Dr. Desiree Gaines is the Director of Health & Wellness at Avant Pharmacy & Wellness Center and serves as a clinical community pharmacist at the Monroe Rd location, providing patient care services within and outside of the pharmacy. These services include; disease state management for high-risk patients, medication therapy management, point-of-care testing, and immunizations.

Dr. Gaines is also certified in pharmacy-based travel health services to provide education and recommended vaccines to international travelers.

Whitney Stokes is a Certified Pharmacy Technician at our Monroe Rd location and is currently working on becoming a certified wellness coach. In her free time she enjoys kayaking, fishing, biking, basically anything outdoors.

Wanting to help the community in a healthcare setting, Whitney became involved in the pharmacy industry. She has been a technician for 7 years now, and is transitioning to a health and wellness approach for patient care, which she is truly passionate about.

Wellness interested her because of her own weight struggles. At one point, weighing in at almost 300 lbs., she felt something had to change. She began making lifestyle changes that drove to a new outlook of health and wellness, and her story inspires her to help others to reach their goals.

Fun facts: If she could only eat 1 thing for the rest of her life it would be anything with peanut butter. Peanut butter is high in protein (sugar too), and makes for an amazing treat.

Melissa Morales is the newest member of the Wellness team, beginning her journey with the team in 2022.

Her interest in wellness began after seeing the positive health effects of using functional medicine and changing to a healthier diet through one of the wellness programs offered at Avant Pharmacy and Wellness Center. She is currently being trained to assist patients on their journey to health and wellness.

Fun fact: She loves the beach and her favorite vacation destination is Hawaii.