Clinicians
John Pigott, DVM, MS, DACVS
- Board Certified Surgery Specialist
- Hospital Director
- Radiation Safety Officer
Biosecurity Officer
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.
2026-2027 CRES Interns
(From Left to Right)
Dr. Ashlyn Morris grew up in rural Oklahoma, where a lifelong passion for animals was shaped through personal horse ownership and active involvement in FFA. Dr. Morris earned both her bachelor's degree and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Oklahoma State University. Following veterinary school, she completed an equine internship at Pioneer Equine Hospital, where she gained valuable experience caring for a wide variety of equine patients and further developed her medical, surgical, and diagnostic skills. Dr. Morris is excited to continue expanding her knowledge at CRES alongside leaders in equine medicine. Her current clinical interests include equine ophthalmology, surgery, and performance medicine. Outside of the hospital, Dr. Morris enjoys traveling, attending concerts, reading, and spending time with her dog. She also loves any opportunity to be outdoors, especially at the lake or the beach.
Dr. Artemis Sapountzi bio coming soon!
Dr. Sofia Gamba is originally from Bogotá, Colombia, she earned her veterinary degree from the National University of Colombia. During veterinary school, she completed short clinical internships at three large animal referral hospitals in Colombia, where she discovered her passion for equine medicine. She later worked as a Nurse Technician at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, before completing an Ambulatory Internship at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Sofía is excited to continue her training as an Intern at Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists. Her professional interests include equine sports medicine, internal medicine, and diagnostic imaging. Outside of work, she enjoys practicing yoga and pilates, watching formula one and soccer, and hiking.
Dr. Savannah Metheny grew up immersed in the hunter jumper industry and earned her veterinary degree from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 2024. Upon graduating from veterinary school, she completed a rotating hospital internship at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, KY. Following her time in Kentucky, she completed a Musculoskeletal Research Fellowship at The University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center under the mentorship of Dr. Andrew van Eps. Dr. Metheny is interested in all facets of large animal surgery, with a particular interest in orthopedics. She is excited to be a part of the CRES team and plans to pursue a large animal surgical residency. Outside of the clinic, you will find Dr. Metheny in the arena competing in USEF hunter jumper events, running and spending time with family and friends.
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: Client 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.
Emily Murphy: Client Service Representative
Emily was born in Florida and has loved horses for as long as she can remember. She started riding and showing Morgans at a young age before moving to Long Island in 2008, where she transitioned to the Hunter/Jumper discipline. She competed with her horse, JD, in the Children's Hunters and rode on her local IEA team. Emily earned her bachelor's degree in Marketing and Management from the University of South Carolina, where she was both a member and officer of the university's IHSA Equestrian Team. After graduation, she worked in animal health pharmaceuticals and later in advertising technology, gaining experience in marketing, customer service, and business operations. Wanting to combine her professional experience with her lifelong passion for horses, Emily joined the team at Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists. She enjoys building relationships with clients and helping make their experience at the hospital as smooth as possible. She also manages the hospital's inventory and purchasing, supports marketing and community outreach, and assists with day-to-day operations to help keep everything running efficiently. When she's not at the hospital, Emily enjoys spending time with friends, going horseback riding, traveling, and going out with her dog Teddy.
Katelyn Brooks: 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 led 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 husband, 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.
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.
Hallie Zdenek: Licensed Veterinary Technician, CERP
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 is also an certified 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. In her free time she enjoys playing soccer, snowboarding and going to the off-road beach.
Krista Baris: Licensed Veterinary Technician
Krista's love for animals started long before her career in veterinary medicine. Growing up surrounded by animals, she developed a special interest in equine care. She has two OTTBs of her own, Wren and Enzo, who keep her busy and happy when she is away from work. Having dabbled in different riding disciplines, Krista found her heart in the jumper ring. When she's not at the barn, she divides her time between family, her horses, and crafting. Her young son has already developed a love for horses and large animals, happily tagging along for barn adventures. Krista is excited to continue her journey at Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists and loves being part of a team that shares her passion for horses.
Judy Deleon: Veterinary Assistant
Judith Deleon is a veterinary assistant at Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists, bringing a lifelong passion for horses and a deep dedication to their care. Born and raised in Queens, NY, Judith began riding at age nine and later competed in hunter jumpers at Lake Placid. She is an alumna of John Bowne High School, where she earned a degree in Animal Science. Judith is currently pursuing her veterinary technician license, furthering her commitment to animal health. At home, she enjoys life with her two sons, her fiancée, and their two dogs. When she’s not working, you’ll find her outdoors with her family, or enjoying time with her off-track thoroughbred, Itsprettystormy.
Ryan Crabill: Veterinary Assistant
I grew up in Queens, NY where I developed a love for horses early on, which led me to pursue a bachelor's degree in Equine Science and Management at Morrisville State College. Since then, I have spent nearly 14 years working in the equine industry, building experience in both horse training, veterinary medicine, as well as an integrated program of equine therapy with at risk youth. For the past nearly four years, I have worked at the Large Animal Hospital at Cornell in Ithaca, where I had the privilege of learning from incredible veterinarians, technicians, and support staff while caring for a wide variety of equine and farm animal patients. It has been a rewarding chapter in my career, and I am grateful for everything I have learned there. Outside of work, I enjoy the beach, horse back riding, hiking, paddle boarding, snowboarding, running, and spending time outdoors whenever I can. Horses have always been a central part of my life, and I feel fortunate to have built a career around something I truly love.
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.
Ray Sanchez: Animal Attendant
Bio coming soon!
