My love of animals and the beginning of my dream to become an animal doctor began when I was a little girl and first adopted a golden retriever puppy. This dream was unwavering and took me all the way through college at Oregon State University and then veterinary school at Oregon and Washington State Universities in which I graduated in 2004. Following graduation, I left the Pacific Northwest to follow the warm sunshine and began my career as a small animal veterinarian in the Bay Area of California. After several years, my desire to put down roots closer to family brought me back to the Pacific NW in 2010. I have had the good fortune of working in outstanding multi-doctor primary care veterinary hospitals in both CA and the Portland area. In addition, I have experience with veterinary pharmaceutical consulting, providing continuing education to veterinarians, as well as serving on the Dove Lewis Board of Directors for over a decade including two years as Board Chair.

I love what I do and feel blessed to help people and their pets daily. As a veterinarian, I feel it is an honor to partner with you, my client, not just in improving the quality of life of your pets, but also in caring for you and your family as a whole. Recognizing, celebrating, and protecting the human animal bond is one of the best and most meaningful parts of my job.

As a Level Three Certified Fear Free Professional, I am very experienced with working with anxious and fearful pets and work to transform their experience at the veterinary appointment as well as yours! Preventing fear associated with the vet office starts from the very beginning and is incorporated in my education for clients and handling of pets from their very first puppy and kitten visit.

Facing the end of a pet’s life can be a challenging and sometimes confusing time. It can also be a time of shifting from focus on cure to focus on comfort and making the absolute best of the time left together. With special interest in end-of-life care and extensive work toward certification in palliative care, I partner with families in making this special time as comfortable and meaningful as possible.

I feel it is my responsibility and privilege to work with the next generation of veterinarians through clinical student externship programs and through academic exercises as alumni. Outside of my clinical practice, I have served as Adjunct Faculty for the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Pullman for over a decade.

My professional interests include dentistry, preventative medicine, internal medicine, geriatric and end of life care, neurology, human-animal bond, fear free practice techniques, student mentorship, providing continuing education and practice management. I share my life with my husband, Josh, and our three active boys, Logan (11), Ben (8) and Austin (4). We also include our Labrador Gallant, golden retriever puppy Stella and Siamese cat Lexie as part of our family. When not working or running after my family, I enjoy recreational running (especially trails, half marathons), entertaining, interior design, travel, sunshine and the outdoors.