I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and quite literally cared for pets of all sorts since the day I was born. From fish to reptiles and “pockets pets” to birds, my Mother was quite tolerant. In fact, my first word was the name of my family dog! So, it is only fitting that I have always had a love for all creatures and a knack for biology and the sciences.

I attended Indiana University to pursue a major in business, but soon came to realize that the only real job I could perform would be one that I loved. Thus, I turned to my lifelong love of animals, took a turn in my educational track, and decided to pursue a major in pre-med.

After graduating from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 1997, I practiced at Blum Animal Hospital in Chicago before working with LePar Animal Hospital in Evergreen Park and the Animal Emergency Center in Northbrook. It was at these clinics that I developed a profound interest in internal medicine and gained a practical awareness of natural and alternative medicine and treatment. More recently, I have greatly enjoyed my work with some of Chicago’s feline-exclusive practices.

I am very proud of my executive board membership in the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association and have enjoyed writing pet-related articles on their behalf for both the Chicago Sun-Times and the Pioneer Press newspapers. Recently, I have appeared on NBC morning news to discuss senior pet care.

My wife and I are the proud parents of a male Chow-Chow named Baloo. He has always been a character, but has really been the love of our lives after the loss of our second dog to a long-time illness. We are currently waiting for another pet to steal a way into our hearts and lives.