By Your Side
We live and breathe veterinary medicine. Because your pet is our passion.
Edward Grace
DVM
“Dr. Grace is a 1983 graduate of UConn (B.S. Pathobiology, Magna Cum Laude, Degree with Distinction) and a 1988 graduate of Purdue University (D.V.M.). Dr. Grace has been a veterinarian at B.V.H. since 1994. For many years he was “
Nicole Kovacs
DVM
“Native to New Jersey, Dr. Kovacs received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Ursinus College (PA) in 2014 and her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (Virginia Tech) in 2019.”
Brad Pikas
DVM
“Dr. Pikas joined our staff in June 2005. He completed his undergraduate work in 1996 at Washington University in St. Louis, focusing on Environmental Sciences. He attained his D.V.M. from the University of Illinois in 2003 and continued with an internship in 2004”
Lynne Zelinsky
DVM
“Growing up in Manchester, CT and attending Glastonbury High School, Dr. Zelinsky was provided a unique opportunity to take veterinary and animal science classes through her high school’s Vocational Agriculture Program.”
Carol C.
CS Manager & HR Supervisor
“Carol has been with us since February 1986. She possesses a B.S. in Renewable Natural Resources, and she came to our practice as a veterinary technician because she had previous experience in the field. Over the years,”
Karen A.
Supervisor
“Karen Aafedt is a technician who came to BVH in 1995 with ten years of experience in the veterinary field and has worked in almost every area of the hospital. She has a degree in criminal justice but decided to continue her love of veterinary medicine.”
Shannon O.
Supervisor
“As one of our outpatient supervisors, Shannon can be found tackling a variety of tasks on any given day. Before joining the BVH team in 2004, Shannon was a veterinary technician in California for three years and spent four years as a marine mammal trainer in Hawaii.”
Alyson Bishop
DVM
“Dr. Bishop started with us in 2006 as a technician while obtaining her undergraduate degree at the University of Connecticut. She graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2012.”
Joanna L. FitzGerald
DVM
Dr. FitzGerald received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2014, and her undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 2009.
Kim Griswold
DVM
“Dr. Griswold joined us as a technician in 1996 while attending Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine to begin a second career as a veterinarian after working for IBM for 16 years. She completed her undergraduate requirements at UConn, graduated from Tufts in 1999,”
William Pomper
DVM
“Dr. Pomper grew up in Brooklyn, NY, with a plethora of animals ranging from mice and birds, to fish and turtles, and owning his first dog at the age of 11. As a teenager, Dr. Pomper raised poultry and swine for his uncles at their family-owned restaurant.”
Kristin Williams
DVM
“Dr. Kristin Williams is a 1996 graduate of Dartmouth College and a 2008 graduate of the Tufts-Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation from vet school she worked in the spirit of James Herriot,”
Joan L.
Hospital Manager
“Joan started her career with Bolton Veterinary Hospital in December 1984. In over twenty-five years, Joan has worked in almost every area of the hospital and she is now our Hospital Manager. Joan says it feels like she and BVH have grown up together and that it is a place of great integrity.”
Carol F.
Supervisor
“Carol graduated from Becker College with an A.S. in Animal Science in 1986, and later received an A.S. in Accounting and Business Administration from Manchester Community College. She then sent out resumes to various hospitals listed in the phone book.”
Paul Badeau
DVM
“Dr. Badeau started volunteering for our clinic when he was only 14 years old. He began working as a technician in April 1997 and continued working here as he attended the University of Connecticut where he received his undergraduate degree in Pathobiology in 2003.”
Michelle Forella
DVM
Dr. Forella has been with the team at Bolton Veterinary Hospital since the spring of 2017. From a young age, Dr. Forella always knew she wanted to work with animals, but hoped to do so in a way that would help others;
Shonna Kalos
DVM
“Dr. Kalos is another of our veterinarians who “grew up” at Bolton Vet. She started in our job shadow program as a high school student, and worked her way up from kennel assistant to veterinary technician while graduating from UCONN in 1999 with a B.S. in Animal Science.”
Elizabeth LaVallee
DVM
“Dr. LaVallee is a Connecticut native growing up in the small town of Somers. She received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the Atlantic Veterinary College on Prince Edward Island, Canada in 2020. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Vermont in 2014”
Tanya Perry
DVM
“Dr. Perry began working with animals at the young age of 14. Starting out working at farms, shelters and veterinary hospitals in Nova Scotia, Canada where she grew up, Dr. Perry went on to earn her Bachelor of Science from the University of Prince Edward Island.”
Colleen Kellogg
DVM
“Dr. Kellogg is a graduate of Glasgow University School of Veterinary Medicine. Prior to obtaining her veterinary degree she received a BS in animal science from the University of Connecticut. After graduating from the University of Glasgow,”
Lisa C., CVT
Supervisor & Lab Coordinator
“Lisa attended both Becker College and UCONN. She has been with us since June, 1988. She supervises our lab and outpatient staff. She has many human and pet members in her family. Her pets include a beagle (Daisy), a dachshund mix (Lily),”
Erin J., CVT
Supervisor
“Erin has been a member of the BVH team ever since she graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2000 with a Bachelor Degree in Animal Science. Growing up with pets and riding horses, Erin has always had a love for animals and an interest in veterinary medicine.”
Kristy D., CVT
Supervisor
“Kristy joined our team in May, 1996, and is one of our inpatient supervisors. What she enjoys the most about BVH is “the teamwork and dedication of the doctors and staff. Everyone is committed to doing the best for our patients. The doctors are patient,”
Sonja Kos
DVM
“Born and raised in western Connecticut, Dr. Kos grew up surrounded by multiple cats and her grandparents’ dogs. Her passion for veterinary medicine stems from her interest in difficult science, creative thinking and, of course, her love of animals.”
Ashleigh Kopec
DVM
“As one of our overnight emergency doctors, Dr. Kopec can be found treating a variety of cases and performing any given surgery at all hours of the night. After she graduated with her DVM from Tuft’s University in 2005, she made her way to Bolton Vet to begin her career.”
Kenneth Malm
DVM
“Dr. Malm is known for his excellent skills in soft tissue surgery in addition to his work in companion animal medicine. He also has a long history of providing medical care for dairy cows, goats and sheep. After spending his childhood outside of Boston,”
Michelle Pesce
DVM, CVA
“Dr. Pesce received her bachelor’s degree at Stony Brook University in Neurobiology & Physiology in 2008, then went on to vet school at Cornell University, graduating in 2012.”
Katy Zyra
VMD
“Dr. Zyra has been a member of BVH since 1998. In addition to seeing dogs and cats, she can often be found treating a variety of animals ranging from rabbits and guinea pigs to lizards and chickens.”
Jess Everett
DVM
“Dr. Everett was born and raised in Wallingford, Connecticut. She first joined Bolton Veterinary Hospital as a technician in 2015 while working toward her Animal Science degree at the University of Connecticut.”
Matt M.
Hospital Manager
“As a second generation hospital employee, Matt has literally grown up at BVH. Prior to becoming Hospital Manager, Matt has spent 20 years working at and managing the Pet’s Store Next Door, as well as managing IT for the hospital.”
Lori P.
Supervisor
“Lori joined us in August 1991 because, as she says, “all the best pets come here.” She came to us with a B.A. from UCONN and three years experience as a technician at a one-doctor practice. Lori now works as one of our supervisors and, along with Carol F.,”
Dr. Allan A. Leventhal
DVM, Founder
“Founder of Bolton Veterinary Hospital, Allan was an Army Air Corps P-47 “Thunderbolt” fighter-bomber pilot in World War II, having flown 113 combat missions in France, Italy and Germany from August 17, 1944 to V-E Day.”
Dr. Michael Tulman
DVM
“Mike Tulman was born in Hartford, December 4, 1945. While raised in the North End of Hartford, Michael summered in Clinton, where he grew to love the sun and ocean – waterskiing, boating, and sailing.”
By Your Side
We live and breathe veterinary medicine. Your pet is our passion.
Paul Badeau
DVM
“Dr. Badeau started volunteering for our clinic when he was only 14 years old. He began working as a technician in April 1997 and continued working here as he attended the University of Connecticut where he received his undergraduate degree in Pathobiology in 2003.”
Alyson Bishop
DVM
“Dr. Bishop started with us in 2006 as a technician while obtaining her undergraduate degree at the University of Connecticut. She graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2012.”
Edward Grace
DVM
“Dr. Grace is a 1983 graduate of UConn (B.S. Pathobiology, Magna Cum Laude, Degree with Distinction) and a 1988 graduate of Purdue University (D.V.M.). Dr. Grace has been a veterinarian at B.V.H. since 1994.”
Nicole Kovacs
DVM
“Native to New Jersey, Dr. Kovacs received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Ursinus College (PA) in 2014 and her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (Virginia Tech) in 2019.”
Brad Pikas
DVM
“Dr. Pikas joined our staff in June 2005. He completed his undergraduate work in 1996 at Washington University in St. Louis, focusing on Environmental Sciences. He attained his D.V.M. from the University of Illinois in 2003 and continued with an internship in 2004”
Lynne Zelinsky
DVM
“Growing up in Manchester, CT and attending Glastonbury High School, Dr. Zelinsky was provided a unique opportunity to take veterinary and animal science classes through her high school’s Vocational Agriculture Program.”
Joanna L. FitzGerald
DVM
“Dr. FitzGerald received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2014, and her undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 2009.”
Karen A.
Supervisor
“Karen is a technician who came to BVH eight years ago with ten years of experience in the veterinary field. She has a special interest in emergency medicine and surgery but can also be found assisting in bookkeeping. Some of her outside interests include traveling,”
Carol C.
CS Manager & HR Supervisor
“Carol has been with us since February 1986. She possesses a B.S. in Renewable Natural Resources, and she came to our practice as a veterinary technician because she had previous experience in the field. Over the years,”
Kim Griswold
DVM
“Dr. Griswold joined us as a technician in 1996 while attending Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine to begin a second career as a veterinarian after working for IBM for 16 years. She completed her undergraduate requirements at UConn, graduated from Tufts in 1999,”
William Pomper
DVM
“Dr. Pomper grew up in Brooklyn, NY, with a plethora of animals ranging from mice and birds, to fish and turtles, and owning his first dog at the age of 11. As a teenager, Dr. Pomper raised poultry and swine for his uncles at their family-owned restaurant.”
Jess Everett
DVM
“Dr. Everett was born and raised in Wallingford, Connecticut. She first joined Bolton Veterinary Hospital as a technician in 2015 while working toward her Animal Science degree at the University of Connecticut.”
Kristin Williams
DVM
“Dr. Kristin Williams is a 1996 graduate of Dartmouth College and a 2008 graduate of the Tufts-Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation from vet school she worked in the spirit of James Herriot,”
Joan L.
Hospital Manager
“Joan started her career with Bolton Veterinary Hospital in December 1984. In over twenty-five years, Joan has worked in almost every area of the hospital and she is now our Hospital Manager. Joan says it feels like she and BVH have grown up together and that it is a place of great integrity.”
Carol F.
Supervisor
“Carol graduated from Becker College with an A.S. in Animal Science in 1986, and later received an A.S. in Accounting and Business Administration from Manchester Community College. She then sent out resumes to various hospitals listed in the phone book.”
Kristy D., CVT
Supervisor
“Kristy joined our team in May, 1996, and is one of our inpatient supervisors. What she enjoys the most about BVH is “the teamwork and dedication of the doctors and staff. Everyone is committed to doing the best for our patients. The doctors are patient,”
Michelle Forella
DVM
“Dr. Forella has been with the team at Bolton Veterinary Hospital since the spring of 2017. From a young age, Dr. Forella always knew she wanted to work with animals, but hoped to do so in a way that would help others; becoming a veterinarian was the perfect blend of both passions.”
Shonna Kalos
DVM
“Dr. Kalos is another of our veterinarians who “grew up” at Bolton Vet. She started in our job shadow program as a high school student, and worked her way up from kennel assistant to veterinary technician while graduating from UCONN in 1999 with a B.S. in Animal Science.”
Elizabeth LaVallee
DVM
“Dr. LaVallee is a Connecticut native growing up in the small town of Somers. She received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the Atlantic Veterinary College on Prince Edward Island, Canada in 2020. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Vermont in 2014”
Tanya Perry
DVM
“Dr. Perry began working with animals at the young age of 14. Starting out working at farms, shelters and veterinary hospitals in Nova Scotia, Canada where she grew up,”
Colleen Kellogg
DVM
“Dr. Kellogg is a graduate of Glasgow University School of Veterinary Medicine. Prior to obtaining her veterinary degree she received a BS in animal science from the University of Connecticut. After graduating from the University of Glasgow,”
Lisa C., CVT
Supervisor & Lab Coordinator
“Lisa attended both Becker College and UCONN. She has been with us since June, 1988. She supervises our lab and outpatient staff. She has many human and pet members in her family. Her pets include a beagle (Daisy), a dachshund mix (Lily),”
Shannon O.
Supervisor
“As one of our outpatient supervisors, Shannon can be found tackling a variety of tasks on any given day. Before joining the BVH team in 2004, Shannon was a veterinary technician in California for three years and spent four years as a marine mammal trainer in Hawaii.”
Sonja Kos
DVM
“Born and raised in western Connecticut, Dr. Kos grew up surrounded by multiple cats and her grandparents’ dogs. Her passion for veterinary medicine stems from her interest in difficult science, creative thinking and, of course, her love of animals.”
Ashleigh Kopec
DVM
“As one of our overnight emergency doctors, Dr. Kopec can be found treating a variety of cases and performing any given surgery at all hours of the night. After she graduated with her DVM from Tuft’s University in 2005, she made her way to Bolton Vet to begin her career.”
Kenneth Malm
DVM
“Dr. Malm is known for his excellent skills in soft tissue surgery in addition to his work in companion animal medicine. He also has a long history of providing medical care for dairy cows, goats and sheep. After spending his childhood outside of Boston,”
Michelle Pesce
DVM, CVA
“Dr. Pesce received her bachelor’s degree at Stony Brook University in Neurobiology & Physiology in 2008, then went on to vet school at Cornell University, graduating in 2012.”
Katy Zyra
VMD
“Dr. Zyra has been a member of BVH since 1998. In addition to seeing dogs and cats, she can often be found treating a variety of animals ranging from rabbits and guinea pigs to lizards and chickens. Dr. Zyra completed her undergraduate studies at Bennington College and from there,”
Matt M.
Hospital Manager
“As a second generation hospital employee, Matt has literally grown up at BVH. Prior to becoming Hospital Manager, Matt has spent 20 years working at and managing the Pet’s Store Next Door, as well as managing IT for the hospital.”
Lori P.
Supervisor
“Lori joined us in August 1991 because, as she says, “all the best pets come here.” She came to us with a B.A. from UCONN and three years experience as a technician at a one-doctor practice. Lori now works as one of our supervisors and, along with Carol F.,”
Erin J., CVT
Supervisor
“Erin has been a member of the BVH team ever since she graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2000 with a Bachelor Degree in Animal Science. Growing up with pets and riding horses, Erin has always had a love for animals and an interest in veterinary medicine.”
Dr. Allan A. Leventhal
DVM, Founder
“Founder of Bolton Veterinary Hospital, Allan was an Army Air Corps P-47 “Thunderbolt” fighter-bomber pilot in World War II, having flown 113 combat missions in France, Italy and Germany from August 17, 1944 to V-E Day.”
Dr. Michael Tulman
DVM
“Mike Tulman was born in Hartford, December 4, 1945. While raised in the North End of Hartford, Michael summered in Clinton, where he grew to love the sun and ocean – waterskiing, boating, and sailing.”
