Meet Our Staff

KJ has always had a knack for caring. Whether it's for humans or animals she's always been involved. KJ started working with animals at the age of 12, volunteering her weekends to work at Apex Farms. She continued her love for animals volunteering at wildlife rescues and then going onto Carrington College. Her life then took a different path, as she went on to caregive for elderly and disabled adults, but now she has found her way back to her true calling, animals! KJ currently has a shihtzu-maltese named Squish and a bearded dragon named Beardie. In her free time you most likely will find her laughing at something, enjoying a walk, taking some nature photos, or singing her heart out.

Emilia and her husband Zac recently moved here from the Bay Area. Together they have two adopted fur children, a tabby cat named Mr. Cat and a pit bull mix named Lana. Emilia went to college to be a teacher but has always had a passion for animals. While attending college and after completing her degree she worked at a boarding facility for the past 7 years. In her free time Emilia enjoys spending time with family and friends, exploring her new surroundings, and taking her dog on hikes with her husband.

Nikki knew from a young age she would be working with animals for the rest of her life. She started volunteering at the Bradshaw shelter for 4 years in high school. She worked for Placer County Animal Services for about a year, before spending many years working in Emergency medicine as a veterinary assistant. She has been in the field since 2000, obtaining her RVT license in 2008. She has been in management for 6 years, which she enjoys very much. She briefly worked at UC Davis supervising ER/ICU prior to managing a Sacramento practice for 2 years, and joined the Bayside family in January 2021. She is a Granite Bay resident of 5 years. She has a husband, 4 busy kids, and many pets including dogs, a cat, and a rabbit. She has a history of showing dogs in both AKC/UKC, and breeds English Bulldogs. Animal control still holds a special place in her heart and she really enjoys working closely with the local animal shelters to run donation drives, especially focusing on the Pet Food Assistance Program for pets in need. In her “spare time” you can usually find her staying busy with the kids at the bike park, jiu jitsu, soccer, or the lake!

Amanda ventured into the veterinary field after dabbling in various fields from fashion to coffee. She has always had a love for animals with various pets throughout her life including dogs, birds, lizards and a class crawfish. In 2019 she graduated from Carrington College and became a Registered Veterinary Technician the following year. She has been at bayside for a year but in the field for 3 years.

During her free time she can be found smothering her dog, Elvis, with love. She enjoys road tripping with Elvis and her boyfriend. Her and her boyfriend enjoy picking out new wines and of course cheese.

Destaney started in the veterinary field in 2014 and never looked back. Her career started in an animal shelter and since has grown to learn physical therapy, lab research medicine, emergency medicine, and holistic care. She finished her veterinary nursing schooling last year and is set to achieve her dream as an RVT. She has a zoo of her own, consisting of Mr Bubbles and Chester her two kitties, plus Callie May and Willie the wiener. Her favorite aspect of her job is being the voice for a creature who's goal in life is to love their humans unconditionally. When she's not at work you can find her in her garden or trying new breweries! 

Natalie has been in the veterinary field since 2001 and started at Bayside in 2021. She has specialized training and certification in fear free handling and excels at working with nervous dogs and cats. Her passion is to give pets a voice in their medical care while providing the best care possible. Natalie has 4 cat family members: Hot Dog, Smokey, Corn Dog, and Pedro. She also loves spending time with her family. She has 2 kids, a 14 year old son and a 4 year old daughter. Her favorite hobbies are making tumbler cups, and anything that has to do with her cricut machine. She looks forward to meeting you and your furry friends! 

Lexi has been in the veterinary field since 2013. She loves animals of all kinds but dogs being her favorite, she has three of her own. Chance a Great Dane, Cali a Husky mix and Ross an American Bulldog. They keep her hands full most of the time but in her spare time she enjoys photography, cars, friends & family.

Since she was little, she knew animals were going to be a big part of her life with psychology being a second passion. Her very first job was at a pet store while going through college and obtaining her AA degree in Social and Behavioral Science. After completing college and realizing her passion for animals was stronger than her passion for psychology, she got into the veterinary field in 2019. Since then it's been history and she's been in the field ever since! When she's not spending time with her animals, you can usually find her enjoying nature, wildlife, or spending time with loved ones.