St Francis Animal Hospital

Dr. Jennifer Blair began working at St Francis in December 1999 as a Veterinary Assistant. After receiving her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the University of Minnesota in May 2002, she was hired as an Associate Veterinarian and went on to purchase the practice in December 2006. In 2015, she expanded St Francis’ services to include Integrative Services and Hospice & Palliative Care Services, and in December 2021, she joined Dr. Jessica Lewis and Dr. Megan Schommer in the co-ownership of the practice. Her professional interests include geriatrics, Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM), hospice/palliative care, and pain management, as well as internal medicine, preventative care, and cardiology.

She is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist (CVA), a Certified Veterinary Food Therapist (CVFT), and a Certified TCVM Palliative and End-Of-Life Practitioner (CTPEP). She is continuing her studies at the Chi Institute of Chinese Medicine in Reddick FL to earn her Certified Veterinary Chinese Herbalist (CVCH) certifications.

She is a proud member of the International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC), International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM), American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture (AAVA), Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA), and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

She shares her home with her cats, Whitney and Barney. Outside of work, she loves traveling, immersing herself in new cultures, exploring new restaurants, dancing, going to concerts, reading, writing, and spending time with family and friends.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?

As a veterinarian, I get to spend my days doing work that I love caring for animals and building relationship with the humans that love them. As a general practitioner, I find great joy in caring for an animal throughout his or her life, from the eight-week puppy or kitten visit to the time we say goodbye as they cross the Rainbow Bridge. As a specialist, I am honored to provide additional therapies such as acupuncture or herbal therapy to help alleviate pain or anxiety or provide palliative care for patients with terminal conditions. I love being a veterinarian because each day I get to go to work and make a difference in someone’s life.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?

I love working at St Francis because we have an exceptional team of veterinarians, technicians, assistants, and client service representatives who work together to provide the very best care for our patients and our clients. Everyone is always striving to learn more and to be on the cutting edge of patient care, allowing us to offer unique services such as acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, laser therapy, behavioral training, hospice/palliative care, and exotic pet medicine. Every day, I have the honor to work with dedicated, knowledgeable, caring, and compassionate individuals who inspire me and share my goal of providing excellent veterinary care to the pets in our community. I am so proud to have been at St Francis for over 20 years. I love being a veterinarian, but I am also so passionate about my roles as a small business owner, an employer, a mentor, a teacher, and a leader in our community. I love that I have had the ability to wear so many hats, learn so many things and touch so many lives throughout this journey. St Francis truly is my second home, and I look forward to being part of its growth and transformation over the next 20 years as I share leadership with Drs. Lewis and Schommer.

Dr. Megan Schommer is a 2010 graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, Megan completed her internship in exotic companion animal medicine, general practice, emergency medicine, and zoo medicine at Valley Animal Hospital in Tucson, Arizona. Following her internship, she returned home to Minnesota and became an associate veterinarian at Lake Harriet Veterinary in April 2011. She joined St. Francis Animal Hospital in March 2020, and became a co-owner alongside Dr. Blair and Dr. Lewis in January 2022.

Megan’s professional interests include general surgery, exotic companion mammal medicine and surgery (especially rabbits!), dentistry, and critical care. She is a member of the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA), American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians (AEMV).

Megan has two young children and a small menagerie of animals, including Rowan the labrador, Taiko and Stewart the orange tabby cats, a fluffle of five rabbits, Tormund the chinchilla, and four pampered backyard chickens. Outside of the clinic, Megan enjoys camping in the Boundary Waters, running, baking, and playing the oboe with the City of Lakes Community Band. Megan is also active in the Student Initiative for Reservation Veterinary Services, providing volunteer surgical training to veterinary students at the White Earth Reservation in northern Minnesota.

Why do you love being a veterinarian?
My family remembers that I declared at the age of three that I wanted to be an “animal doctor” and growing up, I put a lot of energy into raising rabbits, training our dogs, and building ever-larger aquariums. After exploring other avenues such as public health, zoonotic disease research, and field research on small mammals, I ultimately came back to veterinary medicine as the best combination of my love for animals, biology, ecology, and medicine. I love observing and improving the relationship between people and their pets, as well as helping to promote animal and public health on a larger scale through preventative medicine. Every day in clinical practice is different and I embrace the challenges that come along which such variety.

Why do you love working at St. Francis Animal Hospital? 
St Francis Animal Hospital has a longstanding reputation for excellent client and patient care, high-quality medicine, and community engagement. I love being part of a team that emphasizes compassionate patient care, encompassing everything patients need from their first puppy or kitten visits through their geriatric years. St. Francis also has a decades-long history of offering specialized care for exotic companion mammals, and I love providing these unique species with the individualized medical expertise that they require.

Dr. Patricia Novak received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 1997. She worked at Life Care Animal Hospital in St Paul for over 12 years before joining St. Francis Animal Hospital in 2009. In 2018, she completed her certification through the International Association of Hospice & Palliative Care to become one of the first veterinarians certified in Hospice & Palliative Care.

Patti’s professional interests include hospice care, palliative care and behavior. She is a member of the International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC), Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA), and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

She shares her home with her husband, Dr. Ralph Weichselbaum. She has three children, two of whom are married. The family shares their home with 4 cats, Luna, Silver, Conan, and Dior, as well as two grandkitties who occasionally visit. In her spare time, Dr. Novak enjoys hiking, visiting Duluth, reading, swimming in the ocean, and traveling.

Why do you love being a veterinarian?
I always knew I wanted to become a veterinarian. I love the challenging aspect of solving both medical and behavioral problems. I especially enjoy talking with clients to learn the valuable information needed to help solve their pet’s problem. In addition, helping families build stronger bonds with their pets is such a joy and so rewarding for me. Veterinary medicine allows me to develop and utilize various skills — performing surgery and dentistry, providing medical treatments, educating clients, and interacting with animals are only a portion of what we accomplish each day.

Why do you love working at St. Francis Animal Hospital? 
I love working at St Francis because I get to work with such an amazing team. Everyone shows an abundance of compassion for our patients, our clients, and each other. In addition, St Francis feels like a neighborhood practice. I love getting to know our clients and their families and love to be able to use my skills to help them in their time of need.

While I enjoy the happy times, I am thankful when I am there to support and help families during the difficult times as well. Helping pets in their senior years or when their physical abilities decline can be a challenge, but there are many things that we can do to improve their quality of life during this stage. Saying goodbye to our pets is also difficult, but I enjoy helping our pet owners navigate these tough moments as well. It has been quite fulfilling to become certified in Hospice & Palliative Care and I am extremely excited to launch these services at St Francis.

Dr. Petersen is a 2012 graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. He began his career serving rescue pets with MARS Veterinary Services in Brooklyn Park. He transitioned to Diamond Lake Animal Hospital in Minneapolis, where he was a lead veterinarian for nearly eight years. Dr. Petersen is especially passionate about surgery, dentistry, and ultrasonography. He is a respected voice in our local veterinary community and is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA).

He joined St. Francis Animal Hospital in February 2021. Outside of the clinic, Dr. Petersen spends most of his time at home with his wife, Erin, and three children, Hazel, Ivy, and Jasper. He shares this home with two amazing feline family members, Cocoa (pictured) and Luna, as well as a number of fish. In his spare time, Mike enjoys playing ultimate frisbee competitively, as well as disc golf. Drag’n Thrust, his ultimate frisbee team, won the US National Title in 2013 and 2014 and went on to win the World Title in 2014!

Why do you love being a veterinarian?
I came about the realization I wanted to be a vet more slowly than most. I had finished my undergraduate degree in Biology without a firm plan, and found my way into the pet industry, and realized that I wanted more challenges, more interesting work, and above all, more ability to help. I have always had an inquisitive mind, and love the diagnostic challenges that come along with the job. Above all, I love seeing the bonds grow between pet parents and their furry kids. The relationships built between me, your pet, and you are why I love what I do.

What do you love about St. Francis Animal Hospital?
I love being a part of the knowledgeable, compassionate, and professional team at St. Francis. It’s so important to me not only to provide the best care I can for my patients but develop lasting relationships with their families. This is what really makes the work worthwhile. l also love having such a great team of doctors and staff with so much experience to make sure that all my patients receive the best care possible.

Dr. Allison Gedstad began shadowing the doctors at St Francis during her junior year of high school, and she joined the team as a Veterinary Assistant shortly after that. She continued to work at Saint Francis throughout her undergraduate studies and veterinary school. During her time in undergrad, she also worked in a Genetics lab focused on cancer research and at the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS). At the end of her clinical year of veterinary school, she completed a one month long student externship at St Francis. She graduated with her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the University of Minnesota in May of 2022 and could not be happier to be joining St Francis as an Associate Veterinarian. 

Dr. Gedstad’s professional interests include preventative care, dentistry, dermatology, and nutrition. She is a member of the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). She is also Fear-Free Certified, meaning she has completed training in techniques intended to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress associated with veterinary visits for her canine and feline patients. She is looking forward to joining more professional organizations as she starts her career.

Outside of work, she spends her free time biking, hiking, reading, traveling, doing crossword puzzles, hammocking, and teaching her dog Foxy new tricks.

Why do you love being a veterinarian?
I think I can speak for many veterinarians when I say I’ve always wanted to be one-it’s definitely a calling, and there are so many reasons to love it. Personally, I love being a veterinarian because it combines many things I enjoy-working with animals, science, problem solving, and client education to name a few. There’s also always something new to learn, and it’s exciting to be in a field that’s constantly evolving for the benefit of our patients. Finally, I love seeing the relationships between owners and their pets grow over the years-and that I get to help keep that relationship happy and healthy.

Why do you love working at St. Francis Animal Hospital?
After being on the St Francis team for almost 10 years now, I can confidently say that we have an exceptional clinic culture that’s hard to find elsewhere. We are a very tightly knit team of animal lovers, and I believe the exceptional care we provide our patients and clients is a direct reflection of the care we provide for one another. It’s a privilege to work with such an excellent group of doctors, technicians, and assistants. 

Molly manages all aspects of St. Francis including employee management and training, human resources, information technology (IT), regulatory management, accounts payable, accounts receivable, marketing, social media, financial management, public relations, and community involvement. In addition, she serves as one of our most experienced technicians. We can always count on her to place a challenging catheter or fix our medical equipment when no one else can.

She is a member of the national WellMP Management Group for veterinary practice management as well as the Greater South Veterinary Practice Management Network (VMPN) and was named 2018 MN VPMN Practice Manager of the Year. She is currently working towards her Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVMP) certification.

She shares a home with her husband, Chad; daughters, Ellie and Mia; two cats, Eugene and Erwin; guinea pig, George; her Boston Terrier, Chibs; and her French bulldog, Boone.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
I love that in veterinary medicine and practice management nothing is ever the same. Each day new situations, challenges, and opportunities to learn to present themselves. In this field, you will never know everything and you get to truly embrace a lifetime of learning! I also enjoy educating clients and taking the time to listen, answer questions, and build the trust that develops lifelong relationships and strengthens the human-animal bond.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here? 
Our team is amazing and they are the reason I’ve been a part of St. Francis for so long! I love working alongside others who love animals and are dedicated to providing compassionate quality care, who never stop learning, and who build each other up.

I’m Baylee, Lead Veterinary Assistant at St. Francis Animal Hospital. I’m from the Twin Cities area and I share my home with my green cheek conure, Jazz. In my free time, I enjoy being outdoors, bowling, playing softball and volleyball, and hanging out with friends. I joined St. Francis Animal Hospital in February 2018 shortly after receiving my Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Animal Science, with a Companion Animal emphasis, from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in December 2017. I’m currently enrolled in a Veterinary Technology Associate’s Degree program with Penn Foster in order to become a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT).

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?

I love being a Veterinary Assistant because I enjoy working hands-on with animals while assisting our veterinarians and technicians with veterinary procedures. Animals have been an interest of mine for as long as I can remember and I enjoy knowing how different species are built as well as how their body systems work. No day is exactly the same in veterinary medicine which makes my job that much more interesting. As a pet owner, I know that our animals are considered family members and we want what’s best for them physically and emotionally. I have a passion for the health, care, and well-being of animals that we consider family members.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?

The staff members at St. Francis Animal Hospital are committed to core values of respect, integrity, compassion, excellence, and dedication. St. Francis Animal Hospital has an excellent reputation for having highly-trained, educated, and compassionate staff who maintain positive relationships with their clients. The staff members at St. Francis use Fear Free practices to decrease stress levels within the clinic for both you and your pet. By implementing Fear Free practices, animals are less nervous for trips to the vet. In turn, going to the vet can be a positive, rewarding experience. The veterinarians, technicians, and assistants truly care about you and your pets. I’m honored to work alongside such a great group of people!

I’m currently finishing my undergraduate program in animal science at the University of Minnesota. 

I have an interest in companion and exotic species. When I’m not in school, I’m either traveling, spending as much time in the sun, or spending time with my loved ones; which include my senior dog and my mom.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
I love veterinary medicine because it gives me the opportunity to be a part of a community that gives a voice to those who don’t have one. Animals mean so much to me and being able to help them gives me a purpose.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
St. Francis is special because of its genuine passion. The goals and ethics of this clinic are focus on improving veterinary medicine for both pets and owners. I love working here because it allows me to be a part of a community that shares a deeper love for animals. I also love that our clinic has integrative services and has become very fond of our acupuncture patients. Especially since I have a soft spot for our senior pets and enjoy engaging in palliative care.

My husband and I have been married for over 26 years. We meet at UW River Falls. We enjoy visiting the area reminiscing on: our meeting and dating. Our son Thomas is a Seabee in the Navy, Ethan is in the Army and Emma is still in high school. Please pray for us!
We enjoy traveling, frequently to the North Shore. We adopted two cats from Cause For Paws over 18 years ago. Scooby (we are big Scooby-Doo fans!!) died in 2020 and left a hole in our hearts. Silly (in the picture) is a true sweetheart and he is so funny. We have an adorable pitbull/chihuahua cross named Walter and a new cat to the family, Louie. He is a pet that belonged to Emma’s friend who lost her mom unexpectedly. Louie needed a new home and Walter needed a friend since Scooby and Silly didn’t like him. They love playing together.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
Pets calm you down. They are always there for you. I wanted to be able to help them any way I could. That ended up being a CVT. It’s amazing being able to do so many things in one day. Talking to owners, cuddling puppies/kittens (I am allergic to bunnies and guinea pigs), collecting samples, taking X-rays, monitoring during anesthesia, cleaning teeth, holding a scared animal, just to name a few. When I’m
stressed, I just need to turn around and there’s an animal to calm me down with just a pet. Who can ask for more?!

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
St. Francis has taken me in and given me a family. We care about each other and work as a great team. What first drew me was their doggedness to Fear Free. As pet owners, we all know our pet’s stress/fear is a big concern. We work hard at keeping that stressor at a minimum.

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I am originally from Nisswa, MN and now live in downtown Minneapolis. I am a northern girl at heart, but I’m loving the city! I have two cats, Gustav (orange) and Auggie (shoulder cat). In my free time, I enjoy biking, skiing, rock climbing, yoga, going to concerts, dancing, and sailing. I also spend time volunteering at the University of Minnesota’s Raptor Center once a week. I graduated from Bemidji State in the Spring of 2020 with a degree in Wildlife Biology. My senior year, I participated in research with the MN DNR on Chronic Wasting Disease in white-tailed deer. I worked with several veterinarians and pre-vet students, and after spending time with them, I realized I wanted to pursue veterinary medicine. I’ve always wanted to work with animals, hence my Wildlife Biology degree, but was never exposed to veterinary medicine until this opportunity. I’m currently finishing up undergraduate courses at UMN and plan to apply to vet school this upcoming Fall of 2023.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
My favorite aspect of veterinary medicine is being around animals and people that love animals as much as I do! I also love that there’s always something new to learn, whether it’s about animal behavior or anatomy and physiology. St. Francis puts a lot of emphasis on fear-free methods, and I enjoy working with our pets to ensure their experience at the vet is as enjoyable as possible. I love a pet that takes treats and gives lots of snuggles, but also enjoy the more “spicy” pets that require some creativity. It’s a very rewarding career that I have grown to love immensely.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
St. Francis is truly an amazing place to work. Our whole team lives by our values: excellence, compassion, dedication, respect, and integrity. In addition to this, our team is very supportive and caring to not only each other, but also to clients and patients. Every day is a learning experience and I have gained so much knowledge regarding veterinary medicine. I have also found interests such as fear-free methods, animal behavior, acupuncture, and radiology that have emerged from my experience here at St. Francis. St. Francis has also secured my love for veterinary medicine and the people that work in this field. I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to work with great people and our pets every day!

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I am from the small town of Osceola Wisconsin. After graduating with my AAS, I became a certified veterinary technician from RCTC. I enjoy spending my time providing the best veterinary medicine to patients here at St Francis. Outside of work I spend time laughing with family and friends.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
My personal interests are dentistry and radiology.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
The staff and doctors here at St Francis are passionate about the work we provide. We work as a team and are focused on the care of all pets.

Hello! My name is Samantha Folger and I have been a CVT since 2014. I have worked in emergency medicine as well as small animal medicine and absolutely love working with furry critters and their humans; so much so that I am also attending nursing school to be able to truly help on both sides of medicine.

My husband Mitch and I have a busy house with our four fur babies of our own. Our two cats enjoy sunbathing, snuggling, and ‘hiding’ in boxes, and our two dogs enjoy just about everything in life, but especially a good game of tug-of-war, running around outside, snuggles, and of course, food. As for us humans, we really just enjoy spending time with our fur babies, family, and going hiking.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?

I have a wide range of experience in veterinary medicine. I started out as a kennel assistant and working at a humane society at the beginning of the veterinary technology program. Towards the end, I also worked as a triage technician then CVT at an emergency facility while also working as a CVT at a second small animal practice until I finally found my home at St. Francis.

Although I am also going to nursing school, I don’t have any intention of leaving veterinary medicine. Working with animals and their humans is so humbling and rewarding, and will always hold a special place in my heart.

My favorite part of veterinary medicine is being able to learn something new every day to help the next pet better. I truly love education and teaching pet owners about the ins and outs of their pet’s care. I especially enjoy teaching nutritional topics and helping with surgery and anesthesia.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?

Working at so many other facilities, I can say with confidence that St. Francis is a very special place to work.

Each team member truly treats each pet as if they were their own with so much compassion and care. That care is extended to clients by showing empathy, understanding, and doing everything they can to go above and beyond for each person and pet.

The team dynamic is unmatched, and it is humbling to work at a place that is filled with so much positivity. 

Bio under construction.