Welcome to Riverside Veterinary Hospital!
Dr. Vanessa Velez and Dr. Kirsten Mueller, along with their staff, would like to welcome you to Riverside Veterinary Hospital. We look forward to servicing our clients and their pets and we always welcome new clients. Riverside Veterinary Hospital is a full service companion animal hospital committed to providing the quality care your pet deserves and you expect.
Meet Our Doctors

Dr. Kirsten Mueller
Dr. Mueller grew up here in Rochester and has been practicing since 2008. She attended veterinary school at Ross University in St. Kitts and Oregon State. After veterinary school, Dr. Mueller completed an internship at Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services in Rochester. Since completing her internship, Dr. Mueller has been in general practice, where her professional interests include pain management and critical care. In her free time, Dr. Mueller enjoys hiking with her many dogs, her husband Matt, her daughter Lucy, and her baby boy Will. Dr. Mueller also enjoys cooking, gardening, painting and skiing in her free time.

Dr. Vanessa Velez
Dr. Velez was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and is fully bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish. She attended the University of Puerto Rico where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in General Science in 1997. She then moved to Ireland and attended the University College Dublin, School of Veterinary Medicine. She was awarded her degree in Veterinary Medicine in 2003. Dr Velez moved to Rochester that same year and has been practicing veterinary medicine ever since. Her professional interests include internal medicine, soft-tissue surgery, and feline medicine. Dr Velez loves to travel whenever possible and has been to many countries around the world. She also enjoys spending her free time with her friends and her dog Lola.
Hospital Manager

Jennifer
Jennifer has been working in the animal field for almost 20 years. She started out as a laboratory technician working with exotic species and eventually was promoted to a laboratory manager. Throughout the years she learned valuable skills both on the animal medicine side and on the managerial side. She found her place at Riverside Veterinary Hospital as the hospital manager which allows her to bridge her love of animals with a role that challenges her. She currently resides in Rochester, NY with her husband and their kids. Her children are active in various sports so she is often found sitting “courtside” many months out of the year. When the weather cooperates she spends her free time boating with her family, camping, and gardening. In the colder months she enjoys curling up with a blanket and a good book.
Veterinary Technicians
Owen
Owen started working with animals in 2005 as a kennel attendant and assistant. Realizing his passion for animals, Owen enrolled at Alfred State in their LVT program. After graduation he began his career as a Licensed Veterinary Technician and has been working in the field ever since. Owen is our Head Technician and has a special interest in our surgery and anesthesia procedures. Born and raised in Rochester, Owen lives here with his wife and two sons. Outside of work he enjoys taking scenic rides on his motorcycle, snowmobiling, attending local music concerts and playing sports with his kids. His four-legged family members consist of 3 rescue animals; a dog named Layla, and two kitties named Abigale & Axl. He also has a Bearded dragon named Spike. Owen is looking forward to seeing you in the office and providing quality care for your pets for years to come!
Noelle
Noelle has always loved animals, and while attending Wheatland Chili High School, she became a kennel attendant at a local veterinary hospital. After high school, she attended SUNY Cortland and Medaille College and became a Licensed Veterinary Technician in 2004 and has been working with animals ever since. She developed a passion for shelter medicine and for many years took care of rescue dogs and cats at Scottsville Veterinary Hospital and later on at One Love Pet Adoptions. At home, Noelle is kept very busy tending to her two young sons, but in her free time she enjoys going for a night out with her husband or friends, hiking, gardening, reading, and challenging herself to cook and bake new things in the kitchen. She also has quite the furry, and not so furry, family of pets; Ginger, a Shepherd mix dog, Salem the cat, two guinea pigs named Hurley & Blaster, and a Bearded dragon known as Toothless! Noelle is a valued member of the Riverside family who is dedicated to all her patients and the care of your pet over their lifetime.
Michelle
Michelle has been working with animals for quite some time now. After graduating SUNY Delhi and becoming a Licensed Veterinary Technician, Michelle worked at The Heart of the Catskills Humane Society, Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services of Rochester, and Companion Animal Hospital. She then found her way to us at Riverside, where she has become a dedicated member of our team. Although she loves ALL animals, Michelle has a passion for cats, both large and domestic, and has 3 cats of her own: Aiden (her baby), Simmons, and Sweetie. They are her little fur family! She also has 2 sisters, Lisa and Andrea and 2 beautiful nephews, Rocco and Jonathan. Michelle has been living with her sister Lisa but has dreamed of owning her own home for a quite a while and recently became a proud 1st-time home owner! Michelle loves meeting our clients and their pets and providing excellent veterinary care to all of our patients.
Robin
Robin is a recent graduate of Medaille College and graduated in December 2021. As soon as she graduated she jumped right into the technician field to start her career. She recently joined us with the goal of increasing her knowledge and skill set and has already proven to be a valued team member, along with our veteran technicians. Prior to becoming a licensed veterinary technician, Robin volunteered at a pet adoption shelter where she adopted her dog Kali. She enjoys spending time with her family watching the Buffalo Bills play and likes to cuddle up with her dog for a good movie. We are excited to welcome Robin to our team!
Veterinary Assistants
Richie
Richie is one of the longest standing members of our team and has been with us from the very beginning. He has been in the veterinary field for over 20 years and wouldn't have it any other way. He has a deep love for all animals and will treat each animal as if they were one of his own. It is this unique perspective that makes him such a valuable team member. He is the youngest of six children and grew up in the area and now resides in Churchville where he lives with his partner and their two cats named Mouth and Mischief. Richie is a homebody but loves to go antiquing and in search of other unique pieces to fill his apartment. He is hopeful he will soon be able to purchase his own home where he can have more room to expand his antique collection. Your pet will be in great hands under his care and supervision.
Amylynn
Amylynn has been a veterinary assistant since August 2021. In the fall of 2022 she enrolled in the veterinary technician program at Alfred State College to accomplish her dream of becoming a licensed veterinary technician. At home, she has two dogs named Alyeska and Stoli, two cats named Sylvia and Miss Kitty and a ball python named Sophia. One of Amylynn’s passions is photography and she is the proud owner of a photography business that she has been running for 10 years! When she isn’t working she enjoys doing outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing and rock climbing. Amylynn loves looking after your pets and is a welcome addition to the Riverside family.
Alyssa
Alyssa is one of the newest member of our team and has worked as a kennel attendant as well as a veterinary assistant. She is currently half way through the Medaille Veterinary Technician program! She lives with 2 pitties and owns 2 cats: a Siamese mix named Clooney and a 30 lb. cat named Valor! Her fur sisters are yorkiepoos named Kinsley and Stormi. She is a mental health advocate for those working in the veterinary field and is a co-administrator for Not Another Vet Nurse. She understands that working in the veterinary field can take a toll on one's mental health and she strives to help those in need. She enjoys getting tattoos and loves to root for the Buffalo Bills during football season, hoping that the Bills will eventually make their way back to the Superbowl.
Alice
Alice has been working with animals for a little over a year. She has both lodge and veterinary experience. Alice has 2 dogs, a cat named Miss. Ma’am and a crested gecko named Joey. She enjoys spending time with her pets as well as reading. She also likes the great outdoors and can be found hiking in her spare time. Her ambitions include going to college to study to become a veterinary technician and hopes to one day start a boarding facility of her own. Your pets will love her calm and caring personality!
Receptionists
Joy
Joy was born in Rhode Island, and moved to Florida with her family when she was eight. She loved growing up by the ocean, but when she was in her twenties, she moved to Colorado, eager to experience mountain life after years in the hot Florida sun. There she started her family, and her new career path was chosen. Joy got her first job in the veterinary field in 1998, and to this day, finds it to be a rewarding and fulfilling career! Her family moved to NY in 2003, to be closer to their extended family. A jack of all trades, Joy does reception work, assistant work, and whatever else is needed! Her favorite part of the job is providing education to clients. She loves to know that something she said or taught a pet owner will make a difference in the pets’ life. Joy has two daughters, Kaitlyn and Emma, a cute little Bull Terrier named Piper, and two polydactyl cats, Little Foot and Bigfoot. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and camping. She would love to travel to Scotland, Ireland, and tour all the National Parks.
Amanda
Amanda has always had a love for animals and began volunteering at Lollypop Farm in 2018. Volunteering led her to her first job in a veterinary hospital and she has worked both as a veterinary assistant and veterinary receptionist. Amanda shares her home with her high school sweetheart husband and their 3 cats, Samson, Chuck, and Marty. In her spare time she likes to read, crochet, listen to podcasts, play video games, and go on hikes. She also enjoys watching live bands with the Grateful Dead being one of her favorites. One day she hopes to foster pets for the humane society and start her own small rescue facility.
Cindy
Cindy has been working in the veterinary field for over 15 years and she comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience. She owns five dogs and she trains and travels with them throughout North America as they compete in athletic competitions; she has been involved in the competitive dog circuit for 20 years. No matter the weather, she loves being outside spending time with her dogs and she especially enjoys gardening. Cindy is always striving to expand her knowledge in veterinary medicine and loves forming relationships with our clients and their pets to help give them the best care possible!