Meet Our Team

Best Friends’ Veterinary Hospital in Gaithersburg, Maryland provides compassionate attention to every one of our valued patients.

Victoria Mary Hollifield - Veterinary Hospital Victoria M Hollifield, DVM

I am the owner and veterinarian of Best Friends' Veterinary Hospital.

I opened my practice in 1992.

Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a veterinarian.

I graduated from UMUC, with honors, in 1984 and from Tuskegee University in 1988, as a member of the Phi Zeta Veterinary Honor Society. I did an externship program at Zoo Atlanta between my 2nd and 3rd year of vet school. I worked at NIH from 1987 to 1997, starting as a rodent and rabbit colony veterinarian at the Veterinary Resources Branch of the National Center for Research and Resources. I eventually became the Animal Program Director at the National Center for Human Genome Research. While commissioned officer at NIH, I worked part-time in several private practices.

I am an avid lover of all animal life and work with animal rescue operations for Montgomery County as well with wildlife at Second Chance Wildlife Sanctuary.

My husband, Bill Ponton, and I, have a wonderful son, Grant.

Lisa Perez, DVM

For those of you wondering why I look familiar, I have been a part of the Best Friends’ Team since May of 2007, when I started here as a Veterinary Assistant.

In 2009, I graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor of Science in Animal and Avian Sciences. Then in 2014, I earned my veterinary degree from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.

Shortly after graduation, I completed a one year rotating Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship in Greensboro, North Carolina. I worked for a time at a mixed animal practice in Richmond, VA prior to moving back to Maryland to be closer to friends and family.

I am thrilled to be back on the Best Friends’ Veterinary Hospital Team as of September 2016!I currently have a mischievous but loveable, DSH/Siamese mix named, Mr. Reno Renegade.

Dina Roth Phlek - Veterinary Hospital

Dina

Office Manager

Bookkeeper

I have been with Best Friends Veterinary Hospital since 2003.

I have an A.A. degree in accounting.

I enjoy being part of Best Friends' team because I love animals.

I am a proud mother of 2 beautiful children, Philip and Erica.

I have a Whippet named Pichu (ChuChu)

Jen

Lead Receptionist

I first came to Best Friends' Veterinary Hospital as an intern through Montgomery College.

I enjoy being part of Best Friends' team because of the close knit, friendly atmosphere.

I have two cats, Riley Willow and Zach.

Keeley

Veterinary Technician

I have been working at Best Friends’ as a veterinary technician since March of 2017, but have been working and interning at animal hospitals since I was in high school. I also spent time volunteering with Days End Farm Horse Rescue for a few years.

Animals have always been a huge part of my life so I’ve known since I was little that I wanted to have a career working with them. In order to make that happen, I started taking online classes with Penn Foster to become a certified veterinary technician and I am half way to getting my associates degree at Montgomery College.

Best Friends’ is a great place to work because of all the fun things to learn working with diverse species.

I have one dog, Opal and two cats, Zeppelin (my baby) and Siobhan.

Megumi

Veterinary Assistant

I have been with Best Friends’ since January 2017. I am originally from Japan but moved to the US in 2010. I love to travel and see the world. I have a cat named Madrid. I am happily married.