Meet Our Team
Our team is the heart of everything we do at Governor Animal Clinic. Serving pet owners throughout San Diego, University City, La Jolla, and Clairemont, our veterinarians and support staff are united by a shared commitment to compassionate, high-quality care.
Our Veterinarians
Our doctors bring a depth of knowledge, experience, and specialized interests that allow us to provide comprehensive and individualized care for your pets. With decades of combined experience, advanced training, and a genuine love for animals, we’re proud to provide trusted veterinary care for every patient who walks through our doors.
Julie Sorenson, DVM
Dr. Julie Sorenson received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of California, Davis in 1991. After receiving her degree, Dr. Sorenson worked at UC Davis and at private small animal practices in Sacramento for five years. Dr. Sorenson began practicing at Governor Animal Clinic in 1996. Although she engages in general practice, her areas of special interest are dermatology, internal medicine, and preventive medicine. Outside of practicing medicine, Dr. Sorenson’s interests are traveling and spending time with her children and family.
Heather Oman, DVM
Dr. Heather Oman comes to us after completing a one-year internship at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego, during which she worked with a variety of specialists and practiced emergency medicine. Her personal areas of interest include internal medicine and neurology. Dr. Oman received her undergraduate degree from Princeton University in 1997, then graduated from Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine with scholastic honors and awards, and received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2002. Dr. Oman shares her life with her husband, veterinarian Daniel Oman, her two boys, Jackson and Carter, their Labrador “Clod”, and cats “Bea” and “Jupiter”.
Kirk Feinberg, DVM
Dr. Kirk Feinberg received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of California, Davis in 1983. His special interest areas are internal medicine, surgery, dermatology, and ear disorders. He also uses naturopathic medication to augment his Western medicine skills.
Dr. Feinberg joined Dr. Schechter at Governor Animal Clinic in 1987. His outside interests include family time, hiking, sailing, gardening, and camping (almost always with “Daisy” by his side, his Australian Shepherd, who is as cute, sweet, and smart as can be).
Kathy Kaleka, DVM
Dr. Kathy Kaleka earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Washington State University in 1991. Upon graduation, she received the Pfizer Small Animal Clinical Proficiency award. She joined our team at Governor Animal Clinic in October of 2001. Her special interests are anesthesia and feline medicine. She is an instructor at Mesa College’s Animal Health Technology program and participates in various volunteer projects for animals throughout the community. She is very active in sports and outdoor activities. Dr. Kaleka shares her life and her home with her husband Brian, three step kids, three dogs, and two cats.
Steffanie Rowe, DVM
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Aimee Bains, DVM
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Maddie Steevens, DVM
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Business Management
Denice Blue, Human Resources
It almost seemed too good to be true when Denice began her employment here at Governor Animal Clinic. Her enthusiasm, great disposition, positive energy, and sweet personality were just what we were looking for! Growing up with a deep-seated love for animals—not just owning them, but caring for them—made her a natural fit for our team.
Denice is one of the rare Southern California girls born and raised in San Diego. After high school, she became a certified riding instructor/horse trainer. Animals are definitely one of her passions, as she has nurtured a wide and varied assortment of creatures over the years: dogs, cats, horses, bunnies, lizards, snakes, ducks, and hamsters, to name a few.
Denice has worked at a few vet clinics before finding her home here with us at GAC. “It truly is a family to me.” Denice lives with her husband, Scott, three boys, and their family of pets (Mina B the Cavalier, Honey and Cinnamon the bunnies, and six chickens). Her current passions are competing in triathlons, teaching Spin, and spending time with the family. We are so proud to share this energetic, intelligent employee with you and your pets! We hope you will come in and meet her!
Irene Martinez
Bio coming soon…
Jenny Richey
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Client Services Team
Our client service representatives are often your first point of contact. They are here to answer your questions, assist with scheduling, and ensure you and your pet feel welcomed and supported.
Leanne Walters
Leanne Walters is a returning employee. A while back, she took some time off work to get her family started, and is now a very proud and happy mommy to Emily! This little red-headed beauty was born on Christmas Eve and is the absolute love of her life!
Leanne is a San Diego native, born and raised here with her older brother, Allen. She is very close to her parents, who live in Point Loma. Leanne lived with Allen before getting married to her husband, Danny. Family remains Leanne’s focus and priority. They have one dog, “Lily.” She is an awesome family dog, best friend, and protector of Emily. When not at work, Leanne loves to walk, read, garden, hike, camp, and do most any type of outdoor activity, especially if it involves her family. She also has a huge heart, and we love that she came back to us!
Nathalie Marquez
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Taylor Bispham
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Jessy Olvera
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Madison Lyons
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Clementine Senske
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Kiley Rhoden
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Sam Vecker
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Outpatient Team
Our outpatient team works closely with veterinarians during exams and routine visits, ensuring your pet receives attentive, efficient care.
Anita Sly, RVT
Anita Sly, RVT, joined our clinic in February 1999. She works in our outpatient nursing area of the clinic, keeping things running smoothly for the doctors and keeping everyone on track.
She enjoys antique collecting, landscaping, animal husbandry, and camping during her free time. Her free time is limited because she keeps very busy with her many dogs, cats, birds, tortoise, fish, and various rescued and rehabilitated homeless animals.
Lena Griffith, RVT
Lena is a registered veterinary technician (RVT), having graduated in 2008. She has been in the veterinary field for over 20 years, beginning with volunteering at the age of 14 at the Humane Society and other local shelters, and working at GAC for over 10 years. She is a very dedicated, easy-going, optimistic, loving, and calm person who enjoys life and lives every day to the fullest.
She is also a single mom to a teenage son, Sebastian, and they share their lives with “Randall,” “Mason,” “Jerry,” and “Micky.” They also have a certified therapy dog by the name of “ChiChi” (“Chiquita”). Lena rescued ChiChi when she was only a day old and weighed 78 grams. She was going to be euthanized due to a cleft palate, so Lena took her in, and for the first 4 weeks of her life, she was tube-fed every two hours and given loads of love and attention. She is truly a little miracle baby, and they are now inseparable! She loves to volunteer with “Chiquita,” providing pet therapy to local hospitals, nursing homes, libraries, and special events. It is SO rewarding to see the joy and smiles that she brings to people’s lives!
Lena loves working at GAC, and she is so thankful to be a part of such a wonderful, caring, and compassionate team. All of the doctors are so dedicated, and everyone is very close, just like family!
Arleen Ramos, RVT
Arleen Ramos is one of our outpatient team’s registered veterinary technicians. Her interest in the veterinary field started in middle school when she made the decision that she would work with animals when she grew up. Since then, she has tailored her education to meet her career goals. She is a 2009 graduate from SDSU with a BS in biology with an emphasis in zoology. She continued her education by obtaining an associate’s degree in animal health technology from San Diego Mesa College’s registered veterinary technician program. Following this coursework, she obtained her California license as an RVT in 2013. According to her, the greatest loves of her life are her five “fur babies.” She has three dogs: Bailie, Dakari, and Bethany; as well as two cats: Balari and Zyanya.
Sophie Samii, RVT
Bio coming soon…
Angelica Graham
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Midori Najarian
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Jamari Younan
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Viriliana Guzman
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Letizia Salazar
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Danielle Meagher
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Cindy Yepez
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Joaquin Felix
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Bailey Dempster
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Kendall Keller
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Katelyn Black
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Michelle Wood
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Inpatient Team
Our inpatient team provides dedicated monitoring and care for pets staying with us for procedures, recovery, or medical treatment.
Susan Stutz, RVT
Sue Stutz has been the head Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) since she came to us in August 1990. Her professionalism is superb, and with her knowledge and experience, you know that your pet is receiving the utmost quality care while under her supervision. Sue is one of the team leads of the inpatient staff. She has many other interests, including surfing, camping, snowboarding, and photography. She shares her home with two German shorthaired pointers, Hanna and Shasta, and a handsome cat, Tristan. The love of her life is her tall, dark, and handsome Arab gelding.
Katherine Wilde, RVT
Katherine Wilde came to GAC in November 2009. We found out right away that Katherine is eager to learn and be challenged. So much so that in the spring of 2010, she received her license after attending Mesa College’s RVT program, and is now a Registered Veterinary Technician. We are very proud of her accomplishments and how far she’s come in such a short time. She’s always ready to do whatever it takes to keep GAC running smoothly and works with her team to seamlessly get things done with a perfect mix of precision and loving care.
Katherine grew up in San Diego. She played piano for 16 years, loves being outside, and keeping busy with outdoor activities. Her favorites are camping, hiking, and traveling with her husband, Dan. Also a connoisseur of food, her favorites are Thai, Indian, Sushi, and Italian. Katherine shares her life and home with “Juno”, her yellow lab mix adopted from the shelter, and 2 cats: “Oliver”, who was adopted from Mesa College, and “Clover”, a foundling from the streets. We hope that you will come in and meet Katherine, along with the rest of our top-notch Inpatient team!
Nicole Roling, RVT
Bio coming soon…
Ashley Rojas, RVT
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Vianka Lemus, RVT
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Cristal Lira
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Lynet Artiga
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Sarah Pamoleras
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Kyle La Pierre
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Alejandra Arias
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Melanie Vigliotti
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Laboratory Team
Our laboratory team supports accurate diagnostics and timely results, helping our veterinarians make informed decisions about your pet’s care.
Elizabeth Ambrose
Bio coming soon…
A Team You Can Trust
At Governor Animal Clinic, we are more than a veterinary team—we are a group of dedicated professionals who truly care about your pet’s health and happiness. With decades of experience and a shared commitment to compassionate care, we are proud to serve pets and their families throughout San Diego and the surrounding communities.