Dr. Marc Siebert is the owner and medical director of Heart of Chelsea Veterinary Group. A native of New Jersey, Dr. Siebert opened Heart Of Chelsea Veterinary Group as a one-doctor practice in 1999; it has since grown to a five-doctor practice supporting Chelsea and its pet community at large. He attended Rutgers University and received a bachelor’s degree in environmental science in 1987. He continued his education at the University of Pennsylvania College of Veterinary Medicine and was awarded his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 1993. Dr. Siebert is also a certified veterinary acupuncturist with the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society; in addition, he is a U.S. Department of Agriculture-accredited veterinarian.

Dr. Katja Lang grew up in the small town of Ardsley, New York, in Westchester County. Her love for all animals started at a young age, and she was always surrounded by all types of creatures big and small. Dr. Lang grew up next to a veterinary surgeon, who inspired her to follow her dreams of becoming a vet. Dr. Lang has always loved New Orleans and decided to enter Tulane University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in cell and molecular biology and sociology. Following her four years in New Orleans, Dr. Lang obtained her veterinary degree from Cornell University. She moved to New Jersey after her time was up in Ithaca and completed her internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Oradell Animal Hospital. She practiced in a small animal hospital in Brooklyn before joining the team at Heart Of Chelsea Veterinary Group. Her interests in veterinary medicine include surgery, cardiology, and internal medicine, but she loves seeing all types of interesting cases. She has two miniature dachshunds named Mardi and Lucy, and two turtles named Margie and Sheldon. In her free time, Dr. Lang enjoys traveling the world, cooking all types of cuisines, and hiking with her two pups!

Dr. Jennifer Chu is a native of New York City, having grown up in Bayside, Queens. Her love for animals started at a young age. While she wasn’t allowed to have dogs or cats, the house was a zoo of hamsters, guinea pigs, parakeets and even a snake. Dr. Chu graduated with honors from The Pennsylvania State University, where she studied Animal BioScience. Always a fan of sports, she was a part of the PSU Gymnastics Club and attended all of the football games. After Penn State, she was awarded a partial scholarship to attend Western University of Health Sciences in Southern California, where she earned her veterinary medical degree (DVM) with honors.

Since completing her graduate studies, Dr. Chu has been trained in many aspects of the veterinary field, including small animal emergency medicine, shelter medicine, soft-tissue surgery, diagnostics and general practice. She even spent time providing health care and surgeries at the American Fondouk- a free veterinary clinic for dogs, cats, donkeys, rabbits, etc. in Fez, Morocco. The practice had very limited supplies and technology.

Dr. Chu joined Heart Of Chelsea Veterinary Group from The Pet Health Clinic at the North Shore Animal League America (NSALA) in Long Island. At NSALA, she cared for both rescued animals from the shelter as well as owned pets. During her time in general practice, she has developed a keen interest in ultrasonography and ophthalmology as well as soft-tissue surgery, and hopes to further her education in radiology while working at LESAH.

Outside of work, Dr. Chu hangs out with her sweet Dachshund / Chihuahua mix, Cupcake, and loves to snowboard, go to the beach, and travel as much as she can! She looks forward to developing a long-lasting relationship with the clients and their four-legged family members at Heart Of Chelsea Veterinary Group.

Dr. Fracapane grew up in the northern New Jersey town of Fair Lawn. She attended Yale University, where she majored in molecular biology and swam competitively for four years as a division one athlete. Following her undergraduate years, she spent some time in Oregon working at the elephant department of a safari park before returning to the east coast. She enrolled as a veterinary student at Cornell University and spent four wonderful years in Ithaca, NY. After graduating with a degree in veterinary medicine, she continued her education by completing a one-year rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Oradell Animal Hospital in New Jersey, where she cultivated an interest in emergency medicine and neurology.

When she is not busy attending to the needs of her clients and patients, Dr. Fracapane continues to swim, run, cycle and hike. She is also an avid traveler and has spent time in five continents, including more recent travels to Peru, Nepal, Southeast Asia and Italy. She is excited to be a member of the talented team at Heart Of Chelsea Veterinary Group.

Dr. Elizabeth Higgins grew up in northern New Jersey and knew from a very young age that she wanted to become a veterinarian. She received her BS in Biology from Boston College in 2006, and during that time pursued her interest in aquatic animals by volunteering in the research department at the New England Aquarium, Boston, MA. She received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2011. Dr. Higgins received further training by completing a one-year rotating small animal internship at the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan. Dr. Higgins then spent four years practicing medicine as an emergency clinician at a large referral and emergency hospital in New Jersey.

Dr. Higgins is always eager to serve the pets of Manhattan once again with special interests in neurology, cardiology and soft tissue surgery. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, exploring the city and enjoying its culinary delights, cycling, skiing, pursuing her new found passion for sailing and playing with her long-haired chihuahua mix rescue, Goldie.

Dr. DeBrincat grew up in a small town in the Pocono Mountains with many pet dogs, and had a love for animals at a very early age. She even recalls writing a paper in kindergarten about wanting to grow up to be a veterinarian! She started working at a local veterinary clinic while very young, and worked various positions within the clinic from maintenance to receptionist to assistant/technician.

She graduated from Michigan State University with an undergraduate degree in zoology. She took a year off to spend time working at a veterinary hospital in Michigan, and to teach undergraduate students animal anatomy. Dr. DeBrincat returned to Michigan State’s veterinary school where she earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. She elected to complete a rotating small animal internship at Blue Pearl in Atlanta, GA, where she fell in love with emergency medicine. She gained invaluable experience as an emergency clinician at a referral and emergency hospital in Yonkers for two years. Having missed the bonds formed with pets and their owners in general practice; she was beyond excited to join the outstanding team at Heart of Chelsea Veterinary Group where she continues to serve the pets and pet owners of Manhattan!

Dr. DeBrincat’s interests include neurology, cardiology, surgery, and emergency medicine. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, running, skiing, cooking, and exploring New York!

Dr. Catriona Love grew up in a small town just outside of Hartford, CT called South Windsor. Her love for animals began at a very early age when her parents gave her her first guinea pig, named Tinkerbell. She studied animal science at the University of Connecticut before moving to Gainesville, Florida and beginning veterinary school at the University of Florida. During vet school, Dr. Love learned a great appreciation for international medicine and spent quite a bit of time traveling to central America working with local spay and neuter campaigns. Her true passion, however, was zoo medicine and exotics and she did a summer externship at the Oregon Zoo. She graduated in May of 2011 and then spent the following summer working as a technician in UF’s ICU before moving to Cairns, Australia for four years.

While in Australia, Dr. Love practiced small animal medicine while experiencing all the beauty and excitement of living in the wet tropics of Far North Queensland. Probably the most notable veterinary difference over there was having to deal with paralysis ticks, for which she is very grateful to never be dealing with again. She developed a special love and affinity for surgery and complicated medical cases during her four years over there and then ultimately decided it was time to return home. She moved to Astoria in the fall of 2015 and is very excited to begin experiencing a New York City lifestyle. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, cooking (and eating) delicious food, and spending time with her fur babies, a chihuahua named Nola and two long haired ginger cats named OB and Phil.

Dr. Kian Madden is originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia. Growing up in a family of veterinarians with his parents’ veterinary clinic actually a part of his childhood home, Dr. Madden knew from a very young age that he was destined to follow in their footsteps. Dr. Madden attended the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Biology as an undergraduate. He then went on to complete his veterinary degree at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Following graduation, Dr. Madden moved to the Los Angeles region, where he practiced in veterinary clinics in Santa Monica and Malibu for 6 years. In that time, Dr. Madden developed an interest in surgery and internal medicine and loves solving all types of cases.

Dr. Madden relocated back to the east coast and is excited to be a member of the Heart Of Chelsea Veterinary Group team. In his spare time, Dr. Madden enjoys surfing, running, hiking with his rescue dog Shera, listening to all kinds of music, and traveling to new places. You can find him exploring throughout New York City and he looks forward to getting to know you and your pets!

Dr. Allan Nguyen is an Associate Veterinarian at Heart Of Chelsea Veterinary Group and has been since June 2005. For his undergraduate studies, he attended California State Polytechnic University, Pomona where he received a bachelor’s degree in animal and veterinary sciences in 1997. In 1998, he began his veterinarian studies at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in the small Caribbean island of St. Kitts & Nevis and earned his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. Dr. Nguyen successfully completed an acupuncture program at Chi Institute: Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, 2007. He is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. Dr. Nguyen enjoys working with both small animals and pocket pets. His professional interests are soft tissue surgery, dentistry and oral surgery, and acupuncture.

Before joining the team at Heart Of Chelsea Veterinary Group, Dr. Nguyen worked in a small animal practice in Long Island, New York. He enjoys the company of two Himalayan/Persian cats named Carolina and Olly. Dr. Nguyen is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking, tennis, rollerblading, camping, scuba diving, photography, and world travel. Dr. Nguyen is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Animal Hospital Association, and the New York State Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr. Bassman received her BA in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1998. After graduation, she worked in research on clinical trials for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and with a urologist in New York before going to vet school. She received her veterinary degree from the University of Glasgow, Scotland in 2009. After 5 years overseas, Diane returned to New York and completed a one-year rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Veterinary Emergency Referral Group in Brooklyn. This year fostered a keen interest in Emergency and Critical Care Medicine. She stayed on as an emergency doctor for a year in Brooklyn before moving to Los Angeles where she completed one year of an Emergency and Critical Care residency. After an additional year of working as an emergency clinician, she has returned to her East Coast roots and is thrilled to have joined the team working primarily at Heart Of Chelsea Veterinary Group. Her professional interests include stabilizing emergency cases, wound repair, Internal medicine, and soft tissue surgery. She enjoys following up on her cases and fostering long term relationships with her clients. She is also looking forward to expanding her knowledge of acupuncture and preventative medicine and plans on pursuing further education on these subjects.

In her spare time, Dr. Bassman can be found reading, cooking, traveling, exploring New York with friends, running and, weather permitting, hopes to continue her new found love of paddle boarding which she discovered while out in California!

Born and raised in Owensboro, Kentucky, Dr. Chase McNulty knew from a young age that he would work with animals when he grew up. In kindergarten, his dream was to be a zookeeper, and by third grade, he had narrowed his professional options to either veterinarian or professional wrestler. Thankfully his love for animals won out, and he worked at several veterinary clinics from middle school through college. After studying biology and animal science at Western Kentucky University, Dr. McNulty obtained his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Master of Science degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In veterinary school, he loved his courses on companion animals, and also developed a passion for public and global health and international veterinary medicine. His research projects included studying infectious respiratory diseases in African buffalo in South Africa, food-borne diseases in Ecuadorean dairy cows, and herd health and reproduction in Nicaraguan cattle. However, Dr. McNulty’s love for companion animals and the relationships built with the people who take care of them led him to pursue a career in small animal general practice. After moving to New York and working at a veterinary clinic in Brooklyn, he is thrilled to be practicing with such a high caliber team as Heart Of Chelsea Veterinary Group.

When not working, Dr. McNulty enjoys traveling, spending time with his thirteen nieces and nephews, exploring New York City’s food and culture scene, and the occasional night of karaoke.

Dr. Torchia grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with a horse and two beautiful golden retrievers. He studied a double major in Theatre and Veterinary Biomedical Sciences at The Pennsylvania State University. Outside of studying and working as a vet tech, his time was spent on stage or competing in ballroom dance. After completing his undergraduate studies, he enjoyed four sunny years at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, where he earned his DVM while working in the Intensive Care Unit and acting as a teaching assistant in clinical skills. He moved back to the North to complete a rotating internship at the Veterinary Emergency and Referral Group, then proceeded to work overnights in emergency and critical care for three years prior to joining Heart of Chelsea.

Now practicing family medicine, he is thankful for the opportunity to establish long-term relationships with his patients and their families. Dr. Torchia wants most for his clients to understand the health of their animals and be satisfied with their care. Professionally, he has found a passion for soft tissue surgery, wound management and cardiology. Outside of veterinary medicine, he still enjoys dancing and the arts whenever possible. When not spending time with friends or catching a Broadway show, he is found cooking Italian cuisine with his perfectly terrible cat, Mango, and a glass of wine.

Dr. Tiburcio grew up in the Northern New Jersey town of Dumont. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at Penn State University, her Master’s degree at Drexel University College of Medicine and ultimately her Doctorate’s degree at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. For nearly 3 years, she lived on the beautiful island of St. Kitts in the West Indies for vet school before spending her clinical training year at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. Following graduation, she moved to Southern California and practiced at a small animal hospital in Long Beach. There she developed a special interest in internal medicine and wound care, as well as a passion for creating long-term relationships with her clients.

Dr. Tiburcio has relocated back to the east coast to be closer to family, and is excited to join the wonderful team at Heart of Chelsea Veterinary Group! In her spare time, she prefers spending her time outdoors- whether it’s lying on the beach or exploring new hiking trails with her two “Coconut Retriever” dogs, Kahlua and Nero, that she rescued from St. Kitts! She loves to travel and has visited many different countries including Italy, Spain, the Philippines, Mexico, and South Africa!

Dr. Tiburcio is continually inspired by the human-animal bond and enjoys educating owners about preventative medicine and the health of their pets. She loves meeting new people and looks forward to seeing you and your furry loved ones!

Debra attended Skidmore College where she received her Bachelor of Arts in English and Creative Writing. Post-college, she was an account executive at an advertising firm. She joined the veterinary industry in 2006 and immediately knew she wanted to pursue a career in animal medicine. She received her Associate in Applied Science from LaGuardia Community College and became a Licensed Veterinary Technician after passing the Veterinary Technician National Examination in 2010. She has been with Heart of Chelsea ever since. Her professional interests include veterinary dentistry, anesthesia/surgical assisting, and keeping inpatient pets happy and comfortable during their stay at Heart of Chelsea. In her spare time, Debra enjoys reading, restorative yoga, and dancing to 80s tunes.

Gaston started at Heart of Chelsea in the fall of 2007. Starting as a veterinary assistant and immersing himself in medicine, he quickly became interested in further education in veterinary science. He attended LaGuardia Community College and graduated with his Associate in Applied Science in Veterinary Technology. His professional interests include dentistry, surgery and helping all of our doctors provide the best possible care for all of our patients. Gaston has two domestic shorthair cats named Tony and Mimi. When not at Heart of Chelsea, Gaston is a soccer aficionado who also enjoys surfing and snowboarding.

Rachel attended Stony Brook University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science and Biology. She worked as an Emergency Medical Technician for several years before going to medical school. While she was there, she realized that she truly wanted to work with animals and had to make a career change. She enrolled in the Veterinary Science program at Suffolk County Community College and received her New York State license as a Veterinary Technician in December of 2012 and now loves what she does! In her spare time, Rachel enjoys spending time with her two amazing dogs- Oreo, a Boston Terrier, and Sassy, a chihuahua mix.

Amanda attended SUNY Delhi where she received her degree in veterinary science in 2012. After working in research for two years, Amanda passed her vet tech boards and went to work at North Shore Animal League. There, she gained the knowledge and experience to make a big move and transitioned into emergency medicine while living in Atlanta, Georgia. Amanda moved back to New York in 2016 and worked emergency medicine on Long Island. In 2017, Amanda moved forward with her career as a licensed veterinary technician here at Heart of Chelsea! Amanda has a Husky named Lulu that she adopted while living in Georgia. In her free time, Amanda has a passion for photography and going for adventures with her dog.

Komal grew up in Ontario, Canada and has lived in Toronto her whole life. She completed her veterinary technician program in Windsor. Shortly after completing her program she traveled to Guatemala to work with wildlife. Although it was an amazing experience she soon decided to work with small animals is her true passion! She decided to move to the big city in the summer of 2018 and now spends her weekends exploring New York with her rescue terrier named Piper.

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Jailene grew up in Queens and has lived in New York her whole life. She attended SUNY Delhi and graduated with her veterinary science degree in 2019. She was previously an intern at Heart of Chelsea, and after spending time with our clients and team decided she wanted to work with small animals all the time. She’s eager to continue to learn and utilize her exceptional skills to help as many clients and patients as possible. Jailene has a Pekingese named Rexy and a cat named Simba. In her free time, Jailene loves to read, watch superhero movies and walk around the city.

Marissa graduated from the University of Delaware with her Bachelor’s degree in Animal and Food Science and a minor in Wildlife Conservation. While in college, she worked with all types of animals from sheep to tigers. This past winter, Marissa took her love for animals across the world to New Zealand to study livestock production. While she’s not traveling to new places, she’s home with her adorable bunny Thumper. Marissa’s dedication and passion drive her to make sure each patient is treated with the best care possible.

Rasheeda has joined Heart of Chelsea after working in NYC for many years and is thrilled to find colleagues that share her commitment and dedication to all animals. Currently studying Veterinary Technology at Mercy College, she has special interest in Emergency and Critical Care. Though working with furry friends is what she does best, in her spare time Rasheeda dabbles in art, namely illustration and portrait drawing. She also enjoys the outdoors, biking and vinyasa yoga.

Aileen is a Certified Veterinary Assistant from central New Jersey and has had a love for animals starting at a very young age. She loved to bring all sorts of creatures home – ducks, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits and a slew of various small mammals that all needed her help — leaving her parents no choice but to let her keep and take care of them. She is a kind and thoughtful professional who loves all animals but has a soft spot in her heart for French Bulldogs. Her professional interests include animal behavior and welfare. On her off time, she loves anything involving the outdoors and hanging out with her Siamese mix, Opal.

Deric grew up in central Jersey and knew from a very young age that his calling would lead him to work in the Veterinary field. He went on to receive his BS in Animal Bioscience from Penn State University, where his focuses included large animal medicine, equine artificial insemination, and small animal emergency medicine. After graduating, Deric spent six years as an emergency ICU technician in California before returning to New York City and finding a place to call home in our Heart Of Chelsea Veterinary Group family.

Lauren grew up in Westchester, NY and has worked with horses, dogs, and cats since she was young. One of her most memorable work experiences was at the Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialty Hospital where she worked with racehorses. Lauren graduated from the University of Miami in 2016 with a degree in music, minors in chemistry and business law, and a completed pre-veterinary track. Her favorite part of working at Heart of Chelsea Veterinary Group is compassionately helping owners make sense of their pets health care. Outside of work, Lauren writes and performs comedy throughout NYC and plays classical bass with local orchestras.

Victoria is a recent graduate from Fordham University with a Bachelors degree in biological sciences. During her undergraduate career, she spent a semester abroad in Tanzania learning about wildlife conservation. She is also very knowledgeable about ticks and the diseases they carry having spent time in a vector ecology research lab. She is planning on going to veterinary school in the future and is interested in pursuing veterinary research. Where she is originally from, in California, she has three cats and has recently adopted an all-black kitten here in New York. In her off time, she enjoys backpacking and has been to over 10 national parks.

Growing up in Port Chester, New York gave Val plenty of opportunities to be surrounded by wildlife. That exposure created an interest in animals that led her to work and volunteer at multiple shelters, nature centers, and humane societies before landing a job assisting at a 24hr animal hospital. Since then she has joined the Heart Of Chelsea Veterinary Group team and can’t imagine doing anything else. She strongly believes in the saying “If you love what you do then you’ll never work a day in your life’. In Val’s spare time she loves going on cross-country camping trips, spending time outdoors with her three dogs Jane, Nofie, and Gorda, and having snuggle time at home with her kitties Spooky and Socko.

Jennifer moved here from Central Florida 2 years ago and has finally adjusted to the busy, bustling pace of NYC life. She attended the University of Central Florida and majored in Biology with the ambition and desire to work in the animal field. Jennifer has been working as a Veterinary Technician in Florida since 2003 and at Heart of Chelsea since 2012. She is fluent in American Sign Language, as working with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community has also been a passion of hers since childhood. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and 3 rescue dogs: Lucky the Pitbull, Joey and Molly, the terrier mixes. In her spare time, she enjoys crocheting, dining her way through NYC restaurants, and spending time with her family. She also loves Harry Potter!

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Julio loves animals! His fascination began in childhood when he discovered how unique each of his pet’s personalities could be. He joined Heart of Chelsea in 2017 and now enjoys working with a large variety of patient breeds each day. Julio’s passion for pets extends to animal photography and when he’s not at the hospital you can find him taking wildlife photos or pet sitting around New York City.

Rasheeda grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY, and has always loved animals. As a child, you could find her playing with the neighborhood cats or enjoying some cheese with the friendly field mice. Nowadays she is an avid soccer fan and a terrific advocate for excellent patient care at Heart of Chelsea Veterinary Group.

Jo was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She obtained her BA in psychology from Hunter’s College before finding her niche in veterinary medicine. As an animal lover, Jo feels like our pets deserve to receive love and care as unconditionally as they give it. When she’s not at work, Jo enjoys discovering good music, sharing meals with friends and spending time with her cats, Monster, and Marvel.

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Krisjan is a native New Yorker and has spent the last 13 years living in Astoria, Queens. She obtained her associate’s degree at Queensborough Community College and is now pursuing a Bachelors degree in Veterinary Technology at Mercy college. Krisjan plans to use her degree to open an animal sanctuary with a focus on rehabilitation, and she is passionate about continuing to be a voice for the animal population. In her spare time, Krisjan enjoys arts and crafts and loves spending time with her son Noah and rescued Chow Chow mix, Lucky.

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Lauren has been a member of Heart of Chelsea since 2007 and is Fear-Free-Certified. With 15 years of working experience as a veterinary assistant, she brings her knowledge and love of all things furry and four-legged. A recent Brooklyn N.Y transplant, she made the move to New Jersey with her black cat Joey Roo. Her special interests include animal welfare and rights advocacy, animal behavior, cooking, tattoos and all things English Bulldog!

Brodie came to Heart of Chelsea in June of 2017. He is a graduate of the Master’s of Social Service program at Bryn Mawr College, outside of Philadelphia, with a concentration in Clinical Social Work. Brodie comes to us with years of experience as a veterinary client service representative. A lover of all dogs and cats, he has a special place in his heart for bulldog breeds, particularly English Bulldogs. Although he doesn’t have any furry friends at the moment, he has been an avid saltwater reef-keeper for nearly 4 years.

Natasha joined Heart of Chelsea Veterinary Group in June of 2013, a month after graduating from SUNY Oswego with a B.S. in Zoology. She is Puerto Rican and Ecuadorian and was raised in the Bronx, NY. A jack of all trades, Natasha loves to sing, dance, cook, play football, attempt DIY (do it yourself) creations and volunteer. Her ultimate goal is to join an organization where her passion for helping others can be best utilized to make a difference in various parts of the world. Natasha’s journey begins here at Heart of Chelsea, and she is loving every minute of her experiences with our patients and their awesome owners. She hopes to meet you and your loving pet soon!

Originally from Virginia, Erin moved to New York City to pursue her dream of music. She has been written up in the New York Times, The New Yorker and The Village Voice, all applauding her haunting and heart felt musical performances. With a strong passion for animals, she has worked hard to find homes for feral cats throughout Brooklyn and Queens, while working closely with TNR groups to help control the homeless cat population. She shares her home with her husband Dan, her dog Chumley and her three cats Sterling, Fleas, and Groucho. Erin brings a special blend of compassion, humor, and empathy to her client interactions. She truly enjoys what she does, and it makes all the difference.

Sara was born in Manhattan and raised in Queens. As a self-proclaimed crazy cat lady, she owns five cats; Ozzy, Chloe, Scoot, Flipper, and Elliot. Sara has always had a passion for animals and animal rescue, and her interest in veterinary medicine has grown tremendously since working at Heart of Chelsea. When not working hard to put her cats through college, she enjoys writing and watching TV.

Peter grew up on Long Island, NY and graduated from CUNY Hunter College with a bachelor’s degree in geography and anthropology, focusing on geographic information systems used for studies ranging from human population trends to archaeology and wildlife conservation. While attending school, he gained experience in animal care, rescue and veterinary fields.

After graduating he realized the veterinary field was the place for him, as he truly loves engaging with pets and their people and has done so since 2009. Peter lives in Queens with his rabbit Mariah Carrots & chihuahua Frida. His other passions include traveling, photography, baking, learning languages, paddling in his foldable kayak and playing the saxophone.

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Mariah grew up in Pennsylvania and now lives in Brooklyn, NY. She began her career with animals at the age of sixteen, primarily focusing on small mammals and tropical fish. She has since joined the Heart of Chelsea team and enjoys her work as a client and patient advocate. In her spare time, Mariah enjoys fine art and spending time at home with her lovable mutt Sadie.

Growing up in Connecticut in an ever-expanding household full of animals, it’s no surprise that Jess has landed herself in the veterinary field. After studying journalism and sociology at Boston University, she moved down to New York where she has worked with animals since 2012. In her spare time, she loves being outdoors and exploring the national parks, riding her bike, and almost always has her nose in a book. She can’t wait to rescue a pup of her own but until then will continue to love everyone else’s!

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Jared recently moved back to New York after spending several years living in Philadelphia, New Orleans, and traveling throughout India. Jared has always had a great love and care for the well being of animals and the communities in which to serve them. After spending over 2 years working at an animal hospital in Philadelphia both in reception and management, he happily relocated back to New York. Professionally, Jared excels most when serving the needs of the clients, and is always there to lend a helping hand and share a smile. On his downtime, he is an active artist, creating hand formed and painted leather masks and headpieces, as well as paintings primarily using ink and gouache. He is thrilled to be part of the team, and cannot wait to meet and serve your family.

Nashali is a Bronx native who spent her childhood looking after the many rescued animals her family took in and cared for. Those experiences fueled her passion for animal wellness and advocacy, so she joined her high school’s Animal Care Program, and continued her animal welfare education in college. Nashali is currently working towards a master’s degree in Zoology. In addition to working in the veterinary field for eight years, she continues to do volunteer work for shelters and catch and release programs. In her spare time, Nashali enjoys drawing, traveling, and spending time her two huskies, two cats and a crested gecko.

As a child, Jessica lived in Kentucky surrounded by her grandparent’s cows, goats and dogs. She went on to become a Brooklyn resident and has been for the last 20 years while working in the world of tech startups and sales. Jessica is excited to expand her work into the world of four-legged friends. When not at work, she can be found dancing, doing Kundalini yoga, having coffee with friends, reading five books at once or snuggling with her daughter and Scottish fold kitty, Millie.

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Tex Buell grew up in rural Nebraska and has been living and working with animals of all kinds his entire life. He is involved with the conservation of wildlife and natural grasslands back home and also volunteer’s weekly at a local shelter working with older and disabled dogs. After getting his start with Heart of Chelsea Veterinary Group as a client service representative out of the Chelsea office, Tex and his family moved to Portland, where he continues to be administrative support for the team. Tex is also a musician, visual artist and clothing designer.

Ilyse was born and raised in Massachusetts and completed her undergraduate degree in biology in NYC. She has always loved animals and currently has a papillon/chihuahua mix, Hope, and cat, Yoffi. She worked for Heart of Chelsea Veterinary Group for 3 years before moving to Colorado to attend CSU for her master’s degree in biomedical sciences and animal anatomy. Ilyse now works as one of our remote Client Service Representatives.

The longest standing member of our team, Solange has been with Heart of Chelsea since its inception in 1999. She is a compassionate mother and grandmother and is always giving to family and friends. Solange has a passion for animals and constantly talks to them while in our care to help keep them calm and comfortable. When she’s not at Heart of Chelsea, she can be found spending time with her husband Claude or visiting loved ones in Haiti.

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A fifth-generation Chicagoan, Jody moved to New York City after receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatrical Design from Ithaca College. She enjoyed a successful freelance career as a Union Scenic Artist specializing in television, feature films, still photography and Broadway.

Her passion for animals, as well as her interest in working with people, took her career in a different direction and she brings more than ten years of client service experience in the veterinary profession to the wonderful client base at Heart Of Chelsea Veterinary Group. Her personal interests include painting, cooking, reading, and advanced hot yoga practice.

Tammy began her career at Heart of Chelsea in 2006. She first worked as a client service representative, then worked for a number of years as a veterinary assistant and eventually transitioned to the full-time role of Inventory Manager. Finding and satisfying special order medications and items for our pets and their parents is a challenging but, rewarding endeavor, and finding solutions is what Tammy does best! She has two cats, a tuxedo gal named Momma, and a ginger and white guy named Poppa. She’d love to add a puppy someday. In her spare time, Tammy loves to cook and be active. She’s recently discovered that she likes to “lift things up and put them down” and loves indoor rowing.

It took Zhong a little while to finally decide that she wanted to care for and work with animals for the rest of her life. She knew that being a teacher, dentist, or even a scientist would leave her unsatisfied and unfulfilled. Working as an intern in two wildlife rehabilitation centers confirmed that she could not do anything else and now, as a licensed veterinary technician, she is whole and always excited to go to work and continue to help owners and animals alike. Although she can no longer practice wildlife rehabilitation due to her busy schedule with work, her cats, and her saltwater and freshwater fish tanks, she is still able to consult with other wildlife rehabilitators on cases when they need advice.