Specialists
James Atherton, DVM, MS, DACVR
Dr. James Atherton was born and raised in Connecticut. He graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1997 with a double major in Animal Science and Pathobiology. He continued his education at the University of Connecticut, graduating in with a Master of Science degree in Pathobiology before attending veterinary school at the Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island, Canada.
After graduating veterinary school in 2006, he completed a general rotating internship at the Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in Norwalk, Connecticut. He practiced emergency medicine for two years after his internship, before being accepted into a diagnostic imaging residency at the Animal Medical Center of New York and Cornell University. In early 2014, after completing his residency, Dr. Atherton moved to Oahu with his wife and dog and joined Oahu Veterinary Specialty Center. We are pleased to have him as part of our Radiology team since July 2017.
At home, Dr. Atherton enjoys photography, partaking in outdoor activities, playing guitar, piano and bagpipes.
Andrea Brodeur, DVM, DACVECC
Dr. Brodeur is a native of Massachusetts. She attended Vassar College for her undergraduate degree, and Tufts University for veterinary school. Following this she completed a one-year internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in Norwalk, CT, and a three-year emergency and critical care residency at Oradell Animal Hospital in New Jersey. Dr. Brodeur’s clinical interests include brachycephalic airway emergencies, wound care, and intoxications. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, playing with their five cats, and gardening.
Eric DeMadron, DVM, DACVIM (cardiology), DECVIM (internal medicine)
Dr. Eric de Madron is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in Cardiology and the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine. Dr. de Madron has extensive expertise in interventional cardiology (pacemakers, balloon valvulopasties and trans-catheter PDA occlusions), and interventional radiology (placement of tracheal stents for the palliative treatment of tracheal collapse).
Dr. de Madron began his North American career as a cardiologist / internist at the DMV Veterinary Centre in Montreal, Quebec, then continued in Ottawa, Ontario, at the Alta Vista Animal Hospital for 16 years.
His main clinical interests are prevention and management of congestive heart failure,management of systemic hypertension, interventional cardiology and radiology (with a special interest for tracheal collapse in dogs) Dr. de Madron has published over 30 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals, he has been a co-author in several textbooks, and has written an interactive CD about blood pressure measurement and management in dogs and cats (Lifelearn,2007). He is the editor and co-author of the textbook, “Clinical Echocardiography in Dogs and Cats”, Elsevier, 2015.
Daniel Dorbandt, DVM, MS, DACVO
Dr. Dorbandt is a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist with extensive training in both medical and surgical ophthalmology. This provides him the opportunity to pursue his professional goal of preserving and restoring vision in animals. He also has a special interest in ocular oncology and has published research on innovative diagnostic techniques (3D printing) as well as novel treatment strategies.
Originally from Louisiana, he obtained his veterinary degree from Louisiana State University in 2011, after which, he pursued advanced training at Virginia Tech and the University of Georgia. His residency training and Master of Science degree were completed in 2016 at the University of Illinois, where he was awarded the prestigious Resident Teaching Excellence Award. Dr. Dorbandt carries this honor beyond the education of veterinary students by striving to educate families about the condition(s) that are affecting their pet’s eye so that the best choices can be made regarding their care.
Ellen Lindell, VMD, DACVB
Dr. Lindell received her doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She practiced general medicine and surgery for several years, then completed a residency in veterinary behavior through Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Lindell is a Diplomate of theAmerican College of Veterinary Behaviorists. In addition to practicing behavioral medicine, Dr. Lindell enjoys lecturing and writing about animal behavior.
Andrea Looney, DVM, DACVA, CCRP
Dr. Andrea Looney earned her degree from the NYS College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University in 1989 and returned there after a short stent in private practice for an instructorship in Community Medicine and Anesthesiology. She finished a residency in Anesthesiology in 1997, and then took a position at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ Angell Animal Medical Center in Bostonwhere she served on staff in general medicine, emergency, and intensive care until becoming Chief Medical Officer and Clinical Assistant Professor at Tufts Veterinary Emergency Treatment and Specialties, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Her training and interest in animal welfare, palliative care, and pain management then led her back to Cornell where she started the Pain Management and Rehabilitation Service, the outpatient palliative care branch of the Department of Clinical Sciences. It was through her experiences at MSPCA-Angell and Cornell’s pain management service that she became committed to finding unique means, including financially feasible, minimally invasive, symptomatic, and non-surgical mechanisms to treat many common small and large animal diseases and problems. Her main interests lie in provision of quality of life care regardless of financial means, recognition and treatment of animal pain and suffering, spay and neuter as well as symptomatic geriatric care to reduce shelter populations, and teaching of practical anesthesia, pain management techniques. Dr. Looney has authored articles and chapters on these subjects, is boarded in Veterinary Anesthesiology and Pain Management, and is certified in Acupuncture/Veterinary Rehabilitation. Dr. Looney regularly consults on anesthetic and pain management protocols for our highest risk patients.
Kim MacDonald, DVM, CVMA, CCRP, Certified in Veterinary Medical Chiropractic – Animal Rehabilitation/Emergency and Trauma
Dr. MacDonald received her Bachelor of Science from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia and is a graduate of the Atlantic Veterinary College. She completed her veterinary internship at Norwalk Veterinary and Emergency Referral Center. She joined Central Hospital as a Daytime Trauma and Emergency Clinician in 2008. Dr. MacDonald directs the Animal Rehabilitation Department at Central Hospital. She received her certification from the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine’s program of Canine Rehabilitation and is also certified in veterinary acupuncture.
Dr. Olmsted earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Stony Brook University in 2003. She then went on to earn her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008. Dr. Olmsted completed a small animal medical and surgical internship at Long Island Veterinary Specialists in 2009. After completing her internship she was employed as an associate veterinarian in a busy practice on Long Island. Dr. Olmsted then went on to pursue a residency in medical oncology at The Veterinary Cancer Center in Connecticut. Dr. Olmsted completed her medical oncology residency in 2013 and received board certification from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in the specialty of oncology.
Dr. Pinchbeck graduated from Princeton University and earned a DVM from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2002. After a small animal medicine and surgery internship in Norwalk, CT she completed a dermatology residency at Ohio State in 2006 to become a member of the American College of Veterinary Dermatologists. Dr. Pinchbeck is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American College of Veterinary Dermatology and received the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians Resident Award in 2007. In addition to her research interest in staph infections in dogs, her clinical interests extend to the diagnosis and treatment of middle ear infections, autoimmune diseases and canine atopic dermatitis.
Dr. Pond, one of the foremost Board Certified veterinary surgeons in the region, performs orthopedic and general surgery here at Central Hospital. Dr. Pond graduated from the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine and has held teaching and research positions at the University of Pennsylvania, University of Georgia, University of Glasgow and the Yale University School of Medicine. In 1982, he established a surgical referral practice in Connecticut and has been associated with Central Hospital since that time. Dr. Pond’s patients are generally referred to him by the veterinarian responsible for their routine care. Dr. Pond is one of 20 veterinary surgeons in the United States performing the recently introduced Total Elbow Replacement surgery. Dr. Pond is available for consultation in person and by telephone to discuss your pet’s problems, help with diagnoses and guide you through the process of deciding the most appropriate treatment.
Lance Rozear DVM, DACVR
Dr. Rozear has been associated with Central Hospital since 2003, interpreting many of our radiographs and performing abdominal and cardiac ultrasounds. He is now here on a full time basis Monday through Friday. He is a 1998 graduate of North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship at Boston Road Animal Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1999 and continued his studies with a radiology residency at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2002. Shortly after completing his residency, he passed the ACVR board examination (2002), thus becoming a diplomate of theAmerican College of Veterinary Radiology. After serving as radiologist at Rowley Memorial Animal Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts, Dr. Rozear founded Northeast Veterinary Imaging, LLC (NVI), a private veterinary radiology practice in Connecticut and online.
Corey Schmidt, DVM, DACVO
Dr. Schmidt received her dual DVM and MPH from Iowa State University and Iowa State University. She completed a one-year rotating small animal internship at VCA Veterinary Referral Associates. She then completed her residency in comparative ophthalmology and masters at Colorado State University. Dr. Schmidt comes to Central after three years practicing ophthalmology on both small animals and equine patients in the New York area. Dr. Schmidt was the recipient of numerous awards during her academic studies and residency has published multiple research articles and has been an invited speaker at many professional conferences and seminars. Her special interests include corneal disease and eyelid reconstruction.
Julia Shakeri, DVM, DABVP (Avian) – Exotic Animals/Emergency and Trauma
Dr. Julia Shakeri received her DVM from the University of Illinois in 2010. Prior to joining the team here at Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Shakeri completed 5 years of intensive, post-doctoral training in order to be able to confidently provide exceptional veterinary care for the avian and exotic animals in our area. After graduating with a degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois, Dr. Shakeri completed a 1-year internship in general medicine and surgery here in Connecticut, followed by a 1-year specialty internship in avian and exotic animal medicine in Maryland, and finally a 3-year residency in avian medicine and surgery in Tampa, Florida.
During her career, Dr. Shakeri has mentored and trained veterinary professionals, wildlife rehabilitation workers, exotic animal caretakers, and the general public on topics concerning avian and exotic animal health and welfare. She has worked with large variety of collection types including pets, zoo animals, performing show animals (mostly birds), falconry raptors, non-releasable exhibition and teaching animals, wildlife, and multiple avian and small mammal rescue and shelter societies.
Donna Lee Taylor, DVM, DACVS
Dr. Taylor received her doctorate in veterinary medicine at Washington State University and stayed on for an internship in small animal medicine and surgery. She then completed a residency in small animal surgery at Oklahoma State University. Following her residency Dr. Taylor practiced in a multispecialty hospital in Oregon for 15 years and has also practiced in Calgary and Southern California. Dr. Taylor has a broad experience in advanced soft tissue surgery, and also performs neurosurgery for intervertebral disc disease and fracture repairs. She has a special interest in oncologic surgery, soft tissue reconstruction, minimally invasive surgery, interventional radiology and pain management. Dr. Taylor is a member of the American College of Veterinary Surgery, the Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncologists, the Veterinary Society of Soft Tissue Surgery and the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Emergency and Trauma
Heather Albino, DVM
Dr. Albino graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science and earned her veterinary degree from Saint Georges University in 2011. After graduating she primarily worked in small animal medicine and periodically emergency medicine. More recently she has transitioned to practicing predominantly in emergency medicine. She rescued her dog, in Grenada when she was in veterinary school and has 2 cats that spend most of their days avidly watching the birds at the window feeders. In her free time she likes to hike with her dog, play tennis, and to travel to new places.
Marianne Freschlin, DVM
Dr. Freschlin completed her undergraduate work at Carnegie Mellon University and obtained her Veterinary degree from Tufts University in 1993. After 3 years in general practice she decided to pursue emergency medicine exclusively. She joined us in 2001 after practicing for 5 years at an emergency hospital in Stratford. Her special interests are in exotics and wildlife.
Kristen Grau, DVM
Dr. Grau graduated cum laude from the University of Oklahoma in 2000 and obtained her DVM at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2004. She has been involved in the practice of veterinary medicine in one aspect or another for over 15 years. Dr. Grau has spent the past 7 years as a veterinarian practicing emergency medicine across Connecticut and New York, including an eight-month stint in the emergency and critical care department at Cornell University. Dr. Grau is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society.
Dr. Nicole Kennedy graduated with honors from University of Rhode Island, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Sciences. Dr Kennedy graduated from the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine in 2009. Dr Kennedy, has a strong interest in emergency medicine and has been actively practicing in emergency since graduation. She is a resident of Winsted, CT where she lives with her husband, J.J., her toddler twins Hailey and Lucas, and her 4 legged child Zoey, a 6 year old black Shepard mix. When She is not working, Nicole enjoys spending time with her family, taking family trips and being outside and exploring New England.
Teresa Rodina, DVM
Dr. Teresa Rodina was born and raised on Long Island, NY. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences and Technology from the University of Rhode Island in 2005 before making a big move south to the Sunshine State. There she attended the University of Florida (Go Gators!) where she obtained her Master of Science in Animal Science in 2007 and then earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2012. Having had enough of the southern heat, she moved back to New England and completed a 1 year rotating internship here in CT. Afterwards, she entered the world of overnight Emergency Medicine and joined the Central family in 2014 as one of the overnight Emergency Service doctors. Dr. Rodina enjoys spending her free time with her dog Reba, who mostly enjoys catching some rays in the back yard in her old age.
Kristin Smith, DVM – Practice Limited to Emergency and Critical Care
Born and raised in Connecticut, Dr. Smith attended Wesleyan University as an undergraduate, with a Bachelor of Arts in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, and earned her veterinary degree from Tufts University in 2013. Following veterinary school, she completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery followed by a three-year residency in Emergency and Critical Care at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center. Her clinical interests include management of sepsis and trauma, as well as respiratory emergencies. Outside of work, she enjoys playing piano and guitar, trying to find the best nachos in New Haven, and spending time with her husband, dog, and two cats.
Celeste Wells, DVM
Dr. Celeste Wells received her DVM from Tufts University in 2002. After completing a medicine and surgery internship she practiced general medicine for over 5 years. In 2009 she returned to emergency medicine and she’s been with the Central Hospital emergency service since 2014. She lives with her husband, 2 active boys, 2 goats, 7 cats, and an embarrassingly large amount of chickens. When not working she leads a 4-H poultry group and loves to garden and spend time with her family.
Diana Weston, DVM
