About Us

Sara Linn

People Operations Generalist

Sara joins the WVP team with over seven years of HR experience. She enjoys crafting tailored recruitment strategies, designing comprehensive onboarding experiences, and driving initiatives that enhance employee engagement and development. Partnering closely with organizational leaders, Sara ensures that HR initiatives align with strategic goals. Outside the office, Sara can usually be found on an outdoor adventure in the mountains of Colorado, relaxing in a garden, traveling, or spending time with family, friends, and her dachshund, Charlie!

Rafa La Madrid

Director of Operations

Rafa joins WVP with over 10 years of management experience in retail and the service industry. Prior to joining WVP, he worked for Starbucks for more than seven years, where he led strategic business growth and operational efficiencies. During his time at Starbucks, he was involved in diversity and inclusion efforts as a member of the advisory team for the national Latino affinity network, Hora Del Café. As a leader, Rafa is driven to understand market-specific opportunities to for growth and implement problem-solving solutions. Rafa earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Oregon. He grew up in Lima, Peru, and is bilingual in English and Spanish. Outside of work, Rafa is an avid landscape photographer and enjoys spending time outdoors in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and their golden retriever, Mancha.

Rylie Vander Plaats

Regional Manager of Operations

Rylie joins WVP with over a decade of experience in the veterinary profession. She has held leadership roles in regional operations and has worked in a variety of areas in veterinary medicine including multi-site, multi-state regional management. Rylie earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal and Dairy Science from Iowa State University. Currently residing in Florida, Rylie shares her home with her two German Shepherds, Raina and Rem, and her cat, Rex. In her free time, she enjoys being a hobby aerialist, spending time with friends and family, and traveling.

Natalie McCarron

People Operations Partner

Natalie joins the WVP team with over a decade of dedicated HR expertise, with her most recent experience in retail. She is passionate about fostering employee growth and development and enjoys creating supportive environments where individuals can flourish in their roles. Natalie has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Irvine and has her Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification. Based in Denver, she shares a home with her husband and two cats, Little Bear and Lemieux. Outside the office, you’ll often find her on the soccer field, exploring scenic hiking trails, or enjoying live music at local concerts.

Brenda States

DVM Recruiter

Brenda joins the Western Veterinary Partners team with 12 years of experience recruiting in education and veterinary medicine.  Prior to joining WVP, Brenda recruited for another veterinary company supporting corporate positions and equine practice manager positions.  Her passion is helping candidates find their dream job and building strong partnerships with her hiring managers.

Heather Kardas

Support Staff Recruiter

Heather joins the WVP team with nearly 10 years of experience in the veterinary industry. Her passion for pets began with volunteer shelter work, leading her to practice as an LVT, and eventually moving into administration. In her previous role, Heather developed and led a campus engagement team to hire and mentor vet tech students. She is devoted to supporting and improving the role of veterinary technicians, and loves to connect with other pet-passionate individuals. Residing in southeast Michigan, Heather is an avid reader, enjoys crocheting and spending time with her rottweiler, Pancake. She likes to travel throughout the US and has visited 33 states so far. She adores summertime, and on a sunny day can be found on a motorcycle ride or out on the water.

Sarah Shears

Recruiting Project Coordinator

Sarah joins the WVP team with six years of experience in the veterinary industry, working in marketing and project management. She grew up in West Virginia where she earned a BS in Animal & Nutritional Sciences and competed on the collegiate equestrian team at West Virginia University. After graduating, she worked as a Veterinary Technician and then spent three years growing into a marketing role in the consumer goods industry

In 2018, she returned to the veterinary profession, joining the team at Thrive Pet Healthcare as a project manager, focusing on marketing and deployment projects.

She lives with her partner in Lakewood, CO where they enjoy outdoor adventures and spending time with their 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 7 chickens.

Vannessa Trahan

DVM Recruiter

A native Coloradan, Vannessa has been recruiting for 12 years and absolutely loves helping people find their next career. She is married, has two beautiful daughters and a cat that her girls affectionately call “Winnie Kitty”. Outside of work, Vannessa loves the outdoors, hiking, swimming and just enjoying nature.

Colby Graham

DVM Recruiter

Colby comes to Western Veterinary Partners with over 9 years of recruiting experience spanning various industries. In her most recent chapter, she spent seven fulfilling years at National Veterinary Associates, contributing significantly to the success of the Site Leadership Team. As the Lead Recruiter, she oversaw a team of five recruiters, collectively focusing on hiring for pivotal roles such as Hospital and Pet Resort Managers, as well as Field Operations positions throughout the United States.

Outside the world of recruitment, she finds joy in spending time with her partner and their two pets, Georgia and Tiny Cat.

Evan Williams

Senior Accountant

Evan joins the WVP team with four years of public accounting experience within the financial services sector. He began his career in Philadelphia where he earned his master’s degree in accounting from Penn State University. In 2022, he relocated to Denver to be closer to the mountains to hike, snowboard, and rock climb. Additionally, Evan loves to run and has a goal to complete a half marathon in every state.

Ellen Winkel

Payroll Specialist

Ellen started her career in financial services, assisting with a wide range of responsibilities including budget support, PTO, taxes and more. She recently transitioned to payroll and feels like she found her home! She finds that her day-to-day work with payroll comes with new challenges and unique opportunities for success.

Ellen is a recent Denver area transplant from Kansas City Missouri. In her free time, you will find her taking care of her plants and cat, reading, sewing, or volunteering!

Matt Hanna

Senior Treasury Analyst

Matt joins the WVP team with 10 years of financial operations and treasury experience from working in several industries such as finance, private equity, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. His most recent roles have been focused on managing treasury teams while finding ways to scale and improve established procedures. Matt enjoys fixing problems and collaborating with teammates to better support internal and external partners. He relocated to Denver from Austin, Texas in 2024 with his wife Cheryl and two cats, Hank and Dexter. Outside of work, Matt enjoys reading, riding his bike, and cooking.

Thomas Ferguson

Senior Director of Financial Planning and Analysis

Thomas joins Western Veterinary Partners with over 10 years of healthcare finance experience. He has led FP&A and strategy teams for ViewRay, a cancer treatment manufacturer, and Air Methods, an air medical operator. Previously, Thomas worked for Piper Jaffray and Reagan Consulting, investment banks specializing in M&A, fair market valuations, and ownership transitions. He received a BS in Finance from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Michaela Witcher

Support Staff Recruiter

Michaela Witcher has been a Certified (now Registered) Veterinary Technician for over 25 years and has focused primarily on emergency medicine and veterinary technician education. She has worked for several of the larger emergency clinics around Denver, CO and has been a Bel Rea instructor on and off throughout the years. Michaela recently returned from St. Kitts where she worked at the Ross University Veterinary School of Medicine in the Anesthesia department and later, as the lead veterinary technician in the university’s veterinary clinic. Prior to joining WVP, Michaela worked for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, along with teaching and relief work in the Denver veterinary community.

Dr. Janis Shinkawa

Medical Advisor

Dr. Jan is the Medical Director and founding partner of Ohana Pet Hospital in Ventura and Santa Paula, CA. Born and raised in Honolulu, Dr. Jan first pursued a degree in accounting and became a Certified Public Accountant and auditor for Ernst and Young in Honolulu. There, she was exposed to various industries including health care, retail, government, and hospitality. Dr. Jan graduated from Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine and moved to Ventura, CA to complete a small animal rotating internship at Veterinary Medical and Surgical Group (VMSG). From there, Dr. Jan worked as a general practitioner in both Orange County and Ventura before founding Ohana with her veterinarian colleagues in 2012. Dr. Jan is an active member of her community having previously served as president of both the Santa Barbara-Ventura Veterinary Medical Association and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) of Ventura County. She currently serves on the NAWBO National Board as the Chair-Elect and Advocacy Committee Chair. Dr. Jan also helped start and develop the veterinary assistant program at Charter College and the local Veterinary Technology program at Ventura College, which is an accredited American Veterinary Medical Association teaching program for registered veterinary technicians. Always striving to contribute to the betterment of the veterinary profession, she, along with her veterinary colleague and business partner, established Lokahi Foundation, which is a 501c3 non-profit helping to create pathways for people to enjoy sustainable long-term careers in veterinary medicine and business management, while delivering exceptional client service to pet owners and high-quality care to pets.

As a Medical Advisor, Dr. Jan will help WVP stay focused on veterinarians and their practice teams, to improve their lives and the clients and patients they serve. Dr. Shinkawa will also be assisting with our Medical Director Leadership Development program to further support our current and future medical directors.

Charlotte Yedo

Community Coordinator

Charlotte Yedo is originally from Miami, FL, she moved to Denver to complete her degrees in Communications & Public Relations in 2023, at the University of Denver. As a student, she worked as an event coordinator on the operations team, where she was in charge of planning and executing events. She worked with local vendors and students to ensure that as many attendees as possible could enjoy them. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cheering on the Miami Heat, curating playlists full of new music, and finding unique pieces at local thrift stores.

Thresa French

Client Service Support

Thresa found her passion in veterinary medicine over 15 years ago, working at a clinic in her hometown of Boise, ID. She started out as a Client Care Specialist and was elevated to Lead Client Care Specialist, a role that allowed her to share knowledge with and mentor team members. Prior to joining WVP, she was responsible for a variety of client service initiatives including wellness plan subscriptions and renewals. She is motivated to help and problem-solve with her colleagues to better assist clients and their pets. She is currently living in West Virginia with her husband, three cats, and two dogs. She loves doing anything outdoors in the sunshine and enjoys exploring new places.

Andrea West

Client Experience Manager

Andrea has over 20 years of experience working in management, with the last seven years in veterinary medicine as hospital manager at Animal Clinic of Kalispell. Before her time in veterinary medicine, Andrea worked in restaurant & hospitality management where she trained and developed multiple people into management roles. She has a passion for people development and creating positive work cultures where everyone feels valued. In her free time, Andrea enjoys hiking, camping, and exploring beautiful Northwest Montana with her two kids, three rescue dogs (a Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, and a Pomeranian), and friends.

Melissa Epperly

People Operations Partner

Melissa brings over 15 years of human resources experience, with a strong focus on employee relations and cultivating a positive, thriving workplace culture. Throughout her career, Melissa has supported over 1,000 employees across the U.S., ensuring effective people strategies and fostering cohesive work environments. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Sacramento State University and holds both the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) certifications. She currently resides in the Raleigh, NC area with her husband, and their two beloved cats. In her free time, Melissa enjoys reading a good book, exploring the outdoors, and traveling to new destinations.

Natasha McClure

Accounts Payable Specialist

Natasha joins WVP with 7 years of Accounts Payable experience. She lives in Colorado with her boyfriend and 2 dogs Lily and Lita, and a cat named Gabby. In her free time, she likes going to concerts and Avalanche games.

Amy Moore

DVM Talent Sourcer

Amy joins the Western Veterinary Partners team with over 13 years of experience. She has done recruiting and source work in several other industries including healthcare and engineering. She considers herself a LinkedIn Recruiter Guru and loves the challenge of finding the right candidate for the right position. She a proud wife and mother to five children. She also owns her own petting zoo consisting of 7 dogs, 5 cats, 4 miniature fainting goats, 8 ducks, 3 roosters , and 17 hens. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, and, of course, caring for her abundance of animals!

Zach Massey

Financial Planning & Analysis Manager

Zach joins WVP with over 8 years of accounting and finance experience. Prior to joining WVP, Zach worked for a dental support organization. During that time, he provided financial and analytical support to doctors, as well as field and executive leaders to assist in decision making and drive growth. Outside of work, Zach enjoys golfing, reading and spending time with his wife and daughter.

Nico Bagli

Senior Financial Analyst

Nico has over five years of finance experience and is a recent MBA & MSIS graduate from the University of Utah. Nico also received an MSc in Finance in 2018 from Tilburg University and a BSc in Finance in 2015 from Università Cattolica in Milan. Nico’s most recent experience was an MBA internship as a BI & Analytics Manager at AmEx. Prior to earning his MBA, he worked at Arcadis, an engineering and management consulting company for three years. While there, he transitioned from a Finance Leadership Development Program to the role of Business Controller. Nico enjoys working with data and using analytics and business intelligence tools to gain insights to drive business decisions. Nico was born and raised in Italy and has a passion for Italian cuisine. He enjoys both cooking and eating, trying to align this passion with his interest in health and fitness. He loves to spend time in the mountains, mostly skiing and hiking. He is also the proud pet parent of a rescue dog.

Tiffany Vega

Director of Operations

Tiffany is a healthcare professional with over 8-years of experience in multi-site operational leadership. Prior to joining the team at Western Veterinary Partners, she worked as a Regional Director of Operations with Bright Direction Dental supporting operations in Illinois. Her passion lies in nurturing her teams through the principles of servant leadership. Tiffany received her B.S. from Western Illinois University in Kinesiology and is currently completing her Masters in Business Administration from Capella University. Outside of work, Tiffany is a devoted Green Bay Packers fan, enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband, daughter and goldendoodle, Walter.

Wade Maness

DVM Recruiter

Wade was born and raised in West Tennessee and attended college in Memphis on a vocal scholarship. After school, he relocated to Nashville, TN where he began his recruiting career in human healthcare. For the past two years, Wade has worked as a DVM Recruiter at another veterinary support organization, supporting over 20 General Practice hospitals throughout the state of Tennessee. Outside of work, Wade enjoys spending time outdoors and chasing around his 3 Bernedoodles (Conrad, Atticus & Bohdi).

Jennie Politano

Senior Marketing Program Manager

Jennie has over ten years of marketing experience, with the last three years dedicated to supporting veterinary practices. In her previous role, she wore many hats including onboarding new hospitals, product implementation and optimization and developing marketing strategies to drive new client acquisition and increase retention. She has a passion for program optimization and creating scalable efficiencies for hospitals to support the client journey.

Jennie currently resides in Birmingham, AL. Outside of work, you can find her hiking with her two dogs, Chloe and Ringo, refurbishing furniture and on most Sundays, watching her New England Patriots.

Rashaad Brown

DVM Recruiter

Rashaad joins Western Veterinary Partners with four years of veterinary recruiting experience. Prior to entering the recruiting world, he worked as a veterinary assistant, while obtaining his master’s degree in animal and veterinary sciences. Throughout his time in veterinary medicine, he has developed a deep appreciation and respect for veterinarians and the incredible work that they do. 

Outside of the recruiting world, Rashaad enjoys working out, exploring new restaurants with friends, horseback riding and spending time with his dog and three lizards. 

Heather Schild

DVM Talent Sourcer

Heather joins the WVP team with seven years of experience in recruiting. She has worked within non-profits, banking/finance, and IT sectors. At UnityPoint Health, she spearheaded the implementation of a sourcing team, which included CRM setup, recruitment events, campaigns, and pipeline management.

Originally from Iowa, Heather’s passion for barrel horse training led her across the Midwest, and she now resides in Delaware, where she shares a life with her partner and their four rescues—two cats and two dogs, one of which is a semi-retired service dog!

Jackie Krone

DVM Recruiter

Jackie has over 12 years of recruiting experience within a variety of industries. For the past 6 years, her recruiting efforts have been within the healthcare industry. Jackie enjoys the fast-paced nature of recruiting and is passionate about helping to improve the lives of others through her recruiting efforts. She is excited to embark on a new journey within the veterinary space!

Now residing in Colorado, Jackie grew up in Iowa and received her Bachelor’s of Science degree from Iowa State University. Outside of recruiting, Jackie enjoys watching sports, traveling, fitness and spending time with her dog, friends and family.

Kristen Wills

Regional Manager of Operations

Kristen joins the WVP team with nearly 20 years of veterinary experience as a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT), hospital manager, and field operator. Growing up in Indiana, Kristen developed a deep love for animals and a dedication to their care. Her journey in veterinary medicine began with a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University, and she has since cultivated a strong, collaborative leadership style. She lives with her daughter, two cats named Tigger and Spike, and a guinea pig named Blizzard. Kristen looks forward to continuing to leverage her extensive experience and passion for teaching to lead, inspire, and elevate veterinary practice teams.

Harley Hodge

Regional Manager of Operations

Harley joins the WVP team with over 17 years of experience in veterinary hospitals and animal shelters, working as a CSR, Veterinary Assistant, Practice Manager, and then Hospital Administrator. Most recently, she has been with WVP as an Area Hospital Manager supporting hospitals in the Greater Seattle Area. Her focus as a leader has been creating environments where all voices are heard, and everyone reaches success together. Harley grew up on a small farm in the mountains of North Carolina, helping raise and show goats, where her love of animals began. She graduated from East Carolina University with Bachelor’s degrees in Business and Hospitality Leadership. She teaches her teams that through compassionate communication we can ensure that pets receive the best care possible and that their humans understand the value of what we do. In her free time, you can find Harley with her family traveling for various baseball and gymnastic events and exploring all the trails in the PNW. She has one mischievous pup named Biscuit and a chaotic orange cat named Waffles.

Joshua Wasieleski

Senior Pricing and Strategy Analyst

Josh has over six years of pricing experience, most recently working as a Senior Pricing Analyst at Staples. Prior to moving to Denver in 2021, he lived in Wisconsin, graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Geography and Spanish. In his free time, Josh loves to travel, watch sports, visit local breweries, and go hiking with his dog, Stannis.

Veepa Patel

Senior Benefits Partner

Veepa has over 11 years of benefits strategy and administration experience in the legal, tech and veterinary industries. She has a strong background in implementing innovative data driven benefits that align with employee needs. She has a service-oriented mindset and loves helping employees and their families navigate the often complex health insurance space. Prior to joining WVP, Veepa had a client facing role at a tech company, managing benefits strategy and administration. Veepa has a B.A. in Psychology from Temple University and lives in Philadelphia, PA with her husband Carl and their beagle Benjamin Franklin aka “Benji”. Outside of work Veepa loves to spend quality time with friends and family and explore the world with her husband.

Kyle Inouye

Head of Meetings and Events

Kyle has been in the events industry for over 13 years, working in both human and pet care corporate offices. After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado’s Monfort College of Business with a B.S. in Management, he started his career as an event coordinator at the Better Business Bureau. Recently, Kyle worked for another veterinary group, building the events department consisting of a team that created extraordinary event experiences across 4 different distinct business lines. Prior to that, Kyle worked for DaVita, where he focused on military retreat programs and other leadership development programs. He created partnerships with government agencies to help ease the transition from military to civilian work-life balance.

Anita Maguire

Director of Operations

Anita joins the WVP team with over 20 years of experience in the veterinary industry. Prior to joining, Anita served as VP of Operations for a small animal Urgent Care group based in Texas. Previously, she held various leadership roles, including multi-site management and new acquisition integrations in general practices, specialty emergency, and critical care facilities.

Anita is originally from the Maryland/DC area and grew up on the East Coast, where she attended the University of Maryland, College Park. She lives in Dallas, Texas, with her family and four furry companions.

Monique Hutter

Director of Operations

Monique has a background in retail and hospitality, and served as a regional director before transitioning into the veterinary field three years ago. During her career, Monique has covered many areas throughout the Southeast and has helped people grow in their careers by developing their strengths and inspiring them to be their best selves. Monique completed her Certified Veterinary Business License in 2022 and is now working towards earning certification in Veterinary Burnout Preparedness. In her free time, Monique enjoys spending time with her family and dogs, which include two shepherds, a border collie, and a pug.

Victoria Robertson

Campus Recruiter

Victoria joins the WVP team with over two years of recruiting experience. After graduating from the University of Arizona, she joined the staffing industry and soon found her passion in campus recruiting. Victoria looks forward to combining her love for animals and recruiting to help guide veterinary students as they transition from vet school to their first career in veterinary medicine. Born and raised in California, Victoria currently resides in San Diego with her three cats, Kellogg, Sesame, and Miso. In her free time, she enjoys relaxing at the beaches in San Diego or booking a trip to a new destination.

Emily Foster

Campus Recruiter

Emily joins the WVP team with several years of experience in campus recruiting. Coming from a big ten accounting firm, Emily looks forward to combining her experience and passion for animals in an industry where she feels a personal connection. She also enjoys meeting students from various campuses and offering support through a transitional period of their lives.

Born and raised in Colorado, Emily currently resides in Denver with her partner and fur baby, Remie, a 6-year-old English Labrador. In her free time, she enjoys long walks with Remie, traveling and being by the water, binging a good Netflix series, and attending live music at Red Rocks.

Kirsten Holmstrom

Senior Lead Campus Recruiter

Kirsten comes to Western Veterinary Partners with over seven years of recruitment experience in various human medicine fields. Transitioning into the Veterinary Industry a few years ago allowed her to merge her passion for animals with recruitment, a decision she’s wholeheartedly embraced. Specializing in campus recruitment, Kirsten is dedicated to guiding Veterinary students toward fulfilling post-graduation opportunities. Based in New Jersey with her boyfriend and their dog, Kima, Kirsten’s life beyond work revolves around passionately supporting Philadelphia sports teams, reading her Kindle, caring for her house plant collection, and traveling to new destinations any chance she gets.

Lenae Perez

Accounts Payable Clerk

Lenae joins the WVP team with 12 years of experience in customer and clinical services in the medical field. She has worked with large companies such as The Limb Preservation Foundation, HealthONE and Children’s Hospital of CO.

Lenae is a native of Colorado and loves to spend time with her family. She is married with 5 sons, ages 1-11. Her beloved pets include a black cat, named Syd, and a puppy, named Sugar. In her free time, she enjoys reading, making candles, and having game night with her family.

Kayla Garcia

Merchant Services Support Specialist

Kayla’s love for the veterinary community came at a very young age. She started as a kennel assistant at age 14 and worked her way to roles including Client Care Specialist and Veterinary Technician. Kayla has had the opportunity to work at veterinary clinics in other parts of the world. Her husband is Active-Duty Air Force which took them to Japan and there, she was able to work with Military Working Dogs and their handlers, as well as serve the local military community with routine veterinary care. She is currently in Rapid City, South Dakota with her husband, three daughters, a cat, and a flock of chickens. She enjoys hiking and camping in the Black Hills, sewing, reading, and traveling with her family.

Brooke Kramer

Regional Manager of Operations

Like many veterinary professionals, Brooke always knew her life would be dedicated to helping pets. Her childhood was spent volunteering at her local humane society and participating in 4-H. She earned her bachelor’s degree in animal science from Washington State University and worked in animal behavior and medical research during and after college. Over the past 10 years she has been dedicated to the veterinary profession, working for Banfield Pet Hospitals, National Veterinary Associates, Lakefield Veterinary Group and Petvet Care Centers, leading multiple sites including GP and ER. In her spare time, Brooke loves spending time with her husband, her Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and flock of silkie chickens. She also enjoys gardening, hiking, kayaking, traveling and ceramics.

Lauren Gates

VP of Business Development

Lauren has over 14 years of experience in healthcare acquisitions, business development and sales. Most recently, she served as the Vice President of Business Development within the Direct Investments division at Leon Capital Group. In this role, her primary responsibilities included the identification of add-on acquisition opportunities, crafting transaction structures, conducting due diligence, and seeking new ways to achieve organic and inorganic growth. Preceding her tenure at Leon Capital, Lauren was instrumental in establishing and leading the Business Development team at PetWell Partners, a veterinary owner and operator. She developed and set the teams strategic priorities resulting in the creation of valuable partnerships and seamless integrations. Lauren received her Executive MBA from Rice University and her BBA in Accounting from Texas Tech University.

Dave Bogardus

Assistant Controller

Dave joins the WVP team with 14 years of accounting and finance experience in several industries including telecommunications, oil and gas, and technology.  He also worked in public accounting and most recently, he has helped small and mid-sized companies scale though high growth.  Originally from Philadelphia, Dave now lives close to downtown Denver with his wife Susanna. In his free time, Dave enjoys making music, gardening, biking, climbing, and taking advantage of the many outdoor sports Colorado offers.

Marissa Alexander

Accounting Specialist

Coming soon!

Cory Smtih

Controller

Cory joins WVP from IHS Markit, where he was Executive Director Corporate Consolidations and Americas Accounting. Prior to that he held leadership roles at Great-West Financial and The Gates Corporation, with responsibilities that spanned accounting, FP&A and reporting. Early in his career, Cory worked at accounting firms PWC and KPMG. His time at PWC included work in both Denver and England. Cory has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in accounting from Kansas State University. Outside of work, most of Cory’s time is spent with his wife attending the sporting events and activities of their three children.

Eric Thomas

Vendor Transition Specialist

After spending 6 years in the Army, Eric joins the WVP team with prior experience in global event operations, vendor contract management, and most recently as a sales rep for a Denver brewery. He and his wife are avid fans of University of Iowa sports, the Avalanche, Nuggets, and the Raiders. He and his wife are lovers of travel and enjoy going to Vegas, The Jersey Shore, France, and New Zealand whenever possible. When he isn’t traveling or cheering on his favorite team you can find him hanging out at Sloans Lake, finding a new brewery or restaurant to try, or hanging out with his two cats Oliver and Emma.

Laurie Bridges

Vendor Transition Specialist

Laurie joins the WVP team with over 25 years of customer service and account management experience, including 8 years in vendor relations. She is passionate about building meaningful connections with those around her.

Laurie is a native of Colorado, and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design from Colorado State University. In her free time, you’ll find her doing something creative including creating wood home decor items, scrapbooking, card making, and art journaling.

She also loves spending time with her family, including husband Troy, son Nate (23), stepson Jack (21), and of course, their dog (Riley) and turtle (Wilma).

David Van Haren

Regional Manager of Operations

David Van Haren joins the WVP team as a Regional Manager of Operations serving the Wild West region. He has over 20 years of experience working in the veterinary industry, from general practice, emergency, and specialty. David believes that there is always more to learn from something or someone. He loves connecting with people and leading them to meet their full potential through ideology of organization, workflows, accountability, and expectation.
David current resides in Gilbert, Arizona with his husband, two bonus children, three dogs and two cats. He enjoys karaoke, books, and traveling anywhere the world has to offer!

Nathan Lee

Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis

Nathan joins the WVP team with years of experience working for VCA, where he served in a number of roles including Senior Director of Operational Finance and Vice President of Finance, VCA Emerging Markets. Prior to his experience in the veterinary industry, he worked at Danone Waters, and spent his earlier career in public accounting for both Arthur Andersen and PWC.

Nathan lives in southern California with his wife and three children. He spends much of his free time on the golf course supporting his children who are avid golfers.

Isaac Ipson

Vice President of Operations

Isaac joins the WVP team as an experienced healthcare leader with a track record of success in team building, partnerships, and operations. Over the past five years, Isaac navigated rapid growth and forged partnerships with local home care agencies at Honor, a leading senior care company. Prior to that, he led operations and physician partnerships for over 20 dialysis clinics at DaVita in Dallas, TX. Isaac holds an MBA from Dartmouth College and a BS in Economics from Brigham Young University. When not at work, he enjoys outdoor activities and sports with his family.

Natasha Casper

Vice President of Operations

Natasha has over 10 years of experience in the veterinary industry. Prior to joining the team at Western Veterinary Partners, she served as a Senior Director of Operations at VetCor supporting the Northeast region. She has a great passion for people development and growth. Originally born in the US, Natasha spent most of her childhood in the United Kingdom where she graduated University with a B.A. in Business. She lives in upstate New York with her two children and French bulldog, Yogi. Outside of her work supporting WVP hospitals, she enjoys spending time with her family, being in the great outdoors, and traveling.

Kara Plotz

Senior Director of Operations

Dr. Kara Plotz is originally from the Toronto area and is a 2007 graduate of Ontario Veterinary College. She worked in general practice as an associate and a medical leader for about 10 years. Early in her career she found herself motivated by leading teams, developing people and the operations behind a successful veterinary hospital. She has since worked in multi-unit field operations and medical quality roles, and most recently managed field operations for wellness plan products across 300 hospitals. She is also pursuing an MBA at Kelley School of Business with plans to graduate in 2025. She is very excited to be back working with hospitals on the full scale of operations and supporting leaders to be their best. Kara currently lives in Huntington Beach with her husband and two dogs. Outside of work and school, she loves to travel, hike, camp, and spend time grooming her dogs.

Julie Jensen

Executive Recruiter

Julie comes to Western Vet Partners with over 15 years of recruiting experience in a variety of industries. For the past three years, Julie worked with another veterinary group, recruiting for the corporate and leadership side of veterinary medicine. In her professional capacity, Julie views recruiting as a giant puzzle and loves finding the right fitting piece. Combining a love of animals with a passion for people is a dream opportunity!

As a Colorado native and graduate of Colorado State University, her passions include skiing, paddleboarding, yoga, travel, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Joumana Palusci

Regional Manager of Operations

Joumana joins the WVP team with 19 years of veterinary hospital management experience with a focus on multisite management and new hospital openings. She grew up in various countries around the world and is fluent in four languages. Joumana graduated from Duquesne University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, and has a master’s degree in business administration from St. Louis University. She is passionate about servant leadership, mentorship and supporting veterinary teams with learning and development. She currently resides in St. Louis, MO with her husband and two pit bull rescues. In her spare time, Joumana enjoys trying new restaurants, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Jasmine Dunlap

Regional Manager of Operations

Jasmine has been working in veterinary care for over 14 years. She has held several leadership and training positions, specifically as a multi-site Hospital Manager and Area Manager. She has diverse experience in various sectors of the profession, including GP, Specialty, ER, and Mobile services. Her love for people and business operations has helped her be successful in her various roles and inspired her to create a mentorship program for hospital managers, including developing a peer-driven training program for career growth and development.

Previously, she held leadership positions in the retail industry, including HR manager, inventory specialist, and operations manager.

In her free time, she loves to travel and spend time outside gardening.

Catherine Neal

Business Development Associate

Catherine joins the Western Veterinary Partners team with over 20 years of experience in the veterinary industry. She worked as a veterinary technician in multiple hospital settings including general, emergency, and specialty practices. In recent years, Catherine has worked in Business Development, using her veterinary experience to develop strategic workflows and implement better, faster animal care. In her free time, she enjoys watching her son and daughter play hockey, and listening to live music. Although she resides in Pennsylvania, Catherine is a beach lover at heart!

John Ecton

Business Development Associate

John joins the Western Veterinary Partners team with Business Development experience in multiple industries. He grew up just south of Boulder, Colorado and graduated from the University of Kansas. John is an avid sports fan and in his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends and cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs. John is also a proud owner of a beautiful cat named Dolores.

Aiyana Cordova

Business Development Associate

Aiyana is a recent graduate of Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Exercise Science. Prior to joining WVP, Aiyana was a Leadership Consultant for Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity. In that role, she traveled the country visiting different universities and spending time with the ZTA chapters. It was in this role that she realized how much she enjoyed building relationships and making connections. Aiyana is back home in Denver and excited to make new connections and build relationships in the veterinary community.

Brandy Abel

Regional Manager of Operations

Coming soon.

Emily Staubus

People Operations Partner

Emily joins Western with diverse experiences from working in higher education to HR Field Support roles in retail and the pet industry. With over 20 years of combined experience, Emily is most passionate about supporting Field Teams with all things HR, building relationships and getting to hear about the pet success stories! When Emily is not providing HR support, she spends her time with her husband listening to music (he is a singer/songwriter) and riding her horses: Cleo, Flirt, Jack, Derby and Wilda.

Tianna Zachariah

Benefits Administrator

Tianna is a budding HR Certified Professional who has a passion for people. After graduating from Colorado State University in 2018, she started her career at a concrete company and worked in recruiting, HR administration, compliance, benefits, and HRIS. She holds a B.S in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources Management. In 2020, she decided to step away from the HR world to write poetry and work at a local coffee shop. Outside of work, she manages the youth and young adult ministries at her church. She enjoys anything that will get her creative juices flowing. (She is currently engaged in the process of publishing the poetry books she wrote during her year off.) She hates the cold. She loves humidity. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, reading, and learning. She believes that we are each curious about unique things, and that it is our responsibility to cultivate that curiosity in ways that will ultimately better ourselves and the world around us. She looks forward to serving her customers and coworkers here at Western Veterinary Partners.

Lucy Ball

Executive Assistant & Office Manager

Lucy has over ten years of project management and administrative services experience throughout various industries including online estate auction startup, insurance agency software systems, and private diamond and jewelry sales. Her career started after she graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in History, when she became an ESL teacher in South Korea for two years. After that she re-located to Denver where she became the first employee hired in the Denver market at Everything But The House, an online estate sale auction service. As a Project Manager, she was boots on the ground to help bring an antiquated industry into the 21st century. After that, she held various office management positions at small and large companies ranging from ten employees to 2500 employees. Lucy is now the Denver Office Manager and Executive Assistant for Western Veterinary Partners.

Jordan Fay

Benefits Analyst

Bio coming soon!

Anthony LaPolla

People Operations Partner

Bio coming soon!

Jake Wakemen

Director of Operations

Jake brings over 15 years of multi-site operations experience, with the past 7 years in veterinary medicine. Most recently, he supported GP clinic operations in the Pacific Northwest and the Texas/OK market, overseeing $52M+ in revenue. Additionally, he was an integral member of the Operations task force that developed successful leadership programs to support veterinarians and Medical Directors, and worked to scale a successful company-wide HM (Peer) Ambassador program.

Jake has a passion for people development, and is excited to support our sites in their mission to serve their communities by caring for more pets. When not working, you can find Jake on his ranch in Northeast Texas where his wife and three daughters run a small cattle operation.

Parker Wachs

Senior Pricing and Procurement Analyst

Parker was born and raised in Lexington, KY, and graduated from the University of Kentucky with a BS in chemical engineering and an MBA. Prior to this role, Parker worked as an engineer at 3M and as a supply chain analyst in human healthcare. In his free time, Parker enjoys rock climbing, skiing, hiking 14ers, and board games.

Liz Dean

Director of Operations

Liz has over ten years of experience in multi-unit operational leadership, primarily in hospitality and retail, though she pivoted to work in veterinary medicine several years ago as it was the perfect opportunity to combine her lifelong love for animals with her career. She’s a people-focused leader who is passionate about advocating for and empowering her teams. Outside of work, Liz enjoys yoga, weightlifting and strength training, traveling, and riding & competing in the equestrian sport of eventing. She currently lives in New York City with her two cats, Winston and Nadja.

Jennifer Phillips

Director of Operations

Jennifer joins the WVP team with over 20 years of experience in the veterinary profession. She previously held leadership roles in regional operations, sales, consulting, and non-profits (animal shelters). Most recently, Jen led a diverse group of veterinary specialty and emergency practices across the Southeast. She is passionate about leadership development and elevating the role of the practice manager in veterinary medicine. Jen graduated from Duquesne University with a B.S. and holds an MBA from the University of West Florida. She currently lives in sunny Florida with her husband, two daughters, and three rescue chihuahuas, June, Ari, and Elsa. As a family they enjoy beach days, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Brooke Lytle

Director of Operations

Brooke joins WVP with 9 years of experience working in the veterinary industry. Her experience ranges from managing a large private practice that transitioned to a corporate partnership, to supporting the operational functions of over 65 newly acquired hospitals during her time as Integration Manger with Community Veterinary Partners.

Brooke enjoys building relationships with hospital team members, developing practice managers, identifying operational efficiencies, and working with teams to create healthy overall best practices. Brooke studied Business Management at Wake Tech and achieved her CVPM in 2019. Prior to her career in the veterinary industry, Brooke’s was focused on the fast-paced restaurant management world.

Brooke currently lives outside of Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband and two crazy labs. She loves to cook and enjoys all things outdoors, such as hiking with her pups, breweries, and sports.

Brittany Romney

Regional Manager of Operations

Brittany joins the WVP Operations team with over 17 years of experience working in the veterinary industry. She obtained her Bachelors Degree at Utah State University in Animal Science. She prides herself in teaching other technicians and CSRs the knowledge and skills they need to continue to grow in the industry. Brittany has experience in many different types of veterinary settings including general practice, emergency, low-cost clinics, shelter medicine, and ophthalmology specialty.

Since joining WVP in 2021 as Hospital Manager at Country View Veterinary Hospital, Brittany has faced change in situations and circumstances without batting an eye. Together, she and Dr. Jamie Rees consistently achieve unprecedented year over year growth, all while empowering their team to work at the top of their skill level. Over the last year, Brittany has been instrumental in supporting Park City Animal Clinic and Pinebrook Animal Hospital as Area Hospital Manager in Utah, driving new client growth through smart scheduling and workflow optimization. Brittany spends her free time with her husband, two kids, and four corgis. She enjoys spending time outdoors as much as possible!

Julie Wiese

Director of Operations

Julie joined Western Veterinary Partners with over 25 years of leadership, operations, and business development experience in the education, financial, and human healthcare industries. Prior to supporting WVP hospitals on the Operations team, Julie also ran a consulting firm assisting small businesses with achieving operational efficiencies and profitability. Julie has a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing and a Master’s in Business Administration; however, she credits her professional success to embracing a servant leadership style. Julie is passionate about empowering her teams to unlock potential, creativity, and a sense of purpose that ultimately leads to a successful business. Outside of her work supporting WVP hospitals, Julie enjoys a wide variety of hobbies such as billiards, kayaking, and ballroom dancing.

Janal Purtlebaugh

Regional Manager of Operations

Bio coming soon!

Kerry Young

Regional Manager of Operations

Bio coming soon!

Tiffany Whitehill

Regional Manager of Operations

Tiffany grew up in Aurora, CO and graduated from the Bel-Rea Institute of Veterinary Technology in 2004. She began her veterinary career at a small general practice in Denver, CO, however, life took her on an adventure to New York City for a few years. While in New York, she worked at a specialty hospital in the surgery department until deciding to move back home. She has continued working in the veterinary field and has enjoyed meeting new people and making meaningful connections. Her favorite thing to do is to spend time with her family and wife. Outside of her work supporting WVP hospitals, she enjoys camping, her yearly trip to Missouri, family dinner/game nights, and weekends watching her nephew and niece play soccer. She also enjoys reading and staying active, or watching anything on Bravo, Formula 1, and football.

Roxanne Xenos

Support Staff Recruiter

Roxanne joined the Western Veterinary Partners team with over 15 years of experience in the veterinary industry. She began her career as a Registered Veterinary Technician in a small private practice before discovering the specialty and ER world, then eventually shelter medicine. She has a passion for mentorship and professional development which dovetailed perfectly into her career in veterinary talent acquisition in 2021!

Roxanne lives in Northern California with her husband, two sons, a tripod terrier, and a sassy ginger cat. Along spending time with her family, she enjoys outdoor adventures, traveling, gardening, crafting, cooking, and video games.

Bryan Wogrin

Director of Technology Strategy

Bio coming soon

Jessica Galaviz

Support Staff Recruiter

Jessica has 8 years of experience in the veterinary industry and prior to her veterinary career, she worked for the Walt Disney Company for 5 years. Jessica most recently worked in a specialty/ER practice where she recruited for her entire hospital as well as other GP clinics in her region. She loved this aspect of her role and recruiting was an exciting next step for her!

She and her husband moved to Colorado 3 years ago from Southern California. They have 3 dogs and a cat: 10-year-old Golden Retriever named Nala, 7-year-old Belgian Shephard named Chihiro, 1-year-old miniature Great Dane named Violet, and a 2-year-old Domestic Long Hair Torti named Fawkes. Halloween is Jessica’s favorite holiday and her bathroom is Halloween themed all year long! In her spare time, Jessica loves to go hiking, fishing, kayaking, rock climbing, and adventuring anywhere she can see the colors changing in the leaves.

Ashley Williams

Recruiting Specialist

Ashley is a dedicated Veterinary Recruiter and Sourcing Strategist with a long-standing connection to the Veterinary Health industry. Her journey began straight out of High School as a Veterinary Technician in Vancouver, Washington where she worked alongside Veterinarians and Support Staff at Banfield. Beyond a clinical setting, she made the pivot into Data Analytics and gained certifications in SQL, Project Management, and Data Analytics.

With over 5+ years of experience as a recruiter and sourcer, Ashley began candidate sourcing at ZoomInfo in 2018, a company known for creating sourcing tools like NeverBounce, Clickagy, CERA projects, ZoomInfo CRM, and more. In the last year Ashley has focused on recruiting within the veterinary space, and her gained experience has helped her build lasting bonds with recruiting professionals, doctors, and hospital leadership teams across the profession.

Ashley is the mom of two boys and she also has an energetic Jack Russell Terrier named Bailey. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her family and going on beach trips, biking, hiking, and visiting local parks whenever possible!

Christopher Lykins

DVM Recruiter

Christopher has spent most of his life in the veterinary industry, growing up assisting in the kennels of veterinary clinics around the DFW area in Texas. He has held positions in GP, Specialty, and ER in roles from a veterinary technician, hospital manager/director and operations with multi-site management. More recently, before joining the WVP team Christopher spent several years in DVM recruiting on a corporate level covering multiple states.

When Christopher is not actively recruiting, he loves to spend time with his large family having barbecues, playing games, cheering on the Dallas Cowboys and spending as much time together as they can.

Brittney LaCourse

DVM Recruiter

Bio coming soon!

Stephanie Konzen

Support Staff Recruiter

Stephanie lives in Florida with her Husband and their 80-pound mixed-breed dog, Emmett. Her background includes working as a Veterinary Technician in both general practice and ER/specialty. Stephanie has experience as a Practice Manager as well as Support Staff and DVM recruiting. When she’s not working, Stephanie and her husband enjoy spending time at the beach and in the garden.

Sofia Rae

Senior Financial Analyst

Sofia joins Western Veterinary Partners with a Master’s Degree in Finance from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and just under 1 year of experience in FP&A in healthcare. Her previous role included building dashboards and creating reports to improve operations within clinics. Prior to that, she worked in a structural biology research lab. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her family.

Madison Franck

Marketing Associate

Madison is a recent graduate of Colorado State University, where she earned her degree in marketing. Prior to joining WVP, Madison worked for Ayuda Companies, where she supported a variety of marketing initiatives and event planning.  She also assisted with the preparation of government proposals and helped execute large-scale events. She has five family dogs and a cat, however, is looking to adopt her own dog very soon! When she is not supporting the WVP hospitals in various marketing initiatives, Madison enjoys spending time with friends and family, snowboarding, and traveling. 

Kyle Rowe

Director of Operations

Kyle Rowe joins WVP as a Director of Operation for the Arizona region. Kyle prioritizes fostering an inclusive culture based on accountability and continuous improvement. He performs his role as a servant leader, focusing on building and developing high-performing teams. Before joining Western Veterinary Partners, Kyle’s experience included over 7 years of overseeing retail operations as a region manager in the petroleum retailing industry at some of the largest U.S. petroleum brands. In this capacity, Kyle had P&L accountability up to $98 Million, overseeing daily operations of a portfolio of up to 18 business units, which included supporting up to 18 exempt direct reports and over 200 indirect hourly employees. While briefly working in human health care as an advisory consultant, Kyle’s work focused on cost optimization programs that improve administrative business processes, technical non-clinical operations, and reducing telecommunication service contract costs.

Kyle has a bachelor’s degree from The Pennsylvania State University, a master’s degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and an MBA from Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management. Kyle is also certified in Six Sigma (specialization in process improvement) and has acquired the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) from the Project Management Institute.

Karen Kissell

People Operations Partner

Karen joins Western Veterinary Partners with over 20 years of human resource experience in a variety of industries. Prior to joining WVP, she served as a People Operations Manager at Thrive Pet Healthcare, providing strategic support to approximately 1200 team members across multiple locations throughout California, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. Prior to her support experience in the veterinary industry, Karen spent 11 years in HR leadership in the wholesale warehouse distribution industry, working with leaders and team members for 12 facilities in 5 business units. Karen graduated from Whittier College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology.

Andrea McKenzie

Regional Manager of Operations

Andrea comes to Western Veterinary Partners with over 20 years of animal healthcare, welfare, and behavior experience. Andrea started her career as an animal keeper and trainer, working with both exotic and domesticated animals. Her passion for animals is what drove her to expand her knowledge in the veterinary industry. In the hospital she wore many hats along the way, which lead her to a leadership role of Practice Manager for the last 15 years. In this role she discovered that she enjoyed facilitating the development of both team and individuals.

Andrea grew up surrounded by animals and wanting to rescue and protect them. She often came home with a lost or injured animal, begging her parents to let her care for them. Outside of work, Andrea loves spending time with her family and two each of the following: dogs, cats, guinea pigs, lizards, and horses. In her free time, Andrea enjoys attending her boys’ sports practices and games, and is their number one fan!

Ginevra Hess

Regional Manager of Operations

Ginevra has worked in veterinary medicine for over 30 years, the last 21 being in emergency and critical care. She has six years of experience in leadership, and she is passionate about creating a culture that makes people feel good about coming to work, but she also enjoys the financial aspect of the business. Professionally, Ginevra is currently pursuing her CVPM and hopes to sit on the boards next year. She is looking forward to building relationships and strong teams within the WVP family.

Justice Moench

Regional Manager of Operations

Justice joins the WVP team with over ten years of operational experience in both veterinary care and telecommunications. He lives in Missoula, MT, and is a dedicated servant leader. As a Regional Manager of Operations, he supports the WVP veterinary teams of the Utah, Montana, and Idaho region. Prior to joining Western Veterinary Partners, Justice worked at a large 24-hour emergency and general practice hospital. He graduated from the University of Montana with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and is passionate about mentorship, change management, and workplace culture. In his spare time, Justice likes to attend live music events, camp, and ski.

Jeff Margolf

Director of Corporate Development

Jeffery joins the WVP team with over seven years of experience in corporate banking, private equity, and corporate finance. Most recently, he served as a Senior Analyst for Nutrien Ltd., a global provider of fertilizer products and agricultural retailers. At Nutrien, Jeffery specialized in financial modeling, FX trading, debt capital markets, funding strategy, and the share repurchase program. Prior to Nutrien, Jeffery was an Investment Analyst for Partners Group, a Swiss-based private equity firm, and started his career with Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s credit analyst program. Jeffery is a Chartered Financial Analyst and obtained his BSBA degree with an emphasis in finance from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Heather Fredette

Support Staff Recruiter

Heather was raised in Massachusetts, where she also started her career in the veterinary industry. She attended school in Vermont, where she obtained her degree in Animal Science, Veterinary Technology. When she started her career, she focused on gaining skills in general and emergency medicine. Heather has now lived in Arizona for 14 years, working in general practice settings. She also has experience as a Director of Veterinary Technology, an educator for Veterinary Assistant students, a Clinical Director, and a Program Manager.

Heather is married to her husband, Charles, and has a daughter named Penelope, who just started kindergarten! She is an avid traveler, having visited over 20 countries, and loves to explore new places, cultures, and food. She also enjoys scuba diving, horseback riding, and crafting with her daughter.

Debbie McPheeters

Accounts Payable Specialist

Debbie comes to WVP with over 20 years of accounting and accounts payable experience. Prior to joining WVP, she worked in the dental industry where she was a staff accountant juggling 60 offices in multiple states. During her down time Debbie enjoys traveling, reading, and crafting.

Amber Peterson

Senior Accounts Payable Specialist

Amber graduated from Creighton University, with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. After graduation she spent time in the banking industry and pursuing other interests. This path led her to engage in volunteer service, becoming an AmeriCorps member. After serving two years in Minnesota, she decided to pursue her childhood dream and move to Colorado, pursuing a second Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources from Colorado State University. While working for state and local government agencies Amber was able to use her accounting skills and gained an appreciation for all things finance related. This eventually led to her pursuing a position in accounts payable.

A native North Dakotan, Amber has resided in Colorado for over 20 years. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two rescue dogs, Stella Blue and Roo. In their free time they love exploring the back roads of Colorado.

Desiree Fox

Vendor Transition Specialist I

Desiree graduated from California State University, Northridge, with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Management. Since graduation, she has held many positions that have given her the insight and knowledge to continue her career.

Desiree has two dogs, Tess and Teddy. They enjoy their morning walks and spending time at the dog park. Her hobbies include beading, which helps her stay connected to her Native American Culture, yoga, and reading books that help with her personal growth. Some of her favorite authors are Eckart Tolle, Brene Brown, and Gary Zukov.

Chelsea Hueth

Reconciliation and Accounts Payable Specialist

Chelsea has eight years of experience in the Veterinary industry. She began her career as a veterinary assistant, then decided to return to college and pursue a CVT license. In 2018, she graduated from Central Oregon Community College and obtained her CVT credentials. In 2021, she was promoted to a Hospital Manager role at the practice she had worked for the last eight years. Her passion for animals is what lead her to pursue this evolving career in the Veterinary world. She currently lives in Oregon and loves to explore all the beautiful scenery it has to offer. She enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her family. She has three fur babies; two small dogs (Coco and Emma) and a cat (Smudge).

Cassidy Martin

Support Staff Recruiter

Cassidy grew up on a small ranch on the Western Slope of Colorado, surrounded by mountains, thoroughbred horses, and Labrador retrievers. She attended Regis University in Denver and obtained two Bachelor’s degrees in Fine Arts and Business Marketing. After working for years in the industry and reflecting on her true passions, she made the choice to step into the field of veterinary medicine.

Cassidy graduated from the Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology in 2011, where she obtained her CVT license. She has spent her career working in Internal Medicine, Cardiology, and Emergency practices. Most recently, she worked as a Practice Manager at a Specialty/ER hospital in Colorado Springs, where she gained significant experience in veterinary recruiting. She loves the process of screening, interviewing, and hiring, as well as coaching and mentoring teams.

Aside from her experience in specialty veterinary medicine, she spends much of her time chasing her daughter, son, and husband around ski slopes and mountain trails, as well as boating during the Summer. In tow are her four-legged companions; a 10-year-old Shih-Tzu named Huff and a Shih-Tzu/Yorkie puppy named Yeti.

Autumn Valdez

Accounts Payable Supervisor

Autumn joins the WVP team with over 15 years of experience in accounting and over eight years in accounts payable. Most recently, she worked for a Colorado-based barbershop chain where she established and built the AP department from the ground up. Autumn has a love for music and attends as many concerts as she can. She also loves going to Comic Con, and her favorite holiday is Halloween. She has a 2-year-old Bull Terrier that keeps her on her toes and warms her heart every day. Autumn is accustomed to a high-volume, fast-paced environment and is a great addition to the WVP team.

Lavern Gutierrez

Payroll Specialist

My passion for numbers related to payroll began at the Oxford Hotel starting in the accounting department then transitioning into payroll. My extensive knowledge and experience in payroll began working with Engineers to Physicians. I spend most of my years working at CTL Thompson engineering firm doing payroll, HR and accounting for over 17 years, and then transitioned to working in the medical field with Nurses, Physicians, and Therapist. I’m enjoying living the second half of my life with my husband Ruben of 13 years, and our blended family of 5 adult kids, 11 grandchildren and 3 dogs. Being a native of Colorado I like to enjoy the outdoors going camping, fishing, and spending time with family and friends. But my true passion is painting and teaching painting.

Dr. Rachel South

Medical Advisor

Dr. South grew up in Bel Air, Maryland, where she fell in love with veterinary medicine while working as a veterinary assistant in an emergency practice. She graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine with her DVM degree in 2013 and completed her clinical year of the program at Oklahoma State University. While attending Ross University in St. Kitts, West Indies, she met Dr. Trevor South. Upon completion of her DVM degree, she moved to Arkansas, where Dr. Trevor South was already practicing.

Following graduation, Dr. South worked in an emergency practice while doing relief work for several general practices in Northwest Arkansas. Dr. South genuinely enjoys emergency and critical care medicine, falling in love with the fast-paced environment as a veterinary assistant in Maryland. She and her husband soon knew they wanted to start their own practice in Arkansas while incorporating that passion for emergency care in some capacity. They founded River Valley Animal Hospital in 2017, an extended hours practice providing urgent care as well as wellness services, and haven’t looked back! Dr. South is excited to be a part of Western Veterinary Partner’s Medical Advisory team to help support professional growth and quality patient care!

Dr. Will Kazokas

Medical Advisor

Dr. Will Kazokas grew up in Florida with respect and love for nature and all living creatures. He cultivated his interests into passions as an animal science major at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he participated in several student-run enterprises including ruminant nutritional research, grass-fed beef production, and sheep and goat herd management. After graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2018, he returned to his home state to attend The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine where he discovered an aptitude for small animal medicine, radiology, and surgery. He graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine with honors and started his career at West Ridge Animal Hospitals in Klamath Falls, OR. He has enjoyed getting to know his co-workers at Westridge and WVP and exploring southern Oregon with all of its natural beauty. Outside of practicing veterinary medicine, he enjoys cooking, hiking, camping, and all water activities.

Kasey Baldwin

Support Staff Recruiter

Kasey joins the WVP team with nearly two decades of experience in veterinary medicine. After earning her bachelor’s degree in economics, Kasey returned to school to become a Registered Veterinary Technician. Throughout her career, Kasey has held various roles including RVT, Practice Manager, and instructor, ultimately serving as a Veterinary Technician Program Director. After almost 20 years in Southern California, she relocated to Austin, Texas, where she now specializes in veterinary recruitment. Kasey also teaches part-time at Austin Community College, sharing her knowledge and passion with the next generation of veterinary professionals. Outside of work Kasey enjoys visiting her daughter, a junior at Arizona State University, practicing yoga, and cheering on the Dallas Cowboys. She is also a proud mom to two pugs, a terrier mix, and an orange tabby cat.

Heather Nguyen

Staff Accountant

Heather has 9 years of veterinary assistant experience in both corporate and private animal clinics. Soon, she will be a new graduate from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a degree in accounting. Heather is extremely passionate about animals and was so sad to leave her veterinary assistant role. However, she is thrilled to be part of an organization that supports the people who care for our pets. During her free time, she loves to spend time with her two small dogs (Lulu and Lia), cat (Luna) and her fish (Ryu).

Heather Nguyen

Staff Accountant

Heather has 9 years of veterinary assistant experience in both corporate and private animal clinics. Soon, she will be a new graduate from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a degree in accounting. Heather is extremely passionate about animals and was so sad to leave her veterinary assistant role. However, she is thrilled to be part of an organization that supports the people who care for our pets. During her free time, she loves to spend time with her two small dogs (Lulu and Lia), cat (Luna) and her fish (Ryu).

Melanie Bennett

Vendor Transition Specialist – Compliance

Melanie joins the WVP team with over 25 years of corporate real estate services experience, working in retail, hospitality, and service industries. She is a Colorado native and Colorado State University graduate, who recently moved to Southern New Mexico to enjoy a warmer climate. In her free time, she loves to spend time outdoors, traveling, exploring new places, and spending time with family and friends.

Cristina Nieves

Vendor Transition Analyst- Compliance

Cristina moved from Michigan to the Denver area in 2018, having fallen in love with the city after several visits. She has a degree in Business Management and comes from a background in commercial brewing, as well as managing people and permits within various other industries; these diverse experiences have helped Cristina build a varied skillset. Because of her love of animals, she is drawn to utilize her expertise within an industry that strives to help pets. In her free time, Cristina enjoys visiting local restaurants and breweries, cooking new dishes, spending time with her cat Lucy, and traveling.

Kait Barmann

Senior Support Staff Recruiter

Kait has been in the veterinary field for 9 years. She started as a LVT at a small GP clinic, before moving onto emergency and critical care. Kait worked as the ER supervisor at a large ERCC/Specialty hospital for much of her career and taught several classes at Colorado State Veterinary Teaching Hospital for first- and second-year students. After moving to North Idaho, she transitioned to the role of Field Support Representative for IDEXX Laboratories, where she continued to help educate and train veterinary professionals. Kait is now excited to bring her passion for education and cultivating strong employee relationships to veterinary talent acquisition.

Kait currently lives in Sandpoint, ID with her husband, two dogs and two cats. She enjoys hiking and backpacking, kayaking, traveling, reading, and volunteering with wildlife.

Dr. Jennifer Severt

Medical Advisor

Dr. Jennifer Severt is a 2006 graduate of the Ohio State University and a passionate practitioner of small animal medicine. She is especially invested in soft tissue surgery, cardiology, ultrasound, and nurturing the human-companion animal bond. She is also deeply committed to building a strong and positive team dynamic and practice culture. Jen shares her life with her husband of twenty years and their two teenage children as well as her beloved pets – a golden retriever named Arla and four feline family members. Her outside interests include traveling, cooking, hiking, scuba diving, martial arts, and playing games with her family.

Amy Dickson

Reconciliation and Integration Lead

Amy grew up in Palo Alto, California but has lived in Denver since 2018. She enjoys spending time with her two dogs, quilting, and thrifting. Her dogs are a 3-year-old pitbull mix named Delaney and a 5-year-old cattle dog/husky mix named Barney. She is completing her degree in accounting at CSU Global and her professional background is in public accounting and property management and marketing agency accounting and she’s excited to join the accounting team as the Reconciliation and Integration Lead.

Cristin Luebben

Regional Manager of Operations

Cristin joins us with over 20 years of experience in the veterinary field. She completed the Veterinary Technician Program at Los Angeles Pierce College in 2004 and has spent over 15 years as a technician in internal and emergency medicine. She has worked with all types of patients including dogs, cats, exotics, and large animals. Cristin transitioned into practice management in 2011 and most recently worked in regional operations support after moving to Washington State. She is dedicated to patient care and became a Fear Free Certified Veterinary Professional in 2016. Cristin enjoys all aspects of leadership and mentoring and sharing her experiences with growing leaders in the veterinary community.

Cristin shares her Western Washington home with her husband and two mischievous hounds. She enjoys quilting and furniture restoration which she sells in her online store. She also has a passion for ATV over‐landing and back country exploration.

Devon Fenner

Regional Manager of Operations

Devon was born and raised in New Mexico and is excited to be assisting some of its hospitals as a new manager for the region! Though it was not her original trajectory in school, Devon was continually drawn back to working with animals and their humans which led to her joining a private practice over a decade ago as a receptionist. From there, her passion for customer service and supporting her team provided her the opportunities to grow into a front-end manager and later a hospital manager. She is thrilled to have joined WVP in September as a hospital manager for Del Norte and to now have the chance to help the New Mexico market. Outside of work Devon enjoys reading, gaming, playing with her own animals (two dogs and one cat), and spending time with her friends and family. Most importantly, perhaps, Devon is also a new mom. She has recently returned to work, stepping into this new position, and looks forward to the challenges that lie ahead. (She will also always want to see pictures of your pets or kids!)

Terry Ryan

Regional Manager of Operations

Terry has over 20 years’ experience working in both Business and Veterinary Medicine. She grew up in Mississippi on a small 20-acre farm with cows, horses, chickens and pigs and a menagerie of cats and dogs. She has always loved animals and as a child dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. She began her business career working as an Executive Secretary and Financial Analyst for McDonnel Douglas in Huntington Beach, California. She then decided to follow her dream by doing what she considered the “next best thing” to being a veterinarian and went back to school to earn her RVT credentials! She has worked as an RVT, Lead RVT, and then as a Hospital Manager for 20+ years. Her passion is Veterinary Medicine and everything that entails! She particularly enjoys providing mentorship and pathways for growth to her support team. She currently lives in Silverado, a small canyon community in Southern California, with her two cats Daisy and Georgie. She enjoys traveling, especially when she can combine that with sailing! She also loves listening to music and reading.

Laura Brundidge

Regional Manager of Operations

Laura has over 25 years of veterinary experience and 20 years of leadership experience. Laura has been the Hospital Manager at Cat Care Professionals for the last 20 years and started there back in 2000 as a receptionist and was promoted into the management position 2 years later. Dr. Theresa Cornwell (Founder & Medical Director) and Laura have worked together this whole time and they make a great team. Cat Care Professionals joined the WVP team back in December of 2020 and I have had the privilege to work with Laura for the last 1.5 years. In addition to being a talented leader, Laura is also a skilled veterinary assistant and has worked both as a manager and assistant over the years assisting her team in the day-to-day operations. Cat Care Professionals is a 3-doctor feline practice (4th doctor starting this month!) located in Lake Oswego, OR. Laura has overseen this hospital’s growth over the years including relocating the practice to its current location, going paperless, introducing marketing platforms to aid in client and team member experience, and the practice is currently going through their Fear Free Certification. Laura lives in Tualatin, Oregon which is about 30 minutes south of Portland.

Lindsay Smith

Director of Operations

Lindsay has over 27 years of experience working in the healthcare and veterinary fields–12 of those years she was part of a regional support team. She is an Occupational Therapist specializing in operations, leadership, geriatrics, and autism spectrum disorder. Lindsay is a life learner and is passionate about coaching and developing others. Within the last year, she has become a Certified Thrive Leader, a Certified Veterinary Business Leader and a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist. After 24 years in healthcare, Lindsay transferred her operational and leadership skills to the veterinary industry where she has been a Director of Ecosystems for Thrive Pet Healthcare overseeing up to 25 practices, 24 Hospital Managers and Medical Directors and leading a team of over 200 employees. During the pandemic, Lindsay and her husband opened two businesses, Ace Handyman Services Traverse City and Acton Properties MI, LLC. Lindsay is a Michigan native where she lives with her husband, three children, and three dogs.

Randi Anderson

Director of Operations

Randi is a people-centered business leader with 18+ years experience in the healthcare industry. Certified in LEAN/Kaizen, she held various roles including process improvement, learning and development, and multi-site operations. She has a Bachelors of Science in Sports Medicine, but after discovering her passion serving as a leader, she earned her Masters of Science in Management and Leadership.

Randi is a Washington native, being born and raised and still living in Western Washington. She has a love of animals that started as early as she can remember. Having worked as a ranch-hand and horse trainer in her earlier days, she has now settled for house pets with a cat and a dog, both rescued from the local animal shelter. She spends her free time with her husband, shuttling their two kids from various sports practices and tournaments, or enjoying a weekend of and camping at the river.

Kevin Blair

Director of Operations

Kevin has over seven years of experience working with a private equity-backed DSO, with over 15 years of combined management experience between retail and human healthcare. Before joining Western Veterinary Partners, Kevin served as Senior Director of Regional Operations at American Dental Partners. Kevin had an operational oversite of approximately 60 General and Specialty dental practices with combined annual revenue of 120 million. Before American Dental Partners, Kevin spent 8 years in retail management at Walgreens before moving to human healthcare. He received a B.S. in Consumer Sciences from the University of Tennessee and his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Maryville University in St. Louis, MO. Kevin lives in Knoxville, TN, with his wife Savannah and two sons, Lennox and Hendrix.

Carmel Harrison

Business Development Associate

Carmel is a recent graduate of University of Colorado where she studied History. Her previous experience includes working at EF Denver as a Sales Coordinator where she learned the inner workings of sales. During her free time, Carmel enjoys exploring all the things that Colorado has to offer which includes fishing, hiking, and camping.

Sierra Davis

Business Development Marketing Associate

A 2021 graduate of CSU, Sierra is a native Texan (Megan and Corinne I’m looking at you…) but has happily made Colorado her home since her freshman days at CSU. She is the purr-fect fit for our team as she volunteers much of her weekend time at the shelter. In her free time, she spends time hanging with her foster pups or at local breweries with friends. Sounds like Colorado suits her just fine! While growing up she raised livestock – pigs more specifically – which contributes to her love of animals.  She just recently relocated from Fort Collins to Denver.

Breelyn Rush

Regional Manager of Operations

Breelyn is a Certified Veterinary Business Leader and has been in veterinary medicine for over 8 years and counting. She first began working as a veterinary technician at Banfield and worked her way up to shift lead. At this point Breelyn realized her love for empowering her staff and building strong and efficient teams. The next step in Breelyn’s journey was being a veterinary practice manager and shortly after that a regional coach within PetVet Care Centers.

Breelyn holds her bachelor’s degree in business administration. Originally from South Carolina, she now lives in Florida with her Fiancé and 3 cats. In her free time, Breelyn enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Dr. Monique Weldon

Medical Advisor

Dr. Monique Weldon has always been passionate about animals and while in high school, decided to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine. She earned her degree in Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University in 2003. After graduating, Dr. Weldon worked in general practice for seven years before starting and building from the ground up Loving Family Animal Hospital. Providing high-quality, personalized medicine has always been her goal and the practice became AAHA accredited within 10 months of opening, earning the distinguished award of “AAHA Hospital of The Year” in 2017. While still the sole owner and medical director of Loving Family Animal Hospital, Dr. Weldon opened Animal Dental Clinic to focus on dentistry. Dr. Weldon has focused heavily on training and continuing education in the dental field for the last 19 years and has a passion for dentistry and oral surgery.

Kellee Amerman

Senior Director of Benefits

Kellee has over 20 years of benefits administration experience in the REIT, hospitality, and veterinary industries. She enjoys creating and implementing innovative benefit programs designed to take care of team members and their families, as well as position companies to attract and retain top talent. In her most recent role, she built and led a team responsible for managing all aspects of benefits for newly acquired veterinary hospitals and pet resorts. She believes that collaborative working relationships are the key to a successful team and a great working environment. Kellee holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Regis University. She lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband Scott, son Ryan (13), daughter Ali (10), and their Great Dane Bella (3). She loves to watch her kids play sports, travel, attend sporting events and concerts, hike, bike, scooter, and fish with her family!

Dr. Tammy (White) Renteria

Honorary Medical Advisor
Board Certified Veterinary Dentist

Dr. (White) Renteria is a graduate of Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine class of 1996. She became a Diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College in 2009. Dr. (White) Renteria is the founder and owner of Pacific Northwest Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery in Longview, WA, and Inland Northwest Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery in Coeur d’Alene, ID. The practices offer advanced veterinary dentistry, teaching, and consulting services for dogs and cats. Dr. (White) Renteria has been a part of the Adjunct Faculty at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine since 2010 and offers a dental rotation to 4th-year veterinary students providing them with the opportunity to learn more about small animal veterinary dentistry.

Dr. (White) Renteria continues her passion for helping people and pets by advising and teaching veterinary dentistry to veterinarians within Western Veterinary Partner practices.

Dr. Jill Sullivan

Medical Advisor

Dr. Sullivan was raised in Boston, MA before moving to Florida for college and veterinary school. She graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 2012 and practiced in Florida for two years before moving to New Mexico. Dr. Sullivan has a special interest in surgery and is also a certified veterinary acupuncturist.

Brian Zimmerman

Director of Business Development

Prior to joining WVP, Brian spent 15+ years working in healthcare and veterinary services and has focused on the animal health space for the last 5+ years. He has served in sales leadership roles, primarily in the capital equipment and after-life services segments of the veterinary market. Brian’s passion is helping Veterinarians and care teams navigate the pressure and stress that comes with working in veterinary medicine. He has a deep interest and concern related to the mental health of our veterinary care providers and truly believes we have a responsibility to help relieve the stress and burdens facing those in practice today. Ultimately helping them to focus on what they do best – caring for pets and clients! Brian lives in Huntley, IL with his wife Laura. They have a daughter at Illinois State University and a son in high school. He adds another team to the mix as he’s a big Green Bay Packers fan.

Byron Mendenhall

Senior Accountant

Byron graduate from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA where he received his bachelor’s degree in accounting. Before relocating to Denver in 2016 he began his accounting career at Synergy Equipment in Orlando, FL. He joins WVP from IHSMarkit, where he worked as a staff and senior accountant for the last 6+ years. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his wife and dog (Oliver) and catching Rockies games at his “second home” Coors Field.

Romina Zalcman

Senior Accountant

Romina was born and raised in Argentina and moved to Colorado in 2001. She received a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Buenos Aires and her Master’s in Finance and Accounting from Regis University. Romina has over 20 years of accounting experience. She spent the first 8 years of her Accounting career working in public accounting, performing audits of private companies, nonprofits, and governmental entities. She later joined Jewish Family Service of Colorado where she was the Accounting Manager. Romina and her family just moved back to Denver after spending 2 years in Dubai.

Erica Zink

Senior Accountant

Erica has almost two years of accounting experience. Went to Metropolitan State University in downtown Denver where she received her bachelor’s in accounting. Prior to joining Western Vet Partners, she worked as a senior accountant in the hospitality industry where she maintained financials for various restaurants across the country. She is a Denver native and in her free time she enjoys going on adventures with her daughter in both the city and mountains where they are constantly finding new places to explore.

Valerie Wright

Director of Operations

A Nebraska native, Valerie is driven by a love of animals and a desire to care for those who support the human-animal bond. She feels that her purpose in life is to help the veterinary industry provide the best care possible by focusing on sound financial, medical, and compassionate practices. She is most excited when she’s helping team members achieve their goals. Before joining WVP, Valerie held a director role supporting hospitals in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. She also spent several years in veterinary hospitals as a technician and practice manager. When not at work, Valerie spends most of her time with her husband and their two young daughters at home in Kansas. As a family, they enjoy the lake, traveling, and being outdoors. They also have two dogs and one cat to ensure that they are always busy and entertained.

Ben Underhill

Financial Analyst

Bio coming soon.

Devan Swank

DVM Recruiter

Devan comes from 10 years of veterinary industry experience and 3 years of various recruitment experience. She started her veterinary path at Banfield pet hospital and then found her way to VetCor where she worked as a veterinary technician for 6 years. She has spent a lifetime caring for animals including farm animals, domestic pets, and wildlife, helping improve the quality of life for any animal who falls in her path.

Her passion is meeting new people, listening to music, adventuring outdoors, and spending quality time with her three golden retrievers from days on the beach to hikes in the woods.

She and her husband Matthew moved from the Midwest to live in sunny Florida last year and never looked back.

HD Ramirez

People Operations Specialist

HeatherDee (HD) Ramirez joins Western Veterinary Partners (WVP) with just over 6 years of payroll experience. Prior to her work in payroll and human resources, she worked in a Level 1 trauma unit as a certified surgical technologist. HD has a great passion for animals; along with her role with WVP, she currently owns her own dog grooming business. Recently, HD transitioned to the People Operations team and supports WVP practices with leave of absence and benefits. She thoroughly enjoys spending time with her granddaughter and family. Outside of her work supporting the greater WVP team, you can find HD riding her Harley Davidson, in colorful Colorado, with her husband.

Corinne Novak

Business Development Associate

Corinne is a recent graduate of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas where she played volleyball and studied Public Relations. Prior to joining WVP, she gained experience in the marketing and communication department. Once Corinne graduated in May 2021, she moved away from her hometown in Georgetown, Texas to search for new experiences and adventures in Denver, Colorado. Corinne is the youngest of four and is very family oriented. She enjoys spending time with her Shih-Tzu (Zoie), working out, and going snowboarding on the weekends.

Chloe Mares

Business Development Associate

Chloe is a native Coloradan! She grew up in Thornton and graduated from UCCS in 2020 with an International Business degree. While in college, she was both the VP of Marketing and Senior VP of her Business Fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi. Prior to joining WVP, Chloe was involved in client outreach at Northwestern Mutual and was also the Manager at Satire Brewing Company. She recently lost her 19-year-old kitty and is eager to get another.

Corinne Maldonado

DVM Recruiter

Corinne has over 10 years experience in the veterinary field. She started as a veterinary assistant with her local clinic in 2008 and moved on to earn her RVT license in 2014. She has clinical experience with general practice, emergency, critical care, surgery, ophthalmology, and dentistry. Corinne made the move to talent acquisition in 2019 where she built and managed the support staff recruiting function for 16 specialty and emergency practices along the West Coast.

When she isn’t connecting talented individuals with great opportunities, Corinne enjoys spending time outside with her husband and daughter. They also enjoy gardening, cooking, and binge-watching Netflix.

Jennifer Koscheka

Campus Engagement Specialist

Jen has over a decade of experience in animal welfare with a focus on volunteer management. After attending the University of Colorado for her bachelor’s in Psychology, she became a veterinary technician and began her career as an exotics vet tech at Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas. After moving back to her home state of Colorado, she worked as a volunteer coordinator/manager for numerous animal shelters and rescues across the front range. Most recently, she has been working as a recruiter for various healthcare companies and is excited to merge all her skills into her new role as Campus Engagement Specialist for Western Veterinary Partners.

Jen lives in Colorado with her partner and their 5 cats and giant dog (and usually a foster kitten or two!) In her free time, she can be found fostering bottled baby kittens or supporting local Trap/Neuter/Release (TNR) programs. She also enjoys exploring great Colorado outdoors as well as staying indoors and binging scary movies or cartoons.

Heriberto (Eddie) Igueldo-Flores

Pricing and Procurement Analyst

Heriberto joins Western Veterinary Partners with over three years of experience in the supply chain industry. In his previous role, he served as a Business Development Analyst for a leading third-party logistics provider. There he helped price, design, and execute supply chain solutions for new and existing customers in various industries, including healthcare, retail, automotive, and aerospace. He is a newer resident of CO and enjoys spending his free time traveling, snowboarding, and camping with his Jack Russell Terrier, Timmy.

Megan Henry

Recruiting Outreach & Marketing Coordinator

Megan graduated from Baker University in 2016, where she was the tennis team captain, a member of Delta Delta Delta, and a staff writer for The Baker Orange newspaper. She began her professional career with the Lawrence, Kansas, Greek life fundraising firm, Pennington & Company. During her time with P&C, she used her background in public relations to foster alumni relationships and eventually became the company’s sole email marketing specialist. Megan would later return to her home state of Texas, where she took on a role with the University of North Texas Division of Advancement. While at UNT, Megan was responsible for stewarding donors and writing communications on behalf of the University President, VP for Advancement, and other UNT leadership. On the weekends, Megan can typically be found at a Texas Red Dirt concert or spending time with her family and their seven dogs.

Olga Haygood

Senior vAccountant

Olga has over 10 years of experience in accounting and finance, including 8 years working at Moody’s Investors Service in the New York office. While receiving her BBA from Baruch College, she had an opportunity to experience not-for-profit and the tax side of accounting. Upon graduation, she started in cash applications at Moody’s and after 2 years transitioned into the Revenue group, where she continued to work until 2016. Olga worked with international and domestic entities on multiple aspects of revenue recognition and accounts receivable. She currently lives in Bailey with her husband and 3 dogs and is very happy to be part of the WVP accounting team.

Dr. Klarissa Ligon

Director of Veterinary Relations

Dr. Klarissa Ligon joins WVP as Director of Veterinary Relations, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to her role. A proud alumna of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech, Klarissa has dedicated her career to advancing veterinary care and building strong connections within the veterinary community. Before joining WVP, Klarissa successfully owned and operated a small animal hospital in coastal Virginia. She has also made significant contributions to animal health and business solutions through her work with several organizations including Ceva Animal Health. Klarissa lives in coastal Florida with her husband and their two Chinese Shar Pei. Outside of work, she enjoys boating, beach outings, and occasionally stepping back into the field at an emergency practice.

Dr. Julie Harrington

Director of Veterinary Relations

Julie began her professional life as a CPA in public accounting. She moved into corporate accounting but after becoming CFO of a small publicly traded company in Denver, decided to return to school to pursue her childhood dream of being a veterinarian. Julie earned her DVM from Colorado State in 2007. After many years in the Denver area, she returned to Fort Collins last fall with her human partner Troy, and four-legged partner Niko. All three enjoy exploring their new home and all Fort Collins has to offer!

Nikki Hanschu

DVM Recruiter

Nikki will be supporting our Midwest practices with their DVM recruiting needs. With over 16 years in the Veterinary industry, Nikki has held titles such as CSR Team Lead, Office Manager, Practice Support Specialist, and more recently Business Developer for Vitus Vet. She has a genuine passion for educating and networking within the veterinary world. When not recruiting Nikki enjoys riding her dirt bike, practicing photography, reading self-help books, and hanging with her two dogs Milo and Molly.

Annie Ingram

Senior Manager of Integrations

Annie grew up riding hunter/jumper show horses and continued to develop those skills throughout school, all the while working her way up to become an assistant trainer at a farm in Longmont, Colorado. She recently received her MBA with a focus on Social Entrepreneurship from Colorado State University and holds bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration and Equine Science from CSU as well. Her passions and connections have helped guide her to Western Veterinary Partners. When she’s not working, Annie and her boyfriend are outside exploring Colorado with their rescue dog Boz.

Nichole Gabridge

Regional Manager of Operations

Nichole Gabridge, MSM, CVPM, CCFP has over 25 years of management experience. Her experiences range from retail management to information systems management, and veterinary management. Before joining the team Nichole managed private practices from general medicine to specialty and emergency. Becoming a 2018 AAHA Hospital of the Year Finalist is one of her proudest accomplishments in veterinary medicine. Nichole is passionate about the veterinary profession and the evolution of the industry. With a strong sense of self-awareness and vulnerability, Nichole wants to help others recognize the strength that comes from self-reflection. Outside of work, she spends most of her time raising her daughter and caring for her two dogs.

Amy Fedon

Director of Business Development

Amy joins WVP as a Director of Business Development, where she will help our expansion efforts into the Midwest states. Prior to joining WVP, Amy spent 15+ years working in animal health with Zoetis in various sales and leadership roles including Senior Strategic Account Manager. She joins WVP with extensive relationships across the veterinary care profession and is looking forward to helping build and scale our expansion efforts. Amy and her husband Jeremy live in Rochester Hills, MI with their daughter Hunter and son Maxwell. They have a Labrador that (as Amy says) barks at the wind.

Daniel DeRemigis

VP of Operations

Before joining WVP, Dan was an ops field leader for a large veterinary support organization. Prior to that, he held various roles including implementing business operations and strategy for a large dialysis company, consulting on strategy and operations for large health systems, and working as an economic litigation consultant. Dan and his wife Tiffany live in San Diego with their three cats: Josh, Jesse, and Pebbles. Outside of work, Dan enjoys playing poker and golf, singing Karaoke, and ballroom dancing.

Cheyenne Cutler

Senior Regional Manager of Operations

Cheyenne grew up helping at her neighbor’s farm as well as riding and showing horses in Southern California. Her love for all animals was evident from a very young age. After transplanting to Boise, Idaho in 1995, she found her way into veterinary medicine which had always been her dream. She now has over 20 years of industry experience including practice management, non-profit event fundraising, and developing enterprise-level projects. When not serving the veterinary community, Cheyenne can be found camping, fishing, or riding ATVs. She also has a passion for billiards and competes in regional and national events regularly.

Nancy Cedola

Director of Integrations

Bio coming soon.

Drake Carlson

Director of Business Development

As Director of Business Development, Drake loves connecting great veterinary practice partners with WVP. He has over 15 years of business development experience with the last eight years in animal health. Prior to joining WVP, he spent six years with Patterson Veterinary Supply as a Territory Manager while also fulfilling additional leadership roles within the organization.

Drake resides in Omaha, NE with his wife Jillian, 3 kids (Quincy and Olivia who are twins, and youngest son Kyler) and a golden retriever (Jack). The Carlson family are avid Cornhusker Fans! When he is not working, you will find him spending time with family, cheering on the Huskers, and trying to squeeze in a round of golf now and then.

Drake played college baseball and received his BA in Business Administration from Morningside University (Iowa).

Laura Brundidge

Regional Manager of Operations

Bio coming soon.

Dr. Lisa Boyer

DVM Recruiter

Dr. Boyer has enjoyed contributing to many aspects of veterinary medicine throughout her career. Her primary motivation to support her colleagues has been her consistent focus. Prior to joining the team at WVP she enjoyed practicing equine, companion animal, and emergency medicine and surgery. Her success in management and maximizing profitability was highlighted when she became the medical director of a thriving companion animal practice. This strong interest eventually drew her to become a regional manager leading a sales team for a global distributor providing products and services to practicing veterinarians. She is excited to share the exceptional opportunities at WVP with her veterinary colleagues. When she is not busy connecting with veterinarian colleagues, she enjoys hiking and biking on nature trails.

Christine Borkenhagen

Director of Operations

Christine has over 10 years of multi-site leadership experience in the service industry. Most recently, she led the Western Region Operations for the pet resort business within a large veterinary support organization, where she assisted in the growth of the Pet Resorts division by 400%. She participated in the development of the acquisition strategy, helped to create the foundation and support structure for the sites, and trained and developed multiple leaders throughout the operations team. Prior to that, Christine worked in the retail and service industry, leading high-volume flagship locations for Nike, Target, and The Sports Club Company. She was also the President of a 501c3 dog rescue organization in Los Angeles for 8 years – personally fostering hundreds of dogs in her home, training and managing foster partners, and working with veterinarians to ensure the best medical care for each and every rescued dog. Christine received her B.A. from UCLA and her Master’s Degree from Pepperdine University.

Jennifer Betz

VP of People and Culture

Jen has over 25 years of Human Resources experience working in a variety of industries including healthcare, construction materials, and tech. Her experience includes leading teams and creating systems, processes, and programs to grow an organization and align people to strategy. For three years she ran her own HR consulting practice and has worked in both private equity and publicly held organizations. Jen received her BA in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma and her M. Ed in Human Resources from Colorado State University and also holds both the SPHR and SHRM-SCP certification designations. When Jen isn’t working she enjoys almost everything Colorado outdoors has to offer – skiing, hiking with her husband, Steve, and their two Corgis (Winston and Scooter), and figure skating.

Dr. Charles Hurty

Medical Advisor
Dr. Charles Hurty graduated from the North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2002 and completed a 1-year internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2003. In veterinary medical practice, Dr. Hurty has a special interest in internal medicine, dermatology, ophthalmology, preventive care, and senior pet wellness.

Additionally, he has developed a strong curiosity about creating and maintaining meaningful team cultures and supporting confident, high-functioning teams. Personal wellbeing initiatives, mindful self-care, and organizational approaches to thriving cultures are his jam these days. In fact, Dr. Hurty made his veterinary conference public speaking debut at the Oregon Veterinary Conference in March of 2024; he addressed how a cultural focus on the employee experience is mission-critical to establishing sustainable workspaces.

Serving and supporting the Oregon veterinary community is a fantastic opportunity; Dr. Hurty seeks to continuously examine and understand the challenges of the veterinary caregiving space to achieve improved sustainability of all the professionals that make up our veterinary profession. He is the Medical Director at Grove Veterinary Clinic and the current (2024) President of the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association.

Charles is married to Dr. Natasha Knight; they have two children, Claire (18) and Ben (16). Their family is completed by one cat (Rio – an orange tabby), and five dogs: Chi Chi Bean (a wild Pomeranian), Barry (his favorite but don’t tell the others), a black and white Papillion, Bandit, a black and tan Chihuahua, Buddy Cake, a rambunctious black and white Papillion, and Pol (a super sweet fawn chihuahua). They also have 2 chickens (Crazy Taco Lady & Sabrina Duncan).

Dr. Hurty served as one of the original Board of Directors for the local nonprofit organization Friends of the Lincoln County Animal Shelter (FOLCAS) to save our local animal shelter from a controversial defunding plan. He has previously served as the Chair of the Oregon Coast Therapy Animals (OCTA) Board and the Chair of the Lincoln County Animal Shelter & Wellness Committee. For the 14 years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Hurty organized the veterinary care clinic portion of the Lincoln County Project Homeless Connect event; this program provided pet care for those pets living with underserved members of the community.

Dr. Hurty has been an avid advocate for the profession as a regular speaker and presenter at all local Newport school levels, from kindergarten to high school.

Charles enjoys fishing, projects at the house, gardening, cooking/BBQ, and hanging out with the family. He also loves live music, traveling, skiing, surfing, and spending time outside. Additionally, he has participated in youth athletics, contributing as a head coach in soccer, baseball, and softball. Most recently, he finished a 6-year tenure as a Newport Swim Team Board Member and Swim Board President.

Dr. Krista Gibson

Medical Advisor

Dr. Gibson grew up in Scottsdale and left years ago to pursue a career as a veterinarian. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison Veterinary School in 1996. Her adventures took her all over the country, and finally came back full circle to Scottsdale, where she owned Kierland Animal Clinic. She spends her free time with her husband, Tom, four dogs, and two cats. She enjoys mountain biking, painting, and spending time with family and friends.

Darlene Geekie, RVT

Leader of Technician Training and Development

Darlene Geekie, RVT has worked in veterinary medicine since 1996 and received her RVT certificate from Pierce College in 2001. In 2005, Darlene became co-owner and practice manager of a veterinary clinic which exposed her to all aspects of practice management. As an owner of a veterinary practice, Darlene learned that staff education is a critical element in a veterinary practice’s success. Throughout her career, Darlene has had a special interest in the fields of dentistry, ultrasound, anesthesia, and exotic care, which inspired her to teach others in the veterinary community. She has lectured for companies and organizations such as Webster, PDX Biotech, Midmark, IM3, AZVMA, AHAA, and SCVMA. Darlene also works with various rescue organizations and is on the Board of Directors at the Monterey Zoo in Salinas, CA.

Darlene joined WVP in October 2021, as the selling owner of Veterinary Angeles Medical Center in Agoura Hills, CA. She was appointed to the WVP Medical Advisory Board in January 2022, becoming the first Technician Advisor to work alongside DVM Advisors and add the technician perspective to elevate the quality of patient care.

As Leader of Technician Training and Development, Darlene focuses on the growth and retention of our veterinary technicians and support team members.

Dr. Nicole Canon

Medical Advisor

Dr. Nicole Canon is an alumna of both UC Davis and Colorado State University. She completed her undergraduate degree and received her Master’s degree in Preventive Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis, and achieved her Veterinary degree in Colorado. She also lived in Springfield, VA, while completing an extensive internship that covered small animal emergencies, internal medicine, surgery, dermatology, and radiation oncology. She’s also completed coursework in veterinary acupuncture. She came to work at the Animal Hospital of Sebastopol in 2002 and liked it so much that she bought it in 2007. For fun, Dr. Nicole spends her time outside skiing, sailing, and stand-up paddle boarding. She shares her home with her husband, two cats, and a dog.

Charles Woo

Director of Financial Planning & Analysis

Charles joins Western Veterinary Partners with over 8 years of Finance and Accounting experience. Prior to WVP, Charles worked at one of the Big 4 Accounting firms in the audit practice on a variety of publicly traded companies and was most recently in the dental support organization industry, building financial dashboards and tools to enable doctors, managers, and executives alike in their decision making. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a Tableau Desktop Specialist and received his Master of Accountancy from Brigham Young University. In his free time, Charles enjoys cycling, hiking, and spending time with his wife and two children.

Brandon Wiegand

Business Development Associate

Brandon graduated from The University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. His previous experience includes working in retail at REI and as a store manager for Sherwin-Williams. While at REI, Brandon discovered that he really enjoyed working with people to plan outdoor adventures and at Sherwin-Williams, he liked helping clients with their passion projects including seeing their ideas through execution. His experience in retail helped him develop a strong customer service mindset and he looks forward to supporting practices as they consider their next step in veterinary medicine. In his spare time, Brandon likes to go rock climbing, taking his dog Jax on adventures and spending time with friends.

Sherry Wehmeier

Payroll Specialist

Sherry joins WVP with over 20 years of accounting and payroll experience. She spent much of her time working with QuickBooks and Payroll Software systems (Intuit, Paychex, ADP Workforce Now, & Kronos). She has worked in a variety of fields including veterinary medicine and was a veterinary technician for several years. Sherry has been married for six years, has two children (one in high school and one in preschool) and two amazing dogs. Sherry enjoys working with animals and playing many sports ‐ especially softball.

Brenda Wagner

Accounts Payable Lead

Brenda has 15 years of accounts payable experience and a long career (28 years!) at Staples in a variety of roles including accounting and sales. She is extremely passionate about animals and animal welfare and is thrilled to be part of an organization that supports the people who care for our pets.

Gillian Vance

Marketing Associate

After graduating from the University of Colorado in May 2019, Gillian gained experience in sports marketing and strategic partnerships while working for the Arizona Golf Association (AGA). Gillian oversaw advertising, social media outreach, website development, and member acquisition at the AGA. During her time at the CU Boulder Athletic Department, she worked in event promotions where she created campaigns to drive ticket sales for students and potential fans. She holds a degree in Advertising and Public Relations from the University of Colorado where she was also a leader and competitor on the Women’s Golf Team. During her free time, Gillian enjoys playing golf, running, and spending time with friends and family.

Jennifer Vogel

Regional Manager of Operations

Jennifer has over 20 years of both technical and practice management experience in many areas of veterinary medicine including general practice, emergency/ICU, and exotics. Most recently she worked as a market leader with NVA for pet resorts in AZ and NV. Jennifer is a certified veterinary technician with a BA in business administration. Her professional passions are mentoring fellow technicians and emergency veterinary care.

Vance Toole

Vice President of Corporate Development

Vance has over 5 years of investment banking and private equity experience. Most recently, he served as a Senior Associate for The Cosine Group providing strategic M&A advisory and investment banking services for early and growth stage companies. Prior to working with The Cosine Group, he was an Associate with Pamlico Capital, a lower middle market private equity group based in Charlotte, NC focused on growth buyouts in healthcare, business technology, and software. Vance was raised in Southeast Missouri and received degrees in Economics and Spanish from Vanderbilt University.

Lory Sansinena

Senior Director of Integrations

Lory has over 20 years of experience in the pet care industry. Recently she held a leadership role in development at a boutique brokerage for the pet care industry. Prior to that, Lory held leadership roles in transition/integrations, and operations for NVA, one of the largest private veterinary support organizations. She began her career as a bookkeeper and kennel attendant at a mixed animal practice in her hometown and developed a love for the industry and deep appreciation for the human-animal bond, which led to practice management roles. Lory holds a BS in Business Management, earned her Practice Manager certification in 2009 and now holds her CVPMRetired status. She enjoys baking, cooking, gardening, outdoor concerts, caring for her menagerie of chickens, cats, and a dog, and her role as the guardian of a wonderful young girl.

Colette Ruff

Controller

Colette has over 20 years of Accounting experience. Prior to joining Western Veterinary Partners, Colette primarily worked in the financial services industry holding a variety of senior financial and accounting positions at various public and private banks. She also provided her expertise as a consultant to various large Wall Street banks after the financial crisis. Colette is a Certified Public Accountant and received her Masters in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame and her Bachelors of Science in Finance from the University of Florida. In her free time, Colette enjoys hiking, traveling, attending concerts and sporting events and spending time with her family and friends. She also likes volunteering and fundraising for AAKP and Alzheimer’s Association.

Michael Rubey

Director of Business Development

Michael has almost 30 years of veterinary sales and leadership experience. He has built and led national sales teams for IDEXX, HESKA and BioMerieux, three of the largest veterinary laboratory service providers in the world. He has sold veterinary equipment and solutions and helped hundreds of practices, throughout the United States, enhance their diagnostic capabilities. Throughout his time in veterinary sales, Michael has received numerous awards for both customer satisfaction and high performance. Michael has been married for 25 years and currently has three children in college. He holds a BA from San Diego State University.

Barbara Rose

Payroll Supervisor

Barbara has been a hands‐on payroll professional for many years. She has held various payroll positions (from consultant to manager) in a wide range of industries including mental health, legal, franchising, and government contracting. Barbara is passionate about being a team member in high‐growth, fast‐paced businesses. She loves the energy, challenges, and diversity that entrepreneurial environments provide. Payroll operations is a natural fit for her since it touches everyone and everything in every company. Barbara holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Master of Business Administration from Walden University.

Tim Reid

Director of Operations

Tim started his career working as a veterinary assistant for a primary care veterinary hospital as a teenager. He later transitioned to 24-hour emergency and specialty practices and this is where he began his leadership journey in management. He has over 20 years of veterinary experience, and in addition to developing a veterinary consulting business for primary care hospitals, he most recently worked for a national company as a director overseeing a large group of primary care, hybrid, and specialty hospitals. Tim is very passionate about the role of coach and mentor; he takes a proactive approach to leadership development and also helping team members at all levels of an organization reach their goals. Tim holds a BA in Business Communications from Baruch College in NYC.

Howard Popejoy

Director of People

Howard has over 10 years of human resource and benefit administration experience. Prior to joining Western Veterinary Partners, Howard spent time working in various industries which include aviation, manufacturing, transportation, software and most recently portable sanitation. Howard provided support to over 700 employees in 9 states specializing in leadership development, employee engagement, and workforce planning. He is passionate about inspiring team members to reach the next level of performance, leadership and well-being. Howard graduated Summa Cum Laude from Colorado Technical University. In his free time, Howard enjoys playing beach volleyball, indoor soccer, and spending time with his wife and two children.

Anna Parsons

Senior Manager – Corporate Development

Anna has over three years of experience in finance and has conducted analysis for multiple industries. Prior to joining Western Veterinary Partners, Anna held financial and pricing roles in the aviation industry. Anna hails from Minnesota, and holds a BS in Finance from St. Cloud State University. In her free time, Anna is an avid traveler and is working on visiting all seven continents.

Brent Park

Senior Director of Pricing and Strategy

Brent has eight years of experience in healthcare, both in human healthcare and the veterinary industry. Prior to Western Veterinary Partners, Brent spent several years working in supply chain, procurement, and integrations at a multi-site allergy services company. He has presented at national conferences to discuss the role of data in operational decision-making and process improvement. Brent holds a BA in English Literature from Valparaiso University and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame.

Aidan Osterdyk

Manager of Corporate Development

Aidan has several years of experience in acquisitions and corporate accounting. Most recently, he was an Acquisition Analyst at Tangible Wealth Solutions, consulting clients on real estate strategy and investment into secondary and tertiary markets. Prior to Tangible Wealth Solutions, Aidan worked in corporate accounting for a medical device manufacturer. Aidan completed his undergraduate degrees in Economics and Finance from the University of Montana and received his MA in Economics and MS in Finance from the University of Colorado Denver.

Lindsay O’Grady

Director of Business Development

Lindsay has more than 20 years of experience in the veterinary industry. Most recently, Lindsay held leadership roles in development, recruiting, and regional operations for VetCor, a leading group veterinary hospital support organization with over 300 hospitals nationwide. Prior to VetCor, Lindsay served as a practice manager of two small animal practices in addition to a large specialty animal hospital center. She began her career working in reception for her hometown veterinarian and over her career has held positions in nearly every area of a veterinary hospital. Lindsay attended Bentley University and holds a master’s degree from the University of New Hampshire. She continues to maintain her veterinary technician license and membership in veterinary community organizations.

Hailey O’Brien

Accounting Supervisor

Hailey joins Western Veterinary Partners with over two years of Accounting experience. Prior to WVP Hailey worked at a Big 4 Accounting firm in the assurance practice, working on public clients throughout various industries. Hailey is a Certified Public Accountant and received both her Masters in Accountancy and Bachelors of Science in Accounting from Florida State University. During her free time, Hailey enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with friends and family (including her cat Zoey).

Steve Middleton

Senior Regional Manager of Operations

Steve joins us with over 20 years of experience in both human and veterinary health. He graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. Servant leadership is his passion, and his primary goal in life is to help people. He is married with four young children and loves to spend time with his family. As a self‐proclaimed “foodie, Steve loves traveling and experiencing new cuisines. He has served his local community for the past ten years as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff.

Miranda Michaels

Regional Operations Manager

Miranda comes to Western Veterinary Partners with over 20 years of healthcare experience both in veterinary and human medicine. Before joining WVP, Miranda worked in general practice as a vet tech, then managed a sole practitioner large animal practice specializing in performance horses. Prior to that, she gained experience in human medicine (radiology), starting as a receptionist and working her way up to Clerical and Facility Manager. She has also worked with state departments to staff medical facilities, worked with a local medical group with physician and vendor contracts and eventually found her way back to veterinary medicine as a hospital manager at a WVP clinic in Reno, NV.

Miranda’s love of animals and the outdoors began while growing up in a small town outside Redding in Northern California, where she was lucky enough to be raised around ranching and the timber industry. This passion is what led her to getting her BS in Animal Science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She and her husband continue to enjoy spending as much time in the outdoors as possible with gardening, dirt bikes, camping, horses and much more. She is also involved with one of her community’s local wild horse programs, helping to protect and educate the public about our wild horses.

Jonathan Mastrella

Manager of Corporate Development

Jonathan has over three years of experience working in the financial sector. Prior to joining Western Veterinary Partners, Jonathan worked in corporate finance serving as a financial analyst for Seagate Technology. He was born and raised in Rochester, NY and obtained a BS in Finance from the University of Colorado Boulder. Outside of work, Jonathan enjoys snowboarding and hiking in the mountains with family and friends.

Lisa Marner

Accounts Payable Specialist

Lisa comes to WVP with over 7 years of Accounts Payable experience, having worked in several different industries mastering her skills, including Oil & Gas, Banking and Waste Management. Prior to bringing her skills into the realm of finance, Lisa worked in the furniture industry, eventually being recognized for her outstanding customer service and sales attributes and promoted to Office Manager. When not attending to her accounts, Lisa is active in fundraising for the Alzheimer’s Association and Shriners Hospital for Children as well as organizing and planning fund raisers and parties for the local Shriners.

Annie Lane

Support Staff Recruiting Manager

Annie comes to Western Vet Partners with over 15 years of experience in the veterinary industry. While holding leadership roles, she gained substantial experience recruiting for all vet staff roles. Annie is a licensed vet tech in the states of California and Washington and holds advanced certifications in leadership and “Fear Free,” a program designed to understand animal behavior and help pets get through a vet visit with minima stress. Immediately prior to joining WVP, Annie served as hospital manager for a multi-DVM general practice, where she engaged in team development and training. When Annie is not busy recruiting staff for WVP, she enjoys playing classical guitar, baking, artistry and spending time with her family.

Marla Katz

Senior Director of Marketing

Marla has over 20 years of marketing experience and has spent the past decade working with veterinary support organizations. She is passionate about developing effective marketing strategies to support local practices and partnering with hospital teams to increase client retention and pet health compliance. In her last role, she built the marketing infrastructure to support decentralized revenue growth and developed curriculum to drive operational best practices.

Marla is a servant leadership driven professional who strives to create and foster strong and inclusive organizational cultures. Marla received a BA in Communications from Michigan State University and recently completed the Diversity & Inclusion Certificate Program through Cornell University.

Vince Kassube

Director of Payroll

Vince Kassube, Certified Payroll Professional, brings years of experience and a passion for payroll to WVP. Immediately after earning his accounting degree from Black Hills State University in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota, Vince jumped at the opportunity to move to Colorado. His professional career began in Denver with staff roles in internal audit and management roles in accounting operations. With an appetite for new experiences, Vince added payroll to his skillset and never looked back.

Vince earned his professional payroll designation in 2016, cementing his commitment to the payroll industry. He appreciates that payroll demands both professional excellence and outstanding customer service.

While away from the office, Vince spends as much time as possible in the mountains with his partner and, of course, his four-legged best friend, Churchill.

Hannah Hayes

Senior Director of Business Development

Hannah has over 15 years of experience in business development, with the past 10 years focused on veterinary practice acquisitions. She takes pride in cultivating meaningful relationships with potential partners and taking a consultative approach to guiding owners through the process from initial discussions to integration.

Hannah is skilled in working with individual owners to understand the unique challenges and opportunities within their practices. She provides valuable insight around ways a partnership with Western Veterinary Partners can be beneficial from both a financial and operational perspective. Hannah will be focusing on expanding the WVP portfolio of practices in several states.

Born and raised in the Carolinas, Hannah attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She currently lives in Denver with her husband, stepsons, three dogs and a cat.

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Lisa Auyeung

Accounts Payable Specialist

Lisa joins the WVP team with over seven years of experience in accounting and accounts payable. She is a Colorado native who loves the mountains and camping. In her free time, she enjoys experiencing new things, including traveling, trying new restaurants and watching sports – especially the Denver Nuggets.

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Sarah Hallock

Director of Payments and Vendor Operations

Sarah has seven years of experience in accounts payable in various industries including banking, mining, construction and entertainment. Sarah started her career as an AP specialist, and has worked her way up to managing teams and departments. She enjoys bringing teams together, as well as creating new processes and procedures that support both internal customers and vendors. Prior her work in accounting, Sarah managed back office processes in the furniture industry, and also managed multiple retail locations. Sarah and her family are huge animal lovers. They love sharing every experience possible with their dogs.

Jake Elver

Senior Business Development Associate

Jake is a recent graduate of Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus on real estate and entrepreneurship. Initially, Jake became a licensed real estate agent in Colorado where he gained solid sales experience and learned to build and foster mutually beneficial relationships with clients. Jake also learned the importance of staying focused on the customer experience from beginning to end, which is key to the culture of WVP. During his free time, Jake enjoys hitting the gym and finding great eating spots with his friends. Like the rest of the WVP family, Jake also enjoys spending time with Shaggy, his puppy.

Debra Dyas

Accounting Specialist

Deb has over forty years of healthcare experience in the physician owned surgery and hospital industry. Deb served as an Office Manager, Regional Controller and CFO at a physician owned hospital during her career. Deb has always enjoyed the accounts payable side of business and is creating processes to drive efficiencies to support Western Veterinary Partners growth. Deb enjoys being active and spending time with family. She and her husband live in Fort Collins, CO where they enjoy hiking, biking, and skiing.

Yolanda Dominguez

Vendor Transition Supervisor

Yolanda is a Colorado native and usually spends her free time at some type of sporting event for her son. She is an avid Broncos fan and loves to play volleyball. When she has a chance, she also loves to travel to locations where the beach and ocean is involved.

Kevin DeWitt

Chief Development Officer

Kevin has over 8 years of investment banking and finance experience. Most recently, he served as a Vice President in the Leveraged Finance group for SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, a middle market focused investment bank. Kevin helped structure and raise debt capital for both public and privately owned companies to fund acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, dividend recapitalizations and other general financing needs. Kevin received a BS in Finance from Miami University (Ohio).

Eva DeTolve

Senior Director of Operations

Eva has twenty years of experience in the veterinary and animal welfare industries. Prior to joining Western Veterinary Partners, she served in leadership roles as Director of Veterinary Services and Executive Director in large animal welfare organizations. Previously, she worked in manager and director roles in several veterinary hospitals, including specialty and 24-hour emergency practices. Eva started her career as a Veterinary Technician in a small two Doctor practice. Eva holds a BS from Metropolitan State University in Denver.

Heather Daly

DVM Recruiter

Heather has been interested in veterinary medicine since she can remember. She started going on farm calls with her family’s equine vet during summers in high school. Heather has had a long career working with animals and their families in settings from rural farm calls and high-capacity shelter medicine to cutting edge ER trauma hospitals. She also spent 3 years working as the Lead Veterinary Technician Instructor at Pima Medical Institute.

In her free time, Heather can be found volunteering with state and private wildlife rehabilitation facilities in their raptor programs. She and her boyfriend are avid travelers. They enjoy learning about the music, culture and food from all over the world. They share their home with an Italian Greyhound a Maltese mix, a backyard finch aviary and a 17-year-old cat who runs the house.

Hope Cooley

Office Manager

Hope brings over 20 years of administrative experience in all aspects of office management across multiple industries. In her previous roles, she oversaw daily office functions, implemented efficient processes, planned company events, handled office expenditures and provided support to all levels of staff. She takes pride in using her organization skills to ensure smooth office operations.

Megan Collins

Director of Integrations

Megan has 10 years of healthcare industry experience, including insurance, care coordination, human healthcare, and veterinary medicine. Prior to Western Veterinary Partners, Megan served as Manager of Operations for the Baylor Scoliosis Center. Most recently, she worked as Hospital Manager for two specialty veterinary hospitals. Megan received several awards for client satisfaction and innovation throughout her career. Megan has her BS in Human Relations and Business and her MBA in Strategic Leadership from Amberton University.

London Colbert

Support Staff Recruiter

London was born and raised in Nashville, TN. He attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he studied biology. During his time in Chattanooga, London pursued a career in ballroom dancing and was an instructor and studio manager. Following his ballroom dancing days, London furthered his pursuit of operational management in human healthcare which brought him to Denver, CO. In recent years, he made the transition to veterinary medicine as a hospital manager in general practice and specialty/ER. London joined WVP in October 2021 as a Support Staff recruiter. London spends most of his free time hiking or camping in the mountains, fixing up his cabin in the woods, or reading a good book. He has a German/Aussie shepherd mix named Stetson that joins him on all his adventures.

Vicki Cierpial

Senior Accounts Payable Specialist

Vicki has over 20 years of accounting and accounts payable experience. Prior to joining Western Veterinary Partners, she spent time working in various industries including travel, food, plumbing and animal welfare.

Megan Cassidy

Senior Manager of Marketing

Megan has eight years of marketing experience in the pet care industry, supporting both veterinary practices and pet resorts. Before joining WVP, she was a Marketing Manager at another veterinary support organization focused on new client acquisition and client retention. She’s passionate about empowering local partners with scalable strategies that support customer lifecycle marketing, as well as cause marketing initiatives. Megan received a BS in Marketing from Miami University of Ohio and is lives in Southern California. She enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, cooking, and live music.

Michelle Bakva

Vice President of Marketing

Michelle holds nearly two decades of B2B and B2C marketing experience focused on driving innovative business and growth strategies.

As the Senior Vice President of Marketing at Rexford Industrial (NYSE: REXR), Michelle led the marketing department transformation and global branding initiatives for an $11B REIT enterprise. Prior to Rexford, Michelle served as Vice President of Marketing at The William Warren Group, where she drove brand promotion and integrated marketing efforts for a $3.5B real estate portfolio. She also worked as Senior Marketing Manager at National Veterinary Associates, overseeing the execution of interactive, direct marketing, creative, and sales strategies that optimized hospital visits, acquisition and retention efforts.

Michelle earned her MBA with an emphasis in Marketing from Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Law and Society from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Heidi Barragan

Corporate Recruiter

Heidi has over 12 years of experience in veterinary medicine and 13 years in recruiting. She began her career at Banfield – first as a Veterinary Technician, then as a Hospital Director and finally as a Regional Trainer. In that role, she was responsible for new hospital openings and practice standards training for hospitals across multiple states. Heidi has recruiting experience in healthcare and technology and is excited to combine her veterinary care experience with recruiting for Western Veterinary Partners.

Heidi lives in Colorado and in her free time enjoys trail running, camping, gardening, and cooking. She also has 3 bunnies, 2 guinea pigs, a cat, 2 dogs and 3 children that keep her busy.

Judith Asseo

Senior Director of Operations

Judith Asséo, Certified Veterinarian Practice Manager, originally hails from Boston and has over 20 years of leadership experience in the veterinary and animal welfare space. A graduate of Cornell University, Judy began her career as an animal care attendant when she was just 16 years old. Since then, has held leadership roles with both primary care and emergency/specialty veterinary hospitals. Immediately prior to joining WVP, Judy held a Regional Manager role for a group of veterinary hospitals in Northern California.

When Judy is not busy providing direction and leadership to the veterinary hospitals in her region, she can be found performing and teaching with San Francisco’s Secret Improv Society. She has been performing for over 25 years and has been a member of this award-winning troupe for the last 12 years. Judy’s public speaking, training and performance experience includes providing her original interactive “De-Escalation Training for Veterinary Hospital Teams” at various regional and national conferences throughout the United States.

Aubrey Agin

Accounts Payable Specialist I

Aubrey joins the WVP team bringing years of experience working with small businesses in her hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. She has worked in a variety of industries including manufacturing and insurance and enjoys the challenge of flexing to accommodate change – most recently supporting the sales and accounting teams at her last job to ensure people were taken care of during the shutdowns. A newer resident of Denver, Aubrey is excited to experience the beauty of Colorado. If she’s not in the mountains, you can catch her drawing, hosting dinner parties, or endlessly throwing a tennis ball with her dog Monty.

Jen Abram

Director of Business Development

Jen has spent the last decade in animal health providing medical and business solutions to veterinarians and their staff. As a Strategic Account Manager with Zoetis, Jen’s role was to educate and partner with veterinary practices to better the health of their patients, practice and team. In this role, she developed training tools and an accredited leadership certificate program for the industry.

As a Regional Sales Manager with KindredBio, Jen pursued her passion around people and their development by mentoring and coaching a multi-state sales team. Jen has also served on various industry boards, including Project VETS–a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and welfare of animals around the world.

Prior to animal health, Jen spent ten years on the human health side with Johnson & Johnson and Abbott Laboratories in technical sales and recruiting. Jen holds a BA in Journalism and Business from Indiana University.

Kristin Moritz

Chief Operating Officer

Kristin has over 15 years of experience working with private equity-backed businesses in the education, healthcare, and veterinary fields. Most recently, she led operations for the equine business line at National Veterinary Associates (NVA) and helped build the foundational support capabilities for equine practices and practitioners. She also worked with the specialty and emergency practices on the West Coast during her time at NVA. Prior to that, Kristin served as Director of Operations and Strategy for DaVita Medical Group (now Optum) and supported specialty and ancillary operations for a 100+ physician organization in Colorado. Kristin started her career as an Associate at Summit Partners, a global private equity firm. She received a B.S. in Management Science and Engineering and her Master’s Degree in Business Administration, both from Stanford University.

Grant Wilson

Business Development Advisor

Grant has over 15 years of private equity, investment banking, and corporate development experience. Most recently, he served as a Principal for Tyree & D’Angelo Partners, a lower middle market private equity firm where he invested in and worked with numerous provider-based healthcare services companies. He previously worked as an investment professional for Waud Capital Partners, a multi-billion dollar private equity firm focused on investments in healthcare and business services. Grant also worked in corporate development with CME Group and corporate finance and M&A advisory at Lehman Brothers in Chicago. Grant holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and received a BS in Finance and Accounting and a Master of Accountancy from Miami (of Ohio).

Peter Jacobson

Chief Financial Officer

Peter has over 15 years of finance and accounting leadership experience, including over ten years serving as a Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Western Veterinary Partners, Peter served as the CFO of BridgeHealth, a surgery benefit management company that provides its members with access to high quality healthcare while reducing costs. Prior to BridgeHealth, he worked as a CFO with other privately held high growth businesses in the technology, software, and manufacturing sectors, overseeing all financial reporting and integration related efforts. Earlier in his career, Peter was a Vice President of KeyBanc Capital Markets, where he worked with small and mid-sized businesses in capital raising and M&A activities. Peter is a Certified Public Accountant and received his MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and undergraduate BA with honors from Harvard University.

Dr. Heidi Wampler

Medical Advisor

Heidi Wampler grew up in Montana on a ranch where she developed a deep love of the West and caring for animals of all shapes and sizes. After attending Carroll College in Helena, she spent most of her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan, earning her bachelor’s degree in Biology from CSU in 1998.

While in graduate school at Colorado State University she completed research in Neuroanatomy and co-authored a published neuroanatomy study. She also completed research studies in Reproductive Physiology and Equine Surgery while attending veterinary school and raising her family. Dr. Wampler completed her DVM degree in 2002.

Before founding Alpine Animal Clinic, Dr. Wampler practiced first mixed animal and then small animal exclusive medicine and surgery for 7 years until deciding to pursue her dream of opening Helena’s first AAHA-accredited hospital, Alpine Animal Clinic, in 2008. Dr. Wampler’s hospital proved so successful, within three years she expanded her hospital to its current 11,083 square feet and employing nearly 40 staff members. At her hospital she organized and hosted two accredited educational conferences for veterinarians from Montana and neighboring states.

Dr. Heidi Wampler served as the Montana Representative to the Western Interstate Commission of Higher Education (WICHE) from 2014 to 2017. Her volunteer service to the State of Montana represented Montana students applying to Veterinary School at any of the participating 15 Western States.

With a strong commitment to inspiring tomorrow’s veterinary professionals, Dr. Wampler volunteers many hours in the community and mentors students of all ages from elementary students to professional veterinary students through her hospital in Helena, Montana. Her hospital is an Approved Affiliate of the PIMA LVT program in Dillon, Montana, mentoring those students pursuing licensure as they progress through their clinical rotations. She donates her time mentoring kids for activities including 4-H, “Kid’s College” at elementary schools, Career Day for high schools, and donates medical and surgical care for humane societies as well as supporting many other local community charities. Alpine Animal Clinic and Dr. Wampler also provide a great deal of donated care and services to needy pets in the Helena area.

Dr. Wampler has a special interest in orthopedics with certification in TPLO cruciate repair and TTA repair, and has advanced training in fracture plating repair. She has many years experience in advanced soft tissue surgery, internal medicine, and ultrasound in addition to training in laparoscopy and endoscopy.

Dr. Wampler lives in Helena with her husband, Todd Wampler, M.D., and their youngest son, Hayden. Together they enjoy Montana’s beautiful wilderness mountain biking, skiing, and camping. Dr. Wampler enjoys trail running and is also an avid Marine Aquarist.

Dr. Britt Dubil

Medical Advisor

Dr. Dubil has been in veterinary medicine most of her life, starting in her teenage years as kennel help. After completing her veterinary degree, she pursued a small animal medicine and surgery internship at a large referral practice in New Jersey. She has worked at many types of practices over the years, including emergency, surgical referral, private as well as corporately owned practices. Her pride, however, is the practice she built from the ground up in Park City, Utah, where she works tirelessly to improve the health of many furred friends. She joins Western Veterinary Partners as Medical Advisor, and is excited to combine her passion for veterinary medicine with improving the lives of veterinarians as well as those of pets. She received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University, and holds a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in German from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington.

Dr. Doug McInnis

VP of Veterinary Leadership

Dr. McInnis grew up with animals on their small family farm; it was there that he discovered a love for helping animals and decided to pursue a veterinary career. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Oregon and Washington State Universities’. After graduating, Dr. McInnis became incredibly active in organized veterinary medicine locally, statewide, and nationally.

He is a past president of the Klamath and Lake Counties Veterinary Medical Association, past president and board member of the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association, and currently serves as the Oregon Delegate to the American Veterinary Medical Association House of Delegates. He is a past member of the American Veterinary Medical Association Foundation and is currently a member their Advisory Board. Dr. McInnis is a member of the Rotary Club of Klamath County where he has held roles as Treasurer, President, and served on the Board of Directors. He is also the past president of the Klamath County Rotary Club Foundation. Dr. McInnis is currently serving his community as a member of the Sky Lakes Medical Center Board of Directors, a member of the Sky Lakes Medical Center Foundation Board, and a board member of Klamath County CASA (Child Abuse Special Advocates).

Dr. McInnis is dedicated to his profession and often fosters that dedication for high school students and the youth interested in the veterinary field. He encourages his veterinary hospital staff to pursue continuing education and career advancement, while providing preceptorships to students in the veterinary field. Dr. McInnis serves on two local scholarship committees: The Rotary Foundation Scholarship Committee and the Merle and Emma West Scholarship Committee.

Dr. McInnis is a great animal advocate and has served the Klamath Humane Society on the Board of Directors and has held the role of Vice President. Dr. McInnis continues to support the efforts of the Humane Society, donating many services and providing assistance to the shelter and its animals.

Dr. McInnis received the Diamond Collar Award in 2018 for his efforts in animal welfare from the Oregon Humane Society. Follow the link below.
https://youtu.be/Q4OZTf1h7_M

Carollee Brinkman

Chief Executive Officer

Carollee has over 20 years of healthcare industry experience holding numerous operational and senior executive management roles throughout her career. Prior to joining Western Veterinary Partners, Carollee served as a National Group President of Surgery Partners, an operator of over 120 ambulatory surgery centers and surgical hospitals across 32 states with over $2 billion in annual revenue. Carollee had operational oversite of approximately 4,000 employees within Surgery Partners, managing over $1 billion in annual revenue for the company. Prior to Surgery Partners, she was a Senior Vice Present of operations with National Surgical Healthcare, a previously privately held company that specialized in operating surgical hospitals in partnership with doctors. She served in numerous roles at National Surgical Healthcare, but spent substantial time partnering with doctors and clinicians to build and operate surgical hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers across the country. Carollee has also held leadership positions as a hospital Chief Executive Officer and a physician practice consultant. Carollee was raised on a ranch in Southwestern North Dakota and received her degree in Healthcare and Business Administration from Concordia College.