Animal Hospital of the Rockies
Our Staff
Dr. Marie Richardson, "Dr. C," grew up in both Colorado and Louisiana. She spent her undergraduate years at Louisiana State University, studying microbiology and business law. She received her DVM from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1991. (Geaux Tigers!)
The next year and a half she spent in New York City, completing an internship in medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center.
Following her internship, she served as staff veterinarian for the Aquarium of the Americas, at the Audubon Institute of New Orleans, before entering private practice.
Dr. C has lived in Estes Park for ten years, and is an active community member. In the past she has been part of the Rotary Club and the Fine Arts Guild Board of Directors; currently she serves on the local school board.
In 2000, Dr. C married her best friend, Mike Richardson, a local realtor. They have two children, Nathan and Alexis, plus a menagerie that includes Paladin, an American Tundra Shepherd, Gus, a goldendoodle puppy, and Frankie, the Siamese cat.
Dr. Deb Kiser grew up in the Midwest and earned her DVM from Purdue University in 1985. She has worked in small animal practices in the Indianapolis, Chicago, and Front Range areas for over 20 years.
You will find Dr. Kiser at our clinic sporadically, when she generously fills in so that Dr. C can take a break every now and then!
She enjoys working with both cats and dogs but has a special interest in cats, having worked with several feline-exclusive practices.
Dr Kiser's primary interests outside of animals are music, photography, hiking, horseback riding, and anything else creative.
Kari Hamel has been a pet lover her entire life. She grew up in Nebraska with dogs, cats, and chickens. When she was little, her mom recalls, Kari liked to kiss the baby chickens on their heads. She also used to rescue baby bunnies.
After a series of "children" that included a rat, a hamster, and several cats, Kari now shares the nest with her daughter Olivia (Homo sapiens) and cats Victor and Chevy.
Kari has lived in Estes Park for over twelve years, and has been Dr. C's veterinary technician since 1999, when she graduated from Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology in Denver.
Kari's favorite parts about working here are getting lots of kisses and making pets feel better.
Kara Stockton hails from New Jersey, and once herded a flock of 6,200 cats using only a whistle and a catnip mouse on a string.
Okay, okay, so she never herded cats, but she did herd geese off people's farms using border collies, and she's been a sailor on a variety of tall ships in the Atlantic.
Kara grew up on a mini-farm in New Jersey, complete with horse, chickens, dogs, and a cat. She enjoys living in Estes with her family, including kitty pal Rascal.
Sherry SanMartin grew up in Baton Rouge and, like Dr. C, attended LSU, where she studied nursing. She's been in Colorado for twelve years now, three of those in Estes Park.
Sherry shares the nest with son, Keaton, daughter, Madison, and her "red-headed" golden retriever, Gracie. Oh, and a beta fish!
Sherry loves the outdoors, hiking, Cajun food (imagine that!), and spending time with her family. Her favorite thing to do at the hospital is playing with the animals, and her goal is to "be the person her dog believes her to be!" (We think she is.)
Nancy Davis grew up with a succession of fish, cats, and birds, but she always wanted a dog. She got one when she was 28 and has had one ever since (of course, she is only 29 now, and has been for a few years).
Nancy and her husband Larry have lived in the Estes Park area for over 20 years, and raised their two daughters here. Now they are empty nesters, except for their little beagle Pippi.
As the "kennel queen," Nancy has more dogs than she ever expected! You couldn't ask for a more loving mother to your "children" while they stay with us.
Nancy's favorite part about Dr. C's is that working here is like being part of a big family.
Rachel Michener grew up with a series of cats, dogs, lizards, snakes, spiders, turtles, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, crawdads, and pretty much anything else she could catch.
She and her husband, Dana, now share the nest with King Louie, a Pyrenees/Mastiff, Fleeka, a Norwegian Elkhound, Birgitte, a Husky mix, Valentino, a tabby cat, Duchess, a Persian, and Nova Lee, a QuarterHorse/Mustang.
It's quite a brood, but Rachel says her life wouldn't be complete without them. "I love animals-- always have, always will. If my husband let me, I would adopt every animal that I see!"
She has worked for Dr. C for about 5 years.
LaShelle Lyman was the stuffed animal queen while growing up; allergies kept everything but fish and frogs out of the house, so instead she spent as much time as she could playing with the neighbors' cats.
Today she and her cat, Mandu, enjoy living in their little cabin in the woods. LaShelle, having recently emerged from what she calls her "quarter-life" crisis, is applying to vet school.
You are likely to see LaShelle behind the reception desk when you come to visit, but she loves the fact that you're just as likely to find her bathing a dog, changing a diaper, or weighing a cat. She's happy to be part of the family at Dr. C's.
Elliot the cat is our official greeter, snuggler, and snoozer. He's a big fat sweetheart, full of love.
Elliot likes to play with "Da Bird," and he likes to plop down on whatever piece of paper you might be needing. He also has a talent for worming his way into open laps. And he thinks he's starving all the time.
Elliot prefers dogs to cats, and has a special talent for harrassing dogs while remaining agonizingly out of reach.