Staff

Dr. Joni is originally from the Midwest but has lived in the Santa Ynez Valley since 1979. She is a 1977 graduate of Michigan State University. She founded Buellton Veterinary Clinic in 1981 with just one part time employee and has watched it grow into the full service hospital it is today. Although she remains the business manager of the clinic, Dr. Joni is looking at “semi-retirement” and works only 1-2 days a week, mostly in the business office. She is eternally grateful to all the clients over the last 38 years who have entrusted her and the clinic staff with their pet’s well-being.

Dr. Diana graduated from Colorado State University in 1986 and has been an intricate part of Buellton Veterinary Clinic for over 30 years. She is fully certified in homeopathic veterinary care as well as being an experienced practitioner in conventional western medicine. Dr. Diana’s calm demeanor and depth of experience makes her a favorite among clients. She has recently purchased a small travel van that will allow her to take some time off to travel. 

Dr. Gross graduated from the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1995. After practicing for 22 years in Las Vegas, she is happy to join the BVC family in 2019. She continues to expand her knowledge and understanding of veterinary medicine, including alternative approaches. She feels comfortable in either the exam room or surgery room. Outside the office, she enjoys doing sports with her dog, 'Justy', reading, hiking and watching movies.

Dr. Liz Ley has been working off and on for BVC since 2013 while pursuing some advanced training in Veterinary Dentistry. She has returned to BVC in 2020 on a more permanent basis and we are glad to have her! She is a 2001 graduate of The Ohio State University and is comfortable in both the exam and surgery rooms but obviously prefers the dental suite. She enjoys long walks on the beach with her handsome and goofy Doberman, 'Jedi'

Stacie has been a part of BVC’s Bed and Breakfast team since 1992. Her compassion and love for animals appears so natural that the work doesn’t even seem to be an equation - although we do appreciate the fact that she is a bit of a “neat freak”. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, biking and all things leading to a healthy life style.

Suzy has been with Buellton Veterinary Clinic since 1999. She became our Office Administrator in the last few years and is invaluable to Dr. Samuels in the business office. Although she won’t admit it, she is our “go to” Computer person. She was a vital key in helping switch to our paperless computer system and helps us integrate updates and improvements on an ongoing basis. She continues to grow and develop long-term relationships with many of our clients. In her spare time, she likes to cook and experiment with new recipes, travel and spend time with family.

Brianne has worked in the veterinary field since 2001. She joined the Buellton Veterinary Clinic in February of 2005. In the time that Brianne has been with BVC, we have watched her develop her knowledge and skills both in customer service and product knowledge. In her spare time she is also involved with C.A.R.E. 4 Paws,  an active advocate for reducing overpopulation of animals. She especially enjoys spending time with her husband and their dog Lemmy.

BVC’s Bed and Breakfast team had the pleasure of adding Charlene in 2011. Charlene’s initial goal was to add some work experience to her college education but we grew on her and she has become a long-term employee. She studied Animal Biology at UC Davis with an emphasis on infectious diseases and wildlife. Charlene spends her spare time with her husband, their dog “Charlie” and cat “Mimi”. She enjoys reading, hiking, gaming and nature watching.

Sarah joined BVC in September 2015. She has been working with animals since she was in high school. Sarah has been trained by Julie (our Senior Groomer) and has recently started doing haircuts on dogs she hopes one day to have just as many satisfied clients as Julie. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and pets.

Tayler joined Buellton Vet in June 2017. She has her vet tech certification and is currently working on her RVT. She spends her spare time with her husband and four legged kids. Tayler loves to bake and fortunately for the BVC gang we get to be her guinea pigs!!

Rayna joined Buellton Vet in January 2018. Grooming is her passion, she has been doing this for over 3 years. In her free time she enjoys hiking, camping, music and cuddling with her cat 'Milo'.

Araceli  joined Buellton Veterinary Clinic in August 2018. Araceli is working on obtaining all her pre-requisites to transfer to a university in hopes of someday applying to veterinary school.  Her time off is spent with her boyfriend, twin daughters, and dog named 'Koko'. 

Shelby  joined Buellton Veterinary Clinic in 2018. Because of her love for animals, Shelby would like to obtain a degree in Biology and someday be a fish and wildlife officer.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending it with her husband, daughter, and two dogs, 'Cinderella' and 'Cali', and cat, 'Esmae'. She also enjoys horse back riding, running, hiking and yoga. 

Sandra joined Buellton Veterinary Clinic in December 2018. She comes to us with 12 years of veterinary technician experience. Sandra completed the alternate route program at Allan Hancock and in 2017 she passed her board exam to become a licensed RVT. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her husband, two daughters and three dogs, 'Oz' 'Lucy', and 'Roscoe'. 

Michelle joined BVC in March 2019. She is currently working on her RVT license, hoping to sit for the exam in the near future. Michelle enjoys traveling, sightseeing, spending time with family and her 3 dogs 'Lolli', 'Charlie' and 'Penelope'