Our People
Get to know the amazing team at Mountain Star Veterinary Specialists and why we love what we do so much.
We’re one big family.
Get to know the team that has dedicated their lives to taking the absolute best care of your pet.
Matthew Chavkin
DVM, MS, DACVO
Board Certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist
For Dr Matt Chavkin, each day is an opportunity to ease the suffering of pets and the families who care about them.
He gets immense joy from dogs who can once again chase squirrels or hike their favorite trails. Or from cats who have returned to their favorite perch to watch cars pass along the street.
Pets and their people love Dr Chavkin’s calm demeanor. A key component of his stress-free style is minimizing the separation of animals and their humans.
He founded and managed the Ophthalmology Service at VRCC, where he practiced from 1994 to 2015. He is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, serves as affiliate faculty in CSU’s teaching hospital, and is a communication coach for 3rd-year veterinary students.
Dr Chavkin completed his BA at Pomona College (86), received his DVM at Cornell University (90), and had an internship and ophthalmology residency at Colorado State University (94). He lives in Denver with Theresa Peña, his wife of 33 years. They have two grown children, Maya and Ryan; and two dogs, Georgie and Katie. In his free time, Dr Chavkin enjoys snowboarding, sailing, yoga, hiking, biking, and appreciating Anasazi rock art and ruins.
Emily Conway
BVMS, MS, MRCVS, DACVO
Board Certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist
Dr Emily Conway helps clients feel comfortable through her collaborative, enthusiastic approach to pet care. She understands that eye health can be a confusing and vulnerable subject. She includes the owner as a part of their pet’s healthcare team and explains the process. This allows them to create the perfect plan for the household and pet.
Dr Conway is especially interested in corneal disease and vision-related issues. She not only believes that eyes are the window to the soul, but also the window to the body. By examining a pet’s eyes, there is a lot we can detect about the body as well.
To keep patients comfortable, Dr Conway begins by assessing the pet’s body language and needs. She lets the pet approach her and mirrors their energy.
She received a BA in Biology from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, where she also studied movie makeup and horror film rhetoric. Dr Conway also swam for the varsity team. She then attended the University of Glasgow, in Scotland, for veterinary school. Dr Conway shares her home with her husband, two children, and her dog: Bento, a rescued Shiba Inu.
Christina Mazulis
DVM, DACVD
Board Certified Veterinary Dermatologist
Dr Christina Mazulis takes a detailed, collaborative approach to ensure each pet receives the best care. She offers personalized treatment leading to long-term management of skin problems. She sets realistic expectations based on pets’ needs and clients’ comfort levels. Her clear, thorough communication and passionate treatment make the process easy for everyone.
Dr Mazulis is Fear Free certified. She allows pets time to adjust and adapts her approach for their comfort. She’s a strong advocate for shelter and foster care pets, and enjoys volunteering with local shelters.
Dr Mazulis attended the University of Illinois for undergraduate and veterinary school. She then completed a general rotating internship at a specialty and emergency hospital. Her interest in dermatology began in college and was fueled by treating her own pet’s allergies. She finished her dermatology residency at Cornell University.
In her free time, Dr Mazulis enjoys spending time with her husband and their senior mixed-breed dog, Luke. Her extended family includes her parents’ Shih-Tzu and her niece and nephew. She likes hiking, exploring nature, and photography. A lifelong dancer, she enjoys tap dancing and barre workouts.
Ashley Bendlin
DVM, MS, DACVO
Board Certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist
Dr Ashley Bendlin is passionate about specialized veterinary care for all types of animals. She includes clients in their pets’ care, discussing treatments and medications in detail. Clients appreciate her attention to detail and thorough approach.
Dr Bendlin understands the importance of the human/animal bond. She treats each patient like her own and uses calming techniques to keep dogs and cats comfortable during their appointment. She offers treats and affection and lets the pet set the pace, adjusting her approach as needed.
Dr Bendlin earned her veterinary degree from Cornell University. She completed a residency at Ohio State University. Dr Bendlin is especially interested in ocular surgery and learning new surgical techniques.
In her free time, Dr Bendlin enjoys spending time outdoors, especially hiking and visiting local parks with her husband. She also likes to attend musical theater productions, watch TV, or get lost in a good book. Her pets include a Dalmatian named Quill and two cats named Emmitt and Dondi, who were fosters she realized she couldn’t live without.
Laurie Simmons
Hospital Manager
Laurie’s passion is for providing amazing care for patients and clients. She enjoys working with a motivated team of animal lovers, teachers, and caretakers. Laurie believes in supporting the growth of her team members. She sees each person’s potential and then provides them the support, experience, and resources they need to get to where they want to be.
Clients appreciate Laurie’s patience, passion, and experience. She brings a wealth of knowledge to Mountain Star. She began her career in the veterinary field as a Client Service Representative, before working up to hospital manager. Once she learned about specialty medicine for pets, she wanted to expand her knowledge of patient and client care. This led her to go work for a large specialty and emergency hospital for over a decade. She specialized in the Surgery and Orthopedics Department before moving up to a leadership position.
Originally from Ohio and Virginia, Laurie grew up around all types of animals, including horses, dogs, cats, reptiles, birds, and rabbits. She helped raise and train Arabian horses during her childhood; as a teenager, she showed Arabian horses and gave riding lessons. She moved to Colorado to pursue her career in the veterinary field.
If she’s not spending time with her family, Laurie is usually outdoors hiking, biking, or doing yoga. She also enjoys attending concerts, trying out new restaurants, and watching television. Her family dogs are best friends Kyuss, a Mini American Shepherd, and Jilly, a Pug.
Michelle Pena
Front Desk Manager
Michelle treasures the relationships she builds with clients and pets. Clients appreciate that she is empathetic and thorough. She listens to clients’ needs, answers their questions, and follows up with clients after the appointment.
Michelle makes patient comfort her top priority. She reads each pet’s body language and adjusts her approach to make them feel safe. She ensures that each pet’s unique needs are met. Michelle appreciates Mountain Star’s commitment to pets and people.
Michelle has experience as an Ophthalmology, Dermatology, and Surgery Client Care Coordinator. She has also completed courses on Client Care and Practice Administration to help her better serve clients.
She received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She also has a Certificate in Veterinary Administration from AAHA/Purdue. When not working, Michelle can be found outdoors, biking, snowboarding, and kickboxing.
Ashton Garcia
Registered Veterinary Technician / Operations Advisor
Ashton enjoys working with clients and doctors to help provide the best care for pets. She explains things to clients in an easy-to-understand way; she collaborates with clients so they can be involved in their pets’ care. Clients appreciate her knowledge, empathy, and individualized care.
Ashton brings experience in specialty medicine and ophthalmology to Mountain Star. She is proficient in assisting in surgery, anesthetic monitoring, and preparing animals for surgery. Her love of animals is apparent in everything she does and helps her form lasting bonds with clients and patients.
She shares her home with her pets: Reed, a mixed breed dog whom Ashton nursed back to health; and JoJo and Scotty Pippen (Pippen), her two loveable cats. She attended Bel-Rea Veterinary Institute of Animal Technology. Outside of work, Ashton loves to read true crime books, cook, and bake specialty cupcakes.
Mandy Meredith
Inventory Manager / Licensed Veterinary Technician
Mandy brings a wealth of experience to Mountain Star, including working in cardiology. Her compassionate, gentle, and honest approach to pet care helps clients and patients feel comfortable and well cared for. By collaborating with clients and the veterinarian, Mandy helps create the perfect plan for each patient. Her desire to help pets live happy, healthy lives helps her form lasting connections with clients and patients.
Mandy attended Michigan State University. She received her Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife, along with an Associate’s Degree in Veterinary Technology. While she loves sampling Colorado’s delicious microbrews, her dream is to one day live in Hawaii. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, and traveling to new places. She shares her heart with Potcake, her rescue pet from the Dominican Republic.
Sarah Tooley
Registered Veterinary Technician (Ophthalmology)
Sarah enjoys meeting clients and their pets, and educating clients about their pets’ diagnoses and care. She specializes in ophthalmology. Clients appreciate that Sarah is knowledgeable, transparent, and that she listens to all their concerns. She collaborates with clients to help ensure their pets get the best care.
Sarah enjoys nurturing the human/animal bond. She uses Fear Free techniques when handling patients so that they feel comfortable during their treatment. Sarah attends continuing education courses for ophthalmology, anesthesia, and interpersonal relationships so that she can improve her skills.
Sarah attended community college in West Virginia, where she received her associate’s degree in Applied Science/Veterinary Technology. She loves to attend live music concerts, travel, and spend time with Pickles, her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
Chelsea Tincoff
Dermatology Technician
Chelsea’s patient approach and detailed communication help make veterinary visits easier and less stressful for clients and patients. She educates clients on the process and collaborates with the doctor to create the best plan. Her goal is to help animals have the best quality of life. Because she wants the best for pets and clients, she can form lasting relationships and strengthen the human/animal bond.
Chelsea worked in dentistry specialty for five years before joining the Mountain Star family. She monitors pets’ body language and adapts her care to keep them as comfortable as possible. She uses Fear Free techniques to ensure pets are safely handled and cared for during their visits. She is a long-time volunteer with Peace, Love & Paws, helping provide free veterinary care to deserving individuals.
Chelsea has an Associate’s of Applied Science in Veterinary Medicine degree from Bel-Rea Institute. Her family includes Kato, a rescue Shar-Pei mix, and a dog-like cat named Naji. She has started training Kato to communicate with buttons. In her free time, she enjoys going hiking, camping, and visiting national parks. She and Kato also spend a lot of time at the dog park.
Gina McNamara
Veterinary Technician
Gina graduated from Bel-Rea Institute in 2013 with an Associates of Applied Science in Veterinary Medicine. Her professional background primarily consists of urgent care and general practice. She joined her friends at Mountain Star so she could further her career experience in quality, specialty medicine. She enjoys forming bonds with clients and their pets through education and stress-free handling. Gina believes that knowledge is powerful, therefore she is always keeping her credentials up to date with the latest veterinary information so she can better assist her team, clients, and most importantly, the pets she cares for.
Gina also holds an Associates of Science in Psychology and is currently pursuing her BS in Psychology from Colorado State University (Go Rams!). When she is not working or studying, she enjoys reading, creative writing, relaxing with friends in the mountains, playing video games, and spending time with her calico cat, Chimichanga and her ball python, Boopy.
Stacey McClain
Registered Veterinary Technician
Stacey brings a wealth of experience to Mountain Star. She has worked in neurology and neurosurgery, surgical recovery, internal medicine, and ICU. Her priority is patient care. She ensures each pet receives the best care, regardless of their needs. She has a special fondness for senior pets and pets with special needs. One of her special skills is administering medications to pets in a safe, stress-free way.
Stacey knows that specialty vet visits can be stressful and overwhelming. She takes her time explaining the process to clients and answering any questions they have. She is working on becoming Fear Free certified, and uses a calm, gentle approach to keep pets comfortable.
Stacey and her husband share their home with several pets: English bulldog mixes Clementine and Howard; rescue cats Stella and Wilson; and a salt-water aquarium. In her free time, Stacey enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and attending live music events. She also likes watching movies or getting lost in a good book.
Lea Samaras
Veterinary Technician
Lea’s empathy and compassion help clients and patients feel comfortable. She collaborates with clients, because she knows they have the same goal of helping their pet receive the best care. Her goal is to build a partnership with all clients and patients. She wants clients to have peace of mind and feel like their concerns are being addressed.
To keep pets comfortable, Lea uses Fear Free techniques. She allows pets to set the pace of the appointment. She believes in the power of the human/animal bond, which is why she became a veterinary technician. She is passionate about helping each pet live their best, healthiest life.
She attended the Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology. Lea’s family includes her husband and their senior German shepherd/chow mix, Zoe. In her free time, she loves to go hiking, work in her garden, and travel to new places.
Jane Cady
Client Service Coordinator / Veterinary Assistant
Jane’s commitment to clients and patients begins from the very first phone call. She wants people and their pets to feel welcome, safe and understood when visiting Mountain Star. Jane loves getting to know each individual patient and creating lasting relationships with them. She believes this will allow her, and the team, to best address each pet’s needs and each client’s concerns.
Jane holds a BA from Bowdoin College and lived on the coast of Maine in the town of Belfast for over 20 years, raising her kids and working as a technician in the town of Northport. A native Denverite, she returned in 2018 and entered the specialty medicine field as a coordinator for a local Surgery and Orthopedics Department.
Jane falls in love with every dog she meets but has a special place in her heart for mixed breeds. She’s happy to be back in Colorado, where – if she isn’t playing with her crew of short, stumpy-legged dogs and her tripod cat – she is exploring the Front Range on her bike.
Mandy Hess
Client Service Coordinator
Mandy strives to make sure that clients are well-informed so they can work with the doctor during their pet’s visit. She believes in collaboration and takes time to answer client questions. Mandy has over fourteen years of experience in the veterinary field, including experience in emergency, dentistry, and ophthalmology specialists.
Because veterinary clinics can be scary places for pets, Mandy works to help pets feel comfortable when they visit. She provides treats, a safe place for pets to acclimate, and support to nervous pets. Her goal is for pets to feel safe while at Mountain Star. She is working on becoming Fear Free certified.
Mandy has a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts. When not helping animals at Mountain Star, she can be found working at her wedding floral business, or spending time with her family: husband, son, two dogs, and cat. No matter the temperature, she will always have an iced coffee.
Candace Adducci
Client Service Coordinator
Bio coming soon!
We wish Brit the best of luck on her next adventure! Even though she is no longer working with us here at Mountain Star, she will always be in our hearts! Brit is moving to Ireland so that she can attend vet school! We hope to see Brit again in the future as a veterinary ophthalmologist here at Mountain Star! We will miss her so much and hope that our paths cross again soon! We love you, Brit, and take care!