Meet Our Team

Serafina

CCC (Oncology)

Serafina has been a valued member within our Veterinary community with a history of working in emergency clinics and general practice. She is looking forward to her new adventure at ACES within our Oncology team. She loves to spend time with her family, friends and her two dogs. Living her best life outside with her favorite activities such as kayaking, paddle boarding and hiking.

Jada

CCC

My name is Jada. I have a 12 year old coonhound named Harlow and a 9 month old kitten named Starr. I love working with animals and worked at a doggy daycare/grooming salon throughout high school and college and have worked in an emergency vet setting since graduating. My favorite things to do outside of work are going to Bark in the Park night at Miller Park and dressing up my fur babies to watch the Packer game every week.

Jesi

CCC

FurMom. Paw Advocate. Traveler. Wife. Friend. Chef.

I’m excited to be contributing to a team who shares my passion for animal wellbeing. #Alive2Thrive 🐾

Lily

CVT

Hi, I’m Lily! I graduated from Madison College in 2022 with an Associate’s Degree in Applied Veterinary Science. Since graduating, I have gained two years of experience working in small animal general practice. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, staying active, reading, and relaxing with a good comfort show. I’m also a proud cat mom to my senior cat, Joey Furgeson, who helped inspire my love for animals and veterinary medicine. I look forward to helping pets and their owners feel supported and cared for every step of the way.

Maddie

CVT

Maddie has worked in the veterinary field since 2018. She graduated from MATC Veterinary Technician Program and became a licensed CVT in 2022. At home she has 2 shorthaired tortishell kitties as well as 2 cattle dogs. Her favorite part about being a technician is being able to use her skills to help so many animals and their owners. She is especially interested in trauma care, anesthesia, and pain management. She also loves meeting so many different patients and all of their unique personalities.

Sarah

CCC Lead

My name is Sarah R. and I am the Lead Client Care Coordinator (CCC) at ACES. From the moment I interviewed to join the team, I immediately saw and connected with Dr. Cat and Dr. Lisa’s vision to fill a need in the Madison and surrounding areas. My work history is primarily dog training and boarding, which is where I learned that I enjoy working with animals AND their humans! Between fostering relationships with area primary vet clinics, taking off a burden of non-emergent cases from ERs, and providing compassionate Oncology care for cancer patients, ACES has provided meaningful impact in our area. In my role as Lead CCC, I support consistency and leadership within the CCC team while also coordinating marketing initiatives and outreach with area veterinary clinics. I am proud to be part of a team that is committed to supporting pets, their families, and the veterinary community we serve.

Matt

Veterinary Assistant

Hi, my name is Matthew! I am currently a student at the UW-Madison’s School of Veterinary Medicine. I’m not exactly sure what field of medicine I want to practice but I’m always looking to learn more. I’m excited to grow my skills as an assistant at ACES. Outside of school and Veterinary medicine I love to play Volleyball and spend time with my family and friends.

Shaina

Veterinary Assistant (Oncology)

Shaina has been a dedicated veterinary assistant for over 10 years, with experience in emergency medicine, and oncology. She is passionate about creating a safe and comforting environment for patients, and finds it incredibly rewarding to help clients and their pets feel calm and cared for during their visits. One of Shaina’s greatest strengths is her ability to connect with both pets and their owners, helping ensure every family has a positive and supportive experience at the hospital.

Crystal

Veterinary Assistant

Hello! My name is Crystal and I am a full on cat enthusiast. My experience is heavily influenced by my time in rescue and using Fear Free handling. I treat every patient as if they were my own. No request is silly. No question is wrong. I’m here to help!

Tiffany

Veterinary Assistant

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin River Falls with a Bachelor’s in Animal Science with an emphasis in companion animals, Pre-Vet, and a minor in Chemistry. I have a female Golden Retriever named Cashew, a female Dilute Tortie named Calypso, and a female Orange Tabby named Cheese. I’ve done volunteer work with training service dogs and thoroughly enjoy working on behavior and training. During my free time I enjoy drawing, gaming, cooking, and adventuring.

Kylie

Veterinary Assistant

Hi, I’m Kylie! I have been in the veterinary field since February of 2021, and have been a veterinary assistant since November of 2021. I have wanted to be a veterinarian since I was in kindergarten, but now working in the field, I found myself loving working as part of the staff, and plan on getting my technician license soon. I have 4 cats; a sweet semi-tripod calico named Toast, a mischievous tuxedo named Checkers, a senior orange buffy boy named Tabby, and a sassy dilute torti/tabby named Marbles. I have been doing reptile rescue/rehab for about 4 years now, and I have fallen in love with working with our scaley friends. I have worked with many species of reptiles including bearded dragons, a tegu, ball pythons, chameleon, nile monitor, hognose, savannah monitor, and many different species of frogs, geckos, and skinks. On my free time, I play in the community band; I know how to play the saxophone, trumpet, mellophone, but I excel with the French horn. I am CPR (BLS and ALS), respiratory, and fear free certified, but I am constantly working towards furthering my knowledge and skill, so I can give my patients the best care possible.

Leigha

CVT

Leigha started her career in veterinary medicine with a small general practice in 2020 while working her way through school. She graduated from Gateway’s vet tech program and obtained her CVT license in 2022. After that, Leigha spent a few years in veterinary oncology before joining the urgent care team here at ACES. Leigha would definitely tell you her favorite part of working in vet med is everyone having access to preventative medicine and seeing owners be proactive with their pet’s health! That being said, her second favorite part of the job is seeing a previously sick patient leave the building with a new lease on life! Being new to town, Leigha spends most of her off days exploring all that Madison has to offer, and you will rarely find her without an iced coffee and her two chihuahuas in tow!

Emma

CVT, (Oncology)

My name is Emma and I am a CVT in Oncology here at ACES! I obtained my CVT in December of 2023 and plan to get my VTS in Oncology in the near future. I have previously worked in a general practice, Dermatology, and Emergency medicine but have found that Oncology truly has my heart!

I really enjoy the close relationships that our service is able to build with both the patients and clients. Being able to provide medicine with the goal to extend the quantity and quality of life for each beloved pet is extremely rewarding.

In my free time I like to spend time with family, friends, and my fur babies: Firefly (dog), & my two Lykois, Cora & Capri (cats).

Little

CVT, VTS (Oncology)

Little (Liz P.) brings over 25 years of experience in the veterinary field. She became a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) in 2007 and has specialized in veterinary oncology for more than 13 years. In 2017, she earned her Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) certification in Oncology, awarded by the Academy of Internal Medicine for Veterinary Technicians.

At home, Little shares her home with her husband Todd, three dogs, three cats, and a lively group of tortoises—most notably Matilda, a 23-year-old Sulcata who rules the household. She and Todd are passionate about rescuing bully breeds with behavioral or medical challenges. Their current canine crew includes Martha, a black Labrador retriever with congenital heart disease; Chili Cheese Dog, a spirited German Shepherd; and Rocco, a senior Boxer mix. Their feline trio, affectionately known as ‘Kitty Magic’, consists of Ket, Dex, and Torb.

Little’s favorite part of her role as an oncology technician is supporting families with compassion and understanding as they navigate their pet’s medical journey. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Czar’s Promise, a local nonprofit that provides emotional and financial support to families facing a cancer diagnosis in their pets and funds research in both companion animal and pediatric cancers.

Sarah

CVT

As an experienced veterinary technician, I bring a blend of skill, heart and a unique approach to every patient I meet. I’m passionate about providing individualized top notch care, building trust with pet parents, and making sure tails keep wagging. Between helping pets feel more at ease when in our care or helping support our team behind the scenes I’m all about creating a kind collaborative environment. When I’m not in scrubs you’ll find me enjoying time with my family experimenting with gluten free recipes and planning my next gardening adventure! 

Dr. Cat Munson

DVM, Owner

Dr. Cat Munson graduated from Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine amidst the pandemic in 2020. She then moved to Madison, WI, and spent 3 years in the ER at VCA Veterinary Emergency Service & Veterinary Specialty Center before switching to relief (think substitute teacher, but for doctors) medicine through IndeVets, and ultimately founding ACES. Dr. Cat is originally from Washington State, but has fallen in love with the Midwest since moving to Wisconsin.

Dr. Cat loves all aspects of emergency medicine but has a special interest in trauma, wounds, and surgery. She knows that emergencies are stressful, and takes the time to focus on client communication and empathy to ensure understanding and competent care.

Dr. Kara Hutter

DVM

Dr. Kara Hutter started working for ACES in May of 2025. She is a 2023 Graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine.  During her time at the UW, Dr. Hutter enjoyed working in emergency medicine and spent two years working at a local veterinary emergency room.  In addition to ER and urgent care, Dr. Hutter enjoys surgery and shelter medicine.

Dr. Hutter shares a home with her pals-Addie (Chocolate Lab), GiGi (Chocolate Lab), Blanche (French Bulldog), and Bascom (Dalmatian), her 18-year-old cat, Benny, and her deaf cat, Stu. As if life isn’t busy enough, Dr. Hutter and her husband recently welcomed a little boy!

Dr. Lisa Grulke

DVM, Owner

Lisa got her start in the veterinary industry in 2013, working as an assistant at the University of Wisconsin Large Animal Teaching Hospital. She moved on to work as an assistant at Veterinary Emergency Services (VES) in 2016, during which time she worked on her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine. Graduating in 2020, she began working as a doctor for VES and quickly moved up to the co-ER director position. Now the co-owner of ACES, Lisa brings her passion for imaging, surgery, and cardiology to Madison’s first urgent care veterinary clinic. Lisa learned ultrasonography and echocardiography through professional development courses. She is fascinated by what ultrasonography has to offer as part of the care plan for a patient. She also has a newfound passion for learning to diagnose and treat congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, and other diseases thanks to learning echocardiography. And, she is always improving her surgery skills and learning new techniques.

Outside of work, Lisa keeps things interesting with all things outdoors, whether that be kayaking, running, biking, snowboarding, or watching soccer – Go Flamingos!. You may also be able to catch her in the boxing ring. Her dogs Herbie, Bailey, Dolores, and Rudy and two cats Molly and Parker keep her busy as well. When not in her home state of Wisconsin, Lisa enjoys traveling to places like Iceland (for a briefly brisk dip in mountain hot springs) and Belgium (for quaint, forever-Christmas vibes).

Dr. Breann Sommer

DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology)

Dr. Breann Sommer is a board-certified veterinary oncologist and diplomate of the American College of Internal Medicine (ACVIM) in Oncology. She graduated veterinary school from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in 2015. She then moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to complete a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. She then completed a three year residency in medical oncology and master’s degree in clinical and translational research at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in Lafayette, Indiana.

Dr. Sommer is experienced in all aspects of canine and feline medical oncology with particular interest in lymphoma, osteosarcoma, and bladder cancer. She has specific expertise in bladder cancer given her clinical training and research at Purdue’s renowned Canine Bladder Cancer Clinic.

Understanding the emotional challenges that come with a beloved pet’s cancer diagnosis, Dr. Sommer strives to help families navigate their pet’s cancer journey with empathy and understanding.