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 relationships 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 spent 25 years of my career at St Francis. I love being a veterinarian, but I am also so passionate about my roles as a mentor and 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 a part of its continued growth and transformation in the years ahead.

Dr. Jessica Lewis started as a veterinary assistant at St Francis in the spring of 2011, later becoming a veterinary technician, and eventually being offered a position as an associate veterinarian in May of 2018 when she graduated veterinary school from the University of Minnesota.

Her professional interests include preventative care, anesthesia/pain management, and internal medicine. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA).

Jessica shares her home with her husband (Jake), daughter (Mallory), and her mischievous Australian Shepherd, George Bailey (who is named after It’s A Wonderful Life). Outside of work, she enjoys reading, binge-watching Bravo, and spending time at the family cabin in northwestern Wisconsin.

Why do you love being a veterinarian?

Calling myself a veterinarian hardly does justice to how deeply I feel about my profession. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have a career that is both challenging and immensely rewarding—one where I can make a difference in the lives of animals and the people who love them. Beyond the joy of helping others, this field constantly pushes me to grow and learn. Even when I encounter the same condition multiple times in a day, every patient is unique, and each case presents its own set of challenges. Being a veterinarian ensures that there’s never a dull moment!

Why do you love working at St. Francis Animal Hospital?

I am so grateful to have discovered St. Francis over 15 years ago while seeking hands-on experience before applying to veterinary school. Our practice provides a level of care that is unmatched, and we take pride in building compassionate, lasting relationships with our clients and patients. I am grateful for all of the mentorship over the years and the support of our amazing staff—without them, I truly could not do what I do. It’s an honor to be a part of this practice, and I cannot imagine working anywhere else!

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 is now a Managing Veterinarian.

Megan’s professional interests include general surgery, exotic companion mammal medicine and surgery (especially rabbits!), dentistry, and urgent 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 three rabbits, Tormund the chinchilla, and five 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 Greater South Veterinary Practice Management Network (VMPN) and was named 2018 MN VPMN Practice Manager of the Year.

She shares a home with her husband, Chad; daughters, Ellie and Mia; two cats, Eugene and Erwin; two guinea pigs, Crunchy and Peter; 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 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 am originally from Oakdale. I live with my partner and my 11-year-old lab mix. I love traveling, kayaking, biking, and hiking. I also just started learning to mountain bike and love it. I got into vet med after I got my dog and realized how special the human-animal bond can be.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
My favorite part of veterinary medicine is the variety of things you get to do. It’s never a dull day. I also love working with clients and helping them take the best care for their pets.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
I love working at St. Francis because of how supportive everyone is. We have a great team and it’s an honor to work with so many amazing people.

Bio under construction.

I grew up in South Minneapolis and went to NDSU for a short time in hopes of becoming veterinarian. Shortly after starting my first job, I met my husband (who was my supervisor) and crossed the river to St. Paul to start our family. We have 2 children (Steven Jr and Mariha), 3 cats (Wishbone, Midnight, and Charlie), and 2 pups; my Rottie girl, Shamrock and my 125 pound Mastiff baby, Pebbles . We love to play board games, especially Monopoly (we have quite the collection too) as a family every chance we get! We love our family time together, especially now that the kids are teenagers, you take whatever time you can get to make the memories.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
I knew from a very young age that I wanted to go into veterinary medicine. Like most in this field, I wanted to be a vet. Through the years, I learned that being a veterinary technician was my true calling. I graduated from Globe University in December of 2013 and have been loving the vet tech life ever since. I would say that my favorite part of veterinary medicine is making bonds with each patient that comes through and educating their people. Though I enjoy all of the bigger pups, my heart is with the black and tan babies. Honestly, what’s better than having a big 100+ pound fur baby to snuggle with when you are having a rough day? Love it!!!

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
I started here at St. Francis in April of 2020, why not change jobs in the middle of a pandemic? I would have to say that I am glad that I did. I love how nice, understanding, and caring everyone is here. It truly is a home away from home with my Wamily (work-family)! Everyone here is also willing to help you, some even know when you need help without you even knowing you needed the help! An added bonus is that our clients are amazing as well. I have never worked in a place that the owner cared so much about her employees. What an awesome place to work!

I grew up in the southern suburbs of MN and started at St. Francis as an intern. I graduated from DCTC with my AAS in Veterinary Technology in 2024 and was lucky to be welcomed onto the St. Francis team as a CVT after my internship and graduation. I share my home with my husband and our three cats that always keep us on our toes (Willow, Eartha, and Lumi). In my free time, you can find me doing anything crafty (especially yarn crafts like knitting and crocheting) or reading. I’m also proud to be a member of a local St. Paul community choir!

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?

I truly love everything about what I do, but one of my favorite things is seeing a sick pet getting better after we have treated them. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing our patients condition improve and getting them feeling like themselves again! I also have a special interest specifically in feline clinical care (self-proclaimed “crazy cat lady” here!), as well as anesthesia.

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

I knew from the moment I learned of St. Francis while searching for internship sites that I wanted to be here. There was just something special about it I couldn’t describe. Being an employee now, I see that the entire St. Francis staff truly loves all of our patients like they are our own animals. It’s not uncommon to see us getting excited in the back treatment area when we see our patients walk in, and we genuinely love to follow up on cases and make sure our “friends” (as we call them) are feeling better. This also extends to the owners of our patients as well! We love catching up with you and checking on how things are going just as much as we love seeing your pets. We just want to make what we do here as easy, fun, and stress-free as possible for both animals and their people, and I think St. Francis does a really good job at it!

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!

I’ve lived in St. Paul for most of my life and I attend the University of Minnesota studying fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology. I plan to pursue a DVM after undergrad so I can study disease among wildlife. I enjoy crafting, horseback riding, thrifting, hiking, and exploring new cities. I have two dogs, both medium-sized mixes, who were rescued the same summer and have been best friends ever since.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?

I love that there’s so much to learn. I’ve always been a big learner, and I haven’t experienced a day of working in vet med that didn’t teach me something new. I’m also a big science person, so I love the opportunity to learn about animal body systems and disease.

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

My coworkers and our community as a whole is absolutely incredible. I feel so lucky to work with some of the most kind, intelligent, and hard working people I’ve ever met. I really don’t think there’s a problem the team can’t solve.

I hail from the Land of Enchantment otherwise known as–Albuquerque, New Mexico! I moved up to Minnesota for college and graduated from Augsburg University. I love love LOVE cats and I am very grateful to be the cat mom of two lovely little tabby boys.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?

My favorite aspect of veterinary medicine is that it’s so incredibly diverse! There are so many wonderful creatures big and small who all have their own set of biology to study and learn.

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

I love working at St. Francis because everyday I get to be surrounded by people who care so much about what they do. Everyone works so hard to be the advocates and voices for those who cannot always communicate their needs. The empathy, patience, and care that every person in the clinic imbues into what they do truly is something that feels very special to witness every day!

I joined the team at St. Francis in March 2012 after graduating from the Minnesota School of Business in December 2011 with an AAS degree in Veterinary Technology. I took a brief hiatus from St. Francis between 2017 and 2019. During this time I worked for a small, rural veterinary practice closer to my home, and also a veterinary ophthalmology specialty practice. But St. Francis is home, and I returned in October of 2019.

I share my home in the North Metro with my husband, Nick, and our daughter Brooklin. We also have an extended four-legged family including four horses, Ed, Mia, Magy, and Poky (a miniature horse!); four cats – Spirit, Rocky, Ditch, and HoBeau (a munchkin cat!); and one dog – a wonderful Pit Bull named Carrma.

When I’m not at the clinic, there are only a few other places you may find me. I might be curled up at the lake with a good book, out riding my horse, watching the Minnesota Wild play hockey, or curled up the couch with Carrma watching a good True Crime Documentary.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
My favorite aspects of veterinary medicine are hospice and palliative care, as well as geriatrics and pain management. I also very much enjoy surgery and anesthesia. My absolute favorite part of veterinary medicine is the communication and education portion where I get to help pets and their people every day!

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
St. Francis is unlike any practice I have worked for. They truly care for not only their employees but also each pet and pet owner that comes in every day. The level of care drives us to provide exceptional medical care for all of our patients, while also feeling like they are members of our own family. There is nowhere else I’d rather be!