Board Certified Pediatrician

Joined HPA: 1998

Residency: Yale-New Haven Hospital, CT

Medical School: Yale University School of Medicine; New Haven, CT

Undergrad: Brown University; Providence, RI

Growing up, Dr. Cross knew she would work with children and once she decided to be a doctor, it was clear she was headed for Pediatrics. Before coming to Holyoke she worked for Head Start in Colorado, on Indian reservations, in Kenya, in Alaska and in inner city New Haven. Being a pediatrician at HPA is her dream job. She loves the broad range of ages, socioeconomics and cultures.

Dr. Cross is the youngest of five children, grew up in New Jersey and Pittsburgh and has lived in New England since 1972. She and her husband moved to this area with their two daughters in 1993 when she took a job at the Holyoke Health Center. She switched over to HPA in 1998, although she continued seeing patients at the Health Center until 2004.

A pediatrician for 30 years, she has seen a lot of change. Her biggest concern now is the loss of “care” in health care. Many doctors today are so engaged in their computers, clicking buttons and losing eye contact with patients that it seems like they are hiding behind a technological wall. Dr. Cross believes that a personal connection is extremely important. She tries to listen carefully, answer any and all questions and work out comprehensive care plans with families. Her hope is that you leave with a better understanding of an illness, not just a prescription. Dr. Cross likes that we are open weekends, evenings and holidays, have coverage by phone 24/7 and continue to round on our patients at Baystate.

Dr. Cross has a passion for international health, co-chairing Baystate’s program for residents and medical students interested in global medicine. She spends a few weeks a year working overseas, usually in a hospital high in the Andes in Ecuador that serves the indigenous population living there. She has also worked in Peru, northern India and the Dominican Republic. She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section of International Child Health.

She has been on the board of The Care Center in Holyoke for 20 years and Tapestry Health for 2 years. She is board certified in Pediatrics, is credentialed at Baystate, is an adjunct staff member at Boston Children’s Hospital and is an “offsite” teacher for Baystate Pediatric residents.

She bikes to HPA from Northampton in the warmer weather and loves to garden, hike, knit, travel and sing with her a capella group.

Dr. Cross currently works 3 days a week in our Holyoke Office. She speaks Spanish.