About VPP

Your Pet’s
Dream Team.

We believe that a key element to a healthy pet is a great relationship with your veterinarian. We take an individualized approach to the long-term care of each of our patients. We provide you with enough information to make appropriate decisions concerning the health care of your animal companions.

Dr. Katie Malehorn with a customer

The heart behind it all

Everyone on our team is committed to
professional, caring, and personalized service.

We are here to help your pets live long, happy and healthy lives. We believe that a
key element to a healthy pet is a great relationship with your veterinarian. We
promise to put you at ease as you get comfortable in our offices.

Meet
Dr. Katie Malehorn

Founder of VPP

Dr. Katie founded VPP as an independently owned practice with a clear vision to give DC-area families access to the best medicine, the best surgery, and a client experience that feels warm, reassuring, and supportive.

She graduated from the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2015 and has cared for animals across shelter medicine, community advocacy, general practice, and emergency medicine. She believes exceptional veterinary care comes from having the right team members in the right roles, supported by leading technology, thoughtful pricing, and a shared commitment to doing what is right for every patient.

Dr. Katie has a particular interest in geriatric care, dentistry, and soft tissue surgery, but her favorite part of veterinary medicine is helping families feel informed, comfortable, and genuinely supported.

Every pet who walks through VPP’s doors is treated like family with compassion, high-quality medicine, and a partnership that extends well beyond the exam room.

Dr. Katie Malehorn
Dr. Monica Calderon

Dr. Monica Calderon

Dr. Monica graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 2023 before moving to the DMV to complete a year-long internship in emergency medicine, small animal medicine, and surgery. During that time, she fell in love with the community and decided to make the area home along with her partner and their two dogs.

She brings a strong clinical foundation and a calm, steady presence to VPP. Dr. Monica enjoys building relationships with families and helping them feel confident and informed about their pet’s care. Her interests include internal medicine, patient comfort, and supportive communication during both routine and more complex visits.

She is excited to be part of the VPP team and looks forward to providing thoughtful, high-quality medical care while forming long-term connections with our clients and their beloved pets.

Dr. Kara Dougherty

Dr. Kara grew up in Westchester, New York and graduated from Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2023. She moved to Washington, DC shortly after to complete an internship in small animal medicine and surgery. During her training, she developed a strong foundation in collaborative and comprehensive patient care and discovered how much she enjoys supporting pets and their families through every stage of life.

Outside of the clinic, Dr. Kara enjoys hiking with her Great Pyrenees mix Scarlett, traveling, running, and trying all the wonderful restaurants the DMV has to offer. She brings a warm and attentive approach to every appointment and values clear communication, partnership, and helping pets feel safe and comfortable.

Dr. Kara is grateful to join VPP’s compassionate and dedicated team and is excited to continue providing high-quality medical care while building lasting relationships with the families she serves.
Dr. Kara Dougherty

Staff Members

Our Dedicated Team
of Animal Lovers

In medicine and in a team, transparency saves lives. We speak openly—about wins, concerns, and mistakes—because safe, high-quality care depends on trust and honesty. Every voice matters – yours, ours and your pet’s. When we share the full picture, we protect our patients, support each other, and move forward stronger together.

Staff Members

Our Dedicated Team
of Animal Lovers

In medicine and in a team, transparency saves lives. We speak openly—about wins, concerns, and mistakes—because safe, high-quality care depends on trust and honesty. Every voice matters – yours, ours and your pet’s. When we share the full picture, we protect our patients, support each other, and move forward stronger together.

“I can’t fully express how grateful I am for the care the staff at
Veterinary Park Potomac provided not only for my dog, but for
me and my family during one of the hardest days of our lives.”

– JASON

Kathy
Hospital Operations Manager

Kathy
Rain
Client Experience Manager

Rain
Roxie
Training & Development Technician

Roxie
Keirsten
Client Service Representative

Keirsten
Elle
Virtual Care Coordinator

Elle
Camila
Veterinary Assistant

Camila
Ambar
Client Service Representative

Ambar
Megan
Inventory Manager

Megan
Stephen
Veterinary Assistant

Stephen
Olivia
Veterinary Assistant

Olivia
Veterinary Assistant

Maria
Client Service Representative

Rachel
Veterinary Assistant

Joel
Hospital Operations Manager

Kathy

Pet at home 🐾- Simba, a Yorkie mix & Stella, a Great Pyrenees/Anatolian mix
Favorite hobby outside of work 🎨🎸 – exploring new restaurants and experiencing different types of cuisine.
If you could be any animal for a day 🐘🦊: Lion

Client Experience Manager

Rain

Favorite Musician🎤: BTS
Pet at home 🐾: Buddy 9yr Yellow Lab & Dash: 3 yr Corgi
If you could be any animal for a day 🐘🦊: Panda
Favorite season: Fall 🍂

Training & Development Technician

Roxie

If you could be any animal for a day 🐘🦊Dolphin
Cutest Pet Name you’ve heard “Captain Iggy Pants”
Superpower you wish you had at work 🦸”Invisibility”
Favorite part of the job ❤️”Client Education and making a difference, building the relationships patients and clients”

Client Service Representative

Keirsten

Pet at home 🐾 : American Staffordshire Terrier Xella
Favorite part of the job ❤️ : opportunity to meet new pets and their families each day
Superpower you wish you had at work 🦸 : ability to communicate directly with my patients or take away their pain,

Virtual Care Coordinator

Elle

Favorite book📚: Gone with the Wind (classic) or the Red Rising series (modern)
Superpower I wish I had at work 🦸: Talk to the animals like Eliza Thornberry
Favorite hobby outside of work 🎨🎸: baking sourdough pastries
Pet at home 🐾: Archie (mini-Aussie), Tonks (tortoiseshell), and Bellatrix/Trixie (tuxedo; oh, and two feral kids)

Veterinary Assistant

Camila

Pet at home🐾: I have 3 beautiful cats, my babies! They run the house, and I’m just lucky to live in it.
If you could be any animal for a day🐙: An octopus, imagine the multitasking power of eight arms. 
Favorite part of the job♥️: Getting to spend most of the day around dogs and cats, honestly, it doesn’t get better than that.
Favorite Movie 🎥:Hachi: A Dog’s Tale; it broke my heart in the best way, and I’ve loved it since I was 12.

Client Service Representative

Ambar

Pet at home 🐾 – Cockapoo : Kobe & chickens
Favorite food 🍕🍦- Chicken wings
Favorite hobby outside of work 🎨🎸 – Hiking

Inventory Manager

Megan

Favorite Part of the Job:
My favorite part of the job is building relationships with our patients and their families. I also love seeing fearful patients grow more confident and begin to feel comfortable coming to the vet 🐾.

Favorite Movie:
My favorite movie is Fantastic Mr. Fox 🦊🎬.

Pets at Home:
At home, I have two beloved pets, Wilbur and Wybie 🐶🐱.

Superpower I Wish I Had at Work:
If I could have a superpower at work, it would be the ability to communicate directly with our patients 💬🐾—understanding them fully would make caring for them even more special.

Veterinary Assistant

Stephen

About Me:
My name is Stephen Varella, and I was born and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland. I’ve been working in the veterinary industry since 2018 and truly enjoy being part of a field that centers around care, compassion, and connection 🐾.

Fun Facts:
At home, I have a sweet 1-year-old Golden Retriever named Bailey 🐶💛. When I’m not at work, you’ll usually find me listening to some of my favorite artists, including Leon Thomas, Mac Ayres, and Lucky Daye 🎶.

Hobbies Outside of Work:
Outside of the clinic, I channel my creativity through photography. I run my own photography business, VarellaPhotos 📸✨, where I love capturing meaningful moments and telling stories through images.

Veterinary Assistant

Olivia

Animal for a Day:
If I could be any animal for a day, I’d choose a giraffe 🦒—graceful, curious, and always standing a little taller.

Pets at Home:
At home, I have two dogs, and I also have a horse that I keep at another farm 🐶🐶🐴—my little mix of furry (and not-so-furry) companions.

Favorite Musician:
My favorite musician is Hozier 🎶. I’ve been lucky enough to see him live three times, and each concert has been unforgettable.

Favorite Show:
I’m a big fan of professional wrestling, so WWE is definitely my favorite show 💪🎥.

Veterinary Assistant

Maria

Favorite hobby outside of work 🎨🎸 : Playing Fortnite 🎮
Superpower I wish I had at work 🦸 :Super speed power at work .
One song you can’t get out of your head 🎵 : “Been Like This” by Doja
My pets at home 🐾 : My cats name is Mishka! 🐱

Client Service Representative

Rachel

If I could be an animal for a day 🐙, I would be an octopus because I would love to have 3 hearts and 9 brains. They are extremely intelligent and can hide almost anywhere!
My favorite part of this job ♥️ is the strong sense of teamwork and the shared commitment to providing the highest quality care.
My favorite food is pasta! 🍝 I love all kinds of pasta.
My pets at home 🐾 : Two dogs named Lucy and Rugby. They are both mixed breed rescue dogs. I also have a pet snail named Mr. Squibbles we’ve had for over 10 years.

Veterinary Assistant

Joel

Favorite movie, TV show, or book:
My favorite movie is without a doubt WALL·E! 🤖💛 It’s such a wholesome movie and a beautiful reminder that kindness, curiosity, and a big heart can change everything.

A superpower you wish you had at work:
If I could have one superpower, it would be the ability to talk to animals 🐾💬. Being able to understand exactly what they’re feeling would make caring for them even more special.

Favorite part of your job:
My favorite part of this job is being someone both pets and their owners can trust 💙. Whether that means moving slowly, speaking gently, or taking an extra moment to make an animal feel safe, I care deeply about creating calm in what can be a stressful moment. Being able to reassure owners that their pets are treated with patience, compassion, and genuine love means everything to me.

Pets at home:
At home, I have a very handsome five-year-old bernedoodle, Coco 🐶✨. He keeps life fun, full of energy, and never short on smiles.