a therapist already and may need medication or are considering medication options. She guides them in reaching their mental health goals.

“Our patients have a team of people who are here to support them,” Meghan, a former ER nurse, says of her collaborative approach. “I consider all systems around a patient that may impact their mental health. My approach is family-based and trauma-informed.”

Warren McDermott, DNP

Warren McDermott, DNP, has joined the Primary Care team at Gifford, seeing patients at Rochester Health Center and at the Post-Acute Care Clinic (PACC) in Randolph.

Warren, who is passionate about behavioral health and its influence on preventative medicine, says, “So much of preventative medicine really comes down to behavioral health, from dietary changes to exercise to substance use.” He describes his philosophy of care as one centered on motivational interviewing and trying to align with patients to help them make long-term behavioral changes. He cites smoking cessation as an example of when he might use this strategy of helping people find motivation while working on their terms to help them stop.

Brigid Meehan-Brese, DNP

Brigid Meehan-Brese is our Primary Care Provider at the Rochester Health Center. Working at an inpatient facility during her career has helped shape Meehan-Brese’s interest in preventative care.

“You see so many people who had they reached out at the right moment, could have prevented some of what’s going on. One of the biggest areas where we have to make improvements in people’s health and quality of life is preventative care.”

Before starting her medical career, she was a singer, musician, and composer, arranging musical scores and performing in several operas both nationally and internationally.

Eileen Murphy, MSN, APRN

Eileen Murphy has worked as a nurse practitioner (NP) for over 20 years, providing broad-spectrum primary care for patients of all ages in rural Vermont. She enjoys working with primary care patients of all ages, collaborating with them and their families to address their health care needs, and together, work toward their goals. Her previous patients have noted how she focuses on and listens to their needs and concerns during their appointments.

Rachel Salloway, FNP-BC

Nurse Practitioner Rachel Salloway is passionate about helping to ensure access to high-quality preventative medicine in rural areas. She enjoys working with patients at all stages of life. She has a particular interest in providing gender-affirming care as well as care to older adults, women, and patients with diabetes. She describes her style with patients as collaborative: “I enjoy learning about patients and helping patients feel comfortable so they can meet their health care goals.”

Rachel brings to Gifford a background in global health, providing care in Uganda and India, and also experience working with underserved communities, including incarcerated women and Somali refugees.