Dr. Kelsey Birchall
Chief of Staff
Dr. Birchall grew up in the Midwest and attended the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. She has worked for Banfield Pet Hospital since 2014 at multiple locations in California, Colorado and now Kentucky, where she currently serves as Chief of Staff. Her professional areas of interests include client education, preventative care and general surgery and medicine. During her time off, Dr. Birchall enjoys spending time with her family, horseback riding, reading, crafting and traveling.
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Dr. Elaine Martinez
Veterinarian
Dr. Elaine Martinez graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2003. She then completed an internship at Texas A&M University. She moved to Lexington in 2004 and worked in emergency and critical care for 14 years. She also obtained certification as a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner (CCRP) through the University of Tennessee in 2016 and is Fear Free Certified. Her professional interests include emergency medicine, internal medicine, pain management and rehabilitation, and geriatric/palliative care. She enjoys working with clients as a team to provide lifelong care for their furry family members. Dr. Martinez is happily married to a local equine veterinarian and lives in Versailles with their two children and two whippets. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, yoga, interior design and fashion, travel, and outdoor sports.
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Dr. Deborah Newcomb
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Deborah Newcomb grew up in Chicago, IL. She received her undergraduate degree in animal science at the University of Illinois, her master's in animal nutrition from Kansas State, and her DVM from the University of Missouri. Dr. Newcomb has practiced in Northern KY, Minneapolis, MN and Richmond, KY prior to joining our team here in Lexington. She has particular interests in internal medicine, nutrition, and dermatology. Dr. Newcomb and her husband, Mark, have 2 grown children, and they live on a hobby farm in Lexington with 3 horses, 2 Gordon setters, 2 cats and 18 chickens. During her spare time, she enjoys horseback riding, reading, sewing and visiting her children.
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Dr. Susan Burke
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Burke is a Lexington Native and very happy to be back in Lexington! She completed her undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky in Animal Sciences. After college and looking for adventure, she went to veterinary school at St. Georges University, College of Veterinary Medicine on the island of Grenada in the West Indies. She completed her training at The Ohio State University Veterinary School. After a few years working in Ohio, she returned home to be closer to family. Dr. Burke has a keen interest in behavior medicine and is Fear Free Certified.
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Brittany Vargas
Shift Lead
Brittany is one of our fearless leaders-Our Shift Lead! With experience in both Exotic and Small Animal Medicine, Britt has been in the Veterinary Field for roughly 11 years and has been with Banfield for 5 of them! She has a passion for bully breeds and has 2 of her own at home. When she isn't here at the hospital, you can find her gaming or hiking with one of her fur babies.
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Jessie Burgess, LVT
Veterinary Technician
Jessie is one of our RVTs (Registered Veterinary Technicians) who has been with Banfield since June of 2018. She moved to our location in October of 2020, and we are so happy to have her! She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Veterinary Technology from Morehead State University in the spring of 2018. Jessie has a dog and two cats at home: Karev, Lexie, and Link (all named after characters from Grey's Anatomy). When she's not working, she loves to spend time at home, cuddling up with her pets and watching TV or playing video games.
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Caitlyn Gunther
Veterinary Assistant
Caitlyn is from Columbus, Ohio, and she is a senior at the University of Kentucky studying animal sciences and biology. She has a golden retriever named Crosby, and they are working towards becoming a certified therapy dog team! During her free time, she enjoys hiking with Crosby and taking weekend trips with friends exploring different places.
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