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Ellis M Knight, MD, MBA.

Chief Medical Officer

Mac Knight has over 40 years of experience in the healthcare arena, as a practicing physician, physician executive, healthcare consultant, expert witness and industry thought leader. He has practiced and held leadership positions in community and academic settings and is familiar with the operation of hospitals in both rural and urban settings. He is frequently asked to speak at national meetings and has authored or co-authored multiple books and articles on a variety of healthcare related topics.

Dr. Knight graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Biology and received his doctor-of-medicine degree, cum laude, from the University of Oregon Health Science Center's School of Medicine. He earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and has earned fellowship status in the American College of Physicians, the Society of Hospital Medicine, and the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Dr. Knight has a particular interest in value-based care process design, cost accounting, clinical integration and physician / clinician leadership skill development. His special passion is pushing for change in the healthcare system that result in higher value (quality per unit of cost) for patients in these extremely challenging times.

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Isaac Saucedo, PA

Family Practice Clinician
Physician Assistant

Western New Mexico University
Evangel University, Missouri
Arizona School of Health Services

Issac Saucedo is a family practice clinician who has a special interest in rural and preventative medicine. Isaac was born and raised in Silver City, and attended Western New Mexico University. He later graduated from Evangel University, Missouri, and went on to attend Arizona School of Health Services. Isaac Saucedo is certified with the National Commission on Certifications of Physicians Assistants (NCCPA). He is a fellow of the New Mexico Academy of Physician Assistants (NMAPA) and a fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA).

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Pedro Armendariz, MD

Family Medicine
Doctor of Medicine

Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara

Dr. Pedro Armendariz completed his Family Medicine Residency with HMS and is board certified in Family Medicine. Dr. Armendariz is a native of Juarez, Chihuahua but was raised in Hardesty, a rural town in the Oklahoma Panhandle. He has taken on the new position of Senior Services Medical Director and sees patients in Silver City, Lordsburg and will also be doing home visits.

Dr. Armendariz received a Bachelor's with a major in Biology and a minor in chemistry from Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Dr. Armendariz earned his medical degree from the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara and later completed a pre-internship program at New York Medical College. Before coming to Silver City, Dr. Armendariz was practicing in Poplar Montana for Indian Health Services as a medical officer in general practice. His three children, ages fifteen, twelve and eight have adapted well to Silver City so he and his wife are thankful to stay in this community . They have enjoyed being a part of Silver City for the last couple of years and now consider it home. In addition to English, Dr. Armendariz also speaks Spanish.

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Marlene Baska

Family Medicine
Physician Assistant-Certified

University of Utah

Marlene Baska joined Hidalgo Medical Services as a Physician Assistant specializing in Family Practice at the Cobre Health Center in February 2004. She has been a physician assistant since 1988 working in Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska, and Oregon. Marlene's educational background includes a registered nursing degree from Lane Community College, in Oregon and certification as a Physician Assistant from the University Of Utah School Of Medicine.

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Christine Cutbirth RD

Dietician
Registered Dietician

I have worked as a Registered Dietitian for 20 years in a variety of healthcare settings. Upon competition of my education from New Mexico State University, I became a clinical dietitian at Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces, preforming in-patient nutritional assessment, counseling and providing Diabetic Education in MMC’s out-patient setting. I have been fortunate to have a long history of private nutrition consulting, traveling to provide care to underserved areas throughout Southern New Mexico. My experience has been in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, long-term care settings, dialysis and Head Start/Early Head Start centers. I have specialized in pediatrics, geriatrics and kidney care and I am passionate in gaining additional knowledge of current nutrition recommendations and providing the best patient care possible. I’ve also enjoy conducting trainings on a variety of nutrition related topics.

I had the honor of serving on state and local boards for the New Mexico Dietetic Association and am a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. I feel strongly about furthering the nutrition profession by providing rotations for students and Dietetic interns, who gain real life experience in health care settings. I have been recognized for Service Excellence and Integrity and strongly believe in customer service. I know many people can become overwhelmed with health concerns. When education and support are provided, patients can gain a sense of control over their health. Helping patients take control in managing their health is why I love what I do. I believe in balancing quality of life with healthy nutrition and look forward to using my skills to serve the community and patients of Hidalgo Medical Services.

I am married and am owned by a pack of rescue dogs. I enjoy traveling, all hobbies and want to become active in hiking and outdoor activities in this beautiful area of New Mexico.

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Brian Etheridge, MD, FAAP

Pediatrician
Doctor of Medicine
Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics

New Mexico State University
University of New Mexico
Health Sciences Center School of Medicinea
University of Louisville, School of Medicine

Born and raised in New Mexico, Dr. Etheridge attended New Mexico State University, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Social Work with minors in both Chemistry and Public Health. Dr. Etheridge completed his medical degree at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, and his Pediatric Residency at the University of Louisville School of Medicine.

Dr. Etheridge lives in Silver City with his wife, Nancy, and their two children. In his downtime, he enjoys spending time with his family and pets, yard work, and reading. He is proud to call Grant County "home”, and be a part of HMS family, once again.

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Dara Foster, MSN, APRN, FNP-C

Family Medicine
Master of Science in Nursing
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
Certified Family Nurse Practitioner

New Mexico State University
Frontier Nursing University

Dr. Dara Foster is a Family Nurse Practitioner, Dara brings extensive healthcare experience to HMS and enjoys working in a rural clinic setting. Dr. Foster provides extensive services to patients at the Bayard Community Health Center. Services provided to patients include annual exams for women, men and children, the diagnosis and treatment of acute conditions across the lifespan, management and evaluation of chronic stable conditions across the lifespan, sports exams, immunizations, and overall collaboration with providers and adjunct therapies to coordinate care for patients.

Dara completed her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at New Mexico State University, and completed her Masters of Science in Nursing as a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner at Frontier Nursing University. “As a long-time resident of southwestern New Mexico and Grant County, I love being part of HMS. Joining HMS has allowed me to provide care in my community," states Dara. Dara enjoys hiking, making soap and horseback riding.

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Anita Gallardo FNP-C

Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
Master of Science in Nursing

Anita Gallardo, certified family nurse practitioner has returned to HMS part-time. She has practiced as a RN in schools and hospitals in California where she received her BS & MS Nursing education from San Jose State University. Anita moved with her husband and three grown children to Arizona and then New Mexico in 2005. She taught fulltime at Western New Mexico University BS Nursing program and helped develop the MS in Community Health Nursing and post-MS Family Nurse Practitioner programs there. She enjoys hiking, playing with her two dogs, reading and spending time with her grandkids. Her focus is on healthy living, believing that staying active and staying connected to others is essential.

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Lazaro O Gonzalez - APRN, FNP-BC, BSN, RN

Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner
Master of Science in Nursing, FNP-BC
BSN

Lazaro O Gonzalez is an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner certified by AANP. He accomplished his BSN and Master of Science in Nursing through Ana G Mendez University at South Florida Campus. Also, he attended Medical School at the Superior Institute of Medical Science of Havana where he graduated as Medical Doctor in 1992, and shortly after become a Family Physician, in 1996. Lazaro has been working in a variety of outpatient setting including Primary Care, Urgent Care, Home Health Care, and Assisted Living Facility, managing a wide range of population including Pediatric, Adult, and Elderly, promoting accessible healthcare and guaranteeing community support in collaboration with other professionals. As a Cuban born, he established first in Florida in 2013, after providing medical care to a diverse population with different cultural and contextual backgrounds in Central and South America. Lazaro is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, and believes it will be suitable to bring support to the population at HMS, while he enjoys sharing family time and spending his free time exploring national parks, and riding his motorcycle.

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Forrest Eugene Henry, DO

Osteopathic Medicine
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
MAT Provider

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Family Practice Residency, Chief Resident
Clarion Hospital Clarion, Pennsylvania Board Certified Family Practice

Dr. Forrest Henry is a doctor of osteopathic medicine and is practicing in the HMS Lordsburg Clinic. Dr. Henry graduated from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his Family Practice Residency through Clarion Hospital, in Clarion Pennsylvania where he served as the Chief Resident. Upon completion of residency he served as the Chief of the Family Practice Department of Clarion Hospital. Dr. Henry and his family moved to Silver City, NM in 2007 and he joined Southwest Family Medicine practice. Prior to coming to Silver City Dr. Henry practiced Family Medicine in Brookville and Foxburg, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Henry served in the US Army as a General Medical Officer stationed in Bad Kreuanach, Germany for four and half years. His achievements include: Medical Officer on a medical mission to Nigeria in 2008, Board of Directors, Soul Caring Outreach Inc. 2008 to present, IPA Board 2007 to present, Board of Directors Clarion Forrest Visiting Nurse Association 2001 to 2004, Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Advisory Board from 2001 to 2004.

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Hannah Lochner, RD

Dietician
Dietician/Diabetes Educator Registered Dietician
Oregon Health and Science University

Hannah Lochner is a dietitian and diabetes educator. Hannah is seeing referral patients in Silver City and Lordsburg. Hannah was raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and after graduating high school she moved out of the state for education, most recently to attend Oregon Health and Science University. Her passion for food- mostly cooking and eating- is what brought her to a career in nutrition and dietetics. Outside of work you can find Hannah on her yoga mat or hiking in the Gila.

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Philip Manzano, MD

Family Medicine Resident
Doctor of Medicine

Ross University School of Medicine, Dominica

Dr. Philip Manzano is a Family Medicine Resident. Dr. Manzano received his M.D. from Ross University School of Medicine. He chose Family Medicine because of his personal experience of contracting Dengue Fever (twice!) as a child and almost dying each time. He cites the experience as what really drove him into pursuing rural medicine as it gave him “an appreciation and perspective of what it meant to put on the patient gown.” He credits his life being saved “because someone decided to go into primary care and I would like to dedicate my life doing the same.”

Dr. Manzano chose HMS and Silver City because of the people, the city, and the “wonderful staff at HMS”. He states that “from the day I first interviewed, I felt the warmth and nurturing environment in the program and I truly wanted to be a part of it.”

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Tiffany Maxey, PA-C

Family Medicine
Physician Assistant-Certified
MAT Provider

New Mexico State University
Touro Medical School

Tiffany Maxey is a physician assistant who was born in Wyoming but raised in Silver City, NM and graduated from Silver High School. She received a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from New Mexico State University in las Cruces, NM as well as a minor in Biology. She then went on to receive her masters as a physician assistant from Touro Medical School in Henderson, NV where she graduated top 10 in her class.

Tiffany has returned home to her roots and her family to practice in the town that she grew up in. She enjoys the small town charm, which enables her to care for multiple generations of families and to provide continuity of care. She did specialty rotations in interventional Cardiology as well as Cardiothoracic Surgery at New Mexico Heart Institute and has a passion for cardiology . Her hobbies include spending time with her family and friends, riding horses, hiking and doing pretty much anything outdoors . She is an avid Pittsburgh Steelers Football fan as well.

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Kaela Moldowan, MD

Family Medicine Resident
Doctor of Medicine

University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine

Dr. Kaela Moldowan grew up in Canada where she attended French Immersion schools and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in her early teens. From a very young age, she started volunteering with her family and this fostered a desire to serve others.

When Dr. Moldowan saw the hindrance that a linguistic barrier was causing her patients, she taught herself Spanish. Dr. Moldowan then spent three months in remote cities in the Republic of Panama where she was able to further her Spanish abilities and treat international underserved patients for which she has a passion.

Dr. Moldowan was drawn to Family Medicine because the broad scope of the practice allows her to have the strongest positive impact on those within her community. She envisions her future career as a mix of stateside and international medicine serving those with obstacles to care and is excited to be a part of the Hidalgo Medical Services Family Medicine Residency.

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Randi Murphy, DNP, FNP-C

Family Nurse Practitioner
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Certified Family Nurse Practitioner

Western New Mexico University
Frontier Nursing University

Randi Murphy was born and raised in Grant County New Mexico. She graduated with honors from Western New Mexico University in 2013 before going on to attend Frontier Nursing University where she obtained a Master of Science in Nursing in 2018 and then ultimately completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2019. She is board certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and has practiced as a family nurse practitioner in Grant County since December of 2018. Randi is passionate about rural healthcare and improving access to care for marginalized populations and has been involved in a variety of volunteer efforts both locally and abroad. She is honored to have the opportunity to work with families in her hometown and enjoys seeing patients of all ages and from all walks of life.

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Megan Novikoff, PA-C

Family Medicine
Physician Assistant-Certified & MAT Provider

Megan Novikoff is a board certified Physician Assistant. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Bowling Green State University. After college, Megan traveled and then moved to Denver where her work experience sparked her interest in the medical field. She relocated to Portland, Oregon where she attended Pacific University's School of Physician Assistant Studies. After receiving her master's degree, she joined a small family practice in Oregon and developed a passion for primary care. Megan and her husband Ethan moved to New Mexico in 2015. She enjoys developing relationships with her patients to work together toward healthy lifestyles. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, camping, gardening, cooking, and reading.

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Lloyd Merino, PA-C

Family Medicine
Physician Assistant-Certified

Lloyd Merino is a family practice clinician who has a special interest in rural and preventative medicine. He received his BA in Intercultural Communications and Spanish from UNM in 2011 and his Masters Degree from UNM School of Medicine PA Program in 2017. He is certified with the National Commission on Certifications of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). He is a fellow of the New Mexico Academy of Physician Assistants (NMAPA) and a fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). Lloyd's family is originally from the Mimbres and he is excited to return home and serve the community. Lloyd and his wife and 4 children enjoy Brazilian Jui Jitsu, mountain adventures, and small town life.

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Erica Palin, MD

Family Medicine Family Medicine Resident
Doctor of Medicine

Meharry Medical College

Dr. Erica Palin, M.D. is a resident of the rural county of Lancaster, Virginia. She received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University and her Doctorate of Medicine degree from Meharry Medical College. Since she was young, Dr. Palin has always wanted to become a physician; inspired by the physicians from her small town who always took part in the local community where she grew up.

From being part of the Medical Explorer’s Post in high school to raising funds for the local soup kitchen with the American Latino Medical Association in medical school, Dr. Palin has always wanted to do what she could to help others around her. “I am very excited to become part of this program. Its mission, purpose and people are all something that I very much want to be a part of.”

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Clifton Rogers, PA-C

Family Medicine
Physician Assistant-Certified

University of Arizona
Chatham University Physician Assistant Studies

Clifton Rogers is a board certified Physician Assistant. He graduated from the University of Arizona summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in molecular and cellular biology and a minor in chemistry. In 2013, he graduated from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA with a Master of Physician Assistant Studies. He gained experience in the field of family medicine while working in Duncan, Arizona for over a year before joining the staff here at HMS in May 2015 . Clifton lives in Silver City with his wife and three children and they are excited to be a part of this community. He enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his family. Clifton is dedicated to providing quality healthcare in the field of family medicine.

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Edla Rucker FNP-C

Family Nurse Practitioner
Certified Family Nurse Practitioner

Edla Rucker is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner by American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She began her career in rural areas of West Virginia and Ohio. She graduated with Associate of Science in Nursing from Washington State Community College in 1995 and worked as a Registered Nurse for 14 years. In 2006, she earned Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Ohio University and in 2008 earned a Master of Science in Nursing from Otterbein University. Edla, has over 13 years of experience as a Nurse Practitioner in family medicine, college health, trigger point, and joint injections, DOT/COL exams, sports physicals, pre-employment exams, and weight loss. She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Edla is focused on teaching patients about maintaining a balance for optimal health and enjoys working with patients towards healthcare goals. She strives to use her combination of strong nursing skills, education, and experience to provide the best healthcare experience. Edla, is excited to join HMS and become part of the care team who delivers quality patient centered care. She is adamant about compassion, empathy, improving patient outcomes and satisfaction. She has deep compassion for quality health care in a rural community. .`

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Joseph Santarsieri, DC

Chiropractor
Doctor of Chiropractic

Virginia Military Institute
Palmer College of Chiropractic

Dr. Joseph Santarsieri is a Chiropractic specialist. Dr. Santarsieiri graduated Cum Laude from the Virginia Military Institute in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. He attended Palmer College of Chiropractic and has been practicing as a field chiropractor since 2001. Dr. Santarsieri was privileged to work with the official group of chiropractors on the Detroit Lions NFL football team. “ I have gained clinical knowledge and experience in treating sports to civilian injuries that deal with the neuromusculoskeletal system. I strive to help individuals improve structure and function that ultimately improves the quality of their life. Better function leads to better health. I am super excited to join the HMS staff to serve and care for this community”.`