Our family caring for your family.
At Animal Medical Center of Chicago, our team mission is to compassionately deliver excellent medical and surgical care to every patient every day in a fear-free, friendly environment.
Our family caring for your family.
At Animal Medical Center of Chicago, our team mission is to compassionately deliver excellent medical and surgical care to every patient every day in a fear-free, friendly environment.

As a Fear Free Certified Practice, our entire team is committed to preventing and alleviating fear, anxiety, and stress in pets. Learn more at fearfreepets.com.
Veterinarians
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Donna Solomon, DVM
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Pamela Janik, DVM
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Meg Ogishi, DVM
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Tim England, DVM
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Elaine Simpson, DVM
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Claire Behnke, DVMVeterinarian

Donna Solomon, DVM
Donna Solomon, DVM
Veterinarian
Michigan State University, ’86
I always knew I wanted to be a veterinarian. In first grade, I would bring home dogs and cats that I believed to be homeless. Fortunately, my older sister would later return them to their appropriate homes. As a teenager, I spent my summers following a large animal veterinarian on his farm rounds in Petoskey, Michigan. In the winters, I would volunteer at a local animal shelter and give baths to pets waiting for their forever home. In high school, I was a veterinarian’s assistant at a local veterinary clinic in Southfield, Michigan. Luckily, during my third year of undergraduate education I was accepted to Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. After a grueling four years of schooling, I graduated in 1986 and have loved practicing veterinary medicine every day ever since.
My first job as a veterinarian was in Huntington, New York where I practiced for one year in a small animal hospital. I loved New York, but I knew that I would never be able to afford to open my own veterinary clinic. So I moved to Chicago, which is a more affordable, but equally exciting city. After practicing a few years in a fast paced high quality clinic, I finally realized my dream and opened my own practice in May 1990 – the Animal Medical Center of Chicago. I renovated a beautiful Victorian house in the pleasant Lakeview neighborhood and turned it into a state of the art veterinary clinic.
It’s been almost twenty-eight years since I graduated from veterinary school, and I still love talking to clients, the challenge of the diagnosis, designing a treatment plan, and watching my patients improve. My practice caters to those pet owners that treat their pets like family members. What makes my practice special is that we treat our clients like we would want to be treated – with respect, understanding, and empathy. If you ask my clients what makes me special as a veterinarian, I believe that they would say I have great intuition and diagnostic skills. My practice has a strong emphasis on pain management, dental care, preventative and internal medicine.
Client education is a top focus of mine, which does not end in the examination room. I make myself available to my clients for telephone updates and consultations. In addition, I write a reoccurring blog for The Huffington Post on timely pet care issues. It is an opportunity for me to share my veterinary knowledge and experience with many pet lovers across the country. Educating my audience, as well as my clients, is an issue that I am passionate about. I believe an educated pet client is the best pet owner.
I am married to Brad Ginn, an Ombuds at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. We are the proud parents of two sons, Jacob and Sam. Jacob is a film student at the University of Michigan, and Sam is a junior at Oak Park River Forest High School. We share our home with two cats, Lemon and Oreo, and a golden retriever, named Zack.
I have been exceedingly fortunate that my childhood dream came true and I can practice as a veterinarian in the Chicago area. I have a wonderful clientele who have entrusted me in the care of their pets and have an amazingly talented staff that is a pleasure to work with. I am proud to be a Chicago veterinarian and love caring for dogs and cats every day.

Pamela Janik, DVM
Pamela Janik, DVM
Veterinarian
University of Illinois, ’91
Dr. Janik was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago and has been involved in veterinary medicine her entire life. Her father is a retired veterinarian so she has always been surrounded by a variety of animals and their caregivers.
She graduated from Miami University before attending veterinary school at the University of Illinois. She worked at a small animal hospital in the suburbs prior to moving into the city and beginning work at Animal Medical Center of Chicago. Dr. Janik enjoys working with senior and geriatric patients and is very interested in pain management. She has been at Animal Medical Center since 1999.
When not working, she enjoys trying new restaurants, reading and outdoor activities. She explores Chicago’s neighborhoods with her dog Tesla whose hobbies include barking at people and taking over the bed.

Meg Ogishi, DVM
Meg Ogishi, DVM
Veterinarian
University of Wisconsin-Madison, ’90
From a very young age Dr. Meg Ogishi knew she wanted to work with animals and become a veterinarian. Growing up in Greendale, Wisconsin, she would find baby bunnies to care for, and was always searching for toads and snakes to play with. She also had a parakeet, fish, rabbit, and an ill behaved Cocker Spaniel named Don. She has no idea why she chose that name! Meg truly enjoyed taking AP biology her senior year in high school, and this experience made her dream of becoming a veterinarian seem realistic.
Meg obtained a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1996. During her undergraduate studies she was a ski instructor for the ski club, volunteered in the wildlife department of the Milwaukee humane society and also cleaned kennels and large animal stalls at the UW Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. She even kept a hamster in her dorm room closet her freshman year of college, much to the chagrin of her roommate. During veterinary school, she worked as an operating room assistant/technician in both large and small animal surgery. She graduated from University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine with Phi Zeta honors in May of 2000. Meg worked at Carlson Animal Hospital in Oak Park, Illinois immediately after graduation, and continued to work there until September of 2012, when she joined the Animal Medical Center of Chicago team. She loves working in the city, and being a part of such a talented and caring team.
When she’s not at work, Meg enjoys hiking, snowboarding, running, reading and has recently taken up sprint distance triathlons. Meg and her husband Ryan live in the Andersonville neighborhood. They have a 5 year old daughter named Naomi, who loves cats and plans to become a cat doctor. Meg and Naomi volunteer together at Tree House cat shelter. Their household also includes Abigail a 14 year old red Doberman, Sheneh an 8 year old Pitbull mix, Pig a 9 year old cat, Sophie a 1 year old aquatic turtle, a beta fish and 2 chickens.

Tim England, DVM
Tim England, DVM
Veterinarian
Michigan State University, ’87
I was born in a rural area outside of a very small town in southern Michigan. My parents still live in the same home near Parma where I was raised. We had dogs, cats, hamsters, fish, rabbits, geese, ducks and assorted chickens during my childhood. I have always been fascinated by animals and loved learning everything I could about pets and wildlife. I can remember watching Wild Kingdom and documentaries on animals from a very young age. The idea of becoming a veterinarian was very appealing to me as a young child, but was tempered by my aversion to blood and body secretions. Luckily, I outgrew that by high school when I decided to attend Michigan State University with the goal to attend veterinary school.
During my pre-veterinary coursework at MSU, I majored in Physiology and Fisheries & Wildlife. Through hard work and study, I was accepted into the veterinary program in my third year of undergrad. I received a bachelor degree in Veterinary Medicine from Michigan State University in 1987 and my doctorate degree in 1989. During my time at MSU, I realized that exotic pets were not receiving the same level of medical care as conventional pets like dogs and cats. I was lucky enough to participate in an externship in Miami, Florida which allowed me to learn skills in the care of unconventional pets and zoo animals. I had patients there which included leopards, monkeys, crocodiles, and many species of parrots.
My first years of practice were spent in Jackson, Michigan. Initially, I worked at a small animal practice which allowed me to continue to see exotic pets, as well as, dogs and cats. In 1992, I started my own practice in Jackson and three years later designed and oversaw the construction of a new veterinary hospital. Our success allowed the hospital to quickly expand to a three doctor practice to care for our growing number of patients. In 2008, I sold the practice and joined the team at Animal Medical Center of Chicago.
Since joining this practice I have continued to enjoy treating dogs, cats and some exotic pets. I have a developed an interest in veterinary dentistry after having the opportunity to learn from Dr. Cindy Charlier, a board certified veterinary dentist. I also have an interest in nutrition and prevention of pet obesity. I am a member of many veterinary associations, both locally and nationally. I currently serve on the Animal Welfare Committee of the Association of Avian Veterinarians.
Outside of work I have multiple interests, including international travel, photography, and eating good food. My partner and I have a small farm in Southwest Michigan where we grow fruits, vegetables, and bees for honey production. We share our home with a French bulldog named Gladys, as well as, two senior citizen parrots, Griffin & Gator. We also have a cat, Sprout and a koi pond at our home in Michigan. I enjoy working at AMC because of the commitment to quality and the expectation of our clients to provide the best care for their pets.

Elaine Simpson, DVM
Elaine Simpson, DVM
Veterinarian
The Ohio State University, ’14
Since childhood, Dr. Elaine Simpson has had a passion for animals. Growing up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, she spent time at Busse Wood: canoeing, fishing, and searching for wildlife. She even created a small pond in her backyard for the fish she caught – ultimately deciding it was best for them to go back and live in the wild.
Dr. Simpson obtained a Bachelor of Art in Biology from Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, Ohio) in 2010. Not only focused on her studies, Dr. Simpson ran cross country and track. She ultimately achieved All-American status at the national cross country meet in 2009. Dr. Simpson went on to study Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University, graduating magna cum laude in 2014. After graduation, she participated in a veterinary internship at Colorado State University which furthered her knowledge in internal medicine and emergency medicine. During this internship, she rescued and adopted a homeless pitbull-mix with fractured hindlegs. Lentil, who is now 3 years old, has become a wonderful city dog!
After Colorado State University, Dr. Simpson returned to the Chicagoland area where she worked at Countryside Veterinary Center, as both a general practice and an emergency medicine veterinarian. Her favorite parts of veterinary medicine are internal medicine, feline medicine, and cardiology. She also loves developing long term relationships with owners and their pets.
During her free time, Dr. Simpson loves to spend time outdoors, gardening, and with her family and friends. She also loves eating at new restaurants! In addition to Lentil, Dr. Simpson shares her home with a 7-year-old orange tabby cat, named Finn, who can be quite sassy!
Dr. Simpson joined the AMC team in 2017 and is excited to be practicing with such a dedicated and caring group.

Claire Behnke, DVM
Dr. Claire Behnke, DVM
Veterinarian
Hospital Administrator
Certified Veterinary Technicians
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KTechnician
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SarahTechnician
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EricTechnician
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EmilyTechnician
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JessicaTechnician
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ErinTechnician
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NatalieTechnician
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MelissaTechnician

K
K
Technician
Born and raised in California, K graduated from veterinary technician school in 2018 while living in San Diego. Her career in veterinary medicine has given K the opportunity to travel the country and practice their skill on both coasts! Now they, their partner and three cats just recently moved to Chicago. After working in mostly emergency care and critical care settings, K moved into general medicine about a year ago and they absolutely love it! While AMCOC sees an abundance of canines, K is happiest when there is a senior cat on the schedule!

Sarah
Sarah
Technician
Sarah began her career in veterinary medicine in 2011 after graduating from Bel-Rea Institute for Animal Technology in Denver, Colorado, where she then was hired at her internship site and worked as a CVT overnights in an ICU at a large equine (horse) hospital. After moving back to her home state of Illinois in 2014, she worked at another equine hospital in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Although she loved working with horses, a previous shoulder injury pushed her into taking a break from working in equine vet med and allowed her to finish her BS in Biology at Lewis University. She is ecstatic to be back working as a CVT at AMCOC, where she can be close to home where she lives with her three dogs, two cats, and fiancé, Lucy.

Eric
Eric
Technician
My first job in the veterinary field was in a one doctor small animal general practice in 2007. While I was always drawn to animals and science, it was at this veterinary hospital where I discovered my passion for veterinary nursing. Soon after, I obtained a job as an emergency veterinary assistant at the Chicago Veterinary Emergency Services while also enrolled in the veterinary technology program at Fox College in Tinley park, IL. In 2009, I graduated with an AAS in veterinary technology and obtained my CVT license.
Shortly after graduating, I moved to Yonkers, NY, where I worked as an anesthesia technician in the surgery department at the Animal Specialty Center and was also enrolled in the veterinary technology program at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY. I graduated in 2011 with a BS in veterinary technology. I became an instructor for Westchester Community College’s veterinary technology program in Valhalla, NY teaching courses in surgery, anesthesia, and an externship review class. In 2013, I returned to Chicago to attend graduate school at Roosevelt University and to work as a surgery technician supervisor at the Chicago Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center. I earned my veterinary technician specialty (VTS) certification in anesthesia and analgesia and also my MBA in 2014. In 2015, I began my PhD studies in organizational leadership at Concordia University in Chicago.

Emily
Emily, CVT
Technician
Emily is thrilled to be a part of the AMCOC team and looks forward to getting to know all the fabulous clients and patients. Although she has a degree in Fiction Writing from Columbia College in Chicago, she realized working with animals was her true calling. Emily attended the Veterinary Technician Program at Fox College Chicago and passed her boards in 2011. She shares her home with her husband, daughter, two dogs, and four cats. If she’s not vet tech-ing, she’s probably singing, riding her Peloton or both.

Jessica
Jessica, CVT
Technician
Fox College, 2013
What I like best about AMC: Working with a wonderful staff that is very caring and welcoming.
Favorite AMC Memories: Getting to know all of our wonderful patients, I love when they come in so excited to greet us.
Greatest Life Accomplishment(s): Graduating from tech school and becoming a CVT. I love what I do each day and caring for our patients is a very rewarding feeling.

Erin
Erin, CVT
Technician
Michigan State University, ’08
Joined AMC: May 2014
What I like best about AMC: The wonderful doctors and staff that truly care for the animals and all of our great clients.
Favorite AMC Memories: Being able to care for and help the sick patients. I also really enjoy the new puppy and kitten visits!
Greatest Life Accomplishment(s): I am extremely proud of my education and the career that I chose. While there are hard days, most are very fulfilling and I am glad I can spend my days taking care of animals.

Natalie
Natalie, CVT
Technician
Parkland College, ’05 and University of Mississippi, ’98
Joined AMC: June 2005 and November 2010
What I like best about AMC: Working with such a great group of smart, dedicated, motivated, and hard-working people. Also, our patients are absolutely our highest priority here.
Favorite AMC memory: When Tara’s fractious cat Simon was sedated, but still managed to slap me across the face so hard that it could be heard across the room!

Melissa
Melissa, CVT
Technician
Fox College, ’10
Joined AMC: April 2013
What I like best about AMC: The compassionate and caring coworkers coupled with all the cute, furry creatures that come through the door.
Favorite AMC Memories: When a little princess hamster broke her leg and Dr. England splinted it with the tiniest of materials. It was a neat thing to be a part of.
Greatest Life Accomplishment(s): Completing scho0l, moving to the city, and adopting the quirkiest most loyal dog ever, Buster!
Veterinary Assistants
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JesusVeterinary Assistant
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JoVeterinary Assistant
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JenniferVeterinary Assistant
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KaitlynVeterinary Assistant
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FabiVeterinary Assistant
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DebbieVeterinary Assistant
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DebVeterinary Assistant

Jesus
Jesus
Veterinary Assistant

Jo
Jo
Veterinary Assistant

Jennifer
Jennifer
Veterinary Assistant
Joined AMC: December 2020
University of Illinois.
What I like best about AMC: I enjoy being part of such a kindhearted and devoted team. I have learned so much from them and we have lots of laughs along the way. I also enjoy watching our younger patients develop loving relationships with their owners and become confident and healthy pets.
Favorite AMC Memories: Anytime I am able to walk a dog around the facility to get some tender loving care from all the staff.
Greatest Life Accomplishment(s): Graduating with a Bachelor’s in Animal Science and having the opportunity to build on what I’ve learned by working at the AMC.

Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn
Veterinary Assistant
University of Illinois at Chicago
Favorite AMC memory: Recruiting our patient Pammie to help out at the front desk one day before her procedure. While she wasn’t exactly the most efficient receptionist, she sure was the cutest.
What I like most about AMC: Meeting all the new and goofy puppies who haven’t grown into their floppy paws yet!
Greatest life accomplishment: Rescuing my best friend furever and love of my life, Penny, from the local pound.

Fabi
Fabi
Veterinary Assistant
Joined AMC: September of 2014
In 2014, I began my career at AMCOC as a receptionist. It was fun greeting clients and giving treats to pets. In 2015, I transitioned to a veterinarian assistant. In this role, I learned how important it was to respect a patient’s body language. In 2019, I became Fear Free certified. In 2021, I became the very first AMCOC Care Coordinator Facilitator where I now lead the Care Coordinator team in their delivery of excellent client service. I am proud of my accomplishment at AMCOC and grateful for the many learning opportunities it has provided me.

Debbie
Debbie
Veterinary Assistant
Joined AMC: September 5, 2006
What I like best about AMC: As I have been working here since the dawn of time, I really feel like I know many of our clients and patients quite well. It is always nice to see friendly faces!
Favorite AMC Memories: Thanks to Dr. Solomon for providing me with my cat, Tab, who provides me with hours of entertainment and fresh wounds on a daily basis. He is the greatest.
Greatest Life Accomplishment(s): A finely tuned sense of humor. Seriously, this took ages.

Deb
Deb
Veterinary Assistant
Joined AMC: June 2017
What I like best about AMC: Being part of a team that I can always count on for support and guidance. Also there is never a dull moment and I learn so much every day.
Favorite AMC Memories: Meeting all the golden retrievers! I am a golden girl and they always make me smile.
Greatest life accomplishment: Obtaining my Bachelor’s degree, as well as serving the people and animals of Chicago through various careers and volunteer opportunities.
Care Coordinators
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KaylaCare Coordinator
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TiffanyCare Coordinator
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OrianaCare Coordinator
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WilliamCare Coordinator
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AlexCare Coordinator
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SandraCare Coordinator

Kayla
Kayla
Care Coordinator
Kayla was born and raised in Chicago and has always loved animals. Early in her twenties, Kayla rescued her first stray cat off the streets of Chicago. This experience convinced her to pursue a new career path in the animal health care industry. Kayla’s journey into the veterinary field began working in an animal shelter caring for pets awaiting adoption. While she dabbled in other jobs over the years, her love for animals and desire to learn more about them has never faltered. Prior to joining AMCOC, she was a receptionist at another well-established veterinary hospital in Chicago. She is excited to apply the skills and knowledge that she has learned along the way to deliver exceptional care and service to the patients and clients at Animal Medical Center of Chicago. Helping pets live their best lives will always be a priority of hers!

Tiffany
Tiffany
Care Coordinator
Hi!
My name is Tiffany,
I love being around animals. As an adult, almost every job I’ve had included some aspect of pet care. I was a professional dog walker and a lead receptionist at another veterinary practice in Chicago. I’ve also volunteered at many local animal rescue groups, including PAWS Chicago.
I came to Animal Medical Center of Chicago for the small town feel with big city options, and have loved every minute of it! My favorite part of veterinary medicine is working with animals and learning something new every day. I also love interacting with our amazing clients and my fabulous coworkers.
In the future I hope to strive each day to live life to its fullest and own a farm. I would love to have a house filled with 20 dogs and cats along with a greenhouse filled with plants. In my free time, outside of playing and caring for my pets, I have a passion for antiquing and gardening. I also have a soft spot for James Dean movies and Luke Perry, which is why I named my 3 year old Shar pei mix after him. I can’t wait to meet you and your furry family member!
Hugs and kisses Tiffany

Oriana
Oriana
Care Coordinator
Oriana is an extreme animal lover that considers all animals from dogs to stingrays as her “bestie”. She has over 5+ years of experience training cats and 2 years working as a receptionist at another veterinary practice in Chicago. Her love for animals began when she was only 6 years old when she received her first kitten.
She was born and raised in Brunswick, Georgia and later relocated to Virginia where she attended Virginia State University. At college, she was a 2x captain of the Essence of Troy dance team for the Trojan Explosion Marching Band and is a professional dancer. Oriana relocated to Chicago in 2019 and has been a resident ever since!
Greatest life accomplishment: Dancing in front of a crowd of 250,000 people at her first celebrity-booked performance in Chicago.
She is excited to be a new team player at AMCOC and looks forward to meeting you and your furry family member.

William
William
Care Coordinator

Alex
Alex
Care Coordinator

Sandra
Sandra
Care Coordinator
North Park College
Joined AMC: August 2014, but I’ve been a client since 1991!
What I like best about AMC: Getting to meet so many awesome pets and getting to work with such smart, talented, and interesting people.
Favorite AMC Memories: Dressing up Dr. England’s dog, Gladys, for photos in different Halloween costumes was really fun. She’s a riot!
Greatest Life Accomplishment(s): What I consider an accomplishment changes from day to day, but I always get a lot of satisfaction from helping someone–person or dog–learn something new or figure something out. I also really like it when I take a great photograph that captures a pet’s personality.