A Northern California native, Dr. Porter-Blackwell’s passion for exotic animals began in childhood—starting with attempts to befriend neighborhood tree squirrels! Her early experience volunteering at a wildlife center solidified her commitment to caring for unusual species. She earned her B.S. in Evolution, Ecology, and Biodiversity from UC Davis before completing her DVM at Western University of Health Sciences in 2013. During veterinary school, she adopted a rabbit and dedicated her career to advancing small herbivore medicine. Dr. Porter-Blackwell has completed a small animal rotating internship, an exotics-focused specialty internship, and a residency program. Currently, Dr. Porter-Blackwell works as an association veterinarian in the state of Washington, is a board certified through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Exotic Companion Mammal practice, and serves as vice president for the Association for Exotic Mammal Veterinarians.