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 & Critical Care

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

Dylan Fry, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology)

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!)