Meet Our Team in Kittery, ME
You and your pet deserve a dedicated veterinary partner who puts your needs first. At Piscataqua Animal Hospital, our team delivers on all fronts to provide heartfelt treatment that protects your pet from illness and gives them the best chance for a longer and healthier life.
Get to know our doctors and staff below, and call (207) 439-2661
to schedule an appointment and meet us in person!
Dr. T. Frank Marchell
I graduated from veterinary school in 1987 and moved to the seacoast region. Been here ever since. I am married to Cindy Wojcicki and have two children Abigail and Joseph. We have a Shih Tzu named Tootsie, as well as 2 cats, Willy and Iggy.
Dr. Michelle Pote
Dr. Abigail LaRosa
Dr. Abigail LaRosa grew up in the small New England town of Hampton, on the seacoast of New Hampshire. Her love of animals and basketball led her to the University of New Hampshire. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in biology while playing NCAA Division 1 basketball for the UNH Wildcats. Upon graduation, Dr. LaRosa attended the University of Missouri where she earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. During veterinary school, she conducted and presented research at the Merial-NIH Veterinary Scholar Symposium and volunteered at local animal shelters.
During her free time, Dr. LaRosa competed on the recreation basketball team, and enjoyed kickboxing and hiking on the weekends. Upon graduation from veterinary school, Dr. LaRosa moved to Las Vegas, where her love for veterinary medicine continued to grow. After 3.5 years, Dr. LaRosa returned to the Northeast to be near her family, and joined PAH shortly after. Her professional interests include, but are not limited to dentistry, internal medicine, and soft tissue surgery. Outside of work, Dr. LaRosa loves staying active, traveling, hiking and doing just about anything outdoors. She also enjoys dining with friends and spending time with her family. She and her husband Clinton share their home with their "dog children," Chase (Greyhound mix), Callie (Catahoula), Diego (Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix), and Darla Mae (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel).
Dr. Michael Schafer
Dr. Schafer has been serving the seacoast of New Hampshire and Maine for over 30 years. He and his wife currently split their time between their two homes in York and Blue Hill Maine.
Dr. Schafer spends as much time as he can with his adorable grandson, Rio. Their home farm includes 9 horses, 2 cats, 2 dogs, 9 chickens and pot belly pig named Archie.
In his spare time, he enjoys many things outdoors including hiking, biking, camping, snowboarding and boating. He most enjoys trail running with his Jack Russel Terrier, Tia.
Jennifer Practice Manager
Jennifer joined Piscataqua Animal Hospital in April of 1994. She started as a kennel attendant, then became a technician while also acquiring management duties. Currently, she spends 95 percent of her time focusing on working “on the business, instead of in the business.” Jennifer attended the University of New Hampshire for animal science, and completed business courses at Hesser College.
Jennifer married her husband Paul in 1998; the both grew up on the Seacoast of New Hampshire. Their daughter Olivia currently attends the University of New Hampshire. Their Shetland Sheepdog, Iris, is the queen of the pond. Although she loves to spend most of her time at home, Jennifer does love to travel whenever she has the chance. She and her husband spend quite a lot of time on their boat. She also enjoys interior design and spending time with her family.
One of Jennifer’s favorite local establishments that she frequently treats herself to is Surf, in downtown Portsmouth. Though she doesn’t usually care for seafood, she’s quite partial to their chicken ceasar Brussels sprout salad.
Ashley R. Customer Service Representative
A Kittery native, Ashley joined PAH on her birthday, in October 2019. She has worked in veterinary medicine since she was 14 years old, starting out as a kennel girl. When she graduated high school, Ashley took a break from working to focus on her college education. She then moved to Florida, where she spent a lot of time caring for shelter animals, before shifting back into the veterinary hospital environment and briefly training as a technician. Ashley then moved back home and started a family, and shortly after having her daughter, she worked the 2nd shift at an emergency hospital. When the 2nd shift was no longer ideal, she joined Piscataqua Animal Hospital.
Ashley and her boyfriend have 2 children, Mariana and Maverick, and a menagerie of pets: 2 dogs named Ruger and Levi (rescued siblings); 2 cats named Chai and Timber, 4 ducks, 11 chickens, and a parrot. Outside of work, Ashley’s hobbies include photography, crafting, relaxing at the pool, hanging out at the lake, hiking, and camping. Family barbecues are also kind of a big deal at her house.
Kelli Customer Service Representative
Kelli has 30 years of Customer care experience, with 25 years in the hair/beauty industry. Kelli lives in South Berwick with her husband. She’s a mom to two boys Hayden , and Parker. She has a Morkie pup name, Zoe and a cat name Thor. She loves to travel, and spending time with her family. She fills A lot of her days watching her youngest son Parker play sports.
Lyndsey Client Care Specialist
For the last 14 years, Lyndsey has been chasing her military husband around the world. She’s been to 6 different bases and eventually found herself at Pease AFB in 2017. In 2018, she joined Piscataqua Animal Hospital, and has since left the Kittery area to finally settle down in Navarre, FL. Today, we have Lyndsey working remotely from home, surrounded by her 3 dogs and cat. On her off days, you can find Lyndsey at the beach with her 2 children catching the sun rays, or planning their next adventure.
Cassandra Client Care Specialist
From Dover, NH, Cassandra has always loved animals and knew it would be a huge part of her future. She grew up riding horses at Green Acres Stables and stayed close to home going to the University of New Hampshire for her Bachelors in Animal Science and her Masters in Secondary Education. She taught Animal Science and Vet Science at several local high schools and even some adjunct classes at the Thompson School at UNH, before finding her home at Piscataqua.
Cassandra and her husband have two children, Chloe and Connor, as well as two pets; a dog, Callie and cat, Charlotte. They were moved to Virginia in the fall of 2019 due to her husbands orders from the Navy. Luckily, Cassandra was able to stay remote and answer calls from home. They have added chickens and a tractor to their little farm, and hope to add more animals soon. When she is not working, Cassandra can be found reading a good book or crafting. She learned to sew from her mom and loves to make projects in her free time.
Leslie Customer Service Representative/Technician
Hailing from Eliot, ME, Leslie has been a valued part of the Piscataqua team since 1997. She started as a kennel technician and worked her way up to a technician position. She stuck around for 15 years before pursuing other job fields. While away, she earned a degree in business management. It took her a little while, but soon enough she realized she wouldn’t have a better employer than PAH. For Leslie, working for Frank and Mike is second to none--she needed to come “home.” So, she returned to PAH in 2019 as a receptionist; however, she is also often seen treating patients and working on client education.
Leslie and her husband Will have a son, Ethan, and they’ve had several dogs and cats over the years. Currently, they have one dog, a Border Collie mix named Gus. Outside of work, Leslie enjoys traveling with her family and friends, especially cruising. She’s a big football and New England Patriots fan, and she loves watching her son play in his school football league.
Jessica Technician Assistant
Jessica joined OBD in August of 2020. She graduated from Nashoba Valley Technical High School’s veterinary assisting program in 2018. She has multiple pets, including 4 cats named Penny, Pikachu, Bumblebee, and Inish, a dog named Diesel, and a bearded dragon named Kevin.
Amy Certified Veterinary Technician
Amy graduated from the University of New Hampshire's veterinary technology program in 2022 and is pursuing her bachelor's degree in animal science. She is a certified veterinary technician and has been tech-ing for a year. She is very excited to join this amazing team and can't wait to grow as a technician.
She loves all types of animals and has a soft spot for reptiles since she has a goofy crested gecko at home. Working does not feel like work; it is more of a delight to be able to collaborate with such friendly people and to be able to help all different types of animals be in their best health. In her free time, she loves to longboard, workout, and spend time with friends and family.
Marjorie Veterinary Technician
Marjorie graduated from Stratham Technical College in 1996 with a degree in animal sciences. After completing her externship at Piscataqua Animal Hospital, she was offered a full-time position and in 2021 celebrated her 25th anniversary! She feels extremely lucky to be part of such an amazing group of people, and looks forward to more years of service in the veterinary industry.
Marjorie and her husband Neil have been married for 24 years, and they have 3 children. They also have a wonderful Collie mix named Alice, who has made many friends here at Piscataqua. In her free time, Marjorie enjoys spending time in her shop making jewelry, and attending art fairs.
Kirsty Veterinary Technician
Kirsty began working in veterinary medicine in 2001, when she started out at Kittery Animal Hospital as a vet tech assistant. She eventually worked her way up through the ranks to become a veterinary technician, then a surgery tech. After spending 6 years at KAH, board certified veterinary surgeon Geoff Clark hired her as his personal traveling surgery technician. After 2 years spent on the road traveling to different animal hospitals throughout New England, Kirsty took a job at Old Town Animal Hospital in Seabrook, NH. In 2006, she became a full-time mom to her 2 children, occasionally teaching part-time swimming lessons at the Seacoast YMCA. This led to her coaching for a local swim team in 2014. By 2020, Kirsty decided to return to veterinary medicine, and she is now happily working here at Piscataqua Animal Hospital.
Kirsty and her family live in Eliot, ME. In her free time, she coaches swimming, enjoys traveling and camping, and spends as much time as possible with her family, friends, and animals. Kirsty is a vegetarian, but she loves all kinds of cuisine. Some of her favorite local restaurants include Loco Cocos (Mexican) in Kittery, and Taste of India in Dover, NH.
Hope Veterinary Technician
Hope is currently a veterinary technician student, attending an AVMA/CVTEA accredited school. She started her veterinary medicine career at a local general practice before transitioning into an emergency and specialty hospital. While commuting to Maine Veterinary Medical Center became too much, she joined PAH in 2023. She’s an avid reader, sports enthusiast, beach lover, and enjoys embracing the outdoors. During Hope’s off time she enjoys spending time with her friends and family.
Caroline Veterinary Assistant
Caroline had an early introduction to veterinary medicine as her mother has been working in the industry for over 30 years. She spent her sick days at a clinic where her mother worked and fell in love with it. She started professionally working in a clinic in 2018 in Sanford, Maine. She graduated from Vet Med Team as an Accredited Veterinary Assistant in 2021. She started working at Angelus Urgent Veterinary Care on the weekends in 2021, helping Dr. Katie Roberts. She joined the team at Piscataqua Animal Hospital in 2022.
She lives on her family's farm with 3 cats, 1 dog and 1 horse. In her spare time, she shares her passion for riding horses with her only daughter.. She loves time with her family and friends at the family camp.
Caitlin Veterinary Assistant/Sparkle Fairy
Caitlin started working at PAH in January 2022. She lives in Berwick with her fiancé Josh, two dogs, a cat named Sally and a turtle called Mr. T. She enjoys kayaking, reading, and taking her dogs, Tramp and Achilles for walks.
Alex Technician Assistant
Alexandra joined our team this summer. She is currently a senior at Marshwood High School and attends the Veterinary Science program at Dover Career Technical Center. She is currently looking at applying to colleges hoping to expand her veterinary studies. In her free time she is a competitive swimmer. She enjoys spending time with friends and family and she likes to spend time outside exploring with her two dogs Ringo and Ollie.
Jill Veterinary Technician
Jill started a career in the veterinary field as a receptionist in 2009. After graduating from UNH with a degree in psychology and criminal justice, she realized that she wanted to pursue her passion and work with animals. She joined PAH in September of 2023 after years of a long commute. She is enjoying getting to know the staff, clients and pets! Jill lives with her husband Brendon, 9 year old twins and a house full of pets. She enjoys spending time with her family, taking day trips in the area, going on the boat, and trying new recipes
Olivia Veterinary Technician
Olivia has always had an interest in veterinary medicine. She got her very first job at an equine hospital when she was 16 years old. She went to the University of New Hampshire and graduated with her animal science pre-veterinary degree in 2020. Since then she has decided that she prefers the more hands on side of being a technician and is looking forward to going back to school for her veterinary technician degree. She also has an interest in animal behavior and recently did a training internship. She hopes to one day combine her passions to help pets and their owners, from decreasing stress in the clinic to cooperative care to help treat and prevent medical issues. Outside of work she lives with her boyfriend and their little animal family. She has two sphynx cats named Max and Turtle, a standard poodle named Loki, a chameleon named Randall, along with a couple of fish tanks. In her free time you can typically find her off on a hike or out on the lake.