| ABOUT US |
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| OUR STAFF |
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Our Animal Health Technicians (AHT) and professional staff members are specially trained with emphasis in the veterinary surgical field.
While your pet is with us, our staff provide high quality nursing care and attention with gentle sensitivity. |
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| FRONT OFFICE STAFF |
Amy Paxton |
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A love of animals brought Amy to the veterinary field after 10 years with the Walt Disney Company. She worked for several years in private practice before joining Veterinary Surgical Specialists. In her free time Amy enjoys the beach, swimming and spending time with family. |
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Shellie joined our practice after two years at a general practice in Orange County. Her love for animals brought her into the veterinary field straight out of high school. Along with working at VSS full time, she is attending college in hope of pursuing a career in the
medical/veterinary field. |
Shellie Brendlinger |
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Marcella Guerra |
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Marcella Guerra, After 15 years in the medical field, and 4 years of retirement, Marcella re-enters the work force to pursue her passion and love for animals. In her
spare time, she enjoys traveling to Atlanta, Georgia to visit her friends and to watch her youngest daughter (20 yrs.) play softball in college. Her oldest daughter (22 yrs, also a softball player) has graduated from college, and is now pursuing her degree in pharmacy. She also enjoys taking walks at the beach with her husband and her 6 yr old Yorkie named Max. |
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Marnie came to VSS after managing a record store (Tower Records) for 7 years. She enjoys road trips to Yosemite, hiking, reading, nature photography, and scrapbooking. She loves animals, has four cats, and lives in Aliso Viejo. Marnie plans to become a surgical technician and will be attending school this fall. |
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Marnie Carvalho
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NURSING STAFF |
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Tricia Elliot |
Tricia has a Bachelor of Animal Science, Master’s degree in veterinary/agriculture science and has been a registered Veterinary Technician for 9 years. She has 15 years experience in the veterinary science field. She has worked as a
Veterinary Technician at VSS since Jan. 08 and as a Professor at California Polytechnic University, Pomona in Animal Health Science for over a year.
She loves Motorcross, exercising, taking dog to park, teaching cycling classes (spinning) and has been married for 3 years, no kids…yet. Her family also includes 1 dog-Min pin, and 2 cats.
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I began my career as a veterinary technician in 1988 in a small animal hospital in Irvine. I worked there for 15 years learning as much as I could about veterinary medicine and my special interest lie in treating geriatric and debilitated patients. I graduated from Mt. San Antonio College earning my veterinary technician license in 2007. I have since worked at another small animal hospital before coming to veterinary surgical specialists.
I have recently begun work with Therapy Dogs International a non-profit organization using dogs and cats to comfort the sick and elderly.
In my spare time I like to spend time with my 2 dogs and 3 cats, swim, hike and practice yoga when I can.e
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Susan Rellick |
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Jennifer Higuera |
Jennifer has been with VSS since 2007. She is currently enrolled in the veterinary technology program at Mt. San Antonio College and will be graduating in the spring of 2008. She loves spending her free time with her family and her dogs Star and Rusty. |
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Surgical Nurse
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Melissa Adams |
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Erin Chistiano |
Surgical Nurse |
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Amy Murray |
Amy joined VSS in 2007. She has been volunteering and working with animals for over 12 years. She grew up in a tiny, rural town in Minnesota. Amy has worked with exotics including hedgehogs, lynx, cougars, chinchillas, bobcats, and bears. Amy has two dachshunds, two cats, three bearded dragons and a 46 gallon bow front saltwater fish tank. |
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I have been working in the veterinary field for 2 years. I am currently attending Professional Veterinary Assistants School to obtain my RVT license. I love animals and I love my work. In my spare time, I am an ice hockey goalie. I like to mountain bike and play my violin.
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Kat Davis |
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Becky Rothfuss |
Becky Rothfuss is our Head Surgical Technician. She has been working in the veterinary field for 15 years, joining VSS in 1997. Becky works closely with both the surgeons and surgical nurses to keep things running smoothly. Her interests outside of work include cycling and diving. Becky has a cat named “Bernie” who has been her companion for 10 years. |
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Sharne began veterinary nursing in England. After completing her Royal Collage of Veterinary Surgeons Nursing qualifications, she moved to New Zealand where she nursed at the country’s premier multi-specialty veterinary hospital.
Prior to joining the VSS team in 2001, she was a Veterinary Technologist in the Anesthesia Department at Washington State University. At WSU she spent 5 years with responsibilities for anesthetizing anything from dogs, cats and horses to brown bears and wolves. While Sharne concentrated on anesthesia in the critically ill canine and feline patients, she was also involved in educating the veterinary students in there final year of school.
Now Southern California she finds the climate “Paradise.” She continues to love her choice of profession, not considering it work, more of a pleasure to offer the standard of care we have here at VSS.
Sharne and Skye her young Australian Shepherd are running addicts … On the trails of Irvine, the beaches at Newport, and the mountains of the Sequoias they are out there loving life…
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Sharne Houston |
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Sheryl Seaver |
Sheryl came to Veterinary Surgical Specialists in 2002 with over sixteen years of experiences. Her nursing career includes both general practice and a period at the San Diego Zoo. She resides in Garden Grove with her husband and child. She enjoys swimming for recreation and her travels to Hawaii in her free time. |
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Emily joined VSS in 2007. She has been volunteering with a nonprofit dog rescue organization for over 4 years, and has been a vet tech for 10 years. She has 2 dogs, loves the outdoors and to hike, camp, boat, and ski. She grew up in Los Angeles and enjoys traveling. Emily has worked with many exotic animals including tigers, lynx, wallabies, and large raptors. She is a Fish and Game certified wildlife rehabilitator
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Emily Mendez |
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Amie Greenfield |
Amie has been involved in the veterinary field for over 15 years in both emergency medicine and general practice. Client education and excellent patient care are very important to her. Amie's extended family includes 3 cats and a border collie. Her favorite winter sport is snowboarding. |
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Vicki is a technician assistant. She has been at VSS for 2 years helping to keep the back office organized. Vicki provides excellent patient care and is always ready to lend a hand to the nurses or assist the doctors in surgery. Away from the office Vicky enjoys touring with her husband on their Harley Davidson motorcycles.
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Vicki King |
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Rafael Gonzalez |
Rafael is our nursing assistant. He does most everything. He restrains pets, helps xray
pets, prepares pets for surgery, prepares surgical instrument packs and is
ready whenever assistance is needed.. He has worked at Veterinary Surgical
Specialists for12 years and become a vital part of our team. He and his wife have
two children; a girl and a boy. |
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Esther is also a Technician Assistant. She is a welcome addition to the back office staff. Esther lives in Laguna Beach with her 3 children.
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Esther Benavidez |
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Jeannette Maher |
Jeannette came to VSS in 2003 with five years of experience in the Veterinary field. She became a Registered Veterinary Technician in 2004 after graduating from the Professional Veterinary Assistant School.
Currently, Jeannette is attenting Cal Poly Pomona to obtain a degree in Animal Science. Jeannette enjoys taking her dog Kahlua to the dog beach in her spare time. She also has a cat named Morgan.
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Assistant |
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Armando Reyes
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| ADMINISTRATION |
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Jill Iwaniec -
Business Manager
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Jill graduated from the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic in 1993. After 7 years in private practice in the UK and Colorado, Jill joined the VSS management staff in 2000. Outside of work Jill enjoys running, cycling, camping and travel with her family. |
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Dr. Rich Pankowski comes to VSS from a career with horses. Following 11 years on the racetrack at Los Alamitos in Cypress, CA and 3 years as a referral surgeon, he has joined his wife, Dr. Craig, to become the hospital administrator of VSS. He enjoys photography, fly fishing and is the biggest fan of his 3 children at their sporting activities.
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Rich Pankowski, DVM - Hospital Administrator |
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