Growing up on the outskirts of a small town in southwest Missouri, I spent most of my childhood undertaking brave “expeditions” into the Wild—aka the woods behind my house. As the world’s next Steve Irwin (or so I liked to think), I was always on the search for wildlife, and the rush of pure excitement I would experience when I stumbled upon a fresh animal track could rival that of Steve’s.

This fascination with all things nature meant that when my five-year-old self first learned animal doctors actually exist and are called “vegetarians” (couldn’t even get the name right yet), I triumphantly exclaimed to the world, “THAT’s what I want to be when I grow up!” This decision shaped the following chapters of my life, and after graduating from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine I moved to Austin, Texas to begin my veterinary career as a general practitioner.

I gained invaluable experience and enjoyed developing relationships with the pets and families I served; however, I soon began to realize the appointments which resonated the most with me were those that centered around end-of-life care. These were the moments and conversations in which I felt most helpful as a veterinarian, not only to pets but to their families as well.

Pursuit of this passion first drew me to a mobile end-of-life practice in Austin, where I had the privilege of partnering with over 1,000 families in their time of greatest need. A few years later, life ended up taking me to beautiful Flagstaff, Arizona where I started A Loving Farewell. Helping pet parents navigate the end-of-life stage and assisting pets in their final transition is the utmost honor.

I share my home with my mischievous cats, Cleo and Cairo, who never fail to keep me on my toes. In my spare time, I enjoy running, hiking, traveling, and just being outdoors.