Our Careteam

Your pet’s emotional and physical well-being is prioritized with every visit. We put the patients first!.

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Valerie

Hospital Manager

Valerie grew up riding horses and helping her dad, who was a K9 officer for Kane County, train police dogs from all over the world. It was an upbringing that instilled a deep and lifelong love of animals, large and small. That passion naturally led her to a career in the veterinary industry, where she now enjoys helping both pets and their humans in every way she can!

Valerie attended school in Seattle, WA, where she obtained her certificate in veterinary medicine. She joined the Safford Veterinary Services team as our practice manager in May of 2023 and hasn’t looked back since. When she’s not busy making sure our clinic is run like a well-oiled machine, Valerie likes to spend her time hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, and visiting family in WI.

Sandi

Customer Service Specialist / Certified Animal Reiki Practitioner

Sandi’s interest in veterinary care stems from a strong sense of compassion for animals. She’s always felt an indelible bond between herself and those who are furry and four-legged. As a child, growing up in an apartment in suburban Chicago, Sandi remembers desperately longing for the day when her family could finally own a pet. Once that day finally came, she quickly made up for time by bringing home every animal she could, from stray puppies to rabbits and even a chinchilla. Being able to work in the veterinary field has been an absolute dream come true for her!

While Safford Veterinary Services is Sandi’s first official experience with veterinary medicine, she has a long history of helping animals through fostering and volunteering at a local shelter. Having been a client and friend of Dr. Lauri’s for many years, joining the Safford team seemed like the perfect fit. Sandi is proud to assist and support our clients as one of our customer service specialists. She’s also a Certified Reiki Practitioner who specializes in animal care.

Outside of the clinic, Sandi shares her home with her husband and their feline family. Their most recent addition, Lucy, was from a litter that Dr. Lauri had been fostering. A real comedian, Lucy loves to fetch toy mice and keep her parents laughing with her boundless energy.

In her spare time, Sandi enjoys being creative, so any type of art or creative expression interests her. In addition to knitting, crocheting and sewing, she’s recently taken up painting and pottery.

Domenica

Lead Veterinary Technician

Nica has always had a heart for helping fur critters and educating their owners. She joined the Safford Veterinary Services team in November of 2023 and has already fallen in love with her colleagues, clients, and patients. As our lead veterinary technician, Nica has a particular interest in assisting with surgeries. Her other favorite part of the job is the cheese or peanut butter kisses she gets from her canine patients.

At home, Nica is pet mom to three dogs and three cats (although one of the cats thinks she’s a dog). She is currently waiting for the perfect rottweiler to come her way and is also in the process of growing her human family as well.

23,458

Sloppy Kisses

19,389

Bellies Rubbed

27,193

Treats Given

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