Bio

I grew up in San Diego in a house full of critters. My parents shared my love for animals and didn’t seem to mind all of the strays I brought home. My first adopted animal was a guinea pig named Rodney. Much to our surprise, Rodney turned out to be a lady and pregnant. Soon we had quite a few guinea pigs and all of my friends got one too! In high school, I became a Puppy Raiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind and learned the value of the human-animal bond. As a Puppy Raiser, I was responsible for the early training of canines who would eventually become the partner of humans in need.

I attended college at the University of California, Berkeley, where I graduated with a double major in Molecular and Cell Biology and Political Science. While in school I began working as a veterinary assistant at the local specialty veterinary hospital.  After college, I interned at the Oakland Zoo where I was responsible for the care of reptiles, amphibians, and inverts. I fell in love with the Aldabra Tortoises, especially Gus, and had “an understanding” with the leaf cutter ants. The understanding was that I feed them and stay calm, and they wouldn’t bite me!

One year later, I began veterinary school at Purdue University, School of Veterinary Medicine. I focused on the care of small animals and exotics. My studies took me to the Czech Republic and Austria where I received a scholarship to focus on avian medicine but also received training in the care of reptiles and pocket pets such as guinea pigs, ferrets, and rabbits. During my fourth year of veterinary school, I completed externships at the San Diego Safari Park and Austin Pets Alive. Upon graduating in 2015, I was excited to return to my hometown and begin my journey as a veterinarian here in San Diego!

Joining the Veterinary Dental Specialties team has been a dream of mine since I began practicing and saw the impact oral health has on our furry companions. I am excited to get to know all of you and your animal companions!

 In my years of practice, I have pursued additional training in canine and feline dentistry and look forward to practicing veterinary dentistry at the highest level. I am also Fear Free Certified and committed to caring for patients in the most gentle and compassionate manner possible to make their experience a positive one.  As a veterinarian, I believe education is the most powerful tool to care for our patients. I look forward to having conversations with everyone about how to best care for your companions’ teeth!

As many of you can guess, I have quite a few animals that count on me at home! Currently, I care for my pack of four kitties and two goofball dogs. My husband, stepdaughter and I enjoy spending time at the beach with our pups. My hobbies include yoga, sewing (especially dog sweaters), and cycling.