Our Team
Michelle Hawkins, VMD Dipl. ABVP (Avian Practice)
Dr. Hawkins received her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997. She completed a residency and a fellowship in the Companion Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine Program at the University of California, Davis in 2001 and obtained ABVP (Avian Practice) board certification in 2002. After two years in private practice, she joined the faculty of the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2003 and is currently Associate Professor and Chief of Service for the Companion Zoological Medicine Service. Dr. Hawkins has experience in companion avian and exotic animal medicine, wildlife rehabilitation and conservation medicine. Dr Hawkin’s special interests are in anesthesia, analgesia and critical exotic patient care, as well as inherited disorders of exotic animals.
Joanne Paul-Murphy, DVM Dipl. ACZM and Dipl. ACAW
Dr. Paul-Murphy received her veterinary degree from Cornell University in 1982, she completed a residency in Zoological Medicine at University of California, Davis and became board certified in zoological medicine. She was Chief of Service at UC Davis from 1985-1987, then became Director of Veterinary Services at the California Primate Research Center until 1991. She was responsible for starting the first Zoological Medicine Service at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine and was the Chief of Service at UW from 1992-2008. She returned to UC Davis in 2008 as a Professor in the Companion Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine Program. Dr. Paul-Murphy has experience in medicine and surgery with zoological collections and companion exotic animals, wildlife rehabilitation and conservation medicine. She has a special interest in imaging techniques and analgesia of birds, reptiles, fish and exotic small mammals.
Scott Weber, VMD, MSc
Dr. Weber received his veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997 and his MSc in Aquatic Pathobiology/Veterinary Science from The University of Stirling, Scotland in 2000. He was the Head Veterinarian/Director of Animal Health at the New England Aquarium from 2001-2007. Dr. Weber has interest and experience with zoological and aquarium collections, companion exotic animals, marine animal rehabilitation, and conservation medicine. He has special interest in the immune response of fish, reptiles, and amphibians to infectious disease.
David Sanchez-Migallon Guzman, LV, MS, Dipl ECZM (Avian), Dipl ACZM
Dr. Guzman received his veterinary degree from the University of Leon, Spain, in 2002. He practiced exotic and small animal medicine in Spain and UK until 2004. Dr. Guzman completed an Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship at Tufts University in 2005, a Zoological Medicine Residency combined with a Masters in Veterinary Medical Sciences at Louisiana State University in 2008. He served as a Clinical Instructor in Zoological Medicine at the University of Wisconsin until 2010, when he joined the Companion Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine Program at the UC Davis. Dr. Guzman has a special research interest in avian therapeutics and infectious diseases, and a strong clinical interest in soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, and oncology in exotic animals.
Olivia Petritz, DVM
Dr. Petritz attended Purdue University, and received a degree in veterinary medicine in 2008. She completed a one year internship in small animal medicine and critical care at VCA Emergency Animal Hospital and Referral Center in San Diego, CA immediately following veterinary school. She then completed another specialty internship in avian and exotic animals at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists in Houston, TX. Dr. Petritz is currently completing a three-year residency at UC Davis in the Companion Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine.
Claire Vergneau-Grosset, DVM
Dr. Grosset received her veterinary degree from the Veterinary School of Alfort, France in 2008. She has completed an internship in Zoological medicine in the Faculty of veterinary medicine of Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada, in 2009. She worked as a clinician in the exotic medicine department of the Veterinary School of Alfort and in private practice in France. Currently she is a first year resident in the Companion Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine Program at University of California, Davis. Dr. Grosset has special interests in reptile reproduction and in endoscopy.
Krista Keller, DVM
Dr Keller is a 2010 graduate of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and performed her clinical year at Tufts University. After graduation, Dr Keller completed a Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery Rotating Internship at the Louisiana State University before becoming part of the Companion Avian and Pet Exotic team at UC Davis. Dr Keller enjoys working with all species, however, she is especially interested in advanced diagnostic techniques and therapeutic interventions in reptiles, particularly chelonians.
Miranda Sadar, DVM
Dr. Sadar attended Colorado State University where she received her degree in veterinary medicine in 2009. After graduation, she completed a one year internship in exotics, wildlife, and zoo medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatchewan, Canada. She then completed a two-year fellowship in wildlife medicine at the Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro, VA. Dr. Sadar is currently completing a three-year residency at UC Davis in the Companion Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine.
Kristina Palmer-Holtry, RVT
Kristina has worked in the field of veterinary medicine since 1983. Kristina graduated from Yuba College with an A.S. degree in Veterinary Technology and has been a Registered Veterinary Technician with the state of California since 1989. Kristina has been at the University of California at Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital since 1989. Over the years Kristina has worked primarily in the Companion Avian & Exotic Pet and Zoological Medicine Services and has worked with a large variety of unique, exotic patients.
Katie Douthitt, RVT
Katie has worked as a veterinary technician since 1996 and graduated with an A.S. in Animal Health Technology from Mesa College and gained her registered veterinary technician license in 1998. Katie came to the VMTH Small Animal Internal Medicine service in 2002, became supervisor to that service in 2006 and has worked as a supervisor to all of the small animal clinic medicine services since 2009.
Stacey Zindel, RVT
Stacey graduated from UC Davis in 1986 with a BA in Anthropology and returned to school to obtain her Veterinary Technology degree from Western Career College in 1993. She worked in private practice for 3 years before coming to the VMTH Small Animal Clinic in 1997 where she has worked with Dentistry and Oral Surgery, Neurology, and Nutrition. In April 2009 she joined the Companion Avian and Exotic Pet/Aquatic Animal Health Service. She finds working with birds, reptiles, small mammals, zoo animals, and aquatic species extremely interesting and rewarding.
Nikki Reid, RVT
Nikki graduated from Yuba College with an Associates of Science degree in VeterinaryTechnology in May 2011 and in November 2011 she obtained her Registered VeterinaryTechnician license. Nikki volunteered with us for a year before becoming a permanent partof our team in March 2012. She came to us with experience in small animal emergency andhas a passion for working with and learning more about exotic and wildlife species.
Sheri Pendergraft, RVT
Sheri graduated from Cosumnes River College in May of 2009 with an Associate of Science degree. She became a Registered Veterinary Technician in September 2009 and shortly after in November became a staff member in the companion avian and exotics department at U.C. Davis. She is enjoying working with the wide variety of species as well as being surrounded by the continuous learning environment.
