Bio Coming Soon!

Background and Education

Veterinary School: Oregon State University
Anesthesia Residency: North Carolina State University
Board Certification: American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (1989)
Postdoctoral NIH Fellowship: North Carolina State University
Certification: PhD – Pulmonary Physiology (1992)

Dr. Kris Kruse-Elliott is SAGE’s anesthesiologist. Dr. Kruse-Elliott is a board-certified veterinarian specializing in anesthesia (delivery of drugs to keep patients immobilized, pain-free and comfortable during procedures and surgery) and analgesia (management of acute and chronic pain). An Oregon native, Dr. Kruse-Elliott earned her B.S. in General Science and her Veterinary Medicine degree at Oregon State University. She started her career as a veterinary practitioner, but was always interested in heart and lung physiology and how anesthesia could be used safely in patients with cardiopulmonary disease. She pursued her passion, completed a residency and became board certified in anesthesia, and followed with a postdoctoral fellowship and Ph.D. in Pulmonary Physiology from North Carolina State University.

Before moving to the Bay Area, Dr. Kruse-Elliott was on faculty at the University of Wisconsin where she taught anesthesia and ran the anesthesia service, providing clinical anesthesia to a wide variety of species. She has run her own active federally funded research program and served on research teams that have received federal and private support to study animal disease and treatments, including management of post-surgical pain in cats and dogs. Her published work is vast and includes co-authorship of a 2015 manuscript in Science about how algae toxins can impair sea lion memory and hippocampal connectivity and lead to the animals being stranded. Dr. Kruse-Elliott has also been involved with The Marine Mammal Center of California and their work to study the effects of algae toxicity—the project has been documented by National Geographic.

Dr. Genevieve Luca is Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and anesthesiology professional who provides anesthetic management to canines, felines, equines, and other companion domestic exotic species.

 Dr. Luca dedicates her career to alleviating animal pain and suffering by using her anesthesiology specialty as her primary contribution to advance the veterinary profession which results in consistent focus and optimized patient well-being and outcomes.

 She enjoys the technical aspects, dynamic nature, and the intellectual challenge associated with preoperative case management. She has particular interest in acute and chronic pain, including individualized pain assessments, ultrasound-guided locoregional anesthesia, and determining the best analgesia plans to optimize patient comfort and quality of life in clinical and home-based settings.

 A highly active participant in the veterinary industry, Dr. Luca is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (ACVAA), and a Member of the Association of Veterinary Anesthetists (AVA) as well as a Member of the North American Veterinary Anesthesia Society (NAVAS).

 Dr. Luca earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Montreal and successfully completed the Anesthesiology Residency at University of California, Davis. Additionally, Dr. Luca was a Companion in the Animal Rotating Internship at the Atlantic Veterinary College of the University of Prince Edward Island.

 Dr. Luca is an enthusiastic salsa and zouk dancer and is a Jazz and Progressive Metal super fan. In her free time, Dr. Luca enjoys scrapbooking, traveling, hosting friends for games, and spends time with her stubborn yet lovable Tortoiseshell cat—Midna.

Background and Education

Veterinary School: Purdue University
Internship Training: Washington State University, Florida Veterinary Specialists and Cancer Treatment Center
Residency Training: University of California, Davis
Certification: Diplomate ACVIM (Cardiology) (2014)

Dr. Sarah Silverman earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Purdue University. She completed her undergraduate studies at Quinnipiac University, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Following veterinary school, Dr. Silverman completed a small animal rotating medicine and surgery internship at Washington State University, which was followed by cardiology specialty internship at Florida Veterinary Specialists and Cancer Treatment Center. She then completed a three-year residency in cardiology at the University of California Davis. Prior to joining SAGE, Dr. Silverman worked as a cardiologist in private practice in Illinois.

When she’s not practicing, Sarah enjoys hiking, drinking wine, and listening to live music. She’s the proud owner of a dog and two cats.

Dr. Joo was born in Seoul, South Korea but moved to the United States at the age of 4. When she was 9 years old, her father, also a veterinarian, opened his own small animal practice in Northeast Philadelphia, and she was recruited to work there after school every day. Her love of animals was formed there, but she was discouraged from pursuing veterinary medicine and encouraged to go into human medicine.  She was accepted into an accelerated medical program at the Pennsylvania State University but dropped out of this program after spending time as an EMT and realizing this was not her passion.  She obtained a degree in microbiology and worked in a small biotechnology lab and as a diagnostic microbiologist at the Penn State University branch of the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System.  It was there that she was exposed to veterinarians in nonclinical careers, and she became interested in pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine.  Dr. Joo attended the Ohio State University and worked on varying research projects with zoonotic enteric bacteria, planning to pursue a career in epidemiology and disease outbreak investigation.  However, veterinary dentistry stole her heart during a 3rd year wetlab, and her whole career path changed.  She completed a small animal rotating internship in Sacramento and a 3-year residency in Dentistry and Oral Surgery at UC Davis.  She was a staff veterinarian at Tufts Veterinary Emergency Treatment and Specialties, a private practice run by Tufts University, and assistant professor at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.  When the opportunity to return to California and leave Nor’easters behind, she was happy to take it!

Dr. Joo shares her home with her boyfriend, a bottle-raised German Shorthaired Pointer who may think he is a cat, and 4 orange cats.  When not at work, she spends her time exploring her neighborhood, eating, knitting, and trying to keep the youngest cat from eating yarn.

Dr. Kaitlin Enck is DVM who brings over three years of experience to veterinary field—specializing in Emergency Medicine and Critical Care.

Dr. Enck has wanted to work with animals ever since she was young. Her passion for emergency medicine came to light when she attended veterinary school. She absolutely loves the dynamic energy and variety of cases that emergency care brings.

In 2019, Dr. Enck moved the San Francisco Bay Area to be an Animal Intern for VCA animal internship—growing her career there as a full-time emergency doctor and to enjoy her passion for the outdoors.

When not at work, Dr. Enck leads an active lifestyle. She spends much of her free time outside—hiking, camping, and hanging by the beach. She also loves her two cats —Roland and Leia— as well as her scruffy dog, Fern.

Dr. Enck earned a B.S. in Biology from California University of Pennsylvania and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Melbourne.

Veterinary School: Colorado State University
Veterinary Internship Training: Oregon State University

Dr. Mary Ellen Finley came to veterinary medicine after years of teaching rafting and climbing with Outward Bound in Colorado and Utah, as well as working as an EMT in human medicine.

She completed an Master of Science degree with honors in Neuroanatomy and Physiology at Colorado State University (CSU). She stayed at CSU for veterinary school and graduated magna cum laude.

Dr. Finley completed her rotating internship at Oregon State University and a radiology fellowship at Washington State University. In addition to her work in the ER, she enjoys teaching and mentoring other veterinarians and technicians in emergency, critical care, and trauma care. She also has a special interest in pain management.

In her free time, Dr. Finley loves to get outdoors. She hikes and skis, and enjoys whitewater rafting, diving, and sea kayaking. She and her husband Jim have two flat coated retriever mixes, Ben and Jack.

Dr. Hammer is a northern California native who attended UC Davis for both undergrad and veterinary school, graduating at the top of her class in 2011. She went directly on to complete a rotating internship at a private practice in San Francisco, with intentions of pursuing an internal medicine residency. However, within a few weeks of her internship, she fell in love with the field of emergency medicine and critical care. She has been practicing solely in emergency medicine since then, for over 8 years in San Francisco, and now moving her practice slightly down the bay. Dr. Hammer particularly enjoys the challenges of complex trauma cases on ER as well as working through complicated cardiac and respiratory emergencies.

When not running around the ER, Dr. Hammer enjoys distance running throughout the many trails and beaches of San Francisco as well as spending time with her husband and bouncy terrier, Kevin. 

Background and Education:
Veterinary School: Ross University
Internship Training: Animal Medical Center, New York

Dr. Emily Hanwell received her BS in International Business from the College of Charleston (2001) and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (2011). She completed her 4th year clinical rotations at Texas A&M University (2011). After veterinary school, she completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York, New York (2012).

Prior to her career in veterinary medicine, Dr. Hanwell worked in purchasing for a local government entity in Charleston, South Carolina and then for an investing company in Boston, Massachusetts. Her decision to change careers was based on her love for working with both people and animals. She especially enjoys emergency medicine due to the challenging and diverse nature of the cases. She has a particular interest in cardiology and toxicology-related emergencies.

When not at the hospital, Dr. Hanwell enjoys traveling, learning new languages, gardening, and spending time outside with her husband and two children. Dr. Hanwell is the proud owner of a mixed-breed, island dog by the name of Bryn.

Leslie Hession is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine whose professional focus is emergency medical care. Dr. Hession has been passionate about animals her entire life. Ever since she was a little girl, she envisioned working with them. Dr. Hession got her start during in high school by working for a local animal hospital which further solidified her life dream to become a veterinarian.

As an emergency care provider, Dr. Hession is continually drawn to the dynamic environment and the eclectic variety of cases that the specialty offers. No day is ever the same which contributes to her passion and enthusiasm for providing the absolute best care possible. No Veterinarian would be without their own pets—Dr. Hession is no different. She has a black lab mix from the Caribbean named Coral. Additionally, during veterinary school, she adopted a cat who she named Louie.

Dr. Hession was born and raised in San Francisco, CA. In her free time, she loves to ride horses, spend time with her two pets, and lounge at the beach.  

Dr. Hession graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and completed her small animal internship at San Francisco Veterinary Specialists.

Background and Education
Veterinary School: Cornell University
Residency Training: Colorado State University

Dr. Sherman received her bachelor’s degree with honors from Stanford University, where studied Environmental Science and Biology as a pre-medical student. She continued on to earn her doctorate in veterinary medicine (DVM) from Cornell University in 2017. After graduating from veterinary school, Dr. Sherman decided to pursue further specialty training, completing her small animal rotating internship at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital in San Diego. There she worked closely with the Surgery, Internal Medicine, and Critical care departments, and developed a love for emergency medicine. After completing her internship, she started a residency in Emergency and Critical Care at Colorado State University. Dr. Sherman is thrilled to be back to the Bay Area, and is committed to providing the highest standard of patient care. She lives in San Francisco, and enjoys cooking, hiking, and visiting the city’s many dog parks in her free time.

Background and Education:
Veterinary School: Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, Pomona, CA
Veterinary Internship Training: Veterinary Specialty Hospital, San Diego, CA

Dr. Dania Shirk earned her Bachelor degree in Biological Science at UC Santa Barbara, and started her career as a technician assistant and receptionist at veterinary hospitals across Rocklin and Sacramento. While earning her DVM at Western University in Pomona, she worked across the state, landing several externships that gave her exposure to shelter medicine, radiology, oncology, neurology, internal medicine, and emergency and critical care. She interned at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital in San Diego and then returned to the Bay Area to work in emergency medicine. Dr. Shirk’s special areas of focus include acute kidney injury and hepatic disease.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, doing outdoor activities, traveling, and playing board games with family and friends. She has one dog, a Pomeranian mix named Kaya.

Background and Experience
Veterinary School: UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
Internship Training: Animal Care Center, Sonoma County

Dr. Christina Waitzman’s family always had cats when she was growing up, and she was drawn to veterinary medicine from an early age. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from UC Davis and stayed there for veterinary school. While in veterinary school, she worked as an emergency veterinary assistant and discovered her true passion for emergency medicine.

Dr. Waitzman stayed in emergency and critical care after graduating from UC Davis, and has worked at practices across the Bay Area. She finds emergency and critical care medicine to be gratifying and interesting, and she gets immense satisfaction from helping animals and their people in times of need. Her areas of clinical interest are pain management, toxicities, endocrine emergencies, and hypotension/shock.

In her free time, Dr. Waitzman enjoys long-distance road cycling. She has completed many 200 mile+ events as well as Race Across America (RAAM). Other pastimes include traveling, gardening, reading and cooking. Dr. Waitzman’s pets include three very loving, playful, and spoiled cats: Tsegi, Mosi, and Pinkie. Dr. Waitzman says she’s very fortunate that they all get along like a harmonious circus.

Veterinary School: Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, St. Kitts, WI
Internship Training: Oradell Animal Hospital, Paramus, NJ

Dr. Zachary (Zach) Wilcox is a graduate of the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitts, WI. He started his veterinary career with stints in the dairy industry in Central New York and eventually found his calling in emergency veterinary care. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences and Master’s degree in Epidemiology and Infectious Disease at Cornell University. He completed a clinical year of training at Texas A&M University.

Zach’s hobbies include travel, rock climbing, hiking and SCUBA diving.

Background and Education:
Veterinary School: Tufts University
Internship Training: University of Georgia
Residency Training: University of Georgia
Certification: Diplomate ACVIM (1993)

Dr. Abbey Kaufman received her DVM from Tufts University in 1988. After veterinary school, she then completed both an internship and an internal medicine residency at the University of Georgia. Abbey moved to Charleston, South Carolina and started the area’s first internal medicine specialty practice. She remained in Charleston for 10 years before moving to the Bay Area to join SAGE Centers.

Dr. Kaufman’s special areas of interest include infectious diseases, treatment of amanita (mushroom) poisoning, gastrointestinal diseases and endoscopy, endocrine disorders, and hematologic (blood) disorders.

Background and Education:
Veterinary School: Ohio State University
Internship Training: University of Georgia
Residency Training: University of Georgia
Certification: Diplomate ACVIM (1999)

Dr. Heidi McClain is a graduate of West Virginia University where she earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemistry and Animal Science. She received her DVM from The Ohio State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine (1987). Dr. McClain completed a small animal internship, a three-year internal medicine residency, and a one-year clinical instructorship all at the University of Georgia (so when Dr. McClain exclaims, “How ’bout them Dogs?”, she is referring to her patients, and possibly the University of Georgia Bulldogs). Dr. McClain became board certified in internal medicine in 1999 and joined SAGE in 2002.

Dr. McClain particularly enjoys the challenges of endocrine diseases of all types, namely diabetes and thyroid disease, as well as cardiac disease, gastrointestinal issues and immune-mediated diseases. She relishes her role as a diagnostician, and then coordinates further treatment or gets the patient into the hands of another talented SAGE specialist.
When not practicing, Heidi enjoys a nice glass of wine and accompanying appetizers, and has also been known to pull over for a great croissant or other fine baked good. She was drawn to veterinary medicine when her mother told her in the 7th grade that she should be a veterinarian. Heidi took it to heart.

Background and Education:
Veterinary School: Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Residency Training: University of Minnesota
Certification: Diplomate ACVIM (2011)

Dr. L. Noelani Reinker is board-certified in veterinary internal medicine. She grew up on O’ahu in Hawaii and has always been passionate about animals—as a child she had a menagerie that consisted of fresh and saltwater fish (and a lobster), mice, birds, rabbits, cats, dogs, a lizard, and a horse. She has lived all over the country including Massachusetts (where she pursued her undergraduate studies), Colorado, Washington state, Michigan, and Minnesota. She completed her residency at the University of Minnesota and moved to Northern California in 2011 to “defrost.” Noelani’s veterinary passion is gastroenterology, with endocrinology as a close second. In her free time, she loves to backpack, SCUBA, and compete in triathlons. Her current pets include a cat and a 90-year old desert tortoise.

Background and Education:
Veterinary School: University of Georgia
Internship Training: University of Georgia
Residency Training: University of Georgia
Certification: Diplomate ACVIM (2000)

Dr. Diane Roberts is a graduate of the University of Virginia, where she earned a BA in English literature and minored in both biology and religious studies. During her senior year in college, Dr. Roberts realized that her true passion was veterinary medicine and spent a post-grad year at Colorado State University in order to satisfy her vet school prerequisites. She then received her DVM from the University of Georgia’s School of Veterinary Medicine (1996). Dr. Roberts stayed at UGA to complete a small animal internship and an internal medicine residency. She became board certified in internal medicine in 2000 and joined SAGE as a partner in 2002.

Dr. Roberts likes all aspects of internal medicine, but particularly enjoys the challenges of airway conditions, liver and gastrointestinal diseases, and urinary issues. She specializes in interventional procedures that include urethral stenting, laser ablation of urinary tumors, and bladder and kidney stone removal. She also specializes in diagnosing airway diseases and treating these issues through tracheal stenting.

When not practicing, Diane enjoys the great outdoors: hiking, skiing, running, and hanging out on the beach with her dog Sundance, a yellow lab. Sundance spends many a day in the Critical Care Unit keeping morale high. Diane has been known to enjoy an occasional glass of fine wine, surely a nod to her days working in a high-end wine store during her later college years. Dr. Roberts was drawn to veterinary medicine by her positive experience with her own pets growing up: a sheltie and a black cat who provided unconditional love and support.

Bio Coming Soon

Veterinary School: University of California, Davis
Internship Training: North Carolina State University 
Residency Training: University of California, Davis
Certification: Diplomate ACVIM 

Dr. Winnie Low Ybarra was born in Rangoon, Burma (Myanmar) but grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She worked as a veterinary technician prior to obtaining her veterinary degree from the University of California, Davis in 2008. She went on to complete a prestigious medical and surgical internship at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. Dr. Ybarra moved back to the Bay Area and worked as a general practitioner, emergency veterinarian, and shelter veterinarian before completing her three-year internal medicine residency at UC Davis in 2013 and became board certified.

Dr. Ybarra's professional interests include immune-mediated, endocrine, renal, gastrointestinal, hepatic, urinary and respiratory disorders, as well as endoscopic and minimally invasive procedures. She enjoys complex cases and caring for senior pets. Dr. Ybarra believes in a team approach and does her best to help families understand and manage their beloved pets’ conditions. Her research publications focused on canine urinary stones, feline airway disease, and urinary tract infections (for which she received a research award). She has received numerous accolades for her excellent teaching of veterinary students and interns, and for her outstanding patient care.

As an advocate for animal welfare and rescue, Dr. Ybarra has rescued many pets over the years that share her home. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and exploring the Bay Area with her family. 

Background and Education:
Veterinary School: University of Saskatchewan, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Canada
Internship Training: Long Island Veterinary Specialists, Plainview, NY (Small Animal Medicine, Surgery and Emergency and Critical Care)
Neurology Internship Training: Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists, Houston, TX (Small Animal Neurology)
Residency Training: University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Certification: Diplomate ACVIM (Neurology) (2017)

Dr. Vivian Lau’s study of animals and her work to help them has taken her around the world. She started her veterinary career at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Animal Biology. She then went on to earn her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada. During vet school, she spent a summer on the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s Global Vets India team. The following year she traveled to Palau where she served as a veterinary assistant to the Koror State Government veterinarian. She completed her residency in veterinary neurology at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. During her residency, she also completed a Masters of Science degree investigating the effects of cell therapy on ischemic stroke. Her previous veterinary experience spans medicine, surgery, emergency and critical care.

Vivian has presented extensively at veterinary symposiums on topics that include ischemic stroke, stem cell therapy, seizures, movement disorders, and inflammatory neurologic disorders. Her research has also been widely published in scientific articles and other publications.

Vivian’s areas of veterinary interest include spinal cord injury, inflammatory neurologic disorders, seizures, and central nervous system neoplasias.

When she is not practicing veterinary neurology, Vivian enjoys hiking, running, reading, and travelling. She also enjoys spending time with her fiancé and their three furry rescues.

Background and Education:
Veterinary School: Michigan State University
Internship Training: Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, New Jersey
Residency Training: Tufts University
Certification: Diplomate ACVIM (Oncology) (2015)

Dr. Bryan Marker is a graduate of Michigan State University, where he earned a BS in Zoology (2005) and his DVM (2010). After veterinary school, Dr. Marker completed a small animal rotating internship at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital (2011), and a medical oncology residency at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine (2014). He became board certified in medical oncology in 2015.

Professionally, Dr. Marker is most interested in palliative care, cancer pain management, and hematologic cancers. Outside of work, Dr. Marker enjoys cooking, hiking outdoors, and gardening. He also enjoys the company of two rescued adult male cats, Smithers and Tom C. Bryan’s interest in oncology was first stimulated during an elective course in cancer biology while completing his bachelor’s degree.

Background and Education

Veterinary School: North Carolina State University
Residency Training: University of California, Davis

Dr. Marissa Ruppel received her DVM from North Carolina State University (2015). She went on to complete her small animal rotating internship at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center (2016) and her three-year Medical Oncology residency at UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (2019).

Dr. Ruppel enjoys how multifaceted the nature of oncology is with both basic science and clinical medicine, as well as how intricate many of the cases are.  It is very rewarding for her to help clients navigate through various treatment options to help maximize their pet’s quality of life.

In her free time, she enjoys hiking, yoga, trying local breweries, and exploring all that the Bay Area has to offer. She has two cats, Albus and Mowgli and loves music! Fun fact about Dr. Ruppel, she is an amateur ukulele player!

Background and Education:
Veterinary School: Tufts University
Internship Training: Angell Animal Medical Center, Boston
Residency Training: Tufts University
Certification: Ph.D. – Cell and Molecular Biology (2005), Diplomate ACVIM (Oncology) (2013)

Dr. Naoko Sogame is a graduate of Texas A&M University where she earned a BS in Genetics. She earned a Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (2005), and received her DVM from Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine (2009). Dr. Sogame completed a small animal rotating internship at Angell Animal Medical Center (2010), then returned to Tufts for a medical oncology residency (2013). Dr. Sogame became board certified in internal medicine (oncology) in 2013 and joined SAGE in the same year.

Dr. Sogame particularly enjoys the challenges of Haematopoietic tumors, small molecule inhibitors/targeted therapy and palliative care, with the improvement of quality of life being the primary goal. When not practicing, Naoko enjoys the comforts of home, including reading murder mysteries and watching television sitcoms. She also enjoys international travel, including visiting her family in Japan, and is the proud owner of geriatric cats. She was drawn to veterinary medicine by her experience in her Ph.D. program where she became interested in the clinical aspects of cancer management.

Dr. Sarah Mihalek grew up in Redwood City and from the age of 4, knew she was going to be a veterinarian. She achieved a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Cal Poly Pomona. In her senior year in college, she had doubts about practicing animal medicine and considered human medicine instead. She became certified in phlebotomy, worked in a human hospital for a short time, then promptly decided veterinary medicine was the path for her. She moved to the island of Grenada in the West Indies for veterinary school where she also completed a Masters in Wildlife Conservation and Medicine and was lucky enough to get to spend some time in Uganda for that program. From there, she moved to upstate New York for her clinical year of veterinary school at Cornell. In the beginning of her career, she practiced mixed animal medicine in the Midwest. She returned to California in the beginning of 2012 and has been practicing all around the state since. She loves to say she hasn’t met an animal she won’t treat (she has been known to perform surgery on all sorts of animals including coati, fish, chameleons, and everything in between). These days her interests are focused around improving the quality of life for her patients through a multimodal approach with the hope of decreasing pain and discomfort and also improving their ability to be independent and get around comfortably. She has completed certification from the Canine Rehabilitation Institute in veterinary acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy. Here at SAGE, her skills are put to work in the Urgent Care, Emergency, and Rehab departments.

In her off time, she enjoys anything that takes her outdoors, but most of all, she loves to hike. She can often be found in the gym moving some heavy weights or in the yoga studio. She shares her home with her three rescue French Bulldogs, Newt, Toad, and Frannie.

Background and Education
Education: Doctor of Physical Therapy from Augusta University, BS Animal Science from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo 
Internship Training: SAGE Veterinary Centers, Canine Rehabilitation & Conditioning Group in Colorado
Certification: Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner, RockTape FMT Kinesiology Taping Certification 

Dr. AJ Salch received her BS in Animal Science from California Polytechnic University. While in college, she had a persistent interest in animal rehabilitation because of the unique focus on preventative care, biomechanics, and long term relationships with patients. This interest was only strengthened when interning with Dr. Jenny Jones and Dr. Jill Kuhl at SAGE’s Physical Rehabilitation department in Campbell. After graduation from Cal Poly, Dr. Salch pursued her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Augusta University. 

After receiving her doctorate, Dr. Salch worked as a “human” physical therapist in hospitals and outpatient clinics in Birmingham, AL where she was able to treat a variety of cases in settings ranging from outpatient orthopedics to inpatient rehabilitation. Meanwhile, she began work to obtain her Canine Rehabilitation Certification (CCRP) from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Salch transitioned to her “dream job” as a canine rehabilitation therapist at SAGE in 2019. 

When Dr. Salch is not in the hospital, she enjoys spending quality time with her home-bred Dutch Warmblood horse, Ozzy. She loves to travel and tries to visit Africa as often as possible on photographic safaris.

While at SAGE, Dr. Salch particularly enjoys collaborating with different team members both in and out of the Physical Rehabilitation department in order to provide exceptional patient care. She thinks the best part of her job is being able to develop deep, long-lasting relationships with her clients while watching her patients progress and overcome challenges. Her favorite moments are celebrating her patients’ “Independence Day!” when they graduate from rehab. 

Background and Education

Veterinary School: Ross University, St. Kitts WI

Dr. Rachel Kuester started her career as a veterinary technician in Bel Air, Maryland. She continued as a technician for more than 10 years, and actively pursued her interests in veterinary medicine, studying Biology and Functional Biology of Animals at schools in the Baltimore area. She traveled to St. Kitts, West Indies for veterinary school and earned her DVM at Ross University in 2011. She returned to Maryland and worked in General Practice for a several years before moving the Bay Area, where she has worked in small mammal medicine and surgery. Dr. Kuester enjoys working with small mammals and using low-stress handling strategies to make visits less stressful for them and for their owners.

In her free time, Dr. Kuester plays the guitar and the piano and enjoys reading and making pottery. She has two cats, Edgar and Louise, and a dog named Mabel.

Dr. Sarah Mihalek grew up in Redwood City and from the age of 4, knew she was going to be a veterinarian. She achieved a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Cal Poly Pomona. In her senior year in college, she had doubts about practicing animal medicine and considered human medicine instead. She became certified in phlebotomy, worked in a human hospital for a short time, then promptly decided veterinary medicine was the path for her. She moved to the island of Grenada in the West Indies for veterinary school where she also completed a Masters in Wildlife Conservation and Medicine and was lucky enough to get to spend some time in Uganda for that program. From there, she moved to upstate New York for her clinical year of veterinary school at Cornell. In the beginning of her career, she practiced mixed animal medicine in the Midwest. She returned to California in the beginning of 2012 and has been practicing all around the state since. She loves to say she hasn’t met an animal she won’t treat (she has been known to perform surgery on all sorts of animals including coati, fish, chameleons, and everything in between). These days her interests are focused around improving the quality of life for her patients through a multimodal approach with the hope of decreasing pain and discomfort and also improving their ability to be independent and get around comfortably. She has completed certification from the Canine Rehabilitation Institute in veterinary acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy. Here at SAGE, her skills are put to work in the Urgent Care, Emergency, and Rehab departments.

In her off time, she enjoys anything that takes her outdoors, but most of all, she loves to hike. She can often be found in the gym moving some heavy weights or in the yoga studio. She shares her home with her three rescue French Bulldogs, Newt, Toad, and Frannie.

Background and Education:
Veterinary School: Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Internship Training: Animal Medical Center, New York

Liza Newsom-Stewart is originally from Connecticut and attended Cornell University for undergraduate and veterinary school. She then completed a rotating internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. After completing her internship, Dr. Newsom-Stewart worked as a general practice veterinarian in New York City for six months before moving to San Francisco in February 2018. Dr. Newsom-Stewart is interested in all aspects of emergency medicine, as well as dermatology and internal medicine.
In her free time, Dr. Newsom-Stewart enjoys hiking, exercising, exploring the Bay Area, and spending time with her fiance, dog, and cat.

Dr. Katherine Roehl is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine who works in Urgent Care.

Dr. Roehl has always had an affinity with animals ever since she was young—so much so that she never considered any other career other than being a veterinarian.

Dr. Roehl enjoys meeting all kinds of patients and does her best to help them in all possible ways. She believes that seemingly small treatments can have immensely positive impact on an animal’s quality of life. Dr. Roehl enjoys the variety cases and challenges that the field of Urgent Care brings along with the opportunities to learn when she collaboratives with specialists.

In her free time, Dr. Roehl enjoy traveling and volunteering at wildlife centers abroad. She also regularly rides her horse and hikes with her dogs. She fully enjoys the time she spends with her dogs, chinchilla, a lovebird, cats and her horse.

Dr. Roehl graduated earned her DVM degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine. She’s also currently working on her Master of Science in Conservation Medicine.

Bio Coming Soon! 

Background and Education
Veterinary School: Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Internship Training: VCA Sacramento Veterinary Referral Center

Dr. Meghan Wilhelm hails from Ann Arbor, Michigan where she grew up caring for horses, dogs and wildlife. After earning her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Carleton College she ventured into politics in Washington, D.C. She quickly realized that “those weren’t the animals she was interested in,” and decided to pursue veterinary medicine. After completing her rotating internship in Sacramento, she moved to the Bay Area and now calls San Francisco home. Since 2010 she has worked in small animal practices in Marin and San Francisco. Her areas of interest include pain management, behavior, internal medicine and emergency medicine.

When she’s not working she is outside, preferably in the mountains misidentifying plants and birds, hiking, snowboarding, SCUBA diving, traveling, or seeking out a new adventure with her husband, Christian, and their Labrador mix, Dylan.

Background and Education:
Veterinary School: University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine
Internship Training: VCA San Francisco Veterinary Specialists; Veterinary Specialty Center (Buffalo Grove, IL)
Residency Training: Veterinary Specialty Center

Dr. Alice Bugman started her career as a web developer after graduating with her Bachelor of Arts in English from Stanford University. Even though she treated her sick aquarium fish growing up in Hawaii, she did not realize she wanted to be a veterinarian until she was an adult and adopted a cat. She went back to school part-time at Hunter College in New York for a post-baccalaureate program, studying Biological Sciences and Chemistry.

A few years later, with her IT career in the rear-view mirror, Dr. Bugman headed to the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, where she earned her DVM. She completed a yearlong rotating internship in San Francisco followed by a one-year surgical internship and three-year surgical residency at Veterinary Specialty Center in Buffalo Grove, Illinois.

While experienced in all areas of surgery, Dr. Bugman has a particular interest in orthopedics and fracture repair, urinary tract surgery, wound management and reconstruction, and laparoscopy. She enjoys the hands-on nature of surgery and watching her patients improve. She also loves working on a team to make her patients’ lives and the lives of their owners better.

In her free time, she enjoys movies and theater, hiking, traveling, cooking, and trying new restaurants.

Dr. Bugman has one little brown dog named Bogie.

Background and Education:
Veterinary School: University of Georgia
Internship Training: Texas A&M University
Residency Training: University of Georgia
Certification: Diplomate ACVS (2001)

Dr. Leigh Glerum is a graduate of Duke University where she earned a BS in Biology. She received her DVM from the University of Georgia (1996). She completed an internship at Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine and then returned to the University of Georgia to complete her surgical residency. While at Georgia, she delivered, via C-section, UGA VI, the University’s beloved bulldog mascot. Dr. Glerum enjoys both orthopedic and soft tissue procedures. Her special interests include minimally invasive soft tissue surgery (laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, cystoscopy), respiratory surgery, and urogenital surgery. She became board certified in 2001. When not practicing, she enjoys spending time in the great outdoors–hiking, backpacking, cycling, and downhill skiing. She also relishes time spent in the yoga studio and hanging out with a good book on the couch. Leigh also lends her support to the local community through various outdoor volunteer positions such as monitoring land for Peninsula Open Space Trust and maintaining property for Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District. Leigh was drawn to veterinary surgery because it allowed her to blend her appreciation for science, her love of animals, and the satisfaction that comes with being truly “hands-on” with her patients. Her love of animals extends to her own giant dog, Tinley the Great Dane.

Background and Education:
Veterinary School: Ross University
Internship Training: Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital, Colorado; Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists, Houston, Texas
Residency Training: SAGE Centers for Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Care

Dr. Colleen McCoy is a graduate of State University of New York, Delhi where she earned an Associate’s degree in Applied Veterinary Sciences. She received her DVM from Ross University’s School of Veterinary Medicine (2011). Dr. McCoy then completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital (2012), followed by an internship in small animal surgery at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists (2013). Dr. McCoy joined SAGE Centers in 2013 to complete her residency in surgery and became an associate at SAGE in 2016.

Dr. McCoy particularly enjoys the challenges of orthopedic surgery and has a strong passion for arthroscopy and other minimal invasive surgeries. When not practicing, Colleen is most likely hiking with her two rescue dogs; Odin, a “coconut retriever” and Steve, a boxer. She also enjoys playing soccer, cooking, craft beer, traveling and DIY projects. Dr. McCoy was first drawn to veterinary medicine in middle school with the help of a beloved teacher, whom she worked with to care for many classroom pets. Her love of science, passion for animals, and the bond with their humans made veterinary medicine the perfect career choice.

Bio Coming Soon

Background and Education:
Veterinary School: University of California, Davis
Internship Training: Animal Medical Center, New York
Residency Training: Tufts University
Certification: Diplomate ACVS (1993)

Dr. Sharon Ullman is a graduate of Stanford University, where she earned both a BS and MS in Biology. She received her DVM from UC Davis (1987). Following veterinary school, Dr. Ullman completed an internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, and a residency in surgery at Tufts University and the Angell Memorial Hospital in Boston. Dr. Ullman was a clinical surgery instructor at the University of Tennessee (1991) before joining SAGE in 1992. She became a board-certified surgeon in 1993.

Dr. Ullman particularly enjoys the challenges of oncologic surgery of all types, whether adrenal, cardiac or lung tumors, as well as urinary tract and laryngeal paralysis surgeries. She is also extremely experienced in orthopedics with an emphasis on TPLO and all kinds of fracture repair.

When not practicing, she is the proud mom of two teenage girls and one adorable mutt named Hank. Dr. Ullman enjoys classical music, reading, hiking, baking, and watching professional baseball, though not necessarily in that order. Dr. Ullman was drawn to veterinary medicine as an adolescent when she volunteered at a ranch in Northern California and was able to learn about a wide variety of animals, as well as spend time shadowing a local vet.

Dr. Ullman in the News
Dr. Ullman was featured in “Leading by Example: Interviews with Extraordinary Women” in Gentry magazine (January 2018). She talked about the collaborative approach SAGE takes to caring for our patients, as well as the emotional side of veterinary work. Read more in Gentry magazine.