Thankful Thursday: Shout-Outs That Shine

August 21, 2025

It’s that time again, Thankful Thursday! Every month, we love to share the amazing people who make a difference in their hospitals and teams. Whether it’s going the extra mile for a patient, stepping up to support coworkers, or simply bringing positive energy to the workplace, these moments of appreciation remind us how powerful a little gratitude can be. 

Carol Reichenbaugh from Harts Run Veterinary Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, wants to recognize Ruth Westwood, Technician: "Ruth has gone above and beyond this month. She has spent numerous days on the phone/email with IDEXX and Dentalaire to fix errors/make repairs on our machines, exhibiting endless patience and perseverance. She is amazing!" 

Kristen Spriggs from Salty Paws Veterinary Hospital, Yorktown, Virginia, wants to recognize Joy Johnson, LVT in training: "Joy is truly a JOY to work with! She is a true asset to our team. With a natural ability to lead, she guides her coworkers with confidence and compassion. She ensures every patient receives the highest level of care and love, and she helps manage appointments and our lab flow with professionalism and ease." 

Kristen also wants to recognize Tatum Strickland, Lead LVT/ Inventory Manager: "Tatum is my right hand. She orchestrates our lab staff and DVMs with such ease. She knows every appointment and exactly what each patient needs. She embodies fear free care and is our resident cat whisperer. I’m truly proud to work beside such an amazing and caring patient advocate." 

Kristen also wants to recognize Dr. Susan Blessing: "Dr. Blessing, is a staple at SPVH. She is attentive and compassionate with her patients. Work-ins? Walk-ins? Dr. B takes care of it! Thank you for being so efficient and readily available to help. I’ve enjoyed working 17 years with you!" 

And finally, Kristen wants to recognize Dr. Kristen Voglewede: "I am so thankful for Dr. Voglewede’s compassion. She brings an incredible amount of love and care to every patient and client she encounters. Each case is handled with true empathy, and she treats every patient as if they were her own. Her knowledge of veterinary medicine is remarkable—she amazes me daily with the level of care and dedication she provides." 

Danielle Mercado from the OPS team wants to recognize Ashley Johns, Hospital Manager at Lassiter Animal Hospital: "Ashley has been making so many positive changes at her hospital and I am beyond grateful to be a witness to her growth. Her hospital has come a long way and I am thankful for her trust in me as a leader. With that foundation in place, I see endless potential and continued growth ahead for our strong and flourishing partnership." 

Margie Giles from All Animals Veterinary Hospital, Sanford, North Carolina, wants to recognize Angela Oldham, RVT: "We want to take a moment to recognize Angela, one of our incredible RVT's, for her dedication, attention to detail, and the amazing work she does every day. Angela plays a crucial role in keeping our surgery schedule running smoothly and ensuring everything is organized and efficient.  Her calm under pressure, expert handling of each case, and support for both patients and the team do not go unnoticed. She also keeps our CS logs in tip top shape! Thank you, Angela, for your hard work and for being such a vital part of our clinic family!" 

Heather Zahm from Massillon Animal Hospital, Massillon, Ohio, wants to recognize Franco Milza, Project Manager Facilities: "Our clinic sustained storm damage, flooding last month on a Saturday at approximately 5pm, when our clinic was closed. Franco was very quick to call me, get our insurance claim filed and get the ball rolling with getting a mitigation company out there the same night. Unfortunately, our clinic needs extensive work to get back up and running but Franco continues to be available for any questions or issues I come across. THANK YOU FRANCO!" 

Alannah Labesky from the OPS team wants to recognize Shane LaGrandeur, Hospital Manager a Wintergreen Animal Hospital: "Just a special shoutout to Shane for helping a nearby location while the HM was out unexpectedly for 2 weeks.  I appreciate you!" 

Chad Harris, DVM, VP of Veterinary Leadership and Career Development wants to recognize Kaley Unger and Amy Anthony, Recruiting Team: "I’d like to give a huge shoutout to Kaley Unger and Amy Anthony from our recruiting team for their outstanding efforts at the AVMA Annual Conference. Their positive attitudes, fun spirits, and incredible ability to connect with people truly made a lasting impression. Kaley and Amy brought energy, warmth, and professionalism to every interaction, representing our team with excellence and heart. Their enthusiasm and genuine approach helped foster meaningful connections and showcased the very best of what we stand for. Thank you both for being such amazing ambassadors!" 

Amy Klotz from the Ops team wants to recognize Kat Gesch, Hospital Manager at Broward Veterinary Specialists: "Kat has been a great resource for helping clinics in Florida with EzyVet transitions! So wonderful to have someone knowledgeable in EzyVet to help assist other hospitals that may need a little extra help! " 

Jessica Addis from St. Francis Animal Hospital, North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, wants to recognize Lindsey Weightman, Hospital Manager: "Thank you for being an amazing Hospital Manager and taking care of our team! You’re doing a terrific job and I am so thankful to lead our team with you!" 

Crystal Fowler from Veterinary Healing Center, El Dorado Hills, California, wants to recognize Robert McCandless, Hospital Manager: "Huge thanks to Robert for answering all my emails regarding an international health certificate that wasn't particularly straightforward.  He's always so knowledgeable and willing to help out and it's much appreciated!" 

Lisa Stephens from Solomons Veterinary Medical Center, Solomons, Maryland, wants to recognize Kristy Gartelman, Lead Veterinary Assistant: "Kristy has grown so much in her lead roll. She has also recently taken on helping at other clinics in our region to provide guidance with their flow of appointments. She is always willing to lend a hand here or at other clinics. She strives to make us the best and can see the good in most bad situations. She is a rockstar and I don't know what we would do without her. Thank you Kristy for always being there and just being you!!!" 

Lisa Tharp from Pittsburgh Spay & Vaccination Clinic, Verona, Pennsylvania, wants to recognize Dr. Allison Kiser: "“We want to give a huge thank-you to Dr. Allison Kiser! She has been an incredible support to us while we were down two full-time doctors. With only occasional relief vet assistance, she managed the hospital almost entirely on her own—and did it all with grace and positivity. Thanks to her dedication and hard work, everything continued to run smoothly without a single complaint. Dr. Kiser, we truly couldn’t have done it without you, and we are so grateful for all that you do!”" 

Jessica Safani-Franko from Agoura Animal Clinic, Agoura Hills, California, wants to recognize Carolina Hernandez and Tesia Schexnayder, Veterinary Assistants (for now!): "Tess and Carolina are both working toward their RVT certifications! Both of them decided to go back to school and that is no easy feat! They are valued members of our team and we are so proud of them. Tess has a great attention to detail and Carolina is endlessly positive. I'm so glad to have them both on our team, and I can't wait to see what they will do next!" 

Matthew Campbell from the OPS team wants to recognize Julie Hogue, Hospital Manager at Windermere Animal Hospital: "Julie brings incredible positivity and energy to her team. She’s motivated, hardworking, and always looking for ways to improve her clinic’s culture. With her coffee-fueled enthusiasm and infectious attitude, she inspires those around her every day. Thank you for all you do!" 

Matthew also wants to recognize Nicki Grider, Hospital Manager: "Nicki has shown tremendous dedication and leadership, guiding her team through the upcoming ezyVet conversion while also supporting the successful addition of a new veterinarian. Her hard work and commitment to her clinic are clear in everything she does." 

Eric Detrick from Always Compassionate Veterinary Care, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, wants to recognize Dawn Conklin, IT Support: "A HUGE shout out to Dawn for helping to resolve our slow server issues and other connectivity problems. You Rock!!" 

Sierra Harris from Moosehead Trail Veterinary Hospital, Newport, Maine, wants to recognize Casey Creek, Technician: "Thankful for Casey's hard work, knowledge and dedication. Casey is always willing to jump in and go above and beyond for our patients. With a quick dose of humor she is always keeping a positive environment." 

Angela Boatwright from Carthage Animal Hospital, Carthage, North Carolina, wants to recognize Shanda Preble, CSR: "Shanda is my right hand. She always goes above and beyond and excels at everything she does. She has taken on extra "jobs" to help lighten my load. Shanda is AWESOME!" 

Anna Adair from Lake Station Pet Clinic, Lake Station, Indiana, wants to recognize Dr. Nicole Mock, COS: "I appreciate Nikki, so much! It's been wonderful to see her grow as a COS and I appreciate our partnership and support, she gives me as the HM. I couldn't ask for a better COS!" 

Anna also wants to recognize Lenora Ramian, CSR: "Lenora is our champion for online store prescriptions and Tail-O-Phone. She has taken it as her duty to show our staff how to do it and how important these tools are. I appreciate her helping me get our clinic set up and doing this! We appreciate you!" 

Megan White from Lake Parkway Animal Hospital, Humble, Texas, wants to recognize Karime Alfaro, Technician: "Karime has done a wonderful job taking initiative with getting our patients into exam rooms quickly for appointments and always being a team player!" 

Megan also wants to recognize Claire Sacco, Technician: "Claire always works so hard. Always finding something to do even during slow times." 

Brittany Klopp from Central Animal Hospital, Petaluma, California, wants to recognize Anahi Mejia, Vet Assistant: "Anahi has come so far so quickly. Ive been so proud of her for stepping up, asking questions and pushing herself to grow and learn. Its been so amazing to watch her skills grow and I am proud to have her on our team. Thank you for all you do!" 

Julie Merritt from the OPS team wants to recognize Jose Izarpate, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition: "We want to send a warm and heartfelt mahalo to our incredible Recruiting Manager for Hawaii, Jose Izarpate. Jose is truly the ultimate matchmaker and innovator, he understands just how important it is to find the perfect fit for every new “work family member.” He goes above and beyond to learn about each practice and each candidate to ensure the best match.  Jose leads with heart, excels in strategy, and carries himself with humility and uplifting energy that inspires us all. His passion for veterinary medicine shines brightly in everything he does.  Jose, thank you for the unwavering support you give to our islands and for always being there—from early morning calls to last-minute texts. You consistently do whatever it takes to provide a true “white-glove” candidate experience. You are one of a kind, and your dedication never goes unnoticed.  Mahalo and ¡Gracias! On behalf of your entire Hawaii Vetcor Ohana! We appreciate you more than words can say." 

Jessica Daniels from the OPS team wants to recognize Ana Kiefer, Hospital Manager at Marin Pet Hospital: "I wanted to give a shout out to Ana Kiefer at Marin Pet Hospital. She has embraced her new role as Hospital Manager and all the challenges that come with it. Thank you for joining our team and the positive contributions you continue to make to the hospital and our Nor Cal Team!" 

Jessica also wants to recognize Dr. Tara Fernandez, COS at El Cerrito Veterinary Care: "I wanted to say thank you to Dr. Fernandez at ECVC. She works hard every day to help onboard her new DVM and hold the practice together. While ECVC has seen many changes recently, they have all been for the better, and I can't wait to see what Dr. F does for the clinic." 

Melissa Strycker-Grzeskowiak from Western Vet Clinic, South Bend, Indiana, wants to recognize Melissa Stump, Lead RVT: "Recently we had some sudden staffing changes as well as myself (HM)  being out of the office on emergency leave and Mel stepped up and took on a lot of challenges... including a gas leak in the building that required a lot of repairs. During all of these challenges she maintained focus on what was needed and important and the whole team came together to help where they could. The entire team at WVC is incredible!" 

Katrina Guell from Scottsdale Cat Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, wants to recognize Diana Green, Receptionist: "I wanted to take a moment to recognize Diana. She always works her magic with the schedule and clients. She is reliable and her diet knowledge is invaluable. She is a compassionate person and that is reflected when our team is struggling. We are lucky to have her!"