About Dr. Lori Gibson and Associates
Compassionate Care is a mobile veterinary service offering in-home pet euthanasia 7 days a week by Dr. Lori Gibson and associate veterinarians, Dr. Elaine Stephens, Dr. Jennifer Willey, Dr. Amelie Hatfield, and Dr. Meg McNabb; practice manager, Dr. Andrea La Raus, and assistant, Julie Booth, RVT:
Dr. Lori Gibson
Dr. Lori Gibson received her undergraduate education at the University of Portland, Portland, OR, and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1999 from Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Corvallis, OR, in partnership with Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA.
She began her veterinary career as an Associate Veterinarian working with small animals at a clinic in West Linn. She has also worked in the medical device industry managing projects related to drug-eluting intracoronary stents, and pacemakers and defibrillators for use in human clinical medicine. Desiring a return to her “roots”, Dr. Gibson began Compassionate Care because she recognized the great need for a full-time home euthanasia service available both by appointment or on an emergency basis, and dedicated to pet owners and their companions.
Dr. Gibson has a current license to practice veterinary medicine in Oregon and Washington, and is a member of the Portland Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA), the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA), the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association (WSVMA), and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). She also currently serves the veterinary community as an Executive Board Member of the Portland Veterinary Medical Association.
Dr. Gibson spends her free time with her husband Scott and 5 year old son Noa, enjoying great Portland cuisine, and attending and supporting local events. The family have two cats – Zane and Mila, and a ball python named Monty (Python, of course) ;)
Dr. Elaine Stephens
Dr. Elaine Stephens received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1999 from the Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Corvallis, OR, in partnership with the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA. Prior to her veterinary career, she was a registered nurse working in Intensive Care and Emergency settings in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Portland, Oregon.
Dr. Stephens has a current license to practice veterinary medicine in Oregon, Washington, and New Mexico. In addition to her work with Compassionate Care, Dr. Stephens provides veterinary relief services to small animal clinics, shelters, and volunteer organizations like the Feral Cat Coalition and PAW Team She is active in professional organizations including the Portland Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA), the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA), and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
When Dr. Stephens is not working, she is a member of the sandwich generation, spending time with octo and nono generations of family on the West Coast and in New Mexico, as well as reading to and taking her 5 year old grandson to the zoo. Relaxation means local still water canoe and kayak trips, dog walks, agate hunting (Oregon beaches and New Mexico mountains have great agates!!) and lots of leisure reading – she is never found far from the library or a bag of books. Elaine is a kind, personable and thoughtful veterinarian known for her caring and taking time with pets and people.
Dr. Jennifer Willey
Dr. Jennifer Willey is a Portland native. She graduated in 2003 from Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Corvallis, OR, in partnership with Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA. Her undergraduate degree was a B.S. in Zoology from OSU in 1998.
She began her veterinary career in Pasco, Washington as a busy mixed animal practitioner. She enjoyed working on a variety of animals in that region, such as: dogs, cats, horses, small ruminants, alpacas and llamas. In 2005, she came back home to Oregon. She found another mixed animal practice in Woodburn, OR and provided dedicated service to the community for 5 ½ years. The experience she has had with such a variety of animals has only strengthened her interest in the important bond between owners and their pets. Since the birth of her son, she has changed to providing veterinary relief work and has joined us at Compassionate Care.
Dr. Willey has a current license to practice veterinary medicine in Oregon and Washington, and is a member of the Portland Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA), the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA), the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP).
In her spare time she loves to spend quality time with her family; she enjoys hiking, photography and traveling to exotic places such as Peru and Bali. If she ever found enough time, she would also love to pick up surfing on the Oregon coast again!
Dr. Amelie Hatfield
Dr Amelie Hatfield earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Ross University in January 2007 and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from University of Texas. She has dedicated the previous five years to canine and feline health, and in addition to providing services through Compassionate Care, also works as a feline focused veterinarian at Cat Hospital of Portland.
Dr Hatfield is often asked why she was drawn to the kind of assistance Compassionate Care provides: To Dr Hatfield, humane and loving euthanasia is a very personal topic. In April of 2001, she had to have her very injured cat, Evie, euthanized due to acute trauma. The experience was memorable in that the procedure that was employed for Evie was painful and inhumane; however, on this day, Amelie knew that her calling was to help alleviate the suffering that she and her cat had experienced during this event. While the emotional pain of losing a beloved pet cannot be rectified quickly, having the knowledgable assistance of a veterinarian who can provide immediate relief of suffering is invaluable and a key component to their last few minutes in your arms.
Dr Hatfield is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA), and the American Association of Feline Practioners (AAFP). In addition to her veterinary work, Amelie enjoys running, reading, watching documentaries and Sci-Fi/Fantasy series, collage work, collecting textiles and fabrics, mixed media art, and other artistic ventures that often remain incomplete and only passably attractive. She adheres to the Portland motto that putting a bird on something will immediately make it better. Her cat, Trader, generally agrees.
Dr. Meg McNabb
Dr. McNabb’s bio coming soon!
Dr. Andrea La Raus
As Dr. Andrea La Raus tells it, the story goes that as a four year old growing up in Idaho, she told her mom that she wanted to be a vet and have a horse. In 1991, she received her undergraduate degree from the University of Idaho Moscow, ID. In 1995, she received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA.
She began her veterinary career as a small animal practitioner in southern Oregon. She moved to the Portland area in 1997 and worked at several area clinics as an associate veterinarian and later providing veterinary relief. Working with and supporting the bond between clients and their pets was one of the most rewarding aspects of her career. Dr. La Raus holds a current veterinary license in Oregon and is a member of the Portland Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
When not at work, Dr. La Raus likes to spend time with her husband, 3 cats, 1 dog and 1 horse. Dr. La Raus has a never ending quest for veterinary knowledge and is very active in the veterinary community, including volunteering at organizations such as the PAW Team.
Julie Booth, R.V.T.
Julie graduated with an Associate’s degree in Veterinary Technology in 2002. She began her career working in the biomedical research field, including positions at Oregon Health and Sciences University and Purdue University. She feels honored to assist Compassionate Care clients on the phone when they most need understanding and support.
When not working for Compassionate Care, Julie and her husband stay VERY busy with twin 5 year old boys. She enjoys hiking, cooking, reading, traveling, and volunteering in the community. They also have two dogs and two cats at home.
