Care Providers

Dr. Okonkwo graduated from Medical University of the Americas in West Indies in 2012 and then completed family medicine residency at the University of Minnesota in 2015. Prior to joining the team at La Pine Community Health Center, she practiced family medicine across the Pacific Northwest as a Locum Tenens (temporary) provider.

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She enjoys the diversity of full spectrum family medicine and is committed to making a deeper connection with her patients so she can understand how to serve them best. When not in the office, Dr. Okonkwo enjoys exploring the outdoors, learning new skills, crafting, and gardening.

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At La Pine Community Health Center, Dr. Okonkwo offers primary medical care to all ages.

Amy “AJ”, graduated from Grand Canyon University and holds two degrees: Master of Science in Clinical Counseling, Substance Use Disorder, and Master of Science in Psychology. She is also a certified addictions counselor.

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AJ’s primary approach to counseling is an integration of person-centered, mindfulness-based, and cognitive behavioral therapies. In essence, this integrative counseling approach strives to balance mindful awareness, a genuine and empathic relationship with patients, and a collaborative effort at identifying what changes a patient can make to minimize emotional and behavioral disturbances.

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As a behavioral health consultant, AJ aids patients when habits, behaviors, stress, trauma, or emotional concerns about physical, mental, or other life problems interfere with the pursuit of an overall healthy life. While working with your Primary Care Provider (PCP), she will evaluate the mind-body-behavior connection to provide brief, solution-focused interventions and help determine a course of action that will work best for you through brief counseling and referral process.

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At La Pine Community Health Center, AJ provides Behavioral Health care for all ages.

Austin’s specialty is adolescent behavioral and mental health treatment. He spends most of his time at our school-based health centers in La Pine and Gilchrist working closely with the schools and students.

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Austin earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Oregon State University and is working towards earning a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

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His philosophy in patient care is to meet each patient where they are and effectively develop a treatment plan that best promotes improvement and recovery. He believes in support, validation, and motivation, and his goal is to reach the adolescent population and promote excitement about taking care of their own mental health.

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At La Pine Community Health Center, Austin provides Behavioral Health support to students in La Pine and Gilchrist.

Brian attended the California School of Professional Psychology in San Francisco and completed his pre-doctoral internship in Neuropsychology at UC Davis Medical Center. He has practiced in a variety of settings including sleep medicine, primary care and hospital, and addiction and outpatient counseling. Brian also helped to develop integrated behavioral health services at Naval Medical Center in San Diego, CA.

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His approach is framed in a collaborative, integrative and trauma-informed way and infused with a bit of humor. Brian’s goal is to help each patient live a better life. When not treating patients, Brian enjoys taking full advantage of Central Oregon’s outdoors. You can often find him running, biking, hiking, and spending time with his family and three dogs.

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At La Pine Community Health Center, Brian provides behavioral assessment and therapies to all ages.

James Strohschein, JR., DDS, has more than 25 years of experience in dentistry and is La Pine Community Health Centers first dentist! He completed a Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in 1996. His entire career has been dedicated to three areas: Tribal dental programs, education and mentorship, and leadership in Federally Qualified Health Centers. Dr. Strohschein served as a Commissioned Corp Officer in the United States Public Health Service for four years, has provided oral health screenings at the Special Olympics, and has delivered care to the far reaches of the Amazonas Rainforest with Tribal Outreach Medical Assistance (TOMA).

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His goal and passion are to develop whole-system healthcare that incorporates oral health into the overall wellbeing of patients by preventing dental disease and creating accessible care.

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Dr. Strohschein is working alongside the LCHC leadership team to develop the new dental program that is part of the Wellness Center expansion project.

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When not at work, Dr. Strohschein enjoys being outdoors, hiking, climbing, fishing, kayaking, reading and traveling the world.

Janice Cody, RN, MSN, MPH, FNP-C is a Family Nurse Practitioner, board certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Janice graduated with a BSN from Seton Hall University in New Jersey and worked as an RN in Critical Care and Ambulatory Care. Janice graduated from the University of Hawaii with an MPH. She then decided to move towards a career as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and received her MSN as an FNP from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA.

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At La Pine Community Health Center, Janice offers primary medical care to all ages.

Jay Flesch, RPh, BCACP, came to us after serving as a Clinical Pharmacist for the Klamath Tribes in Chiloquin, OR for several years.  He brings with him a great deal of enthusiasm and positivity. Jay is a graduate of Oregon State University College of Pharmacy and worked all over Oregon and Washington in retail pharmacy before making the move to direct patient care and obtaining his Board Certification in Ambulatory Care.  In his free time, Jay enjoys exploring the outdoors, fishing, camping and spending time with family.

Jillian is La Pine Community Health Center’s first Occupational Therapist! She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Long Beach University and a Doctor of Occupational Therapy at the University of Southern California. Jillian also volunteered for the Life Rolls On “They Will Surf Again” events and as an occupational therapy student on an interdisciplinary primary care team at John Wesley Community Health Center for Community Health, a private nonprofit clinic located on Skid Row.

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With a deep commitment to empathy, respect, and holistic well-being, Jillian treats each patient as a unique individual and takes the time to understand their stories and specific needs. By combining evidence-based practices with a genuine human touch, she helps individuals get back to the things they want and need to do.

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When not treating patients, you can find Jillian hiking, dancing, enjoying live music, trying new foods and hanging out with her dog.

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At La Pine Community Health Center, Jillian provides Behavioral Health support for all ages.

Dr. Joan was born and raised in Alaska.  She graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2004 and went on to graduate from St. George’s University School of Medicine in 2008.  She completed residency in Casper Wyoming in 2011 and returned to Alaska where she was privileged to serve the communities of Talkeetna, Willow and Trapper Creek for 8 years at Sunshine Community Health Center. Dr. Joan enjoys developing long term relationships with her patients and their families and is committed to community health.  When not at work, she enjoys exploring with her husband, children and dog.

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At La Pine Community Health Center Dr. Joan offers primary medical care to all ages.

Joe McCook Jr., MD attended California State University in Bakersfield and Eastern Virginia Medical School and completed residency at UC Davis in Merced, California. Dr. McCook volunteered at a free medical clinic in Redmond for many years, provided disaster relief in Mozambique after Cyclone Idai, and provided medical care to Venezuelan refugees in Columbia.

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He enjoys providing primary care to all ages because it allows him to care for newborns, their great grandparents and everyone in between. Partnering with patients to help them obtain their optimum health is his passion. When not at work, Dr. McCook enjoys outdoor activities such as hunting, hiking and Nordic skiing with family and friends and is an active participant at his church.

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At La Pine Community Health Center, Dr. McCook provides primary medical care to all ages.

Mariam Hameed, RN, MSN, FNP-C graduated from the University of California, Davis in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development. Prior to becoming an FNP, she worked in clinical trials for sickle cell disease and thalassemia for three years. She completed her Master of Science in Nursing at Vanderbilt University in 2022. During her program, she completed additional training in primary care for rural and community health settings.

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In addition to serving your primary care needs, Mariam has a strong interest in addiction medicine and enjoys providing suboxone therapy to individuals struggling with opioid addiction. She enjoys getting to know her patients on a more personal level and is committed to giving patients the necessary tools to feel empowered about their health. Outside of work, Mariam enjoys spending time with family and friends, baking desserts and petting dogs whenever she gets the chance.

At La Pine Community Health Center, Mariam provides primary medical care to patients of all ages.

Megan is an ANCC Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health and Family Nurse Practitioner who has been practicing in Oregon for the past 5 years, she fell in love with the vast array of activities Central Oregon offers. After living in Hawaii for 14 years, Megan and her family decided to move back to the mainland and make it their home.

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Megan earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2007, as well as her Master’s Degree in 2009 from the University of Hawaii before going on to earn a Doctorate in Nursing from Frontier University in 2017. Megan went on to achieve her post Master’s in Psychiatry after moving to Oregon, wanting to expand her services to rural populations in need.

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Megan is passionate about developing a care plan that is individualized, compassionate, and reflective of patient-centered health and wellness. She strongly believes in establishing a welcoming and trusting environment to provide a thoughtful approach to mental health treatment. Megan looks forward to sharing her vast skills and “aloha” spirit to get to know patients and their families to build trust and develop a working relationship centered on integrity and partnership.

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At La Pine Community Health Center, Megan provides Mental Health Care for all ages.

Rebecca grew up in Spokane, WA and moved to Central Oregon in 2004 after graduating from Oregon Health & Science University to begin her career as a Physician Assistant. Rebecca worked at a family primary care office in Bend for 10 years then took time off to spend some time with her family. When away from the office, Rebecca and her family enjoy camping, playing on the river and visiting the High Desert Museum.

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At La Pine Community Health Center, Rebecca cares for our Walk-in Clinic patients.

Dr. Lion completed medical school at Western University College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific. His philosophy in patient care can be summed up by a quote from Baba Hari Dass, “Work honestly, meet people without fear, meditate every day and play.” Dr. Lion enjoys surfing, yoga and coaching baseball!

At La Pine Community Health Center, Dr. Lion serves as Chief Medical Officer and provides primary medical care to all ages.

Sally is a graduate of University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing and holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science in Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. She has a special interest in the treatment of trauma, and attachment following loss. Sally enjoys working with a large variety of individuals because of the uniqueness that comes with each person. At nine years old, she volunteered to play the piano for the church service at the state hospital in Nebraska, which is where her interest in mental health began.

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Her philosophy is that human beings do the best that they can with the resources they have. They have all the resources they need to live a healthy life. She likes to work as equal partners with her patients to problem-solve and make decisions to achieve the patient’s treatment goals. Sally’s goal in La Pine is to increase awareness and understanding of mental health and substance use for a healthier community and is interested in volunteering with the homeless population. When not at work, she enjoys art, music, and exploring her surroundings.

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At La Pine Community Health Center, Sally provides Mental Health Care to individuals who are 18 years+.

Sarah, a proud Oregonian, has a deep appreciation for tight-knit communities like ours. Holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Physiology and Developmental Biology from Brigham Young University in Utah, she embarked on her professional journey by working as a CNA in assisted living and rehabilitation centers during her college years. Fond summer memories were made in Sunriver with her grandparents.

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Determined to advance her career, Sarah pursued further education as a Physician Assistant at Elon University in North Carolina after earning her bachelor’s degree. Her commitment to providing quality healthcare led her to spend over four years in Condon, OR offering primary care services prior to joining La Pine Community Health Center.

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Beyond her professional pursuits, Sarah finds joy in outdoor activities like hiking and paddle boarding, often accompanied by her loyal canine companion.

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Sarah provides primary medical care for all ages.

Tyson grew up in the small town of Pleasant Hill, Oregon. He received his B.S. in Exercise Sports Science from the University of Utah then a M.S. in Biophysics from Boise State University. In August 2017, Tyson received his degree as a Physician Assistant (PA) from the Medex Northwest Physician Assistant Program at the University of Washington. Prior to going to PA school, he worked in Central Oregon for 8 years as an EMT, Ski Patrol and Athletic Trainer.

Tyson enjoys providing a more comprehensive approach to medicine and wellness by treating the whole person. When he is not working you will most likely find him outside with friends and family participating in all the wonderful activities that Oregon has to offer.

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At La Pine Community Health Center, Tyson offers primary medical care to all ages.

Zane earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Kentucky in 2016 and a Master of Physician Assistant Studies from Oklahoma City University in 2019. He provided care in California for three years, predominately in rural and underserved communities, before moving to Oregon to join La Pine Community Health Center. Zane’s goal is to empower and teach patients to make more informed decisions and emphasize preventative healthcare including lifestyle modifications such as exercise, diet, and smoking cessation. He is excited to be part of the work that LCHC is doing to improve the health of the communities we serve. When not in the office, Zane enjoys sports, hiking, traveling, and playing with his son.

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At La Pine Community Health Center, Zane provides primary medical care to all ages.