Dr. Chagnon, originally from the Albany area, did his undergraduate work at Georgetown University and graduated from Georgetown Medical in Washington DC, then did his Residency in Family Practice in Syracuse, NY before joining the Latham Medical group where he has practiced the full spectrum of family medicine since 1975. Board Certified (and recertified) in Family Medicine, he is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

A past-President of the New York State Academy of Family Physicians, Dr. Chagnon currently serves on the Board of the AAFP Foundation. He lives in Niskayuna with his wife Brita. They have two married sons and their first granddaughter was born in 2010. He remains an active golfer, runner, cross-country ski marathoner and Yankee fan.