Dr. Chenelle A. Roberts is the founding owner, clinical and medical director of Docere Center for Natural Medicine. She is currently practicing as one of the naturopathic family physicians (ND) at Docere Center. She actively practiced as a licensed midwife (LM) for 12 years. She specializes in naturopathic family medicine as both a primary care provider and specialist in pediatrics including adolescent medicine and frenotomy services. Her special interests are in women’s health, reproductive health and fertility, tongue tie and frenotomy, and breastfeeding medicine.
Dr. Chenelle is also the executive program director for Go-Vax Kids. Go-Vax Kids is a publicly funded subsidiary of Docere Center providing pediatric immunization services in local school districts and communities in need. The focus of this program is decrease barriers to access to vaccine services for those at the highest social vulnerability indexes. This program grew out of the in-clinic Covid & Flu community vaccine clinics as well as our vaccine pilot program at Seattle Public Schools. Dr. Chenelle is dedicated to parent education and supports shared informed decision making with families.
Dr. Chenelle is a Seattle native and currently resides in Ballard with her two school-aged sons. Both her boys were born at home. As an attachment parent (to now a pre-teen and teen), she has personal experience with extended (full-term) breastfeeding, child-led weaning, cloth diapering, early elimination communication (infant potty training) and positive potty training, baby-led weaning solids introduction, baby sign language, and co-sleeping/family bed. She is happy to share her natural parenting philosophy with those interested. She is a registered native tribal member with the Nooksack tribe. She loves to enjoy the beauty of the pacific northwest outdoors including camping, biking or skiing with her boys. She actively practices both hot yoga and pilates.
Education
Dr. Chenelle A. Roberts received her doctorate degree in naturopathic medicine and certificate in naturopathic midwifery from Bastyr in 2005. She is licensed as a naturopathic physician (ND) in Washington State. She actively practiced as a licensed midwife for 12 years attending home and birth center deliveries in the Seattle-area. Dr. Roberts received a Bachelor of Science degree in premedical studies from The Evergreen State College in 1999. In her undergraduate studies, she focused on the natural health sciences with an emphasis in the ecology and ethnobotany of the Pacific Northwest.
Professional Associations and Professional Recognition
Pediatric Association of Naturopathic Physicians (PedANP)
Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians (WANP)
Affiliate Clinical Faculty, Bastyr University
MAWS board member 2008-2010
2022 nominee for DOH Immunization Champion Award
2022 Immunize WA Bronze Status Award
2021/2022/2023 Covid Vaccine Partner POP Initiative
2023 Public Health King County & Seattle Co-administration of Covid and Childhood Vaccines Grantee
Sarah Parsons, ND
Dr. Sarah M Parsons is a Naturopathic Family Physician who graduated in 2021 from Bastyr University (WA) with an additional certificate in pediatrics. She treats people of all ages and genders. Her special interests are wide and include primary care, family medicine including pediatrics, preventative medicine, tongue tie and frenotomy services for all ages (including adults and older children), mental health, gynecology (including preconception, fertility, and postpartum care), breastfeeding medicine, gastroenterology, endocrinology, and more.
Dr. Sarah is a Michigan native who moved to Seattle for medical school and fell in love with the natural beauty of the PNW. As someone who had two babies during her medical school years, she deeply understands the struggle of juggling work, life, and relationships while transitioning to parenthood. She has personal experience with both home and hospital birthing experiences, extended breast/chestfeeding, cloth diapering, co-sleeping, gentle parenting, and alternative education models. She currently resides in the Maple Leaf neighborhood.
Education
Dr. Sarah holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in women’s studies (gender and health) from the University of Michigan and a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine with a Certificate in Pediatrics from Bastyr University. While attending medical school, she attended several additional specialized seminars, including a course on nutrition and cancer prevention at the NIH, advanced gynecology, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and more.
Tessa Vogel, IBCLC, MA-R
Tessa Vogel (she/her), of Seattle Babyfeeding, is a board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC). She offers in-office lactation & feeding consultations and telehealth “home” visits that are billable to Docere in-network insurance plans.
She joined Docere Center in 2021, after completion of her clinical internship in lactation in 2018. She received her Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) from Bastyr University in 2016 and received lactation specific education through Portland State University’s Human Lactation program. Her undergraduate degree is in Philosophy with a minor in Jewish Studies, and an honors focus in Media Studies.
Tessa’s interest in lactation began after having difficulty breastfeeding her son and daughter. Between low milk supply, formula supplementation, tongue tie, and mastitis, there is a good chance she’s been in your shoes. She enjoys supporting families throughout their feeding journey, whether breastfeeding or body feeding, exclusively pumping, formula feeding, or some combination of those. Tessa’s style of clinical care is truly patient-centered. She creates user-friendly care plans with the patient’s input and offers continued support long after the appointment. Tessa acknowledges that she is a privileged white woman and is continually working on her biases. She strives to be an advocate for the “other” or members of the non-dominant culture. She is a safe space.
Originally from Pittsburgh, Tessa and her husband Dan moved to Seattle over 12 years ago. A self-described homebody, Tessa recently challenged herself to learn how to ski. This process has delighted her children and spouse, as they’re all avid skiers. Maybe she’ll run into you (hopefully not literally) on the slopes.
Recent Professional Development
Breastfeeding Without Birthing 2021
Member of the monthly Seattle Lactation Journal Club, hosted by Seattle Children’s
Hospital
Herbal Support in Lactation and Infant Care for the Health Professional 2021
Gold Learning Tongue Tie Symposium 2019
Gold Lactation Conferences, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020
The Art of Therapeutic Breast Massage in Supporting Breastfeeding Workshop 2019
Lactation Consultants in Private Practice Conference 2018 and 2019
Marissa Fitzpatrick, RN, BSN, MSN
Marissa joined Docere Center November of 2022 as a RN vaccine coordinator. She and Dr. Chenelle Roberts worked together Spring and Fall of 2022 on a SPS partnership to offer Covid and influenza vaccinations in the local elementary schools. After their initial pilots were so successful, Docere Center added her to their team to manage our vaccine programs as well as coordinate additional community events at public and private schools and community spaces to increase equitable access to vaccinations. Their two participating schools in the pilot program, Whittier Elementary and Northgate Elementary are now the highest bivalent booster Covid vaccinated schools in the Seattle School District.
Marissa Fitzpatrick RN, BSN, MSN has worked in pediatric nursing for more than 16 years. The majority of her career included inpatient and outpatient pediatric hematology/oncology and bone marrow transplant nursing at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, TX. Marissa graduated from Texas Tech University during the height of COVID in May of 2020 with an Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner degree. Shortly following graduation, Marissa and her family relocated to Seattle to be closer to extended family. Along with the move to Seattle came a career change from acute care nursing to public health and school nursing. Marissa has a passion for working with children and loves being in the school environment.
Marissa lives in Greenwood with her partner and their three school age children. She enjoys being outdoors, camping, hiking, photography, crocheting, crafting, reading, listening to music and most of all spending time with her kids, nieces and nephew and the rest of her family.