Meet Our Staff

Dan is one of the founding partners of Deer Creek Animal Hospital, which opened in 1984. He received a masters degree in nutrition and his doctorate degree in veterinary medicine from Kansas State University. His areas of special interest are orthopedic surgery, cardiology and ultrasonography.

Ray is also one of the founding partners of Deer Creek Animal Hospital. He received his doctorate of veterinary medicine from Colorado State University. His areas of special interest are soft tissue surgery (including ear crops) and ophthalmology.

Markee started in 1993 as an associate doctor at Deer Creek Animal Hospital and became a partner in 2000. She received her doctorate of veterinary medicine from Colorado State University. Her areas of special interest are emergency medicine, feline medicine and oncology (cancer medicine).

Ken started in 1987 as an associate doctor at Deer Creek Animal Hospital and became a partner in 1999. He received his doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Missouri. His areas of special interest are dentistry, endoscopy, gastroenterology, soft tissue surgery and dermatology.

A Kansas City local, Dr. Thornton relocated to Colorado with her parents after high school. Soon after graduating from the College of William and Mary, Laurie returned to Colorado and received her doctorate in veterinary medicine from Colorado State University in 1989. Joining DCAH in 1991, Laurie concentrated on the challenge of emergency medicine and critical care for 11 years, and now uses acupuncture to take a more holistic approach to the patient. She has successfully raised a certified therapy dog named Allegretto who accompanies Laurie on her frequent visits to various assisted living facilities. Cooking and traveling top her list of pleasures, but she also loves spending time with her husband and second dog, Terra.

Laura grew up in Cincinnati and attended Denison University where she obtained her undergraduate degree in Biology. She was a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Jamaica for three years before going to veterinary school at Ross University in St. Kitts. She spent her senior year at the University of Missouri School of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in May 2000. Before joining DCAH in 2002, she worked in Tennessee at a small animal practice. Laura is certified in veterinary acupuncture and Chinese herbology and is currently obtaining a master’s degree in oriental medicine. Her family includes a Caribbean dog named Stumpy and a few disabled cats. In her free time, she loves to ski, hike, and do yoga.

Staying near his hometown of New Prague, Todd attended St. Cloud State University to obtain his B.A degree in Biomedical Science. He then found himself soaking up the sun in St. Kitts, at Ross University’s school of veterinary, in 1999. Returning to Minnesota, Todd practiced for three years in a small animal hospital before coming to Deer Creek in 2002. As a member of the International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society, Todd brings his expertise in critical care, endoscopy and internal medicine to DCAH. Taking full advantage of Colorado’s outdoor lifestyle, Todd can be found fly-fishing, snowshoeing and biking with his three dogs and two cats in Pine, Colorado.

Born in Denver, Cheney stayed in Colorado to complete his Bachelor's degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He immediately began working at Deer Creek as an assistant, then attended veterinary school at Colorado State University. Upon graduation in 2003, Cheney became an associate doctor at Deer Creek. His career specializations include orthopedics, cardiac ultrasound and oncology. Outside of the office, Lupe’s passions consist of cycling, photography, his family and dog Kitty.

Originally from Chicago, Sam obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He spent the next few years teaching basic life skills to at-risk youth for a non-profit agency in St. Louis. Deciding to switch gears, Sam enrolled in the University of Missouri’s veterinary school and began interning with Colorado animal hospitals shortly after graduation. Working as an emergency clinician at Parker Animal Emergency and Urgent Care gave Sam the unique experience he brought to Deer Creek in 2004. Now a resident of Golden, Sam enjoys snowboarding, hiking, attending sporting events and hanging out with his family and two dogs Jake and Morgan.

Growing up near Omaha, Cindy decided to attend the University of Nebraska for her undergraduate degree in veterinary sciences. While in Lincoln, she completed research at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and got published with her co-authors in 1998. Shortly after receiving her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Kansas State University, she relocated to Colorado and joined Deer Creek in 2005. Cindy’s areas of special interest include: internal medicine, dentistry and feline medicine. Like a true Coloradoan, Cindy loves outdoor activities like horseback riding, skiing and biking as well as painting, reading and spending time with her family.

Sally grew up in a small town in Southwest Iowa. She played volleyball in junior college for two years before heading to Iowa State University. There she obtained both her undergraduate degree in biology and her doctorate in veterinary medicine. After graduation, Sally headed east to Greensboro, North Carolina for an internship focused on internal medicine, surgery, emergency care and ophthalmology. Unable to stand the heat and humidity, Sally and her husband, Matt, moved west to Colorado, where she joined Deer Creek in 2007. Her interests encompass ophthalmology, internal medicine and dermatology. Outside of work, Sally enjoys the mountain climate with her husband while hiking, biking, skiing, indoor climbing and participating in church activities.

Jamie is a Colorado native who spent much of her youth in the Midwest. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis, the draw of her roots brought her back to Denver. She earned her veterinary degree in 2004 from Colorado State University and also completed a surgery and medicine internship at Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in Denver. Jamie joined the Deer Creek staff in 2007 and is thrilled to be a part of our team! She loves the intricacies of internal medicine. She spends her free time enjoying the outdoors and her family.