Veterinarian Overview
What is your educational and veterinary medicine background? I graduated from the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, MN with a BA in Biochemistry and a minor in Psychology. I then graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine located in the West Indies in 2007 after completing my clinical rotations at Michigan State University. Following graduation, I worked at Finger Lakes Racetrack in upstate New York for a couple of seasons prior to starting my own equine ambulatory practice in 2008. Since then, I have divided my time between sole proprietorship and companion animal practice; first working at a small animal referral practice for a number of years while I grew my equine caseload and then later providing locum and relief support to my fellow local practitioners in need. What made you decide to become a vet? My aunt is a veterinarian back home in Minnesota, so the seed was planted early for me to pursue a veterinary career path. In addition, my family used to breed Appaloosa and Percheron horses on a small hobby farm, which only further fueled the fire. Why did you decide to join the Companion team? I joined the Companion Animal team mostly because the quality and scope of the practice was aligned with my ideals. Additionally, the Companion Animal team recognizes the importance of fostering the human-animal bond. What is the best thing about being a vet? The best part of being a vet is definitely improving the lives of our pets, nurturing the human-animal bond and making a small difference in the world every day. What is one of the most common problems youve encountered in pets you treat? One of the most common problems I've encountered in veterinary medicine is motivating owners to take a proactive approach to their pet's healthcare and wellbeing, rather than a reactive approach. Prevention is key! Do you have any special interests in veterinary medicine? My special interests in veterinary medicine include (but are not limited to) nutrition, ultrasonography, feline medicine, and the Fear Free approach. What are some of your favorite activities outside of work? My favorite thing to do outside of work is hang out with my daughter and be silly! Some of my other favorite activities include pursuing my equine ambulatory practice, running, horseback riding, gardening and anything else outdoors (camping, fishing, hiking), and reading. I have a variety of pets of my own at home: a horse, a donkey, 4 cats and 2 dogs, so they tend to take up a lot of my time as well! What is your biggest pet peeve? Laziness Favorite place to eat? Anyplace that has a patio and live music in the summer! Favorite place to visit? Home in Minnesota. Favorite food? Candy Favorite movie? Anything with Markie Mark and/or Will Ferrell What are your favorite sports teams? None, although I do still follow horse racing quite a bit since it was a big part of my life for quite some time and I still have some residual professional connections. I'll also sit through some MSU basketball (Go State!) to make my significant other happy! Name 3 things people might be surprised to learn about you. I was a thoroughbred groom on the racetrack and traveled across the country for 4 years prior to gaining entrance into veterinary school. I like to give back to the community and volunteer when I can. Cookies and candy are always a good way to start off on the right foot!
