Meet Our Staff

Dr. Lisa Harrenstien founded Avian and Exotic Veterinary Care in April 2016. Dr. Harrenstien has 33 years of experience as a veterinarian, including employment in private small animal/exotics practice, university exotics practice, postdoctoral training in zoological pathology, consultant work related to avian and exotic species, and zoo practice. She was an associate veterinarian at the Oregon Zoo for 13 years, and is a Board Certified Specialist in Zoological Medicine(TM), an ACZM Diplomate. The ACZM is the American College of Zoological Medicine, which is the veterinary specialty organization related to the care of avian/exotic companion animals, as well as free-ranging wildlife and animals in zoological facilities. Dr. Harrenstien was the first veterinarian in Oregon to achieve this specialist ranking, and remains the only private practice veterinarian in the Pacific Northwest with this status. 

Dr. Harrenstien belongs to numerous veterinary organizations, including the Portland Veterinary Medical Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association. She also recently completed a 9 year term as the treasurer of the American College of Zoological Medicine.  She as been a Fear Free Avian certified professional since 2020.

Dr. Harrenstien’s favorite patients over the years have usually been the ones that heal well from serious illnesses and still appreciate her veterinary visits, including a California sea otter named “Thelma” who needed a lung removed, a young double yellow headed Amazon parrot named “Miss Lilly” who had her upper beak bitten off by a macaw, and a Houston toad named “Ratatouille” whose face and toes healed well after a predatory attack by a rat.

Dr. Mattucks originally hails from Kansas City and went to the University of Missouri for both her undergraduate and veterinary degrees. After veterinary school, she completed a rotating small animal internship at Garden State Veterinary Specialists in New Jersey, then an avian and exotic specialty internship at The Animal Medical Center in Manhattan, New York, then a residency in avian medicine at Island Exotic Veterinary Care in Long Island, New York. She is actively working on multiple publications and preparing to become an ABVP specialist in avian medicine. Dr. Mattucks’ love of exotic species started from a young age and led to several trips to South Africa to study wildlife management and medicine. While practicing medicine, she finds joy in educating owners about the unique needs our exotic pets have to live happy lives. She hopes to one day extend her career to include actively giving back to conservation efforts around the globe. She moved here to Portland in late 2020 with her husband, dog, cat, two birds, and far too many house plants. In her free time, she is excitedly exploring all the Pacific Northwest has to offer, hiking, restoring furniture, and exercising a self-proclaimed green thumb.

Rachel has a huge passion for exotic creatures big and small. Her first pet was a rat, the rest is history! From there she had many hamsters, dogs, and canaries as pets over the years and she recently branched out into the reptile world by adding a baby ball python (which she named Hydra) to her family. Rachel attended Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology in Denver, Colorado where she received her Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Veterinary Technology and graduated with honors in March of 2020. She became a Certified Veterinary Technician in December of 2020 and is a Fear Fear Avian certified professional. Rachel hopes to become a Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in Exotic Companion Animals someday. Rachel has several years of veterinary experience ranging from being a front-desk receptionist to a kennel technician caring for exotic species boarders. Rachel and her husband are both born and raised Oregonians. When Rachel isn't taking care of your pets, she loves to listen to music, travel (especially to the Oregon Coast), explore new places, take pictures, and play video games or watch Marvel (MCU) movies with her husband. Rachel also loves to collect pressed pennies and has an ever growing collection of such. Rachel is excited to be a member of the AEVC team!

Naomi is a native Oregonian who grew up with a passion for animals.  She started working in emergency veterinary medicine in 2002, and in 2006 she graduated from the Portland Community College Veterinary Technology Program with a degree in veterinary technology.  Naomi spent 8 years as a volunteer ZooGuide at Oregon Zoo, where she participated in multiple programs including conservation education and animal behavior observations. In addition to her time at the zoo, she worked in small animal/exotics veterinary clinics. In her spare time Naomi enjoys spending time on wild and scenic rivers in her kayak with her husband and son.  Naomi is excited to be part of the Avian and Exotic Veterinary Care team, and to work with and learn more about the variety of species we see.

Born and raised in Florida, Rin decided to call Oregon home in early 2021 after falling in love with the Pacific Northwest during her Pacific Crest Trail thru hike. Rin has spent about 20 years in the veterinary field, mostly in small animal ER, but also in small animal and equine general practice, urgent care, equine surgery, and at a reference laboratory. Although not in a veterinary capacity, Rin has cared for many species of exotics as her own pets and as a professional petsitter and is dedicated to learning excellent husbandry for all species in her care. Currently, Rin is trying NOT to own more pets, but is infatuated with her two senior cats, Pod and Oslo, and her Aphonopelma chalcodes tarantula named Judy. When not at work, Rin is most likely playing outside - hiking, climbing, kayaking, camping, riding endurance horses and acting completely feral. 

Jake is a Minnesota native who moved to Oregon in 2013. Growing up on a farm in rural northern Minnesota, he spent his youth raising chickens, rabbits, dogs, and the occasional goose and miniature horse. He has a passion for the care and well-being of all creatures and animals, especially those that have been lucky enough to find a forever home. When not at work, Jake is an avid urban farmer himself who enjoys spending time with his goats, chickens, cats, dogs, and ever fluctuating number of rabbits. He's deeply passionate about ensuing that all critters under his care have a happy and fulfilling life. Jake is currently studying pre-veterinary medicine, with the hope of being accepted into a doctoral program in veterinary medicine, to be able to continue serving animals and the people who love them.

Felicia was born and raised in Oklahoma. She has been in love with the science of veterinary medicine since she was a child. She began her work with exotic animals in high school through the junior curator volunteer program at the Oklahoma City Zoo, then she obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in zoology, and began working for an emergency clinic in Oklahoma after college. After gaining experience in intensive care and surgical medicine of dogs, cats and smaller numbers of exotics, she moved to the Portland area in 2020 to focus on learning more about exotic animal medicine.  Outside of her love of veterinary medicine, she has two main passions: music and tabletop gaming. She has played the double bass since 2001 through school, semi-professional, and community groups. She is joined in her move to the Pacific Northwest by her husband, who supports her every endeavor.

Jackie is an Oregon native who has over 15 years of veterinary reception and client care experience. She has worked in both emergency and small animal practices, but has always wanted to learn more about the specialty of exotic animal medicine. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from Oregon State University, and she also spent a year at Oregon Coast Community College where she earned a Certificate in Aquarium Science and participated in various volunteer and internship opportunities involving marine and freshwater fish and invertebrates. She absolutely loves being in a profession where she gets to help pets and their humans, and she has a great passion for all varieties of animal health and medicine. Her current pet family consists of one dog, a cat and two betta fish. She is very excited to start this new adventure with AEVC!

Aeliana was was born in the Seattle area, and has always had a love for animals big and small. Growing up she spent time around many different animals, from horses to birds. Aeliana also spent time with rescues and did pet sitting for various animals. She has known she wanted to be working in veterinary medicine since she was in 3rd grade. When she moved down to southern Washington she was able to pursue that passion. She has worked with cats, dogs, and small mammals, and owns various reptiles. When Aeliana is not at work, she is spending time with her small menagerie of animals at home, as well as playing video games with her husband, or working on her garden.

Kathleen has had a lifelong love for animals. Her first pets were a guinea pig and silkworms when she was four years old, and she started fostering orphaned kittens when she was twelve. Kathleen's passion for wildlife and conservation guided her to earn a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies. With a desire to get hands on experience with a wide range of animal species, Kathleen completed the 2 year Biology and Management of Zoo Animals program at PCC. Through the program Kathleen completed a student internship at the Oregon Zoo, and she has been involved in wildlife rehabilitation at the Audubon Society of Portland for almost five years.  Throughout Kathleen’s life, she has had a variety of pets from box turtles and rats to parakeets. Currently, Kathleen has a dog, two cats, five goldfish, and a 20-year-old corn snake. And an update in 2022, she successfully passed the CPBT exam to become recognized as CPBT-KA, which stands for Certified Professional Bird Trainer - Knowledge Assessed; congratulations Kathleen!

Juli's biography is coming soon!

Mandy has been a veterinary assistant with AEVC for years, and is now our Inventory and Projects Manager. Mandy is a born and raised native of Portland, Oregon. She first worked with exotic animals when she was a ZooTeen at the Oregon Zoo in high school, and she was able to follow her passion by attending PCC's Biology and Management of Zoo Animals program, obtaining an Associate of Applied Sciences degree. Mandy completed a year long co-op internship at the Oregon Zoo and a 3 month internship at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, WA working with a wide variety of species in their Asian Forest Sanctuary exhibit. Mandy previously worked in emergency veterinary medicine but is now extending her insight and her abilities at AEVC. In her spare time, Mandy enjoys reading manga, watching anime and doing puzzles.