Staff
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Dr.Paul PotenzaDr. Paul Potenza joined NCVH in 1990 as an assocaite while he ran his mobile veterinary practice. In 1996 he quit the road to become director of New Canaan Veterinary Hospital. He has lived in New Canaan since 2003 with his wife, Priscilla and his two daughters; Allie and Siena. Both girls attended New Canaan public schools, with his youngest still attending New Canaan High School. 'Doc's' Aussie 'Ellie', pictured here, is the most recent addition to his furry family which usually consists of up to 4 dogs and 1 to 3 cats. In his spare time Doc enjoys swimming, playing the banjo and spending time with his family.
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Dr.Marlene SchaeflerDr. Marlene Schaefler, shown with her whippersnapper Ripley. Dr. Schaefler joined New Canaan Veterinary Hospital initially in 1991 as a kennel assistant. She continued to work through school breaks until she joined the hospital as a doctor after graduating from Cornell University in 1999. During her professional training, Dr. Potenza patiently awaited her return, working as the sole doctor, knowing that she would be the perfect fit for the practice. In her time away from the hospital, Dr. Schaefler enjoys horseback riding and crafting, and caring for her menagerie of 2 cats, 1 dog, 4 chickens and a snake. Of course, there's a lot less time for that now since her beautiful daughter, Devon, and son Tristan, expanded hers and Doug's family..
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Michelle , TechnicianMichelle, Head Veterinary Technician, is shown with Senor Friend. She also has a houseful of other pets at home; Jimmy, Vinny and Willie, her curious kitties, and numerous fish. Michelle came to us in 2012 after being the head technician at Redding Vet Hospital for 8 years. She has been a great addition to our team and is an amazingly thorough technician with a strong sense of attention to detail. She specializes in client relations and education.
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Jennifer , Office ManagerJennifer rejoined our staff in 2006 as a receptionist, and she is invaluable in her ability to help clients with all their needs. She brings her unshakeable work ethic and outgoing client oriented approach with her every day. She is pictured here with Chance, her wonderful dog that was given to her by a client of NCVH. Jennifer is, along with Dr. Schaefler and Dr. Potenza, part of the original crew having worked for NCVH in the ‘90’s in all aspects of patient care, and we are so grateful that she decided to return to us.
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Larry , TechnicianLarry, Technician Assistant, cuddles with his dog Rocky. His other two dogs Jake and Lady were a bit camera shy! Larry began helping in our kennel in 2011 and now uses his animal handling skills to help our medical team. His can-do spirit and upbeat personality make him a strong team member. Beneath his professional and solid exterior lies a soft spot a mile wide for animals. All this has made him a truly valued asset to the practice. On his days off he prefers to be boating and spending time with his beautiful wife and daughter.
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Kelley , TechnicianKelly joined us in 2015 and is our Kennel Manager and is shown with her cat Samara. She also helps in treatment. (In fact, she is valuable in all departments!) She is truly an animal lover. She and her son live with two dogs, five cats, a squirrel, a guinea pig, four snakes (including Boas and King Snakes), 33 tarantulas, 7 stick bugs, 130 cockroaches ( 5 of which have names), a Bearded Dragon (lizard) and more!! That has got to be some sort of record. Kelley has worked in the animal care field for nine years and currently works with Animal Nation Rescue -- you think that's where she gets some of her menagerie?
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J.D. QuezadaGrooming Assistant
J.D, is pictured with his 3 year old Havenese; Crestal. JD is now a full time grooming assistant to our wonderful groomer Dana. He enjoys bathing, combing out and making our pets look fantastic. In his spare time JD loves working out at the gym and playing tennis.
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Allie PotenzaPart-time Receptionist
Allie is so excited to be a part of the NCVH team! As Dr.Potenza’s eldest daughter, she naturally is an animal lover at heart. She graduated from Sacred Heart University in December of 2020 with a Masters in Teaching. She adores her son (pet dog) Harley and his sisters Ellie and Sadie. She enjoys singing, writing and working out.
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Henry CastrillanoGroomer
Henry joined our NCVH team in the fall of 2020. As an experienced groomer, Henry provides quality grooming and bathing services for our clients. We are grateful for his dedication to our patients!
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Siena PotenzaReceptionist
Dr. Potenza's youngest daughter, Siena, joined NCVH in the summer of 2021! A recent graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Siena is presently taking courses to become a nurse. She loves to do crossfit and spend time with her Australian shepherd, Ellie.