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WE PUT THE ‘CARE’ IN CARETEAM!

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Yaya

Office Manager, Veterinary Technician

Yaya can’t remember a time in her life when she wasn’t passionate about pets. Ever since she was a little girl, she’s wanted to put her time and efforts toward improving the lives of the earth’s creatures. As the Office Manager and a Veterinary Technician here at Royal Oaks Veterinary Hospital, Yaya gets to spend every day doing just that!

Yaya was born and raised in Puerto Rico with her parents, brother, and sister. She attended a university there, studying pre-veterinary medicine, before moving to Florida and starting her career in the world of animal care. Yaya completed an internship at Royal Oaks Veterinary Hospital in 2006, and signed on as an employee a year later. She’s been caring for the area’s pets here ever since!

Outside of work, Yaya enjoys dancing, listening to music, and spending time with her family and pets at home. She and her husband, Juan, share their lives with three dogs: a pit bull, Isis; Buddy the Bluetick Coonhound; and a trouble-making dachshund who goes by Sugar.

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Trista

Veterinary Technician

Trista has known that she wanted to help animals in whatever way she possibly could ever since she was three years old. Growing up, she volunteered her time to help the earth’s creatures before she was old enough to hold down a job—Trista volunteered with local vets’ offices, a farm, and even with a Greyhound rescue. Her passion for pets simply never quit! Now, she’s able to help pets daily as a Veterinary Technician.

Trista was born in Santa Maria, California, but was raised right here in Clermont. She first joined the team here at Royal Oaks Veterinary Hospital when she was in high school, starting as a volunteer before being hired on as a Kennel Technician. Trista moved away for college before returning to this area, and it was then that Dr. Dwyer contacted her about a full-time Technician position. Trista didn’t hesitate—she’s thrilled to rejoin the hospital family and help the area’s pets and animal owners once again!

Trista’s interests outside of animal care include sports—she’s played softball ever since she can remember, and even helped lead her high-school team to a tournament win thanks to her pitching skills!—and spending quality time with family and friends. At home, she has a well-trained Husky mix named Sassy and a and a Black Mouth Cur named Khali.

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Bethann

Veterinary Technician

Bethann was born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she was constantly spending time around her own family’s dogs and cats or the neighbors’ pets when they would leave on vacation. She’s always known that she wanted to work hands-on with pets to help them live healthy, fulfilling lives! Bethann’s passion simply hasn’t quit—she’s now a Veterinary Technician and gets to care for animals on a daily basis.

Bethann was only 14 years old when she started volunteering at a small zoo in Pennsylvania, and she would continue to give her time to zoos and aquariums throughout her high school and college years. Bethann loved the rehabilitation aspect of animal care, and knew that she wanted to further her medical knowledge in order to help as many pets as she possibly could. That’s why she decided to become a Veterinary Technician!

Bethann joined the Royal Oaks Veterinary Hospital family in December of 2017. Medically, she’s fond of radiology work and loves getting to see how the body works internally. Her favorite part of every shift, though, is getting to meet new pet owners and their adorable companions.

In her free time, Bethann can be found reading, scuba diving, exploring Disney World, or spending time with her own pets at home. She and her boyfriend, Kyle, live in Lakeland with a cuddle-loving Dachshund, Josie, and a mischievous cat named Padme who enjoys jumping on top of Bethann’s saltwater aquarium to watch the fish.

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Sherry

Veterinary Technician

Animals have played an important role in Sherry’s life ever since she can remember. What better way to pay it forward while doing something she loved, Sherry mused, than by working in the veterinary field? Now, she’s been a Veterinary Technician for more than 30 years!

Sherry grew up in New Jersey and lived in Wyoming during her college years before moving to St. Louis, where she signed on as a staff member at the St. Louis Zoo. It wasn’t long before she began her career as a Veterinary Technician at a nearby emergency clinic—Sherry hasn’t looked back since.

After working as a Tech in both the zoo-medicine and private-practice worlds, Sherry joined the team here at Royal Oaks Veterinary Hospital in 2014, where she has a special fondness for critical care work and the fast-paced nature of her job. She’s also passionate about keeping up with the latest advances in veterinary medicine in order to best serve the area’s pets and animal owners.

Sherry and her husband—who works in the zoo field himself—have two adult daughters and one wonderful granddaughter. They share their home with a pair of bloodhounds, a Bouvier des Flandres, and a Labrador mix, as well as one cat and two miniature horses. Sherry even uses her animal-care skillset to foster and train K9 deputy bloodhounds for the police department!

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Lexi

Veterinary Technician

Although she always suspected she would love to work hands-on with pets, Lexi ended up attending college for communications and marketing. It wasn’t long before she knew that it wasn’t her true calling. It was time for a change—Lexi decided to do something she had always been passionate about and started working with animals! She couldn’t be happier with her choice and now gets to help pets daily as a Veterinary Technician.

Lexi was born in California and also lived in Virginia for a time while growing up. After her schooling, she became a Customer Service Representative for the SPCA and then moved to Japan for a time, where she signed on as an Animal Health Technician at a military veterinary clinic. After moving back to the States, Lexi became a Veterinary Assistant and then moved into a Veterinary Technician role here at Royal Oaks Veterinary Hospital. She’s been a member of the clinic family since September of 2020.

As a Tech, Lexi especially enjoys helping with the things many people would consider “gross.” She’s also fond of helping nervous or anxious animals to stay calm during their time here at the clinic. Above all, interacting directly with pet owners and their adorable companions to make a difference is what really drives her on a daily basis!

At home, Lexi’s animal companions include Mochi, a quirky Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix; a loveable Chihuahua who goes by Teddy; and a Miniature Pinscher named Clara who likes to put up a macho front but is secretly a huge cuddle-bug.

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Rachael

Veterinary Assistant

Rachael was inspired at a young age to do all that she could to help animals. That passion just never wavered. She’s always known that working in the world of veterinary medicine was her true calling! Rachael gets to help pets every day as a Veterinary Assistant with the Royal Oaks Veterinary Hospital team.

Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Rachael was a client here at the hospital before she was an employee. Witnessing the quality care and kindness demonstrated to her and her pets by the clinic staff left Rachael with no doubt: she wanted to join the hospital team herself! She became a part of the Royal Oaks Veterinary Hospital family in March of 2018.

Outside of work, Rachael likes visiting the beach, going swimming, taking her kids to the movies, and doting on her own pets at home. She has four high-strung animal companions named Loki, Tank, Ginger, and Sammy.

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Kyra

Veterinary Assistant

Kyra was only in kindergarten when she decided that she would one day work with animals. She never gave up on that dream. For her, no other choice of career would make sense! Kyra is a proud member of the Veterinary Technician team here at Royal Oaks Veterinary Hospital.

A Miami native, Kyra was in high school when she began interning at a veterinary hospital, focusing on small-animal medicine and marine biology. Next, she attended Florida State University to earn her degree in biology and chemistry. While there, she worked as a Laboratory Assistant in an animal laboratory and in the Antarctic Marine Geology Research Facility, and also volunteered at a wolf preserve while serving as a part of her school’s pre-vet club.

After graduation, Kyra interned as an animal nutritionist at ZooMiami, where she had many memorable experiences. Over the course of her career, Kyra has hugged a Beluga whale; swam with dolphins; taken X-rays on a chimpanzee; fed elephants, penguins, and hippos; and even prepared a lion for surgery! Upon moving to Clermont, Kyra decided to dive headfirst into the veterinary profession and joined the Royal Oaks Veterinary Hospital team in March of 2019. She’s been a part of the family ever since.

Kyra’s interests away from work include visiting the beach, swimming, playing water polo, reading, making art, and spending time with her pets. She has two animal companions at home: Boo, a rescued dog, and a cat who goes by Vader.

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Ariel

Veterinarian Technician Assistant

When Ariel was around 6 years old, she was introduced to a Red Knee Tarantula at Animal Kingdom. Witnessing the passion the keepers had for their animals inspired her to follow a similar path. As a Vet Tech Assistant here at Royal Oaks, Ariel appreciates the opportunity to be an advocate for those that have no voice.

Ariel’s journey began as a volunteer at various shelters and farms. During that time, she was privileged to be able to work with several endangered species of snakes, including some that were venomous, before moving on to riding and training horses. Since joining the Royal Oaks team, Ariel has become the ‘go-to-gal’ for her coworkers.

Professionally, Ariel’s favorite part of the job involves looking through the microscope. She relishes any opportunity she has to learn new things and is fascinated by the tiny world of microorganisms she is able to see on the slides.

At home, Ariel has a couple of pets of her own, including a small Doxiepoo named Ramboo, who can be shy at first, but loves a game of chase once he warms up. She also has a Bearded Dragon named Dundee, who enjoys sleeping in Ariel’s lap and keeping a watchful eye on her from his cage.

Some of Ariel’s many personal interests include playing piano, archery, camping, hiking, fishing, and hopefully one day scuba diving. She also enjoys boxing, which she says is a positive outlet that has helped her physically, mentally and emotionally.

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WE PUT THE ‘CARE’ IN CARETEAM!