Meet Our Team in Silver Spring, MD

All
  • All
  • Anesthesiology
  • Emergency
  • Neurology
  • Surgery

Benjamin Donati, VMD

Emergency

Education & Training

  • University of Maryland (Go Terps!), B.S. Criminology & Criminal Justice
  • University of Pennsylvania College of Veterinary Medicine, V.M.D.
  • Veterinary Emergency and Referral Group, Small Animal Rotating Internship

Hometown: Princeton, NJ

Pets: Winston (French Bulldog) & Franklin (Newfoundland)

Favorite Wild Animal: Manatee

Fun Fact: Auditioned, unsuccessfully, for an Oscar Mayer “Wienermobile” commercial

Tyler Hawbecker, DVM

Emergency

Education and Training

  • Iowa State University B.S. Animal Science (2017)
  • Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, D.V.M. (2021)
  • North Carolina State University, Small Animal Rotating Internship (2022)
  • Veterinary Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Group, Surgery Speciality Internship (2023)
  • WestVet Specialty and Emergency Animal Hospital, Surgery Specialty Internship (2024)

Hometown: Sugar Grove, IL

Pets: Archer (Lab mix), Arya (Gray tabby cat)

Favorite Wild Animal: Red Panda

Fun Fact: I love Chicago sports!

Kelly McKenna, VMD

Emergency

Education and Training

  • Lafayette College, A.B. History and Art
  • Monmouth University, P.B.C. Pre-Health Studies
  • University of Pennsylvania College of Veterinary Medicine, V.M.D.

Hometown: Brick, NJ

Pets: Cooper (Cavalier Mix), Beth (Lab Mix), Rose (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel), Paris (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel), Max (Cavalier Mix), Rudy (Tabby cat)

Favorite Wild Animal: Seal

Fun Fact: Traveled to more than 20 countries. Also obsessed with CKCS (but that’s a given from the pets section)

Vikas Mendhiratta, DVM

Emergency

Education and Training

  • University of Maryland, B.S. Electrical Engineering
  • Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, DVM
  • Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, Small Animal Rotating Internship

Hometown: Darnestown, MD

Pets: Pebbles (pitbull), Lettie (pitbull), Bob Saget (cat), Elmer (cat)

Favorite Wild Animal: Penguin

Fun Fact: I won third place in a beard competition

Jennifer Ortolani, DVM, DACVECC

Emergency

Education & Training

  • Virginia Polytechnic Institution and State University, B.S. Biological Sciences, B.S. Psychology
  • St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine (clinical training North Carolina State University), D.V.M
  • BluePearl Pet Hospital in Tampa, FL, Small Animal Rotating Internship
  • University of Missouri/BluePearl Pet Hospital in NYC, Residency (ECC)
  • Diplomate; American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (DACVECC)

Hometown: None! Lived in many places

Pets: Evie (Australian Shepherd)  

Favorite Wild Animal: Seahorses, sea otters, basically anything “ocean” 

Fun Fact: PADI Divemaster, avid yogi and baker 

Tierney Roche, VMD

Emergency

Education and Training

  • University of Notre Dame, B.S. Science Business
  • University of Pennsylvania College of Veterinary Medicine, V.M.D.
  • Friendship Hospital for Animals, Small Animal Rotating Internship

Hometown: Silver Spring, MD

Pets: Rosie (Mixed breed), Louie (Mixed breed), Carl (French Bulldog)

Favorite Wild Animal: Squirrel

Fun Fact: Can solve a Rubik’s cube in under 2 minutes

Hanum Wensil-Strow, VMD

Emergency

Education and Training

  • University of Maryland, B.S. Animal Science/Environmental Science and Policy
  • University of Pennsylvania College of Veterinary Medicine, V.M.D.
  • Alvarado Veterinary Clinic, Mixed Animal Internship

Hometown: Elkridge, MD

Pets: Penny Lane (Terrier mix), Eleanor Rigby (cat), I Am The Walrus (cat), and Father McKenzie (cat)

Favorite Wild Animal: Rhino

Fun Fact: Has been to all 50 states

Ken Wesley, DVM

Emergency

Education & Training

  • University of Vermont, B.S. Animal Science
  • University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, D.V.M.
  • MedVet Chicago, Small Animal Rotating Internship

Hometown: Bethesda, MD

Pets: Tellulah (Dachshund mix)

Favorite Wild Animal: Wallaby

Fun Fact: Performed at Carnegie Hall in NYC

Allison Cox, DVM

Emergency

Education & Training

  • Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine 2018-2022
  • Rotating Internship at Angell Animal Medical Center 2022-2023
  • Surgical Internship at Nashville Veterinary Specialists 2023-2024

Hometown: Torrance, CA

Pets: 1 dog and 2 cats! Willow is a 3-year-old shepherd/pittie mix. My two cats are named Benjamin Lucifer (Benny for short, and yes he earned that middle name) and Calcifera (named after the Howl’s Moving Castle character Calcifer, but we just call her Fera for short). Benny will be 3 years old in April, and Fera just recently turned 5!

Favorite Wild Animal: I am obsessed with giraffes! They are the coolest mammal on the planet in my opinion!

Fun Fact: I played two varsity sports throughout college (softball and volleyball), and ran the Phoenix marathon when I was in veterinary school. I was fortunate enough to be invited to play on two junior USA international softball teams, and competed in Italy 2015 and Aruba 2016.

Dylan Fry, DVM, DACVIM

Neurology

Education and Training

  • Cornell University, B.S. Animal Science
  • Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, D.V.M
  • Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, Small Animal Rotating Internship
  • Tufts University, Neurology/Neurosurgery Internship
  • Tufts University, Neurology/Neurosurgery Residency
  • Diplomate; American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine – Neurology (DACVIM-Neurology)

Hometown: Chestertown, MD

Pets: Dapper (Jack Russell), Jesús (Terrier mix)

Favorite Wild Animal: Giraffe

Fun Fact: Avid dairy cattle breeder and showman

Barri Sarowitz, VMD, DACVS-SA

Surgery

Education and Training

  • Cornell University, B.A. Biology
  • University of Pennsylvania College of Veterinary Medicine, V.M.D.
  • Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, Small Animal Rotating Internship
  • Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, Small Animal Surgery Residency
  • Diplomate; American College of Veterinary Surgeons (DACVS-SA)

Hometown: Cherry Hill, NJ

Pets: Wilson (orange tabby cat)

Favorite Wild Animal: Duck

Fun Fact: Die-hard Philly sports fan

Dominick Valenzano, DVM, DACVS-SA

Surgery

Education and Training

  • University of Maryland, B.S. Bioengineering
  • Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, D.V.M
  • University of Pennsylvania, Small Animal Rotating Internship
  • Cornell University, Small Animal Surgery Residency
  • Diplomate; American College of Veterinary Surgeons (DACVS-SA)

Hometown: Hillsborough, NJ

Pets: Juneau (Mixed breed)

Favorite Wild Animal: Orca

Fun Fact: Trained Juneau in scent detection

Urshulaa Dholakia, DVM, DACLAM, DACVAA

Anesthesiology

Education and Training

  • Cornell University, B.S. Animal Science
  • St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine, D.V.M/M.P.H
  • Columbia University, Laboratory Animal Medicine Residency
  • University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Anesthesia & Analgesia Residency
  • Diplomate; American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (DACLAM)
  • Diplomate; American College of Veterinary Anesthesia & Analgesia (DACVAA)

Hometown: New Hyde Park, NY

Pets: Marcel Thomas (cat)

Favorite Wild Animal: Guanaco

Fun Fact: Has anesthetized 43 species of animals (and counting!)