Dr. Shawna Garner graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. After graduation she landed in Indianapolis, IN where she worked in Emergency & Critical care for 7 years. In 2008 she moved back to her hometown in IL to open her own veterinary clinic where she sees companion animals, exotics and farm animals. Dr. Garner has been in the virtual care industry since 2017 and has extensive knowledge in teletriage. Her hobbies include cycling, running, hiking, reading, and spending quality time with her son and family (along with her 4 dogs, 3 cats, 3 turtles, 4 turkeys and 16 chickens!) Dr. Garner joined FirstVet in 2020.
Dr. Sheena Haney earned her veterinary degree in 2010 from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, CA. After completing veterinary school, she moved to SE Idaho where she worked as a small animal veterinarian for 5 years. During this time, she enjoyed building relationships with her patients and their humans. After the birth of her second child, she and her husband decided it was time to move their family back to their hometown in Southern Oregon. Since then, Dr. Haney has worked as a general practitioner and emergency veterinarian. Her professional interests include dentistry, wound management, and geriatric care. Dr. Haney is a Fear Free Certified Practitioner and a member of the OVMA and AVMA. When not at the clinic, she enjoys brief moments of quiet reading, writing, and finding new ways to wear out her two young children and a three-legged Border Collie. Dr. Haney joined FirstVet in 2020 and looks forward to helping families take an active role in their pet’s healthcare.
Dr. Diane Givler received her veterinary degree from Ross University in 2008 and spent her clinical year at LSU (Geaux Tigers!). She is originally from Pennsylvania, and has practiced small animal medicine in Rochester, NY, Columbia, SC, and Southport, NC. Dr. Givler has worked in small private-owned hospitals, large corporate hospitals, and on a non-profit surgically-equipped spay/neuter RV. Most recently she has been self-employed as a relief veterinarian and is currently living on a 58 foot sailboat with her husband, two dogs, and one cat. Dr. Givler joined FirstVet in 2020.
Dr. Tina Pilgram graduated from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. Since then, she has worked in the Houston, Texas area as a small animal and exotics veterinarian in private practice. Dr. Pilgram especially enjoys working with ferrets, rabbits, pocket pets, reptiles and chelonian species. She has a special interest in educating owners about the importance of diet and husbandry practices for their exotic pets. Dr. Pilgram’s other passion includes helping pet families care for their senior cats and dogs, emphasizing health and quality of life. In her spare time, Dr. Pilgram enjoys scuba diving, reading, gardening, various art projects, and traveling with her boyfriend. She currently has 2 cats, a red-footed tortoise, and a high energy dog! Dr. Pilgram joined FirstVet in 2020.
Dr. Eve Cohen received her veterinary degree from St. Matthew's University in Grand Cayman in 2014 and spent her clinical year at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She then completed a Small Animal Medicine and Surgery rotating internship at BluePearl Veterinary Partners in New York City. Dr. Cohen has been a small animal general practitioner in NYC, Long Island, and Bluffton, SC. Her special interests include anesthesia and pain management, geriatric care, and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. Dr. Cohen is a classically trained violinist and violist and also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Creative Writing from Skidmore College. She lives in Bluffton, SC with her fiance, 3 rescued cats and a toy poodle - all named after musical references. Dr. Cohen joined FirstVet in 2020.
Dr. Fiona Strange graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 2000 and started work in a small animal practice. In 2003 Dr. Strange bought the practice and then opened another in 2005. As the practices grew, she hired five more vets and work kept her very busy! Dr. Strange loves to meet people and their pets, and while many have passed through the practice doors and she has experienced a lot in general practice, she is most passionate about ophthalmology. In 2018 Dr. Strange completed the rigorous requirements to be recognized as an Advanced Practitioner in Ophthalmology by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, London. Then, in 2019 she relocated to California after selling her practices. Though heartbreaking to leave, she was ready for the next adventure, and currently works as a relief vet! When her 3 children permit any spare time, she enjoys swimming, riding horses, and mountain biking. Dr. Strange joined FirstVet in 2020.
Dr. Deb Welsh graduated from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1996 after working as a pediatric RN for 8 years. Since then, she has absolutely loved working with cats, dogs and their families in a variety of small animal practices throughout the US. Dr. Welsh has special interests in feline medicine, behavioral issues, and general nutrition. She is Fear Free Certified and a member of the AVMA. She’s a mom to four awesome kids, a sweet Golden Retriever and three very privileged and personable cats. When not working, Dr. Welsh loves spending time with family and friends, working on their fixer upper house, gardening, hiking and looking at cat pictures on the internet. Her husband loves that about her! Dr. Welsh joined FirstVet in 2020 and is very excited and honored to be part of the team. She most looks forward to helping owners ensure that their pets are living their best lives.
Dr. Grace Gore graduated from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in 2013. She has since practiced in both small animal general practice as well as emergency medicine. In particular, she enjoys working with geriatric patients, and has an interest in dermatology. Dr. Gore currently works in general practice, as well as teaching at a local college. She spends her free time enjoying the outdoors with her family and pets. Her family is completed by her beloved four-legged members Maebie (great dane), Hans (maine coon) and Cassio (mustang). Dr. Gore joined FirstVet in 2020.
Dr. Denise Michanowicz graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in 1994. After 26 years of practicing as a small animal veterinarian, Dr. Michanowicz’s wide range of veterinary expertise includes everything from new puppy/kitten visits to emergency & sick patients. She has been a practice owner and currently works as a locum veterinarian on a small island in Denmark. More than anything, she enjoys promoting the human animal bond between pets and their families. Dr. Michanowicz lives with her husband, 3 teenagers, and 3 cats - Moodie, Garfield, and Domino. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her family, outdoor activities, and gardening. While English is her first language, she is fluent in Italian, along with an intermediate ability in Danish. Dr. Michanowicz joined FirstVet in September 2020 and is excited to be part of an additional method to help families with their pets’ veterinary needs.
Dr. Julie Napier graduated from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. She started work in a small animal, exotics, and emergency practice, with the intent of becoming a zoo and wildlife veterinarian. She spent almost 20 years in a variety of zoological institutions and did field work around the world including South Africa, Botswana, Madagascar, and Belize. Dr. Napier has a passion for animal welfare and conservation. Although she is no longer practicing in the wildlife field, she continues to be involved, writing book chapters and journal articles. She takes in senior dogs (over the years she has rescued 19 to date), has remained active in small animal medicine, and continues to consult in exotic pet and wildlife medicine. Dr. Napier joined FirstVet in September 2020.
Dr. Natalie Campbell graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 1998. Following graduation, she completed a small animal medical and surgical internship and practiced general and emergency medicine. In 2012, Dr. Campbell earned her Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner Certification (CCRP) through the University of Tennessee School of Veterinary Medicine and established a successful Physical Rehabilitation Service at a large specialty practice in northern Delaware. In 2019, Dr. Campbell made the jump to the public sector allowing her to be at the forefront of public health concerns. In this role, she became skilled in promoting the value of the One Health Initiative, which recognizes the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. Dr. Campbell’s professional interests include physical rehabilitation, geriatric care, and preventive medicine. She is certified in small animal osteoarthritis management and a member of the AVMA and AARV (American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians). She lives in the Philadelphia area with her family, a cranky Chihuahua, a bossy cat and enjoys knitting, yoga, and cycling. Dr. Campbell joined FirstVet in 2020 and looks forward to providing compassionate care to people and their four-legged family members.
Dr. Danielle Woolf received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in 2016. Since graduating, she has practiced small animal, emergency and exotics medicine in New York City. Her veterinary interests include internal medicine, dermatology, surgery and dentistry. Dr. Woolf is currently living in South Africa to spend time with family and to do volunteer work. Dr. Woolf joined FirstVet in 2021 and is excited to help with your pet’s care!
Dr. Sara Johnston graduated in 2003 from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitts, and worked in a rural mixed animal hospital, where she had the opportunity to work with several species of animals including horses, donkeys, cattle, and goats, along with small animals and pocket pets. Originally from Greenville, SC, she now practices small animal medicine and surgery, with a special focus on feline medicine, in the Myrtle beach area of SC. Her dog, Pinky, was rescued from the side of the road about ten years ago, and she and her mom enjoy spending time on the beach. Dr. Johnston joined FirstVet in 2021 and is excited to be a member of the team!
Dr. Kayla Hyre acquired the interest of helping animals during high school while working at a local veterinary hospital, where she grew up in Louisiana. She went on to obtain her Bachelor of Science and then pursued her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Louisiana State University and graduated, with honors in 2016. For the past 5 years, Dr. Hyre has worked as a small animal general practitioner in both Las Vegas, NV and Ruckersville, VA, before moving to Singapore in 2021. Her professional interests include dentistry, dermatology and internal medicine. Through her special interest in the veterinary mission field, she has traveled to Haiti and Honduras multiple times. In her spare time, Dr. Hyre loves to spend time with family and friends, travel to new locations with her husband, and play tennis. She and her husband live with their shepherd mix pup Luna. Dr. Hyre joined FirstVet in 2021.
Dr. Maggie Doley graduated from Virginia Tech College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008. She moved to the west coast of Florida 7 years ago and lives in the Tampa Bay area. Dr. Doley has over 12 years of small animal (cats and dogs) experience in emergency, critical care, clinical medicine and surgery working in private and corporate veterinary practices. Soft tissue surgery and educating clients about the care of their pets are her favorite aspects of vet medicine. Prior to becoming a vet, Dr. Doley was a middle school Science and English teacher. In her free time, she enjoys kayaking with her son, traveling, and reading history and authors related to her travels. Dr. Doley joined FirstVet in 2021.
Dr. Linda Siperstein received her doctor of veterinary medicine degree in 2002 from The Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston in 2003. After practicing in the Boston area for nearly 13 years, she returned to her home in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2014. “Dr. Sip’s” primary areas of interest are pet exotic medicine and surgery (including rabbits, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, ferrets, rats, parrots, reptiles, plus pet chickens), as well as, of course, dog and cat care. She is dedicated to client education, preventative care, and pain management. In her spare time, Dr. Sip loses hours in her little backyard art studio creating hand-bound books and generally making a mess with paints, glue and found materials, plays a bit of “not ready for the public” banjo and ukulele, and loves to travel to places both near and far. She lives in Oakland, CA with two Puerto Rican mutts, her senior citizen 3-legged cat, her box turtle, and her radio producer husband. Dr. Sip joined FirstVet in 2021.
Dr. Peregrine Wolff graduated from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1984. She has worked with zoo animals, wildlife, horses, farm animals, llamas, alpacas, and mini pigs. In addition to working with FirstVet, Dr. Wolff works for an international organization involved with wildlife health and conservation. She also sees farm animals and mini pigs for veterinary care. Dr. Wolff is particularly interested in improving husbandry and nutrition to prevent common health problems. She is an avid bird watcher and enjoys hikes and beach days with her dogs, Jasper and Charlie. Dr. Wolff joined FirstVet in 2021.
Dr. Zack Beresin received his veterinary degree from The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2017. Following graduation, he completed a rotating internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the Veterinary Specialty Center of Delaware. Since completing his internship, Dr. Beresin has worked as a small animal general practitioner in Ohio and New Jersey. His veterinary interests include preventative care and client education, radiology, dermatology, and surgery. Dr. Beresin’s undergraduate degree is in Environmental Studies, and he is still passionate about environmental conservation and sustainability. Outside of work, Dr. Beresin enjoys exploring the outdoors, including hiking, biking, camping and travel, cooking, listening to music, and most of all, spending time with his family. Dr. Beresin joined Firstvet in 2021.
Dr. Heather Newett received her veterinary degree from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She is a small animal practitioner and equestrian for fun! For the past 5 years, Dr. Newett has worked at a small, private clinic in the Denver area. She also does part-time relief work for a larger corporate practice. Along with her DVM, Dr. Newett has a Bachelor’s degree from Wilson College in Pennsylvania and a Master’s of Public Health from UC Berkeley in California. She is currently working on her Certification in Veterinary Acupuncture through Chi University. During her free time, Dr. Newett loves camping, river rafting, and traveling with her veterinarian husband. Dr. Newett joined FirstVet in 2021.
Dr. Rebecca Lu graduated from Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. Shortly thereafter, she and her husband moved to Maine, where she took part in a modified internship practicing alongside board certified Veterinary Internal Medicine and Surgery Specialists. Prior to having children she and her husband moved back to the Midwest to be closer to family. Dr. Lu's areas of particular interest are preventative care, feline behavior, dentistry, general surgery, wound care and integrative medicine. Dr. Lu is a Fear Free Certified practitioner. She and her husband have three children, a lab mix, 4 cats, 3 ball pythons, and a tarantula. When not practicing veterinary medicine she enjoys spending time with family, cooking, traveling, and volunteering with the Medical Reserve Corps of Greater Kansas City, and Heart to Heart International. Dr. Lu joined FirstVet in 2021.
Dr. Sandy Rosete earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degree from Colorado State University in 1996. Upon graduation, Dr. Rosete returned to her adopted home state of New Mexico, where she practiced small animal and exotics medicine. In her long career, Dr. Rosete also practiced in Nevada, Hawaii (which was awesome!) and Northern California. In 2013, Dr. Rosete purchased a veterinary hospital, which allowed her to develop a deeper bond with the community and more effectively meet the needs of pets and pet parents. In her spare time, Dr. Rosete enjoys spending time with her husband, their newly adopted special needs dog, Sonrisa, and their two cats, Timmy and Millie. She enjoys hiking, biking and spending time taking in the beauty of nature. Dr. Rosete joined FirstVet in 2021.
Dr. Allison Schwartz graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2011. She completed a Small Animal Medicine and Surgery rotating Internship at Garden State Veterinary Specialists in NJ. Since completing her internship, Dr. Schwartz has enjoyed being a small animal general practitioner, with a special interest in dentistry, pediatrics, and surgery. In her free time, Dr. Schwartz enjoys baking, cooking, reading, and of course spending time with her husband and young son. Dr. Schwartz joined FirstVet in 2021.
Dr. Cathryn Doyle earned her veterinary degree at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in May 2013 and also earned a Masters of Public Health from Virginia Tech University in December 2013. She then went on to train in a small animal rotating internship in Virginia Beach, VA from 2014 to 2015 before making her way into working as an Emergency and Critical Care veterinarian since 2015. Dr. Doyle has a keen interest in wildlife and conservation medicine and spent much of her time during her veterinary training learning and working at various zoos and wildlife rehabilitation centers. In her spare time, she enjoys snuggling up with a good book and her rescued cat, Edana, as well as taking in spectacular views while hiking atop the Rocky Mountains. Dr. Doyle joined FirstVet in 2021.
Dr. Cindy McCauley graduated from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. She knew from a very young age that she had a strong connection to animals and wanted to help them. So, it was no surprise that at eight years old her life would be changed by helping to pour blue antiseptic on an injured rooster. At the time, she had no idea what that “blue stuff” was, but can still remember where she was standing and what she was wearing. During her high school years, Dr. McCauley’s passion to help animals and advocate for their needs grew even stronger. Now, after more than 25 years in practice, she is still grateful to spend her life doing something she loves with people who all feel the same way! Dr. McCauley’s favorite part of being a veterinarian is that it allows her to make a difference. Whether it is preventative health care to keep animals healthy, helping a new life enter the world, performing a life- saving surgery, or assisting an old friend to pass with peace and dignity, she gets to make a difference every single day. Dr. McCauley feels blessed to have a supportive husband, daughter, son, and four-legged fur baby that understand her commitment to this career. Dr. McCauley joined FirstVet in 2021.
Dr. Yoanna Maitre received her doctorate from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2002. Upon graduation, Dr. Maitre worked in rural mixed animal practice for four years, followed by two years in small animal general practice and emergency/critical care. She currently works per diem at several small animal practices providing primary care, surgery, and urgent care. Since 2009, she has also owned and operated Berkshire Ambulatory Veterinary Services, a mobile large animal practice providing medical and surgical care to cattle, horses, sheep, goats, llamas and alpacas. In 2010, Dr. Maitre became board certified in Canine & Feline Practice by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP). Dr. Maitre is also a Fear Free Certified Professional. In addition to her dedication to clinical practice, Dr. Maitre has a strong interest in disaster preparedness and response and is a member of the National Veterinary Response Team (NVRT). In her free time Dr. Maitre enjoys reading, soccer, and curling as well as hiking and kayaking with her dog Maia. Dr. Maitre joined FirstVet in 2021.
Dr. Mori Afraz graduated from the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2014. She completed a small animal rotating internship at a specialty and emergency hospital in San Francisco and worked as a locum veterinarian throughout the Bay Area until she and her family relocated to Minnesota, where she worked as a staff veterinarian for a non-profit, full service general practice. Through this experience, Dr. Mori was witness to the power of the human-animal bond and the importance of preserving this bond through client education, guidance, and having veterinary medicine accessible to all. Sadly, the pandemic cut her time in MN short as she and her family made the difficult decision to move back to California to be closer to family. During this time, a special opportunity came up for the family to move to Spain, which was an immediate yes! Dr. Mori also holds a master's degree in nutritional science and has a special interest in preventative medicine, nutrition, dermatology, and the management of chronic care. She enjoys watching her dog and son challenge each other to zoomies, going on road trips, finding great food, and exploring Europe. Dr. Mori joined FirstVet in 2021.
Dr. Carmen Scippa received her veterinary degree from St. George's University in 2015. She then moved to New York City where she worked as a general practitioner for 5 years. She is currently working as a full-time relief veterinarian with small animal clinics and shelters in both New York and Texas. Dr. Scippa has a special interest in general surgery and senior care. In her free time she travels often and loves combining veterinary volunteer work with seeing new countries whenever possible. Dr. Scippa joined First Vet in 2021 and is excited to help families with their pet's veterinary needs.
Dr. Monique Lewison obtained her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and Husbandry with high honors and then went on to realize her childhood dream, graduating from the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1987. Since then, Dr. Lewison has had a mobile mixed animal practice in Northern Israel, worked in mixed and small animal practices in New York State, Chicagoland (where she also spent several years as an at home euthanasia veterinarian), Seattle, and East Tennessee. In 2013 she became an IVAS certified veterinary acupuncturist, and in 2015 she completed her veterinary chiropractic certification at the Healing Oasis in Wisconsin. Dr. Lewison is especially interested in animal communication and is dedicated to client education and holistic preventative care. She loves helping people better understand their pet’s issues and how to best care for them. She is currently following her husband’s dream (and now hers) of sailing around the world. While they organize to refit their 41 foot sailboat (in Kent, UK), care for her elderly mother in Israel, and care for their homestead in the foothills of the Smokies in Tennessee, Maximus, her rescued cat waits patiently for her to return from her travels each time. Dr. Lewison joined FirstVet in 2021.
Dr. Ava Lemme is a 2016 graduate from the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine located on the island of St. Kitts in the West Indies. After graduation, she spent several years working as a shelter veterinarian in the Seattle area. While she was there, she became very fond of working with homeless senior pets and providing critical care to neonatal puppies and kittens. She is excited to be a part of the Firstvet team to continue to make a difference in the lives of families and their pets. Dr. Lemme lives in Myrtle Beach, SC with her husband (also a veterinarian), their son, and their rescued island mutt, Otter. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outside with her family (especially at the beach), bike riding, painting and embroidery. Dr. Lemme joined Firstvet in 2021.
Dr. Leah Cowburn is a 2015 graduate of Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed a post-graduate internship and worked as an emergency veterinarian at one of the largest emergency/specialty hospitals in the country. Dr. Cowburn now works as a general practitioner at a non-profit private practice that is dedicated to community outreach for an underserved community. She also works with a rescue that takes animals from natural disasters worldwide and high-kill shelters. Dr. Cowburn has been a contributor to NPR’s podcast Talking Animals. She has a special interest in pain management, quality of life, alternative and physical therapy and is certified as a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner through the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She currently lives in Maryland with her husband and Boston Terrier. Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr Cowburn enjoys cooking and playing tennis. Dr. Cowburn joined FirstVet in 2021.
Dr. Kim Cross graduated from Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2010. She was born and raised in the suburbs of Houston, TX and first started practicing in a rural mixed practice in Hondo, TX outside San Antonio. There she saw medical cases, surgeries, and emergencies for just about everything in dogs, cats, horses, cattle, deer, occasional alpaca, occasional pigs, etc. After 2 years, she transitioned to small animal medicine and has been practicing with corporate and private veterinary practices in Texas and Maryland. Dr. Cross relocated to Maryland with her husband (who was formerly in the US Air Force) in 2014 and has resided there ever since. Dr. Cross recently transitioned to a self-employed relief (locum) veterinarian. Her veterinary interests include client education/ communication on just about anything, as well as oncology, preventative medicine, end of life care and palliative care, and dermatology. She also loves to ensure each client can find the right specialist and/or get the answers or resources that they need. Prior to the pandemic, Dr. Cross loved to travel. She enjoyed going to state/national parks, beaches, mountains, road trips, and visiting family and friends or other sights. She hopes to get back to traveling more as the world opens up. Dr Cross also enjoys just spending quality time with her family, as her 3 young boys are at such a fun age, love exploring, and keep her and her husband on their toes! Dr. Cross joined FirstVet in 2021.
