MCVMA Panelists

Dr. Marissa Rothenbaum graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2011. Born and raised in Santa Monica, CA, her love of the ocean initially compelled her to pursue a career in marine biology. After graduating from UC San Diego in 2005 with bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology, Marissa realized she wanted a career that would reward her with a more visible and direct impact on the world. Her interest in science, her strong interpersonal skills, and the significance of the human-animal bond ultimately drew her to veterinary medicine.

Beginning in veterinary school, Marissa has dedicated herself to helping others feel supported and to foster their success through servant leadership and mentorship. She works at Banfield Pet Hospital headquarters, on the Veterinary Affairs team, developing the tools and resources hospital teams need to provide quality care for patients and clients. She also serves as a co-lead of the Asian and Pacific Islander Diversity Resource Group at Banfield. Marissa is passionate about strengthening the profession through community, both locally and at the macro-level, and believes inclusion and diversity are key components of a robust community. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, son, and mega-mutt, Ripley. In her spare time, she enjoys paddle boarding, crafting, and is always looking for an excuse to bring joy to other people through baking.

Dr. Stéphie-Anne C. Dulièpre is a recent graduate of the Cornell University CVM class of 2020. She was born in Queens, NY but has lived in Haiti for over a decade before returning to the States. During her time at Cornell Dr. Dulièpre was the previous VOICE chapter president as well as the previous Cultural Outreach Officer on the national executive board at the Student AVMA. Dr. Dulièpre is passionate about anything involving diversity, equity, and inclusion, conservation medicine, public health, and policy/advocacy. She enjoys engaging with underrepresented communities and finding new ways to get people excited about veterinary medicine who would otherwise not have access to the field. Dr. Dulièpre is a Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian with the US Department of Agriculture in Pennsylvania, as well as a small animal practitioner in Baltimore, Maryland.  When she is not working or advocating for members of the profession, Dr. Dulièpre enjoys running, reading, watching action movies, and painting.

Melody Martínez is a Certified Veterinary Technician and the first generation daughter of Afro-Caribbean, working-class immigrants from the Dominican Republic. She began her veterinary career in Massachusetts in 2007 while working through college. In addition to working in small animal clinics and in emergency and critical care, she worked as a caregiver at Farm Sanctuary, overseeing the ongoing medical care of 800 rescued farmed animal residents at their New York shelter.

In 2015, she took a break from work as technician and pivoted to a career in nonprofit management, community organizing, and fundraising with organizations dedicated to racial and economic justice. She currently works as a consultant providing trainings, assessments, and executive coaching to companies and organizations wanting to improve their diversity, inclusion, and racial equity outcomes. Through her work, she has supported dozens of mission-driven teams in making meaningful shifts in their workplace culture and becoming more values-aligned. Melody continues work in veterinary medicine as a relief technician and through volunteerism with animal sanctuaries and organizations that increase veterinary access to people experiencing poverty or homelessness with animals. She currently serves as a board member and Chair of the Social Justice Committee with the Multicultural Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr. Marie Sato Quicksall comes from a multiracial Japanese and American family. Born in Japan, she moved to the US with her family as a toddler. She grew up in Columbus, Ohio and attended The Ohio State University for both her bachelor’s degree in zoology and her veterinary degree. Upon graduating veterinary school in 2011, she began her professional career as a small animal general practitioner in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before relocating to the west coast. She currently practices on Bainbridge Island, Washington. In 2020, Dr. Quicksall completed additional coursework to become Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture. Her professional interests include surgery, pain management, and feline medicine.

Diversity and inclusion has long been a passion for Dr. Quicksall. As a first year veterinary student, she founded the Ohio State chapter of VOICE (now Veterinarians as One Inclusive Community for Empowerment), and later served as national president of VOICE. In support of her other passion, ice hockey, she coached for a group that promotes diversity and inclusion in the sport when she was in Pittsburgh. In 2017, she became a founding board member of the Multicultural Veterinary Medical Association (MCVMA). Dr. Quicksall currently serves as the President of the MCVMA.