Veterinary Team
Our Veterinarians
Joshua Elliott, MA, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM)
Board-Certified Internal Medicine Specialist
Medical Director, Co-Founder
Raised in Hawaii and California, Dr. Elliott is a native of the Pacific Basin and loves the Pacific Northwest for its cooler climate, warm and friendly people, and dedicated pet parents.
Dr. Elliott’s higher education began at UC Santa Cruz where he earned both his undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in marine biology. He went on to veterinary school at UC Davis, followed by an internship and residency in private practices in Southern California. He has been practicing internal medicine in the greater Portland area since 2008 after he finished his residency at the California Animal Hospital.
Dr. Elliott’s training and expertise as a veterinary internist allows him to focus on his patient’s especially complicated medical problems. While he enjoys all aspects of internal medicine, he is particularly skilled in ultrasound and endoscopy and has trained many veterinarians in these modalities. His goal is to help his patients live higher quality lives through thoughtful diagnostics and careful treatment.
The Pacific Northwest is the place Dr. Elliott chose to plant roots and ultimately launch his own private practice, where he could deliver the highest standards of care without corporate constraints, as well as be able to make a good life and future for his family. They love all that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Dr. Elliott especially loves snowboarding and training in Aikido, where he holds a black belt.
Regina Tobin, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM)
Board-Certified Internal Medicine Specialist
Dr. Tobin attended veterinary school at Cornell University. Following her graduation in 1994, she completed a one-year internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston. Dr. Tobin then spent a year in general practice in the Boston area before starting her small animal internal medicine residency at UC Davis. She became board-certified in small animal internal medicine in 1999. Dr. Tobin has worked in clinical practice in Oregon since 1998, with the exception of a two year period when she worked as a consultant for a major diagnostic lab.
Although she manages all types of complex medical problems in dogs and cats, Dr. Tobin is well known for her expertise in liver, kidney, gastrointestinal, and hormonal diseases, as well as immune-mediated disorders.
Dr. Tobin feels strongly that her role as a small animal internist is to offer clients all diagnostic options available for their pets, provide compassionate, high-quality care to her patients, and support her clients through difficult decisions.
When she is not working, Dr. Tobin enjoys camping, reading and traveling. She has also been horseback riding, an activity she enjoys with her daughter.
Debra Klaser, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM)
Board-Certified Internal Medicine Specialist
Dr. Klaser grew up on the west coast and earned her undergraduate degree at UC San Diego. She then headed to the University of Georgia (go Dawgs!) where she worked as a research assistant and then graduated from veterinary school with the class of 2000. Her next move took her to New York City, where she completed her internship and residency at the Animal Medical Center, becoming board-certified in small animal internal medicine in 2004. She worked in a large referral hospital in Annapolis, MD in the many years since, enjoying many of the east coast amenities.
2019 brought her west again, and joining Sunstone felt almost full circle. Dr. Klaser loves being back on the coast “where sunsets belong over the ocean”, where she is close to family and some favorite friends, and where she can be surrounded by the beautiful northwest and its people.
She is one of the lucky few who have truly always known what she was meant to do, and is grateful to her mentors along the way, from those who gave her that pivotal first job in a veterinary clinic in 10th grade, to those who trained and helped her become the clinician she is today. Dr. Klaser enjoys many aspects of internal medicine, particularly endocrinology and ultrasound. She finds that the most rewarding part of her job is getting to know her patients and their families as she helps manage some complicated and multifaceted medical scenarios.
Dr. Klaser and her husband have 2 children, Sabrina and Finn, so they keep quite busy. They typically have at least one geriatric cat and a yellow Labrador living in their home. Dr. Klaser considers the journey of parenthood to be her greatest life accomplishment, and in her spare time enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, and cooking (especially over a campfire).
Staci Goussev, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM)
Board-Certified Internal Medicine Specialist
Dr. Staci Goussev was born and raised in San Francisco. She attended UC Berkeley and following graduation, worked in a research laboratory in the department of Neurosurgery at UCSF. A lifelong pet lover, she decided to pursue her dream and attend veterinary school.
Dr. Goussev attended veterinary school at Cornell University, and due to her love of physiology, elected to specialize in small animal internal medicine. She completed a rotating internship at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, and then returned to Cornell University for her residency. She became board certified in internal medicine in 2013.
Dr. Goussev has worked in Florida, Missouri, and California prior to moving to Oregon in 2019. Her special interests are endocrinology, gastroenterology, hepatology, and autoimmune disease. Dr. Goussev adopts senior rescue dogs, and this has also led to a special interest in providing quality care to elderly pets.
When not working with animals, Dr. Goussev enjoys reading (particularly Agatha Christie), traveling (the UK and America’s National Parks are favorite destinations), playing tennis, playing pinball, watching the San Francisco Giants and Cal football when she can, and watching old movies at the Hollywood Theater. She is also an aquaerobics instructor.
Jani Remsburg, DVM
Internal Medicine Fellow
Dr. Jani Remsburg graduated from Oregon State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in May of 2000. She joined the team at Sunstone after working as a small animal general practitioner in Battle Ground and Longview, Washington for 14 years. Prior to this, she was a mixed animal veterinarian in Burns, Oregon, and a small animal veterinarian in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Dr. Remsburg has always enjoyed challenging internal medicine cases which is why joining the team at Sunstone as an Internal Medicine Fellow was so appealing. She supports the internists with their patients, many of whom have chronic conditions, and provides families with guidance for their pet’s care.
Dr. Remsburg was raised in Deer Island, Oregon, and is blessed to be back living on what was her grandparents’ 45-acre farm. She lives there with her husband, Mat, dogs Bliss and Roo, and cat Minnie along with many farm animals. When she is not working, she enjoys hiking, backpacking, cooking, sewing, and traveling.
Lillian Su, DVM, MVSc, CCRP, DACVS (SA)
Board-Certified Veterinary Surgeon
Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner
Dr. Su is thrilled to be serving the Portland pet community at Sunstone Veterinary Specialists. She has focused her veterinary career specifically on the practice of small animal surgery since 2005. Her training and education have taken this native Californian all over North America.
Dr. Su’s journey to become a board-certified small animal veterinary surgeon began at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. After vet school, she completed internships at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, and Wheat Ridge Veterinary Specialists in Colorado, followed by a fellowship at the University of Wisconsin. She completed her residency in small animal surgery at the University of Saskatchewan in 2011. Following her residency she taught small animal surgery at The Ohio State University.
Her desire to bring high quality, comprehensive, and personalized surgical care to each patient made Dr. Su a perfect fit for Sunstone. While she enjoys using the skills her years of training and education have given her, she feels her greatest success is in seeing her patients return to a normal life. To that end, she is also a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner. Dr. Su works with her clients, their primary care veterinarians, and local rehabilitation facilities to provide the very best outcomes for her patients through their post-operative recovery.
When not working, Dr. Su enjoys spending time with her perfect (but slightly naughty) herd of animals, trying out interesting places for food/drink, and exploring the mountains and rivers of the Pacific Northwest.
Megan Nyboer, DVM
Emergency Services
Dr. Nyboer grew up in sunny Southern California before obtaining her undergraduate biology degree at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Dr. Nyboer then moved to Upstate New York to attend the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine where she received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2009. During her time as a student she worked extensively with the Cornell Wildlife Health Clinic and several shelters and low-cost veterinary clinics. Dr. Nyboer then completed a rotating internship at the Emergency and Critical Care in Colorado, and she has spent her time since then working as an emergency veterinarian. She is currently a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society (VECCS), the Oregon and Portland VMA’s, and the Cornell Feline Health Center.
Dr. Nyboer’s passion lies in emergency medicine, pain management, and caring for critically ill patients. However, she also enjoys surgery, ultrasound, cardiology, and feline-specific medicine. She is also interested in veterinary pharmacology, and she strives to integrate new and useful medications into the veterinary field.
Outside of work Dr. Nyboer loves to travel! During veterinary school she worked in Sri Lanka at an elephant conservation center and in Namibia, Africa at a cheetah conservation program. She has also been to Japan, Thailand, Central and South America, Fiji, and Europe. She shares her home in Portland with her animal family members – 2 cats, a small Terrier named Madison, and a Golden Retriever named Riley. On her days off, you will find her gardening, cooking, hiking, rock climbing, camping, doing yoga, and snowboarding.
Joshua Sarrazin, DVM
Emergency Services
Dr. Sarrazin grew up in the metro area, in Aloha, Oregon. He spent his childhood skateboarding, swimming, and biking in the scenic West suburbs of the city, spending much of his younger days sharing hotdogs with the well-loved family dogs. He joined the United States Armed Forces- Army branch when he was 19 years old, where he served in PATRIOT Missile Fire Control in Air Defense Artillery for almost 4 years.
After completing his military service, Dr. Sarrazin attended Portland State University, where he studied Biology and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2019. With a strong interest in both science and animals, he carefully considered pursuing either veterinary school or a PhD in Zoology. Ultimately, he chose to earn his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Oregon State University in Corvallis.
Upon graduation from OSU and receiving his DVM in 2023, Dr. Sarrazin completed a rotating internship locally at a VECCS Level 1 certified 24-hour emergency hospital, DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital. During his internship he built his Emergency and Critical Care skills and grew his knowledge and passion for ECC medicine. Dr. Sarrazin’s professional interests include Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease, polytrauma, treating joint luxation, managing surgical cases, and most recently, hospice care.
Outside of work, you can still find him skateboarding, attending death metal shows, hiking the beautiful natural areas of the PNW, or lounging with his two cats, Slime and Gorgonzola.
Haley Momany, DVM
Intern
Dr. Momany grew up in the Pacific Northwest and attended Whitman College for her undergraduate degree. She was a member of Iota Chapter of Phi Zeta, a national veterinary honor society during veterinary school. In 2024, she graduated with honors from Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Currently, Dr. Momany is completing a rotating small animal internship. Her goal is to become a board-certified internal medicine specialist with a strong focus on feline health.
She recently received the American Association of Feline Practitioners/EveryCat Health Foundation Clinical Practice Scholarship for her dedication to feline health. Dr. Momany’s cats, Mowgli and Pippin, have motivated her study of both behavioral and physical feline health issues. Dr. Momany is also Fear Free Certified for low-stress handling of dogs and cats.
When she is not working, Dr. Momany loves backpacking, cross-country skiing, cycling, and drinking good coffee.
Our Medical Support Team
Jen, BS, AAS, CVT
Certified Veterinary Technician - Internal Medicine
Jen loves working at Sunstone Veterinary Specialists as an internal medicine technician on Dr. Tobin’s team. She assisted Dr. Tobin for several years prior to joining her at Sunstone Veterinary Specialists. Jen works closely with Dr. Tobin’s patients, providing personalized care for clients and their pets. She considers it an honor to help patients and their families on their path to recovery.
Jen grew up in Upstate New York, working in animal welfare for five years before completing an A.A.S. in veterinary technology at State University of New York at Delhi in 2005. She worked as a veterinary technician in emergency/critical care for seven years in NYC and after moving to Portland, OR in 2008. She completed a B.S. in organismal biology at Portland State University in 2013, and later that year transitioned to internal medicine.
In her free time Jen enjoys cycling, woodworking, and restoring her 1920s bungalow where she lives with a shy lab mix named Adeline, a precocious Beagle named Scout, and a fancy long haired black cat named Jessie.
Cecilia (CC), CVT
Certified Veterinary Technician – Emergency
CC is very happy to be a part of the Sunstone family and on Dr. Elliott’s internal medicine team. She has been working in the veterinary profession since 1999 and she has been a Certified Veterinary Technician since 2010. Most of her experience prior to Sunstone has been in emergency medicine, though she also has experience working in general practice and small animal surgery.
CC is constantly marveled by the human-animal bond and she loves getting to know all the personalities that come through the door at Sunstone. Her number one priority is making sure nervous or fearful patients are made to feel as calm and comfortable as possible.
CC moved to Portland from Los Angeles in 2009. She lives with her son and two rescue Chihuahuas, Sydney and Izzy. She enjoys exploring all the beautiful landscapes and parks in Oregon. She also loves music and sometimes plays guitar along with her son who plays the drums.
Jennifer, BS, CVT
Certified Veterinary Technician – Internal Medicine
Jennifer was thrilled to take on her role at Sunstone as an Internal Medicine Veterinary Technician. She’s previously worked with Dr. Tobin and during the five years on her team where she discovered how much she loved building trusting partnerships with clients during their journey caring for their pets. Jennifer is passionate about being a resource to clients and providing quality care for their pets.
She grew up in Utah and moved to Oregon to work in veterinary medicine while earning a B.S. in microbiology. Jennifer has worked in many areas of the veterinary field including general practice, emergency, internal medicine, surgery, education, diagnostic laboratory, and shelter medicine.
Jennifer is a mom to two teens and after a short stint of no fur-pets, has added two cats, Odin and Kitty, and a dog, Snowflake, to her micro-homestead of five chickens. She enjoys hiking, running, kayaking, camping, and fiber arts.
Colleen, BS, CVT, LVT
Certified Veterinary Technician - Internal Medicine
Colleen was born and raised in the Seattle area and graduated from Washington State University in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in zoology. She worked in the veterinary field in a variety of roles before joining Sunstone in 2015 shortly after its founding and is so proud to call this her home. Colleen has been a Certified Veterinary Technician since 2021. She is passionate about ensuring the highest level of comfort is given to every patient.
Colleen lives in Portland with her husband and son. During her downtime, she prefers to be found in a sunbeam with a book in her hand and a cat on her lap.
Melissa, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician – Patient Care and Surgery
Melissa grew up outside of Detroit, MI and Southern CA before moving to Phoenix, AZ where she started at the reception desk in a small veterinary practice in 2004 and loved it immediately. She worked as a receptionist before moving to the treatment area and obtained her certification as a Veterinary Technician in 2008. After many years in general practice she spent time working in oncology, surgery, and emergency.
Melissa moved to the PNW in 2017 and lives with her partner here in Portland. She enjoys a multitude of outdoor activities in this beautiful area of the country. She is a pet mom to a Pit mix named Frida-doggo and a kitty named Wednesday. Melissa has been with Sunstone going on five years and loves to use her years of experience to create the most comforting environment possible for our overnight patients while also evaluating any medical needs they might have.
Adrienne, CVT, LVT
Certified Veterinary Technician - Internal Medicine
Adrienne is originally from Reno, NV. She moved to San Diego, CA after high school and stayed for several years until the heat and sun became a little much. She then moved to Portland in 2005 to enjoy the four seasons of the PNW and the lively music scene. She worked in food service for a while before deciding she should go back to school. She completed all of her (human) nursing prerequisites at PCC and was about to apply to nursing schools when, thanks to having an ill cat at the time, she learned that being a veterinary nurse was an option! She made an abrupt change of plans and applied to PCC’s Veterinary Technology program. She graduated in 2010 and absolutely Loves helping to care for people’s furry children, AKA best friends. Prior to Sunstone she worked in general practice and was thrilled to have a chance to join Sunstone to work in specialty medicine.
She lives with her partner, David, and her daughter Oona. In her free time Adrienne enjoys trying to keep up with her daughter, reading dark and/or comedic novels, drinking coffee, climbing to the top of swing sets with her daughter, watching stand-up comedy, and dancing around the living room to loud music.
She is officially a cat lady and has a particular penchant for old, crabby cats. The older and crabbier the better. She currently has no pets (unless you count her daughter’s hamster) but eagerly awaits the day she can become a cat mom again. Or a dog mom. Her partner’s vote is dog, and she’s open to it!
Other fun facts: The celebrity she’s most excited to have met is David Sedaris and she loves Indian food.
Karla, CVT
Certified Veterinary Technician – Patient Care and Surgery
Karla brings to Sunstone more than twenty years of experience in specialty veterinary care, working as a surgery technician for the majority of her career. She loves providing exceptional care to her patients and enjoys connecting with them individually during her shifts. She truly enjoys the bond between owners and pets and hopes that while in her care, our patients feel a connection to her as well.
In her free time, she likes to hike, kayak, and spend as much time with her children and grandchildren as she can. Her favorite place in the world to be is at the beach, soaking up the sunshine and listening to the waves. She enjoys reading and likes to listen to audiobooks while driving. Karla has a very loved, very spoiled, 9-year old cat names Tonks who’s quite the character. She let us know that Bigfoot believes in her, too.
Maeve, BS, CVT
Certified Veterinary Technician – Surgery
Jasmine, BA, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician – Surgery
Jasmine is from Oregon and loves the Pacific Northwest. She moved to Portland years ago to attend Portland State University. After receiving her BA in fine arts she continues to take portraits of people and theirs pets. Several years ago she started working as veterinary assistant and continued to work full time while attending Cedar Valley’s AAHA recognized online veterinary technician program. With many years of experience in both general and specialty practices, Jasmine has always especially enjoyed monitoring anesthesia and assisting in surgery.
Fear free visits are always a priority for Jasmine; she has some fear free certification and loves working with animals. Jasmine enjoys horseback riding, camping, hiking, swimming, bike riding, photography and printmaking. At home she has a tortoiseshell cat named Kiki that loves belly rubs and demands them daily.
Kaylie, BS, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician – Emergency
Arlene
Technician Assistant – Internal Medicine
Arlene was born in beautiful Los Angeles, California. At the age of 5, the family packed up everything and made their way to Portland, Oregon where she lived up until she was 18. She now resides in Vancouver, Washington.
Beginning at a young age Arlene set her mind to work around people who would share the same compassion and care for animals. Her career as a veterinary assistant started in a small veterinary practice in Portland where she worked for three years. Eager to further her training and knowledge, she joined Sunstone to work in our internal medicine department.
In her free time, Arlene enjoys supporting new local venues with rooftop views, spontaneous drives with friends to enjoy the PNW scenery, and live hip-hop concerts. Arlene has a beautiful 3-year-old domestic longhair kitty named Kitchune.
Kristy
Technician Assistant – Internal Medicine
Kristy moved to the Pacific Northwest from Louisiana in 2008 after falling in love with the beautiful scenery. She loves nature and animals of all kind. She dreamed of working with animals since she was a little girl.
Kristy graduated from Apollo College and received a diploma for Veterinary Assisting in 2010. She landed a position in a small animal hospital shortly after graduation. There, she began as a Veterinary Assistant and was later promoted to the Office Trainer. She was there for nine wonderful years, learning so much about general veterinary medicine and mastering her title as “The Chihuahua Whisperer”. She adores tiny and sassy senior dogs.
Kristy has four spoiled pups named Truffles, Sprinkles, Lemon, and Heartly. They are all spunky Chihuahuas with very different personalities. Kristy enjoys anything pink, crafting and going for walks near beautiful waterfalls.
Caitlin
Technician Assistant – Internal Medicine
Caitlin is proud to be part of the team at Sunstone and is excited to meet and care for your pets! Before she joined Sunstone, Caitlin worked in Internal Medicine at Dove Lewis, and previously worked in cardiology and emergency medicine, ultimately discovering her passion for Internal Medicine. She loves the complexity and variety of the medical conditions we treat, as well as the close relationships we can form with both patients and clients through more frequent visits and close case management. She has a particular interest in working with shy and anxious animals, and her favorite part of the job is giving extra time and love to our patients during their visits to reduce their stress.
Caitlin was born in Washington state but mostly grew up in Ohio, where she earned her BA at Miami University. She came to Portland by way of LA, where she worked in the music industry before finding her true calling in veterinary medicine. When she is not working, she can be found spending time with her husband and young son or snuggling with her three dogs: Luna (Cattle dog mix), Zoey (Chihuahua mix), and Indiana Jones (Pit Bull mix).
Amanda
Technician Assistant – Emergency
Amanda is an East Coast transplant who moved to Portland with her husband by way of San Francisco. She loves being part of the Sunstone team and in particular, the Emergency Services department. She worked closely with Dr. Nyboer for several years prior to joining the Sunstone. Amanda has been involved in veterinary medicine for nearly fifteen years, working her way from kennel assistant to management roles and everything in between; and spent the last five years working and assisting with managing a busy ER and Specialty hospital. Having worked in several different types of practices and specialties ranging from shelter to oncology, dentistry, and general practice, she found her true passion working in Emergency and Critical Care. She enjoys mentoring and helping others expand their skills and love for emergency medicine.
In her free time, she is an avid reader with a love for horror movies and learning new languages, and enjoys traveling as frequently as she can to explore the world with her husband. They are also the proud pet parents of two very spoiled senior cats adopted during her extensive travel in Asia- aptly named Kimchi and Soju.
Yesenia
Technician Assistant – Emergency
Yesenia grew up in California and moved to the PNW with her mom and two sisters when she was fourteen. She absolutely fell in love with everything that is the PNW. She moved away when she got married due to her husband being in the military, but as soon as he got out, she came right back.
Yesenia has always wanted to work with animals since she was young but didn’t know what exactly to do. She did a one-year online program to become a veterinary assistant and started working at a general practice when she moved back to the PNW. She’s been in the field for nearly ten years and hopes to finish school to become a CVT. She is excited to be able to further her knowledge and skills with Sunstone.
Her favorite things to do is hike, kayak, and do anything outside. She has a one-year-old daughter, two dogs, a Golden Retriever named Athena, and a Pitty Mix named Ares, as well as two Siamese cats named Sassy and Mr. Biggles, so she has a full house but wouldn’t have it any other way. Her favorite color is purple.
Maeve G
Triage Coordinator - Emergency
Maeve is an Ohio native. She attended The University of Akron and graduated with a Bachelor of Science. Maeve has worked in emergency veterinary medicine at a busy emergency and specialty hospital as a veterinary assistant since 2021 and is excited to join Sunstone’s expanding emergency team. Maeve moved to Portland in 2024 after falling in love with the West Coast. Before moving to Portland, she guided backpacking and hiking trips for a summer camp in the Sierra Nevada and Yosemite National Park. Maeve enjoys yoga, hiking, skiing, reading, and spending time on the Oregon coast in her free time.
Brittney
Assistant – Patient Care
Kelsey
Assistant – Internal Medicine
Marissa
Assistant – Internal Medicine
Brie
Assistant – Internal Medicine
Our Administrative Team
Marie Xavier, BFA, LVT
Hospital Administrator and Business Manager
Co-Founder
Marie Xavier has worked in the greater Portland area since 1997. She spent ten years at Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital. At Dove, Marie was able to combine her love of design and space planning while working as the Project Manager for the new Dove Lewis Northwest location in 2005. Following the construction of the new hospital, Marie worked as the Operations Director for several years.
In late 2007 she was recruited to build a new specialty practice in Southwest Washington. During her tenure as Hospital Director, she opened a new practice in Seattle, built a new 12,000 square foot veterinary medical facility in Vancouver, WA. She hired many wonderful and talented people growing the collective staff, in Vancouver and Seattle, from nineteen people to over 120 talented people.
In mid-2015, Marie formed Sunstone with Dr. Josh Elliott. Together they envisioned an environment where management systems and veterinary leadership make positive a difference in the lives of their employees, clients, and patients. Today, she is happy to be a business owner, working diligently to create a culture that the Sunstone staff proudly represents.
Marie enjoys spending her free time renovating her house, gardening, or enjoying the beach with her wife and their dogs.
Crystal Ochsner
Practice Manager
She started her journey in the veterinary field by volunteering at the Humane Society for Southwest Washington in 2006. Her time there showed her how excited she was about this field and that it was where she wanted to build a career. She went on to complete a veterinary assisting program in 2008 and started a job as a veterinary assistant at a local emergency and specialty hospital. She spent ten years there, progressing through several different leadership roles, until she became the practice manager in 2014. Deciding that private practice suited her values, she joined the team at Sunstone in 2018. Crystal enjoys being a part of the leadership team here at Sunstone and enjoys being a part of the growth we are experiencing.
Outside of work she loves kayaking any chance she gets as well as hiking with her three Boxers, Harry, Joey, and Leila. If she is out of town, you will likely find her at the coast with her dog Joey.
Lisa Heiting, BA
Operations Manager
Lisa is a native Oregonian. After high school she went to Oregon State University for two years before flying off to Hawaii. A short three years later, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Marine Science from the University of Hawaii, Hilo, in 2000.
She began her career in veterinary medicine in 2001 as a receptionist at a general practice in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lisa’s restless spirit soon carried her to Orlando, Florida where she spent seven years at an avian/exotic practice before moving back home to the Pacific Northwest in 2009. She then spent the next nine years working at an emergency and specialty hospital in Southwest Washington as the Financial Coordinator and Systems Manager.
Lisa loves being part of the family here at Sunstone and to be working with her dream team of people. Her job is to inspire us all to peak performance by supporting our systems, helping us embrace technology, and adopt best practices for our systems (whatever they may be). She is a very patient person.
Lisa lives with two spunky cats. She is a huge Harry Potter buff and avid music lover. You may spot her around town in her handmade Gryffindor beanie or at a show!
Erin Johnston, BS
Referral and Outreach Manager
Erin is the Front Office Manager at Sunstone Veterinary Specialists. She works closely with the medical team in the back, to ensure our clients and patients receive the best experience possible. She loves building relationships with our clients, and does everything she can to keep them comfortable in any situation.
Erin earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Washington State University Pullman in 2013 and began her journey in veterinary medicine the same year. She spent five years at a local emergency and specialty hospital, honing her skills in reception and leadership. Erin joined our team in February 2018 and is grateful every day to work alongside such an amazing group of professionals.
Erin lives in Vancouver, WA, and enjoys camping with her family, reading, and playing piano. While her beloved soul-dog Zola is no longer with her, Zola’s memory continues to inspire Erin’s dedication to veterinary medicine and enhancing the client experience.
Ruthie Torrey-Stahl, BS, AA, CVT
Emergency Services Manager
Caitlin Sullivan, BS
Referral Coordination Lead
Caitlin was born and raised in Port Townsend, Washington. She attended Western Washington University in Bellingham where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology.
Shortly after graduating college, Caitlin moved to Portland where she found her first job in the veterinary field at a small general practice. She quickly realized her passion for working with people and their pets. After working there for 5 years as the front desk manager, she joined the human medical field as a Doctor’s assistant at an optometry practice. She is thrilled to be working in the veterinary world once again and to be a part of the amazing Sunstone team.
Caitlin lives in Portland with her fiancé Nolan and their small pit bull mix Cadillac (Caddy). Caitlin enjoys going to shows, enjoying the local Portland food scene, playing video games, and going to the movies.
Dannell
Referral Coordinator
Dannell grew up in a small town in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California and later moved to Vancouver, Washington, where she has happily spent the last thirteen years. She graduated from Clark College in 2016 with her AA and a Certificate in American Sign Language studies. After spending a little time in human medicine, she dove into the veterinary world and she couldn’t be more excited! As the proud pet parent of two adorable cats (Saroo and Tuni), she enjoys providing clients with all the support they need as a Referral Coordinator.
For fun, Dannell loves to spend time reading, hiking, playing video games, and working on crafting hobbies of all kinds. If she isn’t starting a new project, she’s hanging out with friends and playing D&D.
Daisy Sue
Referral Coordinator
Daisy Sue was born and raised here in Portland, Oregon and grew up on a small farm with many animals. She now lives in Vancouver with her twin kitties, Simon & Daphne and her adorable mini–Australian Shepherd, Emmet. She came to us from human medical oncology and is super excited to be back in the world of working with animals.
She enjoys all forms of crafting, baking, kayaking, and hiking with her fur babies.
Moni
Referral Coordinator
Moni was born in Washington and later moved to Idaho with her family. She came to Portland after graduating high school in 2018 and has loved it here ever since. Moni entered the vet industry early 2022 at an urgent care practice though ever since she was little, she had always dreamed of working with animals. She is so excited to further her skills at Sunstone.
Moni lives with her two cats, Osaka, a grey domestic shorthair and Tokyo, a black domestic shorthair. Her favorite activities include hanging out with her two cats, crocheting, painting and watching TV.
Shannon
Referral Coordinator
Kayla
Referral Coordinator
McKenzie
Referral Coordinator
Summer
Referral Coordinator
Summer is a native Oregonian. She has always loved three things – the rain, the ocean, and the mountains – making the Willamette Valley the best place to call home. She went to Western Oregon University and majored in Communications and Writing, graduating in 2019.
Moving back to Portland after college, jobs were few and far between due to the 2020 pandemic. Summer opted to transition into the veterinary field in 2021, which is when she fell in love with client care. Her lifelong love of animals came in handy too, ensuring a perfect fit as the first point of contact inside veterinary clinics. After hearing so many wonderful things about Sunstone through the grapevine, she applied and was hired as one of their Referral Coordinators in 2024. She enjoys the caring and collaborative approach of the veterinarians, as well as the supportive environment fostered by the management team.
Summer’s love of animals has brought her many pets of her own. Currently, she spends her days off with her wonky Australian shepherd Rex and an orange & white tabby cat named Chicken Strip. She also likes reading romantic fictions, road trips to the coast, and relaxing with her partner.
Josie
Referral Coordinator
Josie grew up in Washington. She loves animals, working with them, and helping them. She has a very adorable kitten named Doug who was rescued from the streets and now lives a very spoiled life.
Having gotten the travel bug, Josie loves exploring with her partner, especially the variety of things to do in this area, going to comedy shows, concerts, and simply discovering new things to do around the city.