We make
magic happen every day
Meet our team of heroes at Central Phoenix
Meet The Central Phoenix Tribe!
Dr. Rian Calugcugan
Medical Director
Dr. Rian Calugcugan (“Dr. Cal”) was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He has strong family ties to Hawai’i and decided to move to Honolulu to pursue a B.A. in Biology and a B.A. in Philippine Literature and Language at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. After graduation, he stayed on the island to pursuit his veterinary career. He worked as a veterinary technician at VCA Kaneohe and volunteered in his free time at the Honolulu Zoo Animal Clinic. Dr. Cal left the islands to earn his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at Washington State University and graduated in May 2015. Go Cougs! After graduation, he moved to Phoenix and completed a small animal rotating internship in surgery and medicine at VCA Animal and Referral Center of Arizona. He moved back to the Pacific Northwest to be an ER doctor but decided he missed the sunshine too much and moved back to Phoenix. He loves being an ER doctor but enjoys general practice as well. His special interests include surgery, emergency & critical care, and wound repair. On his free days, Dr. Cal enjoys playing sand/indoor volleyball, hiking, and photography. He is an adrenaline junkie and loves anything that will get his heart pumping! He lives with his partner Corey and their four dogs & cat: Kanani, Mia, Kukui, Maui, & Taylor.
Dr. Janelle Starr
Veterinarian
Dr. Starr was born and raised in Arizona. She attended Northern Arizona University where she received her B.A. in biology. While she was attending NAU, she was also a part of the NAU Dance Team where in 2014 they won a National Championship. She then left Arizona to go to Fort Collins where she graduated with her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University. Her special interests in veterinary medicine include surgery, cardiology and preventive care. As a veterinarian, Dr. Starr is eager to advocate for her patients and create long lasting relationships with clients. Whether she is treating your pet on urgent care or general practice, her goal is to make you and your pet feel comfortable and pay full attention to your pets needs. Outside of work she enjoys playing with her dogs, Fitz (Miniature Australian Shepherd) and John (Lab mix), and spending quality time with her husband and kids. Her hobbies include watching movies, dancing and doing any sort of outdoor activity. She strongly believes that your mindset in life is everything and anything can be accomplished if you have a positive attitude and a smile on your face.
Dr. Tillotson
Veterinarian
Dr. Tillotson grew up in Phoenix and graduated from the University of Arizona. After undergrad, she went on to attend veterinary school, earning her degree from the University of Illinois. Her experience includes working with wildlife orphans at the Tucson Wildlife Center, and as a veterinary assistant throughout undergrad and vet school. She has also volunteered with WorldVets providing international veterinary aid to communities in Ecuador. Her professional interests include emergency medicine and surgery. Her favorite part about being a veterinarian is providing high-quality medicine while fostering the bond between pets and their owners. At home, she has two cats, Squid and Kate, and a border collie mix named Millie. In her free time, she likes working out, reading (she loves a good mystery/thriller), and binge-watching reality TV.
Dr. Winterwood
Veterinarian
Dr. Winterwood was born in Dubuque, Iowa, and got her bachelor's degree at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. She worked at the University of Iowa for 4 years in the Biology department doing research in Cell Biology and Cancer Research until going to Vet School at Iowa State University in Ames Iowa. After graduating from veterinary school in 2015, Nicole moved to Mesa Arizona and completed a rotating internship at the VCA Animal Referral and Emergency Center of Arizona (with Dr. Cal). After completing the internship, she worked at the Scottsdale Veterinary Clinic for 6 years. There she focused on emergency and critical care working mostly overnights, but also had a big role in helping teach the new interns coming through their program over the last couple of years. Nicole has also done some relief work at multiple emergency clinics in the area as well as the Arizona Welfare League and Dr. Kelly's mobile Surgical unit. Her special interests include emergency care, wound care, and feline medicine. She enjoys working closely as a team with the associate veterinarians and technicians at Desert Ark. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her 2 Greyhounds Bodhi and Jelly Bean, binging Netflix shows, trying different restaurants in the area, and playing with her new kittens Harlow and Eisley.
Dr. LaBarge
Veterinarian
Dr. Hannah LaBarge, grew up a proud resident of the northwest suburbs of Chicago, until moving to Arizona to pursue her career in veterinary medicine. She has seamlessly blended her passion for problem-solving and love for animals into a thriving five-year career in the veterinary field. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Materials Science and Engineering and valedictorian of her class at Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. LaBarge uniquely blends her engineering background with her medical expertise, allowing her to tackle complex medical cases with a distinct perspective. When not working, she enjoys pickleball, camping, exploring new restaurants, and delving into fantasy genre books. At home, she cherishes time with her two dogs, Kevin and Leo, and looks forward to adding a cat to her family sometime in the near future. Dr. LaBarge's journey is a remarkable blend of academic excellence, professional dedication, and personal passion for animal care. Desert Ark is thrilled to have her be a part of our tribe!
Chrystina Thompson
Hospital Manager
Chrystina Thompson is from Long Beach, CA originally but has been in Arizona for almost 20 years. She is a collaborative member of the Central Phoenix team who joined our tribe in February 2022. Chrystina loves being a part of our tribe because she truly enjoys looking out for other team members. Additionally, she likes being on a team that cares for one another and contributes greatly to our patients and their families. Outside of her professional life, Chrystina enjoys hiking, painting, playing video games, traveling, and spending time with her family. She also has three elderly furbabies; an 11.5yo pitty mix, a 15.5yo chow mix, 10.5yo orange tabby. Chrystina values that our tribe offers an urgent care facility, which is few and far between and much needed in the Veterinary Medicine industry.
What our clients are saying
Carter's Mom