Meet Our Veterinary Team

Meet our dedicated veterinarians and team at Companion Animal Hospital, providing exceptional pet care with pleasure!

Companion Animal Hospital Veterinary Team

Our Veterinarians

Dr. Jennifer Kavran

Dr. Jennifer E. Kavran

Dr. Jennifer E. Kavran has been with Companion Animal Hospital since graduating from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. She lives with her husband, three cats, a cockatiel, and a budgie. She loves helping our remarkable clientele nurture and lengthen the bond they have with their animal companions.

Over the past 14 years, she has particularly enjoyed developing trusting relationships with longtime clients and their pets. It is rewarding to work as part of a team that is constantly striving to serve both the animals and their human caretakers to the best of their ability. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing, birdwatching, cooking, and playing the harp.

Dr. Rebecca DeSimone

Dr. Rebecca DeSimone

Dr. Rebecca DeSimone comes to Companion Animal Hospital after practicing in Lansing for two years. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2015, and moved to Michigan immediately after graduation. She grew up in a suburb of Chicago and loves calling Northern Michigan her new home. Her love for veterinary medicine is deeply routed through her passion for working with people and animals.

Dr. DeSimone has interests in preventative care, dentistry, and nutrition, but also the constantly evolving nature of veterinary medicine. She appreciates the long-term client relationship and loves treating your four-legged family members as her own as they continue to grow. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, bike riding, playing pickleball with her husband, and spending time with their dogs, Pebbles and Cooper.

Our Veterinary Technicians

Casey

Casey, LVT

Casey is a Licensed Veterinary Technician who graduated from MSU with a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science and a Certificate in Veterinary Technology in 2011. She has a passion for helping and educating clients and providing exceptional care and compassion to all animals as if they were her own.

In her free time, Casey is quite an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing, and skiing. Casey is passionate about rescuing animals, performing dental cleanings, and anesthesiology.

Our Customer Service Representatives

Ashley

Ashley

Ashley has been with Companion Animal Hospital since 2015. Her co-workers love her humor and compassionate nature. She loves kitties, especially the smoosh-face ones, so don’t be alarmed by her excitement when bringing them in! She has dreams of being the official kitten liaison for Companion Animal Hospital.

Outside of work, she enjoys birding, karaoke, and enjoying beautiful Traverse City. As of January 2019, Ashley and her husband, Rob, welcomed their first beautiful baby girl, Josephine!

Johanna

Johanna

Johanna joined Companion Animal Hospital in October 2022 as a Veterinary Assistant before moving to the front end of the practice as a Customer Service Representative. She moved to the Traverse City area from Chicago around the same time. In 2021, Johanna graduated from Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in theatre. Johanna enjoys interacting with all of our clients and helping them with their pets. Her love of animals comes from an early age and the dogs that her family has owned throughout her life. Johanna has also volunteered and worked in dog boarding facilities and shelters. She currently owns a bubbly poodle mix named Masha who is truly her best friend! Be sure to say hello to Johanna when you come into the hospital.

Tammy

Tammy

Tammy joined Companion Animal Hospital in December 2021 as a Customer Service Representative. She has always enjoyed animals and helping people, so she certainly enjoys spending her days greeting all of our clients and patients with her warm smile and gentle voice. Tammy genuinely loves animals. She is excited to learn more and has started training to learn the assistant duties which will be a huge help to our team. Since starting working at CAH, Tammy has adopted a mountain cur/shepherd mix, JJ and 2 black cats, Jinx and Jezabelle. In her spare time, Tammy enjoys reading, taking pictures, kayaking, hiking, camping with family, motorcycle rides with her husband, and walking the beach searching for that perfect rock.

Our Veterinary Assistants

Emily

Emily

Emily joined Companion Animal Hospital in December 2019 as a technician’s assistant. She recently moved north from the greater Grand Rapids area after marrying a Traverse area native. She has over a decade of experience in the veterinary field, from kennel technician to receptionist, assistant, and technician.

With a bachelor’s degree in biology from Hope College, Emily continues to have a passion for learning. Emily and her husband, Branden, currently have one Pitbull mix named Abbie. In her spare time, Emily enjoys hiking and exploring with Abbie, woodworking, and horseback riding.

Courtney

Courtney

Courtney joined Companion Animal Hospital in February 2019. She has proven herself to be a valuable member of our team. She started as a customer service representative and is now an integral part of leading the veterinary assistants in keeping the team running efficiently. She is well-versed in the excellent customer service and patient care we provide. Courtney moved to Michigan in 2017 from Colorado, and she has many years of experience working with a variety of animal species.

She has worked with dogs, cats, horses, goats and other livestock. Courtney even has experience with domesticated exotic animals such as Fennec Foxes, Pythons, and Kinkajous! The great outdoors is her and her husband’s favorite place to spend their free time. Hiking, biking, paddling, snowboarding, and horseback riding are all activities they really enjoy with the company of their Cattle Dog mix, Ranger. Her home would not be complete without her two kitties, Sylvester and Lila. Be sure to say hi to Courtney next time you’re in!

Coming Soon

Sierra

Sierra joined Companion Animal Hospital again in April 2023 as a Veterinary Assistant. She has a passion for helping animals and loves to witness the bond that our clients have with their furry companions. She is dedicated to learning something new everyday and would like to continue her education to become a Licensed Veterinary Technician. Sierra graduated from Alpena Community College with an Associates in Science prior to joining our team in 2021. She worked with us for a year then decided to move to Texas with her husband. After, 9 months of being away from Michigan, they moved back and we were excited to have Sierra back on our team. She brought her diluted calico, Nettie with her from Texas and rescued a shepherd mix, Nova after her return. In her spare time, Sierra enjoys reading, horseback riding, hunting, being outdoors with Nova and spending time with family and friends.
Coming Soon

Santana

Santana joined Companion Animal Hospital in October 2022 as a Veterinary Assistant. She has been a great addition to our team and her team members value her work ethic and humbleness. She has always wanted to work with animals and is excited for this new opportunity to grow with our team. She enjoys being able to help ensure each patient has the best experience whether they are being seen for a wellness exam or illness. Santana would love the opportunity to work with wildlife at some point. She also enjoys going on road trips and beading jewelry.
Coming Soon

Logahn

Logahn joined Companion Animal Hospital in November 2023 as a Technician. She has been in the field since 2020 and looks forward to developing her skills. She has always wanted to help animals in some way. The veterinary field has allowed her to help care for animals and advocate for them as well. Logahn has started training to become a Licensed Veterinary Technician. She is currently enrolled in Penn Foster’s online program to obtain her veterinary technician degree. Pepper, Corn, Salsa, and Jam are all cats that are lucky enough to have Logahn’s company at home. In her spare time, Logahn enjoys outdoor activities, hiking, reading and playing video games.

Our Practice Manager

Jessica

Jessica, CVPM

Practice Manager

Jessica joined Companion Animal Hospital in June 2019 as the Practice Manager. She has been in the veterinary field for 25 years. She has worked in several different practices and in various roles including reception, veterinary assistant and technician. She has had a passion for animals and veterinary medicine for as long as she can remember. Jessica is originally from Massachusetts but has also lived in Alaska, California and North Carolina with her husband of 20 years. They decided to make a home in Northern Michigan after moving every few years due to her husband’s Coast Guard career. Together they have two boys, 3 English Setters, 2 horses, and 1 cat. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, biking, crafting and horseback riding. She is also a PATH Certified Therapeutic Horseback riding instructor and hopes to pursue teaching children with autism in the future.
Her two beautiful girls, Daisy and Ladybug, both English Setters, along with her two horses, Manny and Eclipse and Jack the Cat, complete her family. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, biking, crafting, and horseback riding. She is also a PATH Certified Therapeutic Horseback riding instructor and hopes to pursue teaching children with autism.