You're in good hands

Nursing Care and Client Service Team

Veterinary nurses (also called "technicians") play a vital role in the care, safety, and comfort of every hospitalized patient. As in a human hospital, these skilled professionals interface closely with patients and doctors, ensuring that each patient receives expert attention around the clock. We are very proud of the team of caring and highly-skilled veterinary nurses on our staff; we believe they provide the finest level of care available.

Our skilled and compassionate client service team understands the challenges of caring for a sick or injured pet. These talented individuals have elected to work in the veterinary field because they, too, are "animal lovers." Their goal is to help you and your pet through a difficult time by providing consistently friendly and efficient service.

Emergency Team

It takes a special kind of person to dedicate her or himself to the veterinary emergency and critical care field - one willing to face long hours, challenging medical and surgical cases, distressed pet owners, and stressful working conditions. Despite these hardships, emergency doctors and technicians thrive on the opportunity to help clients and pets at a time of real need. They enjoy the intellectual challenge of managing diverse and complex medical conditions in a constantly changing, fast-paced environment. Succeeding in this field requires highly developed medical skills, strong empathy for clients, and true compassion for patients. Our emergency doctors have all received additional training specifically in the areas of emergency medicine and critical care. They are dedicated to providing the best care possible.

Dr. Jennifer McCown is thrilled to join the PETS team after completing her three year Small Animal Internal Medicine residency at the University of Florida in July 2009. She is certified as a Diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Dr. McCown obtained her B.S. in Zoology with Honors from the University of Florida in 2000. She received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degree magna cum laude as the class valedictorian from the University of Florida College Of Veterinary Medicine in 2005, after which she completed a one year small animal medicine and surgery internship at Florida Veterinary Specialists in Tampa, FL. She received numerous awards during her veterinary training, including being elected the Small Animal Resident of the Year by the graduating veterinary class two years in a row. She looks forward to providing the highest level of compassionate care for her patients, clients, and the local veterinary community. After relocating from Florida, Dr. McCown and her husband are excited to explore all their new home has to offer. In her free time, she enjoys mountain biking, hiking, snowboarding, and spending time with her two dogs, Betty and Piper.

Dr. Kathy Andres Originally from the East Coast, Dr. Kathy Andres received her veterinary degree from UC Davis in 2000 where she received multiple academic, clinical performance and oncology research awards. She then completed a one year internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City in 2001 where she was recognized for her gentle approach to pets and their human companions with the annual Human-Animal Bond award. After returning to San Francisco, she practiced as both a general practitioner and emergency doctor for 6 years. Dr. Andres completed her oncology residency Spring 2009 and is currently completing the board certification process. Dr. Andres has also completed the IVAS course in veterinary acupuncture. Her highest priority for her patients is improving their quality of life using a combination of traditional treatment modalities such as chemotherapy as well as managing pain and discomfort with medication and acupuncture. Dr. Andres shares her life with her wonderful young daughter Isabel as well as her canine pals Blackie, Buster and Lucille and furry felines Darling, Tripod and Leroy.

Dr. Kimberly Carlson graduated from the University of Illinois in 2001, completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center of New York, and a surgical internship at the Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center. Her surgical residency was completed at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine before finding Northern California as her home. Dr. Carlson is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeon and her clinical interests include orthopedic surgeries such as the tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA), tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO), triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO) and total hip replacement (THR), as well as neurosurgery and urogenital surgery. Dr. Carlson's personal interests include SCUBA diving, jogging and weight training. She is an avid and knowledgeable collector of antique and vintage movie posters, particularly film noir and science fiction. She has a special love for German Shepherds and lives with one, Rayne, as well as Jax, a pit/lab cross, four cats, Butch, Jaques, Buddy and Mac and, lastly, a new husband, Greg, who is resigned to his status in the pecking order.

Dr. John Haburjak graduated from UC Davis Veterinary School in 1993 with his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree. He practiced as a general practitioner in Northern California for 5 years before returning to academics to complete a combined surgical residency program in San Diego and the University of Illinois. Dr. Haburjak is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons; and his research interests include orthopedic trauma and disorders of the carpus. He has presented his research data at several annual conferences. He has several publications in the Veterinary Orthopedic and Traumatology Journal, Journal of Small Animal Practice and the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. His clinical surgical interests include surgical oncologic procedures of the face, head and neck, corrective orthopedic procedures and neurosurgery (spinal). Dr. Haburjak’s hobbies include SCUBA diving, Oakland A’s baseball, road cycling and cooking (not to mention eating, too!). He shares his life with his wife, Aimee (also a veterinarian), daughter Eva, Calvin (many-toed, Siamese cross) and Noelle (a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel).

Dr. Alastair Coomer graduated from Massey University (New Zealand) in 2003 and practiced in New Zealand as a general practitioner for 18 months before pursuing surgical specialization. He completed a rotating internship at the Ontario Veterinary College (Canada), before being accepted into the Small Animal Surgery Residency Program at the University of Florida. During his surgical residency, Alastair also completed his Master of Science (Veterinary Science), receiving collegiate, national and international awards for his research and research presentations. His clinical interests include wound healing, reconstructive surgery, musculoskeletal surgical oncology, gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary surgery. Outside of veterinary medicine, Alastair enjoys cycling (road, mountain, cyclocross), endurance multisport, rugby and Gator Football. Alastair and his wife Erin (also a veterinarian) love to travel locally and internationally. They have two badly behaved dogs: Gabby, an English Bulldog; and Nala, a Boxer-mix all the way from New Zealand.

Dr. Mike Barlia is the Hospital Director for Pet Emergency Treatment Service. Mike completed both his undergraduate degree in physiology ('97) and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degree ('01) at UC Davis. Following graduation, he completed an internship specifically in emergency medicine and critical care under the guidance of a critical care specialist at the Pet Emergency Specialty Center of La Mesa (San Diego) where he stayed on board for an additional 2 years prior to moving back to Northern California in 2004 to join the PETS team as a partner. Mike has always had a strong interest in emergency medicine and critical care and has practiced exclusively in this field since graduation. Outside of the ER Mike has a special interest in veterinary informatics; specifically with the use of computer technology for the advancement of education, research and communication between specialists, clients, and referring veterinarians. In his spare time he enjoys cycling, hiking, travel, and photography. He lives in Oakland with his wife Kara (also a veterinarian) and their two dogs, Sadie and Joey, along with their small herd of cats.

Dr. Christopher Rodi attended veterinary school at U.C. Davis, graduating in 1993. In search of advanced training, he then completed a one-year small animal medicine and surgery internship at Cornell University before going into private small animal practice. Over the years Chris has worked in a number of busy multi-doctor day and emergency practices as a staff veterinarian and hospital administrator. In 2000 he became certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in canine and feline medicine. Since 2000 Chris has practiced exclusively in the emergency and critical care field. He and his wife (also a veterinarian) relocated their family to Marin in 2003. They now live in Novato with their two sons and two Boxers. Chris assists in managing several emergency practices as well as working as an emergency clinician at PETS. Chris' primary professional interests are in emergency and critical care medicine, practice management, and staff development. In his free time Chris enjoys running, woodworking, sailing, hiking, home improvement, and playing with his boys.

Dr. Kathy Lee has been part of the PETS team since 2004 after moving from San Diego where she completed her small animal emergency, medicine, and surgery internship. It was during her internship year that she got hooked on emergency medicine and critical care. Kathy spent an additional year after the conclusion of her internship as an emergency veterinarian at the same hospital. She enjoys treating all kinds of animals, and is usually willing to examine everything except poisonous snakes and insects. Kathy grew up in Taiwan and southern California, earned her undergraduate degree at UC San Diego, and attended the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Kathy enjoys hiking, rollerblading, and snowboarding. She is truly passionate about traveling; there are few places in the world she would not want to visit. Kathy shares her home in Berkeley with an 8-year-old cat named Mojo (a former blood donor), and a 5-year-old Greek Tortoise named Hermes.

Dr. Debbie Morey, an emergency and critical care specialist, works part-time on-site at PETS and also serves as a consultant and medical advisor to PETS' entire staff of doctors and nurses. The desire to be a veterinarian is one of Debbie's earliest memories. She obtained her DVM from UC Davis in 1992. After graduation she completed a year-long internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Sacramento Animal Medical Group. Debbie then moved to Fresno for a year of intensive emergency and critical care experience at the Veterinary Emergency Service before returning to Sacramento to head up the emergency department at the Sacramento Animal Medical Group for the next four years. In 1998 Dr. Morey embarked on a residency training program in Emergency Medicine and Critical Care while also working at several busy emergency practices and raising two children. In 2005, she successfully passed the rigorous examination to become a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. Debbie's professional interests include shock resuscitation, critical care monitoring, nutrition, wound management, and training veterinarians and technicians in critical care techniques. When off duty, she enjoys spending time with her husband Trevor and their 2 boys, 2 dogs, and 5 cats. She also enjoys downhill skiing, running, hiking, and wine-tasting.

Dr. Shea Cox obtained her Veterinary Medical degree from Michigan State University in 2001. Following graduation, she moved to Colorado and spent 4 years working as an Emergency Veterinarian, alongside veterinary specialists, at a referral hospital in the Denver area. Following that experience, she spent a year in Grand Rapids, Michigan, continuing her passion in the area of emergency and critical care. In 2006, with great excitement, she relocated to the Berkeley area with her husband, Scott (also a veterinarian), and their two Dobermans. In her free time, she indulges in everything the Bay area has to offer... kayaking, hiking, fine foods, photographic opportunities, and (year round!) gardening.

Dr. Cindy Lamparter initially entered the animal world as a biologist in the field of outdoor education and wildlife rehabilitation. She has worked with a variety of animal species in zoos and rehabilitation centers. During that time she developed a special fondness for owls and river otters, but didn’t share the same enthusiasm for the tarantulas or hissing cockroaches. She was particularly drawn to the medical aspects within organizations and in 2002 she entered the veterinary program at UC Davis. Following completion of her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine she pursued advanced medical training during a 1yr internship at the Pet Emergency and Specialty Center of La Mesa (San Diego). During this time she developed a passion for emergency medicine and has been working in this field ever since. Outside of the veterinary world, she is an avid hiker/backpacker and loves spending time in the hills with her boxer/pitt mix Sollu. Her other favorite activities include traveling, spending time with her nieces and nephews, impromptu dinner parties, gardening and kayaking.

Halle Alvarez, RVT, is our hospital manager. She graduated from Western Career College’s Veterinary Technician program in 1987 and passed the California AHT exam that same year. She worked at the UC Davis VMTH in Small Animal Surgery and Veterinary Dentistry from 1988 to 1993. She then moved to Cornell University and worked in the teaching hospital’s Small Animal ICU from 1993 – 2000. During that time she also completed a B.A. in History from Cornell University. She has been at PETS since 2002, and in her spare time volunteers at The Marine Mammal Center. She shares her El Cerrito home with 2 dogs and 1 cat, and enjoys hiking, running, traveling and reading.

Brenda Pane is PETS' Administrative Coordinator, overseeing many aspects of the hospital's business operations, as well as those at PETS' "sister hospital," the Solano-Napa Pet Emergency Clinic in Cordelia. Brenda has many years of experience in the veterinary management field, having worked in both general and emergency/specialty practice prior to joining SPEC/PETS. In 2004, Brenda obtained an Associate of Arts Degree in Business Administration. Brenda was attracted to the veterinary field due to her compassion for animals. She has volunteered regularly at an animal shelter since 1993 and at a feral cat spay/neuter clinic since 2003. Her hobbies include softball, soccer, attending professional sports, and spending time with family and friends. Brenda's animal family includes two dogs and one cat.