Staff
Team of Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care
Meet our caring and compassionate veterinary care team committed to providing exceptional veterinary care.
Dr. Bari Cappelletti, DVM
Dr. Cappelletti was born and raised in Alamo, California and previously worked at Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center in our Reception/Pharmacy Department- she is so happy to be back at home! She completed her undergraduate degree from UCLA before graduating from the Veterinary School at the University of California, Davis. During vet school Dr. Cappelletti worked as a technician at a feline-only practice and was the VP of the Feline Medicine Club. She currently lives with her husband and four rescue pets, 3 cats and a dog, but don't let their sweet faces fool you, her babies are all trouble! In her spare time Dr. Cappelletti likes to get outside and be active, playing sports, hiking, swimming, and yoga. She loves to hang out with her friends but also enjoys some quiet time curled up with a good book and a cup of coffee.
Dr. Cappelletti is not accepting new clients at this time.
Dr. Rebecca Crisp, DVM
Dr. Crisp grew up in Moraga, California where she had a strong interest in animals from a very young age; her first word was “dog!” After moving to Seattle for her undergraduate degree at University of Washington, Dr. Crisp fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian and graduated from Veterinary School at the University of California, Davis. She is especially interested in preventative care, dermatology, and integrative medicine. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her two lively cats, experimenting in the kitchen, cheering on the Giants and 49ers, and (slowly) improving her golf game.
Dr. Jim DeLano, DVM
Dr. DeLano graduated from the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1987. In 1989, he and Dr. Utchen co-founded Norris Canyon Veterinary Medical Center in San Ramon, which in the year 2000 became Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center. His general practice interests include Soft Tissue Surgery and Behavior. In 2010, Dr. Delano joined the faculty of UC Davis to help teach business and exam room communications to veterinary students. He lives in San Ramon with his wife and their Chihuahua Fiona and Orange Tabby Wesley.
Dr. Delano is not accepting new clients at this time.
Dr. Michele Dodd, DVM
Dr. Dodd is a 2003 graduate of the Veterinary School at the University of California, Davis. She joined Bishop Ranch in July 2003. Her special interests are Internal Medicine, Preventive Care, and Emergency/Critical Care. Dr. Dodd also treats small mammals such as rabbits, hamsters, and rats. She lives with her family in Livermore. They share their home with their cat Charlie and dog Iris.
Dr. Dodd is not accepting new clients at this time.
Dr. Cynthia Easton, DVM
Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
Dr. Easton is a graduate of the Veterinary School at the University of California, Davis, and has practiced veterinary medicine for over 25 years. After a medicine and surgery internship at the University of Pennsylvania veterinary school, Dr. Easton worked for Pets Unlimited in San Francisco where she began pursuing an interest in holistic medicine. Doctor Easton has taken courses in Homeopathy, Western and Chinese herbology, and is certified by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. Providing clients with multiple options, doctor Easton helps clients choose the type of medicine best suited for them and their pets. Dr. Easton shares her home with 3 dogs, 2 rats, and her grown children when they miss a hot meal or need to do laundry! She enjoys her backyard oasis complete with koi and turtle ponds.
Dr. Easton is not accepting new clients at this time.
Dr. Triona McCarthy, DVM
Dr. McCarthy is a Bay Area native who graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis. Veterinary medicine has always been a part of her life: her first memory was putting band-aids on her stuffed toys, and her first job
was in a veterinary clinic. Dr. McCarthy is particularly interested in animal behavior, allergies, and client communication. She strives to ensure that you will leave your appointments with a thorough understanding of your pet's health and well-being, allowing you to make informed decisions about their ongoing care. Outside of work, she loves painting and scrapbooking, and you just may find her out with her camera on the hiking trails in and around San Ramon.
Dr. McCarthy is not accepting new clients at this time.
Dr. Hayley McDonald, BVSc Dip ECVIM-CA, PhD MRCVS (Cardiology)
Dr. McDonald grew up in Auckland, New Zealand and obtained her veterinary degree from Massey University in 2009. After working as a small animal veterinarian in Australia, she went on to complete a PhD at the University of Queensland. Her PhD focused on pharmacologic modulation of inflammatory and fibrotic pathways in ischemic heart disease with the aim of developing novel therapeutic strategies for human patients with coronary heart disease.
Dr McDonald moved to the United Kingdom in 2015 to undertake a Cardiology residency at the University of Glasgow. She successfully completed the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ECVIM) exams and the Cardiology specialty boards to become a Diplomate (Board Certified Cardiologist) in the specialty of Cardiology in 2019. After completing her residency, Dr McDonald stayed on at the University of Glasgow as a Lecturer & clinician in Cardiorespiratory medicine. In 2019 she moved to Dick White Referrals, a large private speciality hospital in Cambridgeshire, England. At this hospital she was part of the Mitral Valve repair team, one of only a few centres around the globe offering the highly specialised valve repair surgery and other cardiac surgery procedures performed under cardiopulmonary bypass.
In 2022 she moved to California and joined the team at LAASER where she enjoys helping all pets with cardiac disease and hopes to grow the interventional cardiology caseload, having a special interest in this area. Dr McDonald loves all aspects of veterinary cardiology & advancing this field. She has a particular interest in cardiac imaging. After spending many years throughout her PhD focusing on the use of ultra-high field cardiac MRI for tissue characterization, she ultimately hopes to help translate this knowledge and experience towards helping her canine and feline patients with heart disease. She is the founder of HeartHealth, a veterinary corporation providing medical and preventative care to patients throughout the United States and working to advance veterinary medical research worldwide.
When not in the clinic, you will never find her far from the water, as an avid kite surfer she spends all her free time in the ocean and loves chasing the waves in California! Dr McDonald also loves travelling the world and spending time visiting her friends all over the globe. She also loves skiing and hiking, having spent a lot of time in the highlands in Scotland and climbing & skiing mountains in New Zealand.
To book a cardiology appointment with Dr. McDonald, click here: bit.ly/DrMcDonaldCardio
Dr. Samantha Pulgini, DVM
Born and raised in Michigan, Dr. Pulgini began her educational journey at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor where she completed her undergraduate studies. Following graduation, she moved to California to pursue her veterinary degree at the University of California, Davis. Throughout her time in veterinary school, Dr. Pulgini’s passion for One Health flourished. This inspired her to undertake several projects dedicated to addressing interconnected issues in wildlife conservation, biodiversity loss, and public health across diverse locations such as Madagascar, Mozambique, and Italy. Currently residing in the East Bay with her wife, Chloé, Dr. Pulgini finds joy in capturing moments through photography, hiking nearby and distant mountain trails, and exploring new destinations during her travels!
Dr. Shruti Shastri, DVM
Dr. Shastri is a graduate of the Veterinary School at the University of California, Davis. Prior to veterinary school, she also completed her undergraduate degree at the University of California Davis in Biological Sciences. Upon completing the DVM degree, she moved to the Sacramento region to complete a small animal rotating internship in Loomis, CA. In her spare time, she enjoys painting, embroidery, crafting, reading, and spending time outdoors hiking with her family which includes her beagle, Milo.
Dr. Shastri is not accepting new clients at this time.
Dr. Michelle Tien, DVM
Dr. Michelle Tien, born and raised in San Jose, California. Dr. Tien attended UC Davis for her Bachelors of Science in Animal Science. She spent a year working full time as a veterinary technician at a small animal general practice in Stockton. She continued to work as a tech while attending UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Completed a small animal rotating internship at PetCare East Veterinary Hospital in Santa Rosa.On her spare time Dr. Tien plays competitive badminton in local open tournaments. She also enjoys baking, traveling, and playing video games and board games.
Dr. Tien is not accepting new clients at this time.
Dr. Kirsten Williams, DVM
Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
Dr. Williams graduated from the Veterinary School at the University of California, Davis in 1992. She was on staff at Crow Canyon Veterinary Clinic prior to its merger to become Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center. In 1998 she became certified in veterinary acupuncture by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. With training in both conventional western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dr. Williams is able to integrate multiple treatment modalities for her patients. She was recently voted Best Alternative Medicine Provider by Baywoof Beast of the Bay Awards. She lives with her husband, two children, a cat, crawfish, and a snake.
Dr. Williams is not accepting new clients at this time.
Dr. Stefanie Wong, DVM
Dr. Wong is a graduate of the Veterinary School at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Prior to veterinary school she completed her undergrad at UCLA and graduated magna cum laude with a B.S in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution. She spent time in the rainforests of Nicaragua studying the poison dart frog and also spent three months living and working in rural villages in Tanzania with the non-profit Support for International Change.
Dr. Wong completed a rotating internship at VCA West LA in Los Angeles and her special interests include emergency medicine and laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery as well as soft tissue surgery. She is a San Ramon native and loves to spend time outdoors with her husband, daughter and German Shepherd rescue Zuri. Her favorite weekends are spent with them, either running, surfing, hiking or camping.
Dr. Wong is not accepting new clients at this time.
Margaret Simuro
Hospital Director
A member of Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care since 2001, Margaret's passion for animals and veterinary management has helped shape the hospital into one of the largest veterinary practices in the Tri-Valley area. A veterinary technician for more than 10 years with experience in emergency and critical care, she has managed multiple veterinary hospitals. Always on the go, she enjoys traveling, gardening, and spending time with her husband and their German Wirehaired Pointer Kiel. They also share their home with two tortoises Captain Jack & Moriarty and Vinny Jones a Cat.
To contact Margaret-
Email: Margaret.Simuro@webvets.com
Phone: (925) 866-8387 Ext. 106
Debbie Mullins
Director Assistant
Debbie joined Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care in 2011. She has quickly become an essential part of the Administrative team thanks to her extensive background in Office Administration and Human Resources. A Bay Area native, Debbie is very family-oriented and enjoys spending time with her family, especially her nephews, their dog Buck, and cats Peso and Penny. In her free time she likes to make jewelry, play games, and travel – especially camping in Yosemite, trips to Disneyland, and snorkeling in Hawaii.
Jennifer Vifian
People and Development Manager
Jen Vifian joined the team in 2013 as a Client Service Receptionist. She joined the leadership team in 2015, and eventually became the Phone Room Manager. Jen left to pursue opportunities in human medicine in July 2021. After 5 short months, Jen realized her passion was in the veterinary field and returned to Bishop Ranch December 2021. Her passion for wellness amongst veterinary professionals is a special interest of Jen’s. She graduated from Cal State East Bay with a B.A. in Psychology in 2019. Jen enjoys spending time wither wife, family and friends, and has two cats Maeby and Ron. She loves taking trips to Disneyland and spending time on the coast.
Lauren Szyszka
Phone Room Supervisor
Lauren joined our team at Bishop Ranch back in 2013 as a Customer Service Representative. She has experience in several areas at the hospital, including Exam Room Technician, and Pharmacist as well as working at both our sister practice, Amador Valley and Feline Veterinary Centers. Lauren has also assisted in coordinating our Vet for a Day and Blood Donor program as well as feline adoptions at our sister practice. In 2019, Lauren joined our remote off site team as a Phone Room Receptionist and became the department Supervisor in 2021. She has always had a passion for helping others and enjoys being able to step in and assist our clients in times when they are the most concerned for their pets.
When she is not at work, she enjoys spending time at home with her family, cooking and tending to her large plant collection. Most days she can also be found corralling and caring for one of her seven pets, ranging from turtles to dogs to a bearded dragon!
Rebecca Vifian, RVT
Operations Manager
Rebecca received her Associate of Science degree from Carrington College and passed her board exam to become a Registered Veterinary Technician in 2012. That same year she joined Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center as a Technician Assistant. She moved on to serve as an Outpatient, Surgery, and Patient Care Technician and currently works as Outpatient Supervisor.
She loves working with animals, especially in Patient Care, and her greatest joy is watching when sick pets are treated and are able to walk out of the hospital and return home.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her wife, family, and their two cats, Maeby and Ron. As a lifetime Giants fan, she spends as much time in the city and at games as she can.
Jacquelyn Rechtshaffer
Pharmacy Supervisor
Jacquie R joined our team at Bishop Ranch back in 2007 as a Customer Service assistant, called a Runner. Over the past 15 years she has been able to expand her experience in several areas at the hospital, including Exam Room Technician, Drop in Technician, Pharmacy Technician and Pharmacy Team Lead. She loves training and passing her knowledge off to her fellow coworkers. She has most recently become the department Supervisor in early 2022.
When she is not at work, she enjoys spending time at home with her husband, and she recently became a mom to her daughter in 2020. Jacquie has three cats Kevin, Doug & Eugene. Jacquie has a passion for traveling, crafting and baking. She is a lifetime Atheltic's fan and when not at games she may also be taking a quick day trip to Disneyland, taking advantage of being a Magic Key Holder.
Kayla Jaimes
Client Service Supervisor
Kayla joined the reception team in 2020 and quickly grew to appreciate the support of her team and the work of BRVC to adjust to the pandemic. She was promoted to a shift lead position in 2021 and excelled thanks to her passion for helping people and offering solutions. Kayla looks forward to working more personally on our client service as a Supervisor. Kayla graduated from Sacramento State University in the Spring of 2022 with a BA in Psychology.
When Kayla is not helping pets, pet owners, or our team, she spends her time with her cats Tim and Tom. She loves to be out on the water and camping, as well as staying busy organizing and taking time to read a book to relax.
Ericka Hall
Support Services Supervisor
Ericka has had a passion for animals from a very young age and looks forward to being an advocate for every animal that walks into our hospital on a daily basis. She started at Bishop Ranch in 2019 as a receptionist. From there, she obtained training in pharmacy, as an exam room technician, and as a drop-in technician. Ericka served as a Client Service Shift Lead as well as a Pharmacy Shift Lead before taking on my role as Support Service Supervisor to oversee our boarding, drop-in, and exam room technician departments and staff.
In her free time, you can find Ericka hiking with her dogs as well as spending time with family and friends.
Carlos Garces
Outpatient Supervisor
Carlos has been an integral part of the BRVC team for 19 years. He started his career with us working as a Boarding Assistant. He quickly became an important part of the boarding team as the clients and staff loved working closely with him. Carlos showed great work ethic and compassion; not just for the patients but the clients as well, along with an eagerness to learn new things. He worked his way to the medical side and became a Technician Assistant, and later a Technician. As of July 2022, Carlos has been promoted to our new Outpatient Supervisor.
Carlos finds it very rewarding to help pets (and our clients) through difficult times, and seeing how our passion and work makes a difference.
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office hours
- Mon-Fri6:30am - 9:00pm
- Sat-Sun7:30am - 6:00pm
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