VETERINARY STAFF BIOS
Animal General is a unique veterinary wellness center in that our entire staff - from doctors, nurses, handlers to client service personnel - work together as a team. This joint effort and across-the-board communication result in the most comprehensive care for your pet.
Veterinary Team
Paul Howell, DVM: Founded Animal General in 1984 as a one-doctor practice; now the largest veterinary provider on Manhattan's Upper West Side. In addition to excellent pet medical care, what sets Dr. Howell apart is his commitment to community service.
Sally Yang, DVM: Dr. Yang comes to us from St. Mark's Veterinary Hospital. Her undergraduate work was completed at Cornell University and she earned her DVM at The College of Veterinary Medicine at the Ohio State University.
Jennifer Berg, DVM: Dr. Berg has moved to Animal General after spending 12 years at Tribeca SoHo Animal Hospital. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin, where she is from, and then went on to attend the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine. We are excited to add her expertise and are confident that you will find her compassion for your pets' health exemplary.
Meredith Wilson, DVM: Dr. Wilson may have cared for your pet before at Animal General before as she did per diem work for us during 2008. Prior to that she lived in Boston, but is originally from New Jersey where she did her internship at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Wilson earned her DVM degree at Oklahoma State University. She has a special interest in feline medicine.
Shelby L. Freda, VMD: Dr. Freda earned her veterinary degree at the University of Pennsylvania after doing her undergraduate work at the University of Michigan. She lives in Manhattan with her kitty, Pinot. During her residency in New Jersey, she developed a strong interest in zoo animal medicine. Dr. Freda joined Animal General in September 2009.
Jane Kosovsky, DVM, Surgeon: BA - Oberlin College; DVM - Ohio State University. Internship and Residency - Animal Medical Center.
Practice Administration Team
Karen Heidgerd, Practice Administrator: Karen manages the hospital and has initiated many of the innovative programs currently in place at Animal General. Starting her career in pet care as a receptionist, she became Senior Technician to a board-certified surgeon and was hired by Animal General in 1995 to be Head Technician. With over twenty years of experience in all areas of veterinary hospital work, as Practice Administrator, Karen not only coordinates all operations, she contributes to pets' wellness and medical care through her nursing expertise - including conducting euthanasia in your home - and client education. She is co-founder of the Wild Bird Fund, a licensed wild life rehabilitator, and has a special interest in treating ear problems.
Karen Markham, Assistant to Karen Heidgerd: BA - Vanderbilt University. Karen, or K2 as everyone in the practice calls her to avoid confusing The Karens, has been with Animal General since March 2006 in what she calls "the perfect job." In between helping Karen Heidgerd with management business, bookkeeping, and maintaining the technical aspects of a veterinary practice, K2 can be found hugging and kissing every cat at Animal General. She is currently working toward her degree in Veterinary Technology
TLC (Tender Loving Care) Coordinator
Barbara Perez-Nevins, Technician: As Coordinator of "Tender Loving Care," Barbara provides comfort for distressed patients, especially post-surgery. Barbara knows all your pets.
Nursing Team
Dulce Kobayasi, Licensed Veterinary Technician: BA in Veterinary Medicine - Brazil, Associate's Degree in Veterinary Technology - Cedar Valley College. Dulce worked for two years in a veterinary hospital in her native Brazil before coming to Animal General in 1999.
Afua Johnson, Licensed Veterinary Technician: Associate's Degree in Veterinary Technology - Cedar Valley College. Afua previously worked for the North Shore Animal League and the Animal Medical Center before coming to Animal General in 1999. She was licensed by the State of New York in 2007 and plans to continue her education in dentistry and emergency medicine.
Jennifer Bernstein, Licensed Veterinary Technician: BA - Manhattanville College, Associate's Degree in Veterinary Technology - Cedar Valley College. Jennifer met our other nurses, Dulce and Afua, in Texas during their a large animal practical class for their degrees in 2006. They came back and said we had to have her and the rest is history. Although she has a houseful of her own pets, every patient that comes into Animal General is Jennifer's "new love."
Kezia Alexandria, LVT: BA, Faculdade be Ciencias Agrarias do Para. Kezia joined the Animal General nursing team in 2010 after spending 9 years in other veterinary hospitals in Manhattan. She is originally from Brazil where she earned her BA in Veterinary Medicine at the Agricultural Science College in Para, Brazil. Kezia has a special interest in pain management and anesthesia.
Corina Quist, Nurse: BFA, Massachusetts College of Art. Corina has worked with animals since childhood, volunteering at local animal shelters. She has experience as a wild life rehabilitator, vet nurse and adoption manager with specialty training in critical care nursing, nutrition and feline behavior. After 9/11, she worked under VMAT (veterinary branch of the military) to create an on site 24 hour clinic for search and rescue dogs working Ground Zero.
Mame Reese, Overnight Nurse: Doctorate Degree of Veterinary Medicine - Dakar University, Senegal; Master's of Agriculture - Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Japan. Mame is originally from Senegal where she trained over 500 veterinary technicians, pharmacists, and breeders in 350 villages and in the same area reduced disease and increased milk production by 10%.
Heather (Kitty) Sorensen, Licensed Veterinary Technician, Overnight Nurse: BA Queens College, Associate's Degree in Veterinary Technology - LaGuardia Community College. Kitty has dedicated the majority of her adult life to saving cats, and even the occasional dog, and making their lives better. Most recently she worked at Queens Animal Help and continues to work at the Freeport Animal Shelter during the day. When we have animals staying overnight for medical boarding or hospitalization we know that she spends every moment making sure they feel loved and are very comfortable.
Heather Spain, Pharmacy Nurse: BA - Columbia University. Heather joined us during her senior year at Barnard College when she needed experience working in an animal hospital to apply to vet school. She is going to attend University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine beginning in August 2010. Originally from Berkeley, California, Heather loves kittens. We are very grateful for her love of biology and hope she will return to Animal General to practice medicine in the future. Good luck, Heather!
Animal Attendants
Kenny Greene, Attendant: Kenny has been with Animal General over nine years. He enjoys grooming and training family pets, and he definitely knows our overnight visitors and patients!
Gary Ragland, Attendant: Gary has been with Animal General for seven years. Engaged through our HIRE program, he is our right-hand man in the prep room. He loves animals and music.
Eddie Vega, Attendant: Eddie was a former client who could not pay for his beloved dog's medical bills. When asked why, he said no one would offer him a job. Karen Heidgerd offered him a job on the spot. Two years later, one finds him kissing all the kittens! He is also currently a student at Baruch College.
Robert Nevins, Porter: Robert met our TLC Coordinator, Barbara Perez, at an AHRC award luncheon in 2003. They started dating, and as soon as November of the same year, Robert came on board at Animal General as our porter. Robert and Barbara, incidentally, were married on May 5, 2007!
Jeremy Lebron, Porter: Jeremy joined Animal General in 2010 as our weekend porter. He was brought to us through the AHRC HIRE program and we're so glad to have his housekeeping expertise and love of animals. Jeremy is from the Bronx and graduated from the Alfred E. Smith Career and Technical Education High School in 2008. He and his girlfriend have a black cat and parakeet.
TOPClient Services Team
Joy Kunc, Office Manager: Joy has been at Animal General for 11 years. She is a vegan and animal rights activist. She performs a multitude of functions for Animal General including directing pet adoptions for clients.
Robin "Pam" Shaud, DVM Liason: BA The University of Toledo. Growing up in Michigan, Robin began taking riding lessons at age 9, basically living at the stables when she wasn't at school and saved money for college as a teen working as a groom at hunter/jumper shows. She majored in Art History but opted for culinary school over traditional graduate school. Upon arriving in NYC, she was hired by Dean & Deluca and worked as a buyer in the gourmet/specialty food retail industry for many years. Downsized as a result of the economic recession, Robin kept busy with GALLOP (therapeutic horseback riding for people with disabilities) and The Wild Bird Fund, which is how she met the Animal General crew. There hasn't been a dull day for her since she began (and we changed her name to Pam!). Robin is a vegetarian and lives in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn with her husband, Paul, their two cats, and Chester, the blind pigeon.
Mary Vazquez, Receptionist: Mary has been with Animal General for 9 years. She enjoys working with people, having them leave with a smile - and the bonus of getting to know their pets. Besides her grandchildren, the love of her life is Dizzie Lizzie, a cat adopted from Animal General. Mary's expertise lies in international pet travel and pet insurance applications. She also assists in arranging cat sitting.
Alice Darling, Receptionist: BS - Boston University. Prior to coming to Animal General 8 years ago, Alice worked in the advertising/broadcast industry. She says, "My job gives me opportunity to spend my days with animals and the people who love them. I'm pleased to be part of the Animal General Team."
Desiree Rhine, Receptionist: Desiree is an actress hailing from Napa Valley, California and really enjoys the people that she works with at Animal General and all the housecats who jump all over her. She is "mommy" to cats Orlando, Piewackett, and Angie, her recent adoption from our AG kittens.
Lauren Palladino, Receptionist: Lauren came to Animal General in the Spring of 2007 after re-locating from Nashville, Tennessee where she worked in the human medical field. Being at Animal General helped her get over her fear of birds and in addition to her 10-year old Pomeranian, she now owns a Lovebird named Brigsby.
Jessica Theopold, Receptionist: BA - University of Delaware. Jessica came to us after graduating from the University of Delaware in 2009. She grew up on a farm in Ithaca, NY and speaks German fluently. Even though she has tons of animals at her mother's home, she is mom to one of our adoptees, Tubs, who has chronic rhinitis.
Mary Featherston, Receptionist: BSc - University College Dublin. Mary is from the county of Roscommon, in the heart of Connaught, in the west of Ireland where she grew up on a farm. After earning her degree in Animal Science and Landscape Horticulture at UCD she came to New York to experience America. We are happy to have her Irish sense of humor and are so pleased that she left bartending and waitressing in Yonkers to become a part of Animal General.
