You’re invited! Please join us on Thursday, October 24 at 5:30pm to celebrate the accomplishments from CHC’s past fiscal year and enjoy a special panel discussion with our extraordinary staff! This is a free event hosted at our Riverside location (617 Riverside Avenue, Burlington). RSVP is appreciated to mstevens@chcb.org.

CHC has opened an onsite pharmacy at our Riverside practice. Accessibly located in the heart of Burlington’s Old North End at 617 Riverside Avenue, this service allows community members to refill their prescriptions before they leave the building. The CHC – Pharmacy accepts all major insurances, including Medicaid and Medicare.

For many years, CHC has been part of a Federally Qualified Health Center pharmacy network which offers eligible patients reduced-cost prescriptions, saving patients roughly $2 million annually. In adding our own pharmacy onsite, CHC has taken the next step in ensuring accessibility to medications for their community members.

“No patient should ever have to make the difficult decision between refilling their prescription and their family’s next meal,” said Jeff McKee, CHC CEO. “Adding a physical pharmacy into our array of services is a proactive approach that ensures that no matter what is happening in the national pharmaceutical landscape, our patients are protected. We now have the ability to work with partners, not only to maintain the 340B prescription drug program, but expand it.”

Karen Lawes, MD grew up in Burlington, Vermont. She received her BA at Colby College and returned to Burlington to complete her Masters in biochemistry, and from there continued at UVM for Medical School. She completed her family medicine residency in Seattle in 1996 and practiced in Seattle, WA, Ticonderoga, NY and most recently Oakland, ME. She provides full spectrum family care, minus OB. She has four kids and when the youngest graduated from college in 2023, she decided in was time to move back to Burlington to be near her mother. Her husband, also a family doctor, plans to retire and join her in Vermont.

Karen Lencke, CNM, FNP-BC was born and raised in a small town in northern Vermont.  She was a local, licensed home-birth midwife for several years before relocating to Montana to attend nursing school, run a vegetable farm, and ramble around big mountain ranges.  She eventually made her way to Vanderbilt University to obtain her dual Nurse Midwifery and Family Nurse Practitioner graduate degree. Karen is excited that CHC has anchored her back in Vermont!  She is passionate about providing a welcoming space for all and believes good listening skills are the foundation of good health care. Her clinical interests include reproductive health, gender-affirming and LGBTQ+ care, and holistic care. Outside of work, you’ll likely find Karen playing in the dirt, taking the dogs for a walk, or fermenting something in the kitchen.

Nia Phillips, DMS, PA-C holds a bachelor’s degree in biology at Kean University, a Master’s of Science in Physician Assistant studies from Rutgers University and a Doctor of Medical Science degree from Lincoln Memorial University with a focus in Internal Medicine. Before coming to CHC, she worked at Covenant House in New York City, where she helped to shelter and care for homeless and trafficked youth. She then went to the University of Vermont’s Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone, New York, a rural area where she treated children and urgent-care patients. Both experiences gave her a reminder that “kids are incredible, loving, forgiving, compassionate and empathetic. They are literally the best thing about the world.” Nia is passionate about the topic of diversity within medicine. With her social worker friend, she co-hosted the podcast “Cure the Culture” to encourage listeners to pursue healthcare careers and learn how to advocate for themselves and their loved ones. Nia lives with her husband and two cats. She enjoys travel, gardening and the great outdoors.

Hannah Culver, PA-C originally moved from New Hampshire to Vermont to attend UVM, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience in 2019. Prior to PA school, Hannah discovered her passion for helping patients while working as a Medical Assistant at CHC-Riverside and an EMT in Shelburne, Vermont. She received her Master’s of Medical Science from Tufts University Physician Assistant Program. As a board-certified physician assistant, she is committed to providing exceptional care and fostering a welcoming environment for adult and pediatric patients from diverse backgrounds. Her professional interests focus on holistic medicine and reproductive health. Outside of work, Hannah enjoys skiing, running, biking, and spending time with friends.