Cristina Winslow

My name is Cristina Winslow (she/her) and I’m a member of the class of 2023. I’m originally from Southern California and went to University of California, Irvine for undergrad where I majored in English (yes, I did know I wanted to be a vet already; no, I did not want to spend hundreds of hours studying bio/chem). After graduating in 2016 I worked for Banfield Pet Hospital, first as a receptionist and later as a VA, until 2019 when I was accepted at Cornell. Even though I’ve always wanted to be a vet I’m still not sure exactly what I want to do. I’m currently entwined in a love triangle with imaging (specifically ultrasound) and dermatology and only time will tell what wins my heart.

When I have free time, I can reliably be found re-watching movies I’ve seen too many times, snuggling with my cat Mango, or spending time with my SO or friends. I’m also a big Disney fan and, prior to vet school, I visited every Disney Park in the world (so if you ever wanted to know too much about Tokyo Disney I will happily oblige).

I am so excited to meet all of you and can’t wait to make your transition into vet school as seamless and amazing as possible! I’m extremely passionate about the importance of mental health, especially in the veterinary field, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or concerns. Welcome to Cornell!

Ashley Yao

Hi everyone! My name is Ashley and I'm in the class of 2023. I am from New Jersey although I call Maryland home now. I graduated with a major in biological sciences from Vanderbilt University and then worked at a small animal practice for a year before joining vet school at Cornell. In undergrad I was heavily involved in the pre-vet society, Christian fellowship, and club ultimate frisbee. I am hoping to practice within small animal medicine, although I'm still deciding between working in general practice or doing an internship after graduation. In my down time I love to cook new recipes and be outside! I love that in Ithaca there are so many wonderful hiking spots to explore. 

Alayzha Turner-Rodgers

Hello! My name is Alayzha and I am a member of the Class of 2024 with interests in wildlife and conservation medicine. I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, and graduated from Arizona State University in 2019. In my free time, I like to take dance classes and watch crime fiction shows like Criminal Minds and Law & Order: SVU. I was a competitive cheerleader growing up and I coached two competitive cheerleading teams while I was in college! I'm super excited to be part of the peer mentor team!

Alanna Horton

Hi! My name is Alanna Horton and a member of the class of 2024. I’m originally from southeastern Massachusetts but earned my undergraduate degree in 2019 at Davidson College in North Carolina. I took a gap year before starting at Cornell and worked as a small animal veterinary technician and as an intern in a wildlife clinic. I have no idea what kind of vet med I want to go into, since I have so many diverse interests (small animal med, exotics/zoo, shelter med, lab animal med, etc.), but I see myself specializing in the future!

On campus I work as an ICU Nursing Care Assistant and as a Student Milker in the Dairy Barn. I’m also Unity Chair in Omega Tau Sigma (OTS) and one of the directors of the Southside Community Clinic in town, where we provide healthy pet care to low-income individuals. In my free time I enjoy hiking, playing video games, reading fiction, and playing my favorite sport—tennis! I am so excited to meet all of you and welcome you to the CVM community!

Yimei Lin

Hi everyone! My name is Yimei (pronounced “E-may”) and I’m a rising second year. I am from just outside of Syracuse. I went to Colgate University where I majored in Biology and Music. I played the cello in the chamber and orchestra all throughout college. Like many of you, I graduated in May 2020 amidst the COVID pandemic. On campus, I work as a student tech in the dentistry department at CUHA and am the fundraising chair for OTS (Omega Tau Sigma). I am also the president of NOM, the nutrition club, and the VP & small animal internal medicine chair of SCACVIM. Outside of vet school, I enjoy the quilting, gardening, listening to music, and spending time outdoors with my dog Charley. I also hand sew and sell custom surgical scrub caps. My professional goals are undecided, but I am really interested in small animal internal medicine and research. My dream is to become a vet in Hawaii. I am so excited to meet you all this fall!

Hery Ríos-Guzmán

¡Hola! My name is Hery Ríos-Guzmán (he/him/his), and I am a member of the Class of 2024. I hail from Puerto Rico, where I majored in Animal Science and obtained a Pre-Vet certificate. Currently, I’m working hard to become an aquatic veterinarian; I strive to protect our marine ecosystems by employing a One Health philosophy in my future endeavors. In addition, I am considering obtaining a Ph.D. in coral reef ecology.
My interest in aquatic animals stems from my tropical roots and my previous experiences. While the bulk of my animal experience was large animal-based (+ fishes, of course), and I have some clinical experience from working at a general practice, my most fruitful moments were lived while doing coral reef and parrot fish research. When I’m not studying or trying to teach my peers Spanish, I’m invested in books, calligraphy, or yoga. I also LOVE to swim, and enjoy learning new recipes to cook!

Now, a few words for you: I could not be happier that you’ve decided to join the CVM family! It’ll be an honor to be part of your first steps here at Cornell. Know that I am here for you if you need anything!

Hannah Flamme

Hello! My name is Hannah and I am a member of the class of 2024. I grew up in Summit, NJ and attended Penn State University where I majored in Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences and minored in Equine Science. A career in veterinary medicine has been my dream for as long as I can remember. While my interests are varied, I hope to pursue a career in small animal medicine after completing my DVM at Cornell. I am also interested in pursuing an internship or residency after graduation and hope to one day specialize in cardiology, oncology or emergency medicine. When not studying, I enjoy running, hiking with my dog, reading, practicing yoga, playing piano, Penn State football, working at the Teaching Dairy Barn, and all things outdoors. I am a big proponent of wellness in vet school and finding ways to balance physical and mental health as a student. I am very excited to welcome you all into the CVM community and to serve as one of your peer mentors this year! Please feel free to reach out to me any time (hkf23@cornell.edu).  

Isabel Goldsmith

My name is Isabel Goldsmith, and I am a rising second year student. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, and attended the City College of New York for my undergraduate degree in Biology. Most of my pre-vet experience comes from working as a small animal technician, but I am interested in pursuing a career in the veterinary public health field. My ideal job is working to identify and control zoonotic diseases. I've also developed a fondness for ruminants during my time at Cornell, though I'm not sure where that will take me yet! At Cornell, I'm Co-Chair of the Work/Life Balance Committee on the Student Wellness Initiative. I'm new to the non-city life, but living in Ithaca has provided me with a really wonderful chance to get to know the outdoors a little better. I love botany, going fruit picking, and dessert. Welcome to Cornell Vet School — looking forward to meeting you!

Mei Schultz

My name is Mei (pronounced “May”) and I am a rising second year. I am originally from NYC and stayed there for undergrad at Columbia where I majored in biology and did lots of molecular biology research and zero veterinary things! I took two years between undergrad and starting veterinary school to work as a small animal veterinary assistant in NYC and at a wildlife hospital in Massachusetts.

On campus, I work as a student assistant in the small animal ER at CUHA, I’m an E-Board member of ZAWS, and I try to volunteer at the wildlife hospital as much as possible. If I’m not at school I’m probably cooking with friends or outside! I love hiking, camping, running, and really anything nature related. I’m excited to continue to explore the Ithaca outdoors—there’s so much great stuff to do here!

My professional goals are still very undecided, but I’m especially interested in emergency/critical care, wildlife/conservation medicine, zoonotic disease research, and public health. I’m a big proponent of mental wellness in vet school and finding ways to stay balanced. I’m so excited to meet everyone in the class of 2024 this fall!

Christina Kennedy

My name is Christina Kennedy and I am a second year student from outside of New York City! I attended Cornell University for undergrad and was accepted into the accelerated 7 year BS/DVM program which allowed me to start at the College of Veterinary Medicine a year early. My current plan is to pursue small animal general practice after a year-long radiology internship. I can most commonly be found at one of the standing desks in the library, but some days you can find me behind the circulation desk restocking the tea bowl. In addition to being a peer mentor and working in the library, I am a member of SAVMA and an education chair for Omega Tau Sigma (OTS). Outside of the vet school, I love to walk and volunteer at the local elementary school as a tutor! If you can't find me in the library, feel free to reach out to me any time (cmk258@cornell.edu)!

Elsbeth Kane

Hi everyone! I'm originally from Connecticut and went to Columbia for undergrad where I studied Environmental Biology. Before and during college, I spent time shadowing at small animal and equine hospitals, but I also got involved with ecological research. After graduating, I worked for a year in a biomedical research lab at Weill Cornell in NYC, and spent another year working on a Masters in Public Health here at Cornell. 

I'm a rising second-year, and I'm still undecided about where my career will start. I'd love to work for the government or a research NGO as a public health veterinarian, but I haven't totally decided against clinical work yet, either. I'm on the e-board of the Veterinary One Health Association (VOHA), I've choreographed and danced with the Vet School Dance Collective, and of course, I'm a peer mentor! When I have a free moment, I like to laugh, treat myself to ice cream at the Dairy Bar (yes, even in the dead of winter), go dancing at Agava or at Big Red Barn, and I also love exploring Ithaca! Please reach out to me at any point, even if I'm not your assigned mentor, if you feel lost or need someone to talk to. My net ID is elk96. I love thinking about ways to manage stress, and I feel strongly about the importance of prioritizing your mental and physical health in vet school.

Torre Muhlbach

Hi everyone! My name is Torre Muhlbach and I am a rising second year from Long Island, New York. I graduated from Cornell undergrad in 2019 with an Animal Science degree. Before starting vet school I worked during breaks as a veterinary assistant for a small animal general practice near home. As of now, I am now interested in pursuing a career in small animal general practice but who knows! I’m the President-Elect of the VBMA and I love to cook and listen to musical theater for fun. I’m so excited to meet you all and can’t wait for you to start this adventure!