Shawna was born and raised in Orange County, California. She graduated from Orange County Veterinary Assistant School in 2017 and went on to pass the VTNE in 2018. Shawna decided to join the veterinary field after losing her cat, Trouble, to chronic kidney disease at only eight years old. She wanted to help pets and their families navigate difficult health situations like she and Trouble had. She's been with VCA since February 2015.
On top of being a veterinary assistant, Shawna is also our hospital's dedicated surgery coordinator. In this role, she takes charge of surgery-specific scheduling and communications. Her veterinary interests include dental care and nutrition, and her favorite part of her job is helping animals in need while teaching our clients the importance of both bonding with and taking care of their pets. She believes everyone should know how much we care. We love your pets deeply, too; we want to see them happy and healthy and living their best lives with you.
At home, Shawna has three cats of her own: Sgt. Pepper, a sweet but nervous fella; Pennylane, a friendly and outgoing tortico who is the queen of the roost; and Millie Marie Rigby, who is precious and loves to cuddle. She remarks that they are the most perfect specimens to have ever graced the Earth. If Shawna were an animal herself, she thinks she'd be either a sloth or a clinic cat. A sloth because, "sleep is life," and a clinic cat perhaps because she would like to get into trouble and pick on the staff (not to mention the free healthcare bonus!). She's known to be a bit of a prankster on the team and brings us all lots of joy on a regular basis.
The best piece of advice Shawna was ever given was by her grandfather: "It's only temporary." He also advised her that your word is your bond, and without that you have nothing. She swears by these words of wisdom. In her free time, Shawna loves to hike the aisles of Costco, read a good book, watch her favorite movies and shows, go to concerts, and hang out and cuddle with her cats. She also has an older sister who does her best to drag her out of the house to be more social, but Shawna prefers to keep life simple as often as she can.
