A native of New Mexico, Dr. Baxter did her undergraduate education at Cal Poly in SLO. She earned her veterinary degree from Cornell University, and completed a Comparative Medicine Residency at Stanford University School of Medicine. She has been a staff veterinarian at University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard University. She has benefited from being able to practice general practice medicine, ER medicine, shelter medicine, and corporate medicine in California, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts serving the needs of a vast number of species. She is looking forward to continue to grow professionally and bring her experiences to the leadership role as Medical Director at VCA Valley. She is looking forward to helping VCA Valley be here to support the needs of the animals of Coachella Valley. There were many pets in her childhood household including a horse that she showed through college. She raised her own children surrounded by animals including frogs, toads, a snake, 2 cats, 2 dogs, and the occasional foster that needed to come be with us. Now she just has the 18 year old cat who likes to make appearances at VCA Valley as the Assistant Medical Director, and 20 year old snake named Popcorn. Once a true empty nester, Dr. Baxter will probably get back to traveling. She also loves swimming, the outdoors and ceramics.