Newtown Veterinary Hospital, LLC

Meet the Staff


 

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We pride ourselves with employing the most understanding and compassionate staff possible!

redpaws.gif               career opportunities

        
Hospital Managers:     Trisha McLaughlin Practice Manager
                                          Riki Brennan Office Manager

                                          Barb Pacitti Technician Administrator

       

Surgical Coordinator  
Shaunna Craig      

Senior Surgical
Technicians
                
Anne Garfield
Kim Hansberry
Ashley Mathiesen
Jennifer Pennington
Shayna Rodriguez  
     

Junior Technicians
Stefanie Shertzer
Palma Shields
Nicole Wickersham

Out Patient Coordinator & Senior Surgical Technician
 Laura Bond

Out Patient Technicians
Devon Colston
Melissa D'Armiento
Maureen Kennedy
Heather LaPolla
Carrie Packer
Jill Schaffling

 

Customer Care Specialists
Sue Good
John Groth
Erin Houmas

Jen Murvine
Heather Somers
Lisa Stewart
Kennel Staff 
Crystal Krieg
Justin McAinley
Brandon O'Keefe
Michelle Pickron

Miriam Wulfsohn

Day Care
Monica Smith
Nichole Roche

 

          

picture from  www.vettechjournal.com

Congratulations Trisha McLaughlin!!
     Trisha McLaughlin, C.V.T. our Practice Manager was on the October 2006 cover of Veterinary Technician. There was also an article about her on pages 644-646, along with an The Moment I Knew also on page 646.
She's on the cover with her Pit Bull Roadie

Trisha McLaughlin C.V.T., 
 Practice Manager
     I was born and raised in Newtown, PA . I now live in Warminster, PA with my husband Patrick and our 4-legged children.  Well, actually one only has 3 legs... Roadie (pitbull), Kira (pitbull) and Lager (St Bernard) were all saved/rescued and our 3 cats.. Jimmy, Killian and Mowgli (also all rescued). Our first child was born in December 2004, Samantha Shea and our second daughter Makenna joined us March 2008.
     I graduated from Harcum College with my AS in Veterinary Technology in 1997 and sat for my state certification the same year to become a C.V.T. (certified veterinary technician). I also have taken classes at Delaware Valley College to finish by BS and my pre-requisites for Veterinary school. I, however, started my career with animals here at Newtown Veterinary Hospital 19yrs ago when Dr. Guenther was still the practice owner. 
     Immediately after my externship at VHUP, I took a position in the emergency room at the University Of Pennsylvania Veterinary School. After a few years on the busy overnight shift I took a job at Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center (V.S.E.C.) in Langhorne. It was there that my passion for pain management and physical therapy emerged.
     I currently sit on a Technician advisory board for Bayer Animal Health (B.T.A.C) and I am also a content editor for Veterinary Technician magazine. I also have written articles for Veterinary Technician magazine on Hydrotherapy. I plan on attending the University of Tennessee in March 2010 to start my Animal rehabilitation certification.
     I love that I am part of such a diverse family at NVH. The opportunity to continue to grow no matter how long I have been here keeps life interesting.   

Riki Brennan          Office Manager
     I have been with Newtown Veterinary Hospital since 1999. I have been the Office Manager since 2006.  I am in charge of all the community relations projects at the hospital. Some of these projects include coordinating the Annual Pet Fair and all our community outreach programs (such as career fairs, dog walks, business association events and girl scout tours with the help of Devon one of our technicians ). I also edit the monthly newsletter, update our hospital's website, create advertisements for the hospital and create all door prizes and sponsorships used at local school events. I love talking to clients and playing with the dogs (I say hi to cats from a distance, as I am allergic to them), and hope to work here for a long time to come.
      I have a Heinz 57 Mutt named Bridget born in 2005, a Cockapoo named Maggie born in 2004 and Annie a Labrador mix born in 2009 all of whom were rescued through NVH. I love to spend time with them. I relax by reading books, drawing, watching movies, and gardening.

Happy 10th Anniversary Riki 1999  -  2009

Barb Pacitti, C.V.T.            Technician Administrator
     I attended Manor College, the veterinary technology program, and graduated in 2003 with my Associate's Degree. I sat for and passed my certification exam that summer and have been in this field ever since. I really enjoy working with animals and trying to help them under the guidance of a doctor. It is a very satisfying feeling when you are able to help a being that is unable to speak and tell you what is happening to make them feel the way they do.
     I started with NVH in September 2003 as a Senior Surgical Technician and was promoted to Technician Administrator in the Spring of 2006. As a Senior Surgical Technician, my responsibilities include calculating drugs, inducing anesthesia, intubation of patients, monitoring EKG Pulse oximiter, blood pressure, IV catheter placement, recovery of patients and overall animal care. Along with these duties, as Technician Administrator, I am also responsible for the hiring, training, discipline and scheduling of the Outpatient Technicians, Junior Technicians and Senior Surgical Technicians. Being a Manor Grad I have also taken on the responsibility of hosting externship students. In this program Vet Tech students come from Manor College in their last semester to rotate through our facility and learn hands-on techniques and how to apply what they have acquired being in technical school to everyday teching duties. I have also assisted in teaching a semester at Manor College. I enjoyed it very much, but have not had the time to be able to accomplish this again. I look forward to trying to fit it into my busy schedule for future semester if needed.
     In my spare time, I like to spend time with my family, close friends, my son Frankie and my dogs Stella and Molson. I also enjoy the behavior training aspect of veterinary medicine and like to help educate clients and fellow staff members in this area in my spare time. I have helped with retraining and placement of dogs in new homes and also have helped educate clients on what breeds are appropriate for their households. It is amazing what a little redirection, retraining and exercise can do for  a dog that is labeled as destructive or hopeless! It is very satisfying to me to be able to modify some unwanted behaviors with positive reinforcement and placing the dog in the proper home where they will receive the attention that they need to keep them in a healthy state of mind.
     I have been married since September 2006 and live with my very understanding and tolerant husband Frank. I also share a home with my dogs Molson (who was rescued) and Stella (who I acquired as a puppy) and of course my son Frankie who has started to show a large interest in the dogs since his birth in November 2008.

Shaunna Craig   Surgical Coordinator
     I have been a Senior Surgical Technician at NVH since March of 2007. I started working in the veterinary field in 1992. Prior to working as a technicians I was part of a 4H program where I showed sheep, pigs, cattle and horses. Since working as a technician, I have worked in small animal and emergency practices. Furthermore, I participated in Rodeos from 1995 to 2000. Aside from my work as a veterinary technician I am also a firefighter, EMT, and a CPR/First Aid/AED instructor. In addition, I am certified in animal training and behavior modification. I was married in 2005 and have a son, Aidan who was born in 2006 and a daughter, Kiernan born in 2008 . My extended family includes three Basset Hounds, a Labrador Retriever & German Shepherd Mix, a Doberman, 3 cats and a blue and gold Macaw.

   Laura Bond               Out Patient Coordinator
     My name is Laura and I started at the practice in May 2006. When I first came to NVH I started in kennels. After a few months I began as an outpatient technician working in appointments. Now I am the Out Patient Coordinator for the hospital and a Senior Surgical Technician. I have been able to learn so much since coming to work at NVH. What I appreciate the most about working here are the people I work with on every level and the quality of veterinary medicine that I get to be a part of. Not only do we have a caring, gentle, and compassionate staff, but we work together as a team to set a high standard of care for our patients.
     My furry family includes my two black cats Moses and Sophia... they are perfect!... I am married and have a baby due to arrive in July 2010.

Anne Garfield        Senior Surgical Technician
     For as long as I can remember, I have had a passion for helping animals. Even as a child, if there was an injured animal in the yard, I would bring it inside and try to nurse it back to health. I even tried to save a butterfly once! At that time, I didn't know that animal nursing would turn out to be my career. After high school, I attended Antonelli Institute of Art and Photography and graduated with a degree in commercial art in May of 1997. It wasn't long after graduation that I realized I preferred to keep art as a hobby. This is when I found Montgomery Animal Hospital. I started working there as a kennel assistant in August of 1998. Eager to learn more, I left MAH in February of 2000 and began working at the Veterinary Referral Center in Malvern, PA. This practice specializes in orthopedic and soft tissue surgery, ultrasound, cardiology, internal medicine, dermatology and dentistry. What a great place to learn! After nine educational years, I left my position as supervising nurse of soft tissue surgery to come work as a senior technician at NVH. I started here on June 1, 2009 and hope to be here for quite some time. I am very happy to be part of such a great practice.!

Kim Hansberry          Senior Surgical Technician
     Hi! I was born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia. I've always wanted to work in the veterinary field. It's my passion. I started working at NVH on June 9, 2008. Prior to Newtown Veterinary Hospital, I worked as a technician at Pet's Best Friend Hospital for three years. I have two cats, Holly and Leah, and one dog, Jingles. I'm very proud to be a part of taking care of animals and at NVH I feel as though they receive high-quality care. I'm looking forward to my future in the veterinary field.

Congratulations Kim on her promotion to Senior Tech March 2010!

Ashley Mathiesen          Senior Surgical Technician
    
I was born in NY and grew up in Las Vegas. I've spent most of my childhood traveling between both cities until I finally settled here in PA. I started out as an Exam Room Technician in 2001 and through interest and training have worked my way up to a Senior Surgical Technician. My job duties include animal restraint, x-rays, blood withdrawal, monitoring anesthesia and giving lots of love to our sick and recovering animal friends while they are here. My interests in the animal field are in nutrition and behavior.
     I am a proud owner of a Pit Bull born in 2005, her name is Layla. She was a rescue dog who went from no collar to a Coach collar!
     I am expecting my first child in July 2010 and will be getting married in July 2011.

Jennifer Pennington           Senior Surgical Technician

Stefanie Shertzer      Junior Technician
     Hello my name is Stefanie and I have been at NVH since August 2007. I currently live in Gelnside with my two children, Ryan born October 2003 and Camryn born April 2006. I have a dog named Logic born in September 2002 that I adopted while in Florida.
     I hope to go back to school in the future for radiology technology.
     In my spare time I love to ski, go camping and go tubing.

Palma Shields            Junior Technician
     All my life I have loved animals. I have over 10 years experience in the veterinary field. Five years alone in emergency services. I started at NVH in March of 2009 working part-time in the daycare then began as a Junior Technician shortly after. I currently live in Holland with my boyfriend Jay and our beautiful daughter Lyla. Another member of my family is my Maine Coon mix, Webster that I have cared for since birth. Some of my passions are bottle feeding kittens and puppies and caring for sick and injured animals. I look forward to seeing you and your pet.

Nicole Wickersham     Junior Technician
   
 I was born in Trenton, NJ and moved between the Poconos and Bucks County before settling in Lower Bucks County with my husband, Joe. We were married in February 2000.
     I started at NVH in April 2009 as a Junior Technician. My duties include assisting the doctors in exam rooms, blood draws, taking radiographs and filling prescriptions, along with training to become a surgical technician. Prior to coming on board here at NVH I worked at small animal/avian/exotic and emergency practices. I also briefly left the field to work in a biomedical laboratory, but quickly found that I was anything but happy not working with animals on a daily basis.
     When I'm not at work I enjoy going to the beach, reading, painting, horseback riding and just hanging out with my husband and our extended (furry) family which includes 5 cats (Isis, Max, Dodger, Jimmy and Loki), 2 dogs (Ginger and Wally) and1 feisty albino California Kingsnake (Persephone).
     I've enjoyed my time here at NVH so far and am proud to work with such a caring, compassionate group of people.
Devon Colston         Out Patient Technician
     I have been with Newtown Veterinary Hospital since June of 2009. I have many years experience with animals and six years alone in the veterinary field. My job is to greet you and your pet, take histories, vital signs and walk you through the exam process, plus so MUCH MORE. I also assist veterinarians with treatments, restraint, x-rays and education. In addition, I am in charge of educating school age children and girl scouts on small animal science, behavior and the care they require. My specialty is canine behavior. My philosophy is that pets are family and are to be treated as such. They deserve the best. Pets thrive on love, kindness and attention and that is what they will get here at NVH.
     I am the proud parent of two little girls named Natalie and Nina and two canine boys, Brandon (corgi mix) and Oscar (miniature dachshund). They are my life, are extremely active in my work and they share my love for animals. Oscar even performs in my demos.
     In addition to full-time work and full-time parenting, I am also a student pursuing a degree in Animal Behavior. I am looking forward to meeting you and your pet and I am honored to be a part of this wonderful team!!!

Melissa D'Armiento   Out Patient Technician
     I was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey but moved to Newtown when I was little and have been living here ever since. My love for animals began when I became a volunteer at Indian Walk Veterinary Hospital in November 2004. I began working as a Kennel Assistant for while I was attending Villa Joseph Marie High School. After graduating, I was accepted into West Virginia University where I received a bachelor's in Animal and Veterinary Science in December 2009. After graduating from West Virginia University, I began working as a technician here at NVH. I hope to be a part of this family for years to come! I am currently in the process of applying to veterinary school and hope to become a successful veterinarian someday.
     I have one cat named Princess. Princess was a stray kitten who I took in and nursed back to health. She is the love of my life and I couldn't imagine life without her.

Maureen Kennedy      Out Patient Technician/Receptionist
    
I was born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia. I am married to a wonderful man named Bill whom I married in October 2008. We have four cats (Dakota, Gulliver, Johnny and Murphy) that are very mischievous and our Golden Retriever, Elvis. In October 2009 we added our son Connor to our family.
      A 2005 graduate of Harcum College with a degree in Animal Center Management, I joined the NVH staff with previous working experience at a 24 hour emergency veterinary hospital. I started here at Newtown Vet in May 2007.

Heather LaPolla           Out Patient Technician
     Hello, my name is Heather and I have been at Newtown Veterinary Hospital since October 2009. I have been in the veterinary field since 2003. I am an out patient technician. My duties are assisting doctors in rooms, taking radiographs, filling prescriptions and more.
     I am proud to be on such a great team. Everyone here is so friendly and willing to help. I look forward to a long career at NVH.
     I have two dogs at home (Lexus and Rascal).

Carrie Packer                Out Patient Technician
     I was born and raised in a small suburb just north of Boston, Mass. I started at NVH in February of 2010. Prior to this I have worked at Warminster Veterinary Hospital as an Assistant/Receptionist, and Southampton Veterinary Hospital as a Veterinary Technician. I have always had a passion for animals as far back as I can remember, if ever I came across an animal in pain my first instinct would be to help and nurture it. At NVH I feel I am part of a great team, for the staff and I truly care about the comforts and needs of our patients in the animal community. Currently, I am attending Bucks County Community College where I am working towards an Associates Degree.
     In 2008 I moved to Yardley, PA where I now reside with my husband Mitchell and our dog Alex. Alex is a Yorkie-Poo and I must say he is adorable as well as intelligent. I love him with all of my heart and nothing makes me more joyful than to see him happy and active. He was born in June 2001.
     In my free time I enjoy cooking, baking, painting, learning to knit, reading, gardening, and of course traveling.
     I hope to see you and your pet soon!

Jill Schaffling              Out Patient Technician
     I was born in Langhorne, PA. I attended Delaware Valley College for a Bachelor of Science in Animal Biotechnology and Conservation. I am also hoping to go back to college for my certification in radiology. I have been with NVH since May 1, 2008 and have worked at other veterinary hospitals and a zoo before coming here.
     I have four cats, three dogs and a bearded dragon. At the moment, I am a technician and always ready to learn more. I am here to assist you and your pet as well as the doctor and I love hearing everyone's stories. The best part is watching a puppy or kitten grow up as a healthy, happy adult in a loving home!

Sue Good             Receptionist
     I started at NVH in August 2008. I was born and raised in Bucks County. I graduated from West Chester University with a B.S. in Finance in 2001. Prior to NVH, I had been working in the mortgage banking industry for several years. I have had a love for animals since I can remember, which is how I ended up with a full-time position here at NVH. I have always grown up with dogs, rabbits, hamsters and turtles - I tortured my parents! I currently live in Newtown with my husband Chris. We have the friendliest Shiba Inu named Bailey, two cats that my husband rescued (Lola and Bear) and Mr. Bigz, a whopping 3.8 pound Chihuahua!

John Groth          Receptionist
     In November of 2005, I started working at the Front Desk at NVH. I moved to Newtown in 1993 from New York (hence the accent), and was also a previous client. Having the opportunity to have been on both sides of the fence, I was always extremely satisfied with the medical care my cat Muffin received. She was the sweetest cat in the world at home, but unfortunately had the reputation of being one of the meanest patients. The proof of the wonderful care she received was that she lived until almost 22 years. When I started working here, I was actually in awe of the love and devotion that the doctors and staff have for the patients that they treat. They always try and go the extra distance, and I am proud to be on their team. Before coming to NVH, I worked in the fashion/textile industry, but when the industry dried up here and went offshore, it was impossible to find work. I love travel (favorite cities London, Paris and of course my hometown of New York), music (favorites still being the Beatles and Motown), movies (Star Wars, Harry Potter and vintage movies), reading, collecting (vintage Star Wars and Barbie), designing and cooking. I am now the proud "Dad" of Harry, Hermoine and Ron, 3 cats that I adopted from here.
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Erin Houmas    Receptionist (seasonal)
     I was born and raised in Levittown, PA where I still live today with my husband Demetrios and our four cats Pepper, Millie, Raven, and Darby and our dog Ellie. We were married in October 2005.
     After graduating from Neshaminy HS in 1997, I made one of the most difficult decisions of my life. Being the "homebody" that I am, I chose to go four hours away to college, to the University of Connecticut. It is not that far, but for me it was a big step. I have a lot of family (aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) in Massachusetts which helped a little, but it wasn't home. I learned a lot about myself in those four years and in the end I graduated in May 2001 with a BS in Animal Science. Two days after graduation I started working here at NVH.
     I graduated in February 2006 from Holy Family University with a degree in Elementary Education... a big leap from the animal world but the explanation on this one would take up about 5 more pages!! I still work at NVH on weekends and occasionally during the week if they need me. I am currently a substitute teacher in the Bristol Township.

Jen Murvine      Receptionist
    
I was born and raised in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. I am married to a great man named Ron. We have three wonderful boys. Dylan born 1999, Vance born 2002, Mason born 2009, and Milow (our four-legged son) born 2000. We absolutely cherish our boys. I began working at NVH in September 2006. I enjoy helping our clients and greeting the pets as they come in. I love being part of the NVH team!

Heather Somers            Receptionist
     Hi! I've worked in animal care sporadically from 2000 on. I decided to make a career out of it at the end of 2007. That brought me to NVH in October 2008. In November 2008 I started classes at Penn Foster College to earn my Associate of Science Degree as a Veterinary Technician. At home, I have two beautiful cats, Bella (grey & white) and Romeo (black & white). They are wonderful little trouble makers. Things that make me happy are my cats (obviously), my family and friends, music, board games, Broadway, writing, skinny vanilla lattes, Wawa iced tea and Madeline Kahn movie marathons.

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Crystal Krieg       Animal Caretaker
     I was born in Bristol, PA, but we moved to North Carolina since my dad was in the Army. After four years, we were transferred to Germany, where my brother was born. After Desert Storm, Dad retired from the Army and we moved to Levittown.
     I started at NVH in the summer of 2003 as a kennel assistant, working part-time until I graduated from Harry S. Truman HS in 2004. After graduation I began working full-time and was soon promoted to Kennel Supervisor. This has given me an opportunity to make a difference at the hospital.
     I have a Husky mix named Toby, born in 2002, and a cat named Mew, born in 2004, whom I rescued as a three day old kitten who needed to be bottle fed. I also have another mix breed dog named Prince I just adopted from Pet Guardian.
     I enjoy shopping, being with my friends, horse back riding, and spending time with my family.
  Justin McAinley              Animal Caretaker
  Brandon O'Keefe           Animal Caretaker

Michelle Pickron          Animal Caretaker
    
Hi, my name is Michelle Pickron. I have been working at Newtown Veterinary Hospital as an animal care taker since August 2008. I have been in the veterinary field since August 2007 and have grown to love it very much. I am currently attending Temple University with the intention of graduating in 2010. I have two domestic shorthair cats K.J. (boy) and Macy (girl) who I love very much. I enjoy reading, listening to music, word puzzles, and spending time with my grandchildren (Kenneth Jr., Sanai and Tae Michon)

Miriam Wulfsohn       Kennel Assistant
     My mother fled Germany to Africa during the war. There in Africa she met and married my father. I was born in Zambia and lived there, Zimbabwe and South Africa. I went to boarding school in the south of England at St. Mary's then to Switzerland to learn French. I have traveled Europe and even had the Mumps in Manchester, England!
      I moved to the United States in 1968 and have lived in the Philadelphia area ever since.
      Miriam is a resident of the Wood's School in Langhorne, PA, a place that serves individuals with special needs. She has been with Newtown Veterinary Hospital since 1996 and helps us clean up after and walk our dogs. This job provides her the opportunity to work and interact with the animals and the public.

Newtown Veterinary Hospital is proud to offer
Day Care Services to employees who are working mothers!

Monica Smith     Head Teacher in Day Care

Hi, my name is Monica and I am the Head Teacher here at the NVH Kid's Korner. When Newtown Veterinary Hospital moved to their beautiful new building in 2009, they started a day care for employee's children. It is a wonderful addition to an already wonderful environment! I have been working with children for 13 years and have my CDA (Child Development Associate). I have been a nanny and also a Head Teacher at The Goddard School for many years. I live in Doylestown, PA with my wonderful 5 year old son, Ashton, and our 13 year old shepherd mix, Star, a.k.a. Boo-Boo. I love children and animals, so NVH is the perfect fit.

 

Nicole Roche       Day Care Assistant

Hi, my name is Nicole and I am a teacher in Kids Korner. I started working here when they opened the new building. I live in Holland with my husband Sonny and our three beautiful boys Sonny, Colin and Brad. I love the opportunity that I have here to be with these great kids and watch them grow!

 

last edited 07/29/2010                      

 
 
Newtown Veterinary Hospital, LLC
107 Penns Trail
Newtown, PA 18940
Phone (215) 968-3895
Fax (215) 579-2650
Monday-Friday 8AM-8PM
Saturday 8AM-4PM
 
 
Serving the needs of pet owners in Newtown, Yardley, Langhorne, Upper Makefield, Lower Makefield, Levittown, Bristol, Bensalem, Fairless Hills, Jamison, Southampton, Doylestown, New Hope, Bucks County, Richboro, Feasterville, Chalfont, Churchville, Warrington, Croydon, Ivyland, Easton, Fallsington, Buckingham, Morrisville, Trenton