Nurses
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Suzanne Tappe
Fear Free Certified
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Rebecca Grove
Fear Free Certified
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Ana Alfaro
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Angel Cardiel
Fear Free Certified
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Marlene Martinez
Fear Free Certified
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Juliet Sellers Fear Free Certified
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Ksenia AlbertFear Free Certified
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Megan Barrett
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Erika Dihmes
Fear Free Certified
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Cynthia Marques
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Arlette Ramirez
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Marissa Santos
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Destiny Norris
Fear Free Certified
Management
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Nikki Johnston
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Karen Holliday
Fear Free Certified
TCVM Trained
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Dru Marquis
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Toni Keener
Fear Free Certified
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Rachel Barton
Fear Free Certified
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Alison Colton-Rhoads
Fear Free Certified
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Ashley Vaughan
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Vanessa Thuma
Fear Free Certified
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Natalie NewittFear Free Certified
Dr. Nicholas Vaughan, MBA, CCRP, CVA
Fear Free Elite
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
Dental Queen
Chief Surgical Officer
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. Jena Webb
Fear Free Certified
A gentle breeze
South Chief Medical Officer
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. 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
Evening Giraffe
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. 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. Melissa Tackett
Fear Free Certified
Southern Belle
Dr. Melissa Tackett is excited to be joining the Paz team as she is such an advocate for positivity, the Fear Free movement, and the human-animal bond. She is originally from Knoxville, TN and a 2018 graduate from Lincoln Memorial University’s veterinary college. Dr. Tackett also attended undergrad at LMU to complete her Bachelor of Veterinary Medical Technology degree.
Like many veterinary doctors, Dr. Tackett knew from a very young age that she wanted to love on pets forever and make that her career. I mean, she did have a pretend clinic set up on her grandparents’ porch when she was in elementary school where the neighborhood kids would bring their dogs over for her to give a dose of love to, not much has changed as she still loves on every pet that she sees, but now she gets to actively participate and make their lives healthier and therefore happier- making medicine fun and less stressful.
Internal medicine cases, geriatric medicine (She is a SUCKER for a grey muzzle), and anything related to German Shepherds all fall under her umbrella of professional passions.
In addition to that, Dr. Tackett is a firm believer that teamwork makes the dream work which is why she loves client education. She feels as though when owners understand a medical condition fully, they are empowered to make great medical decisions for their pet. For her, forming a relationship with her clients is just as important as the relationship she forms with their baby/her patient. Dr. Tackett is also a big fan of chronic disease management because she gets to develop that bond, her client learns, and she enjoys being able to offer a multimodal approach to a disease process- another reason that she loves Paz.
×Dr. Colby Kiefer
Fear Free Certified
Dr. Crawdaddy!
Dr. Colby Kiefer was born and raised in New Orleans, LA. For most of his childhood, he was denied access to furry companions—the sheer horror of an untidy household and “the smell” was too great for his parents. Thus, his budding interest in vetmed was forced to remain a quiet smolder. Eventually, through incessant pleading and practiced puppy dog eyes, a four-legged friend by the name of Callie was welcomed into his home; the first steps towards a career as a veterinarian were taken.
Colby completed his undergraduate education at Tulane University in New Orleans majoring in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. When not in class, he spent most of his time waiting tables, going home for free dinners, playing music in a handful of bands, working at a bouldering gym, and exploring all the things New Orleans had to offer. He then applied to and was accepted into the University of Tennessee (“the other UT”) College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville, TN.
His professional interests include surgery and dermatology—he can’t resist poppin’ a pimple. But, what really gets him jazzed up about vetmed is helping to facilitate an environment for clients, patients, and coworkers that is welcoming, respectful, and conscious of the different backgrounds and experiences that each individual brings with them. When in the hospital, you’re likely to catch him smiling.
Colby currently lives in East Austin and shares his abode with his partner, two dogs (Rayna James and Sully), and a kitty cat (Stevie).
×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.
×Dr. Krista A. Sirois
Practice Limited to Behavior
Elite Fear Free Certified
Dr. Sirois worked in veterinary clinics from the age of 16 and decided while she was working in Austin that she needed to go to vet school. She graduated in 2016 from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine.
While in school, she was very involved in the American Animal Hospital Association and in leadership of the Integrative Medicine Club. She also completed a 10-week fellowship in Clinical Pathology at Texas A&M. After graduating, she entered an internship program at VCA Veterinary Specialists of Northern Colorado. During that time, she received in-depth training in internal medicine, surgery, neurology, and emergency medicine.
Dr. Sirois completed her residency in 2020 under the mentorship of Dr. Lisa Radosta at Florida Veterinary Behavior Service and remained as an associate for an additional year. Her special interests include feline behavior, a holistic approach to medicine, and the impact of other illnesses on behavior. She has given many CE lectures to veterinarians (live and virtual) and consulted with industry groups. She regularly writes educational articles for sites such as PetMD and All About Cats.
Dr. Sirois learns something new about behavior almost daily from her Chihuahua-Pug mix, Molly, and her three cats (Chupie, Ducati, and Stanley). When not working, she enjoys tennis, history documentaries, and working on puzzles with her family.
×Dr. Spencer Wolfe Fear Free Certified
The not-so-big, not-so-bad Wolfe
Dr. Spencer Wolfe grew up in Houston, Texas. Her parents taught her to love and respect animals at an early age, which blossomed into a passion for veterinary medicine. She’s a proud Aggie and earned her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science from Texas A&M University. From there, she trekked up to Kansas to earn her veterinary degree from Kansas State University. After enduring several Kansas winters, this Texan gal came to Austin to surround herself with vibrant culture, good food and pet-loving people.
Her professional interests include preventative and internal medicine, orthopedics and rehabilitation — and she’s also a sucker for tiny dogs. Dr. Wolfe finds the most joy in creating lasting relationships with pets and their people. She strives to use both science and empathy to collaborate with owners and offer quality care tailored to each pet’s individual needs. In her free time, you can find Spencer on walks with her two chihuahuas or on a mission to find the best breakfast taco in Austin. She looks forward to getting to know you and your pet!
×Dr. Vanessa Garcia LindborgFear Free Certified
Dr. Garcia Lindborg grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico- “The Land of Enchantment”. She loved working and training her family pets as a child, and like many veterinarians always dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. She graduated from New Mexico State University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Minor in Biochemistry in 2005. She then attended Colorado State University where she earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in May of 2010.
Dr. Garcia Lindborg moved to Austin, Texas in 2018 with her husband and 6 fur babies. They immediately fell in love with the culture and knew they had made the perfect decision. They love that Austin is extremely pet friendly and that there is always something new to explore; not to mention all the amazing breweries and restaurants the city has to offer. In her spare time, she also enjoys dancing, hiking, movies, and training her dogs to do new tricks.
Dr. Garcia Lindborg has a passion for preventative care, the human animal bond, animal behavior, and the fear free movement. She feels that nothing is more rewarding than providing great client education to help pet parents make the right medical decisions for their pets. She truly loves this profession and strives to provide the compassion and care needed for everyone facing uncertainty and stress when coming to a veterinary clinic. She wants to make sure your fur baby is well taken care of and stays happy and healthy while at the veterinary clinic. She is extremely excited to join the PAZ family and cannot wait to meet you and your furry family members.
×Dr. Fernanda Sanudo, CVAFear Free Certified
Dr. MexiCat
Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
Dr. Sanudo was born and raised in Mexico City. In 2015 she graduated from UNAM, the #1 university in Mexico. In 2017, she relocated to Texas to continue with her veterinary journey.
Dr. Sanudo has a passion to practice integrative medicine to help her patients in the best way possible. In 2021 she became a certified veterinary acupuncturist at the Chi University and works to incorporate eastern techniques in her western training to provide a functional medical approach for her patients.
In her free time she enjoys yoga, meditation, and traveling to Playa del Carmen. She has 2 hilarious cats and a lively cattle dog that all love to snuggle.
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Dr. Brooke Tashjian
Brooke grew up on the oceans of New England surrounded by dogs, cats, rabbits and horses (and seals, sharks and her big scary – whales). Her mom always told her “a house without animals just feels cold,” and from a very young age taught her the value and importance that an animal companion has in our lives and on our health – and us on theirs.
Knowing she wanted to help animals in some way, she graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in wildlife biology, which led her to wildlife rehabilitation and human-wildlife conflict mitigation field work in Africa. She developed a passion for the human-animal bond and a strong appreciation for animal behavior. After some time working in a kitten shelter and a few years working in wildlife conservation behind a desk, Brooke wanted a more hands on position and attended Ross University Veterinary School of Medicine in St. Kitts. She completed her clinical year at the University of Missouri.
Brooke’s main passion is for preventative medicine and respecting a fear-free approach in all aspects of an animal’s life. She is a big believer that the human-animal bond is a two-way street, and that veterinarians are not here just for the pet, but for their owner as well. While this New England girl may not be excited about the Texas heat, she is ecstatic to join the Paz family and be there for you of your furry family member!
×Dr. Danielle Hein
YOUR SMALL TOWN GIRL
Dr. Danielle Hein grew up in Eastern Long Island, in a town so small that there was no mail delivery. She has dreamt of being a veterinarian since childhood, quite fitting a high school kid working with milking goats!
Dr. Hein attended Cornell University for both her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences and her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine; totaling eight years as a fellow alumnus! As an established veterinarian, Dr. Hein is a member of IVECCS and AVMA. Her veterinary specialties include emergency medicine and ER mentorship to other doctors.
When not at work, you can find Dr. Hein making pottery in her at-home studio. She also enjoys baking, and knitting, and is known to indulge in the occasional creative writing.
×Sarah Castleman
Dr. Castleman was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She’s had a love for animals for as long as she can remember. Growing up, she had a wide variety of animals as pets including spending a lot of time around cattle through her family’s hobby ranch.
Dr. Castleman received her Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Science from Texas A&M. Throughout her senior year of high school and her undergraduate career, she has worked at all levels of employment at an animal hospital which caused her to fall more in love with this field.
Dr. Castleman attended Auburn University for veterinary school and graduated with honors. Her professional interests are mainly urgent care/emergency medicine, soft tissue surgery and dentistry. However, she enjoys getting to practice preventive medicine as well.
In Dr. Castleman’s free time, she can be found spending as much time outside, tending to her plants or playing with her two German Shepherd/husky mixes (Khal and Zara). Otherwise, she’ll be found snuggling her cat, Lola who she swears is her soulmate. Dr. Castleman is very excited to join the Paz family!
×Suzanne Tappe
Fear Free Certified
North 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!
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Ana Alfaro
The Silent Ninja
I was born and raised in Austin Tx. I’ve always wanted to work with animals and I love going to the beach with all of my fur babies!
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Marlene Martinez
Fear Free Certified
Veterinary Technician
I was born in Santa Anna, California, and raised in Austin, Texas. I knew I wanted to work in the veterinary field since 8 years old, after our family dog passed away from parvo. I love surgery especially dentals; I get so much satisfaction seeing tartar free teeth! I have a total of 5 kids: 1 human 2 labs 1 husky and 1 fish 😉
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Ksenia AlbertFear Free Certified
Veterinary Technician
From the time Ksenia was a child, her grandfather helped instill a love and passion for taking care of all kinds of animals- from spiders in the garden to bunnies found stranded in the fields he was farming. Even though she double-majored in psychology and philosophy, she always knew that nurturing animals is what made her feel most fulfilled. Previous experience at a non-profit agency working towards a no-kill shelter initiative further instilled her belief that this is what she was meant to do in life.
Ksenia started as a technician assistant and was soon promoted to vet tech and surgery tech. She is the proud mama of Juna, her heeler mix, 2 cats, and 3 leopard geckos. She has been a vegetarian since the age of 19 and is a die-hard Packers fan. She enjoys reading, crime documentaries, concerts, good coffee (even bad coffee is okay), and going to the beach.
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Erika Dihmes
Fear Free Certified
East Veterinary Lead Technician
Puppy-Cuddler Extraordinaire
Originally from North Carolina, I have been working in animal welfare for over 7 years. What started out as a hobby volunteering at my local animal shelter has evolved into a fulfilling career. In addition to treating and loving on your beloved pets, I also spend time rehabilitating wildlife at Austin Wildlife Rescue.
×Cynthia Marques
Veterinary Technician
Empire State of Mind
Cynthia is a New York transplant who’s lived in Austin for past 3 years. They started their veterinary journey at 18 years old but didn’t truly fall in love with the profession until they started working at a hybrid emergency / speciality hospital. They have a strong hunger for learning and teaching! Naturally this lead them to Paz, full of innovative individuals that share their knowledge with fellow staff members and clients alike. On their off days they teach, practice learning a new craft and tend to be planning some sort of adventure to go on.
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Kate Bannon
Fear Free Certified
North Reception Supervisor
CCPDT-KA certified dog trainer
With roots in New Orleans, it’s no surprise that Kate has settled here in Austin where the people know how to have a good time and the temperature stays warm. After graduating from LSU, Kate made a leap of faith to pursue a film career in Austin. Between gigs, Kate knew she had to find something more sustainable and was hired on by Karma Dog Training as an assistant trainer and quickly moved up the ranks to start leading classes in 2015. After COVID and classes became virtual, Kate parted with Karma Dog. Knowing the importance of early socialization, she started our very own “Puppy Paw-ty” classes. She plans to keep expanding puppy classes within Paz and continue to grow her knowledge in animal behavior. 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 Golden Retriever became her best friend. Frequently her mom brought home stray or injured animals making compassion a trait learned early on. With knowledge in animal behavior and excellent people skills, it’s no surprise Kate has found a family within PAZ. When she isn’t busy helping people and their pets, Kate enjoys practicing yoga, discovering new music/food, and spending as much time as possible soaking up the sun and water with her pup, Butters. If she isn’t out and about with friends, you bet she is cuddled up at home watching cartoons or horror flicks.
The Professional Dog Trainer CPDT-KA certification requires 300 hours of training experience and passing a lengthy exam testing knowledge and skills in ethology, learning theory, dog training technique, and instruction.
×Katie Alvarado
Fear Free Certified
South Reception SupervisorCooking Mama!
Katie was born and raised in our awesome city of Austin, Texas. She is a mother of two children, Noah, 12, and Sophia, 8. Let’s not forget her 4-legged pal, Chunk, who is 3. She began her career back in 2018 starting off as a kennel technician, moved up to a receptionist, then began some training as a technician. She much enjoys client interaction and building relationships with owners, ensuring they have the best experience coming into, and leaving the hospital. Katie heard about Paz through a co-worker and although she doesn’t like a huge change, she applied only to find out that her career would better both hers, and her children’s future. That change was needed! Katie came to us from another clinic, a little worn out from the volume they were receiving, due to COVID. She utilized her knowledge, customer service skills, and training learned over the years, and fit right in with the Paz family. Shortly after, she was promoted to South reception supervisor, doing an overall good job (She says) haha!
When Katie is not working at the clinic, she loves to spend time with her kiddos, doggo and boyfriend, Adam. They love to adventure and explore new parks and food places in the Austin area. Her #1 passion is COOKING; she has been cooking since she was 8 years old and has never put the spatula down. Her dream is to one day have a ‘67 Volkswagen van, and convert it into a mobile restaurant to take on the road around the country, serving all sorts of desserts. Along with spending time with the kids, she cooks, messes around with her many plants, and seeks any new hobby that could be interesting for not just herself, but the kids as well. Family is everything to her and what she learns in life she shows Noah and Sophia so that they are capable of bright futures and success.
×Andrea Massella
Receptionist
TieDye Yankee
Andrea is originally from Connecticut on the East Coast (best coast). This Yankee has been working with dogs for over 15 years! She loves being part of the PAZ family, helping pets get well. She enjoys going to concerts and roller skating in her free time. She’s a firecracker, she’s fabulous, she loves dogs, and she roller skates to the beat of her own music!
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Jodie
Fear-Free Certified
Silly Goose
North Lead Receptionist
Jodie was born and raised South of Houston, surrounded by farm and domestic animals alike. She spends her work days bugging the heck out of her coworkers, and striving to help pet parents feel at ease.
You can find her outside of Paz boppin’ around the city at various shows, or buried in her couch nest with a good video game or horror film.
×Nikki Johnston
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 teenage son as well as 4 dogs (3 mini dachshunds, a chihuahua and a chiweenie). She is also a plant enthusiast, caring for 700+ plants!
×Karen Holliday
Fear Free Certified
TCVM Trained
Director of Human Relations
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.
×Dru Marquis
East Nurse Triage
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 join PAZ Veterinary in 2016.
Dru enjoys practicing Yoga, working with Fiber Arts, and getting out into Nature for hiking and
camping. She also advocates for Greyhounds and other Sighthounds in need of Forever Homes, and
currently shares her life and her heart with her sweet but spicy retired racer, Aoife.
Toni Keener
Fear Free Certified
Jack of All Trades
Toni is one of our most tenured employees at Paz Veterinary. She came to us way back, when we were known as Austin Corner Vet and quickly established our standard of care for the technical staff. Toni has an interesting career story-arc coming from the insurance industry years ago but her Kansas farm girl roots and her sensibility got the best of her and she has excelled as a technician, a lead trainer and even operation management. She left Corner Vet for a great opportunity at Thrive Vet Care and opened one of their more successful hospitals.
She returned back to Paz when a management role opened for her and has brought even more experience and success back with her. She is a fan favorite and knows her way around a hospital and takes patient care serious. Toni completed tech training at Penn Foster and began her career at Sunburst Animal Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. She knows the Austin Pet Community well and is happy to take any suggestions you have for our veterinary technician staff.
She does way more than just lead our Technician staff- she also rides extremely fast motorcycles (with a helmet on), cultivates an organic garden, mother of many plants and an active dog-Rayne (3 year old black mouth cur). You can probably catch Toni out on a trail hike all over Austin with her dog. So get to know her! Maybe you will get some fresh tomatoes or some 2-wheelin advice.
×Rachel Barton
Fear Free Certified
North Head of Culture
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.
×Alison Colton-Rhoads
Fear Free Certified
Mama Bear
I grew up in Northern California… true Northern California… 170 miles North of San Francisco. I spent my youth exploring tide pools, playing at the beach, hiking in the redwoods and playing sports with my older brother. We always had a pet when I was growing up. We had one cat and multiple dogs.
I got my start in the veterinary industry at Pets Unlimited in San Francisco, CA in the early 2000’s. I worked as a file clerk (remember paper files?), receptionist and then reception supervisor. I loved establishing relationships with our clients as well as the fast paced environment of our 24 hour emergency center.
After falling in love with my future wife at a veterinary conference, I moved to Sydney, Australia. I lived in Sydney for 7 years. I loved photographing all native wildlife like wombats, koalas, kangaroos, echidnas, sulfur-crested cockatoos and rainbow lorikeets. I now have dual citizenship and I also gave birth to our son, Nicholas, in Sydney in 2017. Oh and being stung by a stingray really, really hurts. Trust me, I got stung on the top of my foot while vacationing at the Great Barrier Reef.
We moved back to the States in 2017 and after a few years of being a stay at home mom, I decided it was time to get back into the veterinary industry. It is definitely my passion. I love being able to meet our patients and build relationships with our clients. I’m so proud to be working at Paz Veterinary. I love the culture and employees at Paz.
We currently have Zoey, a 3yr old DSH; Rizzo Louise, a 2yr old Cavapoo; and Whiskey Nash, a 2yr old Cavachon. Along with Nicholas, our fur babies keep me busy on my days off. Nicholas also loves rescuing lizards (usually from Zoey’s mouth), so we always have a terrarium set up for his next best friend. Right now, his best friend is Ninja, a baby red-eared slider that our dogs found in our backyard.
×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!
×Vanessa Thuma
Fear Free Certified
West Head of Culture
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.
×Natalie NewittFear Free Certified
South Head of Culture
Lady in Red
I’m a Texas native by birth but my previous homes that I hold dear are Colorado and Alaska. I have loved animals since I could remember! Growing up I spent my free time trying to catch wild life and bring home any stray to convince my parents they needed a home! Once I volunteered at a shelter I knew working with animals was my calling. I have been in veterinary medicine for about 5 years now and have been fortunate to spend 2 of those years growing my roots at PAZ. I love educating clients on their furry companions and strive to make vet visits fun for people and animals alike!
I love all animals! But I am a cat person at heart and love to spend my down time cuddling on the couch with my cat JiJi. But then 3 years ago Geronimo came into our lives and changed everything (for the better). Now I am a dog person as well and biased to the husky mixes ;P
We love to take Geronimo on our hiking/climbing trips! He enjoys being outdoors and he will not let us pass up an opportunity to say hi to a furry friend or human companion, and you bet he will lay down until he gets his way!
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“You nailed it.”
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“I am so happy I found this vet, y'all are wonderful. Thank you so much for your work and for treating my cat so well!”
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“Great service. They made my puppy feel comfortable and happy to be here. Friendly and helpful staff.”
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“Super attentive to detail, very friendly staff and awesome all around.”
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“Technicians are always so kind and helpful, as well as very informed!”
HERE WHEN YOU NEED US.
Mon–Fri. 8A–8P
Saturday 8A–2P
Closed Sundays
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