About Us

As a dedicated vet at Huron East Animal Hospital, Dr. Cristancho’s mission is two-fold: to deliver exceptional medical care to her patients while making sure each and every client she serves feels welcome and heard. It truly is a labor of love.

Dr. Cristancho became a veterinarian in 1991 while living in Colombia. Ten years later, she relocated to Canada where she went on to complete a Master of Science program in Pathobiology at the University of Guelph in 2006. Shortly thereafter, she worked at a poultry vaccine laboratory for a brief time before going on to assist at several veterinary clinics in New Hamburg, Elora, and Waterloo.

In 2010, Dr. Cristancho completed her VSTEP training and obtained her license to practice veterinary medicine in Ontario in 2015.

Prior to joining the Huron East Animal Hospital team, Dr. Cristancho worked part time as a veterinarian at Waterloo West Animal Hospital and also served as a Locum vet for several small animal practices around the region. Professionally, she is focused on preventative medicine and client education.

Outside of the clinic, Dr. Cristancho resides in Kitchener with her husband, Raul, and their adorable German shepherd mix, Baloo. Dr. Cristancho is fluent in both English and Spanish.

Dr. Reuben was born and raised in Malaysia. He came to Canada in 2008 to attend the University of Guelph, where he graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biomedical Science. Following this, Dr. Reuben accepted into the Ontario Veterinary College in 2013, where he earned his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2017.

Dr. Reuben enjoys the various aspects of veterinary medicine, particularly the surgical side of the profession, as well as educating owners on how to keep their beloved pets healthy and happy.

When he is not busy working at the clinic, you can usually find him watching movies and TV shows or singing. He also enjoys visiting local restaurants and coffee shops around Kitchener and Waterloo with his partner.

Cassi graduated with distinction from the Veterinary Office Administration program at University of Guelph: Ridgetown College in 2011. Since that time, she has worked at several local clinics as a veterinary assistant.

In 2015, Cassi took a brief hiatus to have her son before returning to work and moving back to the Kitchener area. Professionally, Cassi has a particular passion for client education, and rescuing/connecting with animals in need.

Outside of work, Cassi resides with her family, which includes two beagles: Darci, a retired show dog and her granddaughter Mira; three cats: Bianca, a DSHXRagdoll, Monster and Valas, both Devon Rexes, and an ancient Bearded Dragon affectionately named Smaug the Ungrateful.

In her spare time, Cassi enjoys going on hikes and doing wildlife/bird photography with her husband and son. Recently she has gotten into showing her dogs in confirmation shows for the experience and as a fun activity.

Ashley graduated with distinction in 2017 from the Veterinary Technician program at University of Guelph: Ridgetown College. She obtained her Registration in December of 2017 and has been a member of high standing since.

Immediately upon graduating, Ashley started working at OVC in the large animal sector. While she enjoyed the work and gained a variety of valuable skills there, she found herself missing the experience of working with dogs and cats. This longing resulted in Ashley’s decision to move to small animal practice.

Professionally, Ashley is comfortable and confident in all aspects of clinical work, from routine appointments to surgeries. She wants her clients to know that their pets are in caring, capable hands with her!

At home, Ashley has a couple of four-legged friends of her own, including a Great Dane and a horse. If she’s not at work, you can usually find Ashley out in the field.

Ashley will be welcoming her first child in the fall of 2023 and taking a break at home. We are so happy for her and we know that while she is away on Maternity Leave she will be missed by the patients, clients and the team.

Érika grew up in Montreal, QC, with her parents, sister, and a plethora of pets. Being surrounded by the loving nature of animals fostered a deep passion and respect for them, and a desire to help them in any way she could. All of her beloved pets over the years have influenced Érika’s decision to pursue a career in the veterinary industry. As a veterinary technician, Érika is now one step closer to her goal to become a veterinarian.

Érika graduated from the vet tech program at Cegep of St-Hyacinthe in Montreal, then worked at several small animal clinics as a student technician in Quebec. Following the completion of the program, she joined the Huron East Animal Hospital team in June 2023. She plans to apply to the veterinarian program at the University of Guelph soon.

Clinically, Érika finds dental work to be very rewarding, particularly when doing so alleviates a patient’s pain. She also enjoys monitoring anesthesia and has a special interest in cytology and histology. Peering under the microscope is always a fascinating experience.

At home, Érika resides with her fiancé, Joel, and their beautiful red eared slider named Shelby. During Érika’s graduation pictures, there was music playing in the background and out of curiosity, Shelby stuck her head out of her shell and started dancing to the music and bobbing her head to the beat. It seems her favourite song is ‘Build Me Up, Buttercup’ by The Foundation.

When she’s not busy working, you can usually find Érika snuggled up with Joel, Shelby, reading a good book. Érika compensates for her chocolate habit by taking Zumba classes and snowboarding during the winter months. Her other hobby is collecting socks with different animal designs on them, from giraffes and hippos to octopi and rubber duckies. Next time you see her in the clinic, ask her to show you which pair she’s wearing.

Érika has recently adopted 2 bengal mixes from one of the rescues we work with at the clinic, Birdie and her sister Prairie stole her heart and is very much enjoying the high life in her new family.

Érika wrote and passed her VTNE Exam in November 2023 and passed with flying colours and proudly wears the R (standing for Registered) in front of her VT.
“Please note that although Érika is posing with her pet turtle, Huron East Animal Hospital does not see turtle patients.”

Growing up, Alex remembers being surrounded by dogs and cats, though there was also the occasional rodent that found its way into the mix. Having this kind of childhood sparked a love of animals that would ultimately shape her future.

Alex’s journey began as a shy co-op student, driven by a passion for animal care. She started her placement at Huron East Animal Hospital during the winter of 2018 and knew right away that she’d found the perfect profession.

Following the completion of her placement, and having built up a considerable skillset, Alex was offered a part-time job as a veterinary assistant/receptionist at Huron East Animal Hospital as well as our sister clinic, Waterloo West Animal Hospital.

In the Spring of 2020, Alex accepted a full-time position at Huron East Animal Hospital. Over the past several years, she has had plenty of time to develop and grow her comfort level in dealing with all sorts of patients that come into our care. She is always learning new things and currently working towards her dream of becoming a veterinary technician.

When Alex is not at work greeting clients and patients at our reception desk, answering the phones, or helping a furry friend in our back treatment area, she can likely be found snuggled up at home with her four rescue cats.

As many people who work in the animal care field, Marissa has always had a deep connection with animals – so much so that she has dreamed of working in the veterinary field since a very young age. After graduating from Seneca’s Veterinary Assistant Program in 2022, Marissa completed her co-op placement here at Huron East Animal Hospital. Shortly thereafter, she was brought on as permanent member of the team.

Marissa feels strongly that working with animals and watching them succeed is what she is truly called to do. In addition to her passion for pets, Marissa also enjoys spending her free time hiking with her dog, Charlie, relaxing at home with her cat Clementine and caring for her young tarantula.

Emily grew up in the London area with sporting dogs, such as the Vizsla and German Short-hair Pointer. Prior to entering the animal health care field, she owned her dog walking business, which she enjoyed immensely. That experience made her realize, however, that she wanted to do more to provide care for animals, so she decided to make a change and focus on veterinary clinics instead.

Emily graduated from University of Guelph’s Animal Biology Program in 2014. During the summer of 2022, she married and the couple relocated to Kitchener. Shortly thereafter, Emily joined the Huron East Animal Hospital team. While she currently does not share her home with a furry, four-legged companion, she does have plans to do so in the very near future.

Confetti is a sassy domestic shorthair who was rescued by Dr. Laura in 2016. She loves spending her days greeting all the clients and taking snoozes at the reception desk. While Confetti appreciates all the attention she gets, sometimes she does like to play bite. When she’s not napping, you can usually find her waiting at the front door for the next patient to arrive.