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Gustavo Rayas, RVT
Gustavo currently works as a Registered Veterinary Technician at Animal Care Clinic, and has been here since May 2002. Gustavo grew up in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. He graduated with his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in Mexico from the Autonomous University of Baja California. Gustavo is studying now, so that he may eventually be boarded as a DVM in California. He loves living in San Luis Obispo County and is glad that his children have had the opportunity to grow up here. Gustavo has 3 teenagers, whom he is always involved with in their activities and schools. Aside from being a busy, working family man, Gustavo is developing a website, petsatinternet.com. |
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Nicole Gunkel, RVT
Nicole spent her youth in the mountains of Mt. Shasta, California. After attending the College of the Siskiyous, she transferred to the University of California at Davis earning her B.S. in Animal Science, specializing in Equine Science and Captive & Companion Animals in March 2004. Immediately after graduating she moved to San Luis Obispo and began working as a Veterinary Nurse at Animal Care Clinic. She has had many animals over the years including dogs, horses and raising 4-H lambs. Nicole absolutely loves anything having to do with the outdoors. She especially loves hiking, camping, backpacking, skiing, traveling everywhere and riding and training horses. In 2005, she accomplished her goal of summiting Mt. Shasta (a technical 14,162 miles high). Nicole earned her Registered Veterinary Technician license in October 2006. She aims to continue learning her trade and is interested in anesthesia, leadership, communication and teaching. One of Nicole’s projects has been the making and designing of the Animal Care Clinic website. |
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Erin Hickey, RVT
Erin joined the veterinary nursing team at Animal Care Clinic in November 2006. She originally grew up in Mt. View, CA and is a graduate of Cal Poly. She earned her Registered Veterinary Technician license in June 2008. Erin loves her 3 dogs, Bean, Tannin and Charlie, as well as her cats Grady and Baldwin. She loves to hike with her dogs and also really enjoys gardening, cooking, and caring for her 16 chickens. The employees at ACC also really enjoy Erin’s baking skills! |
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Melissa Reuter-Wagoner, RVT
Melissa is another smooth, easy-going addition to the Animal Care Clinic Team. She grew up near Santa Clarita, California and graduated with a B.S. in Animal Science from Cal Poly in June 2007. Melissa is a very inquisitive part of the Veterinary Nursing team and the Customer Service team, joining ACC in July 2006. We are so happy to have Melissa as one of our Registered Veterinary Technicians. Melissa’s passions include riding her jumping horse, music, ballet, and traveling. |
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Tara Pantano, RVT
Tara moved to California from Farmington, Connecticut and joined the Veterinary Nursing team in January 2009. Tara graduated from the University of Connecticut. Her goal is to earn her Registered Veterinary Technician in California, after previously being certified in Connecticut, and to continually find challenge in this profession. Tara enjoys hiking with her husband and dog, Kona. They also have 2 cats at home, Figo and Bailey. Tara also likes riding mountain bikes, traveling, photography, and is a volunteer at Woods Humane Society. Tara says, I am a self-proclaimed cat person, they are just way cooler than people give them credit for! |
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Travis Morris
Travis joined the veterinary nursing team in July 2008. Travis is a native of San Luis Obispo, and would eventually like to attend vet school. Travis has an interest in reptiles and currently his pets include 3 cats and 6 snakes. Travis practices martial arts, such as Kendo and Brazilian Ju Jitsu. He also loves to play with his son and teach him about animals. Travis is married to Cate (of our Customer Service Team) and they now have a beautiful baby girl as well. |
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Louise Facciolla
Louise graduated from Cal Poly with her Animal Science degree in 2005 with a minor in Equine Science. She began working on the veterinary nursing team at Animal Care Clinic in November 2008. Louise came to San Luis Obispo from Loyalton, California. She would like to obtain her registered veterinary technician license in the future. In her spare time, Louise enjoys riding her horse, running, hiking, playing with her cat, Remington, and taking her dog, Avila to the beach. |
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Michaela Hoffman
Michaela grew up in Mission Viejo, California and graduated from Cal Poly in 2009. She joined the veterinary nursing team in January 2010 and would like to someday attend veterinary school. Michaela enjoys hiking with her shepherd mix, Cosmo. She also loves swimming and playing water polo and gardening and has a special interest in marine wildlife. |
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Rebekah Farfan
Rebekah joined the veterinary nursing team in February 2010. She originally grew up in San Gabriel, California then moved to Idaho for a number of years before coming back to California. Currently Rebekah has several pets in all sizes including a cockatiel, African Grey parrot, Arabel the Great Dane, Jolly the chihuahua and a horse still living in Idaho. Rebekah went to school at Maranatha and Mt. San Antonio College and is currently a licensed (CVT) technician in Idaho and hopes to obtain her registered veterinary technician (RVT) license for California soon. Some of Rebekah’s hobbies include going to the beach, hiking, bike riding, and dirt bike riding with her husband and two children. |
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Nicole Blevins
Nikki, as known here at Animal Care Clinic, has been on the veterinary nursing team since November 2006. She grew up locally here in Paso Robles. Nikki spent her first couple college years in Massachusetts She is currently an Animal Science major at Cal Poly, after which she hopes to attend vet school. Nikki has a Siberian husky, Kokoyah, and her cat, Buddy. She enjoys taking her dog to the beach, running, music, and whitewater rafting. Nikki is also one of a couple ACC workers who are vegetarian, and has never eaten meat in her life. |
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Alex Stone
Alex has been a part of the ACC lodge team since February 2008 and now also works as a veterinary nurse. Originally from Newbury Park, California, he currently attends Cal Poly and aspires to one day attend veterinary school. He is an active volunteer at the Cal Poly Vet Clinic. Alex has a lab named Buddy, he also loves to play sports with friends, especially baseball. He also enjoys working in the mountains of Idaho doing trail maintenance for the Forest Service during the summer. |
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Amanda Berry
Amanda came to San Luis Obispo from Angels Camp, California to attend Cal Poly as an Animal Science major. She works in the ACC veterinary nursing team beginning in July 2008. Amanda hopes to attend vet school and someday practice large and small animal medicine. Some favorite hobbies/activities of Amanda’s are camping, hiking, scrap booking with her mom and fishing. Amanda also loves off-roading and dirt biking. |
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Zachary Stout
Zack joined the veterinary nursing team in July 2008. Originally from Bakersfield, Zack moved to San Luis Obispo to attend Cal Poly. He is an Animal Science major and plans to attend vet school and become a veterinarian. Zack is also interested in Equine Science. Just about any outdoor activity there is, Zack is interested, especially fishing, kayaking, hiking and riding his road bike. Zack loves all sports and is almost always up for anything new and exciting. |
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Rianna Knowles
Rianna is a student at Cal Poly who joined the Lodge team at ACC in August 2008. She hopes to go to graduate school in cell biology/genetics, possible for a DVM/PhD and wants to go into research. Rianna grew up in Moorpark, California and loves any outdoor physical activities, reading, cooking and participating in 3-event waterskiing (slalom, jumping, trick). She is working on eventually getting her single engine pilots license. Rianna has a golden retriever and is also working in a genetics lab at Cal Poly studying meiosis in yeast. |
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Katherine Sickler
Katherine moved to California to attend Cal Poly from Denver, Colorado. She joined the veterinary nursing team in July 2008 and wants to someday earn her veterinary doctor license. Katherine has a horse, Jagr, 2 dogs, Max and Jofa, and a fish Tucker. In her spare time Katherine enjoys horseback riding and knitting. |
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Sharon Caddy
Sharon started with the veterinary nursing team in September of 2009. Sharon grew up in Paso Robles before moving to Chico where she graduated from Chico State in 2009 with a B.A. in Geography and a certificate in GIS. She is now working and concurrently taking classes at Cuesta College with hopes of eventually going to vet school. Sharon is glad to be living near family again with her parrotlet, Stella. Some of her hobbies include hiking, skiing, traveling, swimming, drawing and music. |
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Morgan York
Morgan is a local from Santa Margarita, CA. She started working in veterinary nursing and lodging at Animal Care Clinic in December 2009. Morgan is studying Animal Science at Cal Poly and hopes to eventually go to vet school. Morgan has several pets including 2 dogs and her Quarter Horse, Rio. Some of Morgans hobbies are horseback riding, hiking, camping, spending time with family and friends and laughing. Morgan also loves working with kids and has been a volunteer in her church’s Sunday school classes for a few years. |
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Bethany Lara
Bethany came to us originally from Littlerock, California and is currently attending Cal Poly and working on a bachelor’s in animal science. Bethany currently works both in our lodging and veterinary nurse teams since March 2010. Her goal is to finish school and become a Registered Veterinary Technician and to work at an exotic animal park. Bethany has 2 dogs, Rascal and Luna. She also loves to dance, watch movies, hang out with friends, and perform theatrically. |
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Katy Baker
Katy started working on the veterinary nursing team at Animal Care Clinic in June 2010. She came to San Luis Obispo from Bakersfield and is finishing up her bachelor’s degree at Cal Poly. Katy has several pets including her dog Riley, cats Zuko and Marley, and python Ringo. Vet school is a goal for down the road, so for now Katy is looking for widening her experiences and doing some traveling. Katy also loves running and hiking and enjoys working in her garden. |
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Lyndsey Knapp
Lyndsey joined the veterinary nursing team in June 2010. She originally grew up in Seattle Washington, obtained her bachelor’s in Archeology at Western Washington University. Lyndsey is now working toward her goal of earning her Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) license. She has several cats (Oscar, Shanti, and Squeek) and a dog named Ziggy. On her own time, Lyndsey enjoys skiing, hiking, going to the beach, yoga, and volunteering with Heaven Can Wait Equine Sanctuary. |
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Ashley Ventimiglia
Ashley grew up in Maui, Hawaii and is currently attending Cal Poly and Cuesta and majoring in Animal Science, concentrating in pre-vet and zoo/exotics. She has joined the veterinary nursing team at Animal Care Clinic in June 2010. Ashley has a Maltese, named Pilikia. She enjoys the beach, hanging out with friends, surfing, hip hop dancing, hiking and bowling. As Ashley is only 5 feet tall, she often referred to by friends as “short stack” or “fun size.” |
