NYC Veterinarians and Animal Health Professionals
The ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital (BMAH) is staffed by three internists, two surgeons, a cardiologist, a radiologist and 18 generalists. Meet some of our Manhattan vets below!
Dr. Louise Murray
Vice President
Dr. Murray joined the ASPCA in 2004 after working as a staff internist at the Manhattan Veterinary Group/ Fifth Avenue Veterinary Specialists. In addition to being published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) for her research on feline hyperthyroidism, Dr. Murray has led presentations and lectures on many topics, including Cushing’s disease, endocrinology, acute renal failure, diabetes mellitus, hypercalcemia and veterinary critical care. She has been honored with several awards, and is the author of Vet Confidential, an insider’s guide to protecting your pet’s health. She has appeared on CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and Animal Planet, and provided veterinary expertise to magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, USA Today, the New York Post, the New York Daily News and People Magazine.
Dr. Murray is a graduate of Duke University and Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, son and two cats, Dov and Siena.
Dr. Jill Pomrantz
Medical Director
A Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Dr. Pomrantz earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California, Davis. After graduating from veterinary school, she completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center in NYC and then returned to U.C. Davis for advanced training in internal medicine.
Before joining the ASPCA, Dr. Pomrantz served as the Chief of Clinical Comparative Medicine at the Columbia University Institute of Comparative Medicine, and was a staff internist at Katonah Bedford Veterinary Center in Westchester. She has been at the ASPCA since 2009.
Dr. J’mai Gayle
Director of Surgery
Dr. Gayle is a 1996 graduate of the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine. Following graduation, she pursued a one-year internship at Illinois Equine Hospital in Naperville, Illinois followed by a surgical residency at North Carolina State University. She received her board certification in surgery in February 2001, and then practiced large animal surgery for six years at New England Equine Practice before leaving to concentrate on small animal surgery. Prior to joining the ASPCA, she was a staff surgeon at Brightheart Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in Westbury, New York.
Dr. Gayle’s professional interests include orthopedic and soft tissue surgery, as well as pain management. She lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with her husband, two small kids and Chester the cat. Interview with Dr. J’Mai Gayle »
Dr. Marisa C. Altieri
Veterinarian
Prior to joining the ASPCA, Dr. Altieri completed an internship in small-animal medicine and surgery at New York’s Animal Medical Center. She received her Bachelor’s degree in microbiology from Colorado State University, and in 2005 graduated cum laude from Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Her professional interests include emergency medicine and anesthesia. She lives in Manhattan with her two Rottweiler mixes, Nera and Junior.
Dr. Mike Dugan
Veterinarian
Dr. Dugan attended the University of Florida for both undergraduate and veterinary school. After graduating from veterinary school in 1991, he completed an internship at Friendship Hospital for Animals in Washington, D.C. He then practiced at a small-animal hospital in Northern Virginia for nine years before returning to Friendship in 2001. Dr. Dugan’s professional interests include emergency medicine and dental procedures. He lives in Manhattan with his partner and their two Yorkshire terriers, Mr. McQueen and Woodie Mahoney.
Dr. Janice Fenichel
Veterinarian
Prior to joining the ASPCA, Dr. Fenichel practiced medicine and surgery at Feline Veterinary Hospital in Port Washington. She also has past experience providing general medicine and surgery services at Ellicot Small-animal Hospital. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, and her professional interests include dentistry, for which she has completed AAHA dental courses and Labs I and II, and writing for the public about veterinary medicine. Dr. Fenichel lives in New York City with her husband, two sons and two cats.
Dr. Andra Gordon-Gatica
Veterinarian
Dr. Gordon-Gatica is a graduate of Harvard University, where she majored in English and psychology, and Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, where she worked extensively with eminent behaviorist Dr. Katherine Houpt. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, son, daughter and two elderly black cats.
Dr. Juline Holland
Veterinarian
Dr. Holland graduated summa cum laude from Duke University. She graduated from veterinary school in Dublin, Ireland, with honors and subsequently passed examinations to receive ECFVG accreditation in the United States. Dr. Holland worked at Dewitt Animal Hospital, a small-animal general hospital in Massachusetts, for two years prior to moving to New York City. She now lives on the Upper East Side and has been working at the ASPCA for almost three years.
Dr. Yvonne Kline
Veterinarian
Dr. Kline is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. Upon graduation, she completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at BluePearl Veterinary Partners in New York City. She has prior education in avian studies, chemistry and microbiology, and has worked in multiple animal environments ranging from wildlife rehabilitation to small animal specialty medicine. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, outdoor activities, social dancing and live music events. She lives in Manhattan with her tripod terrier, Queenie.
Dr. Maren Krafchik
Veterinarian
Dr. Krafchik interned at the E & M Bobst Animal Hospital at New York’s Animal Medical Center, where she assumed responsibility for many inpatient cases and rotated between veterinary medicine and surgery. A graduate of Ross University, Dr. Krafchik completed a year of clinical training at North Carolina State University. Dr. Krafchik lives in Brooklyn with her dog Dignan and a cat named Leroy.
Dr. Mary St. Martin
Veterinarian
Prior to joining the ASPCA, Dr. St. Martin was a veterinarian at 5th Avenue Veterinary Specialists, a 24-hour emergency care facility in New York City. A graduate of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and St. Lawrence University, Dr. St. Martin has received numerous awards, including excellence in the study of biology, the American Association of Feline Practitioners 2005 Senior Student Award, and the Speidel Scholarship in Feline Medicine. She lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with her husband, two sons, and two cats, Yoda and Jeeves.
Dr. Laura Niestat
Veterinarian
Dr. Laura Niestat has served as a veterinarian at Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital since December 2009. Prior to coming to the ASPCA, Dr. Niestat was the medical director at the Manhattan Veterinary Group on the Upper East Side. A graduate of Hampshire College and Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Niestat also completed a rotating internship in medicine and surgery at the Manhattan Veterinary Group. She lives in New York City with her husband and two rescue dogs.
Dr. Anna Whitehead
Veterinarian
Dr. Whitehead completed her Bachelor’s degree at Boston University and received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Ross University in St. Kitts. She completed her clinical training at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Dr. Whitehead’s professional interests include shelter animal medicine, internal medicine and high-volume spay/neuter. She shares her home with a Border Collie mix named Mama Bear, a red-eared slider turtle named Big Punisher, and an Eastern box turtle named Siddhartha.
Dr. Bonnie Wong
Anti-Cruelty Veterinarian
Dr. Wong was a member of Bergh's 2010-2011 veterinary internship class. She now serves as an anti-cruelty veterinarian, working with Dr. Robert Reisman, to provide both medical and forensic care for animals. Dr. Wong lives in Manhattan with her husband and their three cats: Gunner, Boots and Barbara Walters.
Dr. Kristen Frank
Staff Internist
A native Floridian, Dr. Frank earned both her Bachelor of Science and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degrees from the University of Florida. She completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center in New York City and a three-year residency in internal medicine at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists in Houston, Texas. She was board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2008.
Prior to joining the ASPCA, Dr. Frank was a staff internist at Fifth Avenue Veterinary Specialists and City Veterinary Care in New York City. She enjoys all aspects of small animal internal medicine, but her professional interests include infectious disease, endocrinology and autoimmune diseases. Dr. Frank lives on the Upper West Side with her husband and son; her dog, Zoe; and her cat, Tyson.
Shawn Dougherty
Business Director
Prior to joining the ASPCA in 2010, Shawn Dougherty worked in nonprofit management, including nine years as Executive Director of an HIV/AIDS service organization. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the American Conservatory of Music, a Masters in music history from Northwestern, and an MBA from the University of Central Florida. He lives in Chappaqua with his son, two dogs, Maisey and Caleb, and Leo the cat.
Laura Goode
Manager, Client Services
Laura has been working in customer service since long before her graduation from Montclair State University in 1995. She worked for AT&T Wireless Services and then Morgan Stanley before coming to the ASPCA in 2008. Laura started volunteering with animals in 2001 before finding the perfect marriage of passion and profession at the ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. Laura loves all animals, but her New Jersey apartment is shared with her rescue kitties, Julia, Ambi, Jeffie, Joshie and Elvis.
Danielle Shanahan
Assistant Manager, Client Services
Danielle joined the ASPCA in 2009 as a Client Service Representative after a long trip abroad in New Zealand. In 2010, she was promoted to Billing & Audit Administrator, and in 2011, she became the Assistant Manager of Client Services. She’s so grateful to be able to work with such talented people and help animals every day. Danielle currently resides in Brooklyn with her husband, daughter, their Pit Bull Ronnie and a cat named Foforito.
Dr. Mehnaz Aziz
Veterinary Intern
Dr. Aziz graduated from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. Her professional interests include shelter medicine; international humane dog population control; and high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter programs. She and her cat, Poree, are originally from Texas, but they now live on the Upper East Side.
Dr. Maja Drozdz
Veterinary Intern
Dr. Drozdz completed her Bachelor’s degree at William Paterson University of New Jersey and received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Drozdz's professional interests include shelter animal medicine and emergency medicine. She lives with her two rescue dogs: her brindle boy, Walker, a Bull Terrier, and her one-eyed Pomeranian, Leilah.
Dr. Lindsay Fitzgerald
Veterinary Intern
Dr. Fitzgerald completed her Bachelor's degree at the University of Connecticut and went to Iowa State University for veterinary school. Her professional interests include internal medicine, shelter medicine, behavior and exotic pet medicine. Dr. Fitzgerald's pets include one dog, two cats, two turtles, one rat and one horse.
Dr. Amy Greenbaum
Veterinary Intern
Dr. Greenbaum is a graduate of Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. After receiving her doctorate degree, she joined the staff at Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital where her professional interests include emergency medicine, nutrition, shelter medicine and geriatric care. She is a native New Yorker and lives in Brooklyn with her dog, Drexl.
Dr. Danielle Mendelsohn
Veterinary Intern
Dr. Danielle Mendelsohn is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Mendelsohn’s professional interests include dentistry/oral surgery, behavior and internal medicine. She lives in New York with her dog, Pandora, and her cat, Nina.
Dr. Renée Porfido
Veterinary Intern
Dr. Porfido attended Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. Prior to veterinary school, Dr. Porfido worked at a veterinary hospital in Manhattan for many years, as well as at the Bronx Zoo as a zookeeper. Her current professional interests are in small animal dentistry and veterinary forensics. She lives in Manhattan with her cats, Sita and Mali.