Staff

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 University of California, Davis Veterinary School. During vet school, Dr. Cappelletti worked as a technician at a feline-only practice and was the VP of the Feline Medicine Club. She lives with her husband, four rescue pets, three 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 practicing yoga. She loves hanging out with her friends but also enjoys some quiet time curled up with a good book and coffee.

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 the 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 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. 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. 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 Homeopathy and Western and Chinese herbology courses and is certified by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. Providing clients with multiple options, doctor Easton helps them choose the type of medicine best suited for them and their pets. Dr. Easton shares her home with three dogs, two 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. Triona McCarthy, DVM

Dr. McCarthy is a Bay Area native who graduated from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. 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 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 may find her out with her camera on the hiking trails in and around San Ramon.

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 completed a PhD at the University of Queensland. Her PhD focused on pharmacologic modulation of inflammatory and fibrotic pathways in ischemic heart disease to develop 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 completed the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ECVIM) exams and the cardiology specialty boards to become a diplomat (board-certified cardiologist) in the cardiology specialty 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 sizeable private specialty hospital in Cambridgeshire, England. At this hospital, she was part of the Mitral Valve repair team, one of only a few centers around the globe offering highly specialized 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 particular interest in this area. Dr McDonald loves all aspects of veterinary cardiology & advancing this field. She has a specific interest in cardiac imaging. After spending many years throughout her Ph.D. focusing on ultra-high field cardiac MRI for tissue characterization, she ultimately hopes to help translate this knowledge and experience toward 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 traveling 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.

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. Dr. Pulgini’s passion for One Health flourished throughout her time in veterinary school. This inspired her to undertake several projects that address interconnected issues in wildlife conservation, biodiversity loss, and public health across diverse locations such as Madagascar, Mozambique, and Italy. Dr. Pulgini enjoys capturing moments through photography, hiking nearby and distant mountain trails, and exploring new travel destinations!

Dr. Shruti Shastri, DVM

Dr. Shastri is a graduate of the Veterinary School at the University of California, Davis. Before veterinary school, she also completed her undergraduate degree in biological sciences at the University of California Davis. 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 hiking outdoors with her family, including her beagle, Milo.

Dr. Michelle Tien, DVM

Dr. Michelle Tien was born and raised in San Jose, California. Dr. Tien attended UC Davis for her Bachelor 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. She has completed a small animal rotating internship at PetCare East Veterinary Hospital in Santa Rosa. Dr. Tien plays competitive badminton in local open tournaments in her spare time. She also enjoys baking, traveling, and playing video and board games.

Dr. Victoria Susman, DVM

Dr. Susman grew up in San Diego, where she enjoyed the beach, eating great Mexican food, and volunteering at her local animal shelter, zoo, and aquarium. After leaving the ocean for farmlands, she attended UC Davis for her undergraduate studies before graduating from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Susman has a special interest in preventive medicine, dermatology, and surgery. During vet school, she fostered and adopted an injured German Shepherd puppy who now enjoys a pampered city life in San Francisco. Outside of the hospital, she enjoys spending time with her pup, going on scenic hikes, reading fantasy novels, and trying new foods!

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 before its merger to become Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center. In 1998, the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society certified her in veterinary acupuncture. With training in conventional Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dr. Williams can integrate multiple treatment modalities for her patients. She was recently voted Best Alternative Medicine Provider by the Baywoof Beast of the Bay Awards. She lives with her husband, two children, a cat, a crawfish, and a snake.

Dr. Stefanie Wong, DVM

Dr. Wong is a graduate of the Veterinary School at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Before 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. Also, she 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, laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery, and 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: running, surfing, hiking, or camping.

​​​​​​​Margaret Simuro

Hospital Director

A Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care member 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 with more than ten years of 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

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 became the Phone Room Manager. Jen left to pursue opportunities in human medicine in July 2021. After five short months, Jen realized her passion was in the veterinary field and returned to Bishop Ranch in December 2021. Jen's passion for wellness amongst veterinary professionals is a particular interest of hers. She graduated from Cal State East Bay with a B.A. in Psychology in 2019. Jen enjoys spending time with her 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, and she works at our sister practice, Amador Valley and Feline Veterinary Centers. Lauren has also assisted in coordinating our Vet for a Day and Blood Donor program and 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 not at work, she enjoys spending time at home with her family, cooking, and tending to her extensive 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 an Outpatient Supervisor.

She loves working with animals, especially in Patient Care, and her greatest joy is watching when sick pets are treated and can walk out of the hospital and return home.
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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 possible.

Jacquelyn Rechtshaffer

Pharmacy Supervisor

Jacquie R joined our team at Bishop Ranch in 2007 as a Customer Service Assistant called a Runner. Over the past fifteen 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 coworkers. She most recently became 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

Training 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 and stays busy organizing or reading a book to relax.

Ericka Hall

Client & 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 daily. 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 and 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 and spending time with family and friends.