Raija

Assistant

Her veterinary career began in emergency medicine in 2019. She joined the Gentle Vet team as a Veterinary Assistant in 2022 and has since continued expanding her education, earning certification as a Certified Master Herpetologist through the Amphibian Foundation.

Outside of her work at Gentle Vet, she is the President and Founder of Archie's Angels, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reptile and amphibian education, rescue, and rehabilitation. She has been speaking publicly on reptile education since 2013 and continues her outreach both beyond Gentle Vet and through many of the educational client handouts shared during visits.

While she cares for a variety of reptiles of her own, her two cats, Ezio and Gibson, are always nearby supervising—when they aren’t trying to sneak onto the kitchen counters or explore the cabinets.