Dr Julie Berndt

Originally from Davenport, Iowa, Dr. Berndt has been with MVPH since graduating from Iowa State University in 1987. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her two grown children, traveling, and relaxing at the lake. She and her husband keep busy at their hobby farm with two horses, some beef cows, a dog [German Short-haired Pointer] and four cats.

Dr Ken Ambrose

Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Dr. Ambrose is a 1991 graduate of Iowa State University. After a short time in Milwaukee, he has been at MVPH since January 1992. His special interest is surgery and managing orthopedic conditions and fractures. He has five children [only 1 at home yet] and two dogs; Maisy (Brittany cross, stray) and LolaKato (Boarder Terrier).

Dr Leah Renne

Dr. Renne grew up in Southwest Missouri, but quickly fell in love with Southern Minnesota while attending Gustavus Adolphus College. She received her DVM from the University of Minnesota, and practiced in La Crosse, Wisconsin before moving back to the Mankato area. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, running and hiking, and singing in a local chamber choir. She lives just outside Mankato with her husband, two sons, a rescued Lab-Basset mix, and an assortment of chickens.

Dr Cary Adams

Dr. Adams is a native of Mason City, Iowa. He attended Iowa State University where he earned his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and D.V.M. degrees. After graduating from college, he spent a year in Virginia where he completed an internship in wildlife medicine and surgery at the Wildlife Center of Virginia. Dr. Adams worked in a small animal practice in Las Vegas, NV from 2005 to 2010 before moving to Mankato. His interests include small and exotic animal medicine and surgery. Dr. Adams shares his home with one dog, a whippet, and a corn snake. In his spare time, he enjoys being outdoors and spending time with his children.

Dr Sara Schwartz

Dr. Sara Schwartz grew up on a farm near Crookston, MN. She received her B.S. from South Dakota State University in Brookings and completed her DVM at the University of Minnesota. In her free time she enjoys camping, gardening and spending time with her husband and four kids. Dr. Schwartz has two dogs (Poochie and Penny), three cats (Strawberry, Titan and Buddy) and several chickens.

Dr Kalahari Kastelic

Dr. Kastelic grew up in Namibia, Africa where she found her deep love for animals while bottle feeding orphan lambs and baby rhinos. She moved to South Dakota where she completed her undergraduate studies at South Dakota State University and then went on to veterinary school at Ross University in St Kitts. Dr. Kastelic started practicing in Montana as a mixed animal veterinarian and recently made the move to Minnesota with her husband, young daughter, three cats (Anderson, Milo, and Tuna) and a dog (Cassie). She enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, horse riding and gardening during her free time.

Dr. Lange grew up in Grand Forks, ND. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami and her DVM from Iowa State University. She is excited to be back in the Midwest with her fiancé and two dogs, Bella and Denali. In her free time, she enjoys taking long walks outside, traveling, drinking coffee, and trying new recipes. Her professional interests include dentistry and comprehensive lifelong care for pets.

Nicole

Nicole graduated from North Dakota State University with a bachelors degree in Veterinary Technology and Zoology in 2008. She is currently studying to get her certificate in Animal Behavior.  Nicole and her husband Bob have one son, Karsyn. She has a cat named Suri and a mixed breed dog named Peaches. (All her pets have been rescues). In her free time she loves to spend time with her husband, family, pets and friends.

Leslie

Leslie grew up outside of Mankato and graduated from Argosy’s technician program in 2008. She spent several years working in small and mixed animal practices in Nebraska before returning to the area to join MVPH. She and her husband have 2 children and a dog named Buddah.  [She rubs his belly every day for good luck before coming to work.] Away from work she enjoys spending time with family, baking and reading.

Amy B.

Amy grew up in Le Sueur, MN and graduated from Argosy University with her Veterinary Technician Degree in 2013.  She worked in a specialty practice for 5 years before joining MVPH in 2020.  She has special interests in internal medicine, anesthesia and patient care.  Outside of work Amy enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 children while watching sports- particularly Gopher Volleyball.  She has a dog named Zuma and 2 cats named Willie and Jerry.

Donna

Originally from Mankato, Donna has been working at MVPH since High School, first as an attendant and since 1987 as a veterinary technician. Her and her husband Jerry have two children, Lorna and Nathan. Donna enjoys outdoor activities, camping, and horseback riding with her family and friends. She has two German Wire-Haired Pointers named Gus and Idgie. She also has three horses- Buck, Tuff, and Ginger. Donna’s hobby farm would not be complete without her barn cats and her chickens.

Rachel

Rachel is a graduate of the Minnesota School of business and is a Certified Veterinary Technician. She has been at MVPH since 2008. Rachel and her husband Chad live with their wonderful kitties Frodo, Josie, Ziggy, Meow Meow, Rue, and Poopy Joe Nelson. Rachel enjoys nature, watching and studying birds, baking, stargazing, Christmas, and being an advocate for the Earth! Please reduce, reuse, and recycle!

Kaylee

Kaylee graduated with an associate’s degree in the Veterinary Technology program at Minnesota School of Business in Shakopee, Mn in 2010. She has a cat named Tiger and dog named Lexi. She enjoys spending time outdoors with family and friends and traveling to new places and experiencing new adventures.

Sarah

Sarah graduated from the Vet Tech program at Argosy in Eagan, MN. She started with MVPH in April 2010. She has lived on a hobby farm with elk, donkeys, goats, pot bellied pigs, alpacas, mini horses and cats since 1992 so she’s been around animals her whole life. In her spare time she loves spending time with her husband Jeremi daughter Ella and son Sawyer.  Sarah also enjoys being outdoors and traveling.

Megan

Megan graduated from Argosy University in 2012 and worked in a small animal practice in Eagan prior to moving to Mankato and joining the MVPH team in 2017. She has a special interest in dentistry and enjoys interacting and educating clients about oral health care. She and her husband have a dog O’Malley and three kitties Chloe, Mouse and Hemi. Outside of work she enjoys camping, hiking, travel, motorcycling, boating and wake surfing and spending time with family and friends.

Alexis is a graduate of Ridgewater’s Veterinary Technology program and is a Certified VT. She has been at MVPH since starting here internship in August 2018. In her free time she enjoys spending time with family and being outside.

Sam

Samantha was born and raised in Benson, MN.  She graduated from NDSU with a degree in Veterinary Technology.  She shares her home with three ferrets; Dobby, Niffler, and Eevee and enjoys reading and the extreme opposites of playing video games and being in the outdoors.

Amy Z.

Amy has lived in the Mankato area most of her life. She graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Urban Studies and Bachelor of Science Degree in Geography. In her spare time, she enjoys going for walks, taking long naps in the sun, hanging her head out the Jeep window while running errands and chasing bugs and leaves outside…. Oh wait, that is what her kitties and dogs enjoy doing. Spending time with her
pets and family is very important to her. Amy truly has a love for all animals and is involved with several rescue organizations. Amy is always advocating for animal rights and for their humane treatment.

Holly

Holly came to MVPH on an internship from Minnesota School of Business in Richfield and has been with us since graduation in 1996. Originally from St. Peter, MN, she is married to Chris and has a son Zach, one cat named Memphis, and three dogs named Chili, Bella and Jack.  She enjoys motorcycling with friends, relaxing at the lake with family and walking her dogs.

Jen

Jen has lived in the Mankato area for most of her life.  She is married and has one daughter.  Her house is a haven for rescue pets currently including three dogs and two cats.  She enjoys regularly helping out at the local animal shelter, spending time with family at the lake and long peaceful walks with her dogs.

Grace

Grace graduated from the Minnesota School of Business in Lakeville.  She enjoys both the interactions with the pets AND their people who come in to the hospital.  In her free time she can be found enjoying family and friends, camping and being in the outdoors, and her dog Gabe who occupies much of her time.

Shalane

Shalane is originally from the Mapleton area but now lives in Mankato.  She has worked in the health care field for 15 years, but this is her first time in a pet hospital.  Shalane enjoys spending time with her son, family, and friends.  She loves traveling when she can, and learning new things.

Antonia came to us originally as a receptionist but quickly fell in love with working with and caring for the pets.  She is currently enrolled and working toward certification as a Veterinary Technician.  She is also a CPDT-KA certified dog trainer and loves animal behavior.  In her free time she can be found adventuring at state parks or kayaking the rivers always accompanied by her “Aussie Posse” of Angri and Eden.

Carly

Jennifer graduated from Rio Gran Grooming School in 2010 and owned a grooming shop in Elbow Lake, Minnesota for several years. In 2015, she and her family moved to southern Minnesota. She now lives in the Mankato area with her husband, 2 sons, 3 cats, and 2 dogs. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys camping, baking, and tricks and agility training with her Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Nestlé.