Staff Doctors

Dana Begnoche, DVM, Staff Veterinarian

I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit, MI. I can always remember having pets while growing up. I owe this privilege to my mother, who never turned away an injured baby bird or a stray cat. When I was 12 and my Siamese cat, Abraham, became sick and was euthanized because of feline leukemia, I realized my calling was to care for animals, improve their health, and the lives of the people who care for them.

I attended the University of Michigan (GO BLUE!) and received my undergraduate degree in Anthropology-Zoology. I then went to veterinary school at Michigan State University. After completing veterinary school I relocated to Washington, DC to perform an internship here at Friendship. I was then lucky enough to stay on as a staff veterinarian at the completion of my internship. Although I enjoy all areas of veterinary medicine, special interests of mine lie in soft tissue surgery and general medicine.

I live in Arlington, VA with my two dogs, Lola and Widgit, and my cat, Weezer. My closest friends include my four siblings—Tim, Andrea, Alex, and Kelly. I enjoy spending my free time with my boyfriend, Kevin, and his Black Labrador Retriever, Stoli. I also enjoy traveling and have a home away from home in Vieques, Puerto Rico, where I work when possible with the wonderful animals of the island.

Becky Bolch, DVM, Staff Veterinarian

I grew up just outside of Pittsburgh, PA, where Steeler football is a way of life. My love of animals came from my mom who never seemed to mind all the animals that seemed to “find” their way to our house. I apparently told my aunt when I was the ripe age of 3 that I was going to be an animal doctor. I attended Penn State University where I received my degree in Animal Bioscience. During my undergraduate years, I worked at a veterinary hospital in my hometown with a wonderful vet who encouraged me to pursue my dream. The love that he showed for the veterinary profession really was an inspiration. I went to veterinary school at Purdue University and finally became a doctor of veterinary medicine in 1992.

I started working at Friendship Hospital for Animals in 1994. I served as Chief of Medicine for 5 years where I participated in the many administrative aspects of Friendship. With my current schedule, I am now able to focus on what I enjoy the most—establishing life long relationships with my patients.

Shortly after graduation from vet school, I married my high school sweetheart of eight years, Jens Bolch. My husband and I live in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with our three children, Alexander, Catherine and Derek. Our four-legged family includes our greyhound, Jax, our two cats, Junior and Mr. Sting, and our turtle, Sampson. In what little time is left in a day, I enjoy gardening, decorating my house and traveling with my family.

Shani Parker Boone, DVM, Staff Veterinarian

For as long as I can remember, my family has always had pets, mostly dogs. However, while growing up in Connecticut, horses were my true love. Throughout my high school years, I worked at an equestrian center as a barn manager and riding instructor. I even rode on the equestrian team during my undergraduate years at the University of Virginia.

After graduating from Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine (May 2004), I completed an internship here at Friendship Hospital for Animals and have developed a special interest in small animal surgery and emergency medicine.

Riding horses is one of my favorite hobbies and I love going to the movies, but mostly I enjoy spending time just lounging at home with my Rottweiler, Bonnie, and kitty, Nala.

Katherine Calder, DVM, Staff Veterinarian

In the fifth grade the Easter Bunny brought me James Herriot’s book All Creatures Great and Small. I was enchanted. Fortunately, over the years, my love of biology supported my interest in pets and their owners. I went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I attended the North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine but remain a diehard Tarheel. Dr. Stewart and I were vet school classmates but have yet to resolve the ACC rivalry.

After vet school I spent an intense year in an internship at the Oradell Animal Hospital in Northern New Jersey — lots of emergency, surgery, wellness, and specialty care. I enjoy all aspects of my job at Friendship, but have a special interest in surgery, intensive care, and kidney disease.

My dog, Bob, is a Katrina survivor. He was named Bag Of Bones by his rescuers because he had nearly starved to death before being found. Bob comes to work with me daily and is well loved at Friendship.

Outside of work I am passionate about working in my garden and cooking, and I’m very involved in my church. I try to run or workout whenever I can find time, and if there’s a musical in town, I’m there! I love to travel, and at least once a year volunteer with Remote Area Vet Services providing free vet care to the impoverished. I’m fortunate to work for a hospital that supports me in doing such work.

Christopher Faggioni, DVM

Since I was a young child I have been interested in science, and medicine. Growing up the son of a dentist, I had access to many biology and anatomy books that further fueled my interest. Eventually my love for animals, science, and medicine lead me to the University of Georgia Veterinary School and a career in veterinary medicine.

I have many interests in veterinary medicine. I enjoy surgery. I love the physiology of internal medicine. I have also always been interested in clinical pathology and exotic animal medicine.

In my spare time I like to read, learn new things and get outdoors. For fun I like to drive into the mountains and find a nice stream to spend the next 5 hours waving a fly fishing rod in the air in the vain attempt to catch trout. I also love to play ultimate Frisbee and basketball.

Peter S. Glassman, DVM, Director

I graduated from the Cornell veterinary college in 1978 and in June of that year began my veterinary career at Friendship. This is the only veterinary job I’ve ever had. I took over the practice from Harvey Cowan in 1982. Harvey was a wonderful vet who taught me the importance of providing uncompromised quality health-care and quality customer service.

I grew up in Washington and went to Sidwell Friends School. I became interested in veterinary medicine because I loved to ride horses and showed throughout Virginia and the east coast as a junior. I have three sons and wonderful wife, Denise, and two dogs, Brodie (a golden retriever) and Willie (an English Cocker). My oldest son, Mat, is a veterinarian who is currently receiving advanced surgical training. We hope that he will one day soon join Friendship.

In 2000, I started a company called VetInsite. VetInsite (www.vetinsite.com) produces Pet Portals, which clients use to manage their pets’ health online. Pet Portals are now in use at Friendship and hundreds of other animal hospitals nation-wide (see About Pet Portals).

I enjoy every minute of my time at Friendship. While I enjoy being Director and helping to manage a large animal hospital, I get most enjoyment out of doing surgery and working with the great staff at Friendship. I am very proud of the outstanding team of over one-hundred professionals that provide exceptional service to you and your companions. I enjoy all the time that I spend with pet owners and their furry friends.

Ashley Hughes, DVM

I grew up riding horses, and surrounded by animals, but it never occurred to me to become a veterinarian until two years after I graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I was riding my horse one day, wondering what I wanted to do for a living, when it hit me- being a veterinarian was the ideal career for me.

I enjoy all of veterinary medicine but have a special interest in Surgery, Emergency/Critical Care and Shelter Medicine. I am also the author of the Friendship Tails, a blog that provides an insider's view of life here at Friendship, and lots of great pet health information. I graduated from the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine - go Gators! After completing my internship at Friendship, I was lucky enough to stay on as a Staff Veterinarian.

I have surrounded myself with loving animal companions that include four dogs and three cats; Westin, Tia-- a Brittany Spaniel, Sparkle - a Rat Terrier, Lilly - a Chihuahua mix and Furla, Vegas, and Breaker - all Domestic Shorthaired cats. Amazingly, my menagerie gets along most of the time. I also enjoy riding horses, cooking, playing tennis, and reading.

Bharathi Jones, DVM, Staff Veterinarian

I grew up in Cumberland, MD, and knew I wanted to be a veterinarian since I was very young. We had a lot of woods around our house and the animals that lived there fascinated me. I remember reading books like Ottawa the Sea Otter and Frosty the Raccoon over and over again.

I moved to DC in 1991 and obtained my chemistry degree from Georgetown University. Then I moved to beautiful Ithaca, NY, to attend Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduating in 1999, I went into private practice for one year before going back to the University of Pennsylvania to do a small animal internship. In Philadelphia I gained more experience in my primary areas of interest—small animal medicine and emergency/critical care. I joined Friendship in 2001 because I wanted to work in a 24-hour hospital that offered the highest quality medical care.

The same year I joined Friendship I got married (to another veterinarian) and we currently live in Fairfax, VA. We are managed by my psychotic cat Dante (acquired from the animal shelter in Ithaca) and our one-year-old son, Keeran. When there is leftover time in the day I am still an avid reader and I enjoy taking Keeran out in the jogging stroller.

My favorite part about this profession is developing long-term relationships with clients and their pets. I also enjoy the daily intellectual challenge—being a veterinarian is certainly never boring!

Dana Reay Kuehn, DVM, Chief of Medicine and co-Chief of Surgery

I am originally from Minnesota, where I completed a BS in biology and graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine in 1995. I completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery in Hollywood, Florida. I stayed on as an associate at this large, 24-hour teaching hospital (much like Friendship) for 10 years. While in Hollywood, I was involved in developing the skills of newly graduated veterinarians and technician training. I also established an in-hospital blood bank and was active in improving patient care.

When my family relocated to the DC area in 2005, I was looking for a hospital that provided excellent quality medical and surgical services, 24-hour care and a top notch-nursing staff. I found it at Friendship. My professional interests include endocrinology, ophthalmology, soft tissue surgery, transfusion medicine and urology. I have a terrific 6-½ year old daughter. I have two dogs; Vegas, a 4-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback and Pearl, an 8-year-old Shih Tzu.

My personal interests include biking and general fitness, spending quality time with my family, reading, SCUBA, traveling and home improvement. My most memorable trips include a mountain biking trip to Moab, Utah. We have bicycled coast to coast across Costa Rica and dove under a coral arch 100 feet below the ocean surface in the Bahamas.

Nicole Levine, DVM, Staff Veterinarian

Ever since completing an externship at Friendship during veterinary school, I have been impressed with this practice. I graduated from veterinary school at the University of California, Davis in 2004 and went on to complete an internship the following year in small animal medicine and surgery at Bay Area Veterinary Specialists in northern California. After spending several years in California, I returned to Washington DC to be close to my family. Before transitioning to Friendship, I spent a year at a referral center in Northern Virginia as an emergency doctor on the night shift. I enjoyed that experience very much, and it solidified my interest in emergency and critical care medicine.

I live in Washington DC with my two cats, Milo and Beebs. In my free time I enjoy many activities including yoga, hiking, biking, traveling and art. My favorite vacations included cycling 400 miles from Anchorage to Seward, Alaska and back, and kayaking and camping for a week on the Sea of Cortez off the coast of Baja.

Lynn Logan, DVM, Staff Veterinarian

I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas and spent my high school years in the bay area of northern California. My decision to attend college at Texas A&M University arose from the certain desire to attend veterinary school, and the inevitable yearning all Texans feel to return to the Lone Star State. I did both my undergraduate and veterinary work at Texas A&M. After graduating from veterinary school in 1986, I experienced dramatic climate change and did an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Cornell University. There I gained valuable experience in clinical medicine and learned how to properly shovel snow.

In 1987 I joined Friendship Hospital and have loved my work ever since. My special interest is the human companion animal bond, and the amazing benefits our animal family members afford us as people. As a member of the Delta Society, I join others in improving human health through service and therapy dogs. I feel my work expands awareness of the positive effect animals have on human health and development.

I am married to Don Logan, also a native Texan, who I met while in undergraduate school at A&M. He is in sales, but knows his way around an animal hospital, having spent many a weekend helping me with my patients. We have two handsome sons, Robert born in 1993 and Jamie born in 1994. Our cats, Earl and Gary, and our stocky Bichon Frise, Pete, came from the Washington Humane Society. They are joined by our Retriever mix Jasper, who suffered a serious gun shot wound in rural Virginia, was rescued and fostered by the Chance Foundation, and came to live in our “forever home.” Jasper is the star of our family!

Lorna Marke, DVM, Staff Veterinarian

I first came to work at Friendship in 1985 after I graduated from college. I worked as a receptionist, taking a year out of my studies to decide if I did, indeed, want to go on to veterinary school. The next year I packed up all my worldly possessions, including my cat Kitty, and headed up to Ithaca, NY, to attend Cornell Veterinary School. In the summers, I came back to DC and worked as a technician at Friendship. I graduated in 1990 and promptly moved back to the area to escape the harsh winters of the north and to join my soon-to-be husband Rob. I have worked at Friendship as both a full-time and part-time veterinarian over the intervening years. I rejoined the practice in September 2007 and am happy to be working again with a great group of colleagues and a hospital that practices a high level of medicine.

My husband Rob works for the State Department. We have lived in Costa Rica, India, Croatia, and, most recently, Vietnam. I have been fortunate to be able work as a veterinarian in most of these countries, which has been a fascinating, although very challenging, experience.

Rob and I live in Arlington with our two sons, Jonathan and Michael, and two dogs—Natasha, a street dog from Costa Rica, and Spotz, a street dog from Vietnam. In our spare time, we work on our house and try to stay out of the poison ivy!

Amanda McMurphy, DVM, Staff Veterinarian

I have lived in and enjoyed the Washington, DC area nearly all my life. My only hiatuses from DC came when I went to the University of Michigan, where I received a degree in conservation biology, and when I later attended Tufts Veterinary School. Finally, I returned home, where I completed my internship at Friendship in 2005.

My time at Friendship has been wonderful, allowing me an opportunity to practice high-quality medicine and giving me exposure to a large variety of cases. Every day in this profession is a blessing for me. It is such a privilege to share in the bond between my clients and their pets. It has allowed me to meet many incredible people and of course, make hundreds of canine and feline friends!

I currently live in Washington, DC with the three loves-of-my-life; my adorable husband, Kevin, and even more adorable cats, Irie and Sherman. In my spare time I enjoy reading, hiking, and traveling. I also periodically volunteer at local animal shelters.

Nicola Moore, DVM, Staff Veterinarian

I was born and raised in Silver Spring, MD. From a very young age, I loved animals and my dream was to be a veterinarian. Throughout my childhood, I had multiple pets from a cat and a dog, to hamsters and an iguana.

The majority of my immediate family lives in the Washington DC area, and when I am not working, I try to spend time with them. My other interests include outdoor activities such as kayaking, hiking, camping, skiing, and running. I currently share my life with Owen, a pit bull that I rescued during vet school, and two cats, Tommy and Peaches.

I enjoy the many facets that veterinary medicine has to offer. I have found a love for emergency medicine during my time here at Friendship, and am also passionate about internal medicine and surgery.

Meredith Murtagh, DVM, Chief of Emergency Medicine

I’ve always really loved dogs and grew up with a fox terrier named Pippin. When I was ten, I got in trouble for giving her a Mohawk and dying it many colors. It wasn’t until I had my own dog (an Akita named Alianca) that I realized that more than anything I liked talking to people about their dogs. So, after adding a couple more Akitas (Zach and Ferris) to the mix and many hours of extra schooling, I headed to vet school after a brief career in retail management.

I am a Hokie! I studied medicine at Virginia Tech. After graduation, I completed a one-year internship here at Friendship—and liked it so much I stayed. My primary interest is emergency medicine, and that is my focus here.

I live in a very fur-filled house—two Akitas (Kajun and Hot Saki) and one cat (Wayne Gretsky) always seem to be shedding! When I’m not taking care of patients here at Friendship, I can usually be found in my backyard with the dogs, on my bike, or somewhere outside.

Ray Phillip, D.V.M., Staff Veterinarian, Athletic Director

I have practiced at Friendship since 1992 and am proud to be a part of such a high quality animal care facility.

The importance and strength of the human-animal bond was taught to me at an early age. I helped my parents care for their beloved Siamese cats. My grandfather was a tough man who would dote on the smallest of dogs. His dogs were usually fed better than himself! I was a Phi Beta Kappa English student before deciding that caring for animals was more exciting to me than reciting Chaucer. I went to the University of Tennessee’s College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating in 1992. After an internship at Friendship, I became staff emergency vet for several years before switching to daytime emergency, medicine, and surgery.

Throughout my career I have been supported (maybe maintained is a better word) by my very patient wife, Teresa. We have been blessed with four children: Kevin, Natalie, Rebecca, and Julia, the oldest born in 1993 and the youngest in 2001. Having played baseball through high school, umpired high school and college baseball, and dabbled in ice hockey, my dwindling abilities have been replaced by my new hobby of chauffeuring the children to their various sporting events, school activities, and ballets. I am an avid fan of the Orioles and Redskins. However, my heart, which they have broken too many times to count, belongs to my beloved Capitals. The four-legged family member is Emma the yellow lab.

Jennifer Rusk, DVM, Staff Veterinarian

I received a Bachelor of Science Degree at Boston College before graduating from veterinary school at Purdue University. My connections with Friendship began long before I went to vet school. While in high school, and after college, I worked at Friendship Hospital as a part-time receptionist and technician. As a native Washingtonian, I came back to the DC-metro area to become a staff veterinarian at Friendship Hospital after finishing an equine surgery internship at the University of Pennsylvania. At Friendship, I have found that my true professional love is helping to care for dogs and cats.

I am married to Dr. Tony Rusk and have another full-time position at home taking care of our two baby boys, Evan and Nathan. When time allows, I continue to enjoy horseback riding and visiting DC-area family.

Kimberly Schultz, DVM, Staff Veterinarian

I graduated from Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1997 after completing my bachelor’s degree in animal science. While at Cornell, I participated in feline virology research and worked with the small animal emergency surgery service.

Following graduation, my husband and I relocated from Ithaca, New York to Northern Virginia. After practicing in Virginia for several years, I joined the Friendship staff in 2004. My interests include emergency medicine and general practice.

I became a veterinarian because I enjoy helping people and their pets in a direct way. When not at work, I enjoy traveling with my husband, visiting family in New England, and spending time with our two dogs, Mattie and Emma, both humane society rescue dogs. My hobbies include running, home improvement projects and studying foreign languages.