Meet the medical providers at CHWC in North Canaan

Community Health & Wellness Center’s team of medical providers and support staff gather outside the North Canaan facility on a windy afternoon Friday, April 4.
Riley Klein
Community Health & Wellness Center’s team of medical providers and support staff gather outside the North Canaan facility on a windy afternoon Friday, April 4.
NORTH CANAAN — Community Health & Wellness Center opened the doors of its North Canaan facility in May 2024 and has since served more than 1,000 patients.
Today, the center continues to blossom with a team of dedicated, specialized professionals.
CHWC offers a wide range of medical services to meet the needs of the community.
Residents of the Northwest Corner and beyond have access to primary care for adults and adolescents, pediatric care for newborns and children, behavioral therapy, social services, substance abuse counseling and chiropractic care.
In addition to an administrative and support team, there are eight medical providers on site.
Photo by Riley Klein
Services provided: General internal medicine, infectious disease consults, HIV primary care.
Dr. Sarah Humphreys is originally from New York City and has spent time in the Northwest Corner throughout her life. Humphreys became chief medical officer at CHWC in March 2025.
“I’ve been coming to the Salisbury area since I was a baby and learned to swim in Lakeville Lake. I’m excited to help grow and strengthen community health access in the Northwest Corner.”
Humphreys earned her BA from Brown University before completing a Master of Public Health at Yale University. She then obtained her medical degree from Ben Gurion University in Israel, followed by residency in Internal Medicine at New York University and a fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Mount Sinai in New York City.
Humphreys said at CHWC “it’s not just about what medical services we’re providing, but really trying to help people in their lives.”
Photo provided
Services Provided: Youth autism evaluation (under age 6) and treatment/evaluation for individuals with developmental behavioral challenges (under age 21).
Dr. Deborah Buccino joined CHWC’s North Canaan facility in September 2024, bringing more than 25 years of professional experience. She previously worked as a physician for public and private schools ranging from preschool through college. She has been an Instructor of Pediatrics at Boston University Medical School and UMass Chan Medical School.
In addition to autism spectrum disorder evaluations, Buccino works with individuals under the age of 21 experiencing developmental behavioral challenges like ADHD, anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, sleep and feeding difficulties.
Having spent time in Connecticut has a child, she is “excited to be reconnecting with my Connecticut roots. I am passionate about collaborative care that bridges silos between youth, families, healthcare providers and school staff to deliver optimal support.”
Photo by Riley Klein
Services provided: Pediatric primary care from newborn through young adulthood. School based primary care at HVRHS and NCES.
Rebecca Malone, of Sharon, began her career in pediatric primary care in January 2009 practicing family medicine and offering substance abuse treatment. Malone’s experience includes health promotion, disease prevention, adolescent health and diagnosing and treating asthma, allergies, anxiety, depression, ADHD, diabetes and thyroid disease.
Malone’s role as a school-based primary care provider allows her to “take care of students in their natural habitat.” There is no bill for students utilizing this in-school medical care program at Housatonic Valley Regional High School and North Canaan Elementary School. Parents must sign a consent form in order for their child to receive treatment.
Outside of work, Malone enjoys “being outdoors with my family, paddleboarding, hiking and raising food on our farm. In addition, I coach cheerleading with amazing athletes ages 5 to 14.”
Photo by Riley Klein
Services provided: Primary care for adults and adolescents, Dept. of Transportation physicals for CDLs.
With more than 20 years of experience as a nurse practitioner, Cay Hosterman brings knowledge from a variety of settings working in adult and adolescent health.
Hosterman is licensed to provide Department of Transportation physicals, which is necessary for those seeking commercial driver’s licenses.
“So the highway department and [Becton, Dickinson & Company] can come here. If you need to have a CDL license, you need to have a physical,” she said. “We do those here.”
Hosterman is originally from Kent and enjoys hiking, skiing and spending time in the community with friends and family.
Hosterman earned her degrees from University of New Hampshire and Fairfield University.
Photo by Riley Klein
Services provided: Primary care provider for all ages.
Joining CHWC earlier this year, Elizabeth Russ brings experience from a previous private practice and more than five years as an emergency department nurse at Sharon Hospital.
“I am a Litchfield County native who grew up showing dairy cattle as a member of the Busy Farmer’s 4-H Club here in North Canaan. On my days off, I help on my family’s farm in Cornwall.”
Russ earned her degrees from Quinnipiac University, Hartwick College and St. Lawrence University before returning to the Northwest Corner to practice medicine.
Photo by Riley Klein
Services provided: Psychiatric evaluation and medication management.
A Master of Science in Nursing, Kristy Clark has 35 years’ experience as a psychiatric nurse in various inpatient, emergency and school nursing settings. She joined CHWC in 2023.
“I wanted to work in a center that provides care to everyone who needs it. I love to be able to help people in a small-town setting and in reaching one person.Also reaching a family and making ripples of positive mental health.”
Clark lives in Goshen with her husband and two Cavalier spaniels.
Photo by Riley Klein
Services provided: Outpatient clinical services for adults.
Elise Sideli offers the skills of an experienced social worker in community mental health, early college and recovery residence health centers. She provides therapy to individuals through CHWC.
In addition to CHWC’s North Canaan facility, Sideli also works with East Rock Collective in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
She is native to the area, having grown up in New York State, and now resides in South Egremont, Massachusetts.
“I love cycling, hiking and making jewelry, and I enjoy working at my local CSA in the summer.”
Photo provided
Services provided: Diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal conditions.
Kimberly Layman was magna cum laude at Keene College, earning her BS in biology in 2012 and her Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 2017.
Layman is a spine specialist, certified in Active Release Technique and FAKTR.
Prior to joining CHWC, she ran Layman Sport and Family Chiropractic in Litchfield County.
Layman also brings experience from clinical rotations through Stonybrook Hospital on Long Island, New York, Optimus Health in Bridgeport and with minor league baseball team The Bridgeport Bluefish.
LAKEVILLE — Barbara Meyers DelPrete, 84, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, at her home. She was the beloved wife of George R. DelPrete for 62 years.
Mrs. DelPrete was born in Burlington, Iowa, on May 31, 1941, daughter of the late George and Judy Meyers. She lived in California for a time and had been a Lakeville resident for the past 55 years.
Survivors, in addition to her husband, George, include son, George R. DelPrete II, daughter, Jena DelPrete Allee, and son Stephen P. DelPrete. Grandchildren; Trey, Cassidy, and Meredith DelPrete, Jack, Will and Finn Allee, and Ali and Nicholas DelPrete.
A Funeral Mass was held at St. Mary’s Church, Lakeville, on Saturday, Oct. 4. May she Rest in Peace.
Ryan Funeral Home, 255 Main St., Lakeville, is in care of arrangements.
To offer an online condolence, please visit ryanfhct.com
SHARON — Shirley Anne Wilbur Perotti, daughter of George and Mabel (Johnson) Wilbur, the first girl born into the Wilbur family in 65 years, passed away on Oct. 5, 2025, at Noble Horizons.
Shirley was born on Aug. 19, 1948 at Sharon Hospital.
She was raised on her parents’ poultry farm (Odge’s Eggs, Inc.).
After graduating from Housatonic Valley Regional High School, she worked at Litchfield County National Bank and Colonial Bank.
She married the love of her life, John, on Aug. 16, 1969, and they lived on Sharon Mountain for more than 50 years.
Shirley enjoyed creating the annual family Christmas card, which was a coveted keepsake.She also enjoyed having lunch once a month with her best friends, Betty Kowalski, Kathy Ducillo, and Paula Weir.
In addition to John, she is survived by her three children and their families; Sarah Medeiros, her husband, Geoff, and their sons, Nick and Andrew, of Longmeadow, Massachusetts, Shelby Diorio, her husband, Mike, and their daughters, Addie, Lainey and Lyla, of East Canaan, Connecticut,Jeffrey Perotti, his wife, Melissa, and their daughters, Annie, Lucy and Winnie, of East Canaan. Shirley also leaves her two brothers, Edward Wilbur and his wife Joan, and David Wilbur; two nieces, three nephews, and several cousins.
At Shirley’s request, services will be private.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Sharon Woman’s Club Scholarship Fund, PO Box 283, Sharon, CT 06069.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
MILLERTON — Veronica Lee “Ronnie” Silvernale, 78, a lifelong area resident died Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, at Sharon Hospital in Sharon, Connecticut. Mrs. Silvernale had a long career at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, where she served as a respected team leader in housekeeping and laundry services for over eighteen years. She retired in 2012.
Born Oct. 19, 1946, at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, she was the daughter of the late Bradley C. and Sophie (Debrew) Hosier, Sr. Following her graduation from high school and attending college, she married Jack Gerard Silvernale on June 15, 1983 in Millerton, New York. Their marriage lasted thirty-five years until Jack’s passing on July 28, 2018.
Ronnie is survived by her daughter, Jaime Silvernale (Wm. MacDaniel, Sr.) of Millerton, her beloved grandson, Wm. MacDaniel, Jr.; two special nieces, Shannon and Rebecca and a special nephew Sean Hosier. In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her brother, Bradley C. Hosier, Jr. and her dear friend Ruth Fullerton of Millerton.
Visitation was private. A celebration of Ronnie’s life will be held in the future. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546. To send an online condolence to the family or to plant a tree in Ronnie’s memory, please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com
Christine Gevert, Crescendo’s artistic director, is delighted to announce the start of this musical organization’s 22nd year of operation. The group’s first concert of the season will feature Latin American early chamber music, performed Oct. 18 and 19, on indigenous Andean instruments as well as the virginal, flute, viola and percussion. Gevert will perform at the keyboard, joined by Chilean musicians Gonzalo Cortes and Carlos Boltes on wind and stringed instruments.
This concert, the first in a series of nine, will be held on Oct. 18 at Saint James Place in Great Barrington, and Oct. 19 at Trinity Church in Lakeville.
For those unfamiliar with Crescendo, the award-winning organization was founded in 2003 and brings lesser-known works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods — along with contemporary fusion pieces — to new life. Its performances often blend classical composition with nontraditional instrumentation for a refreshing new take on an established body of work.
Gevert, who is German, Chilean and American, is a conductor, keyboardist and musical scholar. As the multi-national, multi-lingual (German, Spanish and English) creative director, she is a veritable whirlwind of talent, professionalism and inspiration who conceives of new musical treats for her audiences. She also hires and nourishes local talent, sources internationally known vocal and instrumental professionals, and provides her audiences with well-researched program notes for each concert, packaged in lush, full-color programs that resemble illuminated manuscripts.
“It is the excitement about and dedication to the music, along with the prerequisite vocal and instrumental talent, that characterizes a Crescendo member,” said Gevert. “I don’t care about things like how old or young you are or where you’re from — it’s all about bringing these performers together to provide unforgettable musical experiences for its audiences.”
“Traditional audiences for classical music performances tend to skew older,” Gevert continued. “For that reason, I’ve embarked on an effort to reach younger listeners, and have done things like taken a Crescendo choral group to perform at Housatonic Regional High School. I’ve also launched an effort to recruit and train young singers in Baroque singing techniques so they can perform with our existing choral group.”
The upcoming 2025-26 season includes, among other performances, a solo recital and benefit concert on Nov. 22 by the international Baroque opera star and countertenor Nicholas Tamagna. The curated program will include works by Handel, Vivaldi, and Monteverdi.
Two dazzling Christmas concerts follow: on Dec. 6 and 7, Crescendo presents J.S. Bach’s “Sweet Comfort” cantata and Mass in G minor, featuring the full chorus and soloists with a period instrument orchestra. On Dec. 21, the annual Holiday Concert will be presented: “A Tapestry of Traditions: Unraveling the History of Christmas Carols,” with the entire Crescendo vocal ensemble and Gevert on organ.
For the full schedule, concerts details and ticket information, visit: www.crescendomusic.org