Lena was born and raised in southern California. She attended technical school at Bel-Rea Institute of Veterinary Technology in Aroura CO. After school she moved back to California for a few years where she got her feet wet as tech for a Banfield vaccine clinic. Needing a vacation and having the desire to spread her wings, Lena vacationed to Maui where after 3 weeks she found a job as the only tech for a new start up exotic practice on the beach. She helped build the practice for 2 years and worked hand in hand with the Maui Primate sanctuary for routine dental care on their small primates, as well as island exotics and large birds.

Lena’s desire for better quality medicine lead her into ER/specialty in 2007, where she was first introduced to CVS California Veterinary specialists. She received her RVT license in 2009 and the dislike for management in that position gave her the desire to lead a team of her own. In 2014 she took a job with VCA Veterinary Specialists of the Valley in Woodland Hills as a Department manager for both Internal medicine and Oncology. She loved the opportunity to learn in multiple areas all at once, and grow with her team. Her dedication to servant leadership has forged her management style and made her a successful leader in her past 2 practices. Her strong areas are in mentoring and tech building skills. She prides herself on good communication and thrives in a fun, fast, family type environment.

Lena lives in Central San Diego with her 2 sons, and her 2 cats, Stella and Beetlejuice. On her off time she enjoys crafting, painting, attending her kids sporting events and creating her team building adventures.