Val embodies the spirit of Amherst Family Practice with her warmth, her dedication, her high standards and her cheerful efficiency. She serves as office manager while also working at the front desk, greeting people, answering phones, and being sure that patients are scheduled promptly and appropriately. She helped create Amherst Family Practice, bringing to us her extensive experience in the many aspects of running an office. She previously served as office manager or office coordinator for several dental offices, and has worked in other medical, industrial, retail, and city government offices. She was for many years a dental assistant, so has first hand experience with the patient care aspect of the practice.

She has three grown children - and five grandchildren. She is certified as a Master Gardener - her green thumb keeps Amherst Family Practice looking beautiful! Val enjoys yoga, which she practices on a regular basis. She has also taken courses in clowning and she raises goats! Very artistic, she makes the wreaths in our office and the cards that we use for special occasions.

Giovanna's energy and enthusiasm make quick work of many varied tasks at Amherst Family Practice. She is a receptionist at the front desk, cheerfully scheduling appointments and welcoming you to the office. She is in charge of medical records and does our computer scanning. She actually enjoys cleaning and is responsible for keeping our custom-made gowns and other laundry clean and neat. She worked in retailing and customer service in her native Colombia and worked at Sears in this country. She has taken computer courses at STCC and is a graduate of the ESL program there.

She is now a US citizen, having passed her examinations. She enjoys cooking and crocheting. Most important: Giovanna is the proud mom of two adorable sons. As a native Spanish-speaker, she is a big help to our Hispanic patients.

Laurie is our expert in the mysteries of medical insurance. She came to us with over sixteen years of experience in medical billing. She makes sure that the bills we submit are timely, accurate and correctly coded. She will cheerfully answer your questions about insurance payments and charges. She also serves as a receptionist, to greet you and help you schedule appointments.

Laurie loves to cook. She is a superb baker and candy maker, and even has her own business creating delicious homemade chocolate candies and other goods for sale. (Order from her if you ever want a special treat for yourself or others.) She enjoys spending time with her family -- her husband, three children, and two grandchildren. Val's green thumb rubbed off on Laurie, and she now has a houseful of beautiful plants.

Lauren, our friendly and outgoing receptionist with experience in customer service, welcomes you with a cheerful greeting and is always eager to help you in any way possible. She also works as a medical assistant. A graduate of the High School of Science and Technology, she enjoyed her Advanced Placement psychology course and is fascinated by the medical aspects of Amherst Family Practice. Her stunning photography decorates our walls.

A stylish dresser who is interested in clothing design, Lauren has an easy-going personality. She loves to meet new people and to laugh. She says she also loves to shop and to eat!

Haley comes to Amherst Family Practice with a strong background in customer service; she worked for years in retail, managing various clothing stores. She is calm and caring, attributes further honed by being mom to 5 wonderful children! She attended Springfield Technical Community College and graduated from the Porter and Chester Medical Assisting program. Bilingual, she can offer extra help to our Spanish-speaking patients.

Outside of work, she loves to bake, decorate cakes, and read. She is deeply involved in her children's activities, volunteering at their schools and church. She hopes to continue her education to become a registered nurse.

Karen is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College where she took pre-med courses, majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry. She gained lots of hands-on experience working as an EMT with the Southampton Fire Department and Mount Holyoke's Medical Emergency Response Team. She hopes to attend school in the future to become a Physician's Assistant.

Karen also loves to dance. She studied dance in college and is a Zumba instructor. She grew up in Southampton, where she now lives with her husband and two dogs, an English Bulldog named Laverne and a Boxer named Shirley.