Our Multidisciplinary Staff
Deb Hembroff, MPAS, PA-C is Dr. Martin’s Physician Assistant and Program Coordinator. Her main focus is to help patients navigate a treatment course that helps them reclaim a healthy life. Deb is a long time Moses Lake resident. She worked as a Registered Nurse for 17 years before going back to school at midlife to become a Physician Assistant in 1999. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Gonzaga University, and a Masters Degree in Physician Assistant from the University of Nebraska. Her role in the bariatric surgery program is to teach classes, to gather medical histories and perform physicals before surgery, and to work with the patients after surgery to resolve concerns and to cheer them on as they regain their health. Although Deb feels she has had great professional education, she feels her most important qualification is personal- she has had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass herself. Deb is excited to share her success with others who are in the same situation. “The traditional weight loss treatments didn’t work for me,: she says. “It was a bariatric surgeon who said he could help me reclaim my life- and through weight loss surgery I have. I will be forever gratefull for the compassionate non-judgmental care that I received. I now have the opportunity to pay it forward and help other people improve their health and reclaim their life.”
David Stoker, PhD., Clinical Psychologist
Born in 1939 in Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Stoker was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned a BA in Personal and Industrial Psychology in 1961 from Denison University, and a MA in Psychology and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona. After completing internship and post-doctoral training at Norristown State Hospital in Pennsylvania, he served as Associate Professor and Director of the Student Counselling Center at San Jose State University. He worked in private practice in California for seventeen years, also teaching in the Family Practice Residency Program at Stanford University.
Dr. Stoker moved to Hawaii to continue in private practice. While in Hawaii he established community support groups for teens in crisis. He then served as Clinical Director and Executive Director of a residential treatment program for adolescent girls in southern Utah. He moved to Moses Lake Washington with his wife of 33 years when she was appointed Exectutive Director of Grant County Mental Healthcare. Since then he has been in private practice at the Pioneer Medical Center and is working with the Samaritan Healthcare weight loss surgery program.
Becky Valentine, RD, CD
Becky graduated from Eastern State University with a Bachelor of Science in Foods and Nutrition. Becky has more than 20 years of experience in the field of nutrition working with inpatients and outpatients at Samaritan Hospital. She has taught group weight management classes in the past and is currently teaching monthly nutrition classes for Samaritan Hospital’s Diabetic Education program. Becky meets with each patient before and after bariatric surgery to provide individualized nutrition counseling.
Eric Olson, PT
Eric is the Physical Therapy Director at Samaritan Healthcare. Eric’s role in the bariatric surgery program is to work with patients to help them become more physically active He attended Eastern Washington University earning at BS in Biology in 1997 and a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy in 1999. He attained specialty certifications as an Advanced Clinical Intsructor through he American Physical Therapy Association and Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy of the Spine from McKenzie Institute of USA.
Eric was born and raised in Spokane, Washington. He moved to Moses Lake with his wife Jenn in 2000. They have three children, Ella, Evynn and Seth.
Katherine Kelly,MEd., Support Group Leader/Counsellor
Katherine completed a Bachelor Degree in Social Science at Washington State University in 2001. She completed her Master’s Degree in Education from Heritage University in 2004. Katherine splits her time between private counselling and lecturing/teaching. She is excited to be involved with the bariatric surgery program as she has had Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass herself and understands firsthand the challenges and rewards of weight loss surgery.
