Dr. James Israelsen

Dr. Israelsen attended veterinary school at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, graduating with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1995. He then went to Oregon and worked in a very busy mixed-animal practice there until 1997, when he and Dr. Hillegass had the opportunity to purchase Mountain View Veterinary Health Center from Dr. Richard Jones who was retiring. Dr. Israelsen is certified in Animal Chiropractic, adjusting both performance horses and small animals for numerous problems. He has a special interest in internal medicine and enjoys the challenge of aiding pets through difficult illnesses.

Dr. Melinda Hillegass

Dr. Hillegass attended veterinary school at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, graduating with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1995. She then went to Oregon and worked in 2 separate hospitals there, including a 24-hour emergency clinic. In 1997, Dr. Hillegass and Dr. Israelsen purchased Mountain View Veterinary Health Center from Dr. Richard Jones who was retiring. Dr. Hillegass is trained in Acupuncture and Herbal medicine and has an interest in pet nutrition as well. She is a highly-skilled surgeon, and particularly enjoys soft tissue surgery.

Dr. Khirsta (Papenfuss) Jensen

Dr. Jensen attended veterinary school at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, graduating with her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2012. She enjoys the challenge of mixed animal practice and has done several externships at different practices to broaden her experience with various species including camelids and small ruminants. Upon her graduation, Dr. Jensen eagerly returned to Logan to work under the mentorship of Dr. Israelsen and Dr. Hillegass. She has a special interest in orthopedic and soft tissue surgery as well as ultrasonography.

Josefina Velasquez

Lead Veterinary Technician

​​​​​​​Josefina joined our team in August 2013 as a Technician and continued on to become our Head Technician. She is from Logan, Utah. Josefina has been in the veterinary field for ten years. She graduated from Bridgerland Technical College’s Veterinary Assisting program in 2009. She is currently attending Utah State University working towards becoming a registered technician. Josefina has two dogs; Zoey the sheltie mix and Jack the Labrador retriever. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking and being surrounded by nature. She loves exercising and spending time with friends and family.

Rylan Howard

Team Development Manager

Rylan joined our team August 2018 as Client Relations and then continued to Head of Client Relations. In January 2021, she became our Team Development Manager. She is from Idaho Falls, Idaho. She has an Associates in General Studies from Idaho State University, and she is currently attending Utah State University’s Business Management program. Rylan has one dog, Hayzel, an Australian Shephard and Shar Pei Mix. She loves learning new things about veterinary medicine and furthering her knowledge. She also loves getting to love on any pets that come in! In her spare time, she loves camping, riding four-wheelers, and playing games with friends and family.

Alissa Daugs

Lead Client Relations

Alissa joined our team in January 2020 as Client Relations, became Assistant Head of Client Relations in September 2020, and the Head of Client Relations in January 2021. She is from South Jordan, Utah. She completed Jordan Academy for Technology and Careers’ Veterinary Science course in 2016. From there, she received a Bachelor’s in Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences from Utah State University. She loves getting to help organize our schedule, interact with our amazing clients, and seeing all of the cute pets! In her spare time, she loves to be outside with her husband. She enjoys walks, hikes, bike rides, playing sports, and shooting guns. She also enjoys playing card and board games with family. She loves to be active but can also enjoy lazy time with her Dr Pepper.

Melissa Dixon

Melissa joined our team July 2014 as Client Relations. She is from Logan, Utah but has lived in many places. She has a Bachelor’s in Music Performance from North Carolina School of the Arts, as well as a Masters in Music Performance from Temple University. She loves being able to work with different patients. Melissa has one cat named Socks. In her spare time, she likes to read, mostly biographies and mysteries. Melissa is a history buff especially interested in the American Revolution and World War II. She also enjoys working on needlework projects with her cat Socks happily in her lap.

Chelisa Atkinson

Chelisa joined our team August 2019 as Client Relations. She is from Pocatello, Idaho. She is currently studying Veterinary Science at Utah State University. Chelisa has two dogs and one cat; Sparky and Briar the Border collies, and Styx the black cat. She loves seeing the different pets and working together with our team to keep pets healthy. Chelisa used to play the harp and speak German. In her spare time, she likes to play with her pets, sing, cook, and nap.

Samantha Young

Sam joined our team September 2016 as Animal Care and then moved to Technician in June 2018. She was raised in Grantsville and then moved to Logan. She graduated from Utah State University in 2018 with a Bachelor’s in Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences with an emphasis in Bioveterinary Medicine and minor in Chemistry. She plans on continuing to vet school. Sam has one dog and one cat; Bowser the English bulldog and Shere Khan the Orange Tabby. She loves meeting new animals every day and has a passion for veterinary medicine. Sam used to be on the swim team and loves swimming! In her spare time, she enjoys painting and drawing.

Cortney Kinder​​​​​​​

Cortney joined our team March 2018 as Animal Care and then moved to a Technician in May 2018. She is from Flaming Gorge, Utah. She graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science in May 2018. She is working to become a certified veterinary technician. Cortney has two dogs and one cat; Marley the Dalmatian Labrador mix, Purdy the Dalmatian, and Theo the black and white kitty. She knows how hard it is to have a sick pet and loves being able to help them. Cortney doesn’t like chocolate but will eat anything else that’s sugary!

Melissa Herrera

Melissa joined our team May 2016 as a Technician. She is from Logan, Utah. She is Fear Free certified. She graduated from Bridgerland Technical College’s Veterinary Assistant program. She graduated from Utah State University in 2019 with a Bachelor’s in Animal Science. She is currently attending PennFoster College in the Veterinary Nursing program. Melissa has one dog and two cats; Oakley the Mixed Breed, Pepper the tortie cat, and Milo the tabby. She loves how there is never a dull day in the veterinary field. In her spare time, Melissa plays co-ed softball and paints.

Makenna Dunn​​​​​​​

Makenna joined our team August 2017 as Animal Care then moved to Technician in August 2019. She is from South Jordan, Utah. Makenna graduated with a Bachelor’s in Animal Science with an emphasis in Equine Science from Utah State University in 2019. Makenna has two horses and one cat; Elle the chestnut, Malibu the red roan, and Keo the orange and white tabby. She loves being able to help animals feel better! Makenna loves to travel and go scuba diving and explore the underwater world. In her spare time, she likes to ride and train horses.

Taryn Hesketh

Taryn joined our team in August 2020 as a Technician. Taryn is from Granby, Connecticut, but has lived in Logan for the past four years. She graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor's in Agriculture Science with an emphasis in Animal Dairy and Veterinary Science. Taryn has three pets; Wren the dog, Wynnona the horse, and Skunkers the goat. She loves getting to work with and learn about animals every day. In her spare time, she enjoys barrel racing with her horse and snuggling on the couch with her dog to watch movies.

Amy Macauley

Amy joined our team in July 2020 as a Technician Assistant and moved to Technician in October 2020. Amy is from St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated from Bridgerland Technical College’s Animal Science program in June 2020. Amy has one dog, Cooper the Australian Shepherd, and Border Collie mix. A fun fact is that she has played the clarinet for 9 years, the piano for 14 years, and the ukulele for 4 years. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking and kayaking with her husband and dog, as well as reading.

Jaden Salas

Jaden joined our team in April 2020 as Animal Care and became a Technician in October 2020. Jaden was born in Arizona but lived in New Mexico for most of his life. He is currently studying Animal Biotechnology at Utah State University. He previously got his Vet Assistant certificate from Bridgerland Technical College. After he graduates from USU, he plans on applying to vet school. Jaden has three pets; Raven the black lab, Whiskers the tabby cat, and Bay the roan horse. Jaden loves working with all of our patients! Jaden spends his free time cooking, not just for humans, but also baking treats for his animals.

Sara Zaragoza

Sara joined our team January 2021 as Animal Care, quickly moved to Technician Assistant, and finally became a Technician in March 2021. Sara was born in Erie, Pennsylvania. She has three pets; Bones the black cat, Frodo the black cat, and Samwise the Siamese cat. Sara loves helping owners have peace of mind about their pet’s health and wellbeing. An interesting fact about Sara is that she eloped in Yosemite. In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis, going on hikes, playing fetch with her cats, and teaching her cat Bones to do various tricks!

Lindsey Allen

Lindsey joined our team December 2020 as Animal Care, moved to Technician Assistant in May 2021 and finally became a Technician in November 2021. Lindsey is from North Logan, Utah. She has a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology and Management from USU and is currently enrolled in Penn Foster’s Veterinary Technician program. She has one pet; Maya the Labrador Mix. Lindsey loves being able to take care of animals. A fun fact about Lindsey is that she has a black belt in karate, in her spare time she loves to read, hike, and go camping.

Alyssa Nelson

Alyssa joined our team as a Technician Assistant in August 2021. She is from Lindon, Utah. Alyssa is currently getting her pre-veterinary degree and will then attend the Utah State Veterinary program. Alyssa has three pets; a kitty named Ilie, and two German Shepherds named Janey and Kimber. Alyssa loves spending time with other people’s pets and learning new things when she can. Something interesting about Alyssa is that she is very creative and loves to work on craft projects including custom pet ID tags.

Olivia Verde​​​​​​​

Olivia joined our team in September 2020 as Bather. Oliva is from Pleasant Grove, Utah. She graduated from Dixie State University with a Bachelor of Science with an emphasis in Biological Science and a minor in Chemistry. She loves working with animals and knowing she is making a difference in their lives. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, especially with dogs, and reading!

Karilyn McMillan

Karilyn (Kari) joined our team February 2021 as Technician Assistant. Kari grew up in Spanish Fork, Utah. She has an Animal Science Certificate from Bridgerland Applied Technical College. She has twelve pets; 4 dogs, 2 cats, 5 fish, and 1 horse. Kari likes being able to make a difference in the lives of our patients and their families. In her spare time, she loves working with horses, either on her own or helping teach others how to ride.

Shelby Loveland

Shelby is from Layton, Utah and has been working in veterinary medicine for almost 3 years. She is currently a sophomore at USU studying Pre-Veterinary and working on prerequisites for Veterinary school. Her favorite part about her job is being able to watch her patients get better with treatment. In her spare time, she loves to spend time outside - hiking and hammocking.

Hanna Crowther

​​​​​​Hanna is from Fallon, Nevada and has been working in veterinary medicine for one year. She is the proud owner of a heeler-terrier mix named Tally. She is currently a junior at USU, working on her major in Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Science. Her favorite part of her job is being able to reassure clients with answers to their questions. Hanna can speak Spanish and in her spare time, she likes to hike with her husband and her dog

Sieauna Vigh

​​​​​​​Sieauna is from Sandy, Utah and has been working in veterinary medicine for about 3 years. She is the proud owner of two dachshunds named Stella and O'Hana. She has a bachelor's degree in Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science with an emphasis in Bioveterinary science from USU. She plans to continue her education by attending veterinary school. Her favorite part of her job is learning new things every day and loving the fuzzy friends along the way. In her spare time, she loves to make lists - to-do lists, charts, schedules, etc.

Jayme Bouhaddaoui

Groomer

Jayme joined our team November 2018 as our Groomer. She is from Logan, UT. She has been grooming for over 10 years. In 2019 Jayme completed training in Fear Free grooming practices. Jayme has two dogs; Kiba a miniature poodle and Renji a miniature schnauzer. Jayme loves working with dogs and seeing their unique personalities and the creativity of giving dogs new styles. In her spare time, she makes sculptures and jewelry out of clay.

Addie Allred

Bather

Addie joined our team as a Bather in November 2021. Addie grew up in Portland, Orgon but has been living in Logan for about two years. Addie is a full-time student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She does have a certificate in Applied Animal Behavior from the University of Washington, a certificate in Low Stress Handling, and she is currently working on becoming certified in Fear Free Grooming Practices. Addie has a one-year-old Golden Retriever/Aussie mix named Denali. Addie has raised service dogs for nearly a decade and enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time with her own pup.

Abbi Thompson

Abbi joined our team as a Clinic Caretaker in August 2021. She is from Kaysville, Utah. Abbi has a cat named Bertie and two aquatic frogs named Thor and Loki. Abbi is currently a junior studying Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences at Utah State University. Something fun about Abbi is that she loves cereal! She could eat cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She also really enjoys being outdoors where she can go fishing, kayaking, and hammocking.

Tessa Deis

Tessa joined our team as Clinic Caretaker in January of 2022. She is from North Ogden, Utah. Tessa is currently attending Utah State University studying Wildlife Ecology and Management and plans on becoming a Park Ranger after she finishes with her education. Tessa has three dogs: Rocky the Havanese, and two Miniature Aussie Doodles name Jerzee and Blu. In Tessa’s spare time she enjoys being outside with her friends from dirt biking to hiking or just sitting around a fire. She also enjoys teaching herself how to play the guitar and banjo.

Tiauni Skinner

​​​​​​​Clinic Caretaker
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Tiauni is from Logan, Utah and has just begun her work in veterinary medicine with her job here at the clinic! She is the proud owner of two dogs, a rottweiler named Stark and a Great Dane named Nixon. She is currently attending the Veterinary Technician Assistant Program at Bridgerland Technical College. Her favorite part of her job is helping care for animals. Tiauni loves to spend her time taking care of animals, playing the guitar, and hanging out with her friends.

Andrew Israelsen

Financial Officer
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Andrew took on the role of Financial Officer in May 2020. He is from Hyde Park, Utah. Andrew has one cat named Rafter. Andrew loves being surrounded by such fun animals. Even though he doesn’t work directly with them, he does enjoy petting the cute ones. Andrew is a sophomore at Utah State University majoring in Business Administration. Andrew loves to paint, compose and perform music, and enjoy hiking and hammocking.

Danielle Israelsen

Inventory Assistant
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​​​​​​​Danielle took on the role of Inventory Assistant in June 2020. She is from Hyde Park, Utah. Danielle will be graduating soon! Danielle has three dogs named, Oreo, Tiggy, and Copper and two cats named Rafter and Bat. Danielle enjoys gaining a better understanding of how a business works from the inside perspective. An interesting fact about Danielle is that she is a part of her schools’ color guard, and she enjoys participating in musicals.

Emma Trauntvein

Social Media & Marketing
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​​​​​​​Emma is from Hyde Park, Utah and has been working in the social media and marketing field for about 2 years. She is currently working on a bachelor's degree in Public Health through BYU. She is the proud owner of a 15-year-old cockatiel named Muppet. Her favorite part of her job is being able to edit so many photos of adorable pets from the clinic. Emma loves to spend her spare time walking several miles with her family's dog.