Meet Our Veterinarians

Partner
Education: Cornell University
Special Interests: Large Animal-Milk quality farm economics
Locations: Large Animal Road Service

Dr. Michael Capel grew up in the Hudson Valley region of New York and went on to earn both his undergraduate degree in Animal and Dairy Science and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University, graduating in 2000. A board-certified specialist through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Dairy Practice and a Certified NYS Milking Equipment Technician, Dr. Capel brings deep technical expertise to every farm call. He is an active member of the AVMA, where he serves on the Council on Education, and is a past president of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP), as well as a member of the NYSVMS Government Relations Committee. Dr. Capel is drawn to large animal ambulatory practice for the blend of mental and physical work it demands and finds fulfillment in building lasting relationships with farm clients and contributing to their long-term success. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, kayaking, waterskiing, and music theater. He lives in Geneseo with his wife Kate, their four children, and a full house that includes Missy, a 14-year-old lab mix, and Jacque and Nigel, 14-year-old brother cats.

Partner
Education: Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Special Interests: Records analysis and Youngstock management
Locations: Perry, Large Animal Road Service

Partner
Education: Cornell University
Special Interests: Large Animal
Locations: Large Animal Road Service

Dr Scott DeGroff was born in Hillard Ohio and grew up in Perry NY.  He grew up riding with his father, who is also a veterinarian, and developed a true love for the veterinary profession. Dr DeGroff attended Cornell for both undergraduate and veterinary school. He earned his Animal Science Degree in 1992 and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1997. Dr DeGroff enjoys working with clients to meet all their needs, this includes all aspects of herd health, to employee training, aiding with expansion plans as well as helping improve efficiency in day to day farm operations. He values helping with a team approach to address issues or obstacles his clients face.

When not in his vet truck, Dr. DeGroff can be found helping his family’s produce and pumpkin business, visiting State and National parks as well as traveling across the US and abroad or aiding his wife with photographing old barns across western NY, Pennsylvania and wherever they happen to be traveling.

Dr DeGroff lives in Warsaw, NY with his wife Erin. Their family includes a son, Nate, and a daughter, Hailey. They have had boxers for the past 32 years and currently have 3.

Partner
Education: Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Special Interests: Small and Large Animals
Locations: Perry, Large Animal Road Service

Dr. Jenna Hill Smith grew up on her family’s small dairy farm in Clyde, NY. Dr. Jenna received her undergraduate degree in Biology from Houghton College in 2015. She attended Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and graduated with her DVM in 2019. She enjoys seeing a true variety of species, splitting her time between the large animal road service and the companion animal hospital at our Perry location. She loves mentoring students and new graduates, working with dairy producers to improve their youngstock programs, and also has a special interest in feline medicine. Dr. Jenna enjoys spending her spare time outside hiking, camping, cross country skiing, and trying new recipes. She resides in Perry with her husband Zach and their pets- four cats (Hobbs, Wallace, Gertrude, and Carl) and a variety of farm animals. 

Partner
Education: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Special Interests: Large Animal-Traditional herd health programs, embryo transfer, herd health protocols, benchmarking evaluation
Locations: Large Animal Road Service

Dr. Craig Lamb grew up on a dairy farm in Oakfield, New York, an upbringing that set the course for his career. He earned his BS in Animal Science from Cornell University in 1992, then went on to receive his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in 1996, with additional specialized training in bovine embryo transfer. Drawn to the dairy industry from the start, Dr. Lamb has spent his career working alongside cattle farmers and dairymen, valuing the opportunity veterinary medicine gives him to support both the animals and the people who depend on them. He is a member of the AABP, AETA, NYSVMS, AVMA, and the NMC. Outside of the clinic, he tends a large garden growing pumpkins, tomatoes, sunflowers, and zinnias, and enjoys whitetail deer hunting. Dr. Lamb lives in Geneseo with his wife Janet, their daughters Anna and Emily, son Nick, a dog named Lacy, and cats Ticu and Butter.

Partner
Education: Cornell University
Special Interests: Companion Animal, Oncology and Behavioral Medicine
Locations: Livonia

Dr. Jessica Litteer’s childhood was spent in Conesus, NY, where her father raised beagles. As a teenager, Dr. Litteer’s first job was the kennel assistant at our Livonia location. Her undergraduate education was completed at St. John Fisher College, and she went on to vet school at Cornell. She practiced in the NYC area before joining our team in 2007. 

She enjoys the variety that being a general practice veterinarian brings - pivoting from advanced dental procedures and complex internal medicine cases to seeing pocket pets (rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, rats, etc) and mentoring new veterinarians. She is our resident guru on all things pet travel - having received specialized accreditation to counsel pet owners on the necessary steps to travel outside of the US. 

In Dr. Litteer’s spare time, she is a professional bargain shopper, and can often be found sifting through clothing racks and tables at thrift stores and flea markets. She is a proud crazy cat lady and shares her home with 3 cats currently (Grey, Meena and Marge); a dog (Peppa) and a veiled chameleon (Huey). Two legged members of the household include husband Dan (also a veterinarian at our practice) and daughter Jane. 

Partner
Education: Cornell University
Special Interests: Milk Quality and Dairy Nutrition
Locations: Large Animal Road Service

Partner
Education: Cornell University
Special Interests: Dairy
Locations: Large Animal Road Service

Dr. Tracy Potter was born and raised in Central New York in the small town of Fabius. She attended Cornell University for both Undergraduate and Veterinary School. Dr. Potter received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree in 2020. Dr Potter received specialized training through the Dairy Fellows Program and Summer Dairy Institute both at Cornell University. She has a passion for supporting the people and animals that feed our world, which is her drive for pursuing a career in production animal medicine. Dr Potter excels in driving her farms to success by providing her knowledge in employee training, milk quality and youngstock management. She is an active member of American Association of Bovine Practitioners, National Mastitis Council and American Association of Veterinary Medicine. 

Dr. Potter resides in Avon, NY with her husband, Travis, and cat, Frida. When she is not at work, she enjoys spending her time hiking, canoeing, gardening and playing ultimate frisbee. 

Partner
Education: Ontario Veterinary College
Special Interests: Companion Animal Medicine
Locations: Perry

Partner
Education: University of Minnesota
Special Interests: Surgery
Locations: Batavia

Dr Angela Sleeper was raised on a dairy farm in Western New York. She attended SUNY Fredonia where she earned her Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry and went on to the University of Minnesota to earn her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Dr Sleeper enjoys complex surgical procedures and internal medicine cases. 

Dr Sleeper resides in Corfu, NY with her husband, daughter and three dogs - Hank, Wilma and Doug. Outside of work she enjoys travel, gardening and camping. 

Partner
Education: Virginia Tech
Special Interests: Large Animal-Dairy
Locations: Large Animal Road Service

Dr. Leo Vranich was born and raised in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. He continued his higher educational pursuits in the Keystone State (Penn State University). His undergraduate degree was completed in animal science and animal bioscience. Dr. Vranich’s decision to enter into the veterinary field was primarily based on how much he enjoyed working with cows. In 2008, he graduated from Virginia Tech’s vet school program. An interesting job he had along the way was training at a Veterinary Medical Office for the Food Safety Inspection Service, USDA. He is still committed to giving the public a wholesome product, especially when it comes to milk. Milk quality, transition cow management, and ultrasonography are his main professional interests. He is a member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, American Dairy Science Association, National Mastitis Council, and the American Veterinary Medical Association. Dr. Vranich’s hobbies include hunting, fishing, and hiking. He thoroughly enjoys playing with his children (daughter Amelia, son Stephen and son Eli) and family time in general with wife Ashley (also a veterinarian with our practice). The Vranichs share their home with Bailey the bassett hound and one cow named Super (Dr. Vranich states that there will be more cows in the future!).

Partner
Education: The Ohio State University
Special Interests: Large Animal-Dairy employee management, calf management, milk quality
Locations: Large Animal Road Service

Partner
Education: The Ohio State University
Special Interests: Large and Companion Animal
Locations: Yorkshire, Large Animal Road Service

Partner Emeritus
Education: Cornell University
Special Interests: Large Animal-Dairy
Locations: Large Animal Road Service

Partner Emeritus
Education: Cornell University
Special Interests: Large and Companion Animal
Locations: Perry, Batavia, Yorkshire, Large Animal Road Service

Partner Emeritus
Education: North Carolina State University
Special Interests: Large Animal-South American Camelids, Companion Animal
Locations: Perry, Batavia

Dr. Peter Hecht was born in Buffalo, NY and was raised in Western New York. He attended North Carolina State University where he obtained his Bachelors and also Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree in 1987. Dr Hecht joined the Perry Veterinary practice after graduation working primarily with Large Animals. While he has been known throughout all of the small animal practices for his high standard of care and his compassionate personality, he is currently located in the Batavia location practicing exclusively small animal medicine. He enjoys the challenge of fast paced general practice in a modern facility. Dr Hecht has been an essential part of growing our practice into the Perry Clinics we all know today. 

Dr. Hecht enjoys spending time with his 3 wonderful grown children and especially enjoys any time he spends with his granddaughter. Dr Hecht resides in the Finger Lakes Region with his wife of 39 years and his two dogs, Willie (8 year old Doberman Pinscher) and Effie (11 year old Papillion). When not in the clinic, Dr Hecht enjoys spending his time hiking, biking, playing pickleball, traveling, reading, playing guitar, walking the dogs and cheering on the Buffalo Bills and Sabres. 

Associate
Education: Ontario Veterinary College
Special Interests: Soft Tissue Surgery, Preventative Medicine, The Companion Animal Bond
Locations: Yorkshire

Dr. Alison Alessi grew up in Hamburg, New York, just outside of Buffalo, where a golden retriever with complex medical needs sparked a lifelong passion for veterinary medicine. She earned her degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University at Buffalo before going on to receive her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2020. Her professional interests center on soft tissue surgery, preventative medicine, and the companion animal bond, and she is a member of both the AVMA and NYSVMS. What sets Dr. Alessi apart is a genuine commitment to animals beyond the clinic walls. During her undergraduate studies she traveled to Costa Rica to assist with endangered sea turtle research, and in veterinary school she volunteered in wildlife conservation at South Africa's Kruger National Park, worked with rehabilitated elephants in Cambodia, and provided veterinary care for injured and neglected wild animals in Thailand. At home, she enjoys traveling, baking, photography, and fitness, and spends her time with her husband Steve, their son Liam, and cats Maxwell and Maya.

Associate
Education: Cornell University
Special Interests: Dentistry, Soft Tissue Surgery and Geriatric Care
Locations: Livonia

Dr. Allie was born and raised in Livonia, NY. She knew she always wanted to be a vet and her plan only solidified over time as she worked at a variety of stables and clinics while growing up. She earned her undergraduate degree at SUNY Geneseo in preparation for veterinary school at Cornell University. While at Cornell she received the Phi Zeta award and graduated as valedictorian of the class of 2019. Dr. Allie is a general practitioner who enjoys forming bonds with pets and their owners. She lives on Honeoye Lake with her husband Steve and their two cats. In her free time, she enjoys video games, running, boating, jet skiing, crocheting, gardening, and hiking. 

Associate
Education: University of Glasgow
Special Interests: Large animal and equine medicine
Locations: Large Animal Road Service

Dr Molly Border was raised in the small town of South Wales, outside of Buffalo, NY. Dr Border attended RIT to obtain her degree in Biology before attending the University of Glasgow in Scotland to study Veterinary Medicine. She has been driven towards veterinary medicine throughout her life, never finding that any other career paths were able to grab her attention.

Dr Border lives in Arcade, NY with her husband, Andrew, who has supported her goals since they met in high school. She enjoys spending her time knitting, hiking, biking and getting outside with her dog. You may find her dog, Effie, in her truck but her two cats, Smush and Tippy, wait for her to get home each day.

Associate
Education: Cornell University
Special Interests: Companion Animal
Locations: Livonia

Born and raised in Cincinnati Ohio, Dr. Kate Capel is a transplant to the Finger Lakes region. She received an undergraduate degree in biology from Cornell University in 1995. While her initial plans were to pursue a career in research, a campus job providing direct hands-on care to a research population of South American mammals spurred a change of heart. After a gap year during which she scrambled to build a resume of animal experience, she returned to Cornell in the fall of ’96 to pursue her veterinary education. On the first day of orientation, she befriended a classmate named Michael; the two were married during their clinical rotations and the “Doctors Capel” joined the Perry Veterinary Clinic immediately following graduation in 2000. Working in our Livonia office, Kate loves the rapport she shares with her work family and enjoys the relationships she builds with patients and clients alike. She remains in awe of the miracle of medicine and strives to provide our companion animal patients with exceptional care. Outside of veterinary work, Kate spends her time keeping tabs on the four young adult Capel children, volunteering with numerous community organizations, getting lost in audiobooks while tending her gardens, and taking advantage of all the outdoor recreation this gorgeous area provides. She especially values “vacation time” when she and Michael can step out of their busy lives together and pursue new adventure. 

Associate
Education: Cornell University
Special Interests: Companion Animal
Locations: Livonia

Associate
Education: The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine
Special Interests: Working cooperatively with farms to increase welfare, productivity, and profitability
Locations: Large Animal Road Service

Dr. Frost was born and raised in Matlock, Washington. He graduated from high school with an associate's in Science and Art. He went on to attended Cornell University for his undergrad, earning a degree in Biological Sciences, minoring in Animal Science. Dr. Frost graduated from The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2026.

Dr. Frost spent a year working on a small dairy in central Ohio during undergrad. He also worked 2 years in Dr. Jessica McArt's lab at Cornell on transition cow biomarkers, specifically milk fever. There he was published 3 times, one of which being first author. "I always enjoyed science and medicine but additionally have a passion for business and production animals. The natural combination of each of these interests led me to food animal medicine. I love the concept of being in a unique position to work cooperatively with farms to increase welfare, productivity, and profitability."

At Cornell he was on the varsity track and field team as a discus and hammer thrower. He has since switched from the field to the track in his post-collegiate hobbies where he mostly enjoys running. He also loves to spend time outside hiking, camping, and backpacking. Inside he enjoys cooking and eating.

Dr. Frost lives in Geneseo with his Fiancé, Alison. He doesn't have any pets currently but hopes to get a dog soon!

Associate
Education: Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine
Special Interests: Client Education, Soft Tissue Surgery, Dentistry
Locations: Yorkshire, Large Animal Road Service

Dr Gisselle Garcia grew up in New Milford, New Jersey where her childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian began. She attended the University of Delaware to study Pre-Vet and Biosciences. She earned her Masters of Veterinary Sciences during her time at the University of Delaware and earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr Garcia has always held on to her love for animals and has discovered the puzzle of veterinary medicine to be equally as captivating. She loves that no two cases are alike - because no two individuals are alike -  and loves the ever evolving challenge that each day brings.

Dr Garcia resides in Warsaw, NY with her two cats, Oskar and Sesame. She enjoys spending her time reading, sewing and crocheting.

Associate
Education: University of Melbourne
Locations: Livonia

Associate
Education: Ross University
Special Interests: Dentistry, Ultrasound and Physical Therapy
Locations: Yorkshire

Dr. Meagan Hilsdorf was born and raised in Wheeler, New York, a small rural farming community outside of Bath, where a deep love of animals and close ties to the land shaped her path from an early age. She earned her degree in Biochemistry with a minor in Biology from Keuka College, then went on to receive her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with high honors from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, completing her clinical year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2017. Her professional interests center on ultrasound and dentistry, areas she has pursued through advanced coursework beyond her veterinary training. Before veterinary school, Dr. Hilsdorf worked as a veterinary assistant at her local clinic, volunteered in the Rainforest Department at the Buffalo Zoo, and participated in a Spanish study abroad program in Costa Rica. She even spent time at the Corning Museum of Glass working with children and families in the glassmaking department. Outside of work, she enjoys hunting, fishing, hiking, and spending time with her family. Dr. Hilsdorf lives in Chaffee, New York with her husband Kevin, their daughters Kaylee and Maisie, and three dogs named Riley, Izzy, and Minnie.

Associate
Education: Washington State
Special Interests: Advanced Dairy Production Medicine program with additional hoof trimming and lameness training
Locations: Livonia, Large Animal Road Service

Dr. Kjoll was raised in Reno, Nevada. She received her BS in veterinary science from the University of Nevada - Reno, where a love of science and internships at a New Zealand dairy goat farm and the Oakland Zoo led her to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine. She earned her DVM from Washington State University in 2025. 

Dr. Kjoll loves collaborating with the people who care for animals - whether they are members of the family or part of a food production system. She is a member of the American Association of Bovine Practicioners (AABP). 

In her free time, she enjoys reading, yoga, cooking, and camping. She resides in Geneseo with her black cat, Finch. 

Associate
Education: University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine
Special Interests: Dairy, hoof health, transition cow management, milk quality
Locations: Large Animal Road Service

Dr. Eliza Merges was born and raised in Albany, NY.  She attended SUNY Geneseo for her undergrad, earning a Bachelor's of Science in Biology.

She graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 2026.  There she obtained specialized training through their 4 week intensive Advanced Dairy Production Medicine course.  During her 4 years of veterinary school, she was awarded the AABP Foundation Amstutz Scholarship, Merck Animal Health Bovine Veterinary Student Recognition Scholarship, and the Zoetis Foundation Scholarship.  She is also a member of the AVMA and AABP.

At a young age, Eliza always had a connection with animals in what she felt was a unique and meaningful way.  Since becoming involved in the dairy industry, she has found that connection has broadened through working with the entire herd health team while discussing challenges and finding solutions.  She enjoys the collaborative nature of veterinary medicine, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on both animal health and the people who care for them.

She previously worked as an Assistant Herdsman at Dairy Knoll Farms in Groveland NY, where she helped manage the adult herd.  During this role, she developed a strong passion for hoof health and lameness management, transition cow management, milk quality, and leading and communicating with Spanish speaking employees.

Dr. Merges enjoys spending time with friends and family as well as getting outside and being active.  She specifically enjoys hiking, horseback riding, and playing basketball and pickleball with friends.  She currently lives in Avon with her cat named Nemo.

Associate
Education: Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Special Interests: Small and Large animal medicine
Locations: Perry, Large Animal Road Service

Dr. Gabby Merry grew up local to Perry Vet on her family’s dairy farm in Arkport, NY. Growing up on a dairy farm fostered her love for all animals from dairy cows to the barn cats and the family dogs. Gabby went on to study Biomedical Sciences at Nazareth University where she was able to further her experience in veterinary medicine and develop her love of anatomy. After graduating from Nazareth, she attended Cornell University for veterinary school and graduated in 2024. Gabby has been with us since graduating, working with both the large animal road service and with companion animals at our Perry location. While on the road, she enjoys consulting with our dairy farms about their milk quality and youngstock programs. And, in the small animal clinic, Gabby enjoys performing surgery and discussing therapeutics and developing plans for pets with joint disease. She has particular interest in this due to her own dog being diagnosed with joint disease at a young age.

When Gabby isn’t at work, she can be found exploring the area with her husband and their chocolate lab, Walter. They especially love the Finger Lakes to take Walter boating and swimming. 

Associate
Education: Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine
Special Interests: Maternity pen./ calf management, milk quality, and veterinary education
Locations: Perry, Livonia

While Dr. Shaanthi Nair was born during her family’s brief stint in Lima, NY, she grew up in the Tri-State area of West Virginia. Her parents nurtured her love of science and animals from a young age. She graduated with a BA in Biology from Cedarville University in 2018 and then from Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 2022. Since starting at Perry Vet later that year she has spent some time working with our large animal ambulatory service and now sees small animal patients at both our Livonia and Perry offices. She takes particular interest in the client education and medical management portions of the job. When not working, she enjoys walking and hiking with her rescue dog, Phoebe; making salads for her two guinea pigs, Toast and Truffle; and spending time with her friends enjoying the beauty and character that defines Western New York.

Associate
Education: Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Special Interests: small ruminant medicine, small animal dentistry, and soft tissue surgery
Locations: Perry, Large Animal Road Service

Dr. Organiscak was born in Mayfield Heights Ohio and grew up in Chardon, about 40 minutes east of Cleveland.  She attended undergrad school at The University of Findlay earning a Bachelors of Science.  She then went on to vet school at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and graduated in 2026.  She is a member of the Phi Zeta Honor Society and the AASRP and is interested in small ruminant medicine, small animal dentistry, and soft tissue surgery.  

Olivia decided to pursue a career in veterinary medicine to provide quality and compassionate care to the people, pets, and livestock of her community.  She has worked at Lake Metroparks Farmpark in animal care and as an interpreter, in addition to a Veterinary Assistant at Kirtland Veterinary Hospital.

Dr. Organiscak enjoys knitting, crochet, and fiber arts.  She also likes to snowboard, and explore local restaurants, breweries and wineries.  She lives in Avon NY with her siamese mix cat, Sly.

Associate
Education: University of Guelph Ontario Veterinary College
Special Interests: diagnostic imaging, pathology, theriogenology, and dermatology
Locations: Batavia, Large Animal Road Service

Dr. Tula Sifling was born in Englewood New Jersey, then moved to Andover Massachusetts where she lived until she was 14.  In middle school, her family moved to the town of Brighton NY to be closer to her grandfather.  She attended Brighton High School, where her family still lives to this day.  She feels she did a lot of growing up in this area, met many lifelong friends including her soon to be husband, and is excited to return to upstate New York after being away for vet school. 

Dr. Sifling attended undergrad at the University of Guelph and continued her veterinary degree at University of Guelph Ontario Veterinary College, graduating in 2026.  She is interested in developing more training in diagnostic imaging, pathology, theriogenology, and dermatology.  In 2026 she received the Ontario Pork Producers Marketing Board Prize and Dr. Wendy Parker Prize in Clinical Dermatology, which are convocation awards that are granted for demonstrated proficiencies in the study of swine disease and dermatology respectively.  Tula is also a BLS & ALS rescuer certified in veterinary CPR and a member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP).    

As a pre-veterinary student, Dr. Sifling worked as a seasonal zookeeper in the Hoof Stock department at the Seneca Park Zoo and was an on-call surgery technician at the Ontario Veterinary College Health Science Center (OVC HSC).  During the veterinary program she worked as a summer post-mortem and research student in the department of Pathobiology at the OVC HSC.  Her research was geared toward optimizing qPCR methods for the detection of equine pathogens.  

She decided to pursue veterinary medicine because she feels the industry is filled with professionals who have tremendous integrity and work incredibly hard to improve animal health and welfare.  The empathy, passion, and intelligence that she has observed from her colleagues was inspiring and she feels incredibly fortunate to be joining a profession with the ability to make a difference in the lives of the animal and people around her.  She also appreciates the opportunity to pursue a career that emphasizes lifelong learning which keeps her motivated to explore new interests and deepen her own knowledge base.  The cognitive enrichment and meaningful nature of the profession are the main reasons why becoming a veterinarian has been her lifelong dream.  

Dr. Sifling currently lives in Geneseo with her fiancé, Sam, who works as an optical engineer.  She enjoys cooking, and spending time with family and friends.  She also enjoys being active by hiking, going to the gym, participating in fitness classes, and playing hockey.  She recently started a new hobby of sewing, and looks forward to welcoming a new pet into her family in the coming months.  

Associate
Education: Iowa State
Special Interests: Transition Cows, Barn Design & Ventilation, Milk Quality, Beef
Locations: Large Animal Road Service

Partner Emeritus
Education: Cornell University
Special Interests: Large and Companion Animal-Orthopedic Surgery
Locations: Perry

Associate
Education: Virginia Tech
Special Interests: Large & Companion Animals
Locations: Batavia, Large Animal Road Service

Dr. Ashley grew up on a beef cattle farm in rural South Western Virginia. She graduated in 2010 from vet school at Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, where she met her husband, Leo. After graduation she moved to New York where she and Leo bought a small farm in Warsaw. They have three children (Amelia, Stephen and Eli) that keep them busy. 

Over time they have collected a menagerie of creatures. What started with one dog and horse has grown to three horses, too many chickens to count, a solid dozen turkeys, six dogs, five barn cats, and a herd of show Boer goats. 

While wearing her doctor hat Ashley enjoys all things equine (especially dentistry, medicine cases and standing on the farm surgeries), has a soft spot for small ruminant work of all kinds, secretly loves working on pigs, and enjoys soft tissue surgery in the small animal clinic. 

When she is not at work she is likely shuffling kids to 4H or FFA events (she volunteers to help with both organizations, doing educational talks or even coaching a dairy bowl team here and there) or working around on their farm. Her garden, fruit trees and berry patches usually yield a fair amount of produce she home cans in the fall. When life slows down she loves to fish with the family, ride her horses, sit with the kids and draw/paint, or just watch the animals graze out on pasture peacefully. 

Associate
Education: Cornell University
Special Interests: Companion Animal
Locations: Batavia

Dr. Laura Westfall’s childhood was spent moving frequently (New York, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio) as a member of a military family, but her passion for science and the joy she found working with animals remained unchanged. She received her undergraduate degree from Barnard College (Columbia University) in 1981 and worked neurophysiology research at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse for two years before vet school. She graduated with her degree in veterinary medicine from Cornell in 1988. In 2012, Dr. Westfall joined our practice as a part of the Batavia Animal Hospital. Dr. Westfall’s most memorable job was working on a pheasant research project for the DEC.  It was there that she met her husband, Alan (present day hatchery manager at Caledonia NYS Fish Hatchery). Together they have welcomed two children into their family through adoption. They have also opened their home and hearts up two Papillions (Aspen and Emma), two cats (hand raised from an orphaned litter), a variety of freshwater fish for their large aquarium, and a paradise fish.  Dr. Westfall enjoys hiking, biking, and kayaking in her spare time.

Associate
Education: Cornell University
Special Interests: Bovine, Equine, Sheep, Goats
Locations: Large Animal Road Service

Associate
Education: Ohio State University
Locations: Yorkshire

Associate
Education: The Ohio State University
Special Interests: Companion Animal-Medicine and surgery
Locations: Perry