Our Staff

Lisa joined SVA in 2008, as a Veterinary Assistant. Lisa earned her Veterinary Technology degree from Penn Foster University and became a Licensed Veterinary Technician in 2013. Lisa also holds a B.S. degree from Rochester Institute of Technology. In 2017 Lisa was the first staff member of SVA to earn her Fear Free Certification and is using that training to improve the lives of pets. Lisa shares her home with her husband and two beautiful German Shepherd Dogs Ryder and Senta who are, together, 150 pounds of energy and love.

McKenze joined SVA in 2005 shortly after she graduated from North Dakota State University with a Bachelors in Veterinary Technology.  In 2008 she became a certified dog trainer though ABC Behavioral College.  She enjoys the challenges of veterinary medicine and is currently pursuing specialization in behavior. Other interests include: hiking, swimming, boating, kayaking, and exploring local parks. She is often seen performing tricks with her sidekick dog, Paige, who comes to work with her every day. She also lives with a beautiful domestic medium hair tabby named Walter who moved in, fell in love, and never left.

Ariel first joined SVA in 2007 as a client service representative (CSR) at our Ravenna Animal Hospital. At Ravenna Ariel became a very knowledgeable CSR and branched out in to working with the veterinary assistant (VA) team as needed. She moved out of the area and took a job as a veterinary assistant at another hospital before returning to the area and to SVA in 2009. Ariel became a sort of “jack-0f-all-trades” and worked in both the CSR and VA as a valued team member providing coverage at each of our 4 veterinary clinics bringing her great attitude with her. In 2019, she became one of two Call Center Coordinators who help to handle messages and prescriptions for all of our hospitals. Her specific veterinary interests revolve around veterinary imaging and surgical procedures because “being able to see the internal part of the body and then ‘fixing’ the problem is a huge advancement in taking care of peoples’ companions.” Ariel has an associates degree in General Education from Central Oregon Community College which plays into her love for her children and helping them grow up to be the best they can be. The family has two German Shepherd Dogs, Otis and Brodhi, a horse, and a few chickens.

Bailey joined SVA in October of 2020 as kennel assistant. They have a BA in visual art and photography from Evergreen State College. It should come as no surprise, then, that Bailey enjoys drawing, painting, and photography theory when not at work. They also enjoy toy collecting, following horse racing, and researching canines in comparative religion and folklore with a particular affinity for ancient Egyptian jackal deities. They currently have no pets but Bailey says “I dream of owning a Borzoi. Or two. Or Five.”

Briana joined SVA in January of 2021 after receiving her veterinary assistant certificate from Renton Technical College. She has particular interest in fear-free vet care as well as rehabilitation therapies for small animals, including massage and hydrotherapy. When she’s not working she loves to mountain bike, practice photography, and spend time with her friends and family. She is currently in the unpaid employ of a single cat named Annie.

Eva joined SVA in November of 2020. She earned a BS in geology from UW. At work she has a passion for veterinary imaging (such as xrays or ultrasounds) and pathology. Away from the hospital, she has a keen interest in geology, cooking, reading, and spending time with her friends. She also spends her free time catering to the needs of a kitty named Edelgard.

Ga-Wing joined SVA as a veterinary assistant in 2007 after earning a B.S. in Biology from the University of Washington. In 2019, she became one of two Call Center Coordinators who help to handle messages and prescriptions for all of our hospitals. Ga-Wing lives on a farm with at least one cat, and two dogs named Ruckus and Mossy, some chickens, and couple of pasture horses. She enjoys going to the mountains, traveling, playing sports, and spending time with family.

Hailey started working for SVA in October of 2018. She says she was “born with passion for animals”. Her best friend growing up was a grey and white cat named Bubbles who shared 20 years of life together and they were inseparable. She also grew up with Boxers, two Parakeets, and later in life rescued a tuxedo barn cat named Luna. From a very young age Hailey wanted to work with animals and had dreams of owning a horse rescue, and/or becoming a veterinarian. Her prior experience includes working with horses -riding and training in natural horsemanship, training dogs as a hobby, and caring for other pets as a part time job. Hailey is a talented pianist and artist. She enjoys spending time outside whether biking, hiking, swimming, or exploring the forest roads in Washington to discover the best views possible. Featured in her photo is her sister’s boxer puppy named Cooper who she is honored to care for. Hailey is very passionate about her work and she enjoys making connections with people and their pets.

John joined SVA in August of 2019 after receiving his B.S. in Marine Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. John has worked in the veterinary field for about two years now and has wanted to be a veterinarian since he was a child. He’s planning on applying to vet school in the next couple of years. His particular interests are small animal medicine,  microbiology (really small animals!), and the study of bacterial diseases. When he’s not at work, John enjoys cooking and is adventurous enough to try to make anything, so long as he has a recipe to follow. On his days off he’s running, hiking, or wandering the inter-tidal zones at the beach.

Aleigha joined SVA in January 2019. She is currently working on her degree. For now, she loves getting to meet new people and pets and expand her knowledge of veterinary care. When she’s not working or studying she can be found listening to music, attending live shows, camping, and going on outdoor adventures with her partner. She also works as house keeping staff for her two cats Albert (black) and PJ (orange).

Ariel joined SVA in January of 2021. At work she loves getting to educate people about their pet’s health and how to get rid of fleas and ticks. Like most of us, she loves spending time with puppies and kittens but also enjoys helping share information about how to take care of them. When she’s not at work she loves to spend her time writing and drawing– in particular she spends time doing portraits of people and animals.  At home, she is servant to a 6 year old orange cat named Ginger.

Nikki joined SVA in 2014. Nikki  has worked in the animal field since she was 18. She has a passion for taking care of animals and their people. Most of her off time is spent with her husband and two kids, Kaysie and Rylan, as well as her pets. She has 2 dogs; Cami and Ruckus as well as 5 cats; Baby Cat, Bubbles, Izzybella Noche, Jack, Lilo, and Stitch.