The ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital (BMAH) is staffed by three internists, two surgeons, a cardiologist, a radiologist and 12 generalists. Meet some of our specialists below!
Dr. Louise Murray
Vice President
Dr. Murray joined the ASPCA in 2004 after working as a staff internist at the Manhattan Veterinary Group/ Fifth Avenue Veterinary Specialists. In addition to being published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) for her research on feline hyperthyroidism, Dr. Murray has led presentations and lectures on many topics, including Cushing’s disease, endocrinology, acute renal failure, diabetes mellitus, hypercalcemia and veterinary critical care. She has been honored with several awards, and is the author of Vet Confidential, an insider’s guide to protecting your pet’s health. She has appeared on CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and Animal Planet, and provided veterinary expertise to magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, USA Today, the New York Post, the New York Daily News and People Magazine.
Dr. Murray is a graduate of Duke University and Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and two cats, Dov and Siena.
Dr. Jill Pomrantz
Director of Internal Medicine
A Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Dr. Pomrantz earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California, Davis. After graduating from veterinary school, she completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery and then returned to U.C. Davis for advanced training in internal medicine.
Before joining the ASPCA, Dr. Pomrantz served as the Chief of Clinical Comparative Medicine at the Columbia University Institute of Comparative Medicine, where she worked with a variety of animal species, including rabbits, rats and pigs. She later left to return to her true passion of companion animal medicine and joined the staff at Katonah Bedford Veterinary Center in Westchester.
Dr. J’mai Gayle
Director of Surgery
Dr. Gayle is a 1996 graduate of the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine. Following graduation, she pursued a one-year internship at Illinois Equine Hospital in Naperville, Illinois followed by a surgical residency at North Carolina State University. She received her board certification in surgery in February 2001, and then practiced large animal surgery for six years at New England Equine Practice before leaving to concentrate on small animal surgery. Prior to joining the ASPCA, she was a staff surgeon at Brightheart Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in Westbury, New York.
Dr. Gayle’s professional interests include orthopedic and soft tissue surgery, as well as pain management. She lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with her husband, two small kids and Chester the cat. Interview with Dr. J’Mai Gayle »
Dr. Emily Pointer
Staff Internist and Medical Coordinator
Dr. Pointer joined the ASPCA in 2007 as a veterinary intern. Following her one-year internship program, she stayed on as the internal medicine resident, undertaking an intensive three-year training program in order to become a board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialist. As BMAH’s internal medicine resident, Dr. Pointer provided consultations to veterinarians at both the hospital and the Adoption Center, performed specialized procedures such as endoscopy and ultrasound, and supported the hospital’s yearly intern classes. In 2011, she took and passed the internal medicine certifying exam.
Dr. Pointer graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in comparative religion and received her veterinary degree from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Pointer currently resides in Manhattan with her husband, their dog Walter, and two cats, James and Dr. Furr.
Dr. Marisa C. Altieri
Veterinarian
Prior to joining the ASPCA, Dr. Altieri completed an internship in small-animal medicine and surgery at New York’s Animal Medical Center. She received her Bachelor’s degree in microbiology from Colorado State University, and in 2005 graduated cum laude from Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Her professional interests include emergency medicine and anesthesia. She lives in Manhattan with her two Rottweiler mixes, Nera and Junior.
Dr. Mike Dugan
Veterinarian
Dr. Dugan attended the University of Florida for both undergraduate and veterinary school. After graduating from veterinary school in 1991, he completed an internship at Friendship Hospital for Animals in Washington, D.C. He then practiced at a small-animal hospital in Northern Virginia for nine years before returning to Friendship in 2001. Dr. Dugan’s professional interests include emergency medicine and dental procedures. He lives in Manhattan with his partner and their two Yorkshire terriers, Mr. McQueen and Woodie Mahoney.
Dr. Janice Fenichel
Veterinarian
Prior to joining the ASPCA, Dr. Fenichel practiced medicine and surgery at Feline Veterinary Hospital in Port Washington. She also has past experience providing general medicine and surgery services at Ellicot Small-animal Hospital. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, and her professional interests include dentistry, for which she has completed AAHA dental courses and Labs I and II, and writing for the public about veterinary medicine. Dr. Fenichel lives in New York City with her husband, son and two cats.
Dr. Andra Gordon-Gatica
Veterinarian
Dr. Gordon-Gatica is a graduate of Harvard University, where she majored in English and psychology, and Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, where she worked extensively with eminent behaviorist Dr. Katherine Houpt. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, son, daughter and two elderly black cats.
Dr. Brad Gottlieb
Veterinarian
Dr. Gottlieb graduated from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. A native of New York, he attended the University of Vermont, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in animal sciences. His professional interests include anesthesia and pain control, soft tissue surgery, and general practice.
Dr. Miranda Hillyard
Veterinarian
Dr. Hillyard attended veterinary school at Tufts University. Prior to veterinary school, Dr. Hillyard worked as a zookeeper in the Boston Zoos for four years, where she led a behavioral training program with the zoos’ jaguars. Her chief professional interest is small-animal emergency medicine.
Dr. Juline Holland
Veterinarian
Dr. Holland graduated summa cum laude from Duke University. She graduated from veterinary school in Dublin, Ireland, with honors and subsequently passed examinations to receive ECFVG accreditation in the United States. Dr. Holland worked at Dewitt Animal Hospital, a small-animal general hospital in Massachusetts, for two years prior to moving to New York City. She now lives on the Upper East Side and has been working at the ASPCA for almost three years.
Dr. Giovanna M. Kiani
Veterinarian
Dr. Kiani graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine. After receiving her doctorate degree, she joined the staff at Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. Her professional interests include emergency medicine, critical care and soft tissue surgery. Dr. Kiani is dedicated to providing the best care to both her patients and their guardians. She lives on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with her dog, Muchi, and her two cats, Jojo and Reesie.
Dr. Maren Krafchik
Veterinarian
Dr. Krafchik interned at the E & M Bobst Animal Hospital at New York’s Animal Medical Center, where she assumed responsibility for many inpatient cases and rotated between veterinary medicine and surgery. A graduate of Ross University, Dr. Krafchik completed a year of clinical training at North Carolina State University. Dr. Krafchik lives in the East Village with her dog, Dignan, and a cat named Leroy.
Dr. Courtney Leonard
Veterinarian
Dr. Leonard’s professional interests include shelter medicine, internal medicine and emergency medicine. She is a USDA-accredited veterinarian and a member of the New York State Veterinary Medical Society. A Long Island native, she currently lives in New York City with her husband and two cats, Minnie and Frosty.
Dr. Alison Liu
Veterinarian
A native of Northern California, Dr. Liu attended vet school at Iowa State University. Her professional interests include shelter medicine, veterinary forensics and the prevention of animal cruelty. During her final year of vet school, she was honored with the Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Excellence Award. Dr. Liu lives on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with her two cats, Mochi and Miso.
Dr. Mary St. Martin
Veterinarian
Prior to joining the ASPCA, Dr. St. Martin was a veterinarian at 5th Avenue Veterinary Specialists, a 24-hour emergency care facility in New York City. A graduate of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and St. Lawrence University, Dr. St. Martin has received numerous awards, including excellence in the study of biology, the American Association of Feline Practitioners 2005 Senior Student Award, and the Speidel Scholarship in Feline Medicine. She lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with her husband and two cats, Yoda and Jeeves.
Dr. Laura Niestat
Veterinarian
Dr. Laura Niestat has served as a veterinarian at Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital since December 2009. Prior to coming to the ASPCA, Dr. Niestat was the medical director at the Manhattan Veterinary Group on the Upper East Side. A graduate of Hampshire College and Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Niestat also completed a rotating internship in medicine and surgery at the Manhattan Veterinary Group. She lives in New York City with her husband and two rescue dogs.
Dr. Geruza Paiva
Veterinarian
Dr. Geruza Paiva has served as a veterinarian at Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital since 1999. Fluent in Portuguese and Spanish, Dr. Paiva began her career in veterinary medicine as a doctor and full partner at Prontovet Veterinaria, a small-animal clinic and hospital in Brazil. After moving to the United States, she worked as a veterinary technician at North Shore Animal League and Summit Dog and Cat Hospital, where she was instrumental in all aspects of practice, including client contact and medical procedures.
Dr. Lorelei Wakefield
Veterinarian
Dr. Wakefield is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She completed a rotating internship in medicine and surgery at Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in 2007. She then worked in private practice for two years before returning to the ASPCA. Dr. Wakefield’s specialties include animal welfare and dermatology, and she also has extensive surgical experience. She lives on the Upper East Side with her rescued cat, Noel.
Dr. Anna Whitehead
Veterinarian
Dr. Whitehead completed her Bachelor’s degree at Boston University and received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Ross University in St. Kitts. She completed her clinical training at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Dr. Whitehead’s professional interests include shelter animal medicine, internal medicine and high-volume spay/neuter. She shares her home with a Border Collie mix named Mama Bear, a red-eared slider turtle named Big Punisher, and an Eastern box turtle named Siddhartha.
Dr. Bonnie Wong
Anti-Cruelty Veterinarian
Dr. Wong was a member of Bergh's 2010-2011 veterinary internship class. She now serves as an anti-cruelty veterinarian, working with Dr. Robert Reisman, to provide both medical and forensic care for animals. Dr. Wong lives in Manhattan with her husband and their three cats: Gunner, Boots and Barbara Walters.
Shawn Dougherty
Business Director
Prior to joining the ASPCA in 2010, Shawn Dougherty worked in nonprofit management, including nine years as Executive Director of an HIV/AIDS service organization. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the American Conservatory of Music, a Masters in music history from Northwestern, and an MBA from the University of Central Florida. He lives in Chappaqua with his son, two dogs, Maisey and Caleb, and Leo the cat.
Laura Goode
Manager, Client Services
Laura has been working in customer service since long before her graduation from Montclair State University in 1995. She worked for AT&T Wireless Services and then Morgan Stanley before coming to the ASPCA in 2008. Laura started volunteering with animals in 2001 before finding the perfect marriage of passion and profession at the ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. Laura loves all animals, but her New Jersey apartment is shared with her rescue kitties, Julia, Ambi, Jeffie, Joshie and Elvis.
Danielle Shanahan
Assistant Manager, Client Services
Danielle joined the ASPCA in 2009 as a Client Service Representative after a long trip abroad in New Zealand. In 2010, she was promoted to Billing & Audit Administrator, and in 2011, she became the Assistant Manager of Client Services. She’s so grateful to be able to work with such talented people and help animals every day. Danielle currently resides in Brooklyn with her husband, daughter, their Pit Bull Ronnie and a cat named Foforito.