Christina Howton, FNP-C

Daniel A. Driscoll, MD PhD FAAP

JOINED CCHCI IN 2018

Why I Believe in the Mission of CCHCI

Health care delivery to all improves lives, futures, and creates opportunities for whole communities to reach their potential and widen their horizons.

DANIEL'S BACKGROUND

I love being a primary care pediatrician. I am interested in all aspects of child health and have a wide background delivering care from birth through college. My passion is to create relationships with families and their children in order to increase health literacy.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

Darlene Melk, MD FAAP CPE

JOINED CCHCI IN 2010

Why I Believe in the Mission of CCHCI

I believe in community medicine.  In order to provide the highest quality and most comprehensive care to our patients, we need partners.  At CCHCI we have care coordination, nursing expertise, and administrative support to practice the kind of medicine that everyone deserves.

DARLENE'S BACKGROUND

Raised by a single mom, Dr. Darlene Melk’s journey to becoming Chief Medical Officer at Chiricahua Community Health Center, Inc is both impressive and inspiring. As the daughter of a Cuban refugee, Spanish is Dr. Melk’s first language, and she remains bilingual to this day. Diagnosed with Type One diabetes at age eight, Dr. Melk knew early on she wanted to be a doctor to take care of children like her and set her mind to realizing that dream early on.

After graduating from the University of Arizona Medical School and completing her residency training at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where she was recognized as “Senior Resident of the Year”, Dr. Melk stayed true to her passion in serving children with barriers to care. Her first job was working for a Federally Qualified Health Center or FQHC in Phoenix and knowing that she could see any child, regardless of the circumstances into which they were born, solidified her resolve to serve in the FQHC environment.

Dr. Melk joined Chiricahua in 2010 as a Community Pediatrician and over the next ten years served as Director of Community Pediatrics and Director of Community Medicine before becoming Chief Medical Officer in 2020. She was a member of First Things First Regional Council from 2016/2023 and was the Chair for the Council from 2019/2023. In 2024, Dr. Melk was appointed by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs to the Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board, which is the First Things First State level directorate. Dr Melk has also served as a Board Member of the Western Clinician Network since 2021 and was elected President for a one-year term in 2023. Dr. Melk additionally served on the Steering Committee for Douglas Education Partnership Council from 2017/2023 and is currently Chair of Pediatric Leaders Peer Network Committee for the Arizona Association of Community Health Centers.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

Deanna Merrill, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC, CWOCN

JOINED CCHCI IN 2023

Why I Believe in the Mission of CCHCI

I believe quality healthcare should be accessible to everyone. As a resident of Cochise County, I understand the issues regarding access to healthcare that can occur living in a rural community. My goal is to be a resource in achieving optimal health for the children in Cochise County that I have the privilege of caring for.

DEANNA'S BACKGROUND

I was raised in St. David, where I currently live with my family. I am the mother of seven children and have two grandchildren. I have worked in the healthcare setting my entire adult life, first as a unit clerk, then as a medical transcriptionist, finally becoming a nurse in 2015. My nursing background includes neonatal intensive care, labor and delivery, and earning an additional certification in wound, ostomy and continence nursing with a focus on the pediatric population.

I love going to school and have enjoyed obtaining my education. In my free time, I read, plan, organize and clean. I love spending time with my family and think they are the best.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

Devyn Thurber, MSN, MPH, PNP-BC

JOINED CCHCI IN 2015

Why I Believe in the Mission of CCHCI

I believe in the mission of CCHCI, because it strives to break down social and economic barriers to health for all members of its surrounding community. I am excited to be a part of a growing team that works every day to bring high quality, evidence-based health care to as many children as possible irrespective of their family’s ability to pay.

DEVYN'S BACKGROUND

Growing up, I experienced first-hand the barriers to health that come with living in a rural community. After studying architecture in college, I worked as a patient advocate filing insurance claims for nutritional counseling and advocating on behalf of patients for comprehensive care. My desire to gain a better understanding of how social and economic factors affect the quality of patient care is what led me to pursue my Masters of Public Health (MPH) at Dartmouth College. As an MPH intern for the Women, Infants, and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program (WIC), I witnessed the important role that families play in helping to prevent nutrition-related chronic illnesses that begin in childhood. I attended Yale University to train in pediatric primary care and diabetes management with the professional goal of returning to a rural community where I could work every day to educate families about disease prevention, so that they have the tools to grow healthy families regardless of their circumstance. Outside of my clinical role, I enjoy trail running and spending time exploring Cochise County with my husband, 2 sons and 2 dogs.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

Heidy H. Anway, RDH, APDH, AAS

Julie Gamez, RDH AAS

Kathleen Vedock, DO, IBCLC

JOINED CCHCI IN 2017

Why I Believe in the Mission of CCHCI

My goal is to get to know children and their care-takers, partnering with the entire family, working together to provide individualized, comprehensive care. Chiricahua allows me to practice this kind of medicine.

KATHLEEN'S BACKGROUND

My fond recollection of the physician who cared for me from birth to 21yrs inspired me throughout my life to become a pediatrician. Beyond my seventeen years of clinical experience caring for children, motherhood has complimented and enriched my practice as a pediatrician beyond my expectations. The experiences I share with my husband as we raise our young sons and daughter, are both exciting and enlightening, and my passion for a child’s well-being continues to grow. My own breastfeeding challenges lead to my interest in breastfeeding medicine. As a International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), I hope to help guide mothers in their own breastfeeding journey.

Outside of medicine I share with my family a love of the great outdoors and strive to live a healthful, meaningful life. As an Army spouse, we’ve enjoyed experiences serving the nation while exploring the country. Our interests in the Southwest brought us back to southern Arizona.

Professional School

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia,PA (1994-1998)

Residency Training 

(pediatric residency) Geisinger Medical Center, Danville,PA (1999-2003): (internship) Geisinger Medical Center 1998-1999, Danville,Pa

Practice Interest

Breastfeeding Medicine

Patients Seen

Birth to Young Adult
Breastfeeding dyads

Polly Lund, LCSW

Coming Soon

Steven Dahlke, MD FAAP

JOINED CCHCI IN 2015

Why I Believe in the Mission of CCHCI

I believe in the CCHCI mission because I have been impressed by the excellent care that everyone receives. Everyone is treated fairly and with compassion. These are things that I always strive to do.

Steven's BACKGROUND