Meet Our Staff
Dr. Linda Colburn, Veterinarian/ Owner
Dr. Colburn is California native, who had been making her way eastward for the last 25 years before returning to her roots. She spent junior high and high school in Leadville, Colorado. Her bachelors degree in biology was earned at Hastings College, Nebraska. Dr. Colburn enjoyed veterinary school in the beautiful island of Grenada at St. George's University, with the clinical year completed at University of Pennsylvania. She graduated magna cum laude in 2007. One year of advanced training as an intern was completed at the Center for Specialized Veterinary care in Long Island. After working in general practice and emergency on the east coast for the last seven and a half years, she returned to Grenada as a visiting professor for a few months. Now Dr. Colburn is happy to be back in California, close to family. Her approach to veterinary medicine is that she is a pet’s advocate and her goal is to work within a pet “parent's” means to achieve the best possible healthcare outcomes. When she's not working, she enjoys spending time with her schnoodle named Romeo, playing word games, climbing, and exploring outdoors.
Heather Stafford, MBA, CVPM, Practice Manager
Heather began her veterinary career working with Dr. Woodring at Northridge Veterinary Clinic when she was just 14 years old. Throughout the years she has worked as a kennel technician, receptionist, veterinary assistant, clinic administrator, and has been our Practice Manager since 2017. She has worked in both general practice and specialty hospitals across the country, through which she became fascinated with orthopedics. Heather has an AA in General Studies, BS in Business Accounting, a Masters in Business Administration, and obtained her Certified Veterinary Practice Manager credentials in 2021. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, doting on her cat, and fundraising for the Lupus Foundation of America.
Technicians and assistants
Jenny Orr, RVT, Lead Technician
Jenny has been a California Registered Veterinary Technician since 2010. She has been a member of the high desert for almost her entire life. As a child she grew up watching her father, a game warden, rehabilitate wildlife. This gave her the inspiration to form a career in veterinary medicine. She started her career working for a veterinarian in Joshua Tree, CA who treated wildlife and exotics, as well as domestic small animals. While employed there, her love for working with animals grew tremendously. In 2000, she began working for Dr. Norm Smith and has since worked her way up to the position of lead veterinary technician. Jenny is dedicated to providing animals with the best care and love possible. She has developed an interest in animal behavior and has attended seminars to further her education and training on dealing with patients who have behavior problems. Jenny resides in Yucca Valley with her son Bryce, her German Shepherd named Evie, and two cats, named Finn and Persephone. In her spare time, she enjoys training her dogs, gardening, cooking, baking and spending time with her family and friends.
Kasie, Veterinary Assistant
Brielynn, Veterinary Assistant
Brielynn, Veterinary Assistant
Brielynn, Veterinary Assistant
Brielynn, Veterinary Assistant
Brielynn, Veterinary Assistant
Brielynn got her start in veterinary medicine when she was still in high school and is currently enrolled in Penn Foster's Veterinary Technician program. Her special interests include educating clients on animal wellness and running laboratory tests. She has 2 cats at home- a domestic shorthair cat named Ellie and a Maine Coon named Grimm.
Debbi, Veterinary Assistant
Brielynn, Veterinary Assistant
Sierra, Veterinary Assistant
Debbi has dedicated her life to animal care in many forms! In addition to being a vet assistant, she has worked with everything from giraffes to rattlesnakes as a zoo keeper, has helped pets find new homes while working in a shelter, and has cared for and trained a variety of horses both here and on the east coast. In her spare time she teaches riding lessons and works with her own horses for fun and competition. If she's not at work or the barn, she can usually be found watching a live band somewhere! Debbi's home herd consists of small dogs, cats, a tortoise, and two horses.
Sierra, Veterinary Assistant
Aislinn, Veterinary Assistant
Sierra, Veterinary Assistant
Sierra was hired as a kennel technician during her junior year of high school. Since then, she has moved to working as a veterinary assistant and says she learns more and more every shift. Her favorite part of veterinary medicine is helping patients with kidney disease have proper treatment and live a beautiful life after diagnosis. As for her own pets, Sierra has one cat, Nelly, and two dogs, Thorn and Dakota.
Ceillo, Veterinary Assistant
Aislinn, Veterinary Assistant
Aislinn, Veterinary Assistant
Ceillo has been working at Companion since she was 17 years old. She was hired as a kennel technician but has progressed into a veterinary assistant. Ceillo has decided to further her career in veterinary medicine and is currently enrolled in Mount San Antonio College's Registered Veterinary Technician program. While working as a kennel technician, she realized how much of a difference veterinary technicians make in their patients' lives. She enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine. At home, Ceillo has two dogs, Peanut and Ruger, along with tortoises.
Aislinn, Veterinary Assistant
Aislinn, Veterinary Assistant
Aislinn, Veterinary Assistant
Aislinn started working as a kennel technician with us in July 2020, then moved up to Veterinary Assistant shortly thereafter. She knew that she wanted to pursue a career in veterinary medicine after her cat was hit by a car in 2013. She is currently enrolled at CSU Chico, majoring in Animal Sciences with the intention of going to vet school and finding her way back home to the desert. She finds equine medicine and neurology to be particularly interesting. She loves gathering information and helping to solve the "puzzle" of medical issues. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, reading, and horseback riding. She loves spending time with her brood of animals; 2 dogs named Chico and Dingo, 2 cats named Daisy and Quail, 1 chicken named Ophelia, and 1 leopard gecko named Squishy. She also actively competes with her Thoroughbred horse named Della.
Brianna, Veterinary Assistant
Brianna, Veterinary Assistant
Brianna, Veterinary Assistant
Reception Staff
Alliy, Reception Supervisor
Alliy started bringing her puppy to Companion Animal Clinic in 2020. She thought that CAC would be a neat place to work, especially since she wants to be a vet assistant one day! Alliy became our Reception Supervisor just 7 months after being hired. She loves helping animals and people, along with cuddling pets. Alliy has two black and white "cow cats" named Titan and Apollo along with her two golden retrievers, Flynn and Teddy.
Erin, Client Services Coordinator
Brittany, Client Services Coordinator
Sharon, Client Services Coordinator
Erin met Dr. Norman Smith when he was out on a ranch call to care for her horses in the fall of 1994. Shortly thereafter, she became one of Companion Animal Clinic's receptionists, learning her skills on the job. Her love of animals has kept her in the veterinary field all this time. Erin took some time away from Companion Animal Clinic to explore other options but she has returned to where she calls "home". Because of the family-oriented atmosphere and the warm welcome of our clients, she is here to stay! In her free time, she enjoys her three adult children and seven grandchildren. She enjoys working out at the gym and hanging out with her husband of 37+ years. Erin's fur baby is her Shih Tzu "Oscar" and her not-so-fur baby is a bearded dragon named "Whip".
Sharon, Client Services Coordinator
Brittany, Client Services Coordinator
Sharon, Client Services Coordinator
Sharon's love of animals started at a very young age with a collection of dogs, cats, pocket pets and birds. She then became a veterinary technician for several years before switching careers to air traffic control. After retirement, Sharon came back to the veterinary world- she missed it too much!
Brittany, Client Services Coordinator
Brittany, Client Services Coordinator
Brittany, Client Services Coordinator
Brittany got started working with animals at a young age- her family owns a sheep farm! She loves meeting all the "fur babies" who come into our clinic. Brittany has an AA in Math and Science, but wants to return to school for either human or veterinary healthcare. Brittany has Bella, a mini Schnauzer, and June, a Rhodesian Ridgeback/ pitbull mix.
Kennel Staff
Emily
Emily is loving her job in veterinary medicine so far! She's got a brood of animals at home: a black lab, a terrier mix, and two cats.