Meet Our Veterinary Team

Myesa Munoz

Veterinary Receptionist

Myesa was born in California and raised around horses, cows, ducks, pigs, rabbits, peacocks, and everything in between! This is the foundation as to why she loves working in the veterinary field, and why she loves it when she gets to give cuddles to the fur-babies! Her 23 years of medical administration focus on quality customer service, and she always does what she can to make each owner and patient feel comfortable.

Her passions outside of work are playing or just relaxing with Junior, her black and white tuxedo cat, caring for Skippy, her tortoise, spending time with family, and volunteering transport for injured wildlife to a wildlife rescue group. She enjoys working around animals, as this passion is what drives her to learn new ways of making a difference in patient’s lives.

Hiede Sowdon

Veterinary Receptionist

Hiede first became a veterinary receptionist in 2005 when she joined Montclair Animal Hospital. She has always loved animals and when the opportunity arrived to work with them, she jumped at it. Now working with Staples Mill since September 2018, she loves helping clients take care of their furry babies.

Hiede, originally from England, lives with her husband, John, and their two dachshunds, Dee and Belle. Their youngest son William still lives at home with his Mixed Terrier Minnie. Her oldest son Carl, is a drill sergeant at Ft. Benning, GA.

When not working Hiede likes reading, crafts, jigsaw puzzles, and traveling with family and friends. She also takes any chance she can to spoil her 2 grandchildren, Ryan and Evelyn.

Cheryl Turpen

Veterinary Receptionist

Cheryl’s love of animals brought her to the veterinary field in 1997. Learning the many different aspects of the veterinary field has made her passion grow. Her dedication to veterinary health brought her ability to be educational to clients not only as a receptionist but also to gain veterinary assistant skills and knowledge along the way. Cheryl joined Staples Mill in 2017, and it has been very rewarding for her to meet all the new clients along with having the pleasure to serve her previous clients who made the transition to Staples Mill.

Outside of work, Cheryl enjoys crafting, volunteering at a local animal sanctuary, and spending time with her husband, Mike, and daughter Cassidy. They have 2 Boston Terriers, Mason and Buddy, who love to keep their family busy.

Brittney Spirlin

Veterinary Receptionist

Despite growing up in Maryland, Brittney spent a lot of time at her grandparent’s farm in the Blue Ridge foothills of Virginia. Her love of animals came from her grandmother, who had not only dogs and cats but also a lot of birds. She started working in the veterinary field in 2010 as a receptionist, and her continued growth in veterinary health brought her to join Staples Mill in 2021. Being an animal advocate, Brittney strongly believes that those of us serving in the veterinary field can be our patient’s voice and educate their owners to the best of our ability.

When not at Staples Mill, Brittney loves to spend time with loved ones and play with her two Sphynx cats. She enjoys camping, traveling to new places, reading James Patterson mysteries, and trying new coffee shops.

Krystal Glass

Veterinary Assistant

Krystal learned at a very young age that she was going to be in the veterinary field. Growing up on her family farm, she surrounded herself with lots of animals such as horses, goats, chickens, ducks, cats, cockatoos, and dogs. Learning to care for different animals in both sickness and in health, along with the hardship of the short circle of life, drives her passion and love for every animal she meets along the way.

Not only did Krystal grow up a farm girl, but her mom was also in the veterinary field and was a huge influence on her. She introduced Krystal to her first job during high school at a Veterinary Referral Center, where Krystal learned internal medicine, orthopedics, and emergency critical care procedures from 14 years old until she was 26 years old. Her love for veterinary medicine only kept growing as the years went on. She finally decided that it was time to join the Shanes and their team here at Staples Mill Animal Hospital in 2015.

When not at Staples Mill Animal Hospital, you can find Krystal seeking outdoor adventures such as hiking with her dog Bear, glamping, and trail riding her horses. She also enjoys spending time with her two amazing children, Austin and Julianna.

Kristen Link

Veterinary Assistant

Kristen knew she was meant to be in the veterinary field as soon as she could talk. From performing “surgeries” on her stuffed animals to watching Animal ER on TV every day, she continued to pursue being in this field. She began at an introductory kennel position and worked her way up to being an experienced Veterinary Assistant. She is a native of Northern Virginia but now resides in Colorado with her husband, young son Kaleb, senior dog Riley, and cat Veyron. In her downtime, she enjoys working on her car, exploring Colorado, walking trails, and spending time with her son.

Jessica Cooper

Veterinary Assistant

Jessica has been fortunate enough to grow with the Shanes in the veterinary field since 2005 and to see Staples Mill start from the ground up. Along this journey, she has learned many aspects of the business, from kennel assistant, receptionist, and veterinary assistant to finally learning the management role. Her most recent milestone was graduating from the Northern Virginia Community College Vet Tech Program in 2019 while on the Dean’s List throughout. She is very passionate about client education and enjoys discussing various animal health topics and helping them through every stage of their pets’ lives. Building these bonds with patients and their owners drives her career and love of the veterinary field. Her areas of interest are Puppy/Kitten Management, Pet Nutrition, Dermatology, and Behavioral Management. Being able to reference her own experiences with her own animals on these topics helps her relate to her clients on an even more personal level.

During Jessica’s off time, you may find her working on house projects, spending time with her little herd of animals, or spending time on her parents’ little farm. Currently, she has 3 dogs, Noah (Maltese), Mika (Cockapoo), and Oliver (Australian Shepherd), as well as two cats, Cali and Precious. Her most recent addition is her Holland Lop bunny named Rye.

Cassi Barninger

Veterinary Assistant

Being in the veterinary field since 2007 has allowed Cassi to gain the knowledge and skills needed to help many furry friends. She turned her love of animals into her lifelong career by graduating with her degree from the NVCC Veterinary Technology Program in 2013. She joined Staples Mill in 2018 to pursue her passion for veterinary medicine. She finds that surgery, emergency medicine, customer care services, and animal nutrition are most rewarding.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Andrew, and their son, Asher. Their 3 dogs, Koop (Black Lab), Kali (Chocolate Lab), and Isabelle (Jack Russell Terrier), love to join them on their traveling adventures.

Amanda Santano

Veterinary Assistant

Amanda’s love and passion for animals started when she was younger. As a young girl, she aspired to be a zookeeper and a veterinarian. She has been in the veterinary field for over 10 years and has only grown to love it more every day. Her favorite part of her job is giving lots of love and comfort to the pets. She enjoys helping them to feel better when they are not feeling well or recovering from surgery. Since starting at SMAH, she has become Fear Free Certified and is always eager for the challenge of a scared, anxious pet. She is also known at work as the “puppy selfie queen.” Anytime a new puppy visits the hospital, Amanda chases teammates down to make sure she can get a selfie to add to her collection! She is always interested in learning and increasing her skill level in any way and hopes to pursue her education in becoming a Licensed Vet Tech.

In her off time, she likes to spend time with her family and friends, crafting, baking, pet sitting, and occasionally working her restaurant job. She is married with a young son and is also a dog mom to Miller.

Miller is her “bestest girl” and is the best big puppy sister to her human brother! She wishes she could bring home every pet and aspires to someday have a large home so she can rescue ALL of the animals.

Suzanne Marple

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Suzanne has been in the Veterinary Field since 1996, starting out in a mixed animal practice, with her love of animals fueling her motivation to attend Vet Tech School. After graduating Summa Cum Laude from the NVCC Veterinary Technology Program in 1999, she has worked in multiple practices, with her main interests being in Surgery, Dentistry, and Pain Management. She joined the Staples Mill team in October 2016, excited to be a part of a growing AAHA and Fear Free practice. She is currently our Staff Supervisor and Quality Assurance Manager and enjoys all the opportunities to help our pet parents and animals with their needs.

When Suzanne is not working, she enjoys spending time with her 2 children, Dylan and Lauren, and her husband Brian, hiking, snowboarding, running, and anything else outdoors. They all love to travel and try to do so as much as possible. She shares her home with her 2 dogs, Obi and Radar whose senior ages have not slowed them down!

Julianne Middle

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Julianne joined Staples Mill Animal Hospital in 2020. She has had a passion for all animals since a young age. She likes to combine her love for animals and art, which has resulted in colorful paintings and close-up photography. Julianne began volunteering in 2014 at the local ASPCA as a caretaker and photographer, which is when her interest in veterinary medicine developed.

From there, she chose to major in veterinary technology and graduated on the Dean’s list in 2020 with her degree and license as a Veterinary Technician. Since the beginning of her journey with the Staples Mill Team, she has loved spreading her knowledge with her teammates on anesthesia and quality patient care. Helping not only family pets but also wildlife is something she finds very rewarding.

Julianne’s hobbies include traveling in her RV with her 2 doodles, Nellie and Newman. She enjoys hiking trails, photographing landscapes or wildlife, and spending quality time with her family.

Dr. Maria Guerrero-Reyes

Veterinarian

Dr. Maria Guerrero-Reyes received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania, graduating with honors. During her time at PennVet, she completed the Veterinary Business Management Association certificate program with honors and was involved in shelter medicine and research on retinal diseases.

Her professional interests include ophthalmology, surgery, dentistry, and evidence-based medicine. She is an advocate of low-stress handling. Dr. Guerrero-Reyes believes strongly in client education and fostering a collaborative relationship with pet owners in taking care of their beloved pets. She aims to provide the highest quality individualized care to each of her patients and to make sure their owners feel supported and taken care of, as well.

Prior to transitioning to veterinary medicine, Dr. Guerrero-Reyes earned her Bachelor of Arts in Slavic Languages & Literatures from Princeton University and her Master of Arts in Slavic Linguistics from the University of Chicago. After stepping away from academia, she returned to her interests in the sciences and medicine, volunteering at an animal shelter and working as a veterinary assistant in emergency/specialty and then general practice. Dr. Guerrero-Reyes returned to school and completed coursework in the sciences at the State University of New York College at Geneseo and George Mason University before attending veterinary school in Philadelphia.

Dr. Guerrero-Reyes was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and grew up in New Jersey. She is fluent in Spanish. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her two children, cooking/baking, playing music, and exploring the area. She and her husband have lived in the Woodbridge area for 10 years, and they share their home with their two dogs, Biscuit and Hoagie, and their cats Rosemary, Pancakes, and Maude.

Dr. Jessie Consolvo

Veterinarian

As a young child, Dr. Jessie Consolvo decided that she wanted to be a veterinarian. Her passion for helping others is matched only by her love of animals. She grew up in the Northern Virginia Area and met Dr. Stephanie and Michael Shane, the owners of Staples Mill Animal Hospital when she was little. Spending time with them and shadowing Dr. Shane at the hospital further cemented her desire to become a veterinarian.

Dr. Consolvo received her undergraduate degree in Animal and Poultry Sciences with a minor in Biology at Virginia Tech. While completing her junior and senior years, she was involved in stem cell research. She then went on to receive her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at Ross University. She finished her clinical rotations at The University of Illinois where she decided to pursue a career as a small animal general practitioner.

While she enjoys the variety of cases she sees, Dr. Consolvo’s professional interests are in cardiology, pain management, and preventative medicine. She understands how much her clients love their pets and aims to bring a high level of care into each appointment to ensure both owners and animals feel taken care of. Her interests outside of work include hiking, cooking, live music, and cheering on the Hokies.

Dr. Jenny Askin

Veterinarian

Since she was a young girl, Dr. Jenny Askin knew she was destined to become a veterinarian. She was always an animal lover but when she was 12 years old, she spent the summer volunteering at a close family friend’s veterinary hospital. This experience opened her eyes to the profession and the many interesting facets of veterinary medicine. Dr. Askin is a native of Northern Virginia, having grown up in the Springfield area. For her undergraduate studies, she attended The Ohio State University and majored in Biology. After graduation, Dr. Askin had the great privilege to work for President Bush at the White House for several years.

Dr. Askin received her doctorate of veterinary medicine from Ross University, completing her senior year of clinical rotations at her Alma mater, Ohio State. In veterinary school, Dr. Askin was heavily involved with and was the president of the Veterinary Business Management Association. Dr. Askin graduated with highest honors and was inducted into Phi Zeta, the veterinary medicine honor society.

Her professional interests include internal medicine, ultrasound, surgery, and preventative medicine. She is a strong advocate of Fear Free Medicine and hopes to foster long-lasting relationships with both her patients and their families.

Dr. Askin is an avid sports fan and loves to cheer on our local teams as well as her beloved Buckeyes. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, gardening, interior design, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends. Dr. Askin and her husband live in Bristow and share their home with their fur babies Cooper and Mittens.

Dr. Stephanie Shane

Veterinarian & Owner

Dr. Stephanie Shane remembers spending nearly every day of her childhood in Culpeper, Virginia, surrounded by animals. It was that consistent proximity that inspired her devotion to animals — along with the passion she inherited from her father. “He really showed me what a responsibility it was to care for something and to treat it like you would a family member,” Dr. Shane says. “Our pets (and every orphan he brought home) were loved and treated with respect; that’s what made me want to work with animals every day and help foster that kind of bond between people and the animals they love.”

Our veterinarian earned her bachelor’s degree in microbiology from Virginia Tech and her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. She is a member of the American Animal Hospital Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association, and the American Association of Feline Practitioners. Dr. Shane’s professional interests include preventive medicine, dentistry, and pain management.

Opening the animal hospital in Dale City represents the fulfillment of her desire to bring the highest-quality veterinary medicine and exceptional customer service to area pets and their owners, while also upholding a cost-conscious approach to care.

“I love talking with clients about their pets,” Dr. Shane says. “Whether it’s choosing the right vaccines for their new family member or reviewing options for pain management for their senior pet, I want my clients to walk out of the exam room knowing they made an informed decision. And of course, all the puppy and kitten smooches help!”

Dr. Shane and her husband Michael have two grown daughters, Kayla and Kelsey. Although both have left home, she’s kept busy by the family’s five pets: a cat named Shady and four dogs, Buddy, Lola, Roxie, and Ellie. Dr. Shane also enjoys yoga, cooking, and supporting local high school athletics and several rescue organizations.