BluePearl Pet Hospital
Kirkland, WA
Our Vets

Dr. Holly Ahlgrim’s clinical interests include case triage, interventional radiology, stabilization and management, and diagnostic imaging in the emergency setting. She also enjoys interacting with and educating clients and interns.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Willamette Valley Equine, Aurora, OR
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Washington State University, Pullman
• Associate of Arts, Clark Community College, Vancouver, WA

Dr. Charles Belknap is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. His clinical interests include emergency and critical care, trauma cases, wound management, feline medicine and equine and small ruminant medicine.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Purchase College, NY
• Associate of Science, Veterinary Technology, Westchester Community College, Valhalla, NY

In his free time, Dr. Belknap enjoys fly fishing, birding, photography and gardening. He has three pets, a labrador named Atlas and domestic shorthair cats named Westley and Rooster.

Dr. Katherine Bibi enjoys all aspects of neurology and neurosurgery. From a clinical perspective, she is passionate about spinal surgery because of the difference it can make in the daily lives of her patients and their families. From an academic perspective, she values the process of neurolocalization and predicting how clinical observations correlate to imaging and surgical findings.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology)
• Residency, Neurology & Neurosurgery, University of Georgia, Athens
• Fellowship, Comparative Neurology, University of Missouri, Columbia
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Trinity College, Hartford, CT

Dr. Bibi is a trained dancer, and she continues to take classes and develop choreography. She also enjoys barre, yoga, traveling and staying active outdoors.

Dr. Kelly Blackstock’s special interests are ventilation and coagulation medicine, specifically fibrinolysis associated with trauma.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Emergency and Critical Care, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
• Intern, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Fifth Avenue Veterinary Specialists, New York City
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Master of Science, Physiological Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson
• Bachelor of Science, Physiological Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson

Dr. Blackstock’s favorite pastimes include triathlons, rock climbing, learning the cello, and being lazy on the beach. She has two dogs: Jack Russell-Chihuahua mix Gideon, and Shiba Inu Bruce.

Dr. Maria Brandifino is especially interested in transfusion medicine, treating trauma, resuscitation and coagulation.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, Angell Animal Medical Center, Boston, MA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Angell Animal Medical Center, Boston, MA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Villanova University, Pennsylvania

Dr. Brandifino enjoys cooking, watching all kinds of sports, spending time outdoors, hiking and traveling with her boyfriend and their boxer mix, Atticus.

Publications & Articles

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Seattle Veterinary Specialists, Kirkland, WA
• Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, University of Glasgow, Scotland
• Bachelor of Arts, English, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg

Dr. Bryan enjoys the outdoors and spending time with family and friends. She has a black cat named Ninja and a white cat named Scout.

Dr. Alaina Carr’s particular clinical interests include diagnosing patients with hepatobiliary and urinary tract disorders, such as portosystemic shunts and feline ureterolithiasis. She also enjoys collaborating with her colleagues on complex critical and emergency cases.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology
• Residency, Diagnostic Imaging, University of California, Davis
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Animal Referral and Emergency Center of Arizona, Mesa
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Dr. Carr is married and has two dogs. She enjoys landscape photography and riding competitive upper level dressage.

Dr. Aidan Chambers is particularly interested in laparoscopy, surgical oncology, fractures and angular limb deformities.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons (Small Animal)
• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Internship, Surgical Oncology, University of Missouri, Columbia
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center, TX
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Carolina Veterinary Specialists, Charlotte, NC
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Wellesley College, MA

Dr. Chambers enjoys spending time with her husband and their pets: A cat named Captain Meatball and a golden retriever named Lord Oliebollen. Her hobbies include baking, hiking, skiing and letting the dog dictate weekend activities.

Publications and articles

Dr. Choy’s professional interests include lymphoma, transitional cell carcinoma, localized tumor treatment with electrochemotherapy and translational cancer research through cooperative clinical trials and research projects with both local and national institutions including the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to improve patient care in both animals and their owners. He has co-authored studies and book chapters in feline lymphoma and mammary tumors.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology)
• Master of Science, Veterinary Science, Washington State University, Pullman
• Residency, Small Animal Medical Oncology, Washington State University, Pullman
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Oregon State University, Corvallis
• Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honors), University of Melbourne, Australia
• Bachelor of Science (Honors), Animal Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Married with two children, Dr. Choy’s favorite pastimes include nature and wildlife photography, RV and international travel, vegetable gardening, cooking, tennis and cycling. The family has three cats, Kiwi, Smokey and Bobo, as well as a large assortment of fish, shrimp, snails and aquatic life in their aquariums.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Nicholas Crawfis’ professional interests include pain management, feline medicine, sepsis and polytrauma.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Akron, OH

Dr. Crawfis loves reading, cooking, hiking, gardening, traveling and spending time with his partner and their two cats.

Dr. Nadine Encarnacion is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Her clinical interests include radiology, integrative medicine, emergency and critical care, and pain management.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Washington, Kirkland
• Bachelor of Science, University of Tsukuba, Japan

Dr. Encarnacion was previously a competitive athlete for USA judo on the national team and has traveled the world competing. She’s currently a certified judo coach and practices Brazilian jiu-jitsu. She loves to dance (especially heels), art, napping, matcha, ube and cooking when she can. Dr. Encarnacion’s fur baby is a French Brittany spaniel named Miai.

Dr. Mark Engen has been a practicing surgeon for many years and owned his own surgery practice for almost forty years. Skilled in all aspects of surgery, his particular interests include orthopedics, sports medicine, total hip replacement, regenerative medicine and minimally invasive surgery.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Residency, Surgery, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Rowley Memorial Animal Hospital, MA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
• Bachelor, University of Minnesota, St. Paul

Dr. Engen enjoys outdoor activities, especially fishing and skiing. He is married with two adult children. The family pets include a German short-haired pointed, Shiba Inu and two ragdoll cats.

Dr. Sarah Faye-Fierman finds acute kidney injuries, GI emergencies and pneumonia the most gratifying to treat.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital, Akron, OH
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, George Washington University, D.C.

Dr. Faye-Fierman enjoys wildlife photography, spending time at zoos and hunter/equitation riding. She has one buff orange cat named Lafayette.

Dr. Shawna Fujita is a resident in our surgical service. She finds minimally invasive procedures and fracture repairs the most gratifying to perform.

• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Kirkland, WA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Seattle Veterinary Specialists, Kirkland, WA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis

Away from work, Dr. Fujita enjoys hiking and spending time with family. She has three dogs.

Dr. Alice Huang taught students and conducted research in hematology as a visiting assistant professor of small animal internal medicine at Purdue University. Her special interests include platelet disorders, immune-mediated disorders and endocrine disorders. She enjoys using minimally invasive techniques to diagnose disease, especially arthrocentesis, cystoscopy and bronchoscopy.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal Internal Medicine)
• Master of Science, Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
• Internship, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Animal Specialty Group, Los Angeles, CA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Garden State Veterinary Specialists, Tinton Falls, NJ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Bachelor of Science, Biology and Anthropology-Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Dr. Huang loves throwing pottery (on a potter’s wheel, of course.) Other favorite pastimes include cooking, being outdoors and spending time with her husband. Clementine Pennyfeather is the family’s Siamese mix who experienced head trauma prior to adoption and now has a left leg that doesn’t quite do what she wants it to.

Dr. Frances Hurrell enjoys all types of procedures, especially arthrocentesis and endoscopy. Her favorite conditions to treat include immune disease, gastrointestinal disease (including esophageal disorders), and renal disease (especially acute renal failure management).

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal Internal Medicine)
• Residency, Small Animal internal Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Bachelor of Veterinary Science, Massey University, New Zealand

Originally from New Zealand, Dr. Hurrell loves traveling back to visit, and to other places around the world. She also enjoys reading, watching movies, playing tennis and snow skiing.

Dr. Brooke Johnson is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Her clinical interests include neurology, emergency medicine, wildlife rehabilitation, ultrasound, and minimally invasive imaging and surgical techniques.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, AR

Dr. Johnson enjoys backpacking, reading and traveling. She and her fiancé (who is a small animal vet) share two dogs named Clover and Maverick. Eventually, Dr. Johnson would like to have a hobby farm and big garden.

Dr. Kento Kameyama is particularly interested in respiratory cases and finds great satisfaction in sending patients home safely after they’ve recovered.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Animal Specialty Group, San Diego, CA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of California, Irvine

Dr. Kameyama has two pets: Koda, a German shepherd/Bernese mountain dog mix, and Jack, a domestic shorthair cat. His hobbies include hiking into mountains (which he doesn’t recommend), cycling (he can’t decide between road or gravel), finding new musical artists to enjoy, downing iced coffee, and day napping with his pets.

Dr. Kierstyn Payne’s professional interests include emergency surgery, sepsis and endocrine emergencies.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Wisconsin Veterinary Referral Center, Waukesha
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Dr. Payne enjoys spending her free time traveling, reading and cooking/baking. Originally from Wisconsin, she enjoys watching football and cheering on the Green Bay Packers. Dr. Payne has two pets – a sassy, long-haired calico cat and a German shorthaired pointer.

Dr. Matthew Rafferty is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. His clinical interests include reproductive medicine, disorders and emergencies.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman
• Bachelor of Science, Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Idaho, Moscow

In his free time, Dr. Rafferty enjoys hiking, camping, fishing and pretty much anything else outdoors. He loves to travel and has recently become SCUBA certified while in Okinawa, Japan. He and his wife share three wonderful boys and a Greyhound mix that was rescued at four months old.

Dr. Nisha Sidhu is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She has a strong interest in surgery and radiology, with the intention of completing surgical residency. Her clinical areas of focus include minimally invasive procedures (arthroscopy, laparoscopy, etc.) and soft tissue surgery.

Originally from sun-kissed Arizona, Dr. Sidhu embarked on an extraordinary journey to veterinary school in India. There, she spent six transformative years immersed in her Sikh heritage and vibrant culture while working with an incredible array of exotic animals, like elephants, cheetahs and monkeys. She’s thrilled to bring her global perspective and passion for animal care to the Pacific Northwest – a dream destination she’s always longed to call home.

• Bachelor of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India

In her free time, Dr. Sidhu enjoys practicing yoga, getting lost in the pages of a romantic fantasy book and exploring the great outdoors. Summer 2025 will include the introduction of two Bengal kittens to her life!

Dr. Danielle Sigua is an intern in our surgery service. She is particularly interested in critical care surgery, soft tissue surgery, and minimally invasive procedures.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Ironhorse VetCare Emergency & Specialty Center, Dublin, CA
• Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, University of Glasgow, Scotland
• Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, University of California, Berkeley
• Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, University of California, Berkeley

Dr. Sigua enjoys traveling, hiking, dancing, and musical theater.

Dr. Caroline Sirr is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She is most interested in pursuing surgical residency and has done research on minimally invasive surgeries. She enjoys managing and treating trauma cases.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Washington State University, Pullman

In her free time, Dr. Sirr likes to throw pottery. She has two cats, Mojito (Momo) and Mai Tai (Mai), and a ball python named Martini.

Publications and articles

Dr. Emma Teitelbaum is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Her clinical interests include emergency medicine, neurology and wildlife medicine.

• Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, England
• Bachelor of Science, Biology & Psychology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Dr. Teitelbaum is originally from Canada and has spent time living in England. She’s very excited to be living on the west coast in the United States. She loves wildlife and spending time outdoors, especially skiing and canoeing. In her free time, she does a lot of photography and is looking forward to doing more wildlife and landscape photography on the west coast. Dr. Teitelbaum also enjoys reading, knitting and crocheting.

Dr. Wayne Tsang is an intern in our surgery service. He is certified in both rehabilitation and acupuncture. His clinical interests include emergency surgeries and fracture repairs as well as incorporating rehabilitation and acupuncture into managing surgical patients.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Ironhorse VetCare, Dublin, CA
• Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Chi Institute, Reddick, FL
• Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA
• Master of Business Administration, University of California, Davis
• Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry, University of California, Davis

Originally from Hong Kong, Dr. Tsang enjoys hiking, weightlifting and traveling – particularly to Japan and all of the Disney parks around the world. He also enjoys playing table tennis and found a new interest as an amateur magician during veterinary school.

Dr. Kent Vince joined our team after spending 12 years of service as a Veterinary Corps Officer in the United States Army. His clinical interests include orthopedic surgery and treating traumatic injuries in dogs. He has presented at numerous national and international veterinary meetings and won research awards from both the Veterinary Orthopedic Society and American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Master of Specialized Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Surgery, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Internship, Equine Ambulatory Medicine, Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, Lexington KY
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing

An avid world traveler, food lover, mountain biker and skier, Dr. Vince enjoys time with his wife, daughter and three dogs. The family enjoys the Pacific Northwest and all of the cultural and outdoor activities it has to offer.