Learn more about our Board of Directors

Kazuki Ueki DVM (he/him)

President & Director of Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion

My name is Kazuki Ueki and I am currently an associate veterinarian at Fremont Veterinary Clinic. Prior to my current position, I was a staff emergency veterinarian at VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists for 5 years. I have been a member of the PVMA since moving to Portland in 2013. I have always enjoyed all the events and CE opportunities that the PVMA has offered and I am now looking forward to being a bigger part of this wonderful organization so that I can give back to my community that has taken such good care of me.

Alexandra Moore DVM (she/her)

Treasurer

I have been an active member of the PVMA for the past 6 years since moving to Portland. This organization has been a very important part of my professional and personal life, and I look forward to getting to know more of the members and helping to make the the many offered programs a success as part of the Board. I am a full time veterinarian for dogs, cats and exotics animals. In my spare time I like to paddle board and hike with my tiny Pomeranian, paint animal portraits, and of course go out to eat and drink in this awesome city!



Jamie Cheshier DVM, MS (she/her)

Board Director

I’m a mid-career small animal practitioner in private practice at Mountainside Veterinary Hospital.  I earned my MBA in Healthcare Administration from Portland State/OHSU while working full-time during the pandemic. I’ve been a consistent community-builder throughout my career, creating connections and encouraging collaboration at all levels of practice. As veterinary medicine continues to change and evolve, I welcome the opportunity to be an analytical voice on emerging trends. I’m interested in paradigm shifts like the pivot towards offering a spectrum of care, the idea of incorporating mid-level practitioners, the role of AI, and the impact of pet insurance, to name a few. Despite these many changes, I strongly believe our people remain our strongest asset. Veterinary professionals are some of the most intelligent, driven, and compassionate individuals I’ve ever known!

Lindsay Thurwachter DVM, CVA (she/her)

Board Director

Lindsay Thurwachter moved to the Portland after graduating vet school in 2010. She has been practicing in the area since and has worked in corporate, private, relief, and specialty practices prior to moving to practice ownership for the past 9 years. Currently she co-owns Kenton and Cathedral Animal Hospitals where she developed a passion for creating an environment that supports sustainability and collaboration with the idea of having a career that isn’t all consuming. She has been an active participant in the PVMA private practice start up group to help foster partnerships and community. In her free time she is an avid birder and volunteers with Bird Alliance of Oregon.

Carl Winch BVMS, MRCVS (he/him)

Director

Dr. Carl Winch completed his bachelor in Animal Science with a minor in Spanish from the University of Illinois in 2002. He then went on to study veterinary medicine at University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine where he graduated in 2008. Following graduation he worked in small and large private practices in the UK before moving to Portland, Oregon in 2014 where he joined Banfield Pet Hospital. He worked as a Chief of Staff, overseeing medical quality in two clinics. In 2019 he joined the Veterinary Affairs team at Banfield's Central Team Support in Vancouver, WA. One key area of his work is exploring how Banfield can apply data to challenges within veterinary medicine by partnering with universities and other organizations and then share our findings with students and the profession. He also co-leads Banfield’s Pride Network and is passionate about equity, inclusion and diversity, and health and well-being. Carl participated in the inaugural PVMA Power of 10 group as well as the P10 2.0 cohort during the pandemic. He co-facilitated the P10 group one year and has presented to the group on health and well-being. In his free time, he can often be found either in his garden, at Home Depot or playing with his border terrier, Archie.

Lindsey McGuire DVM (she/her)

Director

I am an emergency and critical care veterinarian looking to expand my role within our amazing profession. I graduated from Michigan State University in 2013 and subsequently completed a rotating internship at North Carolina State University. I then promptly moved out to the West Coast and have never looked back! After over a decade in the profession (8+ of those years in Portland), I am eager to be a part of something greater and to give back to the community. I am inspired by the work of the PVMA and want to bring my ideas to the table. Working alongside interns and mentees daily, I am passionate about supporting early-career veterinarians and want to help make this profession sustainable for all. I am also interested in the role of veterinarians in disasters, the spectrum of care, and the art client communication.

In my time outside the clinic I can be found trail running, reading, and doting on my senior dog.

Matt Dowling DVM, MS, DACVIM (he/him)

PAST PRESIDENT

I am the staff medical oncologist at VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists. I moved to Portland and started working at NWVS shortly after finishing my residency at the University of Illinois in 2018. I’ve been a member of PVMA since that time and have loved participating in and leading activities and CEs sponsored by this organization. I am eager to become more involved with the PVMA and give back to the veterinary community in Portland as much as I am able.

Cristina Keef (she/her)

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, 2006-CURRENT

“I love the PVMA. I am so grateful to work for such passionate and generous people and a community I care for and believe in so much. We strive to make the lives of our members less stressful, more supported, and as efficient as possible. We also work hard to be a partner within our animal welfare and pet-loving community and an innovative member of the veterinary profession”

I was raised in Junction City, Oregon, a small farming town just north of Eugene, south of Corvallis best known for the annual Scandinavian Festival. Like many of us who end up working with animals as adults, I constantly ‘rescued’ any I could, easy to do when people would drop them off regularly at our house in the country. My dad and I built more animal enclosures than I could count to house the dogs, cats, doves, rabbits, a pygmy goat, squirrels, hamsters, rats, 3 sheep raised for FFA!

When I was 14, I was required to do a half day job shadow and naturally chose our family veterinarian, a mixed animal solo practitioner who was nearing retirement. A week or two later, they called to offer me a job. By the time I was 16, I spent more time there than at school (but was still an excellent student!). When the practice was sold, things changed dramatically, going from a relatively quiet hobby practice to a 3+ doctor small animal/exotics/wildlife practice and boy was it fun! The reputations of our new owners from out of state proceeded them and we became a VERY busy practice and saw just about everything. I am very fortunate to have grown up in such a diverse practice and have very fond memories of the late nights and unique experiences. I regularly volunteered for Feral Cat Coalition mobile clinics and local wildlife rehab centers throughout high school as well.

After graduating from high school, I continued working full time while commuting to Oregon State University. About a year later, I moved to Portland not knowing anyone, one of the best decisions I ever made! After working at two small animal practices and attending Portland State, I took a year away from veterinary medicine to work at a lifestyle branding (marketing) agency owned by one of my pet sitting clients. It was a tremendous learning opportunity and a fun change of pace. Unfortunately, the company had some difficulties and as I was exploring my options, I received a call from Dr. Steve Kochis, the then outgoing PVMA president and friend, telling me about the PVMA Executive Director position being available. Shortly after, I interviewed and was hired in April 2006. I can’t imagine being anywhere else. My love of the PVMA and Portland veterinary community only continues to grow stronger. I am so very fortunate to be a part of it and hope to continue to be for many years to come!

I continue to volunteer for a number of local organizations, including assisting with the care and training of puppies that are part of the Coffee Creek Puppy Program. I enjoy taking care of my home, garden, 4 chickens, 1 cat and 1 dog as well as traveling, photography, crafts, kayaking, hiking and all the other lovely things the Northwest has to offer.

Lynda Nielsen (she/her)

COMMUNICATION & PARTNER RELATIONSHIP MANAGER, 2023-CURRENT

I am a Pacific Northwest native who grew up in SW Washington and obtained my degree in Applied Visual Arts at Oregon State University. Yep, I am a Beaver fan and proud of it! I started my career working in the Portland metro area designing various creative projects but kept hoping to find my dream job where I could be surrounded by animals.

After returning from a yearlong overseas adventure, I made the life altering decision to finally pursue my interest in working with animals and accepted a reception position working at a small one doctor veterinary clinic in NE Portland. The last 20+ years in the veterinary field has been more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. I am grateful to have worked for the Portland Veterinary Medical Association, a non-profit veterinary hospital in NW Portland, an emergency & specialty hospital in Vancouver and helped launch a brand-new 24-hour emergency & specialty hospital in NE Portland.

I have especially enjoyed working in collaborative environments and am delighted to have another opportunity to work with the PVMA. I look forward to contributing my creativity, problem-solving skills and organization talents to support our local veterinary community.

Outside of work, I love exploring small towns along the coast, walking forest paths that lead to nowhere in particular and riding motorcycles. I can frequently be found with two wheels on the street or in the dirt and the red rocks and desert terrain of Moab, Utah is particularly fascinating while aboard my trusty Kawasaki KLX.

I currently live in Vancouver, Washington with my husband and four-legged family members. Life just wouldn’t be complete without my dogs, Miss Josie (Pomeranian/Shihtzu mix) and Lexifer (Rottweiler), and my entertaining red tabby cats, Redford and Newman.