Our Family

Dr. Nicholas Vaughan, MBA, CCRP, CVA
Fear Free Certified

Urban Cowboy and Rehab Coach
Founder & CEO

Born in ‘The Natural State’, Arkansas, Dr. Nicholas Vaughan was raised on being both aware and respectful of Mother Nature and how she orchestrates all of our surroundings in harmony. Nicholas has been formally trained in bio-med engineering, veterinary medicine and most recently an MBA (focusing on sustainable business)- at the University of Texas at Austin. The rest of his studies have led him from Baton Rouge to Beijing, Philadelphia, Knoxville and Berkeley. Dr. Vaughan earned his veterinary degree with honors at Louisiana State University.

Nicholas began his career in Cape Cod, MA and then music began to outweigh sailing as far as hobbies so he moved to Austin in 2004 and has been helping progressive pet owners in Austin ever since. Dr. Vaughan currently serves on multiple veterinary school advisory councils helping to formulate innovative ideas for education, pet-wellness and exam room interaction. For the last decade he has been a guest lecturer all over the world offering over 50 hours of continuing education a year on nutrition and preventative medicine. His passion for pet nutrition has earned him the reputation of the “Obesity Sheriff” in the vet community. He has also furthered his training at the University of Tennessee to be certified in Rehab medicine and small animal rehab therapy.

Outside of practicing the art of medicine, Dr. Vaughan focuses his energy on human well-being, nutrition, Yoga, fitness, creative writing, theatre, studying philosophy, motorcycles, music and of course- working tirelessly to get you to laugh and smile. Nicholas is involved in numerous community philanthropies including the development committee for Austin Pets Alive!, Big Hearts for Brave Hearts, Junior Achievement and a founding member of the philanthropic 512 Society. You can always spot him running around Lady Bird Lake or BMX riding with his son Fields while his wife Ashley watches with reserved approval. A self-described music snob and book critic… each visit with Dr. Vaughan will bring you and your pet happiness and most of all, wellness.

Dr. Vaughan is also an advisor at Bond Pet Foods where they ensure optimal pet health by developing natural, minimally processed dog and cat food.

Dr. Tim Julien
Fear Free Certified

World-Traveled Brainiac
Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Tim Julien was raised in a rural town in the foothills of the Ozark mountains in south central Missouri. From a young age he was pretty sure he wanted to be an engineer/microbiologist working to discover a novel renewable energy source. He was wrong. Turns out he loved animals and helping people with their animals way more than math or laboratories.

In the summer after sophomore year in high school Tim met his future wife, Christine, at nerd camp (a.k.a. Missouri Scholar’s Academy). He followed her to Washington University in St. Louis. While there he was an All-American distance runner in track and cross-country and confirmed that dogs and cats are way cooler than calculus and petri dishes. After graduation the wedding (foreshadowed above) occurred. Tim went off to the University of Missouri to earn a veterinary degree while Christine worked on her doctorate in computer science.

Tim followed Christine to Austin when she accepted a faculty position at UT. He has practiced high quality medicine in Austin since 2004 with a conscious aim to educate his clients and to provide authentic and approachable choices to facilitate the best decisions possible with regard to the care of their pets.

In his free time, Tim enjoys pick-up basketball, the occasional run, cooking (and eating), traveling the globe with Christine (and eating), and hanging out with his two amazing daughters, Maya and Cora. He has an elderly Lab Border Collie mix named Casey who has just recently started to come out of her “puppy phase”. The Julien family recently returned to Austin after spending a year in northern Italy in support of Christine’s research opportunity. While he will miss Trentino-Alto Adige, he is happy to be home and excited to meet you and your pet.

Dr. Cindy Carter
Fear Free Certified

The Cat's Best Friend

Cindy grew up in East Texas and now finds herself on the East side of Austin… coincidence or fact? Well, its a fact- she is from Whitehouse, TX but has had a love for the hill country that developed from her childhood.

And guess what Aggie fans- we finally got one! She is surrounded by Tigers and Longhorns but is strong with her “Gig ‘em!” pride as she attended A&M for undergrad and vet school. Cindy has a strong and practical sense of traditional medicine and has special interests in internal medicine, FELINE medicine and more than anything, forging long relationships with clientele. Because lets face it, you will see each other out in Austin!

Speaking of, Cindy loves llamas, chickens and goats and is saving money so she can have a small farm but in the meantime she spends time on Barton Creek Greenbelt, hanging at Zilker or shopping with Tippy her 8 yr old border collie mix. She is a member of the TVMA, AVMA, CAVMA and has completed a mission trip to Honduras assisting the locals with basic veterinary medicine.

Dr. Adam Lassin, CVA
Fear Free Certified

EASTERN GURU

Dr. Adam Lassin grew up in Bucks County Pennsylvania with a house full of dogs. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Animal and Veterinary Science from West Virginia University in 2006 and continued his education at Ross School of Veterinary Medicine and Michigan State’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2010. Following veterinary school he completed a one-year internship at Bright Heart Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in Long Island New York. He is a Certified Small Animal Veterinary Acupuncturist via the prestigious Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine for Small Animal Acupuncture and is in the process of becoming certified in Veterinary Food Therapy. He enjoys spending time with his wife Jessica and their four furry children; Gianna, Zaria, Charlie, and George.

He approaches medicine from the unique philosophy of integrating both eastern and western medicine as one harmonious tool. An integrative approach allows for a symbiotic relationship between both medicines to help heal patients from the root of the problem outward. He combines various holistic modalities including acupuncture, herbal therapy, homeopathy, and food therapy. He has a special interest in arthritis, various skin & dermatology issues, hypothyroidism- endocrine disease, auto-immune issues, seizures, and food intolerance/sensitivities.

Dr. Jamie Senthirajah
Fear Free Certified

Professor Brown Sugar

Dr. Jamie Senthirajah grew up in Oregon City, Oregon, which was the end of the Oregon Trail. In elementary school, he dominated that computer game and never once died of dysentery. For college, he spent eight years in beautiful Corvallis, Oregon where he earned both his Bachelor and Veterinary degrees. Go Beavers!

After veterinary school, he completed a small animal rotating internship at Seattle Veterinary Specialists. He then made the trek south to work to Austin, Texas to work on his tan and your pets at PAZ Veterinary. His professional veterinary interests include small animal internal medicine with an emphasis on hematology, oncology, and toxicology.

Dr. Senthirajah is also a candy and popsicle aficionado on and off-work. He tolerates but does not enjoy exercising. But he does enjoy trying all the culinary delights Austin has to offer.

He has a clingy German Shepherd, Shiloh, who still lives with his parents in Oregon. Yeah, he’s probably never getting Shiloh back. Dr. Senthirajah strives to offer the best medical options to you with the best care to your pet!

Dr. Laurie Johnson,
CVA, CVHM
Fear Free Certified

The Chi Whisperer

Dr. Laurie Johnson grew up in the pine forests of rural Mississippi where she developed a love of exploration and the natural world. This landscape was a major influence on her work as she studied Painting and Drawing at the University of Georgia and earned a degree in fine arts. She was fortunate to have opportunities to further study at the Cooper Union School of Art and Architecture in New York City as well as the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine.

After living and working as an artist in NYC, Laurie felt a strong draw to get back to nature and relocated to the Pacific Northwest where she became a wildlife rehabilitator at a non profit. A desire to know more about the medicine behind the rehab and to help more animals propelled her into a career in veterinary medicine. From there, she pursued her passion in natural medicine and healing and focused her study on Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) which includes acupuncture, herbal and integrative medicine. She is certified in Acupuncture from the Chi Institute and Chinese Herbal Medicine by the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies. She is currently working towards a long term goal of achieving a Masters of TCVM which concludes with study in China.

An avid cyclist and bicycle advocate, she loves getting places around Austin by bike. She adores her 80# amstaff from APA! named Hippo and is so proud of how far he’s come with his behavior and medical challenges. She stays involved with veterinary nonprofits as much as possible and shares her love of travel and bicycles with her partner Heath and his two sons.

Dr. Jena Webb
Fear Free Certified

A gentle breeze

Dr. Jena Webb was born and raised in Belton, Texas- just a hop, skip and a jump from the great city of Austin. Her love for animals started at an early age and by the first grade, she declared that she would become a veterinarian (But still and Artist at Heart). She attended Texas A&M for both her undergraduate and veterinary degrees. After graduation, she moved to the “Land of Enchantment” to complete an internship at VCA Veterinary Care Animal Hospital and Referral Center. Jena’s veterinary interests include internal medicine, ultrasonography, and preventative care. She enjoys educating her clients and taking a unique team approach to determining the best treatment for each individual pet.

Jena is owned by a sassy tabby named Piper. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors, getting a little crafty, traveling whenever possible, and all of the great food and music Austin has to offer.

Dr. Nicholas Kiefer
Fear Free Certified

Boy Genius

Dr. Nicholas Kiefer was born in Dallas, Texas way back in ’91. He grew up in a house which always contained more animals than humans, and so naturally, he’s dreamed of becoming a vet for quite a long time. He spent nearly the last 8 years at Texas A&M (undergraduate and veterinary school) packing his brain with all the things he’ll need to succeed as a veterinarian.

It wasn’t long before he realized, though, that so much of what it meant to be a great veterinarian wasn’t something that could be taught or read in a book. It’s being compassionate both to the animals and to the people that love them, and taking the extra steps to make people and pets feel welcome and at home. It’s not just about making an animal feel better (though that is oh so gratifying). It’s about fostering and supporting the powerful connection we all share with our four-legged family members, and treating every individual as the unique and special beings they are. It’s these things that he believes truly set PAZ apart.

In his free time, this hunk enjoys working out, playing basketball, binge watching Netflix (don’t we all), traveling, and doing anything and everything outdoors. He’s a particularly avid hiker and has been fortunate enough to explore Zion, Yosemite, and Big Bend National Parks, as well as some of the spectacular state parks and natural areas of the Texas Hill Country.

Dr. Kate Thompson
Fear Free Certified

Finer Than Frog's Hair

Dr. Kate Thompson was born and raised in the coastal town of Waveland, Mississippi – a beautiful place
that’s barely a speck on the map. She was surrounded by the love of a small, tight-knit family and is the
proud daughter of an elementary school teacher and salesman. Her childhood was spent exploring the
beach which led to a more than healthy interest in animals and science.

Her formal education was completed in northern Mississippi. Over time, Kate’s eclectic personality and tendency to “fly by the seat of her pants” (as her mother would say) would lead to an avid interest in emergency medicine and critical care. She moved on to an internship in Chattanooga, TN where Kate developed a thick skin and a love for the mountains. However, the ultimate plan was to migrate to the vibrant Austin where she now calls home.

Kate was first employed at a busy, locally owned emergency hospital where she was lucky enough to
meet her incredible husband, Dr. John Pullen. She brought her sphinx cat, Baldy, to the relationship and
together formed a family with an independent outdoor cat named Karen and the sweetest old lady lab
named Abby.

Kate enjoys being outside and traveling to as many places as possible. On a sunny day, you
can find Kate reading a creepy novel at Zilker with Abby gnawing on a slobbery ball nearby.
Kate believes that this is the best occupation because of the potential to help both pets and the people
who love them. She hopes to meet each family with sincerity and the intention to exchange and
combine her medical training with your knowledge, beliefs, and lifestyle. Come meet Kate at PAZ
Veterinary where kindness is the highest priority and every voice is heard!

Dr. John Pullen
Fear Free Certified

Pullen on Heart Strings

Dr. John Pullen was raised in southeast Houston. Both of his parents were in the computer
science industry and encouraged his childhood interests in science, music, and art. His interests in science grew but his skills in piano fell [b] flat and he never really figured out how to color in the lines. Early on, he started volunteering and got a job at a small veterinary hospital where he took his dog, Andy. His love for treating animals sparked there, and John went to the University of Houston to become a chemist. He tried… for several years, but learned chemistry was not his passion. He moved to Oklahoma State University where he pursued his passion in vet med and years later, John started practicing ER veterinary medicine in Austin.

During his time in ER, John learned plenty and made lasting relationships with his clients and coworkers, including his lovely wife, Kate. Kate recently joined the PAZ family and John HAD to follow (not true, they were hired together). He wants to continue to practice high-quality medicine and develop lasting relationships. John’s goal is to clearly explain what options are available and how we can accomplish wellbeing together.

He’s not just a vet! John also loves most things outdoors on the water: canoeing, kayaking, sailing, surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling (he’s a novice at many but getting better at any opportunity). Kate and John have a very independent outdoor cat Karen, a snuggly Sphinx cat Baldwynn, and a sweet old black lab lady Abby. For those who read this far – I lived in a boat and it sank.

Dr. Kyndl Brunson, MRCVS
Fear Free Certified

Sweet Emotion

Once upon a time [1983], in a land far, far away [San Antonio], lots of things happened. But also, Dr. Kyndl Brunson was born. She always had an assortment of pets and was lucky enough to show horses nationally through her high school years. Graduating with a marketing degree from Oklahoma State in 2005, she ran away to New York City to join a touring indie rock band and work in the music industry for a few years before realizing that her dreams had changed. In 2015, she graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in London, England. Working in London as a general practitioner seemed pretty sweet until she met PAZ VET. Finding a practice so fully devoted to pets and their people, fostering positive relationships based on trust and understanding… THIS was where she belonged. And by October of 2019, she found her way to PAZ.

Dr. Brunson and her husband enjoy craft beer, food trucks, live music… they were made for Austin! Hoping to add pets to their family soon!

Dr. Jane Mellencamp
Fear Free Certifed

Midwest Farmers Daughter

Dr. Jane Mellencamp grew up in Seymour, Indiana on a farm that raises crops and cattle. She realized early on that Veterinary Medicine was her calling and earned an undergraduate degree in Biology at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. She then moved to Columbus, Ohio and received her doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State University. During her time in Columbus she developed a love for live music, making Austin perfect for a chosen home.

Her professional interests include soft tissue surgery, dentistry, hospice care, and preventative medicine. In her free time she enjoys bring-your-own-vinyl night at the ABGB, seeing as much live music as she can, and visiting the beautiful state parks of Texas. She shares her home in South Austin with a dog named Donna June, whom she adopted from Austin Pets Alive! shortly after moving to Texas.

Dr. Mellencamp takes pride in client education and believes answering the ‘whats’ and ‘whys’ of diagnostics and treatment helps pet owners make the best decisions for their family.

Dr. Kelly Might, DACVS
Surgery Specialist

Supersurgeon

Dr. Kelly Might, DACVS was raised in Bedford, Texas, a town between Dallas and Fort Worth. He moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas at Austin as an undergraduate student, earning a bachelors in zoology and a minor in Spanish. He then attended Oklahoma State University for veterinary school. Early in his first year at Oklahoma State, Dr. Might found his calling for veterinary surgery. Dr. Might completed a 1-year rotating internship at PetCare Veterinary Hospital in Santa Rosa, California. He then went on to perform a 1-year surgical internship at Aspen Meadow Veterinary Specialists in Boulder, Colorado. These experiences were then followed by a three-year surgical residency at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. During his training Dr. Might developed a strong interest in minimally invasive surgery and orthopedics. While at Washington State University, Dr. Might published multiple manuscripts and found great interest in orthopedic research. After 9 years away from home, Dr. Might, his wife, and two children returned to Austin, Texas. By teaming up with Dr. Allman and performing mobile specialty surgeries, Dr. Might is able to provide complicated surgical procedures to many pets that would not otherwise be able to receive specialty care. When not at work, Dr. Might enjoys cycling and spending time with his family.

RACHEL BARTON
Fear Free Certified

North Technician Supervisor
Cool, Calm, & Collected

Although not a native to Austin, Rachel is a native to Texas. Having lived far north, southeast, and central, she’s had a little taste of everything this state has to offer. Austin has always felt most like home though, so after completing her Veterinary Technician degree in Houston, she officially moved to the south side with her two cats, Tanny and Mitch. Similar to most veterinary professionals, Rachel has always felt a connection with animals and never really considered a career in any other field. She feels lucky to do what she loves everyday and is excited to continue learning and shaping herself into the best tech possible. Rachel enjoys low key outings with friends and family but is happiest at home, with some coffee, her cats, and The Office.

Haley Regan
Fear Free Certified

East Technician Supervisor
Hella Helpful

Born and raised in California’s Bay Area, Haley recently moved to Austin to start a new adventure with her manfriend and shepherd pup Marcey (short for Marceline, the vampire queen)! She’s been THAT animal person from the get-go, spending her free time doing things like volunteering at local animal shelters and interning at the Oakland Zoo (with the lions and tigers!)

Haley graduated from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo in 2016 with a degree in Animal Science and a concentration in comparative animal biology; it was four long years filled with pigs, sheep, chickens, horses, lots of cows, and even a few tortoises. After graduation, she returned home to Berkeley to work as a veterinary technician for a small animal emergency practice for the next 2 years.

Most of Haley’s time is spent either exploring hiking trails with her family, scouring Trader Joe’s
looking for new vegan snacks, or reading whichever Stephen King novel she can get her hands
on.

Ann Haraguchi
Fear Free Certified

South Technician Supervisor
Endless Love

Rachel Whittaker
Fear Free Certified

North Lead Technician
All work, mo' play

Rachel was born and raised in Houston, TX and moved to Austin about 4 years ago. She has been an animal lover since childhood. Growing up her mother was severely allergic to dogs and cats and was unable to have any pets of her own (besides a fish named Arnold and a couple of gutter frogs). She would always sneak next door to the neighbors house to play with their animals and was constantly rescuing animals from the streets.

She got her first job at 15 at a boarding facility as a kennel technician and worked her way up from there. She graduated from the Vet Tech Institute of Houston in 2013 and has been a licensed veterinary technician since 2014.

At home she has a 1 year old great dane/pit bull mix named Ruby and in her spare time enjoys hiking, traveling, playing guitar and drawing.

Suzanne Tappe
Fear Free Certified

East Lead Technician
A Bad Mama Jama

Suzanne came to us originally from Illinois. After high school and college there and a little bit of normal life in the Midwest, she decided it was time to get weird and move to Austin after only spending 2 days here on a road trip! She’s lived in Austin since 2016 and never looked back!

Her favorite part of being a certified veterinary technician is preventative medicine, but a nice foreign body surgery can always be fun!

You can find her taking her pugs Matilda and Willie out hiking, going to concerts, brunchin’ it up with friends, or trying to be a bad ass on the roller derby track playing on the Hell Marys for the Texas Roller Girls!

Justina Kaupp
Fear Free Certified

South Lead Technician
The Love-a-Bull one

Justina was born and raised in Austin TX. She has been involved with Veterinary Medicine for a little over 11 years and has developed a fondness for animals of all kinds. She enjoys the challenges that come with being in a field where innovations in medicine, technology, and animal care constantly keep her on her toes. However, there is nothing better than getting to spend time with these animals working to keep them happy and healthy.

Outside of the office, Justina is passionate about helping rescues and has worked with a variety of organizations over the years. But she has a particular soft spot for her favorite misunderstood breed, pit bulls. This passion and love lead her and her fiance to rescue two amazing pit bull mixes Tyson and Ranger. Justina often says she wants to “rescue all the pitties” and hopes that in the future she can operate a small facility of her own where she can foster and care for a small number of animals that need a home or just a little extra love. “Be the voice for the voiceless”

Jordan Keller Fisher

Nurse Feelgood – naturally soothing animal anxiety

Jordan is that rare specimen you find in Austin, he was actually born and is continuing to be raised in the Capital of Texas. Jordan is not only whip smart when it comes to EXOTICS but he is also fearless when working with animals that feel fear. As many of our clients know- it takes a special spirit to keep animals at ease when they are in pain and Jordan is the right type of chill vibe you desire when your loved one is feeling bad. His mother and father encouraged him as a young man to be compassionate and he has taken on all kinds of animal relationships from dogs and cats to reptiles and pocket pets. His experience has proven invaluable at PAZ and so has his personality. Jordan still loves the outdoors and still has a fancy for observing and examining all kinds of live critters in the wild. You can find Jordan riding bikes, playing any sport at Zilker or rock climbing on the green belt and usually with a loving entourage. He has kept Austin weird for over 20 years and hopes to keep that spirit alive forever.

Dru Marquis

Zen Nature Nerd

Dru has dedicated most of her life to working with animals. From training farm dogs during her free range childhood in the woodlands of North Mississippi, to earning her Bachelors Degree in Equine Science, to fostering and adopting Retired Racing Greyhounds, she has always found joy in the practice of Compassionate Animal Care.

After leaving her long-time career as a horse trainer and instructor in the Pacific Northwest, Dru made her way to Central Texas, where she turned her talents to pet grooming for the next decade. It was through grooming for an animal hospital that her interest in becoming a Veterinary Technician took root and began to blossom. She eventually realized that Austin was where she felt most at home, and heeded the voice of Karma that called her to PAZ Veterinary in 2016.

When she’s not organizing and managing the PAZ clinic inventories, you’ll find Dru practicing Yoga, working on her next Yarn Project, or out in Nature hiking and camping. She also volunteers with Greyhound Adoption League of Central Texas – Central Texas Chapter, hosting Meet & Greets, assisting with medical records, and advocating for Greyhounds and other Sighthounds in need of Forever Homes.

Dru currently shares her home and her heart with Taavi, aka Mr. UberSnoot Ambassadog, adopted from GALT-CTX in November 2018.

Chea Serda
Fear Free Certified

Princess Chea

Although Chea was born and raised in New York, she has been in Austin for 11 years and is proud to call herself a Texan.

Chea grew up on a farm and has been in love with animals for as long as she can remember. She started out working in small town animal shelters, with pit bull rescue and in every other pet related job she could find.

Chea has been working in veterinary hospitals since moving to Texas and has been a proud member of the Paz team since 2014. She is fear free certified and has a special interest in integrative medicine and grouchy cats.

She lives with her husband, two awesome kiddos, a scruffy wolfhound mix named Ladybird and two fish named Spaghetti and Meatball.

When she isn’t chasing after her small children and working at Paz, Chea loves to ride bikes, practice yoga and cook enormous meals for her friends and family.

Caryn Scott
Fear Free Certified

The Warmest of Hugs!

Caryn originally hails from Virginia, but moved to the beautiful City of Austin 5 months ago. She had been working in the Veterinary industry for over 20 years! Her compassion and dedication to animal welfare can be seen in her own fur babies. Elyk, a 3 year old German Shepard and Bear, a 1 year old Border Collie mix keep her busy at home.

When she isn’t dedicating her time to the wellness of pets she likes to hike with her 12 year old daughter. Caryn is excited and grateful to be a part of the PAZ Tribe!

Chris Allgeier
Fear Free Certified

master of many

Chris began his life in a military family and thus spent his first few years on the east coast and even as far away as Italy. With the family finally settling in West Texas, he found a love for animals in dogs, cats and horses. Not yet realizing his passion for veterinary medicine, Chris enlisted in the Army at 17 to become a combat medic with the airborne infantry. Through jumping out of planes and an extended vacation to Afghanistan, he was met with his first veterinary experiences while working on several wounded dogs–including a military bomb-dog. The fire for veterinary medicine was lit and could not be extinguished. Upon returning to Texas, Chris craved a change and moved to Austin where he began his formal Veterinary Nursing career. From beginning as a fledgling at an alternative practice focusing primarily on acupuncture, Chinese herbs and homeopathy to working as the overnight nurse at an emergency animal hospital, Chris continues his hunger for knowledge and the ability to impact the lives of animals and their owners.

Laura June
Fear Free Certified

two names in one

LJ is another in the migration from California making it here in the third surge in 2011. After a couple of migrations back and forth following jobs and dream, she decided to being the Vet-Tech program at ACC in the fall of 2016, shortly after beginning her career at Paz Vet. LJ is all things pop-culture and a quick thinker and loves to understand the “how”. Come check out her skills!

Kimberly Trevino
TCVM Trained

Kickass Cowgirl

Kimberly was born and raised in Texas. She has moved around the state growing up but has landed now in the weird city of Austin, which has naturally become her favorite.

Kimberly graduated from Austin Community College’s Veterinary Technician program in December 2017. She is currently an LVT at PAZ Veterinary!

Kimberly has a Yorkie named Rascal Roony, and two huskies, Knox Zooka, and Azula Loca. In the future Kim is eager to volunteer any free time and apply all her skills with large animals.”

Leslye Nichter
Fear Free Certified

Keepin’ Austin Weird

Leslye is a native Texan, born in Arlington to an animal-loving family. There was nothing she wouldn’t want to rescue and raise. Leslye raised everything form chickens, rabbits, turtles, birds and even a hermit crab. Not to mention the many cats and dogs that her family was never without. When Leslye was six years old she rescued three abandoned kittens and bottle fed them every three hours round the clock! This probably explains why she is called the “cat whisperer” now for her unique ability to handle them, especially the grumpy ones.

After studying photography in Chicago, Leslye realized her true desire for animal care and strived to make that happen. She moved to Austin in 2009 and has been a vet tech for the past 7 years. Her passion is surgery and recovery and would love to learn animal physical therapy.

Leslye loves to pet sit so your “fur babies” can be comfortable and secure in their own home when mom and dad are away. She shares her home with two cats, Theodore and Franklyn as well as two dogs, Targaryen and Ruby. Leslye enjoys disc golf, photography, art, and skydiving.

Maggie Dickenson
TCVM Trained
Fear Free Certified

Million-Dollar Smile

Maggie is originally from South Carolina. She was born in Charleston and eventually completed her communication degree at Clemson University. Since then, she has been slowly making her way to Austin, living in Georgia, Alabama, and Arkansas prior. It was in Little Rock, Arkansas that she got her start in the veterinary world and has loved it ever since!

Aside from work, you can find her hiking, rock climbing, or doing anything outdoors with her husband, Justin, and dog, Cypress.

Kelly McDonnell
Fear Free Certified

Bright-Eyed & Bushy-Tailed

A native of south Austin, TX, Kelly knew from a young age that she wanted to work with animals. She spent many afternoons volunteering in vets offices while in high school, which ultimately helped her break into the vet tech industry.

After working at vet clinics all around Austin, Kelly has finally made her home at PAZ. Always eager to learn and grow, she looks forward to the challenges that each new day brings.

She lives with her husband, Britt, a pug named Ellie, and two cats, Charles and Marie. When not working, she enjoys reading, video games, and watching terrible movies.

Jerry Jimenez
Fear Free Certified

Amigo de Perritos

Jerry was born in Mexico moved to Austin at the age of 6 and has called Austin home since. He knew at a very young age that he wanted to work with animals but didn’t know what direction to take. He was always fascinated by working with exotic animals and it is something that he dreams of one day accomplishing.

He graduated from Texas State with a degree in Biology and a minor in Animal Science in hopes of achieving his long time dream of helping exotic animals. It wasn’t until he started volunteering at local animal shelters that he slowly started taking a different path. He found that working with doggos/cattos was super rewarding and decided to pursue the veterinary field. With about 2 years of experience, mostly high volume spay/neutering, he finally decided to call PAZ home.

When he’s not loving on his patients he spends his time with his own dog, an Australian Cattle dog named Shadow. You can occasionally find them jogging, or enjoying a walk at town lake. When not out he enjoys watching horror movies or playing video games.

Rita Hakim
Fear Free Certified

Sweet & Sassy

Born & raised an Austinite, Rita’s compassion for animals started young. Her parents frequently found strays hiding in her room and her passion for helping animals didn’t stop there. Since she couldn’t keep every stray in her room, she started volunteering on weekends at a local vet clinic from ’96-’98. A dozen practices, 22 years, and countless pets and fosters later, Rita has found her home at PAZ.

Working in the veterinary field is fast-paced, always gives her something to learn and do, and she finds it incredibly rewarding. With no pets of her own currently (bunnies on the way!), Rita loves being able to care for others’ furry friends and soak up all their puppy love.

In her spare time, Rita enjoys crafting, sewing, drawing, visiting graveyards and watching horror movies. She’s also all about reading anything and everything on architecture and interior design.

ReAnn Bolen

The Green Thumb

ReAnn grew up in a small Texas town near San Antonio with horses, dogs, cats, chickens and even a cockatiel. Because of this country upbringing she has always had a deep respect and love for animals and nature.

Ever since she was young she has been looking out for critters large and small. ReAnn’s animal nurse days started out at an early age saving baby birds, mice and stray animals which thus manifested to her having her first vet tech job at 16. Always knowing she wanted to work with animals she pursued a degree in Wildlife Biology and graduated from Texas State University in 2016. Before joining the PAZ team she worked at a large and small animal practice in San Marcos for 5 years while going to school. Her and her fiance, Joe, still reside in San Marcos with their “urban farm” which consists of: Teddy, Anna Bo and Cratos their 3 large mix breed dogs; Little Man, Lola and Noona- their 3 cats; Cluck and Cheeks their 2 hard working chickens, along with many african and south american cichlids. They hope one day to develop a real sustainable farm that incorporates a zero impact lifestyle and serves as a safe haven for people and animals.

Living in tune with nature and having a positive impact on the planet is a belief that Joe and her hold close to their hearts. They are most comfortable being off grid while hiking, camping and learning about the flora and fauna of Mother Nature. Along with being outside as much as possible ReAnn also enjoys putting her green thumb to use by taking care of her vegetable/herb garden and her 100+ plants, yep that’s a lot of plants!

Brooke Shirley
TCVM Trained
Fear Free Certified

Felis Nerdus

Brooke is a native Texan. She was raised in Houston, TX and has called Austin home since 2012. She has been rescuing stray animals as long as she can remember, but only realized her passion for veterinary medicine after getting a job in a shelter caring for orphaned neonatal kittens. She has a special place in her heart for the homeless animals of Austin, and spent three years working as a vet tech for a few local non-profits before finding her home at PAZ.

Out of the many stray animals she has brought into her home over the years, Brooke only kept three of them. She has a German Shepherd mix named Archie, an orange tabby named Jones, and fluffy brown tabby with one eye named Nimona. She is the happiest when she is reading comics, eating food, playing tabletop games with friends, listening to podcasts, helping out local community cats, and visiting libraries.

Kaitlyn Studebaker
TCVM Trained
Fear Free Certified

Catsanova

Born and raised deep in the heart of Texas, Kaitlyn is a true Austin native. Residing majority of her life as a North Austinite and Georgetonian, she soon discovered after meeting her partner in crime, Taylor, that her heart aligned more with the good ol’ weird southern south.

Jill of all trades, Kaitlyn is an avid learner. With her first careers being in the beauty industry as well as early childhood development, she always had a calling for a profession dealing with care, virtue, and healing. It wasn’t until she felt she found her true calling in Veterinary Medicine in 2015 when she was in search for her souls’ home. Starting out as a boarding technician in the veterinary field, through her empathic nature, perseverance, and integrity, Kaitlyn has climbed her way up the professional ladder. As she continues to keep on keepin’ on, it is important to her that she continues to showcase all that she does with kindness and grace.

In her free time, you can find Kaitlyn continuing her education and exploring the worlds of animals, spirituality, creative arts, women, children, and environmental studies.

Kaitlyn’s home life consists of co-inhabiting with her two spirit animals (cats): Her older female British shorthair Hammy aka Hammy Hamsters who has magical healing powers and Sid who we are convinced is the reincarnation of Syd Barrett, a founding member and lead singer of Pink Floyd, who just like him is not another brick in the wall.

Paige Messer
Fear Free Certified

[Wonder]Woman of Many Talents

Paige grew up in central New Jersey and always wanted to be a veterinarian. She loved training dogs and as a child she built a mini agility course in her backyard and led her little cocker spaniel poodle mix through it. When Paige was old enough for college, life pulled her in a different direction. She spent two years in Tokyo, Japan in school for general studies before returning to the U.S and earning her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Animation.

Working in the Animation industry in Los Angeles, Paige’s love of animals developed into a passion for showing dogs. She and her husband trained and competed in conformation, obedience, and agility with their three champion American Pit Bull Terriers. After some time, Paige felt the call to working with animals growing and decided to move to Texas and change her career. She has enjoyed living in Austin since 2016, with her husband, two children, and three pit bulls.

For fun Paige enjoys sewing, playing the piano, gaming, knitting/crocheting, and binge watching TV shows. She is excited to see where life will continue to take her.

Janai Stottlemyre
Fear Free Certified

Juh Nay Nay
Animal Addict

Janai (pronounced Juh-nay) was born and raised in San Antonio. She made the move to Austin in 2012 and has been here ever since. Since she can remember, Janai has always wanted to help and work with animals. Janai has raised many animals, including a chicken, a rat, rabbits, dogs, a duck and a pig, which naturally lead her to her passion to help animals.

She is currently working on her undergraduate in hopes of one day becoming a veterinarian. Growing up outdoors, riding horses and with an array of pets, her hopes are to work with both small and large animals. Her primary interests include surgery, pain management, wildlife rescue and a newly discovered passion for Chinese medicine and acupuncture.

In her free time, Janai enjoys going hiking and camping with her three dogs Marni (8 yrs), Isis(8 yrs) and Azul (12 yrs). While she enjoys adventures with her pups, she also greatly enjoys backpacking and has climbed to the highest point in Texas, Guadalupe Peak. When she’s not out on adventures, her hobbies consist of crocheting, wakeboarding, canoeing, reading and even going out on the town with some friends every now and then.

James Baduini
Fear Free Certified

Brazilliant Boy Wonder

James was born in Brazil, then quickly relocated to beautiful New Jersey. His interest in animals started with a fascination with Pedro, his family’s pet toucan. This love for animals grew and continued through college as he earned his degree in evolutionary anthropology, focusing on primate behavior.

Drawn to the warmer climate and music scene, he moved to Austin after graduation and began working as a technician and eventually found his place in the PAZ family. If he’s not busy petting puppies at work he’s most likely playing music, working on old motorcycles, or exploring the greenbelt.

Marci De La Sancha
Fear Free Certified

California Dreamin'

Marci was born in Santa Ana, California but has lived most of her life here in Austin, TX. She always knew she wanted to do something in the medical field, just didn’t know whether it would be humans or animals. Marci grew up around cats, dogs, chickens, goats, horses and so it became clear animals were her passion. She decided to go to Austin Community College to pursue a career as a vet tech and has loved every moment of it. Marci first started at an equine only practice which was amazing but has slowly transitioned to strictly small animal and it’s been awesome! She still gets to see her large animals at home!

Marci became a licensed veterinary technician this year and hopes to continue to grow and learn much more about the veterinary field. In her free time, she enjoys going to the gym, being outdoors, and exploring new places!

Toni Hayes
Fear Free Certified

Colors of the wind

Toni has been a resident of Austin since 2012. Driven by his passion for animals, he started working at his local shelter in 2005. Toni’s experience ranges from working with cats and dogs to exoctics (such as small mammals, avians, reptiles).

In his free time, he enjoys spending time at home with his 3 dogs Ziggy Rae, Chloe Lea and Alli Dean. He enjoys hiking the various trails throughout the town or hoping on his bike and exploring the Great City of Austin.

His hair is never the same color.

Ella Fotinos

Ohana

Ella was born in Hawaii, and after living across the U.S. as a youngin’, found herself in Austin, Texas. She’s currently working towards her undergraduate degree in biology at St. Edward’s University

Ella got a taste for veterinary medicine after shadowing at PAZ in spring 2019, and is now excited to be an official member of the PAZ family! Hopefully one day she can be one of the Top Dogs and be a veterinarian herself!

Animals have never been absent in Ella’s life- volunteering at shelters, working in horse barns, doing school research with honeybees, and even completing an internship with the San Antonio Zoo’s bird department are just the beginnings of her journey. She claims two wonderful family pups back in San Antonio, Fiona and Violet, and a chunky, cuddly hamster named Shinji who keeps her company in Austin.

Ale Tamez

The Fashionista!

Alejandra was raised in the good ol’ South Texas. Moving from state to state during her childhood she found her love for animals and science at a young age. She took numerous courses in High School and college that lead her to join the Veterinary Technician life and has been enjoying every single moment of it!

Ale recently moved here to the weird city of Austin to pursue her dream career in wildlife vet medicine.

She spends most of her time looking, thrifting, and taking care of her beloved plants. She also hustles it in pet-sitting for others, always looking to get her fill of animals snuggles!

Ivi Covington
Fear Free Certified

Ivi was born in El Salvador and came to Texas when she was 9 years old and has called Austin home ever since!
She has loved animals since when she can remember, taking care of her own rabbits, ducks, chickens, dogs and cats! Ivi started pursuing a degree in Biology and Animal Science at Texas State University.
Ivi has worked in the veterinary field for 5 years focusing on High Quality, High Volume Spay and Neuter and has even traveled to Puerto Rico to do relief work there.

Ivi likes working in this field because you won’t see the same thing every day. “There is always something cool to learn and always cute things to see.” She says.
On the weekends, you’ll find her out paddleboarding, kayaking or doing anything that involves water and outdoors. After long days of work Ivi likes to be lazy, watching something on Netflix or Hulu with her 8 year old puppy, Sapper.

Amanda Owen

Amanda is passionate about animal care and has been a veterinarian technician for over seven years now. Amanda’s love for animals lead her to get a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science from Lubbock Christian University.

Lubbock is her hometown and that’s where she met and married her amazing husband, Pierce. Together, they have two cats: Baloo and Mar.

Recently, they made the decision to move their little family to the beautiful city of Austin, Texas. Amanda is looking forward to meeting you and providing care to your sweet animals here at Paz Veterinary.

Destiny Norris
Fear Free Certified

North Reception Supervisor
One Love, One Heart, One Destiny

Destiny is from a small town in East Texas. Prior to making the move to Austin she lived in the outskirts of Dallas and became a certified veterinary assistant. She moved to Austin in 2014 and started working in the veterinary field. Throughout the years she has gained experience as a technician and receptionist.

Destiny enjoys being able to switch throughout the clinic with each position. She is very interested in exotics and loves to get experience with their handling and care at any time possible! She has her own personal sled dog team (3 huskies) named Dakota, Daisy, and Toa (Krakatoa)! She also has a cat named Molly but she tends to be the forgotten child because she is the perfect example of a cat.

In her spare time she has started training Daisy and Toa in agility classes and also takes her dogs to miscellaneous dog events in Austin or out to hike the trails. If she isn’t doing any of those things then she is hanging out at home with her boyfriend and her small herd of pets.

Andrea LaPointe
Fear Free Certified

East Reception Supervisor
Chica muy chida

Andrea originally hails from Houston (H-town, baby!) After realizing ATX is way better, she made the move and has been living in Austin for about 3 years. She is absolutely loving it here in Austin and as part of the PAZ family. Andrea has always had pets growing up and has a deep love for all animals. While Andrea is a stellar receptionist, she plans on going to school to become a veterinary technician.

Andrea has two beautiful big dogs who mean the world to her. Lou is a three-year-old blue Great Dane, and Norm is an almost one-year-old blue Cane Corso. When she’s not at work, Andrea enjoys spending quality time with her man and hiking, camping, and chilling with her dogs, friends, and family!

Melissa Ferrari
Fear Free Certified

South Reception Supervisor
The Exotic One

Melissa was born and raised right here in south Austin. She spends part of her time at Texas State University studying Psychology. She joined PAZ Animal Collective to be part of an awesome team, and has quickly become a leader among our tribe.

When she doesn’t have her head in the books in San Marcos, she likes hanging out on the San Marcos river with her two pups, Riley and Wayne. If she’s not up front catering to the wagging tails and the smiling faces visiting PAZ, you might also find her riding bikes or playing disc golf with her family in one of Austin’s many parks.

Kate Bannon
Fear Free Certified

Puppy Whisperer
North Lead Receptionist

With roots in New Orleans, it’s no surprise that Kate has settled here in Austin where the weather is nice and people know how to have a good time. After graduating from LSU, Kate made a leap of faith to move away from Louisiana on a whim to pursue a career in film. Between gigs, Kate knew she had to find something else more sustainable and was hired on by Karma Dog Training as an assistant trainer. Fast forward three years and Kate is now leading Puppy Kindergarten and couldn’t be happier to have such a fun and rewarding job. If you’ve got puppy questions, Kate is your go-to girl.

Growing up, Kate was always surrounded by animals and as an only child, her dog became her best friend. Frequently her mom would come home with stray or injured animals so she learned to be compassionate from a young age. With knowledge in animal behavior and excellent people skills, it’s no surprise Kate has found a family with PAZ. When she is not busy helping people and their pets, Kate enjoys practicing yoga, aerial arts, discovering new music/food, and spending as much time as possible soaking up the sun and water on the Greenbelt. If she isn’t out and about with friends, you bet she is at home cuddled up with her pup, watching either cartoons or horror flicks.

Ashlee Moya
Fear Free Certified

The Beautiful Butterfly
East Lead Receptionist

Ashlee was born and raised in El Paso, TX. After graduating from the University of Texas at El Paso, and obtaining a bachelors degree in biology, she moved to Austin in December 2014.

Ashlee enjoys hanging out with her fur baby, Alastor. They enjoy hiking, swimming, and hanging out at Zilker. If she isn’t hanging out with her pup, shes probably hanging out with friends, eating, studying ASL at ACC, training at Austin kickboxing Academy, or volunteering/making friends with insects at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Brooke Lauer
Fear Free Certified

South Lead Receptionist
Queen of Adventure

Brooke grew up in Columbus, Ohio surrounded by her multiple rescued pets. She developed a love for animals at a very young age and was a volunteer at several local shelters. Brooke was found bringing home as many stray pets as her parents allowed and working hard to get those pets adopted. If those pets were not adopted, you can probably guess how she ended up with 2 cats and 2 dogs!

After too many harsh winters and always having quite the travel bug she fled to sunny Florida. Here, she spent four years scuba diving and playing with different marine life and continuing to develop her skills as an underwater photographer. Her passion grew for photography above ground as well, which led to a three-month road trip traveling the United States filled with awesome camping stories, fun animal encounters, and many more pictures to sort through. Her love for travel has taken her to some amazing parts of the world where she has been able to indulge in the culture and experiences of other countries.

Brooke decided that, even though she loved Florida, she wanted to make another move to an even hotter state – and found herself in Austin. She was drawn to Austin because of how pet-friendly and accepting everyone was (especially when it comes to her bully breed dog) and truly loves it here. The transition has been quite amazing as she is determined to try every sort of breakfast taco out there! If Brooke is not checking out new Texas dive spots you can find her kayaking, rock climbing, or exploring and taking pictures of as much of the great outdoors as she can.

Her plans for the next few years involve visiting every state in America and trying to visit every continent at least once and of course petting (or swimming with) as many animals as she can along the way! With over 6 years of customer service experience and Brooke’s genuine desire to connect with both you and your pet she will make sure that your visit to PAZ is filled with smiles, tail wags, and purrs while taking care of you and your pets’ needs!

Gemma Deloney

The OG

A self-proclaimed science nerd, Gemma has earned dual degrees in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Her knowledge and experience lend well to her desire to serve both people and animals. By witnessing her mom’s never-ending philanthropic dedication to helping animals through rescue, Gemma developed a love and respect for those other beings with which we share the world. At a young age, she became her mom’s nurse and together they fostered countless animals in need of compassion. Moving to Austin, Gemma has found a new accomplice in her husband, Will; together they have two spoiled French bulldogs and room for other animals in need of a home.

Gemma’s background has prepared her to understand your needs as a patient and the grief you feel when your baby is not well. A perfect complement to our medical team, Ms. Deloney will be by your side in wellness.

Jerome Vivino
Fear Free Certified

Red hot chili pupper

Jerome didn’t waste any time after graduating from Berklee College of Music in the fall of 2014. After narrowly escaping a Boston winter that would eventually boast 5 blizzards, Jerome found refuge in sunny Austin. Attracted to the city’s live music, food, and art scenes, he has had no trouble fitting in here. Whether he’s taking pictures at a fellow musician’s show, working as a security guard at one of Austin’s many venues, or performing original music on guitar and voice, Jerome stays an active participant in Austin’s nightlife. In his down time, he enjoys listening to old vinyl, rock climbing, kayaking, practicing guitar, and trying new food trucks. Jerome is a founding member of the classic rock-inspired powerhouse Lip, which landed on the scene in 2016. He also loves to draw, edit photography and video, and explore live shows around town.

Jerome enjoys going out of his way to make sure every client is treated with the utmost respect and hospitality. He loves dogs and cats of all kinds, and is thrilled to work with animals and their friendly owners every day.

Vanessa Thuma
Fear Free Certified

simply the best

Vanessa was born in California and raised (for the most part) in Texas. She started working with animals in 2012 as a volunteer dog walker at a local shelter in Fort Benning, Georgia. Vanessa knew she wanted to work with animals even more closely after that and landed a job as an adoption counselor at a Humane Society in Alabama.

Over the years, Vanessa has worked with many wonderful people and feels lucky she’s been able to see so many animals find good homes. After years as an adoption counselor, Vanessa moved back home to Texas and worked as a receptionist at an animal clinic with a focus on rehabilitation and a holistic approach. Vanessa loves helping people and animals alike, and nothing makes her happier than an animal who has a long life free of cruelty and sickness. She takes pride in the fact that she gets to help ensure animals live a happy, healthy life full of love and friendship.

In her spare time, Vanessa is a hardcore cross-stitcher, crocheter, video game streamer on Twitch, and roller derby badass for one of the tops teams in the world.

Chrissy Robinson

The Brightest of Smiles

Chrissy is a born and raised New Jersian, with a love for the outdoors, and an insatiable enthusiasm for dog-snuggling. Fine art and photography are the elements of her formal education, leading her to a decade-long career in wedding photography management in the Northeast. In time, a workplace filled with furbabies was on the horizon.
She transplanted to Austin in early 2019, with husband, Sean and their Blue Heeler, Koda. She is happiest while helping others, creating art, or experiencing the natural world. PAZ vet really encompasses not only her fondness of these things, but her in opinion- all things ‘Austin’. Chrissy feels right at home here surrounded by loving, creative, animal advocates.

Kara Murphy

Takin' Kara Business

Kara was born right here in Austin, TX but made the move with her family to Littleton, CO when she was just 4 years old. While she loved having easy access to the beautiful Rocky Mountains and the adventures they offer, she grew tired of the unpredictable weather (especially the bitter, cold winters). Austin’s warm weather, live music and art scenes, and of course, the pet-friendly culture are what drew her back to her original hometown last year.

After working as a kennel technician in Littleton, Kara knew she wanted to continue taking care of animals full-time, which is how she ended up at PAZ, determined to improve the lives of every pet that comes through the door. The experiences and lessons that came with working at a shelter eventually lead her to explore opportunities that would allow her to work closely with doctors and technicians in the field of veterinary care and medicine.

When she is not greeting and assisting our furry friends and their lovely owners, Kara enjoys kayaking, swimming, writing poetry, checking out live music, and searching for the best Tex-Mex Austin has to offer. She also loves spending time with her friends, family, and her Siamese cat, Nova.

Katrina Llorente

Healing Hands

Katrina was born and raised in Austin, Texas surrounded by a house full of furry friends. She is a recent graduate of St. Edward’s University where she received a bachelors degree in Biology. Although pursuing a career as a physician, Katrina has always had a huge love for animals and is excited to bring her love of medicine and apply it in a new field at PAZ.

Katrina loves to spend her free time exploring the beautiful Hill Country with her dog Mako. They enjoy hiking, swimming and soaking up the sun at Zilker Park with a good book. Katrina truly enjoys brightening people’s day and is thrilled to be able to do as a part of the PAZ family!

Miah Perez

Tougher Than Hairspray

Miah was born and raised here in the Eclectic South Austin. Miah graduated top of her class from cosmetology going into the world of Hair and beauty, then becoming a master stylist for 12 years .

But something was missing. Miah wanted to do more. After volunteering at one of the local animal shelters for the first time, it dawned on her (#Doglivesmatter). She was hooked and devoted to the care and love of our 4 legged friends. Now a proud dog mom to Booger, Chatchi & Trucker she is throwing in the styling cape and scissors for doggy biscuits and tail wags.

Skye Olson

The Wheel in the Skye Keeps on turnin'

Skye was born and raised in Southern California before moving to Austin 13 years ago. She is an avid animal lover who is currently studying Fisheries and Wildlife Science at Oregon State University. She has a 4 year old German Short Haired Pointer/Dalmatian mix named Hudson and loves spending time outside. She hopes to work with endangered species and large mammals one day but until then, she is thrilled to have found her tribe here at Paz!

Molly Dimaggio

Heart of Gold

Molly was born and raised in milwaukee wisconsin. Wanting to escape another frigid bleak winter she moved to Austin to get some sunshine and warmth. She credits her love of animals to her grandma who raised cats, dogs, horses , ducks and many more furry friends.

Shortly after moving to Austin she adopted a 7 year old bordie collie mix who just happened to also be named molly. When she’s not doing schoolwork or working she’s cuddled up with molly dog watching horror movies, reading, or exploring all that Austin has to offer.

Emily Carpenter

Beautiful Creatures

A native Texan, Emily started her career working with animals after finishing a degree in fine arts. She landed her first “dog job” working at a doggie daycare and boarding facility. While there she quickly fell in love with working hands on with the pups! Shortly after she rescued her (now 8 year old) Bull Terrier, Creature, the absolute love of her life! Creach kickstarted her rescue streak and after him she personally rescued and helped re-home several bullies, one of whom a good friend of her now owns :). Fast forward a couple of years and life brought Emily to good ol’ Austin, TX where eventually she found her wonderful reception position with PAZ.

In Emily’s free time you can find her and Creach exploring the green belt with a pack of white claws and some buddies, drawing/painting/and happily staring at art in a museum or binge watching the office with her fav couch potato (aka my dog).

Troy Buckland
Fear Free Certified

Executive Director
Wise Owl

Having been born in Texas into a military family, Troy has had the joy of living throughout this country and even abroad but Austin remains home. Time and place hold no boundaries in Troy’s wanderlust of veterinary and animal care. He has been immersed in this career for over 285 full moons (23 years) and enjoyed each one of them with great admiration
Troy claims the force of the Universe is what delivered him to PAZ Veterinary and he reminds people daily of his gratitude on finding a place where he can put his passion and experience to the call of animal stewardship. He has been able to combine his own philosophy of animal care with his desire to serve others, all while fitting in with an eclectic group at PAZ.

Troy’s first foray into animal care was in 1989 – right after the San Fran quake shook the city to shambles including the lives of the dogs and cats. The SF Humane Society quickly put his talents to use and his experience with giving was amplified through the eyes of animals. His natural curiosity led him to practice manager positions but he still thrived in treatment of sick animals, whether holistic medicine, as a chemo-tech, critical care and emergency tech, no job was too tough for Troy.

He has been able to call on experience from different regions of the US and they have all been paired well with technical duties. He remains worldly in his compassion and brave with his guidance and has become a great father figure for dealing with emotional clients as well as emotional employees. PAZ Veterinary is thankful to have kind and patient leadership through Troy and his love of veterinary medicine.

Troy finds so much rhythm in the mantra below-

“Love and care for the animals…but…

never forget to do the same for the people.”

Karen Holliday
Fear Free Certified
TCVM Trained

Director of Human Resources
Zen Master

Karen, who hails from the beautiful Pacific Northwest, grew up an introverted child who found a natural solace in animals. She was raised with cats and dogs but also any animal that needed care.

She started her career in veterinary medicine as a kennel attendant and receptionist over 15 years ago. She decided this was a path to pursue and became a veterinary technician shortly after. Moving to Austin about 10 years ago, she continued along the path and worked for an emergency animal hospital before taking a year off to reset and travel the world. She heard about PAZ through a friend and decided that it would be a great place to utilize her skill set and further her belief in the strong human/animal bond.

She has two lovable pets named Beeju, a nine year old pitbull, and Judas Goat, a small black cat who runs the house. Outside of veterinary medicine, her hobbies include yoga and meditation, and anything that inspires empowerment and respect for nature and all of its inhabitants.

Stephen Murray
Fear Free Certified

Brand Director
PAZitive vibes

Stephen’s background includes twenty years of experience working in the retail industry as an international fashion model, where he drove top-line sales for the North American market within the wholesale team of Giorgio Armani. His flourishing career working with prominent global fashion brands in over fifteen countries is attributed to his success developing and marketing a compelling personal brand, gaining deep understanding of clients’ needs, as well as building and maintaining successful long term relationships. Stephen has a strong passion for transformative learning which led him to co-found a personal and professional growth, training and development company that operated in New York and Los Angeles for 5 years. Stephen eventually returned to his hometown, Austin TX, and has been a regular speaker on leadership, self-development and universal principles.

As Director of Product Strategy, Stephen is responsible for the development, implementation and execution of the PAZ product strategy, procurement, purchasing, and inventory processes and procedures. Stephen utilizes consistent reporting, team collaboration and external partnerships to improve operational efficiencies and to ensure medical, financial and client satisfaction goals are met. Stephen’s strong interpersonal skills have also been instrumental in elevating overall operational practices, leveraging talent and empowering staff to uphold the PAZ culture, mission, and vision.

Stephen has proven knowledge and track record evident of quickly identifying opportunities for improvement, motivating others, and executing with precision. He brings a high level of operational focus, notable attention to detail, strong leadership skills and effervescent entrepreneurial spirit to the PAZ team. He is passionate about people, product and process, and is a dynamic leader that easily flexes between high-level strategic thinking and hands-on operational execution. Stephen’s guiding principles are leading by example, accountability, kindness and management by way of empowerment.

Jimmy Leiva
Fear Free Certified

Director of Client Experience
The Wonderful Wizard of PAZ

One of the rare local unicorns, Jimmy was born here in Austin, Texas! Growing up he had a niche for helping others, always putting them before himself, which in turn grew into his adult life. Attending school at The University of Texas in San Antonio he studied science and criminal law to help achieve his life goals.

Jimmy’s empathy and his amazing ability of communication led him to work in the finance industry (totally different from his schooling) where he found his real talent in helping people. Working with all types of clientele he developed the skills he needed to succeed and help others achieve their goals.

Fast Forward and here he is working with amazing people (again) and the added bonus of animals! Hooray! As our Director of Client Experience he is responsible for ensuring YOU (yes, you), the client, have the best possible experience at PAZ and that your furry friend is provided with the utmost possible care that we give here each and every time!

In his free time, you can catch Jimmy at the trail going for a bike ride or run, hiking around town, and of course binge watching TV. He enjoys spending time with his pups, friends, and co-workers alike for social gatherings.

Nikki LaCour

Director of Operations
Mother Nature

Even though Nikki LaCour was born in Lubbock, Texas, she made her way to Austin as soon as she could in 1984! She took a brief sabbatical to go back to Lubbock to attend Texas Tech University where she obtained an undergraduate degree in Animal Science and Natural Resources and Chemistry. As a college student, she followed her passion working as a veterinary technician in Emergency and Critical Care as well as working at a general care practice. Her passion for animals and their pet parents followed her through her entire college career and beyond! After graduating Texas Tech University, she quickly left Lubbock to come back to Austin, Texas where she left off. In 1998 she worked as a technician (general practice and critical care) here in Austin until 2014.

Over the years of being a technician, she developed a new budding passion for the business side of veterinary medicine, and was graciously mentored by another manager so she was ready to accept a position as a Practice Manager in a general practice hospital in Round Rock, Texas. Being successful in Round Rock, she was given another opportunity 16 months later to become a Regional Operations Manager for 16+ practices from Austin to Boston (Eastern US) supporting and helping to develop processes. During her time as a Regional Operations Manager, she developed a passion for identifying and mentoring new leaders within her region. After a little over a year, she moved from Regional Operations Management to Integration Management in the same large veterinary company experiencing hyper-growth (growing from 13 clinics to over 280 in roughly 3 years) clinics and staff ranging from small, 1 doctor practices to emergency/specialty hybrid practices with over 100 staff.

Managing the emotions around change, training and helping to support practices in new partnerships was exciting. Nikki was traveling extensively and although she loved her career, she was looking for something different. Then, she found Paz Veterinary! Joining the team in January of 2020 as Director of Operations.

Nikki has a husband, and an 11 year old son as well as 4 dogs (2 mini dachshunds, a chihuahua and a chiweenie). She is also a plant enthusiast, owning over 300 plants.

She is super excited to be part of the amazing Paz Tribe!

Ashley Vaughan

Interior Designer
Queen Bee

Hailing from Austin, TX, Ashley the Queen Bee had early aspirations of becoming a cowgirl, riding horses and working a ranch. She also deeply admired the veterinarian profession and had dreams of becoming (or marrying) a vet one day. One wish down and one to go as she is the better half to Dr. Nicholas and proud mother of the two kinetic babies you see around Paz Vet, Redding and Fields Vaughan

Ashley grew up with a deep love and fascination of all living creatures and frequently brought home stray kitties, birdies, and anything that was looking for love. A passion to nurture was cultivated by her mother, who is a labor and delivery nurse, and whom also instilled an education of care and responsible medicine. Ashley loves to be around all furry friends and believes their unconditional love is one of the worlds greatest gifts and is necessary for those seeking a fulfilled life. Paz Vet has also been a creative outlet for Ashley as she has had the opportunity to work with some of Austin’s greatest minds (VUKA-Impact HUB-Seeds Interiors) in creating an environment where you can feel like you are home when you bring your loved one to see our amazing staff!

Tess Warner

Senior Analyst
Ol' Faithful

Tess is a native Texan, but she has lived all over the western half of the country. After finishing her BS in Biology and Painting at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA, she returned to Austin briefly before disappearing into the mountains of Colorado for a year. The pursuit of a graduate degree brought her back to the Hill Country to attend Texas State University, where she attained her MBA.

After deciding not to pursue veterinary school, Tess explored several other facets of the animal health field. She has worked as a pharmacy technician compounding veterinary medications, a dog trainer, and volunteered as a surgical assistant in a Colorado animal shelter. Although she loves the medical side of animal health, she hopes to someday use her background in business and biology to improve the changing veterinary industry. Her time as a dog trainer and her undergraduate research on animal behavior sparked a particular interest in the relationship between humans and their pets; she believes that bringing a better business philosophy to a rapidly growing industry will ultimately lead to better care, longer companion animal lives, and happier pet owners.

Tess now calls Colorado home, but knocks out some fantastic remote work for us and knows she always has a home with us if she’d ever like to return to ATX.

Doctors

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Dr. Nicholas Vaughan, MBA, CCRP, CVA Fear Free Certified

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Dr. Tim Julien Fear Free Certified

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Dr. Cindy Carter Fear Free Certified

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Dr. Adam Lassin, CVA Fear Free Certified

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Dr. Jamie Senthirajah Fear Free Certified

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Dr. Laurie Johnson, CVA, CVHM Fear Free Certified

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Dr. Jena Webb Fear Free Certified

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Dr. Nicholas Kiefer Fear Free Certified

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Dr. Kate Thompson Fear Free Certified

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Dr. John Pullen Fear Free Certified

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Dr. Kyndl Brunson, MRCVS Fear Free Certified

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Dr. Jane Mellencamp Fear Free Certifed

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Dr. Kelly Might, DACVS Surgery Specialist

Nurses

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RACHEL BARTON Fear Free Certified

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Haley Regan Fear Free Certified

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Ann Haraguchi Fear Free Certified

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Rachel Whittaker Fear Free Certified

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Suzanne Tappe Fear Free Certified

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Justina Kaupp Fear Free Certified

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Jordan Keller Fisher

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Dru Marquis

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Chea Serda Fear Free Certified

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Caryn Scott Fear Free Certified

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Chris Allgeier Fear Free Certified

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Laura June Fear Free Certified

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Kimberly Trevino TCVM Trained

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Leslye Nichter Fear Free Certified

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Maggie Dickenson TCVM Trained Fear Free Certified

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Kelly McDonnell Fear Free Certified

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Jerry Jimenez Fear Free Certified

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Rita Hakim Fear Free Certified

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ReAnn Bolen

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Brooke Shirley TCVM Trained Fear Free Certified

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Kaitlyn StudebakerTCVM Trained Fear Free Certified

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Paige Messer Fear Free Certified

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Janai Stottlemyre Fear Free Certified

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James Baduini Fear Free Certified

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Marci De La Sancha Fear Free Certified

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Dr. Nicholas Vaughan, MBA, CCRP, CVA
Fear Free Certified

Dr. Tim Julien
Fear Free Certified

Dr. Cindy Carter
Fear Free Certified

Dr. Adam Lassin, CVA
Fear Free Certified

Dr. Jamie Senthirajah
Fear Free Certified

Dr. Laurie Johnson,
CVA, CVHM
Fear Free Certified

Dr. Jena Webb
Fear Free Certified

Dr. Nicholas Kiefer
Fear Free Certified

Dr. Kate Thompson
Fear Free Certified

Dr. John Pullen
Fear Free Certified

Dr. Kyndl Brunson, MRCVS
Fear Free Certified

Dr. Jane Mellencamp
Fear Free Certifed

Dr. Kelly Might, DACVS
Surgery Specialist

RACHEL BARTON
Fear Free Certified

Haley Regan
Fear Free Certified

Ann Haraguchi
Fear Free Certified

Rachel Whittaker
Fear Free Certified

Suzanne Tappe
Fear Free Certified

Justina Kaupp
Fear Free Certified

Chea Serda
Fear Free Certified

Caryn Scott
Fear Free Certified

Chris Allgeier
Fear Free Certified

Laura June
Fear Free Certified

Kimberly Trevino
TCVM Trained

Leslye Nichter
Fear Free Certified

Maggie Dickenson
TCVM Trained
Fear Free Certified

Kelly McDonnell
Fear Free Certified

Jerry Jimenez
Fear Free Certified

Rita Hakim
Fear Free Certified

Brooke Shirley
TCVM Trained
Fear Free Certified

Kaitlyn Studebaker
TCVM Trained
Fear Free Certified

Paige Messer
Fear Free Certified

Janai Stottlemyre
Fear Free Certified

James Baduini
Fear Free Certified

Marci De La Sancha
Fear Free Certified

Toni Hayes
Fear Free Certified

Ivi Covington
Fear Free Certified

Destiny Norris
Fear Free Certified

Andrea LaPointe
Fear Free Certified

Melissa Ferrari
Fear Free Certified

Kate Bannon
Fear Free Certified

Ashlee Moya
Fear Free Certified

Brooke Lauer
Fear Free Certified

Jerome Vivino
Fear Free Certified

Vanessa Thuma
Fear Free Certified

Troy Buckland
Fear Free Certified

Karen Holliday
Fear Free Certified
TCVM Trained

Stephen Murray
Fear Free Certified

Jimmy Leiva
Fear Free Certified