Meet Our Veterinary Team

Meet the Team at Rox Falls Vet

Dr. Stephanie Cohen

For as long as I can remember I have always been OBSESSED with dogs. When I was 6 years old my first dog, Freddie, came into my life. He was instantly a part of the family and I was so in love with him. My brother and I made superhero capes and shirts for him, always including him in our fun. He was my best friend, and he helped me realize just how much I truly loved animals. And so I started on my path to become a veterinarian. In college, I took science classes and loved them. I started work at a local veterinary hospital and loved going to work every day. This was definitely my calling! Now just to explain… It took me a little longer to know that I am a cat person too! This is only because my family was allergic to cats, and so growing up, I was never around them. Later, I started hosting fosters, I adopted my own cat and began working with them every day. Since then, I have fallen in love with the feline species and am in awe of their beauty and uniqueness.

Every day I feel extremely honored to be able to be someone’s Vet. Each patient visit is a chance to help that animal in some way. I can be educating puppy families about preventative medicine or senior cat families about chronic pain management. I enjoy helping dogs and cats through all of life’s stages and find great joy in learning how much your pets mean to you and how you like to spend your time together.

My current pets include a mixed breed puppy named Dash, a cat named Jersey, and 2 guinea pigs named Peppa and Pumbaa. We are a big Disney family and love the Incredibles and the Lion King! I also share my home with my wonderful husband Mike (also a veterinarian whom I met while at school) and our two boys, Isaac and Henry. We love baseball, playgrounds, bike riding, running (Dash is a great running partner!), the beach, the Wissahickon creek, and camping.

Education:

• University of Maryland; BS in Biology
• University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine; VMD
• Garden State Veterinary Specialists; Internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery
• Certified in Veterinary Medical Acupuncture

Dr. Mike Altmeier

As a veterinarian, I have the greatest job in the world. I get to witness firsthand the special bond that exists between pets and pet parents while collaborating and counseling regarding a pet’s wellbeing. They are both our companions and family members. I view being a veterinarian as an incredible privilege because our pet parents place their faith in our team to help them. Thank you for this trust.

The foundation of my calling to be a veterinarian is rooted in an interest in medicine and physiology, an appreciation for all God’s creatures, and a mission to provide a service to my community. Some of my fondest memories as a child were exploring and searching for wildlife, garter snakes, frogs, and salamanders in my neighborhood in northeast Philly. As this fascination matured along with an interest in science and biology, I was so excited to discover my calling to preserve animal health.

I am immensely proud to be from Philadelphia, as well as the local institutions that have helped to shape my journey. I continue to make it my home and raise my family here. My incredible wife Stephanie (also a veterinarian) and I made the decision to pursue our calling, to try to create something special literally from the ground up, and to provide this service here in the Roxborough community. We are here to help not only pet families, but also to create a great environment for our team members to pursue their own professional calling. And we have a profound gratitude and sense of responsibility to build Rox Falls Vet into an institution of which the local community will be proud.

My professional interests include all of it: emergency medicine, internal medicine, soft tissue surgery, but also community outreach and engagement. In my free time, I enjoy coaching baseball and building cub scout pinewood derby cars with my two sons, Isaac and Henry, and taking Stephanie out to the occasional nice restaurant. I also enjoy running with our dog Dash along the Wissahickon Creek, nuzzling up to our diva cat Jersey, and listening to the excited squeals of our forever hungry guinea pigs Peppa and Pumbaa. Dash and Jersey even inspired our Rox Falls Vet logo as we depicted them trotting across the Bells Mill Bridge!

Education:

• Lafayette College; BS in Biology
• University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine; VMD
• VCA Veterinary Referral Associates; Internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery

Dr. Theresa Herbers

When I was a kid, I had one goal in life that surpassed all others: get a horse. Growing up in the Midwest suburbs, I was convinced that our backyard was spacious enough for one horse, or three, and probably also a Charlotte’s Web menagerie of other barn animals. I was not correct, but the dream led me to pursue riding lessons and collect as many pets as our family could hold.

In school I discovered a true love of science, which dovetailed with my love of animals to lead me to a career in veterinary medicine. One of the most amazing discoveries of this profession is the privilege of working with people and helping them care for their dearly loved ones. Someone walks into the room and puts their dog or cat into my hands for care, truly giving me a piece of their heart. It is profound and rewarding to be granted this honor every day.

My first dogs of my own were a cuddly terrier mix named Juno and a sweet-tempered Border collie mix named Daphne. Together we traveled from vet school to the Twin Cities in Minnesota, to my first job in Illinois, and finally to Philadelphia! Their successor will have big pawprints to fill.

Some of my favorite parts of my job include surgery, dentistry, older pet care, and behavior. When not working, I love to read, play softball, piano, and games with my nephews, and get out to the greener spaces around the city. I am excited to meet the people and pets of Roxborough!

Education

• St. Olaf College; BA in Biology and Chemistry
• University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine; DVM
• University of Minnesota; Internship in Internal Medicine and Surgery

Veterinary Nurses

Samantha Eberz, CVT

With every patient visit, my goal is to make each patient feel comfortable while addressing the problems at hand or just making sure they feel at ease with any routine care. I happily provide many treats, belly rubs, and lots of love to each individual pet. Pet parents should know that their pets’ well-being is of utmost importance to me. With each visit, phone call, or any other form of contact-concerns will be addressed in a professional, timely fashion to earn what is needed to allow that pet parent to place full trust in me as their pet’s caregiver.

I share my home with my wonderful husband, Matthew, and our daughter Alice Selene. Our fur babies consist of Bindi Jane who is a cattle dog mix, our yorkie, Missy, and two trouble-making Siamese cats, Boo and Bo.

Outside of work I enjoy going to concerts and spending time with family and friends.

Education:

• Harcum College A.S. In Veterinary Nursing
• Clinical rotations at the Ryan Veterinary Hospital & New Bolton Center of the University of Pennsylvania
• Licensed Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT)
• Silver Level Certification in Low Stress Handling for Dogs and Cats

Sabrina Dempsey, CVT

I have been in the Veterinary world for 21 years and love what I do. I love helping the fur children of the family feel better and back to wiggles and happy tails and content purrs. I saw a commercial when I was 17 about something called Veterinary Technology. I Googled what the profession was about and never looked back.

Also…..all dogs are puppies! Can’t convince me otherwise.

Dawn Katona

I have dedicated my 33+ year career to the health and well-being of animals. My decades of experience have imparted to me a deep understanding of animal care and medical procedures. I find joy in, and I am committed to providing exceptional care to animals and supporting their owners throughout their journey.

Miranda Wilson

From a very young age I’ve wanted to work with animals. Growing up, my family always had dogs, cats, rabbits, fish, and even a turtle. I began horseback riding at the age of 5 and continued to ride until my mid-teens. A part of me wished to become a veterinarian but unfortunately school and I didn’t mix well. Luckily, a few years after highschool, the vet hospital where my family took our pets decided to take a chance on me and hired me as a veterinary nurse. 10 years later and I can’t picture myself doing anything else.

I grew up in south Jersey but recently moved to East Falls with my fiancee and our two furbabies. When I’m not working I enjoy reading, writing, playing video games, and trying to find dog-friendly hiking trails around the area.

Kate, CVT

Kate was inspired to pursue a career in the veterinary field after a particular stray cat walked into her life (and her house) one day, and kicked off a longstanding friendship and her deep appreciation for the human-animal bond. Kate is a certified veterinary technician with special interests in general practice, preventative medicine, and dentistry. Her driving force comes from the desire to help other people maintain that special connection with their beloved pets by helping animals live longer, healthier lives.

Shannon Hall

Hi! I’m Shannon, and this is my spunky cat named Omelette. No kitties were harmed in the taking of this photo—she’s just like that. I am a lifelong animal lover who is still new to the veterinary world. I made the exciting decision to change careers and fulfill my dream of working with animals. I am currently in school pursuing my vet tech certification while I work as a nurse at Rox Falls Vet.

In my free time, when I’m not working or studying, I enjoy being outdoors, hiking, going to the beach, or curling up with a good book and a blanket! I currently live in East Falls with my fiancé, our cat, and we frequently welcome a foster pup into the mix. I look forward to meeting you and your furbabies!

Veronica Thompson

Hi! My name is Veronica and I have always been passionate about taking care of animals. I grew up helping my mom foster countless dogs and cats, including Seeing Eye puppies, and from the beginning, I loved caring for each one of them. I gained experiences in various fields while pursuing my bachelor’s degree, including ecology research, vet assisting, and wildlife rehabilitation. I re-entered the veterinary field after graduating, and this finalized my decision that this is what I wanted to wake up and do each day. I am currently at Harcum College pursuing my veterinary nursing certification.

I love hiking, spending time with my tripod cat Pancake, and traveling. I am so grateful for the chance to meet and care for each pet I encounter!

Hector Burgos

From a very young age I’vealways loved animals. Growing up, my family always had dogs, cats, and growing up in Puerto Rico I was around horses, cows, pigs and other farm animals. But it wasn’t until later in life that I realized that love could lead into a career path. I got my start in veterinary medicine as a kennel attendant in a shelter and eventually was hired as a veterinary technician at a general practice 5 years later and I can’t picture myself doing anything else.

I grew up in Philadelphia. I have a 5 year old Husky and when I’m not working I enjoy reading, playing video games,playing Dungeon and dragons, taking  dog-friendly hikes, and going camping.

Cara Morgan, CVT 

Cara has lived in Philadelphia her entire life. She found her love of animals and veterinary medicine while working at the Pennsylvania SPCA. Cara graduated from Manor College’s Veterinary Technology program in 2019. After graduating, Cara transitioned to emergency and specialty medicine advancing her knowledge and technical skills. She works part time here at Rox Falls helping out on the weekend.

When Cara is not taking care of her patients, she is enjoying Crossfit and spending time with her family, which includes her husband and their 1 dog, Basil, and her 4 cats, Steven, Benny, Isabella and Kuzco.

Kaitlyn Farhoud, CVT

Kaitlyn graduated from Northwestern Connecticut Community College in 2015 and became a CVT in 2016. Before becoming a veterinary technician she worked at an animal shelter for 6 years.  She currently has 3 cats. She moved from Connecticut to Pennsylvania in 2018 and has worked in Emergency and Critical Care since 2015 and joined Rox Falls Vet in 2023.

Client Service Representatives

Danielle

Hello! My name is Danielle, and this is my cat Otter Pop! I’ve had an interest in animals my whole life, and love learning new things about them. I enjoy working with pets and their people, and am always happy to hand out skritches and snackies! One of the best parts of working here is knowing I work with others who genuinely care about animals as much as I do, and getting to hear people talk about their critters.

Currently, I own Otter Pop and another cat named Killua, a leopard gecko named Macaroni, and a fish tank with cory catfish. In my down time, I enjoy making art and learning about Fresh Water Aquascaping. I also have a tendency to be mistaken for an Automated Answering Service, but I’m a person! No need to ask to speak to the front desk!

Lee

Hi! I’m Lee and these two goobers pictured are my cats are Schlimazel and Thibodeaux.

I’ve always been a huge fan of animals but wasn’t able to have many pets growing up due to familial allergies. Nowadays, I have the great pleasure of working at the front desk at Rox Falls as a CSR and helping all of your pets! I really enjoy getting to know our clients and their fur babies and resolving any issues that may arise in the sometimes tumultuous undertaking of caring for a pet.

Outside of work you can usually find me rock climbing, studying for the degree I’m pursuing, or simply cuddling up with my cats.

SARAH

I’ve always had a special place in my heart for all animals. When the opportunity to work in the veterinary field presented itself, I took the job and have loved every minute of it since. I currently have 2 fur sons, Benny & Dakota who are the most spoiled and perfect boys. The handsome guy in the photo is Dakota. He’s my shadow and can never be more than a foot away from me.   In my free time I enjoy traveling (anywhere in the world) or I am snuggling up with my cats binge watching netflix shows.

LUCY

Hello! This handsome beast is Phil! We went into the shelter wanting a small to medium dog and came out with a 60 pound dude. He really is just a guy that lives in my house. As long as I can remember, I have always loved animals and tried to surround myself with them. This is my first foray into the veterinary world, so far I’m loving it! I approach each animal with compassion and treat them as I would my own animals.

In my free time, I love to do fiber arts – I crochet, knit, sew, and cross stitch. Music is a major passion and seeing live performances is one of my favorite things to do. I have a slight obsession with history, it’s my favorite thing to learn about, and historical handicrafts are pretty fun too.

JACKIE

Hi! My name is Jackie and I am one of your Customer Service Representatives. I am a lifelong pet parent: my first pet was a hamster, Digger (because she liked to dig – creative, I know); then my family was adopted by our cat of 18 years, Lucky; and now I am a cat mom to 4 kitty cats. I grew up in Lower Merion with 3 siblings. Some of my interests outside of work include theatre, music, dance, education, and social justice. If I could be reborn as any animal, it would be a house cat.