Therese (Sam) Namenek

Therese was born in Lyon, France. After graduating from the University of Lyon with a terminal degree in clinical psychology (equivalent to the American doctorate), she came to the United States on a Fulbright Scholarship to do research at the University of Arkansas in 1967. She moved to Virginia in 1972 to assume a position at the Central Virginia Mental Health Clinic as its first therapist. In 1975 she became a part time employee of the Lynchburg Family Medicine Residency teaching Behavioral Sciences. In 1979 she had two part-time jobs, as director of the newly created Counseling Center at (then) Randolph Macon Woman’s College, while continuing to serve as a member of the Faculty at the residency. In 1999 she served fulltime at the residency, now called Centra Health Family Medicine Residency. She retired from the residency in 2007 after 32 years of association. After her retirement she volunteered at the Free Clinic until 2014 and served on its board for one term. 

Therese has a daughter Rebecca married to Kevin and parents of Anneke and Ethan, and a son Todd. Therese is a member of the Alliance Française (on the board) of Dante Alighieri and of Sister city