April 24, 2024

Dr. Ria Roberts Awarded Community Clinician of the Year

Lowell Community Health Center proudly announces that Dr. Ria Roberts has been honored as the Essex North District of the Massachusetts Medical Society’s 2024 Community Clinician of the Year.

An Andover resident, Yale-trained internist and Harvard-trained geriatrician, Dr. Roberts is the inaugural Medical Director for the Program for Healthy Aging at Lowell Community Health Center. Her expertise in geriatric medicine is exemplified by her comprehensive care model based on the “5 Ms” of Geriatric Medicine: Mind, Mobility, Multi-Complexity, Medications, and Matters Most. This award acknowledges her dedication to patient-centered care and her significant contributions to the field of geriatrics.

“Dr. Ria Roberts’ approach to addressing complex health issues in older adults, such as cognitive health and mobility, as well as her efforts to optimize medication management, truly sets her apart,” said Dr. Kumble Rajesh, Chief Medical Officer at Lowell Community Health Center. “This accolade is a fitting reflection of her exceptional work and the tangible impact she has made on our patients’ lives.”

Dr. Roberts holds a staff appointment at Lowell General Hospital and is a clinical instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. She also co-leads the Harvard Medical School’s Black Women in Medicine Committee. At Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Dr. Roberts contributes her expertise as a part-time academic hospitalist and leads initiatives for diversity, inclusion, and advocacy in Graduate Medical Education and the Department of Medicine.

Originally from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Roberts earned her medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences after completing her undergraduate studies at Brandeis University.

March 20, 2024

Sheila Och Honored by The Institute for Health Equity Research, Evaluation & Policy

Lowell Community Health Center is proud to announce that Sheila Och, Chief Engagement and Equity Officer, has been recognized by The Institute for Health Equity Research, Evaluation & Policy (IHE) as part of their “Women Leading the Charge” feature for Women’s History Month. This distinguished acknowledgment celebrates Sheila’s exceptional contributions to advancing health equity within the community health sector in Massachusetts.

In the “Women Leading the Charge” feature, Sheila shares her invaluable perspectives alongside other influential women leaders. Her dedication to enhancing community health through cultural proficiency, comprehensive engagement, and a steadfast commitment to addressing the social, emotional, and cultural factors impacting healthcare sets a benchmark for leadership in health equity.

In receiving the recognition, Och remarked about community health centers, “We aim to actively engage our communities and collaborate in health initiatives, outreach programs, and health education. This engagement helps foster a sense of ownership and empowerment, centers our communities’ voices and strengths in our work, and advances our mission to bridge the gap in health disparities.” 

Lowell Community Health Center is thrilled that Sheila’s work and the impact of our collective efforts are being recognized on such a prestigious platform. This accolade not only honors Sheila’s individual contributions but also highlights the critical role of community health centers in providing accessible, quality healthcare to underserved populations.

The Institute for Health Equity Research, Evaluation & Policy is an initiative of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers.

January 4, 2021

Pace Of Coronavirus Vaccination Lags Supply In Mass.

Read comments from Lowell CHC Director of Clinical Services, Elizabeth Hale, in this recent piece on WBUR. “So far in Massachusetts, the pace of vaccinating residents against COVID-19 is way behind supplies of coronavirus vaccines. The latest update Monday from Gov. Charlie Baker shows about 40% of the doses delivered to Massachusetts have been injected and, state data released last week shows, 92% have gone to hospital staff.”

Read more at WBUR
November 17, 2020

Lowell CHC ranks among top 100 women-led businesses in MA

“For the second year in a row, the Lowell Community Health Center (Lowell CHC) was ranked as one of the top 100 women-led businesses in Massachusetts by the Boston Globe Magazine-Commonwealth Institute.”

Read more at the Lowell Sun
August 26, 2018

Rebecca Williams

Rebecca Williams has joined Lowell Community Health Center as director of integrated care and case management to advance the health center’s work with the Wellforce Care Plan ACO. 

Read more at Merrimack Valley Magazine
June 17, 2018

Maggie Allard

Maggie Allard has been named medical director of population health at Lowell Community Health Center. Population health refers to addressing the health status of a defined population with an eye toward addressing social determinants of health.

Read more at Merrimack Valley Magazine
May 11, 2016

How do you describe a lady like Dorcas?

LOWELL — Ask more than 600 eager guests and they say, “kind, patient, humble, quiet, strong, a leader, compassionate and effective, inspirational” — there is only one Dorcas Grigg-Saito. The list is so very long because this lady always leads quietly and with forceful dignity. Grigg-Saito, CEO of Lowell Community Health Center, was honored to celebrate her retirement, her legacy and her vision at the Building Bridges Gala on April 7 at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium.

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May 11, 2016

Lowell Community Health Center lands $1M grant

Exciting news for Lowell Community Health Center’s expansion project, which will certainly help us to realize the vision of our recently retired CEO, Dorcas Grigg-Saito, who led the charge!

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March 22, 2016

Gala Planned to honor Lowell health care pioneer

Read more about how the health center plans to celebrate the retiring of their beloved CEO Dorcas Grigg-Saito on April 7, 2016

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