Our Veterinarians

Dr. Diana Cortez first joined our team when Dr. Mulvihill hired her as kennel attendant in 1994. During the course of her undergraduate studies and veterinary school, both completed at UC Davis, Dr. Cortez moved up to the position of veterinary technician assistant and later to that of veterinary technician. After graduating from veterinary school in the year 2000, Dr. Cortez completed a one year-long rotating internship in the Los Angeles area that focused on oncology, ophthalmology, internal medicine, and surgery. After completing the internship, she moved back to Sacramento and shortly afterwards returned to her home here at Sacramento Animal Hospital as a veterinary associate.

In 2006, Dr. Cortez became a partner in the practice along with Dr. Karen Mulvihill and Dr. Erin True. Together, they've continued to grow the practice and build a culture of teamwork, trust, and integrity. In 2011, Dr. Cortez stepped into her current role as our Hospital Director. Though it meant she had to cut back on time spent with clients and patients, something she had to think long and hard about, it has allowed her to help ensure Sacramento Animal Hospital continues to be the warm, family-centered, reputable practice it has always been.

In her down time, Dr. Cortez enjoys spending time at her son's sports events and band performances. She also enjoys going to the movies, the local theater, and curling up with a good book.

Dr. Erin True originally started caring for animals who weren’t traditional companions by pursuing her Masters degree in Marine Biology and working with California Sea Lions. She soon saw the error of her ways and went on to attend UC Davis Veterinary School, obtaining her veterinary degree in 1995. She has been with Sacramento Animal Hospital Since 1997 and became an owner in 2006.

Dr. True has a particular interest in canine reproduction and sports medicine. In addition to practicing as a veterinarian, Dr. True has been breeding and showing Australian Shepherds for 20 years under the kennel name Navarro Australian Shepherds. She actively trials dogs in conformation and herding and occasionally stumbles around the agility ring.

Dr. Karen Hume-Smith grew up in Seattle, Washington and worked as a zookeeper for many years before going to veterinary school. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California, Davis. During her veterinary training, Dr. Hume-Smith participated in research on feline ophthalmology and after graduation she completed a one-year rotating small animal internship at VCA Sacramento Veterinary Referral Center. She liked the Sacramento area so much that she stayed to work in a mixed general practice and ER medicine hospital in the area, until joining Sacramento Animal Hospital in January of 2019.

During her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband, snuggling with her cats Elwood and Otis, and outdoor activities such as snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking, and white-water rafting.

Dr. Karen Mulvihill obtained her DVM from UC Davis in 1988. After working in general small animal and emergency practice, she settled at SAH in 1990. She became a partner in the practice in 1994. Always devoted to animals, at the age of 9, Karen aspired to be a jockey turned wrangler, but decided in high school to use her talents to care and treat animals. Dr. Mulvihill enjoys all aspects of family veterinary medicine, and has a particular interest in soft tissue surgery. She is board certified in canine and feline practice by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.

Dr. Mulvihill has been married for over 30 years and has two adult sons, two Golden Retrievers, and one crazy orange cat named Karl. When time allows, Karen can be found skiing, hiking in the Sierras, or traveling with her family.

Dr. Lesley Scheblein grew up in the foothill community of Shingle Springs, California on her family's small acreage with a variety of horses, dogs, and cats. She completed her B.S in Biology at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, graduating summa cum laude. Dr. Scheblein returned to UC Davis to complete her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 2010 with an emphasis in small animal medicine. During that time, she also worked as a technician, with many hours spent right here at Sacramento Animal Hospital.

In addition to being a general practitioner, Dr. Scheblein completed her certifications in Canine Rehabilitation in 2018 and Veterinary Acupuncture in 2021 through the Canine Rehabilitation Institute. She hopes to help your furry friend excel – whether your adventure partner is conquering trails in Tahoe or spends their golden years walking around your local park.

Outside of the office, Dr. Scheblein shares her home with two German Shepherds & two kitties. A lover of the outdoors, she enjoys hiking & backpacking to beautiful places capturing landscape photography along the way. Dr. Scheblein also loves hosting dinner parties with friends & loves to bake!

Dr. Jennifer Koncz grew up in the Bay Area and always knew she wanted to be a veterinarian. She wanted to work in a family practice because getting to know and having a good long-standing relationship with her clients and patients is very important to her. Basically SAH and Dr. Koncz are a perfect fit!

Dr. Koncz started her career with animals as a kennel assistant at the age of 14. Throughout high school and college, she worked with a wonderful veterinarian in the Bay Area who became her mentor. She then went to the University of Oregon for her undergraduate degree, after which she worked as a Veterinary Technician for several years at a 24-hour emergency and specialty hospital. Dr. Koncz couldn't stop there and ended up attending UC Davis for Veterinary School. Graduating with honors in 2009, Dr. Koncz is a member of the UC Davis Phi Zeta Honors Society.

Dr. Koncz specifically enjoys feline medicine, internal medicine, and ophthalmology. These interests sprouted during her Veterinary Internship at Sacramento Veterinary Referral Center where she became knowledgeable and skilled in critical care, internal medicine, cardiology, and ophthalmology. We are all excited to have her as a part of the SAH team! Currently Dr. Koncz is working on getting SAH certified as a Cat Friendly Practice® with the American Association of Feline Practitioners.

Outside of work, Dr. Jennifer Koncz enjoys hiking, camping, going to the movies, and reading. Her mom is from Louisiana and passed on her love of cooking Cajun and Creole dishes, which she also enjoys eating! At home, Dr. Koncz lives with her fiancé; they are owned by two cats and a Lab-Boxer puppy.

Dr. Elana Scheindlin grew up an aspiring veterinarian in San Francisco and received her B.S. in Physiology and Neuroscience from the University of California, San Diego. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California, Davis. After graduation, Dr. Scheindlin completed a one-year small animal internship at VCA Loomis Basin. She then spent four years at a mixed general practice and ER medicine hospital in the area, until joining Sacramento Animal Hospital in September of 2020. She particularly enjoys the practice of preventative care, dermatology, and internal medicine.

Outside of work, Dr. Scheindlin can be found traveling the world with her husband or walking her dogs Mayzie and Milo to neighborhood coffee shops (her cat Tika declines to participate in travel). She also enjoys activities such as hiking, kayaking, board games, cooking and baking.

Dr. Lake received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2009 from the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Originally from Northern California, she was happy to get back to the west coast where she completed a one-year small animal rotating internship at the Animal Specialty Group in Los Angeles. Since 2010, she has been working as a small animal general practitioner for both Village Oak Veterinary Hospital and Manteca Veterinary Hospital, located in the Central Valley. In 2015, she moved to Elk Grove with her husband and two step sons. After 4 years of commuting, she has decided to relocate her work closer to home and will be joining the team at Sacramento Animal Hospital in October 2020. Her special interests include radiology, dentistry, and internal medicine.

Outside of the hospital, Dr. Lake enjoys glamping in her travel trailer, hiking, relaxing with family and friends, scrapbooking, and painting. She can occasionally be persuaded to go wine tasting. She has a Golden Retriever named Jada and a Labrador/Pointer mix named Aries, who are spoiled brats!

Dr. Tiana Rangchi grew up just outside of Sacramento, in El Dorado Hills, CA. She had known from a very young age that she wanted to become a veterinarian, and began raising Guide Dogs for the Blind while in high school. After graduating from UCLA with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, she moved to Santa Barbara, where she worked as a veterinary technician and volunteered at the Wildlife Care Network. She went on to receive her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Tufts University, near Boston. Although Dr. Rangchi enjoyed her experiences on the east coast, she was ready to come back home to Sacramento, and shortly after she joined SAH. Her special interests include dentistry, soft tissue surgery, dermatology and pain management. Dr. Rangchi loves the community built around family veterinary practices, and most of all values her role in nurturing the human-animal bond.

Dr Rangchi has a soft spot for all Labrador retrievers, as well as her cat, Mr Grey, whom she has utilized to refine her clever weight loss tactics for feline friends. Outside of work, Dr. Rangchi can be found paddle boarding on Lake Natomas, playing ultimate frisbee in the park, attending concerts, or traveling the world with her adventurous family.

Dr. Caroline DaRosa was born and raised in the South Bay Area. She always had a deep love for animals and had a menagerie of pets growing up. She went on to study at UC Davis for undergrad, majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior with a minor in Animal Science. While in college she spent her free time working in the equine department of the vet school, riding horses, and fostering kittens. Dr. DaRosa went on to earn her DVM at UC Davis, where she quickly found her place with the cat-people at school. While in vet school, she was President of the Orphan Kitten Project (OKP), a non-profit devoted to rescuing and fostering bottle babies, sick kittens, and everything in between. Her professional interests include feline medicine, soft tissue surgery, and geriatric/end-of-life care.

Dr. DaRosa and her husband live with three very spoiled cats: Walter, Nyx, and Obie. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and baking, volunteering for animal shelters, cross stitching, and spending time with her friends and family.

Dr. Kaya Lee was born and raised in Maui, Hawai’i. She grew up with a variety of animals including chickens, goats, and dogs. She also had a love for showing dogs as a junior handler. As a little girl, she often accompanied her mom, who worked as a veterinary technician. It was there that her love for veterinary medicine began.

Throughout high school, she volunteered at local veterinary clinics which further solidified her love for the profession. When it came time for college, she left the ocean and palm trees behind for Colorado State University where she obtained her B.S. in Biology. Following her undergraduate education, she continued her studies at Colorado State University, receiving her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2023. Her special interests include cardiology, soft tissue surgery, and dentistry. In veterinary school, she also became known for her deep love of chihuahuas. Following veterinary school, she and her husband wanted to be closer to family which prompted the move back to Sacramento. Dr. Kaya Lee is very excited to join the SAH family!

Dr. Kaya Lee and her husband live in Sacramento with their naughty little chihuahua puppy, Stuart. Outside of the clinic, she enjoys painting, drawing and curling up with a good book.