Our Team

Dianne is a busy mom of three and has three small dogs, two cats, and a husband. During the pandemic, Dianne started doodling on her iPad and decided to open a small business that makes custom pet items (like stickers, mugs, and phone cases). You can find her Etsy shop here. Dianne is a Palos Verdes local, and you might see her cruising the area with her electric bike. In her spare time, she tries to learn French, going to boba shops and hiking trails with her friends & family.

Dianne’s food for thought: animals are only in our lives for a short amount of time. Let’s cherish it and give them hugs and kisses every day.

Maria, a California native, is a registered veterinary technician with many years of experience in multi-specialty and critical care. She holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the University of California, Davis. Maria also attended the University of Tennesse’s Canine Rehabilitation Program as well as Ojai’s School of Canine Massage.

She enjoys working with all types of animals and seeing the results of integrative medicine. In her eyes, all animals can benefit from manual therapy, including massage, stretching, and range of motion exercises. Maria enjoys working hands-on with pets and supporting their individual needs. Her passion is to support the wellness path of our furry friends and their caretakers.

Maria also has a keen interest in animal behavior. There is so much welcome and, at times, unwelcome behavior from our furry friends. She likes to smooth out any wrinkles for a stress-free life for both pets and their caretakers.

In her time away from work, she likes to be out in nature. Maria loves hiking, yoga, photography, and restoring furniture. She lives with her two beloved dogs, Toochi and Lili, and her cat Eliza.

Karina comes to us with over 12 years of experience, as well as ten years of working with exotic pets such as rabbits, chinchillas, ferrets, birds, and reptiles. Her favorite exotic pet to work with were rats.

Karina lives a very active and holistic lifestyle. The more she has educated herself on health in her own personal life, the more her mindset has shifted in how she feels about western medicine approaches. She knew there were other ways that weren’t being talked about to help the body heal in a more holistic style approach. She feels passionate that when we give our bodies the right things it needs, such as proper hydration, an unprocessed, healthy whole food balanced diet, and supplementation, the body can thrive in an optimal state.

Karina resides in Costa Mesa with her pit bull Sage. In her free time, you can find her at her favorite CrossFit or UFC gym. She loves live music, trying out new restaurants, and anything to do with water, whether that’s at the beach, boating at the lake or lying by a pool. Meditation, journaling, sound baths, and daily personal development also play a big role in her life.

Shannon is from Southern California and has worked in many different aspects of Veterinary Medicine for five years. She started as a veterinary intern in 2017 during her senior year in high school and then was hired on as a Veterinary Assistant that summer before attending the University of California, Davis. Here, she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Science and competed as a division 1 gymnast. She continued to work as a Veterinary Assistant each summer when home. Her love and curiosity for veterinary medicine continued to grow each year. During her time in Davis, Shannon worked at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Comparative Pathology Lab as a lab assistant. She focused on more research-based aspects of vet med, working primarily with rodents and occasionally fish, including sturgeon, koi, and zebrafish. Even though comparative pathology holds a special place in her heart, Shannon has found her calling in integrative medicine.

Shannon’s kindness and determination drive her passion for helping animals. She faces each day with a holistic and optimistic mindset that allows her to give 100% effort to each pet and pet parent she meets. In addition to her love for animals, Shannon also enjoys playing with her own adorable labradoodle, Abby, and staying active. As she continues her journey towards veterinary medical school, she could not be more grateful to be surrounded by such incredible and inspiring unicorns at Integrative Pet Wellness Center!

Elizabeth (AKA Liz) prides herself in being a lifelong learner. She moved to San Pedro after working for an animal rescue in Spain where she was able to assist in many different medical procedures as well as week long treks on horseback through the Alpujarra mountains. Upon her return to the States, she became a certified yoga teacher and began working with an Ayurvedic practitioner who taught the extreme importance of diet to balance the body and the value of herbal medicine, acupuncture and massage. Liz then decided to go back to her hometown of Tucson, AZ to attend the world-renowned Desert Institute of the Healing Arts to become a massage therapist. She is also certified in Thai massage through Blue Lotus Thai based in Chicago. She happily returned back to San Pedro in 2020 and has been working on people at an integrative practice in Long Beach until she decided that she wanted to return to her childhood passion of caring for animals. She is currently pursuing licensure to become a Veterinary Assistant at California Healing Arts College and is thrilled to have found a veterinary practice that aligns so perfectly with her own life’s values.