Meet the Team
Veronica Jarvinen, DVM
Practice Owner
Dr. Veronica Jarvinen trained in veterinary medicine at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. Her undergraduate degree is in Biology and Chemistry from Wake Forest University. Between her undergraduate training and veterinary degree, she served as an assistant in a specialty/referral practice in Surgery, Neurology, and Ophthalmology.
After obtaining her degree in veterinary medicine, Dr. Jarvinen completed a rotating internship in Small Animal Surgery, Medicine, and Emergency at the Angell Animal Medical Center, in Boston, MA.
At Angell, she developed a deep commitment to Emergency Medicine. While working in Emergency and Specialty Referral Centers, she realized that Urgent Care remains in most areas an underserviced need, including in the Alexandria, VA district. To meet the need for Emergency Medicine in the region, she decided to launch EMMAvet – Veterinary Urgent Care to provide state-of-the-art care to the area’s cherished dogs and cats.
Dr. Jarvinen is the daughter of Foreign Service parents. She and her older sister, Lilian, began their lives in Hong Kong, Togo, and Morocco, after which time the family moved for their school years to Fairfax, VA.
EMMAvet (EMergent Medical Attention) is named after one of her own dogs, Emma (a somewhat eccentric hound you might meet at the clinic). Her other precious pet is Jaildog, a little hound mix found on the streets of Tennessee during a spay/neuter clinic. Jaildog had been raised by inmates, hence her name.
Dr. Jarvinen and her husband, Mike, spend as much of their time as possible outdoors with their two dogs, and they enjoy traveling the world as often as possible.
Cydney Fires, VMD
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Cydney Fires earned her degree in veterinary medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, P.A. After veterinary school, she completed her rotating internship in Small Animal Surgery, Medicine and Emergency Medicine at Friendship Hospital for Animals in Washington, D.C. Her love for the diverse and fast-paced nature of Emergency Medicine grew while working at Friendship, one of the country’s busiest emergency services.
Dr. Fires grew up in Ontario, Canada where she became an avid skier and animal lover. When she was 10, her family moved to sunny South Florida where she began volunteering at animal shelters and shadowing her local primary care veterinarian. Dr. Fires graduated from Emory University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. While at Emory, Dr. Fires researched and worked with rhesus macaques at Yerkes National Primate Research Center.
Dr. Fires joined EMMAvet after seeking an urgent care practice that provided clients with a primary care atmosphere. She is excited to be part of a clinic where she can practice Emergency Medicine and form a personal connection with her clients and their pets.
Dr. Fires lives with her husband, Michael, and their two dogs, Daisy and Bowie, in Dupont Circle. Outside of veterinary medicine, she enjoys exploring the local museums and food scene. She also loves to travel and immerse herself in other cultures.
Katie Malehorn, DVM
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Katie Malehorn completed her degree in veterinary medicine at The University of Georgia in Athens, GA. Since graduation, she has practiced general practice and emergency medicine in the D.C. Metro area. During her undergraduate career at the University of Georgia, she gained valuable experience working in general, specialty, and urgent care practice settings. She also expanded her developing knowledge working in shelter medicine for Athens-Clarke County.
During veterinary school, active in class and university leadership, Dr. Malehorn also pursued and has maintained leadership and lobbying roles with the American Medical Veterinary Association on the national and local level. She has continued to be active in the early integration of awareness and programs related to current concerns of professionals in veterinary medicine. She has also had the opportunity to practice medicine abroad in Perugia, Italy, and Edinburgh, Scotland, with a focus in Neurology and Medicine. Working in so many different avenues of the veterinary and animal health arena, has provided Dr. Malehorn with a unique and committed approach to her clients, and a deep understanding of the needs of patient’s families.
Dr. Malehorn is passionate about implementing fear-free technique into daily medical practice. Her interests include toxicology and soft tissue surgery, along with senior pet care and making sure our senior dogs and cats are comfortable and happy in their best years. Outside of work, she enjoys horseback riding, hiking locally and abroad, and the DC museum scene.
Shannon lives in Centreville where she loves spending quality time with her husband and two sons, Matthew and Brandon. She is excited to join the EMMAvet team for the close-knit atmosphere and gold standard care offered!
Shortly before graduating, Ashleigh began working at a large referral practice and became interested in rehabilitation medicine. In 2012 she graduated from the University of Tennessee's Canine Rehabilitation Program, a curriculum in which veterinarians, veterinary nurses, and physical therapy professionals become educated in veterinary rehabilitation. In 2018, she took her devotion to rehabilitation a step further by becoming one of only two veterinary nurses to pass the Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Veterinary Technicians (APRVT) exam earning her Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) certification in Physical Rehabilitation.
Ashleigh has a cat named Michael Keaton and an Ibizan Hound named Ferdinand (the bull)!
Jessie started her career in small animal practice where she developed a love for rehabilitation and pain management. She received her certification as a canine rehabilitation practitioner from the University of Tennessee in 2016 and worked in a large referral practice seeing rehabilitation cases for 4 years. In 2019, Jessie also completed the curriculum from the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management and received her certification as a veterinary pain practitioner (CVPP).
In addition to rehabilitation and pain management, Jessie’s special interests include Fear Free veterinary visits (www.fearfreepets.com) and managing fear, anxiety and stress in the hospital setting and at home. She is a Fear Free Certified Professional and is committed to providing comfortable, cooperative, low stress veterinary care in the urgent care setting.
Jessie lives in Northern Virginia with her partner, Jeff, and their hoard of pets. Together they have 3 dogs (Neena, Kirby and Ryuk), 3 cats (Reeses, Elektra, and Natalia), and ball python (Ikora). Jessie enjoys yoga, hiking, and kayaking with Ryuk, and competes in C-WAGS Canine Nosework trials.
Kathy’s passion for animals collided with her career path when she stumbled upon a stray cat while living in New Hampshire. After taking him to the local humane society, she began volunteering walking and training the dogs. From there she was able to turn her volunteering into a full time job and for the next 15 years worked in animal welfare management combining her business background with her passion for helping animals. Most recently, Kathy was a supervisor at a local specialty vet practice where she was able to continue to help animals and the people who love them. In her free time she is very active with a local dog rescue, enjoys visiting local wineries, and watching FSU sports. Kathy lives in Alexandria with her husband Andy and their six rescue dogs - Teenie, Sam, Bruno, Pippi, Patty, and Roscoe (the token non-hound).
EMMAvet is thrilled to have Kathy join our team as a Client Service Representative.
