Kristina Naef, DVM - Medical Director

Dr. Kristina Naef was born and raised in the South Bay. She attended undergraduate school at Arizona State University, before pursuing a Master’s degree in biomedical sciences at Colorado State University. While iving in Colorado, she worked for the Fort Collins Cat Rescue & Spay/Neuter Clinic before moving to Indiana to complete her DVM at Purdue University. Her veterinary interests include behavior, soft tissue surgery, ophthalmology and internal medicine. She has a passion for shelter medicine and enjoys volunteering with shelter and rescue groups. Outside of the clinic, Dr. Naef loves practicing yoga and whipping up culinary delights! She enjoys music, hiking and spending time with her family, which includes two cats, Gordon and Wheatley.

Cindy Hong, DVM

Dr. Cindy Hong was born and raised in Southern California. She attended UCLA for her undergraduate degree then moved to Colorado to attend Colorado State University for her Degree in Veterinary Medicine. An avid animal lover since childhood, Dr. Hong has a special interest in internal medicine, surgery, and wildlife rehabilitation. Through her work at Bixby Animal Clinic, Dr. Hong aims to strengthen the human-companion bond through client education and working as a team with pet parents to ensure their pet lives a long, healthy, and happy life. Dr. Hong lives locally with her 3 chihuahuas and labrador. She enjoys outdoor activities including running, biking, and hiking.

Katie O'Neill, DVM

Dr. Katie O'Neill grew up in Los Angeles before heading up the coast to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to obtain her Bachelor's Degree in Animal Science. Upon completing her undergraduate education, Dr. O'Neill returned to Southern California to earn her veterinary degree from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona. Dr. O'Neill spends her free time with her husband, her three dogs, and "Little Bit" the cat.

Julia Drury, DVM

Dr. Drury has been part of the Bixby Animal Clinic Family since early 2016. After attending undergrad at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, she went on to achieve her degree in Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. She then went on to volunteer and work with various shelters and clinics before joining our practice. Dr. Drury currently resides in Long Beach with her husband and two kids as well as their two dogs and cat, affectionately named "Neville Cat Bottom".

Dana Currier, DVM

Dr. Dana Currier joined our practice after earning her Veterinary Degree from UC Davis. She grew up in the South Bay and worked as a Registered Veterinary Technician at a local clinic before attending vet school. Dr. Currier received her Bachelor's of Science in Animal Health from Cal Poly Pomona before moving on to UC Davis for her graduate studies. Dr. Currier is happy to be back in Southern California with her newly adopted kitten, "Winston". In her free time, Dr. Currier loves hiking, camping, and spending time at the beach.

Alex Tsai, DVM

Dr. Alex Tsai was born in Taiwan and grew up hanging out with his grandmother’s ten cats before moving to Irvine, California at the age of 10. He graduated from UC Davis for both his undergraduate study in Animal Biology and Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. His veterinary interests include behavior, surgery, and preventative medicine. Outside of the clinic, Dr. Tsai enjoys playing the ukulele, playing basketball, going on hikes, and spending time with his wife. He also enjoys cuddling with his Tuxedo cat, Mimi.

Paul Cechner, DVM, DACVS

Dr. Paul Cechner, a mobile surgical specialist, tends to our clinic's more complicated surgical cases, as he does for several hospitals in our community. Dr. Cechner graduated from veterinary school in 1973 from the University of Illinois and completed his surgical residency in 1976 at Purdue, where he worked as an Assistant Professor educating future veterinarians on surgical procedures until 1983. When he is not busy with complex surgeries, Dr. Cechner stays busy with his own 5 furry family members at home.

Ata Abrishami, DVM

Dr. Ata Abrishami is the owner and founder of Bixby Animal Clinic. Known as "Dr. A" by staff and clients alike, Ata has many years of experience in the veterinary field including his work at VCA Lakewood, VCA Coast in Hermosa Beach, and VCA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. A obtained his veterinary accreditation from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Additionally, he has extensive training in orthopedic surgery, obtaining his certification from Ohio State University in 2000. After months of planning and hard work, he opened Bixby Animal Clinic in October of 2005. Though Dr. A is no longer seeing patients regularly, Dr. A is actively engaged with the staff at the clinic and stops by to greet clients from time to time. In his spare time, he enjoys running, hiking, and spending time with his family.

Dr. Kawakita, DVM

Dr. Kawakita was born in Japan and moved to California when she was 12. She went to UCLA for her undergrad and obtained her veterinary degree from Western University of Health and Sciences. She is interested in every aspect of veterinary medicine especially internal medicine, clinical pathology, and emergency and critical care. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and cuddling with her three sassy kitties named Musubi, Ume, and Kombu. Dr. Kawakita also enjoys trying out new restaurants, going on hiking, and going to the beach to paddle board.

Andrew - Practice Manager

Andrew, known as "Drew" by clients and staff alike joined the Bixby Animal Clinic team in mid-2020. Prior to working with us, Drew managed the emergency room of a large veterinary hospital. Drew started his career in the veterinary industry as a veterinary tech while attending Pierce College for veterinary technology. Drew is currently working towards earning his degree as a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager. In his free time, Drew enjoys outdoor activities and spending time with his dog and cat.

Stephanie - Operations Manager

Stephanie has been a member of the Bixby Animal Clinic family for nearly 10 years. When she first joined, she worked at Bixby Animal Clinic for 3 years and then transferred to our sister clinic, Lakewood Pet Vet, where she was the Hospital Manager for 4 years. In June of 2019, Stephanie transferred back to Bixby Animal Clinic as the Operations Manager and has been with us ever since! Stephanie lives locally with her 2 dogs, Vinny and Jack.

Gloria - Office Manager

Gloria has been a part of the Bixby Animal Clinic family since joining us in 2008. Prior to joining us, Gloria completed her veterinarian assistant course through ROP and utilizes her management experience to build and maintain a top-notch front office team and provide quality customer service to our clients and patients alike.