Meet Our Veterinarian Team

Coley Girtz

Tech Assistant

Bio Coming Soon

Courtney Rowcliffe

Tech Assistant

Bio Coming Soon

Robyn Leckner

Kennel Assistant

Bio Coming Soon

Tracy Kuntz

Tech Assistant

Tracy is new to the area and moved with her husband from the cities this spring to build her dream home in the woods. She has always loved animals and has worked in the field for over 30 years. She has two kids, four dogs, and two cats. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time outside gardening, kayaking, fishing, or just enjoying the quiet of the woods.

Rae-lin Hepokoski

Assistant

Rae-lin is from the Verndale, MN area, where she resides with her husband (Josh), two dogs (Cletus & Dozer), and two cats (NomNoms & Tasty Sweets). She is passionate about helping animals and clients, especially with their needs. When she is not at work, you can find her spending time with her dogs, kayaking, or helping her husband with his trucking business.

Emily Torma

Assistant

Emily was born and raised west of the Twin Cities and graduated high school from West Lutheran in Plymouth, MN. She has a background in the equine industry as a Barn Manager for an international rider in Texas but recently came to Ark Animal Hospital for her love of dogs and cats. She grew up with Labradors or Lab mixes her entire life. Emily married her husband, Alic, and recently moved to Wolf Lake. Emily has two dogs: Denali, a Great Pyrenees Lab mix, and Fish, a Lab, Husky, Whippet, and Pit Bull mix. Emily’s hobbies include hunting, fishing, riding horses, trap shooting, and wanting to take home every dog she meets!

Emily Steffen

Practice Manager

Emily joined Ark Animal Hospital as the Practice Manager in 2023. She grew up in Park Rapids and has settled in the area to have a small hobby farm where she enjoys a small garden, raising sheep and ducks, and raising, training, and working with her Border Collies. She has two dogs (Mako and Xena) and a spoiled cat (Mira). She is passionate about training and herding with her dogs in her free time and competes in herding trials when she can. She also enjoys other activities with her pets, including agility, nose work, and trick training. She assists in testing Service Dog teams for public access approval when needed for the Patriot Assistance Dogs program.

Amy Venzke

Receptionist

Amy Venzke (Jacobson) joined Ark Animal Hospital in March 2023 as a Receptionist, Pharmacy, and Assistant worker. She was raised in South Minneapolis, and at ten years old, she moved to the Park Rapids area with her family. She graduated from Park Rapids High School in 1990. She worked previously in Lab, Pharmacy, and Home Care before coming to the Ark Animal Hospital. She states she LOVES our team and her job! She has (3) grown children who were raised in the Park Rapids area and two beautiful grandchildren! Her hobbies include fishing, kayaking, upcycling wood tables, painting, and spending time with her family and friends.

Amanda Bartlett

Tech Assistant

Amanda came to The Ark as a Vet Assistant because of her love of animals and a passion for their care. She moved back to the Midwest about five years ago to be closer to a family who lives in Des Moines, IA. She has been training and racing sled dogs since 2000 and still competes in races around Minnesota and Wisconsin. In the summer, she also owns and runs a campground. In what spare time she can find, she also raises chickens and gardens.

Tricia Hase

Client Service

Tricia has been a Veterinary Assistant and Client Services representative for 20 years and has worked for the Ark for 16 years! Tricia was born and raised in the area and graduated from Menahga High School in 1998. Tricia has always had a love for animals and currently has three dogs and three cats. Tricia and her husband Mike have lived in Park Rapids for 18 years and have two children, Owen and Kinley. Tricia enjoys music, camping, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Briana Hoffman

Certified Veterinary Technicians

Briana graduated in 2010 from the Minnesota School of Business in Moorhead, MN, with a degree in Veterinary Technology. She has several years of experience in small-animal and large-animal medicine. Briana enjoys spending time with her family. She has two rescue dogs: a three-legged Goldendoodle named Penny and a Boxer named Hope. Briana’s hobbies include kayaking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, and camping.

Dr. Vickie Wang

Veterinarian

Dr. Vickie Wang grew up in the farmlands of Fertile, MN. She attended North Dakota University in Fargo, receiving an Associate’s degree as a Certified Veterinary Technician and completing her undergraduate studies. Dr. Wang received her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Wang’s professional interests include preventive medicine, feline internal medicine, and geriatrics.

Dr. Wang shares her home with three dogs-Cassi, Callie, and Emmie, and five cats- Preston, Bell, Rhayne, Ash, and Onyx. “Having pets all my life allowed me to understand how they have enriched my life and the lives of others.”

When not caring for pets at the clinic, Dr. Wang can spend quality time with her pets, hiking- with at least one dog in tow, biking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, or tending to her flower garden, especially her roses. “There is nothing like being surrounded by pine trees to make one feel grounded, but being a small-town girl, the friendly pet owners have always made me feel at home.”

Dr. Mia Long

Veterinarian

Mia is a city girl turned Northwoods woman. Dr. Long graduated from West High in Minneapolis and received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Earlham College. Dr. Long was a Wildlife Technician for the USFWS and MN DNR before attending Vet School. Dr. Long received a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the U of MN College of Veterinary Medicine and then headed north!

Dr. Long spent seven years in mixed animal practice in Alexandria and Perham and a year in the Peace Corps in Morocco. In 1994, Dr. Long purchased the Nevis Veterinary Clinic, moved it to Park Rapids, and renamed it the Ark Animal Hospital.

Dr. Long finds veterinary practice challenging and rewarding. “I celebrate the human-animal bond every day. Pets enrich our lives and improve our mental and physical health. Our job is to help our clients keep their pets healthy.”

Dr. Long was a founding member of the Headwaters Animal Shelter and has been a Kinship Mentor. In her spare time, Dr. Long enjoys spending time outdoors-hiking, biking, swimming, hunting upland birds, ducks, deer, skiing, and bird watching.