Our Team
At Yorba Regional Animal Hospital and Pet Resort, your pet’s health and happiness are our primary concerns. We take great care in choosing and training our team of compassionate, pet-loving professionals. We are proud to have some of the area’s finest veterinarians who, along with our top-notch administrative, nursing, customer service, kennel and grooming personnel, are dedicated to providing exceptional care. There are currently 16 Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVT) working at Yorba Regional Animal Hospital with 3 more attending school.
As part of our dedication to excellence, new employees enter a comprehensive orientation and training program. Every department utilizes “Phase Training and Testing” for all new employees, regardless of their skill level upon hire. Our monthly team meetings cover policy, standards of excellence, and customer concerns. We also provide all employees with educational training through various veterinary conferences plus outside veterinary specialists and consultants.
Administrators
Carol Petyo
Hospital Administrator
Carol Petyo joined the administrative team at Yorba Regional Animal Hospital in 2006. She oversees and assists with various aspects of day-to-day operations including client relations, human resources, protocols, staff education, student rotations and marketing.
Carol’s career in the veterinary industry began in 1986 at the Animal Dermatology Clinic of Tustin where she was Practice Manager and Public Relations/Marketing Coordinator. Subsequently, she worked for a veterinary specialty group and was responsible for establishing their accredited continuing education program.
Carol and her husband George enjoy visiting with family, friends and their grandchildren, Taylor and Jordan. Carol loves the outdoors and spends as much time as possible with her horse Gable and the family dog Duke.
Deedee Anderson
Administrator/Financial Coordinator
Deedee started working for Dr. Dunbar in November 1992 as a front office employee at East Hills Animal Hospital. She was soon promoted to Front Office Supervisor and assisted with various hospital management duties. Deedee was instrumental in combining the Eastlake and East Hills practices into Yorba Regional Animal Hospital, a challenge she eagerly accepted.
In June of 2006, Deedee became part of the “Administrative Team” at Yorba Regional Animal Hospital. While her title is Financial Coordinator, Deedee takes on many additional administrative duties to ensure smooth operations, including human resources, insurance, scheduling doctors, and assisting Dr. Dunbar.
Deedee and her husband Dave enjoy camping, boating and spending as much time as possible with their grown children, grandaughter Camryn and grandson Nolan. They have a Golden Retriever named Ariel, Cocker Spaniel named Jasmine and two “Grand doggies”, Jigs and Max.
Liz Flores, RVT
Hospital Operations Director
Liz Flores joined Dr. Dunbar in 1989 as a Kennel Attendant and was quickly promoted to Assistant Technician. Through her hard work and dedication, she became an exceptional and experienced Veterinary Technician. Having worked at Eastlake Animal Hospital for so many years, Liz became familiar with all aspects of hospital operations and subsequently took on many management duties. When Dr. Dunbar opened Yorba Regional Animal Hospital, she was instrumental in assisting with the move and setting things up at the “new hospital”.
Liz is now part of the “Administrative Team” at Yorba Regional Animal Hospital and plays a huge role in overseeing and managing the Nursing and Customer Service teams. She also assists the Department Managers in implementing new protocols and testing for employees and helps maintain the unified care teams at our hospital.
Liz has been an animal lover her entire life and says, “I’ve always known I would spend my life helping animals”. She is very proud to be part of an award winning hospital with all its growth and challenges. When not busy working, Liz loves to travel with her husband and enjoys baking for her cupcake and decorative cookies side business.
Customer Service Manager
Renee Rodriguez
Customer Service Manager
Renee Rodriguez joined Dr. Dunbar in 2005, shortly after he combined his two practices into Yorba Regional Animal Hospital. Renee has worked in the veterinary field since 1994 in small animal practices and a specialty referral group. Renee enjoyed learning about the complex nature of specialized medicine, but she prefers the close family atmosphere and one-on-one with clients and their pets here at Yorba Regional Animal Hospital.
Renee was promoted to Customer Service Manager in 2006 and has since strived to help make Yorba Regional Animal Hospital, “a modern hospital with a warm down-home feeling”. Renee is the proud mother of her daughter Scarlet and their 2 small dogs, Tanana and Piojo.
Technician Managers
Kelly Skaja, RVT
Technician Manager
Kelly Skaja has been an employee at Yorba Regional Animal Hospital since 2006. Kelly obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Cal Poly Pomona, where she majored in Animal Health and is a licensed “Registered Veterinary Technician”. When not performing nursing duties for our patients Kelly works with the management team to write and implement new protocols, oversee employee training and assist with customer service.
She enjoys spending days off at home with her dog and two cats. Kelly also enjoys listening to music and watching movies.
Salina Soto
Technician Manager
Salina has worked at Yorba Regional Animal Hospital since 2006 and in the veterinary industry for over 10 years. Salina is also a licensed EMT and a teacher. She contributes to our management team with her abilities in all aspects of patient care. Salina enjoys utilizing her teaching skills to oversee and assist with employee training, customer service and employee appreciation programs.
Salina’s off time is spent with her husband, son and 5 dogs (3 of which are rescues), other family members and friends. When not working she also enjoys reading and running.
Serena Quesada, RVT
Technician Manager
Serena joined the Yorba Regional Animal Hospital team in 2007, but her love for animals began as a small child. Serena holds a bachelors degree in Animal Science with an option in Animal Health Science, from Cal Poly Pomona. Upon graduation Serena attained her license as a Registered Veterinary Technician with a special interest in dentistry.
When Serena isn’t working hands on with dentistry, anesthesia, radiology, or assisting in surgery, she works as part of our management team to further team education and client service.
Serena is currently attending the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians to attain her VTS license in dentistry. Her other passions include traveling, dancing, snowboarding, running, biking, and horseback riding.
Kennel/Boarding Managers
Connie Besemer
Boarding/Kennel Manager
Connie Besemer often reminds us how proud and happy she is to be a Manager of the Boarding Facility at Yorba Regional Animal Hospital. She says, “I am living a life-long time dream to run a boarding facility in my hometown.” Connie first joined Dr. Dunbar as an animal bather in the early 90’s. She left to become a Certified Animal Groomer and worked grooming pets for 14 years. After retiring from animal grooming, Connie rejoined Dr. Dunbar’s team here at Yorba Regional Animal Hospital in 2007.
A resident of Yorba Linda, Connie has a dog named Rickey and a cat named R.B. both of whom she refers to as “my kids”. Connie’s motto is “I treat all pets at our boarding facility as if they are my kids.”
Nestor Miranda
Kennel/Boarding Manager
Nestor Miranda began working for Dr. Dunbar as a kennel attendant in 1994, at East Hills Animal Hospital. Over the subsequent 4 years, Nestor gained experience as a Kennel Attendant and a Technician Assistant and was promoted to Animal Health Technician. In 2000, Nestor pursued an opportunity at another hospital training kennel attendants. Feeling more “at home” working with Dr. Dunbar and his team, Nestor returned in 2002 and helped assist with the move and starting up the large boarding facility at Yorba Regional Animal Hospital. In 2006, Nestor was promoted to Kennel Manager and has played major role in establishing the many procedures, protocols and training policies utilized in our kennel.
Nestor enjoys spending as much time as possible with his daughter Stephanie and volunteering for community work for the city of Placentia.
Grooming Manager
Marylou Bickett
Grooming Manager
Marylou has over 12 years of pet styling experience. In 2002 she passed the very stringent National Dog Groomers Association of America Certified Master Groomer certification. Although Marylou allowed her certification to lapse in 2009, after her first son was born, she will be getting recertification in the near future. Marylou also holds a bachelors degree in Mathematics from University of California Irvine. When Marylou isn’t cutting hair or solving equations, you can find her at the Yorba Linda Ice Palace where she trains and competes in women’s figure skating.
Marylou has 5 family members: her husband Noah, sons Waytt and Troy, Ragu the king, (a black and white cat who rules the house), and Pismo the damsel in distress, (a Siamese cat who follows Ragu everywhere)!
