Kelsey brings over 20 years of diverse experience to our team. Her extensive background spans large and small animal care, emergency medicine, and shelter medicine, including time spent at Best Friends in Utah, the nation’s largest no-kill sanctuary. She holds a B.S. in Animal Science from Pennsylvania State University (with a minor in equine studies) and an Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology from Penn Foster College. While Kelsey loves all aspects of veterinary medicine, her favorite specialties are dentistry, ultrasonography, and anesthesiology, alongside a strong passion for client education.
Outside the Clinic: An outdoor enthusiast, Kelsey loves horseback riding, hiking, kayaking, fishing, and tending to her garden. She also enjoys crafting, cross-stitch, crochet , and experimenting with sourdough and preserving her garden harvest. Kelsey shares her life with her two horses and a wonderfully “spicy” cat.
Samantha Mazonis is a dedicated Veterinary Technician with a passion for providing hands-on care to animals. She holds a certification as a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) from Johnson College and was honored with the Butterfly Award for demonstrating significant growth in her skills while in school.
Samantha’s interests lie in the field of shelter medicine, and she has gained valuable experience through an internship at BMVH. She also spent time learning at Griffin Pond Animal Shelter. She finds immense joy in the daily, hands-on care of her patients and is committed to continually developing her skills and education to provide them with the best possible care.
Outside of her work, Samantha loves to stay active by exploring new biking trails and spending time with her dogs. She is also a fan of live theater and enjoys going to see musicals.
Micaela, a Veterinary Technician with a degree from St. Petersburg College, brings a passion for animal health and client education to her role. Her favorite parts of the job are the wide variety of cases she encounters and the opportunity to help pet owners understand their animals’ needs. Micaela’s professional interests are focused on surgery and dental procedures, and she plans to pursue specialized training to further her skills in these areas. Outside of work, Micaela loves spending quality time with her husband, Matthew, their daughter, and their dog, Ranses, often enjoying outdoor activities, especially during the fall.
Nina is the equivalent of everyone’s “favorite cousin” in our crazy little family. We don’t get to see her all the time, but when we do, we know it’s going to be a great day! Back in December of 2019, she joined the Back Mountain staff part-time, while still managing her full-time position as an ER Tech at Northeast Veterinary Emergency and Referral Hospital. Nina is the type of person who gives 1000% all the time, no matter what she is doing. She especially loves Phlebotomy! She is happiest when she gets to hit tricky veins and can place difficulty IV catheters! Nina perfectly balances professionalism with camaraderie, which keeps the day running smoothly for both the clients and her coworkers.
Nina has recently stepped away from the insanity of ER medicine to take on a full-time position with more normal hours and a lot less stress. That has given this wonder woman an chance to indulge in some cooking and spending time with friends. Nina regains her sanity and renews her soul by hanging out with her favorite fella, Connor, and the best Boston Terrier in the World, Praise!
Kim came onboard with us in July of 2009 as a Veterinary Technician, after getting her Associate Degree in Veterinary Science from Johnson College. Kim has grown into a great addition to our staff. She is personable and dependable, always willing to take on the extra responsibility of managing our overnight intensive care patients.
Kim is a Licensed Veterinary Technician, getting her State Certification in August 2016. Her Certification has allowed her to become a mentor and trainer for the next generation of Johnson College students. Kim enjoys just about everything about the job, but has a special interest in veterinary dentistry and is gaining valuable skills in dental radiology. She also certified to provide Therapeutic Laser Treatments. She has a special love for working with puppies and kittens, educating owners to ensure that they get off to a good start. She is taking on more leadership here in her role as Head Veterinary Technician and takes pride in being able to put her many advanced skills to good use in a hospital that values quality, comprehensive, state-of-the-art care for its patients.
Kim manages the stress of the veterinary field with her love of reading and physical fitness. She is a fanatic about Halloween and Christmas, playing only Christmas music in surgery from the very beginning of November. She treats her cat, Dinah, like a princess, even getting her portrait painted in regal attire. In her free time, Kim enjoys shopping and traveling and hopes to someday go on Safari in Africa. For now she’ll just settle for visiting local breweries and wineries.
