Meet the Team
Dr. Michael Kirkpatrick, BVM&S
Dr. Michael Kirkpatrick received his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at the Royal School of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was born and raised in Germany and received his undergraduate degree in sociology from the University of San Diego.
His love for animals was instilled in him at a young age by his parents, who always set a good example of caring and being advocates for animals. Dr. Kirkpatrick feels as though veterinary medicine is the perfect situation that allows him to help animals and people alike.
His special interests in veterinary medicine include surgery, pain management, dentistry and dermatology. He is passionate about treating every pet as though it were his own, giving the best medical care possible by applying his training and knowledge in educating owners on preventative medicine.
Dr. Kirkpatrick is married with two young daughters and has a miniature Dachshund named Sami. He enjoys spending his free time with his family and likes traveling to different countries. He has a great passion for the outdoors, where he enjoys hiking, fishing and wildlife photography (some of which you can see around the clinic). Dr. Kirkpatrick is an avid sports fan and former college and professional basketball player who loves staying active.
Dr. Courtney Dixon, DVM
Dr. Courtney Dixon received her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. She was born and raised in Maine and completed her undergraduate degree in biology at Northeastern University in Boston. After vet school, Dr. Dixon made the move out west and completed a small animal rotating internship at Pet Emergency and Specialty Center in La Mesa, CA.
Dr. Dixon is passionate about building relationships with owners and their pets and honoring the human-animal bond. Her special interests include oncology, geriatric medicine, and chronic disease management. Dr. Dixon feels incredibly honored to work in a field where we get to help both pets and their families, and feels that every pet deserves quality care.
Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Dixon has a love for all things plants and you'll find her caring for her houseplants, gardening, or spending time with her cat, Mojito. She feels lucky to call San Diego home and also enjoys hiking, swimming, kayaking, and traveling.
Dr. Janine Wettergren, DVM
Dr. Janine Wettergren received her Doctorate degree and Master's of Public Health from St. George's University, completing her clinical rotations at Oregon State University. Dr. Wettergren was born and raised in Miami, Florida as a first generation American with her mother from Germany and father from Sweden.
Growing up she would always seek opportunities for travel and adventure. Her love for animals started as a young FFA member, summer jobs at the Zoo, jetting off to South Africa for wildlife conservation outreach, and many others. In her free time, she enjoys the beach, playing volleyball, and scuba diving. Dr. Wettergren takes a special interest in surgery, chronic disease management, and preventative medicine. She is passionate about animal welfare, providing a positive experience for both the patient and client and is grateful to be working in an environment that promotes advocating for animal wellbeing.
Dr. David Appel, VMD
Dr. Appel is originally from New Jersey and received his undergraduate degree in Biology at Virginia Tech. After college, he worked for Johnson & Johnson in the Department of Skin Biology. He then received his doctorate degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Appel lives in San Diego with his wife Caroline, dogs Maple and Huck; and cat Fern. The natural world fascinates him and he enjoys exploring California with his family.
Dr. Appel’s professional interests include internal medicine, feline medicine, and dermatology.
Laura, Front Office Manager & RVT
Laura is a San Diego native who has been working in the animal field for over 12 years. She has a degree in art history, but her heart has always been drawn towards working with animals. She currently lives with her husband Zack and a box turtle named Buddy. Her goal as a receptionist and RVT is to provide the best quality service and care for our patients and clients alike and she feels lucky to be a part of a team who does just that.
Debbie, Assistant Front Office Manager
Debbie has been with Jamacha Pet Vets since the beginning. She is a San Diego native who from a young age has always had animals in her life. Currently, she has a dog named Lily and a cat named Latte.
Debbie enjoys working at Jamacha Pet Vets, as it gives her the opportunity to interact with pet owners and pets alike. She appreciates the family atmosphere that exists at JPV and enjoys her coworkers. In her spare time Debbie likes traveling, the outdoors, and spending time with her adult children, their spouses, and her two grandchildren.
Madyson, CSR
Madyson has been with Jamacha Pet Vets since May 2023 but has been in the field for several years. She became certified as a Vet Assistant at the Health Occupations Center and plans to further her education as a Veterinary technician and continue to grow as a CSR. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her dog Calvin as well as going to concerts with friends and trips to the river with her family. Madyson has loved animals her entire life and is thrilled that she now gets to work with them and their families to better the lives of our furry friends.
Kelly, RVT
Kelly's passion for animals has been lifelong. From drawing animals as a kid to dreaming about studying wolves as a Wildlife Biologist to her first job working at the San Diego Zoo. Her path to realizing that her true calling was in veterinary medicine began when she discovered how fulfilling it was to help sick animals. While employed at a County Humane Society, Kelly enjoyed caring for sick and injured animals and witnessing their remarkable recoveries. In her spare time, Kelly enjoys hiking and beach time with her dog Kea, travel adventures with her husband, and couch potato time with her kitty, Fernando.
Stephanie J, Team Lead VA
Stephanie is a San Diego native who grew up on the same cattle ranch as her mom. She has been working in the veterinary field for 3.5 years but fell in love with veterinary medicine when she was 5. At home, she has a 1-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old cat named Tippy. Stephanie enjoys spending her free time with her family at the Zoo, the beach, or at their regular family dinners.
Maria, Veterinary Assistant
Maria is a native of San Diego who graduated from Pima Medical Institute and has been in the veterinary field for 9 years. Her dream has always been to take care of animals since she was a little girl. At the moment, Maria has an 8-year-old chihuahua named Chapo and a shepherd mix named Scout. Both of which have been amazing additions to the family. When not at work, Maria loves to hike, read, collect comic books, attend baseball games, and drink coffee.
Jozlynn, Veterinary Assistant
Jozlynn was born and raised in Chicago, but has been in California for 5 years. She graduated from Grossmont High School and then completed the Vet Assistant program at Pima Medical Institute in 2022. It was through their externship program that she was welcomed to the Jamacha Pet Vets family. She is looking forward to returning to school to obtain her Veterinary Technician License. She has always loved animals and currently has 3 pets: A French bulldog named Phoebe and 2 cats, Rascal and Midnight.
Emily, Veterinary Assistant
Emily was born and raised in San Diego, but has a goal of someday studying in Georgia to get her Veterinary degree. Emily graduated from PIMA Medical Institute as a veterinary assistant and has had a love for veterinary medicine since she was 7 years old. When not at work, Emily loves to sing, shop and go to concerts.
Richard, Veterinary Assistant
Bio coming soon!
Jamacha Pet Vets in Santee
Jamacha Pet Vets offers veterinary care with pet wellness exams and wellness packages, heartworm testing, in-house and online pharmacies, spay & neuter procedures, nutritional counseling, laser therapy, pet vaccinations, microchipping, in-house cytology, emergency pet care, orthopedic surgeries, soft tissue surgery and pet euthanasia as your veterinarian serving El Cajon, Granite Hills, Lakeside, Santee, La Mesa, Spring Valley, Winter Gardens and the surrounding East County communities.