Dr. Michellé Mac, DVM

Dr. Michellé Mac grew up in the Bay Area and found her love for animals in her early childhood. She volunteered at various shelters to gain experience in animal care. She attended UC Santa Cruz where she obtained her Bachelor’s of Science Degree in General Biology. She worked at a local veterinary clinic as a vet assistant before being accepted to St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine. She completed her clinical rotations at Oregon State University and graduated in 2020 before moving back to the Bay Area to practice medicine. Dr. Mac worked in San Jose where she gained experience working with dogs, cats, and exotic animals. Now, she has found her way back to the Santa Cruz area to join the team at Mt. Hermon Vet Clinic! Dr. Mac pursued veterinary medicine because she is passionate about healing those without a voice and advocating for those who cannot care for themselves. She has a special interest in dentistry and soft tissue surgery. She enjoys bonding with her patients while taking a Fear-Free approach to practicing medicine. In her free time, Dr. Mac likes to workout, spend time outdoors with her dogs, and try new restaurants with her wife, who is also a fellow foodie. Dr. Mac loves checking out dogs on the street and makes it a goal to pet every dog she sees.

Cheryl Dembner, DVM

Dr. Dembner obtained her DVM from Tuffs University in 1990 and then completed a small animal internship in New York. She has been practicing in the Santa Cruz area since then. She enjoys building long term relationships with her clients and patients. She truly loves her profession and has special interests in internal medicine and wellness care for all life stages.
Dr. Dembner and her husband call Scotts Valley home. They have raised their two daughters in our community. When not at work she enjoys road biking, enjoying the outdoors and spending time with her animal family.

Taina Power, DVM

Dr. Taína Power spent her early childhood in rural Alaska and Puerto Rico. In middle school, her family moved to the US mainland and settled in Northern California – Mendocino county. She attended university at UC Berkeley graduating with a BA in anthropology. She eventually moved to the Santa Cruz area and worked as a veterinary technician at a local veterinary practice while attending UCSC and Cabrillo College to fulfill her vet school prerequisites. She attended Western University to obtain her DVM degree in 2009 and went on to complete a rotating small animal internship at Bay Area Veterinary Specialists the next year. She then returned to the central coast to start her practice as a veterinarian and has been working a combination of general practice and emergency medicine for the past decade. She is very excited to join the MHVH team and looks forward to getting to know her clients and their pets, collaborating together to achieve the best individualized patient care. She shares her home with her daughter Xenia, her dog Herbie and hamster Agnes. She enjoys spending time in nature, reading, dancing, music, and quality time with friends and family.

Cori Phinn, DVM, CVA

Dr. Cori Phinn is a veterinarian and the owner of Mt Hermon Veterinary Services. She is a Santa Cruz native who grew up riding and being involved in Pony Club. She graduated with Honors from California State University, Chico, and went on to Ross University to earn her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. She completed clinical rotations at Texas A & M and an internship at Triangle Equine Clinic. With the encouragement of other local equine veterinarians, she founded Coast Equine Veterinary Services, a mobile practice in 2008 providing care to horses while also working at a local small animal hospital. She began offering care to dog and cat patients in 2012 to meet the growing demand to care for the entire animal family.

She incorporated acupuncture into her patients’ care in 2015 after attending an intensive Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians course by One Health SIM.

In 2019 Coast Veterinary Service built a state-of-the-art facility in Scotts Valley to better meet the needs of her small animal patients and changed her business name to Coast Veterinary Services to reflect this change. Dr. Phinn acquired Mt Hermon Veterinary Clinic in 2020. She was thrilled to incorporate this into the veterinary team. She is very proud of these sister clinics that share the same high standards of medical care, experienced staff and compassionate care.

Dr. Phinn lives in Santa Cruz County with her husband, son, and daughter. They share their lives with three horses, three rescue dogs, a cat, and chickens. She enjoys spending time with her family and watching her children grow, laugh, and discover the world. She enjoys trail riding, camping, and snowboarding in Tahoe.

Christine, Veterinary Assistant

Christine has spent most her life loving and caring for animals including 27 years of experience as a veterinary assistant. She enjoys the relationships she has built with clients and patients over the last 15 years working at Mt Hermon Veterinary. She has been able to care for patients from puppy/kitten-hood to their geriatric years. She lives with her 18-year-old son, 12-year-old daughter, an lhasa Chihuahua mix and 2 indoor cats. When she is not at work her favorite things to do are spending time with her family and camp off the grid in forest.

Katie, Veterinary Assistant, Floor Lead

Katie has had an interest in animals since she was very young. She has lived in Santa Cruz her entire life and has been in the veterinary field since 2013. Katie enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine and strives to provide compassionate care to each patient she meets. She is a self-proclaimed pug addict. She lives with her fiance, their two dogs, and a cat. In her free time, she can be found hiking, walking her dogs on the beach, and hanging with friends watching the sunset.

Ash, Veterinary Assistant

Ash have grown up in the Corralitos area. Ever since she was a little girl she has been in love with animals and have always wanted to help them. She is a huge animal advocate with a special interest in behavior. She currently have four cats and two dogs! In her spare time she is either outside playing fetch with her shepherd Atticus or inside reading a book, curled with her cats and Mavis, her chihuahua.

Reina, Veterinary Assistant

This is Reina, a Santa Cruz local. Her love for animals started at a very young age, which only grew as she got older. Being a certified vet assistant, Reina plans on furthering her knowledge in animal medicine in years to come. Most days, you can catch her and her 3 dogs cruising the coastlines chasing sunsets.

Kat, Registered Veterinary Technician

Kat has been working as a veterinary technician since 2009 but has had a love of animals her entire life. During her free time she likes to take her dog for walks, snuggle her cats, dance, and do various types of art. She has special interests in emergency, critical care and rehabilitation. She is a life long learner who is always interested in gaining knowledge and experience. Her goal is to be part of a team that provides the best life and care for their patients.

Emma, Practice Manager

Emma has been in veterinary medicine since 2006 and became a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) in 2009. She has primarily worked as either a Practice Manager or Hospital Administrator in specialty and emergency clinics. In 2021, she decided to explore the world of general practice and is very excited about her new journey. Emma believes that her staff are the assets and if you take care of them, they will take care of the business. She has a bachelor’s degree in business management, with a minor in accounting. Emma has been the secretary of the local veterinary medical association (MBAVMA) for Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties since 2006. She was co-founder and sat on the board for a non-profit in Monterey that provides a financial lifeline to pet parents who need assistance with veterinary care. Emma continues to help animal welfare non-profits and small businesses that need her assistance and expertise in accounting, HR and business management. In her free time she has a house full of animals, loves anything brachycephalic and has a soft spot for kitties. Emma has been married since 2007, has three children and five grandchildren. In her free time she enjoys relaxing, swimming, cooking, music and writing poetry.

Devon, Lead Client service Representative

Devon has always had a deep-rooted passion for animals. She has over seven years of client service experience. She lives in Aptos with her husband, daughter, and fur baby Baxter. She enjoys spending her free time in the outdoors, hiking, camping, and exploring.

Kayla, Client Service Representative

Kayla has lived in the Bay Area her whole life, and has grown up with a love for all animals. She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in psychology, and is passionate about working with clients and helping them with their furry friends. She is an active foster for Cats By the Tracks and frequently takes in kittens who need temporary homes. She also has a love for horses and has spent the past five years gaining riding experience. She enjoys going on adventures with her rescue pittie Ruby, and cuddling up with her 2 cats, Ray and Gavin.

Star, Client Service Representative

Has over 19 years of customer service care experience and is passionate about working with animals. Outside of work, you can find her and her boyfriend Joe lounging around with their 3 kitty cats! Salem, Aubrey Joe and Luna Star. She enjoys cruising to some good music while watching the ocean waves, all while taking in the scenic views of life.