Our Doctors & Staff
Full-time Clinicians
John Pigott, DVM, MS, DACVS
- Board Certified Surgery Specialist
- Hospital Director
- Radiation Safety Officer
- Biosecurity Officer
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Dr. John Pigott is a specialist veterinary surgeon and 2009 graduate of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. He completed his equine surgery residency training at The Ohio State University and has performed research in equine orthopedics, regenerative medicine and upper airway disorders. Before moving to CRES, Dr. Pigott was employed by a private practice referral hospital in Wisconsin where he worked in both elective and emergency orthopedic and soft tissue surgery, advanced imaging and lameness. Dr. Pigott joined the team at CRES in 2015 and has notable expertise in orthopedic surgery, upper airway surgery, complicated lameness, advanced imaging and regenerative medicine. He has an extensive history as a competitor in the hunter/jumper field, and utilizes this unique knowledge daily as he approaches cases across disciplines. As a recognized specialist, Dr. Pigott is an invited speaker at both national and international conferences on the topics of orthopedics, regenerative medicine, and lameness.
Dr. Santiago Mejia
Dr. Santiago Mejia is joining CRES as another full time surgeon, covering orthopedics, soft tissue, lameness/imaging and emergency. Dr. Mejia grew up in Colombia, riding Paso Fino and Quarter horses. He has professional veterinary experience from Kentucky, North Carolina, and was a previous intern at Cornell Ruffian. His recent research examined ortho-biologics as potential disease modifying drugs for the treatment of equine osteoarthritis. His professional interests include equine upper airway surgery, minimally invasive surgery, lameness and advanced imaging. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two kids.
Rotating Clinicians with Cornell Ithaca
Edward Earley DVM, AVDC/Eq
- Board Certified Dentistry/Dental Surgery Specialist
Dr. Edward Earley of Large Animal Dentistry and Oral Surgery at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, provides dental services at Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists. As a board certified Equine Dentist and Oral Surgeon, he treats a wide range of clinical conditions utilizing orthodontic, periodontal, endodontic, restorative, oral medicine and oral surgery procedures. He promotes minimal, conservative and focal odontoplasty (floating) correlated to a specific oral diagnosis which helps to promote longevity of the equine dentition. Dr. Earley has a developing interest in research for the increasingly prevalent disease of EOTRH (Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis). As a graduate from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University in 1985, he moved to North Central Pennsylvania and established a veterinary practice in Williamsport. In 2004, he started advanced training in Equine Dentistry through the Alternate Pathway Program of the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry (AVD). In 2008, he completed the program and became an AVD Equine Fellow. In 2010, Dr. Earley started a Non-Species Specific Alternate Pathway Residency Program at Cornell University. In 2014, he became a founding Equine Diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC/Eq). Over the years he has participated in several committees through the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), AVD and the AVDC/Eq to promote and develop Equine Dentistry within the Veterinary Profession.
2023-2024 CRES Interns
Erin Neville, DVM
Dr. Neville is originally from Northern Virginia. She started riding when she was 10 years old. Her love of horses lead her to her pursuit of veterinary school. Her interests include equine lameness and orthopedic surgery. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her 2 dogs and riding her horses.
Aaron Webster, DVM
Dr. Webster is a recent graduate from Colorado State University. His professional interests include orthopedic surgery and podiatry. While in vet school he received additional training in equine podiatry, equine welfare, and investigation of cases of abuse and neglect. After completing this internship, he hopes to be accepted into a large animal surgical residency. When not at the clinic, he enjoys spending time with his six year old rabbit, Jack.
Meet Our Staff
Jill Nordberg: Practice Manager, Licensed Veterinary Technician
Jill grew up in the thumb of Michigan riding and showing Arabians and working on her family's cash crop/hog farm. She attended Michigan State University and received her Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Technology. Upon graduation she moved to Lexington, Kentucky and worked at a high volume equine practice where she furthered her interest in anesthesia, surgery and MRI. After getting married she moved to Long Island, NY and started working for Dr. James Hunt at Belmont Park when the opportunity to work with Cornell presented itself after their acquisition of Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists. She soon joined Cornell's team and assisted with the opening and operating of the facility. She quickly moved into the role of Practice Manager and also performs technical duties such as anesthesia and patient care. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her three daughters and riding her horse.
Kaley Rave: Customer Service Representative
Kaley is one of our Customer Service Representatives here at CRES. She is a friendly face to everyone who comes into or calls the hospital and joined the CRES team in 2018. She has always loved horses, and rode when she was younger. Both of Kaley’s daughters have inherited her love of horses, her oldest even has a horse of her own, a rescued thoroughbred named Falcon. When she’s not working, Kaley loves to be with her family and spend time outside gardening.
Lindsay Conologue: Licensed Veterinary Technician
Lindsay grew up riding and showing hunter/jumpers on Long Island. She pursued horses as a career after graduating in 2009 with her bachelors in both English Equestrian Studies and Animal Science from The University of Findlay. After graduation, Lindsay moved around filling different working student and training positions at hunter/jumper, breeding and dressage barns in Alabama and California. In 2011, Lindsay returned to Long Island to obtain her veterinary technicians’ license. She is one of our LVTs and has become proficient in many areas of the hospital, most notably surgery and MRI. Lindsay is very passionate about her job and very excited to have been a part of CRES from the beginning. In her free time, Lindsay enjoys spending time with her dogs and staying active through rock climbing and hiking.
Katelyn Trzcinski: Licensed Veterinary Technician
Kate first developed her love for horses while taking lessons and competing as a young rider. Before coming to CRES in 2017, she spent 7 years taking care of and training horses in Suffolk County. During this time, she found herself drawn to sport horse medicine and rehabilitation. This lead her to pursue a career in equine veterinary medicine. While working in Suffolk County, Kate was able to adopt and retire an OTTB turned lesson horse, Baylee. She also repurposed a second OTTB, Copee. Kate spends her time away from work riding her horses, taking family motorcycle trips, and spending time with her husand, Dan and growing family.
Martyn Blackmore: Licensed Veterinary Technician
Martyn Grew up around horses and had his first pony ride at 5 months old and never looked back. He competed for many years in the Westchester, Dutchess, and Long Island show circuits with his childhood barn, Pelham Bit Stables in the Bronx. When he was finished competing, Martyn worked as a trail guide and a riding instructor. His deep love of animals fueled his pursuit for a career in caring for them. After receiving his veterinary technicians license Martyn worked in small animal care until he found his way to Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists Hospital in 2019, which he describes as his dream job.
Cathleen Brennan: Licensed Veterinary Technician
Cathleen has been an equestrian since the age of 6 and continues to be an active competitor in both English and Western disciplines. She graduated from Suffolk Community College in 2019 with an associate's degree in veterinary technology and joined our team of Licensed Veterinary Technicians in August of 2021. Her love of animals extends beyond just our hospital; in her spare time Cathleen also volunteers at the North Shore Horse Rescue. Her hobbies include reading science fiction and fantasy novels, crocheting, and hiking.
Abigail Savage: Licensed Veterinary Technician
Abigail joined our team of Licensed Veterinary Technicians in January 2022. Originally from Northern New York, she graduated with a Bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Biology from SUNY Potsdam in 2017 and an Associate's degree in Veterinary Science Technology from SUNY Canton in 2020. Abigail began her career in small animal veterinary medicine in 2020. Since the age of 9, she has trained in the English discipline, riding both recreationally and competitively in the jumper division. She owned an OTTB named Jailbreak (aka Wings) and has an adopted cat named Smudge. In her free time Abigail and her fiancé Mike enjoy hiking and snowboarding and she is very excited to begin this new chapter of her life here on Long Island.
Veronica Caravella: Veterinary Assistant
Veronica was born and raised in New Jersey where she grew up riding and showing hunters. She spent most of her summers going with her family to Saratoga Racetrack, where her love for thoroughbred racehorses first began. During her undergraduate career at Finlay Veronica participated in a study abroad internship at Randwick Equine Center in Sydney, Australia which sparked her interest in equine veterinary medicine. After college she worked for 7 years as an equine therapist at multiple racetracks around the country before settling down and calling Belmont Racetrack home. The opening of Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialist across the street from Belmont reignited her interest in pursuing a career in equine veterinary medicine, so Veronica enrolled in a program to become a Licensed Veterinary Technician. In August 2019, while working towards her veterinary technician’s license, she became a member of the CRES team.
Hallie Zdenek: Licensed Veterinary Technician
Hallie was born and raised on Long Island. She knew from a very young age that she wanted to spend as much time around animals as she could, especially horses. She started riding at the age of 10 and has been around them ever since. Hallie gained much knowledge and experience from interning with equine clinics while pursuing her degree in veterinary technology from the University of New Hampshire. She graduated in May of 2022, and started her career with horses when she joined the CRES team in June of 2022. Hallie is now one of our licensed veterinary technicians and would consider this a dream job for herself. She is most interested in sport horse medicine and rehabilitation and will be pursuing certification as an equine rehabilitation practitioner. When not at work Hallie spends most of her free time with her dogs, at the beach or traveling.
Olivia Lee Curry: Licensed Veterinary Technician
Olivia was born and raised in Long Island and fell in love with horses at a young age. Her grandparents had a summer home in Delhi, NY where she began riding at the age of 5 and eventually went to college at SUNY Delhi. She graduated with a bachelors degree for veterinary technology. She has worked in small animal medicine since 2015 and joined the CRES team in February of 2023. She has her own OTTB named Duncan and in her free time enjoys soccer, snowboarding and going to the off-road beach.
Jerome Jackson: Animal Attendant
Jack started with CRES in early 2015 and joined the animal attendant team. He is a Kentucky native and has worked with horses for decades and is very interested in maintaining the standard of daily care that they require. When not at work Jack enjoys following the racing industry and time with his family.
Juan Munt: Animal Attendant
Juan was born in Lima, Peru. He started his career at Belmont Park in 1997. During his 25 years at the track, Juan worked a variety of roles for several prominent trainers. He spent the latter half of those years working as a foreman for one of the top trainers in the country. His experience has provided him with a wealth of knowledge and has perpetuated his genuine passion for horses. Juan started at Cornell Ruffian in January of 2022 as one of our barn attendants. His compassion and love of horses is evident in everything that he does here. Juan makes himself available to assist any and every member of our team and always does so with a smile.
