Originally from Shanghai, China, she enjoys spending free time with family and traveling locally and abroad.
ABOUT US
Our Story
After 14 years as a pharmacist and pharmacy manager at a national chain pharmacy, the idea for Union Pharmacy began with a simple question: “What if the entire pharmacy was built around the patient-pharmacist relationship, and everything else supported that mission?”
We launched our first location in 2019 on Union Street in Newton Center. We liked the name Union Pharmacy because we view pharmacy as teamwork between the patient, the physician, and the pharmacy staff to help the patient be their best self.
We thought carefully about the pharmacy layout and workflows, what products and services services would it provide, how do you give people the best experience possible, and build teams with a positive vibe and great workplace? Community pharmacy is already one of the most accessible healthcare providers, but the COVID pandemic really pushed us to find the most impactful ways we can help our communities. We donated hundreds of thousands of masks to local hospitals, provided vaccines and multiple types of diagnostic tests. We continue to ask questions and improve as we endeavor to serve Newtonville (2022), Needham (2024), and Belmont (2025) communities with outstanding service.
Union Pharmacy exists to serve you. Thank you for supporting local businesses. Please let us know how we’re doing and how we can serve you better.
Meet The Team
The Union Pharmacy team brings over 50 years of combined pharmacy experience to work every day. Our mission is to partner with you and your physician to help you achieve your best self. Meet the expert pharmacists who are here to build long – term relationships with you and your family.
Dr. Xiaoyan Qin, PharmD
Founder, Registered Pharmacist
Xiaoyan (Sheeow-yen’) is excited to bring concierge pharmacy to Newton, Needham, and Belmont. She opened Union Pharmacy in 2019 to give people more choices and better service to help support their overall well-being, personal care, and access alternative and traditional medications.
For over 20 years, Dr. Qin has been a dedicated pharmacist and pharmacy manager. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and is a member of APhA, M.I.P.A, NPSC.
Ripsime Guyumdzhyan, PharmD
Registered Pharmacist
Ripsime (Rip-see-may) is a compassionate licensed pharmacist with multifaceted expertise within healthcare and pharmacy settings. She is devoted to helping people receive optimal health care and excellent pharmacy services including but not limited to Medication Therapy Management with Complete Medication Reviews, Immunizations, Counseling on herbal and Natural supplements.
Dr. Guyumdzhyan earner her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
Ripsime is fluent in Russian, Armenian, and French, and enjoys spending time with family and friends on her days off.
Dr. Peter Soliman, PharmD
Registered Pharmacist
Peter enjoys the process of building trusted relationships with patients, providing people with medication and expert advice, and helping them manage or improve their health. He vividly recalls his clinical psychiatry rotation where over a couple of months, he helped many people improve their mental health through adherence to medication regiments.
Dr. Soliman joined the team in Needham after completing his Doctor of Pharmacy degree at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 2023.
As a native of Egypt, when not helping launch the Needham location, Peter enjoys travelling and learning more about American culture and history.
Genevieve Kwok, BScPh
Registered Pharmacist
Genevieve brings nearly three decades of pharmacy expertise to work every day in Needham. For over twenty years, Gen served as a pharmacy manager in multiple locations of a national chain pharmacy in the Boston metro area, and has additional experience helping burn victims (Shriners hospital), in ophthalmology (Mass Eye and Ear Clinic), psychiatric medicine (McLean Hospital), and as a preceptor to train and mentor 3rd and 6th year pharmacy students. Gen deeply enjoys being the “neighborhood pharmacist”, always there to provide medical information and prescriptions, and lend a helping hand.
After graduating from the University of Toronto, she earned her Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy.
She enjoys travelling, gardening, and spending time with family or friends and her golden retriever Ellie.
