Meet the Team

Equine Veterinary Associates, Inc., is a multiple equine veterinarian ambulatory practice located in Orange County, California. The practice was established in 1978 and has been operating continuously for nearly five decades.

EVA is proud to have 3 partners and 2 associates that serve as emergency veterinarians, who all bring their talent, knowledge and expertise to your horses.

EVA also has a general practice ambulatory veterinarian who has worked with EVA full time as a general contractor for more than 20 years.

EVA has knowledgeable and helpful office staff as well, who aid in keeping our doctors on track and available to help your horses.

Veterinarians

Kirk E. Pollard, DVM

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Jacqueline E. Johnson, DVM

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Sheryl C. Rathfelder, DVM

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Valena L. Wasmund, DVM

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Danielle L. Keating, DVM

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Kirk E. Pollard, DVM

Dr. Pollard grew up in southern California. His family owned and showed horses throughout his youth. He won the California State Horsemen Association’s California State Horsemastership Award in 1967.

Dr. Pollard attended Cal Poly, Pomona for his undergraduate education and graduated from the University of California at Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine in 1980. He was President of the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association at Davis, and is currently an active member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the California Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr. Pollard joined Equine Veterinary Associates, Inc. upon graduation and became a partner in 1984.

Jacqueline E. Johnson, DVM

Dr. Johnson joined the practice as a partner on July 1, 2021 after serving EVA as one of our Emergency Veterinarians and in prior years at EVA during her preceptorship and internship. Dr. Johnson is an Orange County native who grew up riding and showing horses on the Southern California Circuit.

Her bachelor’s degree was obtained at the University of Georgia, during which she competed on the Georgia NCAA Equestrian Team and won the National Championship. Her professional veterinary education was completed at Western University of Health Science where she was Class President and Student Affairs Representative. After obtaining her DVM from WesternU, she served in an Internship at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington Kentucky.

Jacqueline has been active for the last 10 years in the Veterinary Christian Foundation annually assisting the needs of the animals and people of the Havasupai Indian Tribe. During her free time, Jacqueline enjoys running, sailing, and the beach as well as maintaining the hunter/jumper skills of her two horses Cadence and Crescent. Her professional interests include equine surgery, sports medicine, and emergency medicine. Great to have you join as a Partner in EVA Dr. Johnson!

Sheryl C. Rathfelder, DVM

Dr. Rathfelder joined the EVA practice as a partner on July 1, 2021. A familiar face to EVA, Dr. Rathfelder performed her Preceptorship at EVA and completed a one-year full-time EVA fellowship in June 2021 with Dr. Treser. Dr. Rathfelder also served many EVA client horses in the prior year as she Interned at Chino Valley Equine Hospital in 2019 and 2020.

Dr. Rathfelder received her B.A. in biophysics from University of San Diego in 2015. Upon graduation from USD, Dr. Rathfelder moved to Grenada where she attended St. George’s University to obtain her degree in veterinary medicine. She then moved to Texas to complete her clinical rotations at Texas A&M University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. After graduating from St George’s in June 2019, Dr. Rathfelder served for one year as an intern at Chino Valley Equine Hospital.

Dr. Rathfelder grew up riding in Orange County, competing with hunters, jumpers, and dressage horses. In her free time, she still enjoys spending time her three horses Duncan, Rosie, and J.D. From the age of six, as an EVA client, she dreamed of becoming a veterinarian – that dream came true. Welcome to EVA Dr. Rathfelder!

Valena L. Wasmund, DVM

Dr. Wasmund grew up in San Diego, California and rode horses competitively in Combined Training and Dressage. She did her undergraduate studies in pre-veterinary medicine at Cal Poly Pomona and graduated from Iowa State Veterinary School in 1993 and joined EVA. From 1995 to 1997, Dr. Wasmund completed a two year Equine Reproduction Residency at UC Davis and returned to EVA to offer top-quality reproductive services to our clients. Her special interests are in Equine Reproduction and Emergency Medicine.

Danielle L. Keating, DVM

We are proud to introduce you to Dr. Danielle Keating who joined EVA as an Associate in the role of Emergency Veterinarian on July 1, 2021 after completing her one year in-hospital internship with the well-known and respected Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. Dr. Keating received her undergraduate degree from Otterbein University in Pre-Veterinary Medicine and in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology graduating Cum Laude with High Honors. She received her veterinary education at Purdue University where she was heavily involved with the student chapter of the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

Danielle Keating, DVM, is a native of northeast Ohio. She grew up experiencing and showing a variety of disciplines and breeds including western showmanship and hunter-under-saddle with Quarter and Paint horses, 3 and 5-gaited Saddlebreds, saddleseat and hunter disciplines with Arabians and Morgans, and much more. During her undergraduate degree at Otterbein University, Dr. Keating expanded into the hunter/jumper and eventing worlds, and adopted her own Morgan mare from a local SPCA. Upon graduation from Purdue, she completed an in-hospital internship with Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky.

In her free time, Danielle enjoys creating art and music, spending time with her English Lab and her cat, and continuing to train and compete in eventing and the jumpers with her Morgan mare, Ivie.

Staff

Amber – Office Manager

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Ashlee – Office Assistant

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Amber – Office Manager

Amber, the Office Manager of EVA, has more than 20 years of experience in diverse office settings. She is known and appreciated by EVA clients for her skills in scheduling, prescription fulfillment, providing answers and solutions, and performing many other essential services to meet the client’s needs.

Amber joined EVA with a host of critical skills from the human medical field including billing, receivables and payables, back and front medical office, and staff supervision.

She also loves horses and calls them “family”. In her original interview, Amber said her passion was creating “the best possible outcome for clients”. We were thrilled that Amber chose to share that passion as Office Manager – a key role in the EVA organization.

Ashlee – Office Assistant

In June, EVA was pleased to welcome Ashlee, our new Office Assistant. Ashlee has been cross-trained to assist in office duties and covers for Amber at lunch so that our clients can call in any time during office hours and reach one of our “A” team members.

Ashlee has completed a Veterinary Assistant Certification program, graduating with honors, from Ashworth College. Ashlee is a mother of a beautiful 8 year old little girl who takes after her mom’s love of animals. In her spare time Ashlee loves to spend time with family, has a published novel and is working on a second one, and rescues animals in need.

Welcome to the EVA Team!