Team Leaders
Shelly, LVT, Veterinary Assistant Team Leader
Shelly has been with Pine Woods since 2009. She grew up in the Ken-Ton area and became a Veterinary Technician in 1999. Shelly has one dog named Macie and loves reading, hiking, OCR racing and being an amazing hockey Mom.
Kim, LVT, AS, CVT Veterinary Technician Team Leader
Kim, graduated from SUNY Delhi College in 1997 and joined the Pine Woods team in 2006 after moving back home from Vermont. She has worked in daily practice as well as in emergency. She has 2 dogs and 2 cats, all of which are rescues. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, camping, kayaking, volleyball, gardening, music, creating jewelry and sewing.
Tammi, Client Care Specialist Team Leader
Tammi has been part of the Pine Woods family since 2008. She has 5 cats and 1 dog. Tammi and her amazing husband Rich have been married for 28 years and they are proud parents of their 3 great children. In her spare time, she enjoys crocheting, walking her dog Earl and spending time with her family.
Licensed Veterinary Technicians
Marlene, LVT
Marlene joined the Pine Woods team in 2010. She grew up in North Tonawanda and worked for many years as a hair stylist before she went back to school where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Veterinary Technology. She has 2 cats, Artemis and Isis. Marlene is a huge Sabres fan and spends a lot of her free time going to hockey games and planning her next rock concert.
Tiffany, LVT, CCRVN
In 2015 Pine Woods welcomed Tiffany to the Pine Woods team. Originally from Ohio, Tiffany started out as a Veterinary Assistant in the veterinary world and then went on to study to be a Vet Tech. She has two cats, Trouble and Sid. Outside of taking care of her child, job, household and pets, Tiffany enjoys kickboxing, four wheeling, riding her motorcycle and bonfires.
Laura C., LVT
Laura has held a place at Pine Woods since 2005 and became a Vet Tech right out of high school after attending Medaille College. She grew up on the West Side of Buffalo and has a dog named Buddy Blu. She enjoys spending time with her family and playing with her dog.
Breanna, LVT
Originally from Niagara Falls, Bre started working for Pine Woods in 2013. She has 2 dogs, Oscar and Finn and also has 3 cats, Beanz, Meg and Kingsford. Bre loves traveling, spending time outside and playing volleyball.
Wendy, LVT
Wendy graduated from Medaille College and has enjoyed working with Dr. Mike and being part of the Pine Woods family since 2001. She spends most weekends camping with her husband and two grown children in the southern tier. Wendy has two dogs and three cats. In her spare time, you will often find her in a quiet place reading.
Jenna, LVT
Jenna graduated from Medaille College in 2013. She has an extensive background in exotics as a technician. Outside of Pine Woods animal hospital, Jenna spends most of her time working out at the gym and loving up her amazingly perfect pitbull, Stella! Jenna is happy to be part of the Pine Woods team.
Marissa, LVT
Marissa is originally from Hamburg. She graduated from Medaille college with a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Science. She has been with Pine Woods Animal Hospital since December 2016 and before that Marissa worked in veterinary emergency medicine. Outside of work, Marissa enjoys reading a good book and spending time with her family & amazing furbabies.
Jessica, LVT, CDBC, CPDT-KA
Jessica works as an LVT and dog trainer at Pine Woods Animal Hospital. She received her Associate degree in Veterinary Technology in 2008 then completed her BS in Animal Behavior in 2017. Jessica also holds multiple certifications in dog training and behavior consulting. When she is not training clients and their dogs, Jessica enjoys competing in various canine sports with her two rescue pit bulls, enjoying the company of her fiance and five cats, tending to her garden and managing her large flock of chickens.
Jessica, LVT
Raised in Williamsville, Jessica graduated with a Bachelor degree from SUNY at Buffalo in 1997 and continued on to earn her Associate’s degree for veterinary technology from Medaille College in 1999. While Jessica has spent most of her career in veterinary emergency medicine, she has a strong interest in integrating western veterinary medicine with traditional veterinary medicine. She is a proud owner of a “pawfect” Bernese Mountain dog and hopes that he will soon become a therapy dog. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys hiking, road trips, reading and music.
Stephanie, LVT, CCAT
Stephanie graduated in 2013 from Medaille and has been working as a Licensed Veterinary Technician since. Prior to that, she obtained a degree in Fine Arts. Her interests include hiking, travel, photography and making pottery. She also loves spending time with her Golden Retriever Maverick, her husband and 2 kids.
Jessica H., LVT
Jessica grew up in Saratoga, New York. She moved to Buffalo to attend Medaille College, where she graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Veterinary Technology. Outside of work, she enjoys visiting family, walking along Buffalo’s outer harbor, chasing sunsets, visiting coffee shops, bonfires, and volleyball.
Bobbi, LVT
Bobbi went to SUNY Delhi right out of high school and became an LVT in 2001. She started her career working at a one-doctor mixed practice in Monroe, NY, gaining experience not only with small animals, but also with avian, exotic and reptilian companions. After several years, she moved on to working on the emergency team at a multi-doctor practice in Westchester County, NY. In 2016, Bobbi moved back to WNY after almost 30 years and became a member of PWAH in 2022. She enjoys spending her free time with her son, being outdoors and wishes she could travel more!
Stephanie, LVT, BS, CCRVN
Stephanie is originally from Tonawanda and attended Medaille College. She joined the Pine Woods team in 2012 and continued her education by completing her Rehab certification at Canine Rehabilitation Institute. She has a full house with her 3 cats, Stewart, Gandalf and Burnadette and her canine gal, Maisey. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys camping and occasionally escaping to her favorite magical place, Disney World!
Stephanie, MS (Ed), LVT, CCRP, CVPP Credentialed Member AAPM
Stephanie Ortel has been a licensed veterinary technician since 1999. She completed the Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner program in 2007. Stephanie also has an interest in pain management, helping to make physical rehabilitation therapy a comfortable and positive process for her patients. She is a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner and Credentialed Member of the American Academy of Pain Management. She has spoken at conferences, wrote textbook chapters and teaches physical rehabilitation therapy and pain management. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys dog and cat sports (with her German Shorthaired Pointer Marston and cat Elwood), judo and outdoor activities.
Vet Assistants
Ellen, Vet Assistant
Ellen is happy to be a part of the PWAH Assistant team where she has been helping update and renovate our buildings. In her free time, Ellen loves nature, bird watching, gardening and animals (specifically yellow labs). She enjoys practicing and competing in agility with her dogs, and has even competed at AKC Nationals!
Cassie, Vet Assistant
Cassandra is current vet tech student at Medaille College. Her love for animals started at a young age from playing with her grandparents dog to finally getting her own. In high-school, Cassie decided to attend BOCES for animal science, and her experience, as well has her love for animals has pushed her into School for veterinary technology. After graduating from Medaille, she plans to continue her education for her doctorate. In her spare time, Cassie like to go camping with her family, travel, and spend time with her dog, Nora.
Mary, Vet Assistant
Mary has a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science with a concentration in Canines. She is passionate about training dogs and interacting with animals of all kinds. Her partner, Pixie, is a three-year-old golden retriever who she continuously learns something new from every day. Mary is excited to be an assistant and receptionist at Pinewoods where she can learn from both people and animals!
Rachel, Vet Assistant
Rachel joined the Pinewoods team in 2023 after completing her preceptorship through Medaille University. She’s so close to finishing her Veterinary Technician degree! Rachel used to volunteer weekly through Erie County SPCA, socializing and preparing felines of all ages and backgrounds to be placed in their fur-ever homes. Working with animals has always been a passion of hers and she enjoys learning through hands-on experience. When not at work, she loves to spend time with her husband, three kiddos, and two kitties.
Larry
Larry is our afterhours one-man cleaning crew! When not at Pine Woods keeping our facility squeaky clean, Larry enjoys spending time with his Saint Bernard. Larry fell in love with Saint Bernard’s at a very young age. It was something about this particular giant breed that he was attracted to, their loyalty, their sense of protection, the silliness and their unconditional stubbornness and love.
Client Care Team
Kaitlin, Client Care Specialist
Kaitlin has worked at Pine Woods since 2017 and is originally from North Tonawanda. Although she has a degree in journalism, she has always felt her true calling was to work with animals. Her fur family includes her two small breed pups, Rocko and Oscar. Outside of work she loves to sing, play volleyball and enjoy fun family activities with her husband and daughters.
Melissa, Client Care Specialist
Melissa has worked in the veterinary field for 11 years. She has been in a few different roles and currently a receptionist. She started as an assistant straight out of high school. She has a perfect yellow lab named Ralphie Parker (yes named after the Christmas story!!) In her spare time, she enjoys cheering on the Buffalo Bills, kayaking, and enjoying the outdoors with friends and family.
Karen, Office Assistant
Janelle, Client Care Specialist
Janelle has been with Pine Woods for 16+ years and her love for animals has lead her to become a member of multiple animal organizations. She’s been married to her husband Dale for 19 years and they have one dog named Ellie.
Marilyn, Client Care Specialist
Marilyn joined the Pine Woods Animal Hospital Team in 2009. A few things Marilyn enjoys are traveling, music (especially Michael Buble’), movies and spending time with her husband of 43 years along with family and grandchildren. She has one fur baby, Stuart the Cat!
Debbie, Client Care Specialist
Originating from North Tonawanda, Debbie joined the Pine Woods team in 2010. She is a proud mom of two beautiful daughters and one granddaughter. She enjoys country music, sunshine and the great outdoors. She cherishes everyone she gets to share life with including her fiancé, family, friends and dog, Roxy.
Carol, Client Care Specialist
Carol has enjoyed working in the veterinary field for over eight years. While not at the animal hospital she loves spending time with her husband, 2 daughters, 3 dogs and 2 horses doing outdoor activities, kayaking and yoga.
LouAnn, Client Care Specialist
LouAnn has worked in the veterinary client service area for over 8 years! She enjoys seeing he pets and interacting with their owners as well.
She has a fur baby names Bambi who was found by the side of the road 3 years ago, and she is a character!
