Meet The Team

Founder & CEO

Christopher Torre, VMD

Working with multiple species in a combination of both medical and surgical applications and troubleshooting different and unique veterinary challenges are two of Dr. Christopher Torre’s favorite aspects of being a veterinarian. He grew up in Medford, New Jersey and fondly remembers getting the first family dog when he was eight years old. As a teenager, he worked as a kennel assistant which reinforced his desire to study veterinary medicine.

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A Shawnee High School graduate, Dr. Torre went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in animal science and biology from Cornell University in 2007. He graduated with honors and distinction in research before continuing his education and earning his veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2012. During veterinary school, Dr. Torre served as class president all four years and president of the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association (SCAVMA) for two years. In addition to working at local shelters during veterinary school, Dr. Torre also volunteered abroad on international service trips in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and Thailand. After becoming a veterinarian, Dr. Torre led a group of 20 veterinary students on a trip to Thailand where the group provided free medical services and spay and neuter services to stray dogs and cats to help with population control. Community service is important to Dr. Torre as evidenced by the number of hours he has volunteered over the years at a local wildlife rehabilitation center and at Philadelphia shelters performing spays and neuters. During veterinary school he volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House (an affiliate of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) and his dog Gus worked as a therapy dog greeting children and their families. He has also worked with a local 4H group to help children gain exposure to farm animals.

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Additionally, Dr. Torre has served for 3 years as the veterinarian of record for the Burlington County Animal Shelter and is currently the veterinarian of record at the Animal Welfare Association (AWA). Dr. Torre’s professional interests include soft tissue surgery, emergency medicine, and veterinary practice management-the latter of which takes up most of his time.

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At home Dr. Torre spends time with his wife Nicole, also a veterinarian, his son, and their many pets-a cane corso (Leonard), three cats (Walter, Stella and Simone). He also enjoys farming, hiking, fishing, and other outdoor activities.

Director of Strategic Development

Jayme O'Malley

Jayme grew up in Philadelphia,where she rescued all the littleshelled and scaly animals shecould find. After twenty years ofworking in human medicine,her love for her pigs and all thescaly oets sent her back tocollege to receive a bachelorsdegree from Delaware ValleyUniversity in Conservation andWildlife Management. 

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​Jayme worked at Mercer Wildlife Center andthe Philadelphia Zoo in 2017 beforetransitioning into veterinary medicine. For thepast three and a half years she has beenwith the Vetmed Management team as theDirector of Strategic Development, workingto support our teams and be a resourcewithin our network of hospitals. It truly is herpassion to help humans and animals alike. 

Director of Strategic Development

Alexander Munoz, LVT

Although originally from NewJersey, Alex has spent a portion of his life in South Florida. He has worked in veterinary medicine for over 15 years and has experience in Primary Care Medicine, Specialty Medicine and academia. Alex has a special interest in Emergency Medicine, education for both team members and pet parents, marketing, and public relations. 

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Alex has a passion for educating pet parent for the better welfare of their pets and alsohelping educate future veterinary medicineprofessionals. AIex currently shares his lifewith his dog Tito and in his spare time heenjoys spending quality time with family,taking Tito to parks, going to the beach, bikeriding, and going to the movies.

Associate Director of Training and Staff Development 

Michele Hinks, CVT, VTS (ECC)

Michele Hinks became a CVT in 2006 and obtained her bachelor’s degree in science from Ramapo College of New Jersey in 2009.  She earned her VTS in ECC in 2014.  She works at a busy emergency and referral hospital group as an Associate Director of Training and has previously held technical staff and blood bank supervisor roles.  She lives in New Jersey with her husband, 3 young kids, a goofy yellow lab, 2 free loading felines, and a judgmental bearded dragon.  She has great interest in CPR, blood transfusion medicine, critical care nursing, toxicology, and staff training and development.  

Organizational Development Specialist

Shannon Painter, BA, CVT

Shannon is a lifelong south Jersey native who graduated from Rider University in 2005 with a Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism and Web Design, with a minor in Spanish. After several years of working in auditing and FAA regulatory compliance, she made the jump to veterinary medicine, leaving the rat race behind to make a difference in the lives of fuzznuggets and all things feathered and scaly. 

Starting as a receptionist, Shannon worked her way up to emergency technician, ultimately becoming the first ICU technician at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital. As her career grew, she helped build the ICU and Neurology departments there, served as the Lead of the Emergency Room, and was cross-trained in exotic medicine, surgery, endoscopy, MRI, CT and more. She has supported Mount Laurel Animal's Hospital's growth over the years, working through multiple snowstorms, two blackout events, and the pandemic without missing a day of work.

Shannon comes to VetmEDUcate with a passion for networking and streamlining procedures, excited to focus on culture and enhancing people operations. In her free time, she is a certified astrologer, and enjoys weightlifting ,paddleboarding and attending Philadelphia Flyers games. But she is best known for her hot-wheeling staffie dog, Eeyore, who is well-known for his awesome wheelchair and sub-par driving skills. You can catch them at the local park chowing on blueberries and goldfish crackers on the weekends.

Financial Coordinator

Mya Gardiner

Bio coming!

Inventory Project Manager

Michael Lacivita

Bio coming!

Facilities Coordinator

Chris Beckmann

Bio coming!

Training Mentor

Eric Hilton, BSc, CVT, VTS (ECC)

Eric has been working in veterinary medicine since 2003. His first job working in emergency medicine was in 2005 and he has been there ever since. He became a CVT in 2011 while working as an emergency technician in Lancaster, PA. He moved on to work at the University of Tennessee as an ICU technician where he discovered his passion for teaching. It was then that he decided to pursue a specialty certification.  In 2018, he obtained his veterinary technician specialty certification in Emergency and Critical Care. 

His professional interests include polyraumas, pain management, and toxicology. He also has a strong predilection for unstable anesthetic cases, and he enjoys utilizing different modalities to anesthetize these cases. He also has a passion for the human animal bond. 

He lives in Philadelphia with his Great Pyrenees Rufus and his two cats, a Siamese mix named Pipette and a Ragamuffin named Mendel. He also has a California Mountain King Snake named Bunsen.  Outside of work, he enjoys pretty much anything outdoors and spending time with friends and family. 

Marketing Director

Ally Mallick

Ally Mallick grew up in South Jersey. She graduated Columbia College Chicago with a bachelor’s in marketing and media management. She is an avid animal lover and has two Boston terriers, LunchBox and Applesauce, a Havanese puppy, Smooch, and a Persian cat, Zero.

Ally is the Marketing Director for Absecon Veterinary Hospital and Emergency, Cape Veterinary Hospital and Urgent Care, and Exclusively Cats Medical Center of Medford. In her free time, she enjoys hanging with her family, petting all the dogs, and loves Philly sports. Go Birds! 🦅

Marketing Director

Cassandra Ruiz

Cassandra grew up in NJ, DE & PA and in some way always worked with animals. From raising baby ducks through 4H, riding horses, owning an assortment of pets as a child, and currently raising her two rescue dogs with her husband. They are also a proud military family, Go Army!

Now the Director of Marketing for Pennsauken Animal Hospital, Audubon Family Veterinary Center, and Art City Vets & Urgent Care, Cassandra is passionate about connecting with the community and highlighting all the incredible work being done at all our hospitals.