Our Care Team

Her path to veterinary medicine has been full of hands-on experiences. She began pet sitting as a teenager, interned at veterinary clinics, and worked as an Animal Educator at BYU’s Bean Museum. Each experience deepened her love for animal care and strengthened her desire to make a difference in veterinary medicine.

At Family Pet Hospital, Jessie loves the variety her work brings — whether she’s assisting in surgeries, monitoring patients, performing lab tests, or helping clients and their pets in exam rooms. For her, every day offers a new story, a new challenge, and a new way to advocate for animals who can’t speak for themselves.

Jessie grew up in Austin, Texas, as the middle child in a lively family of five. She graduated from Brigham Young University in 2024 with a degree in Biology and previously served a mission in Iowa City, Iowa. Jessie and her husband, Kyle, were married in 2022 and now share their home with a golden retriever named Sunny, two cats — Cleo and Piper — and a collection of geckos: Milo, Jupiter, Rupert, and Poppy. When she’s not working, Jessie loves playing board games, nurturing her plants, and designing custom enclosures for her reptiles.

He especially enjoys taking X-rays, drawing blood, and educating clients about their pets’ health. For Justin, every patient brings something new to learn and another chance to make a difference.

Justin grew up on a fruit farm in Santaquin, Utah, as the second oldest of five siblings. When he’s not working, he loves spending time outdoors — camping, hunting, horseback riding, and training his animals. At home, he has two Australian Cattle Dogs, Blu and Grizz, who keep him entertained, along with two horses, Hank and Moose, and four mules — Ralf, Duke (nicknamed “Princess”), Doris, and Darla — who all look so much alike that even he sometimes mixes them up!

Justin also enjoys training dogs and hopes to begin showing them soon, with plans to someday own a Great Dane or Doberman Pinscher. He’s a big fan of horse racing and loves studying pedigrees. When he’s not with his animals, he enjoys traveling and dreams of visiting Spain and Portugal.

She loves the hands-on side of animal care — especially blood draws and lab work, which she finds both satisfying and insightful. Natalie also enjoys working with cats and constantly learning new skills to better help patients and educate their owners.

Outside of work, Natalie is a storyteller and martial artist. She’s completed two fantasy young adult novels that she’s working toward publishing and currently holds a brown belt in mixed martial arts as she trains for her black belt.

At home, she shares life with an entertaining group of pets: Lilith, her quirky cat who loves to lick random objects and drools when she purrs; Bloodwing, her green-cheeked conure who plays in the sink and naps under her earlobe; and a lively flock of chickens — Galadriel, Arwen, Luthien, Gilraen, Eomer, and Boromir — each with their own colorful personality. Natalie loves reading, writing, and spending time surrounded by animals, nature, and her fellow “nerd” husband.

Some of Alec’s favorite patients are the tiny ones—the little pocket-sized pets he jokingly says he wishes he could tuck into his pockets and take home. That gentle, protective instinct carries through everything he does in the clinic.

Outside of work, Alec loves reading and can often be found unwinding with a good book. At home he has a long-haired Dachshund named Eleanor—independent, stubborn, and fully capable of ignoring you while maintaining direct eye contact. He adores her all the same. He also shares life with Mittens, his “garbage cat,” a silver tabby with a fiercely independent streak. Mittens is also the star of one of Alec’s favorite clinic stories: he once slipped a ball of dryer lint (mostly Mitten’s fur) into Dr. Bockenstedt’s lunch bag, leaving Dr. B baffled the next day as he wondered how he could have possibly packed it while doing laundry.

Alec brings compassion, calmness, and a great sense of humor to the team, and we’re grateful to have him caring for our patients.

In February 2025, Addie joined Family Pet Hospital as a Veterinary Aid, ready to expand her knowledge and take on new challenges in animal healthcare. She’s especially fascinated by surgeries and the intricate work that goes into helping animals heal. But her love for the field isn’t just about medicine—it’s about the stories. One of her most unforgettable experiences was rescuing Kilo, an old, expressionless shelter dog who had seemingly lost all hope. Seeing Kilo transform from a quiet, injured pup into a happy, energetic dog reminded Addie exactly why she’s in this profession.

When she’s not at work, you can find Addie either exploring the great outdoors or cozied up at home with her two cats, Marvin and Millie. Marvin is her little shadow, climbing on her like a jungle gym, while one-eyed rescue Millie prefers rolling in the dirt and causing mischief. In her free time, Addie enjoys hiking, swimming, and traveling. Whether she’s out adventuring with her boyfriend or enjoying a lazy day in with her kitties, Addie brings warmth and dedication to every aspect of her life.

Prior to joining the Family Pet Hospital team, Sarah spent three years working at a local humane society in her hometown in Idaho before moving to Utah for school. While her initial focus was forensic science, she missed the animals too much, so she switched to the veterinary technician program. As a veterinary aide here at Family Pet Hospital, Sarah is gaining valuable hands-on experience, learning a lot, and doing what she loves most: being a voice for the voiceless.

Outside of work, Sarah lives with three of her best friends and their three feline family members. Sarah’s cat, Marie, loves to run as fast as she can through the funky layout of the house and then tell everyone all about it. She’s a vocal little girl who greets Sarah every evening when she walks through the door. In the mornings, Marie likes to lay on Sarah’s chest and convince her to press the snooze button a few extra times. Of course, Sarah is more than happy to oblige.

Her role as a customer service representative has deepened her compassion and empathy, helping her turn challenges into meaningful connections with clients and their pets. Emily values the lasting relationships she’s built with both her coworkers and the families who trust Family Pet Hospital with their beloved animals.

Outside of work, Emily enjoys card making, quilting (even if she insists you don’t look too closely at the stitching!), and exploring the Sand Dunes on dirt bikes and RZRs with her family. She’s married to her college sweetheart, and together they have four grown children and three beloved dogs — Huey the playful Goldendoodle, Jasper the cuddly Beagle, and Jade the affectionate Beagle who never leaves her side.

Born and raised in Mapleton, Cedar grew up watching her parents build Family Pet Hospital from the ground up, and now she helps continue that legacy alongside her twin sister, Aspen. She loves taking on new projects to improve efficiency and support the team — and of course, she never says no to a visit from a fluffy puppy or kitten!

Cedar is currently attending Utah Valley University, where she’s pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Entertainment Design. When she’s not managing projects or helping around the hospital, she enjoys reading, drawing, and playing video games with her family. At home, she has a social little betta fish named Shoto who’s known for his impressive bubble nests.

Her inspiration to pursue veterinary care began years ago when her own dog went into anaphylactic shock after a bee sting. After seeing firsthand the difference veterinary care made, Jess knew she wanted to be one of the people who could help save pets’ lives. Originally majoring in Biology with a pre-vet emphasis, she planned to attend veterinary school — but once she started working at Family Pet Hospital, she found her true home and never looked back.

Jess especially enjoys assisting with dental procedures and educating clients on the importance of dental health, knowing how much it can improve a pet’s quality of life. Born and raised in Mapleton, Jess loves spending time outdoors, traveling, playing sports and games, relaxing with family, and going on adventures. At home, she shares her life with Maizi, the sweetest, most special, Chihuahua in the world, and Kin, a cheerful German Spitz who brings smiles wherever she goes.