When I was very young, I spent a lot of time in Mexico because my father is an archeologist. I remember having a hard time making friends because I was shy and didn’t speak the language. As a result, I became obsessed with the animals around me, including a Mexican wolf that my grandmother domesticated (now an endangered species), dogs, cats, bats, and a chicken that I raised from an egg. Ever since, I have had a special connection and interest with animals. As soon as I was old enough to know what a veterinarian was, I knew what I wanted to do when I grew up.
I’m not sure I’ve grown up yet, but I have become a veterinarian. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a V.M.D. (U. Penn’s equivalent of a D.V.M.) in 2006. Immediately post-graduation, I returned to my hometown of New Orleans (just post-Katrina) and worked at a small animal clinic belonging to the city’s previous zoo veterinarian. Because of my early experiences with exotic animals and subsequent work in Africa, I thought I wanted to do wildlife medicine and was happy to find a job with someone who had worked with exotic animals. But I surprised myself and fell in love with dog and cat medicine and have continued working with them (now exclusively) to this day.
In 2011, I moved to Colorado and now live with my husband and two beagles in Boulder. My special interests include the human-animal bond, medicine, and client education. I also volunteer with an outreach organization that provides free veterinary care to the (human) homeless and at-risk population. Outside of work, I love to hike, read, play word games (I do the NYT crossword every day), and spend time with my family. I have a particular fondness for beagles since rescuing one in vet school, especially because, in 2012, it led me to another beagle that was attached to the man who is now my husband.