Dr. Erin Thompson joined the surgery staff at Willamette Valley Medical Center in 2018 with special interests in bariatric surgery, antireflux surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, gallbladder surgery, hernia repair, and endoscopy. She received her medical degree from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine in Mobile, Alabama. She then completed a general surgery residency at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California as well as a Fellowship in Minimally Invasive and Advanced Gastrointestinal Surgery, including Bariatric surgery, at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Dr. Thompson has published and presented her research on weight loss surgery at national meetings and is committed to ongoing improvement in the field. She believes in empowering patients through shared decision making and patient-centered care.
Dr. Thompson performs Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy and Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, as well as revisional bariatric surgery, including Gastric Band Removal, on a case-by-case basis.
She is board certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery. She is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. She is also a member of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons.
Outside of work, Dr. Thompson enjoys being outdoors and reading a good book.
Ellen Plaia, Program Coordinator and Registered Dietitian, joined the Willamette Valley Medical Center team in 2018 to pursue her desire to work with obesity and weight management. She is a Board Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management and holds a Certificate of Training in both Adult Weight Management and Obesity Interventions.
Ellen’s goal when working with patients is to make nutrition feel simple and easy instead of overwhelming and complicated. She loves helping patients find balance in healthy eating so that food can still bring joy while making lifestyle changes to lose weight.
In her spare time, Ellen spends lots of time with animals – those of her own and volunteering at the local animal shelter. She also enjoys cooking, playing board games, yoga, and doing laundry (Yep! You read it right!). We love her energy and know you will too!
Dr. Foster is a Licensed Psychologist who works with the Doctoral School of Clinical Psychology at George Fox University and oversees the Behavioral Health support to the program participants. She began her professional career as an exercise physiologist with a BA in Exercise Science from Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. She worked for six years in Geriatric Wellness providing exercise programming and education to residents within the retirement community setting. She then returned to graduate school to complete an MA and PsyD in Clinical Psychology at George Fox University. She completed clinical training as a therapist and behavioral health consultant with all ages from pediatrics to geriatrics and has worked in a variety of settings including grade school, university counseling, medical (both hospital and primary care), community mental health, and inpatient psychiatric care. Dr. Foster has specialized in areas of depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, and suicidal ideation.
Dr. Foster lives in Newberg with her husband and three children. She enjoys running, biking, soccer, reading, and hanging out with her family.
Located in McMinnville, Oregon, our friendly staff will welcome you and make your visit as comfortable as possible. We always take the time to fully explain treatment options, as well as what you can expect before and after bariatric surgery.
Bariatric surgeries are performed at Willamette Valley Medical Center. The facility is an accredited Bariatric Surgery Center through the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) and offers continuous support to help each individual patient deal with the physical, emotional, and social problems that may accompany weight management challenges.