Meet the FMEC Board
Check back throughout the spring of 2026 as more Board member profiles are added.

Dr. Heather Paladine has served on the FMEC Board since 2017 and is currently President-elect. She will serve as FMEC President from 2026-2028. For her day job, Dr. Paladine is a family physician who lives and practices in Manhattan, New York, where she is the residency program director at the New York Presbyterian - Columbia Family Medicine Residency Program. She supervises residents and medical students and treats a predominantly Latinx, low-income patient population. She focuses on women's health, including maternity care and reproductive health.  For many years, Dr. Paladine has served on the FMEC Planning Committee Coordinators group. This is the group that convenes in the spring to review reviewer comments and ratings on the 400+ submissions for the FMEC Annual Meeting. It’s a time consuming but rewarding task, and a great opportunity to learn from the other committee members and build skills related to developing and reviewing conference proposals. 

Also, Dr. Paladine has made connections between the FMEC and the other societies she volunteers for. She is past Board member and Past President of the New York State Academy of Family Physicians and has served on the Board of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. “Each year, the NYSAFP helps support FMEC student scholarships, and we hold a reception for New York attendees at the FMEC Annual Meeting,” says Dr. Paladine. "It's a win-win for both organizations to support medical student interest in Family Medicine in our area."

Dr. Vnenchak is a family physician who lives and practices in Lancaster, PA, where she is the Residency Program Director at the Lancaster General Health Family Medicine Residency Program.  "I chose to become a Family Physician because I love the opportunity to develop ongoing relationships with patients and families. I provide maternity care because I enjoy working with women during pregnancy, delivery and afterwards with their babies. I believe that each of our life stories, born from our life experiences, shape who we are as individuals. These experiences affect our health and how we respond to events in life. I believe that individuals are in charge of their own health. I see my role as an advisor to assist patients in making their own healthcare and lifestyle choices. I enjoy teaching in family medicine.  I am inspired by the next generation of family physicians who are dedicated to partnering with patients and communities to make them healthy.”