Faculty / Staff
Peter Dickinson, BVSc, PhD, DACVIM
Dr. Dickinson obtained his veterinary degree (BVSc) from the University of Liverpool in 1989, following by a surgical internship at the University of Glasgow, which he completed in 1993. In 1995 he completed a PhD with the Applied Neurobiology Group at the University of Glasgow. Dickinson completed a neurology/neurosurgery residency in 2000, and achieved board certification the same year. He is currently an Associate Professor of Neurology/Neurosurgery at the University of California – Davis, and Chief of Service. He is the Director of the Petersen Brain Tumor Laboratory. Dickinson's research interests are neurooncology and the development and translation of novel therapeutic strategies for primary brain tumors.
Marguerite Knipe, DVM, DACVIM
Dr. Knipe was born and raised in Redondo Beach, California. She received her DVM from the University of California – Davis, followed by a 1-year rotating internship at Purdue University. She completed her residency in neurology/neurosurgery at UC Davis and has remained on staff as an associate veterinarian, training veterinary students and residents. Knipe has worked as a specialist in private practice at the Animal Care Center in Rohnert Park, California. She recently was a locum at the University of Wisconsin – Madison's Neurology/Neurosurgery service. She co-edited the 2008 Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice – Neuroanatomy and Neurodiagnostics. Knipe's research interests include disc disease, spinal fractures/instability and brain tumors.
Rick Lecouteur, BVSc, PhD, DACVIM
Dr. LeCouteur received his veterinary degree (BVSc) in 1975 from the University of Sydney in Australia. After a year in small animal practice in Sydney, he did an internship and a residency in surgery at the University of Guelph in Canada (1976 to 1978). He completed his neurology/neurosurgery residency training and a PhD in comparative pathology at the University of California, Davis. From 1984 to 1989 he served on the faculty at Colorado State University. In 1989, he returned to Australia and established a neurology/neurosurgery specialty practice in Sydney. LeCouteur returned to the USA in 1995 to assume the position of Professor of Neurology/Neurosurgery at the University of California – Davis. In 1996 he became the Director of the Neuromuscular Disease Laboratory and Clinical Electrophysiology and Radiological Sciences from 2000 to 2004. LeCouteur is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology) and a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Neurology. >From 1996 to 1999 he was President of the ACVIM specialty of Neurology, and is currently the President of ACVIM. LeCouteur's research interests include brain tumors and neuromuscular disease. Dr. LeCouteur has three orange cats (Sam, OB and Benito).
Beverly Sturges, DVM, DACVIM
Dr. Sturges completed a BS with high honors from Andrews University in 1980. From 1980 to 1981, Dr. Sturges was a graduate researcher in immunoparasitology. She received her DVM degree cum laude from Oregon State University in 1986. Sturges practiced mixed animal medicine and surgery between 1986 and 1988 and small animal medicine and surgery from 1988 to 1991. She then moved to Sydney, Australia, where she was a small animal practitioner between 1991 and 1995. Sturges returned to the USA in 1995 and completed a neurology/neurosurgery residency at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California – Davis in 1998. That same year she achieved American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology) certification. From 1998 to the present, she has held a Lecturer position in Neurology/Neurosurgery at the UC Davis' VMTH. Sturges' research interests include brain tumors, and intracranial and spinal neurosurgery. Sturges has two dogs, a dachshund cross named Stewy and a mixed breed terrier named Reggie.
Karen Vernau, DVM, MAS, DACVIM, Chief of Service
Dr. Vernau completed 3 years of an honors BSc degree before acceptance into Veterinary School. She received her DVM degree with distinction from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph in 1991. After graduation she worked in a small animal practice in Canada for 1 year before moving to Sydney, Australia. In Sydney, she was a small animal practitioner in 2 large practices until 1994. She moved to California in 1994 in order to complete a residency at University of California – Davis. In 1997 she was the recipient of the 'Favorite Small Animal Resident Award' from the veterinary class of 1997. She achieved American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology) specialty certification that same year. In 2006, she completed a master's degree in clinical research. She is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor of Neurology/Neurosurgery at UC Davis. Vernau's research interests include inflammatory brain disease, cerebrospinal fluid, metabolic encephalopathies and brain tumors. Vernau has two mixed-breed dogs (Bessie and Joey), one Abyssinian cat (Rojo) and two rabbits (Tanner and Ginger Snap).
Cona Anwer, DVM
Dr. Anwer grew up outside of Boston. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering from Tufts University in 2004. She stayed on at Tufts from 2004 to 2008 to earn her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. Upon completion of her degree she moved to Philadelphia for a small animal rotating internship at the University of Pennsylvania and the following year a neurology internship at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital in San Diego. In 2010 she was accepted in the Neurology/Neurosurgery residency program at the University of California at Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Although she enjoys all aspects of neurology, Dr. Anwer has a particular interest in neurosurgery. When outside of the hospital she enjoys traveling, learning new languages, and spending time with her orange tabby, Miko.
Lisa Gerlach, DVM
Dr. Gerlach was born and raised in Costa Mesa, CA. She graduated from Chapman University with Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences in 2004. She attended the University of California-Davis from 2004 to 2008, where she earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. She completed a small animal rotating internship at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego in 2009. She was then accepted into the Neurology/Neurosurgery residency program at the University of California – Davis' Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. She is interested in all aspects of small animal neurology and neurosurgery. Dr. Gerlach has two cats (Sasha and Lulu) and when outside the hospital, she enjoys riding her bike around scenic Davis.
Monica Aleman, DVM
Dr. Aleman obtained her veterinary degree at the University UNAM-Mexico in 1991. She completed a large animal internal medicine (equine emphasis) residency at UC Davis from 1996-1999 and achieved board certification at ACVIM in 1999. She then completed a PhD in equine neuromuscular disorders in 2004 at UCD under Dr. Richard LeCouteur's mentorship, where they discovered a genetic mutation that causes malignant hyperthermia in horses. Dr. Aleman was a member of the equine internal medicine service and Director of the Neuromuscular Diseases Laboratory at UCD from 2005-2009. Dr. Aleman's family consists of Jorge Nieto (husband), Canek (14y MC Border Collie), little Frida (3y FS cutest Powder Puff Crested Chinese), and Chipote (9y MC Himalayan cat). She has a passion for horses, the ocean, kayaking, and art, as well as any activity that has to do with water or a good meal!
Beth Boudreau, DVM, PhD
Dr. Boudreau lived in upstate New York before moving to Texas for high school. She graduated from Rice University with a BA in Cognitive Science and Linguistics in 1997 and obtained a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Baylor College of Medicine in 2002. After a post-doctoral fellowship in neurophysiology at Northwestern University, she attended veterinary school at Texas A&M. Following graduation in 2010, she completed a one-year rotating small animal internship at The Ohio State University. She began the UC Davis VMTH Neurology/Neurosurgery residency program in 2011. Her research interests include neuro-oncology and neurophysiology. She shares her home with two very tolerant cats (Mirabile and Wallis).
Toni Beelard, Neurology/Neurosurgery Service Coordinator
Toni has been working at the VMTH since 1998, her first position was with the Small Animal Cashiers Office, then she moved on to Admissions. In 2006 she accepted the position of Neurology/Neurosurgery Service Coordinator. Prior to working at the VMTH she was the office manager of a private veterinary practice for 8 years. Toni enjoys working with owners, referring veterinarians, faculty, residents and students. One of her main goals is to improve communication between owners and veterinarians. She has respect for the special bond owners have with their pets and wants to help clients achieve the best possible health care for their companions. Outside of the hospital, Toni has a passion for showing & breeding Bernese Mountain Dogs.
Kathy Pinkston, Neurology/Neurosurgery Patient Service Coordinator
Kathy earned her A.S. degree from Yuba college after attaining a 4.0 G.P.A. upon completion of the Veterinary Technician program in 1996. She continued on to obtain a B.S. degree in Microbiology with a minor in Chemistry from Chico State University in 1999. Kathleen started working for the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in January of 2000. She has worked in the areas of small animal nursing and surgery before joining the Neurology/Neurosurgery as the service coordinator in August 2007.
Natasha Shiroma
Natasha graduated from Yuba college in 2008 with a degree (AS)in veterinary technology and a degree (AS) in general business management. She graduated UC Davis in 2011 with a BS degree in animal science, and has been at the VMTH since 2008. Natasha has previous experience in emergency medicine and general practice where she worked all kinds of animals from dogs, cats, horses, goats, some reptiles and rodents, and even a llama, before joining the Neurology/Neurosurgery service.
