OPVES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Referral Coordinator
Dr. Portanova attended the University of California, San Diego graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Physiology and Neuroscience
She then went on to Oklahoma State University, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, where she received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.
After schooling, Dr. Portanova completed a Rotating Small Animal Surgery and Medicine, an internship at VCA Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in Aurora, CO, a Small Animal Internal Medicine Intern at MedVet Medical and Cancer Centers for Pets in Metairie, LA, and a
Job Titles:
- Human Resources Manager
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Veterinary Specialist DVM, PhD, DACVS Surgery
Dr. David Allen, Veterinary Specialist DVM, Ph.D., DACVS, received his degree from Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He then went on to complete an internship at The Animal Medical Center in New York City. He then went on to complete a three-year small animal residency and earned his Ph.D. from Ohio State University. Along with lecturing internationally, nationally, regionally, and locally, he has also authored multiple manuscripts on cardiovascular physiology and small animal surgery. Dr. Allen eventually made his way back to his home state of Kansas where he founded Mission Veterinary Emergency and Specialty (1993) and Overland Park Veterinary Emergency and Specialty (2021). In his spare time, he enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with his family.
Dr. Alyssa Burcham, DVM, Emergency, Critical care is another member of our team who received her Bachelor of Science degree and Veterinary Doctorate from Iowa State University. While earning her degree, she worked at a referral hospital where she developed a love for the fast-paced feel and wide array of cases that come along with emergency and specialty animal clinics. After moving to Kansas City, she was able to pursue this passion by joining the Mission Veterinary Emergency and Specialty team where she enjoys seeing new types of cases and being able to provide top-quality care, treatments, and diagnostics. As an MVES and OPVES team member, she wears many hats and is helpful in multiple areas of our facilities.
In her free time, Dr. Burcham shares a home with her significant other, Ryan, her sweet hound Abe, and her two kitties Finkle and Einhorn. In her free time, she enjoys planning her next travel adventure, finding all the new places to eat, indoor rock climbing, and puzzling.
Dr. Anna Richard, DVM, Emergency, Critical Care, received her bachelor's degree in animal science at UMaine. She then went on to receive her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from Kansas State University. After completing her education, she decided to stay in the Kansas City area where she became a member of our team at Mission Veterinary Emergency and Specialty. Originally from Massachusetts, she enjoys visiting home and spending time with her family when she is not working. Dr. Richard also likes making time for her friends and playing sports outside of work.
Job Titles:
- Staff Veterinarian DVM Emergency / Critical Care
Dr. Brady Boyle, DVM, Emergency, Critical Care received his Bachelor of Science and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University. He went on to spend two years in a rural mixed animal program. During his time in this program, he treated and cared for a variety of patients- from a 3 pound Yorkshire Terrier to a 3,000 pound bull. His main focus is on preventive health care, but also took an interest in treating toxicology cases and performing acute wound management.
He then joined the Mission Veterinary Emergency and Specialty team in 2014 as an Emergency Veterinarian. Being an Emergency Vet, Dr. Boyle sees a wide range of emergency cases and is motivated to return patients back to good health or achieve a positive outcome for both the patient and the owner. When he is not working, Dr. Boyle enjoys spending time with his wife, three children, and their one cat. He also enjoys returning to his homeland of Iowa to catch a Cyclones game.
Dr. Callie Mitchell, DVM, Emergency, Critical Care, earned her bachelor of science degree in animal medicine from LSU. She then chose to stay at LSU to complete her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM). Dr. Mitchell is native to southern Louisiana and after her time at LSU, she relocated to Maryland, Delaware, and North Carolina for a number of years practicing predominantly equine medicine. After her series of moves she came to the Kansas City area and joined our team at Mission Veterinary Emergency and Specialty where she is an emergency veterinarian. In her spare time, Dr. Mitchell enjoys camping and hiking with her dog, Caper, as well as watching LSU football games.
Dr. Charlotte Marquis, BVM&S (Hons.), MRCVS, is a board-eligible diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia & Analgesia (DACVAA). Dr. Marquis attended veterinary school at the University of Edinburgh (UK) and graduated with Distinction in 2018. She then completed a 1-year rotating internship with an emphasis in emergency and critical care at 1st Pet Veterinary Centers in Phoenix, AZ in 2019. Afterward, Dr. Marquis pursued a residency in veterinary anesthesia & analgesia at the University of Missouri, completing her training in 2022. During her residency, Dr. Marquis cared for many working K9s belonging to the Boone and Greene County Sheriff's offices in Missouri. As a part of her training, she anesthetized many exotic animals, including venomous snakes, primates, amphibians, large ruminants, wild dogs, and birds of prey. Dr. Marquis' clinical interests include pain management, locoregional anesthesia, and teaching. She enjoys anesthetizing critically ill pets, especially those with trauma, sepsis, and cardiorespiratory disease. In her free time, Dr. Marquis enjoys hiking in National Parks, traveling with friends and family, and riding her off-the-track-thoroughbred (OTTB) Barton Attack in the jumper ring.
Dr. Christa Heilman was born and raised in Overland Park, Kansas. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree from Kansas State University in 2005. After graduation, she performed a rotating small animal internship at Texas A&M University, where she fell in love with emergency medicine. She spent 15 years practicing emergency medicine in the Dallas-Fort Worth area before moving back home to Kansas City to be closer to family (including 12 nieces and nephews.)
Dr. Heilman's time away from work is spent with family, her 2 Labrador Retrievers (affectionately known as the "Labradorks,") and 2 cats. She enjoys baking and reading.
Job Titles:
- Board - Certified Neurologist
Dr. David Weinstein attended Kansas State University for both his degree in Animal Science, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude, and his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. After two internships at premier animal hospitals in New York City and Atlanta, one as a rotating intern and one as a specialty intern in neurology, Dr. Weinstein returned to Kansas for his residency in neurology at a multi-specialty animal hospital, from 2013 to 2016.
After his residency in 2016, Dr. Weinstein became a board-certified neurologist. He remained at the hospital where he did his residency, as their sole neurologist, treating patients from across the Midwest, including Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Oklahoma. In 2021, Dr. Weinstein moved to Florida to start a neurology service at another multi-specialty animal hospital where he has established and grown the service for the past 2 years. Dr. Weinstein is excited to be returning to Kansas, where he spent most of his career as a neurologist. Dr. Weinstein will primarily practice at our Mission location.
Dr. Weinstein is passionate about providing the best care to his patients and advancing the field of veterinary neurology. He continues to participate in specialty conferences and in neurosurgery courses. He has been a frequent presenter in Kansas and Florida at continuing education seminars and has also helped train several interns.
Dr. Weinstein practices medical neurology and neurosurgery, particularly in treating seizures, brain tumors, encephalitis, and intervertebral disc disease. For him, nothing is more rewarding than helping a paralyzed dog walk again. Above all, Dr. Weinstein prides himself on his compassion for his patients and his ongoing communication with their caretakers.
Outside of work, Dr. Weinstein enjoys spending time with his wife, three kids, and pets.
Dr. Hannah Pfantz, DVM, Emergency, Critical care earned her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2017. Following graduation, Dr. Pfantz relocated to Pheonix, Arizona where she worked in a large general practice for three years before moving back to the Midwest. She then joined our team at Mission Veterinary Emergency and Specialty as an emergency veterinarian. She loves the emergency practice and has an interest in trauma, wound management, and surgery. Dr. Pfantz and her husband Brett have a new baby at home along with their sweet Mastiff Mix named Cujo and their foster kitten turned foster failure named Dart. In her free time, she enjoys all things outdoors- especially biking, hiking, and camping.
Job Titles:
- Veterinary Specialist DVM, DACVECC Emergency / Critical Care
Dr. Jack Hardy, DVM, DACVECC, Emergency Criticalist received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Iowa State University. Following graduation, he spent three years in private practice and went on to specialize during a three-year emergency and critical care residency. He completed his residency at Eastern Iowa Veterinary Specialty Center in 2016 followed by the successful completion of his board certification exams. This led him to obtain Diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. Dr. Hardy then joined Mission Veterinary Emergency and Specialty as a Veterinary Emergency Criticalist, the only criticalist we currently have on the team.
Dr. Hardy's special interests include sepsis, poly-trauma, shock, and mechanical ventilation. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Amanda, their one daughter, Fae, and their multiple dogs and cats. He also enjoys catching an Iowa Cyclones game at Phog Allen and Bramlage Coliseum.
Dr. Jake Kilgore, DVM, began his college career at Truman State University where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology, graduating in 2006. Upon completing his undergrad, he then attended Mizzou's College of Veterinary Medicine where he received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2010. Dr. Kilgore then moved to the St. Louis area where we he spent the next five years serving as a veterinary ER doctor.
Originally from Blue Springs, Dr. Kilgore moved back to the Kansas City area in 2015 to serve the community as an ER doctor for a local vet hospital. He then joined our team in the early moths of 2022, being one of our newest additions.
In his free time, Dr. Kilgore enjoys watching the Chiefs and Royals, playing video games, golfing, and playing with his pups.
Dr. Jessica Gomez, DVM, Emergency, Critical Care, received her bachelor's degree from Central Missouri University and then went on to complete her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) at the University of Missouri. While at Mizzou, she worked as an assistant in the Small Animal Emergency service where she discovered her love for the fast pace atmosphere and variety of cases seen in the world of emergency veterinarian care. After her time at Mizzou, she joined our team here at Mission Veterinary Emergency and Specialty where she is eager to expand her knowledge by working alongside other emergency and specialty doctors.
Originally from Kansas City, Dr. Gomez is excited to be back closer to her family. She shares her home with her standard poodle, Ben, and a 3-legged wonder cat, Gadget. In her free time, Dr. Gomez enjoys going to the gym, running, hiking, and adventuring with her boyfriend.
Dr. Lanie Brooks attended Ross University, where she graduated with her undergraduate. Dr. Brooks then attended Oklahoma State University for her clinical year. This is when she decided to go into ER veterinary medicine due to the variety of cases and the fast-paced environment it provides. She then came on as an ER mentee with us. Upon completion, she transitioned into a full-time ER veterinarian for both our Mission and Overland Park locations.
Dr. Brooks believes it is essential to have the opportunity to be compassionate, informative, and empathetic during a time of stress and worry for our owners- not only being able to help the medical side with their pet, but also being able to help owners make difficult decisions and hopes that they get the opportunity to have an understanding of their options.
In her free time, Dr. Brooks enjoys spending time with her own pets and husband, and enjoys playing volleyball, spending time with family, and spending time outdoors.
Dr. Laura Grigsyby, Associate Veterinary, DVM, Internal Medicine, received her degree(s) from Oklahoma State University. She then completed her rotating internship at our sister hospital, Mission Veterinary Emergency & Specialty, in small animal medicine, surgery, dermatology, and ophthalmology.
After completing her internship, Dr. Grigsby joined our team as an emergency doctor, eventually transitioning to her residency in small animal medicine and completing an oncology rotation at the University of Missouri-Columbia and a radiology/pathology rotation at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Grigsby then successfully passed her boards and is certified in small animal internal medicine with a special interest in endocrinology, gastroenterology, and oncology. On top of lecturing locally, she is also a member of the American Veterinary Medical and Kansas Veterinary Medical Associations.
Dr. Grigsby enjoys sharing her free time with her husband and two daughters, cooking, gardening, and attending Sporting Kansas City matches.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate Veterinarian DVM Emergency / Critical Care
Dr. Mellissa Allen, Associate Veterinarian, DVM,, Emergency and Critical Care graduated from the Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine in 1992. She is originally from Canton, Ohio, and moved to Kansas City in 1993. Dr. Allen has experience in both general practice and emergency medicine and helped with founding MVES in 1993.
She enjoys spending time with family, the lake, watching her kids participate in sports, exercising, the family pets, and volunteering.
Dr. Morgan Jancovic, DVM, Emergency, Critical Care earned bother undergraduate and her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from Kansas State University. Native to the Kansas City area, she chose to stay local and complete a one-year rotating internship followed by a one-year surgery internship with our team at Mission Veterinary Emergency and Specialty. After her internships were completed, Dr. Jancovic decided to stay full-time here at Mission as an Emergency Veterinarian. Outside of the ER and ICU, Dr. Jancovic enjoys spending time with her fiance and their two dogs, trying new recipes in the kitchen, and finding adventure outdoors.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate Veterinarian DVM Emergency / Critical Care
Dr. Thomas Mick, Associate Veterinarian, DVM, Emergency and Critical Care originally graduated from Witchita State University where he earned a bachelor of science degree in Medical Technology. He then went on to earn a degree in Veterinary Medicine from Kansas State University, graduating in 1995.
He is originally from Holton, Kansas. He and his wife, Barbara, have two sons, Ethan and Owen. Dr. Mick has been employed as an ER doctor at Mission since August of 1995.
Away from work, he enjoys genealogy research, reading history, running marathons, and hiking in Colorado.
Job Titles:
- Hospital Administrator
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Marketing Coordinator
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Specialty Scheduler
Job Titles:
- Veterinary Specialist DVM, DACVS - SA Surgery
Kim Aeschlimann received her DVM at Texas A&M University in 2013. Prior to joining Overland Park Veterinary Specialists in 2021, she completed a one-year rotating internship at the Veterinary Specialty Center in Seattle and a one-year surgical internship at Central Texas Veterinary Specialists in Austin. In 2016, she accepted a surgery research and teaching position at the University of Missouri. She completed a four-year surgical residency and board certification in small animal surgery at the University of Missouri in 2021. Dr. Aeschlimann's clinical interests include soft tissue and orthopedic surgery. When not in the clinic, she enjoys wheel-thrown pottery, gardening, and caring for a small flock of Silkie chickens
Job Titles:
- Veterinary Specialist, DVM DACVIM ( Cardiology )
A native of Lee's Summit, Missouri, Dr. Murphy completed his undergraduate education in animal science and music at the University of Missouri; he enjoyed his time enough to stay, graduating from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in 2014. He then spent the next two years in Las Vegas as a small animal general practitioner before completing a year-long internship in small animal medicine and surgery at North Carolina State University and a three-year residency in cardiology at the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center at Iowa State University. DDr. Murphy is a board-certified veterinary cardiologist.
Dr. Murphy's special interests include the use of bedside ultrasound for heart failure management. He is passionate about delivering exceptional care for his patients and education for the people in their lives. When not caring for his patients, Dr. Murphy enjoys playing music, hiking, and fishing with his family.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Veterinary Social Worker