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Gene, Hospital Administrator
Gene has a BS in chemistry, AS in Digital Electronics, & AS in Electronic
Communication and comes to us after working 7 years as a Research Chemist
for Dow Corning and Nichols Institute. Gene grew up in the Sacramento foothills
and move down to the Southern California area in 1996 to work for Dow Corning.
Gene enjoys talking about Star Trek or any Science topics, riding mountain
bikes, scuba diving and water skiing! |
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Affie, Practice Manager & Veterinary Technician
In the unfortunate event that your pet needs to be hospitalized you can rest
easy knowing that someone with Affie's experience is there watch over them.
The patients are very fortunate to have someone with Affie's expertise
caring for them in the treatment room. With many years of experience in
emergency medicine and small animal practice, Affie is truly one of the
most accomplished nurses around. In addition to her nursing skills Affie
is an excellent teacher and mentor and offers training seminars and wet
labs to our nursing staff on her own time. She has a special interest in
emergency medicine and trauma as well as exotic animal husbandry and medical
care and she passes her knowledge on to her nursing staff in a way that
is easy to understand and fun. Affie loves to entertain when she has time,
and she is a culinary genius!! It was this skill that led our nursing staff
to insist that she have their RVT study group at her house in the hopes
that she will take pity on them and cook for them. Affie is also planning
to sit for her boards in 2009 although her career path is taking her further
from nursing and more into the administrative and human resource side of
veterinary medicine. Affie and her husband Jeremiah have worked hard for
many years and feel like they would like to share their blessings, so they
are currently studying to be foster parents. Their wish is to give children
in need a place to feel loved, needed and have some stability for whatever
time they are granted together. Someday, they may adopt a child of their
own, but for now they will be grateful for the opportunity to give back
to the children of San Diego County. In the meantime, Affie and Jeremiah
shower their love and attention on their two dogs, Phoebe and Stanley,
5 cats Stubby and Nubby (three-legged twins), Winston, Thomas and Fatty
and various Beta fish, goldfish and a puffer fish, and Affie’s 20 year
old conure Pico (who is not terribly fond of Jeremiah).
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Adrienne, Assistant Practice Manager & Veterinary
Technician
Adrienne comes to us with almost 15 years experience
in many different aspects of small animal medicine, including emergency
and specialty practice. Adrienne has a great love for animals and their
human companions. "It
takes much patience and empathy to care for animals, especially when
they are sick or aged. I have much respect for the humans that love
and care for these furry little creatures. These are people who understand
the meaning of unconditional love and are rewarded in kind by the pets
who become their children."
Adrienne is in the process of putting together an outreach program to educate
the community about the importance of vaccines and spaying and neutering as well
as animal safety for children. In an effort to decrease the number of animals
that are abandoned or euthanized due to new babies in the home, Adrienne is researching
material to include in her outreach programs on safely bringing home the baby
and introducing the baby to the pet. This program will also include statistics
regarding the high level of empathy and responsibility children raised with pets
have as opposed to children raised without pets.
Adrienne and her daughter Talulah often foster needy pets and match them up with
suitable human companions. They all still have a place not only in the
hearts of Adrienne and Talulah but in their home should anything happen to prevent
the pets from staying in their new found homes. Currently living in their
home, they have a shepherd/lab mix named Lady, a Queensland Healer mix named
Charlie, a Calcutta tortoise named Hoity-toity and an iguana.Adrienne is currently
studying to sit for her Veterinary Practice Managers license as well as her RVT
boards in 2009. In her very little spare
time she spends time with her family, Eddie and Talulah and their menagerie
of pets. They also enjoy having friends over to play their many instruments
(real ones not Guitar Hero!), sing, play pool and barbecue as often as
possible. |
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Barbara, Creature Comforts Pet Hotel Manager
Every pet staying with us at Creature Comforts Pet Hotel is fortunate
to have Barbara looking after them.
She originally joined our team looking for a "fun job" after
years of office work. She quickly fell in love with the pets and routinely
recognizes repeat visitors by sight alone. She has a desire to learn
as much as she can about pet care, enrolling in ROP veterinary assistant
courses, attending pet care expos, grooming seminars, nutrition classes
and online veterinary assisting classes. She is currently working on
her certification through the American Boarding Kennel Association (ABKA)
With all this experience, Barbara has detected many illnesses in pets
during their stay that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. Her attention
to detail also helped to catch a bloat (or GDV) in a Great Dane that
was boarding before it became life threatening.
Her primary concern is always the pets care and well-being. She likes to take
care of the pets at Shadowridge because our smaller size allows her the opportunity
to offer individualized care for each pet.
"I would never want to work in a large kennel or boarding facility where
volume is the primary concern and all the pets are just numbers," says Barbara. "At
Creature Comforts, I get to know each pet and can recognize early on when their
behavior is a little off from past stays. It makes me feel good to help pets
and make them feel at home while their parents are away". |
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Kathy, Nurse Supervisor
Kathy has been with Shadowridge
Veterinary Hospital for many years and is indispensable to us. Kathy
started out as an ROP student and proved herself so valuable that she
was offered a paid position. Lucky
for us she accepted it and has swiftly moved up the ladder to a supervisory
position due to her high skill level, her unquestionable knowledge
of hospital protocol and her exemplary work ethic. We all know
any time we have a protocol question Kathy is the person to go to. Kathy
is also an extremely talented and compassionate nurse. The pets
in her care are truly fortunate to have her as their nurse as she has
been known to stay late into the evening just to hold and comfort animals
who are recovering from surgery until they are calm and pain free before
she leaves for the night.
Kathy’s excellent supervisory skills are enhanced by the fact
that she truly cares about the welfare of the nurses she supervises. She
endeavors to always be fair and the nurses know they can count on her
go to bat for them any time they need her. Her loyalty to her
staff and to Shadowridge Veterinary Hospital is unmatched. She
is also our OSHA supervisor so the physical well-being of the staff
is a responsibility she takes very seriously as well.
Kathy’s spare time is spent with her husband Mark and their
menagerie of pets; 4 large dogs, Ozzie, Delilah, Sampson and Jasmine,
3 cats Cleo, Mr. Piper and Mu Shu and a one-eyed albino eel who doesn’t
have a name but is just as scary as it sounds. Kathy is also
one of the leaders of our RVT study group and intends to sit for the
2009 boards alongside her nursing staff.
Kathy is also is the only staff member to have won the perfect attendance
award in 2007 and earned herself and her husband a trip to Disneyland!! |
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Laura, Asistant Nursing Supervisor
When speaking with
Laura, you get a sense of calm reassurance, it’s
this same calm that makes her such an unerringly, superb nurse. Laura
worked her way up in the hospital through the boarding department where
she demonstrated an affinity for the animals and an eagerness to learn.
She was promoted to the nursing department where she worked hard and
learned quickly. Along with her strong nursing skills, Laura has an ability
to truly empathize with our patients which makes her a huge asset when
an animal is critically ill and the clients need help coping. Laura practices
veterinary nursing because she honestly wants to make the world a better,
happier, place.
If you ever find yourself at some of the local venues that offer entertainment,
you may see Laura there as singing is one of her other many talents. Her
voice is beautiful and has the same calming quality as her demeanor does when
she is nursing. However, her true love is veterinary medicine and to
that end she is studying to sit for her boards and obtain her Registered Veterinary
Technician license in 2009 with many other members of our staff.
Laura’s dedication to her chosen profession does not leave her a great
deal of spare time, but what little she has she spends working on her music,
spending time with her family and taking care of her dalmation Lola. |
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Nikki, Nurse & Purchasing Agent
After Nikki’s initial interview with Dr. Schiebert, Nikki sent Dr. Schiebert
a thank you note stating that although she may not be the most experienced
for the position no one would work harder or be more grateful
for the opportunity to work at Shadowridge than she. In the many years that followed Nikki has completely lived up to and exceeded all of our expectations.
Nikki started out in an entry level position with us and treated every
task as though it is of the utmost important. It was this amazing
work ethic as well as her aptitude for veterinary medicine and her deep
understanding of the human animal bond that led to Nikki
rising up the ladder veryquickly. At every step, with every
promotion Nikki has taken on the challenge as though the results are
life and death. Which serves as a solemn reminder to the rest of
us that although veterinary medicine can be very rewarding it is
hard work and mistakes can become fatal. There is no task in the
hospital that Nikki is not willing to do and she often stays late to
help other departments finish their work before she leaves from her 10-12
hour work day.
Nikki is a contributor to American Pit Bull Terrier rescue and has a
special place in her heart for the breed. Her home however,
is ruled by a 4 pound Chihuahua named “Rue” who keeps her
two champion Blue Pits Unique and Chino in line.
When asked why Nikki chose Veterinary medicine she answered “because
these creatures love us unconditionally, this is the only way I know
how to give back to them for that unselfish give”.
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Debra, Pet Care Assistant
Deborah has been with Shadowridge for many years in our boarding department
and has forged a bond with many of our long-term boarding clients and their
4 legged family members and they are always glad to see her when they arrive.
Almost any time you come into our Vista location you will see Deborah’s
smiling face waiting to take back her charges for their stay in our luxury
pet hotel and get them settled in for the duration. Due to her extensive
experience with boarding pets Deborah has a special knack for knowing when
one of our four-legged guests are not feeling well and makes sure that they
get medical attention in the most efficient way possible.
Deborah has a deep love for animals and is especially enamored with small
dogs and kitties. She cares for two dogs of her own, Sammie and Charlie
and to her credit they are excellent guests when they come into our hospital. |
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Betsy, Nurse
If you have a kitty that may be a little afraid of coming to the vet
or is just a little feisty or just plain stubborn, you can rest easy
knowing Betsy has the special touch to handle them and will do so with
gentleness and love. Betsy’s previous experience was at an all-cats
hospital where she learned techniques to handle situations like those,
and coupled with her confidence and skill, we are fortunate to have her on our team.
Betsy came to Shadowridge to obtain more experience with small animals
other than cats and quickly proved that her skill with dogs and pocket
pets would equal her skill with cats.
Betsy’s favorite part of working at Shadowridge is the above
par patient care and the opportunity to assist in radiology and surgery.
She is excited to be sitting for her boards soon with many of the other nurses
to obtain her RVT license.
Betsy spends her spare time with her Chihuahua “Doggie” and her English
bulldog “Bully” and her kitties. She is also part of the San Diego
Zoological Society. |
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Brenna, Technician Assistant
Brenna’s
hard work and thirst for knowledge make her a valuable asset to our
Vista team. Having no previous experience in veterinary medicine she
asked to be taken on as a trainee in the boarding and nursing department
with the hopes of working her way up to a nursing position.
Brenna has a genuine empathy for the animals she cares for and it is
heartwarming to watch her quietly give comfort to the hospitalized and
boarding patients and gently take care of their basic needs as she pets
them and speaks to them in a calming voice.
We are sure that Brenna’s mixed breed dog Teddy and and her parakeet Mango are well cared for and possibly slightly spoiled family members.
Brenna thinks that she might want a career in veterinary medicine in the future and we are very honored to be a part of what is sure to be a promising and successful career. |
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Evellyne, Receptionist
Evelynne has been with Shadowridge for a significant period of time, marked
by a brief sabbatical she took in which many clients were at a loss
without her sweetness and charm to greet them as they came through
the door.
Shadowridge is fortunate to have a front office representative with
such deep ties to our clients. One can come in assured that if
they ask Evelynne to make something happen she will do so with efficiency
and accuracy.
As coworkers of Evelynne’s we look forward to her sense of humor
and honesty in everything she does.
As is true of most of us, Evelynne also has a brood of pet’s
that brighten her life everyday: 2 guinea pigs Skylar and Mojo, one
Tokay gecko called El Matador that is supremely unfriendly, 3 red ear
sliders: Nascar, The Flash and Scuba, 2 firebelly frogs Flogging and
Molly, 2 marginated tortoises Flip and Smalls and lots of fish.
In her off time, when she is not caring for her pet’s she enjoys
hiking, camping and biking and she is proud to say she just climbed
Mt. Whitney!!! |
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Jeff, Technician Assistant
Jeff is a kinesiology student at CSUSM and came to work at Shadowridge
veterinary hospital to learn more about veterinary medicine.
With his particular interest in surgery and healing he is a perfect
candidate for a career in veterinary medicine. His inquisitive nature
makes him fun to work with, especially for our nurses and doctors who
love to teach, instruct and share their knowledge.
Jeff is active in
many extracurricular activities such as surfing, waterpolo and snowboarding.
He also has his own zoo at home consisting of 2 black labs (a father
and daughter called “Sammy and “Daisy”) a four pound
yorkie named Chester, 2 cats (Snoball and Tiger) and a cockatoo named
Peety.
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Josh, Nurse
Josh is the youngest
of three siblings, all of whom are successful veterinary nurses, so
you can safely say that veterinary medicine runs in his blood!
Josh came to us from a hospital he felt was more interested in the
quantity of the patients that they could get through the door than
the quality of medicine they provided to those patients. Because he
was looking for a hospital that had an emphasis on quality care for
the patients and continuing education for the staff, he chose us. He
has been such a huge asset to our hospital since his first day we count
ourselves lucky that we chose him as well!
Inside Josh’s tall physique lies the heart of a true animal
lover. Despite his height, which could cause anxiety in some
animals, his calm reassurance to the pets he cares for provides obvious
comfort demonstrated by the way very nervous dogs and cats become docile
and comfortable in his arms. Lucky for these pets, Josh is also
an extremely accomplished and skilled technician so their trust is
well placed. Josh’s special interest is in surgery and
he can tries to assist any time we have a specialist come in to perform
an unusual surgery to help further his education. Josh is planning
to sit for the boards in 2009 along with many of our other nurses.
Josh has his own brood, his dog a lab/chow mix named Dubs and 3 cats
Tiny, Zero and Tinkerbell whom he cares for when he is not practicing
to be a rock star on his RockBand video game. Josh states that he loves
veterinary medicine because he feels like he is able to help people
by caring for their animals and helping keep them well.
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Judy, Nurse
Judy has only recently
become a part of our staff, however she has extensive experience in veterinary
nursing and has already proved to be an asset to our hospital. Judy’s
joyful attitude is infectious. This coupled with her high nursing
skill level makes her a favorite to work with among both staff and clients.
Compassion for animals brought Judy to this field and has definitely
contributed to her ability to care for and comfort our patients when
they are scared or hurting. We can always count on Judy to double
and triple check that all the surgeries have been given appropriate
pain control and are resting comfortably post-operatively.
Judy has a special interest in Australian Shepherds and the breed-specific
ailments they suffer. Judy has her own Aussie named Diego and
a wire-haired terrier named Lexie at home. She is also studying
to sit for her boards in 2009.
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Margarita, Nursing Assistant & Pet Care Specialist
Although Margarita (Magui) is fairly new to our practice we all
feel like she has always been with us. Every morning Maggie comes in with
a smile on her face ready to take on the challenge of our most rambunctious
as well as our calmest boarders for their morning playtime. No
matter what age or temperament of each special guest in our facility,
Maggie treats them all with kindness and understanding and truly enjoys
finding just the right toy or treat to make each pet happy and comfortable.
Maggie’s main duties are as a pet care specialist in our boarding
department but her eagerness to learn new things and her affinity for
all things furry has given us the opportunity to train her as a nursing
assistant as well. Maggie shows a great aptitude for animal medicine
and we expect she will go for in this practice.
Maggie loves to draw and in her spare time she hangs out with her
friends and her cat “Luna” who enjoys trying to play with her drawing
instruments while she’s using them!! |
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Maria, Pet Care Specialist
You might think that Maria is shy when you first meet her and that big dogs might be too much for her. You would be mistaken. Maria has a way with animals that can only be described as a gift. Big, frightened animals become calm and docile in her care. She can bathe an animal that is terrified of water with out causing them any undue stress and the next time they come in they are happy to see her. Dogs and cats that are stressed in new environments are put at ease just by having Maria with them. She is undeniably an animal whisperer.
Maria enjoys learning about animal care and husbandry and being given new challenges in the work place. When not at work, she spends time with her three teenage children, Precious the poodle, Gatita the cat and Amir the Guinea Pig. |
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Rita, Assistant
Boarding Manager and On-Site Groomer
Rita is an excellent client care specialist and has in-depth knowledge of the special needs of our long-term boarders who often ask for her by name, knowing they will get the best care and service.
Rita’s special talent is in the grooming department. Rita feels a special bond with the pets who are uncomfortable because of matting, overgrown nails,
dense fur around the back-end and any number of problems that can be solved with the right veterinary care and a knowledgable groomer. Knowing she can make them more comfortable gives her great pleasure. Rita is in the process of obtaining her Groomer’s license and expanding her client base.
When Rita is not working or studying she is kept busy by her baby daughter, as well as her German Sheperd Daisy, her Chihuahua Goldie, her poodle-mix Teddy, 2 boxers Tweety and Dora, her pitbull Chunky, her Chinchilla-Paco, her cat-Louie, her Red Ear Slider, her turtle-Squirt, her Koi fish and any number of finches and lovebirds that are in and out of her Aviary. When it comes to her love for animals Rita does not mess around! |
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Megan, Pet Care Specialist
The amazing thing about Megan is her ability to greet each client and
patient by name.She will often call the nurses in the back to let
them know a patient is here as soon as they drive into our parking
lot. Because so much of Megan’s job is acting as a liaison
between the Doctors and the Clients, she has an intimate knowledge
of each pet’s special needs and even each client’s needs.
She remembers these things not because she has to but because she
genuinely cares about our client’s and their 4-legged companions
and wants to be sure they get the best possible care.
Megan came to us from the human side of wellness medicine and has
a special interest in learning what we can teach our clients to keep
their pets healthy rather than only seeing them when they are ill.
She has her own brood including Chico (pictured), Delilah a St. Bernard
and Buddy an amazingly large yellow lab that is sweet as can be.
Megan finds helping our clients and their pets very rewarding and
can’t wait to learn more about animal medicine. |
