Dr. Jeffrey A. Creswell, Owner

Dr. Creswell was born and raised on a farm in Iowa (a good ol' Iowa boy!).  He is a graduate of Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine 1981.  In June of 1981, he moved to California to begin practicing small animal medicine.  He has been a full-time owner veterinarian at Rialto Animal Hospital since February 1982 and has been our fearless leader, mentor, and supporter of all.  We can't say enough good things about Dr. Creswell... caring, compassionate, and committed to giving his patients the best possible care, he'll leave many of you asking if he see HUMAN patients (many of our clients have already asked!!)

Dr. Creswell's hobbies include spending time with his family, golfing, and reading. He especially loves being the best Grandpa in the world to his three grandsons and two granddaughters!

Dr. Shannon T. Juarez

Dr. Juarez, a Rialto native, knew at the young age of ten that she wanted to become a veterinarian.  Her aspirations were no surprise to her family and friends because of her compassion and dedication to all living creatures great and small.  She completed her undergraduate and masters degree in animal science at the University of California, Davis.  Prior to attending veterinary school, she worked in the dairy industry as a marketing representative.  Dr. Juarez completed her veterinary degree at Western University of Health Science, College of Veterinary Medicine in May 2007 and joined our team as our second full-time associate veterinarian.  However, Dr. Juarez is no stranger to our practice!  During her four years at veterinary school, she worked during her summer and holiday vacations at our hospital.   In her spare time, she enjoys camping, swimming, cycling, playing tennis, and spending time with her husband and four-legged kids, kitties Jordan, Gurley, and MeowMeow.   Dr. Juarez also has a huge heart and another passion... she has traveled to Ghana, Africa with a team of professionals and has worked to improve the lives of the underprivileged people of Ghana. She is a "perfect fit" here, with the same admirable qualities that we love so much in Dr. Creswell.

Dr. Heidi Schroer-Newell, Owner

Dr. Schroer was born in Berlin, New Hampshire and grew up in Southern California. For as long as Dr. Schroer can remember, she has always loved animals and knew that becoming a veterinarian would be her path in life. She received her undergraduate degree in 2006 from Cal Poly, Pomona and also worked at Rialto Animal Hospital for a year before starting veterinary school. In 2011, her dream of becoming a veterinarian came true when she graduated from the University of Minnesota with her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and joined our RAH family as our third veterinarian. She fast became a beloved doctor, team member, and friend to all.

Today, she is one of our partners at Rialto Animal Hospital and serves as our Chief Medical Director. She is an enthusiastic surgeon and thrives on challenging surgical procedures and learning advanced techniques. Her other professional interests include dentistry, preventive medicine, and (of course!) mentoring both recently graduated and aspiring veterinarians. 

FUN FACT! she also spent a year on the tiny island of Pohnpei, one of the Pacific Islands of Micronesia, where she taught English and Biology to the native children. 

Dr. Schroer loves the mountains and the beach, especially palm trees and sand. Her interests include hiking, beach trips, playing with her two dogs and cat, family time, and spending quiet moments with her husband, Mike, and their absolutely ADORABLE son Grayson and baby girl Addie.

Dr. Andrea Wolf

We were thrilled to welcome our 4th Veterinarian back in late 2013. After an extensive search for a Doctor that would be another perfect fit for our hospital, we finally found her!  (And she's even bilingual in Spanish!!!)

Growing up, Dr. Wolf always knew she wanted to be a veterinarian. She fulfilled that dream in 2011 when she graduated from the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Wolf focuses on delivering high standards of medicine and compassionate care for her patients. Her professional interests include surgery, internal medicine and dentistry and she is a strong advocate for gentle feline handling.

Dr. Wolf is enthusiastic, gentle, patient and passionate in her care for pets and their people. She enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, and swimming. You can find her in our hallways singing and always has a big smile on her face. (When visiting, if you want to 'sweeten her up' even more than she already is, this lady LOVES ice cream! :) She has several goats, is a self-proclaimed “book worm” and a fearless chef.  And the BEST thing our resident 'chef' cooked up was her baby girls, Abiah Rae and BIG SISTER Malina!! Congratulations to their wonderful family!

Dr. Claudia Lau

All we can say is that we feel EXTREMELY blessed to find and welcome our 8th DVM to join our RAH family in 2021! After a nationwide search, we found our perfect new veterinarian was nearly in our backyard!

Dr. Claudia Lau was raised in San Gabriel, CA but has become familiar with the Inland Empire after residing here since 2010. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from UC Riverside. After graduation, she worked at a veterinary clinic where her interest and love for dermatology began. Dr. Lau's lifelong dream became a reality when she earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Western University of Health Sciences. As a Fear-Free Certified Professional and owner of a very sassy feline, she recognizes the stress that patients and clients may experience during veterinary visits and hopes to incorporate various fear-free techniques for all patients at RAH.

In her free time, and as an accomplished pianist, Dr. Lau enjoys playing the piano for her two cats Molly and Mason, hiking, or spending the day at Universal Studios with her hubby, Mark, and friends. She is a proud Hufflepuff!

Dr. Scott Creswell

No, your eyes are not deceiving you... Dr. Scott is Dr. Creswell's son! We are so happy and proud to have two generations of "Creswell" working at Rialto Animal Hospital and we have no doubt that you will be just as delighted!

Throughout his childhood and early adult years, Dr. Scott grew up watching and helping his dad at Rialto Animal Hospital. He soon realized that he had the same calling to veterinary medicine and decided to attend Western University of Veterinary Medicine so he could work alongside his dad as a veterinarian. In March 2017, his dream was realized as he became our 5th doctor to join our team. Dr. Scott is an integral part of our dental health team and continues to pursue education about new and advanced techniques to bring to the dental team in order to ensure our patients are being given the best dental care possible. He also is passionate about surgery.

Dr. Scott is a self-professed "foodie" and while some of his hobbies include "anything in the mountains", hiking, and playing basketball... enjoying his beautiful daughter Audrey and son Zeke.  Dr. (Dr. Creswell's 4th & 5th grandchildren!) understandably takes up most of his free time these days! 

Dr. Kailey Beckman

Dr. Kailey Beckman grew up in Temecula, California and let us tell you, we are beyond thrilled that she joined our team in October 2020!  Dr. Beckman completed her undergrad schooling at UC Davis and then graduated with her Veterinary degree from Western University in 2018.

We love her creative, artistic nature! Chances are if you’ve met her- you know how much she LOVES all things Disney. She not only enjoys visiting Disneyland but she also makes stunning custom Mickey Mouse ears in her free time! When she isn’t at work or Disneyland, she is usually home with her loves (her kitty cats!), watching movies or out hiking.

Dr. Beckman is a verified cat lover, she adores her three feline family members, Merlin, Archimedes, and Henry. She also has a cute little chameleon named Little Dude! Dr. Beckman is amazing with surgery and has a special interest in feline medicine. Everywhere she goes, she spreads pixie dust and laughter... we are so appreciative of her magical energy!

Dr. Jennifer Magee

What a PURR-fect fit! Dr. Jennifer Magee is a California native, growing up in Silicon Valley, making her way to SoCal for veterinary school. She graduated from Western University with Dr. Juarez in 2007 and has been practicing in small animal medicine since graduation. In April 2020, Dr. Magee completed an Advanced Certification in Feline Behavior, with Distinction, from the International Society of Feline Medicine. And in 2021 she became a Cat Friendly Certified Veterinarian. She is super excited to join the amazing team at Rialto Animal Hospital and to work in the Feline-only side of the practice!

Outside of work, Dr. Magee loves ALL THINGS CATS (and we're not 'kitten')!!  At home is a flock of five fuzzy felines, including one Maine Coon. When she is not loving on her feline children, she enjoys spending time with her family - watching her daughter play softball, while hubby coaches, and gardening with her son. She and her husband have been together over 25 years and enjoy staying active together, whether it’s cycling or going to OrangeTheory together. Any remaining free time after all that is spent on her hobbies - scrapbooking or building and painting models for gaming, or planning the family’s next vacation. 

Dr. Nikki Smith

Meet Dr. Nikki Smith (And yes, her smile is just as bright and beautiful as her personality!) She was born in Rochelle, IL and raised in Dekalb, IL. She grew up knowing she wanted to be a veterinarian for as long as she can remember. She received her undergraduate degree from Montana State University. After graduating, she began working at a small animal clinic where she gained valuable experience as a veterinary technician before heading off to vet school and earning her veterinary degree from Western University of Health Sciences. Dr. Nikki’s professional interests include ER/urgent care, internal medicine and neurology.

Outside the clinic, Dr. Nikki enjoys staying active and spending time outdoors. Activities she enjoys include, going to the beach, hiking in the mountains, skiing in the winter, going to the gym and playing various sports. She also enjoys adventures with her boyfriend, Brandon and doggos, Dudle and Bella. Dr. Nikki is enthusiastic about creating long term relationships and care plans with her clients and their fluffy fur babies. We know you will love her as much as we do!

Dr. Kelsey Medina

We are THRILLED to have Dr. Medina with us! Dr. Medina was born and raised in Southern California. She knew from an early age that her passion was working with animals. Her first love was horses and she spent many years riding and training horses. She started volunteering here at Rialto Animal Hospital in 2011 and continued to work throughout college and before vet school. 

She received her undergraduate degree in Animal Science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She graduated from Midwestern University with her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 2020, and then went on to complete a one year small animal rotating internship at VCA PetCare East Veterinary Hospital in Santa Rosa. She practiced in Northern California for 2 years before moving back to Southern California. We are SO happy to have her rejoin the RAH team again after all these years (and we know you will be too)! Her professional interests include surgery, dentistry, emergency and preventative medicine. 

Dr. Medina loves being outdoors and spending time with her husband and their beagle. She enjoys hiking, camping, reading, and baking.

Lisa Norkunas, RVT, Owner and Hospital Director

Lisa has been with Rialto Animal Hospital since 1995. As a child, she and all those around her knew it was "her calling" to work with animals and work in the field of medicine. She graduated with Magna Cum Laude from Cal Poly Pomona in 2003 and remains a member of the Golden Key Society. She received her Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) certification shortly after graduating, accepted our hospital manager position in June 2003, and became the hospital director in December 2005. She has been a partner in Rialto Animal Hospital since 2007. She is member of the California Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, the North American Business Association and VSG Veterinary Management Group. Rialto Animal Hospital, our clients and their pets are her "second family"!

For those long-time friends of RAH that remember our Golden Retriever mascots. Maverick and Montana, Lisa was their proud mom! "The Boys" will always be close to their hearts and live on in the hearts of the many lives they touched over the years. Today, her family has Golden Retriever "Gunner" and a Bernese/Australian Shepard mix "Cooper". They also became a horse family in 2021 with the additions of their Appaloosa "Summer" and Kentucky Mountain horse "Lexi".

When Lisa is not working, she loves spending time with her husband, her children (Kayla, Nathan and Ella), and her four legged kids. She is a 'country girl' at heart that enjoys riding horses, country music, dancing (good luck keeping up!), boating, waterboarding, traveling, hiking, working out, Disney-everything, reading, and playing softball. She has been a Girl Scout leader for many years. You can also catch her most weekends cheering (and sometimes even refereeing!) at her kids' soccer games.

Alondra Luna, Hospital Manager and veterinary assistant

Alondra joined the Rialto Animal Hospital family in 2003 after working for a few years for the San Bernardino Humane Society. From an early age, she knew that caring for the furry family members was not only her passion but her calling. When at work, you can be sure that she strives for improvement, growth, continual learning and providing both clients and patients with the best care.

She received her Bachelors of Science in Pre-Veterinary Medicine (Animal Health Science) from Cal Poly Pomona in 2006 and a few short years thereafter, in 2009, she became our assistant manager. She is a member of the American Animal Hospital Association and VSG Veterinary Management Group.                                                                   

During her spare time she enjoys DIY projects and spending time outdoors adventuring with her fur child Willow. Goldens hold a very special place in her heart as Roxy (pictured) lost her cancer battle in 2017.

Our Client Service Representatives

They are the first smiling faces you will see when you visit Rialto Animal Hospital. First and foremost in the care of you and your pets and provide assurance of the care you will receive during your visit. They are here to make you feel welcome and comfortable!

If you've been a long-time friend and client of Rialto Animal Hospital, you know Diana! She has been dedicated to making a difference in the lives of pets and their people since 1995 as a customer service representative. Diana has been the friendly face and voice of our hospital for over two decades and the knowledge she has to share is immeasurable! After helping her patients and pet parents, Diana goes home to spend time with her husband and four "kitty kids" Clicker, Joy, Star and Lilly.

During her free time, Diana loves spending her time in the fresh brisk mountain air, doing all things crafty, cooking for her husband, and baking the best-tasting pies, fresh salsa, and lemon bars we've ever tasted (which makes us really love to support her baking/cooking hobby!)

Genevieve, CSR Lead The stars aligned and the heavens sang when we found “Jelly”! A Southern California native, she grew up ‘a hop, skip, and jump away’ from RAH in Fontana, CA. Initially planning on being a veterinary technician, when covering a shift for a receptionist one day at her previous animal hospital, she realized that she LOVED helping both pets AND their people! And so her career as a stellar lead CSR began! Before joining our RAH family in 2020, Genevieve had already been in the industry for 5 years and with her vast knowledge, natural compassion & people skills, within six short months our team knew she was perfect for leading our CSR team to new heights in customer care!

When she is not greeting you here with her warm smile and friendly hello, she loves spending time with her kiddos and her four-legged pack at home or on the trail, being ‘one’ with nature hiking, being crafty, and enjoying the magical world of Disney(land)!   

P.S. She would be hard to beat in a karaoke contest… this girl can SING!

Dannelle came to Rialto Animal Hospital in June 2021 with two years of previous veterinary receptionist experience. How excited we were to realize we found yet another superstar to join our CSR team! Dannelle was born and raised in Southern California and, being the extrovert she is, has always loved people. When we found out she also enjoys social media and marketing, we knew she was the ONE, so when you see those cute and/or informational Facebook/Instagram posts, you know the lady behind the screen! This girl is always up for a challenge… Dannelle is also a current student at Cal State San Bernardino as a marketing/business major.

Outside of work when not helping our two and four-legged friends or studying, Dannelle can be found with her Chihuahua Panda, going to the gym, cheering on her favorite team, the LA Dodgers, catching a movie on Netflix, cooking, going to Disneyland, and spending time with her family. A perfect day for her would include a good sleep, good food, great people, and attending a fun event.

We are THRILLED that Sam is a part of our Customer Service team!! Some of you may recognize her.... because you've trained with her! Sam has always been an animal lover and knew she wanted a career centered around them. She graduated with her Bachelor's Degree in Healthcare Administration from Loma Linda University and has also earned her Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) title through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Sam is also a Fear Free Certified professional trainer! She has been training dogs since 2007 and loves every minute of it! She got her start as a puppy raiser training service dogs and also has experience in therapy work. Sam has extensive knowledge in dog obedience and behavior and has helped many pet parents by teaching individual lessons and group classes. Sam is most passionate about training because she can use the talents she has acquired to help dog owners create better bonds with their four-legged best friends, making a difference in the lives of both people and pets. So dogs... if you're having trouble with your humans, bring them in to talk to Sam!!

When she is not working, Sam enjoys hanging out with her family, friends, and all her pets (dogs, a cat, rabbits, fish and a turtle!), crafting/sewing, going to Disneyland (Yes!! Another Disney fan!), and going on off-roading adventures with her husband and her Golden Retriever.

Sadly Sam had to say goodbye in late 2020 to her precious boy, Levi. Levi made sure someone would take care of his girl though. Sam now has another golden boy named Kit to adventure with.

Jisel - Bio coming soon!

Elsa, Treatment Room Lead/Coordinator and Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT), has been with us since 2004. Kind, compassionate, and highly talented, we can't put into words how BLESSED we feel to have her with us!! She is a graduate of Cal Poly Pomona and is an invaluable member of our team, always looking for new ways to make things even better for her patients, clients and team. When she is not helping our patients and clients, she is always studying to expand her knowledge in order to share with others. Elsa is extremely detail-oriented and keeps us all making sure we are performing TOGETHER to do the very best we can... Every. Single. Day.  

When Elsa is not tending to our patients at RAH, you can find her spending quality time with her greatest blessings in life... family and her children. She is very active, plays a wide array of sports (which she is AMAZING at!), and keeps our team laughing with fun games around the hospital. She has even been known to bring in a ping pong table for some competitive fun and helps put softball games together for us. Have we already said how thankful to have her on our team (especially when we are PLAYING teams!:)?!!

Karla, RVT and Head Dental Technician has over eighteen years of veterinary experience and has been apart of our team since 2007. We are SO grateful for this lady and for our many years of learning, growing, and laughing together!!She joined us as a kennel attendant and, through the years, her job title has changed thanks to her dedication to both personal and professional growth. She worked very hard and earned her RVT license at Cal Poly Pomona. has also started a family with her husband. Her family includes two beautiful boys, a Mastiff, and two cats. Karla is extremely passionate about dentistry and is a fabulous trainer because of her bubbly, welcoming personality backed with nearly two decades of experience.

When Karla isn’t working she loves spending time with her family and two handsome sons. She also recently has been training their larger-than-life Mastiff, Zena. (Isn’t she such a super-mom?!) She also loves cooking yummy meals, watching movies with her husband, and working in their garden. Karla’s sweet fur-baby, Sierra, recently crossed the Rainbow Bridge unexpectedly, but she will continue to be loved and remembered by all who knew her. 

If you know Hannah, you know that she is powered by coffee and her love for cats! Most of us can relate!) She is filled with love for our feline patients and her own kitty, Smokey. Hannah grew up in Rancho Cucamonga and came to us with four years of veterinary field experience and her RVT license. We love having her as one of our RVT’s on staff because of the fun, social energy she brings to our team. She is as much of a people-person as she is an animal lover which makes working with her extra special!

When she’s not working she loves to ride bikes with her husband and go on traveling adventures to places they have never been before. 

For as long as she can remember, Sabrina has been passionate about two things... pets and traveling! She joined our team in May of 20015 after earning her associate's degree in veterinary technology at Carrington College. Before earning her degree, she volunteered at the Humane Society while also working at Petsmart. While volunteering at the Humane Society, she acquired two dogs of her own, Razzle and Tank (how COULDN'T she say YES to those faces?!). Her favorite part about working at RAH are the puppy visits! Sabrina is a very gentle and soft-spoken person, making for an amazing introduction to our hospital for pets and their humans. She herself enjoys a healthy lifestyle and enjoys educating clients about the importance of diet management and pet weight loss. 

In her personal life, Sabrina enjoys trying different foods, working out lifting weights and traveling with her fiance, Jeff. When you see her, be sure to ask her about all of the beautiful places she has visited around the world and where she plans to go next!

Christina joined the RAH family in 2016 as a Registered Veterinary Technician. The majority of the time you can find her working as part of our dental team, helping treat and prevent periodontal disease. She believes that education, whether providing it to our clients or learning for herself, is the key to being the best advocate for her patients. Christina is always striving to learn new information and techniques in order to improve her skills and patient care. As a child Christina has always loved large dogs and is proud to have two giant fur-babies of her own, Zannah, a Newfoundland, and her big brother Bane, a Great Pyrenees. She also has 3 very spoiled cats (Elliot, Mowgli and Kit).

When not at work Christina enjoys reading, drawing, working out in her home gym and cooking new recipes with her husband. Another congratulations goes out to Christina and her husband as they recently welcomed their first child, a son, into the world!

 Nicole joined our team in September 2007 and is quite versatile in her roles at Rialto Animal Hospital. She can been seen helping our in our exam rooms, at our front desk, but she especially enjoys assisting in our treatment department, where she helps with procedures, surgery, dentistry and the care of our hospitalized patients. She has taken great strides in her role in our treatment department and continues to go above and beyond to ensure your furry family members receive outstanding care. And if that isn't enough, Nicole is also our resident IT person, helping to keep our computers "behaving" for us!

Nicole and her husband of 18 years enjoy dinners out and spending time with their nieces and nephews. Nicole is continuing the process of obtaining her RVT license!

Alex grew up in Moreno Valley and is a woman of many talents! She graduated with a Veterinarian Technician license as well as a cosmetology license in 2019. She found us in June of this year and we have loved working with her- she is an incredibly hard worker! She is passionate about performing dental cleanings and surgeries. In Alex’s free time she enjoys watching Golden Girls with her Corgi, Joel. She also loves to water and care for her houseplants (we have quite a few plant enthusiasts, isn’t that awesome?!) As a creative outlet Alex enjoys knitting & crafting while enjoying a fresh cup of coffee. If you ever want to try out a new food, ask Alex for a recommendation or two... she’s our experimental foodie who loves trying food of all types!  

Jocelyn is one of our veterinary assistants, who came to us in 2009 as a volunteer and we never let her leave! Her quiet, kind, and giving nature has made her a perfect fit for our team. We can't even begin to explain how special a person Jocelyn is to us and how much she gives of herself to our clients and patients! So make sure you get a chance to know her and experience her wonderful customer service yourself... you won't be disappointed!

Jocelyn loves playing sports, particularly soccer and volleyball. She and her husband are now proud parents of three beautiful and busy boys. Jocelyn has one Poodle Mix, Rex.

Alejandra joined our team this year in September as a Veterinary Assistant. She went to Stanbridge University where she earned an associate’s degree. Alejandra grew up fairly local in Riverside and has been in the industry for 5 years. We love having her on our team because of her big caring heart for animals. While working with patients  she is soothing and gentle and enjoys showing pets that visiting the vet doesn’t have to be scary and nerve-wracking. Alejandra’s favorite humans are her Mom and boyfriend of 11 years, Rudy. Her English Bulldog, Miklo, is the light of her life (let us tell you, he is adorable!) Alejandra is another one of our Disney fanatics and enjoys collecting Diamond Edition Disney Pop figures. She also enjoys going roller skating and searching for the perfect new restauraunt. (Yum!)

Jasmin joined our team in May 2021 as a kennel attendant and we hit the jackpot when she did! Jasmin came to us with a certificate in veterinary assistance and now is enrolled in Platt College working toward an RVT license (We are so excited for her!). She is an animal lover to her core and really loves loving on our BIG dogs. She has a German Shepherd named Coco, a Labrador mix named Luna, and her rescued tabby cat, Cheeto. Her favorite part about working at Rialto Animal Hospital is spending time with her co-workers and getting to work with animals.  On her days off, you can find her on long hikes with her fur babies or baking sweet treats! 

Sherry is one of our veterinary assistants who joined the Rialto Animal Hospital family in 2016. She had been a long time client previously and has worked with animals in many different capacities for over 35 years. From co-owning and managing a boarding/grooming kennel to working in a reptile store, to dog training, to behavior evaluations and adoption counseling at a local shelter, she enjoys anything that involves furry, feathered or scaled critters. 

Sherry also partakes in an two more invaluable roles... She is one of our "Coordinators" we have on the floor each day who verifies we maintain our high standards of excellence, making sure everyone is being taken care of, communication is maintained, and patients are being cared for to the very best of our ability. Sherry is also one of the best coaches a team member could hope for, willing to share any and all of her vast knowledge with anyone that wants to learn and grow. She truly is helping RAH grow our "forest of trees"!

Sherry's free time is spent with her family and friends. She enjoys camping, lazy days at the beach or lake, hiking, kayaking, gardening, and attending her oldest son's skateboarding events. Her youngest son serves is serving in the US Navy. Sherry also became a grandma in 2020 and loves spending as much time as possible with her very adventurous granddaughter. Sherry has a personal menagerie of pets that include 5 dogs (“Piper” pictured, also “Halligan”, “Cricket”, Penelope” and “Abigail” and grand-dog “Chica”), a cat “Banjo:, tortoise “Yertle”, ball python “Priscilla” (who she acquired in 1990!!), bird “Quinn”, rabbit “Fergie”, leopard gecko “Lydia” (technically her grand-gecko), a beta fish and an aquarium of guppies.

What can we say? Sometimes you just know when it’s right… Susana brings a certain positive, helpful, willing, and soothing energy that just makes you feel good. Her natural ability to recognize and understand our patients’ needs and emotions is a joy to experience. So we were thrilled when Susana joined our Rialto Animal Hospital family in 2022 to work as a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT).

Susana took her first animal-related job working in a dog kennel where she enjoyed grooming dogs and being around them. This started her journey caring for animals and she hasn’t looked back! She graduated from Pierce College and obtained her RVT license in 2010.

While Susana loves working with dogs, she holds a special place in her heart for kitties, sharing special bonds and understanding compassion for cats on the job, on the streets, and at home. She owns three cats that she rescued from the streets (talk about her kitties winning the lottery!) She also has a particular interest and passion for animal dentistry and she is determined to obtain a veterinary technician specialty (VTS) by 2024.

In her free time, Susana happily fills her days with family, her pets, and caring for her garden.

After an extensive search to find just the right person for our next patient care assistant role, we had faith when we met Vanessa that she was the one! Even being brand new to the industry, her calm, sweet, caring demeanor won us over and she joined our family in June 2022. How thankful we are to have her?! Well, when she isn’t taking AMAZING care of our patients, she shares a special talent with us…she’s one of the patient care assistants behind the scenes in taking all those cute pictures of our patients that we share with their families, Facebook, and Instagram! (You can say we’re very thankful!)

When not providing loving care to our patients and snapping pet pics, Vanessa is having fun outdoors, going to concerts, and creating beautiful pieces of art. She says the best part of working at Rialto Animal Hospital is loving on our patients and working with her team! She is SO excited to be working at the cat hospital and can’t wait to bond with your furry feline!

In June 2021, we were excited to welcome Amelia into our RAH family. Born and raised in Riverside, CA, she remembers being passionate about animals her whole life. Maybe because she was a cat in her past life?? At least, that’s what her family tells her since she can be readily found at home curled up in a corner with a good book or taking ‘cat naps’ throughout the day!

Amelia’s love for furry friends led her to join her high school’s FFA club where she worked with livestock and learned about animal husbandry. After finding and fostering a litter of four kittens as a sophomore in high school, she went on to foster many more kittens over the next 6 years while volunteering at both Riverside County and Norco Animal Shelter. Amelia had also taken a couple Registered Veterinary Technician courses at Mt San Antonio college to make sure this was the field of her calling… and it certainly was because she went on to graduate Cum Laude at American Career College as a veterinary assistant in 2019 and began working in the field that same year. She hopes to continue her education by majoring in Biology at Cal Poly Pomona. Along with our team, her 5 kitties and 2 dogs will no doubt be there to provide support along the way!

Kathya joined our team as an exam room assistant in September 2020, and is another one of our locals! She grew up in San Bernardino and graduated from Westech College with a focus in veterinary assisting. She came to our team with over five years of experience in the veterinary field, and we are so thankful she did! She quickly proved how dedicated she was to helping our patients, clients, and team... so much so that she not only has become our Exam Room Assistant Lead, but she also works as one of our Coordinators 

Kathya is such a fun person with many eclectic interests and hobbies. She is a creative artist that loves knitting and singing. When she isn’t creating, she spends her time learning new languages, hiking, and working on Sudoku puzzles.

Kathya has four dogs: Nebula, Jade, Molly, and Bruno. She also has one cat, Sylas, and a rabbit named Gaia. Kathya loves visiting new places with her fur babies and visiting the human she cannot live without, her Mom. (Awwww!)

Dasiah joined our team in September 2021 as a Veterinary Assistant (And yes! Her personality is just as beautiful as her smile!) She has been in the veterinary industry for 3 years and received her veterinary assistant certification at the American College of Healthcare. While attending school, she also completed a bird handling certification due to her passion to connect with all species and their owners! In addition to being an amazing coworker and assistant, Dasiah is also a mother to her beautiful daughter, Avah, and an adorable Miniature Pinscher, Mario. Dasiah really values spending time with her family anywhere “outdoorsy” - They go on frequent hikes and love taking walks to the park. We love that Dasiah enjoys snacking on sweets because here at RAH it seems we are never in short supply!  

Meet Stephanie! We were ecstatic when she joined our team as another 'elite' patient care advocate in January 2018 as she was finishing her schooling. She graduated from California State University, San Bernardino in June 2018 with a bachelor's degree in Biopsychology. Since completion of school, she works as a veterinary assistant in exam rooms where we are sure she will impress you as much as she has impressed us with her beautiful personality, smile, and caring ways! The things she enjoys most about her career is working with such a supportive staff and getting to meet new fur babies every day. She says she fell in love with the veterinary field when her best friend (who actually worked here too... thank you Emily!) introduced her to the job. After snuggling with her patients each day, she gets to go home to her own fur kids, Lady, Shei, and Mochi.

Brenda joined our team in April of 2021. She is our resident self-proclaimed thrill seeker! When she isn’t her free time studying and working towards becoming a Registered Veterinary Technician, she is cliff diving and bungee jumping. (Isn’t she SO brave?!) Her other hobbies include going to the gym, hiking, and dancing in the traditional ballet Folklorico style. Brenda currently has two dogs that live an active lifestyle with her and one chameleon. While at work, you can often find her cuddling puppies and spending lots of time bonding with our wonderful patients. 

Erick is one of another of the "elite squad" of veterinary assistants here and is currently attending CBU working toward his veterinary degree. Erick loves all animals and volunteered at local animal shelters for 3 years to learn as much as he could about his passion in helping animals. Erick enjoys video games, playing sports (especially soccer, volleyball, and football), and writing short stories and poems.