Meet the Anesthesia Team

Sandra Allweiler, DVM, DACVAA, CMVA, CCRT

Dr. Allweiler is a board-certified veterinary anesthesiologist and pain specialist. She is certified in traditional (Chi Institute) and veterinary medical acupuncture (CuraCore) and in canine massage and rehabilitation through the Canine Rehabilitation Institute (CRI). She lectures nationally and internationally on pain management, acupuncture and wildlife anesthesia.

Dr. Allweiler is a member of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia & Analgesia, a member of the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists, the American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, and the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society.

Outside of work, Dr. Allweiler enjoys photography, hiking, traveling, and most important spending time with her family and their dogs: a catahoula leopard dog called Mobitz, and three Border Terriers named Momo, Martin, and Andechs.

EDUCATION
University of Zurich, Vetsuisse Faculty, DVM, 2001

SPECIALTY TRAINING
Royal Veterinary College, London, UK, veterinary anesthesia residency, 2002-2005
New Bolton Center, The Large Animal Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, large animal anesthesia internship, 2001-2002

Katherine (Kate) Cummings, DVM, DACVAA

Prior to joining the Angell team, Dr. Cummings served as the staff veterinary anesthesiologist at MedVet Medical and Cancer Center for Pets in Columbus, Ohio. Her professional areas of interest include regional anesthesia with the use of peripheral nerve blocks, epidurals, wound soaker catheters, and transfusion medicine. She has added interests in the anesthetic and analgesic management of trauma patients, those patients that are emergent or critically ill, and those patients undergoing thoracic surgery. Outside of work, Dr. Cummings enjoys running, hiking, and cooking. She enjoys time spent with family, friends, and her three dogs, Polly, Phoebe, and Maple.

EDUCATION
Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, DVM, 2011
Carnegie Mellon University, BS, 2007

SPECIALTY TRAINING
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Anesthesia Residency, 2015
Michigan Veterinary Specialists, Rotatng Internship, 2012

CERTIFICATION
Diplomate, American College in Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, 2015

Becca Reader, BA, DVM, DACVAA

Dr. Reader attended Wesleyan University for her undergraduate degree, and earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Tufts University in 2013.  She spent a year in private practice before returning to Tufts in 2014 for a combined internship in Anesthesia and Emergency/Critical Care. Dr. Reader then stayed on at Tufts University to pursue a residency in Anesthesia and Pain Management, which she completed in 2018. Her clinical interests include critical care anesthesia, as well as the management of perioperative pain, stress and anxiety in hospitalized patients. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, and is also certified in veterinary medical acupuncture through the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association/Curacore Integrative Medicine.

In her spare time, Dr. Reader enjoys running, cycling, practicing hot yoga, and chasing the perfect sunrise/sunset views. She shares her home with her husband, Andy, and their three dogs Izzy, Nellie, and George Michael.

EDUCATION
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, DVM, 2013

CERTIFICATION
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, 2018

Amanda Brown, CVT, Anesthesia Technician

Amanda became an anesthesia technician in Angell’s surgery department in April 2014. Prior to this position, she worked in a general practice in her home town for almost 15 years. Her love of animals and desire to work with them started at a young age and was further instilled by going to an agricultural high school and majoring in Canine Science. She went on to Mount Ida College and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Technology and became a CVT (Certified Veterinary Technician).

Outside of work, Amanda likes to enjoy nature with her dog on long walks or go see live music with friends. She has a Yorkshire terrier named Opie and a 3 legged cat named Tipper. She has a soft spot for tripods! She had another 3 legged cat in the past along with other cats and dogs.

Andrew Burrell, CVT, Anesthesia Technician

Andrew graduated from Mount Ida College in May of 2014 with a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Technology. He became a Certified Veterinary Technologist in July 2014. Andrew continued his education by pursuing a Master’s degree, and in May of 2015 he received a Master’s of Science in Management from Mount Ida College. During school he discovered he had a passion for anesthesia and began working in Angell’s Anesthesia department in January of 2015. Outside of work, Andrew enjoys running, visiting family in Maine, and spending time with his two dogs Charlie and Kacey.

Leah Contreras, Lead Anesthesia Technician

Leah joined the anesthesia team at Angell as a certified veterinary technician in the fall of 2020. She is originally from Santa Monica, CA, and has been in the veterinary field since graduating high school. Leah started as a high-volume spay and neuter surgical assistant at various shelters in Los Angeles. After three years, she wanted to try out specialty/emergency medicine, and accepted a position as a radiology assistant at ASEC and transferred to the surgical department after a year. In 2016, Leah became a registered veterinary technician. Over the next five years, she worked primarily as a surgical technician and cross-trained in the ECC/ICU department. In the fall of 2019, she decided to move states to work exclusively as an anesthesia technician at a university teaching hospital. She primarily taught fourth-year veterinary students during their small and large animal anesthesia rotation. Professionally, Leah loves critical anesthetic case management, local/regional anesthesia, exotics, teaching, and lecturing. Outside of work, Leah loves to try out local food spots, travel to different countries, play volleyball, swim, and snuggle with her mischievous cat, Obi.

Jena Daly, CVT,Surgery and Anesthesia Department Supervisor

Jena worked in the music/television industry for a few years after graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree from Emerson College in 2006. She then switched gears and returned to Mt. Ida College, earning an Associate’s Degree in Veterinary Technology in May 2012 and becoming a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) in August of the same year. Jena joined the anesthesia department at Angell Boston in March of 2014 after working in general practice for a year and a half. In her spare time, Jena enjoys rowing, horror movies, and spending time with her two cats, Smalls and Selene, and her rescue beagle from Mt. Ida, Remington.

Cathy Dimond CVT, Anesthesia Technician II

Cathy has been working in the veterinary field for 23 years. She became a CVT in 2010. Over the years, Cathy has worked in emergency and critical care, surgery and anesthesia, neurology, avian/exotics and general medicine. Her next career goal is to obtain her VTS in anesthesia. Cathy shares her home with her four dogs and six cats. In her spare time, she enjoys raising chickens, gardening, hiking, and spending time with friends.

Kristen Drury, Anesthesia Assistant I

Kristen was born and raised here in Massachusetts.  She has always loved animals from an early age even before ever acquiring pets of her own.  Kristen started off working at a general practice as a kennel attendant at 15 years old and later returned to work at the same general practice as a veterinary assistant. After a couple of years into the 7 year stretch she worked there she moved up to be a surgery assistant and loved it. Kristen is joining the Angell surgery team in September of 2020 and is excited to pursue a role in the department that she finds most interesting and exciting.  Kristen has an understanding that our patients aren’t thrilled to be at the hospital and makes sure to put the comfort of our patients first and foremost. In her spare time Kristen enjoys spending time with family and friends, listening to music, skiing, riding her motorcycle, and most importantly spending as much time as she can with her Boston Terrier Billie Jean and her long haired cat Squishy.

Lauren Federico, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia/Analgesia), Anesthesia Technician, Per Diem

Lauren was born and raised in Bayside, NY. She started working at an animal shelter in Long Island in high school. She graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology. She also became a CVT at that time. Lauren started doing anesthesia after graduation, working in a small emergency and referral hospital. She then moved to Boston and began working at Angell in 2011. Lauren became a VTS in Anesthesia and Analgesia in 2021. In her free time, Lauren enjoys spending time with her family.

Patrick Fitzgerald, Anesthesia Technician

Patrick received his A.S. in Veterinary Technology from Great Bay Community College in 2017. Initially after graduating, he enrolled in the Pre-Vet program at UVM in Vermont, but circumstances changed and he decided to refocus on his work as a tech. Patrick has always loved surgery and anesthesia but he really does enjoy learning anything and everything. When not in scrubs, Patrick enjoys working with people on canine behavior helping them train their dogs, horseback riding, or just playing with his own dog, Bram.

Kelsey Frey CVT, Anesthesia Technician I

Kelsey graduated from Mount Ida College in May of 2017 with her Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Technology and became a CVT that same year. She has a passion for volunteering and has loved traveling to the Dominican with Project Samana on spay/neuter trips. In her free time she loves to go hiking and camping in New Hampshire and spend time with her three cats and guinea pigs.

Jez Magarinos, RVN, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia/Analgesia), Anesthesia, Surgery, and Dentistry Department Manager

Jez has worked in the veterinary field since leaving higher education in England. There, he held the role of head nurse, managing a small animal practice and then as a veterinary standards and training officer, travelling the country auditing and training technicians and doctors. He came to Boston in 2001 and has worked for Angell- Boston since 2002 in a variety of roles from supervisor to lead anesthesia technician and now as the manager of the surgery, anesthesia and dentistry departments. He is a registered veterinary nurse (RVN) in England and has achieved his veterinary technician specialist (VTS) in anesthesia/analgesia. When not at work, Jez runs a B&B, volunteers in and around Boston, likes to travel and spend time with friends and family. Winston, his cat, is very affectionate.

Shelby Mason CVT, Anesthesia Technician I

Shelby was born and raised in Vermont. She knew she always wanted to work with animals and so she attended Mount Ida College and graduated in 2016 with Bachelors degree in Veterinary Technology. She became a CVT in December of 2016. Shelby has been working in general practice for the past four years and is very excited to continue to learn and grow in her new role at Angell. In her free time Shelby enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, and traveling.

Eneida Sermeno, Anesthesia Assistant

Eneida Studied animal science at the University of Massachusetts of Amherst, class of 2013. She has been employed at Angell Medical Center since 2013. Eneida began working for the surgery department in 2014, and has been an anesthesia assistant since 2015.

Elisabeth Ulliani, CVT, Anesthesia Technician, Per Diem

Elisabeth obtained her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Liz is a certified veterinary technician and is getting her veterinary technician specialty license in anesthesia and analgesia. She has worked at Angell since 2008 and is currently a per diem employee. You can find Liz hiking with her family and their rescue pup, Emma, in her free time.