About Us
Our Staff
From licensed technicians and dedicated assistants to our friendly front desk crew—and even Millie the Meatball, our beloved clinic cat—each member of our team brings skill, compassion, and a genuine love for animals to everything they do. Get to know the people who make Clifton Park Veterinary Clinic a trusted name in upstate veterinary care.
Our Team, Your Support
Meet Our Staff
Veterinary Staff
Rachael Schenkel
Assistant
Rachael Schenkel has lived in the capital region her whole life. She graduated from Guilderland High School in 2012. Rachael graduated from HVCC in 2015 with her Associate’s degree in individual studies, and then went on to achieve her Associate’s degree in Veterinary Technology in 2019 from Ulster County Community College. She joined Clifton Park Veterinary Clinic in January 2020. Rachael currently lives in Rotterdam with her cat, Striker. In her free time, Rachael bowls in a league weekly throughout the year. Rachael also works part-time at the local bowling alley in Delmar.
Tina Lynch
LVT
Tina currently lives in Clifton Park with her family – her husband (Kieran), 2 boys (Marcus and Zeke), 3 cats (Miles, Tut, and Amber), and 2 dogs (Sage and Ralph). Tina and her husband are retired foster parents with Schenectady County DSS. In her spare time, she is active in her sons’ many after-school activities. She enjoys fishing. She is an avid soccer fan and just earned her Grassroots 11v11 coaching license.
Tina is also an advocate for one of her favorite misunderstood dog breeds, the Cane Corso. She has a soft spot for the breed and the special needs cases. She has taken in several special needs cases, and she loves helping these special dogs.
Erin Smith
Assistant/Kennel Help
Erin grew up in the Capital Region and is presently attending UMass Amherst for a BS in Animal Science. She is hopeful to continue on to vet school after completing her undergraduate degree. While at school, she remains a lover of the outdoors, being an avid cyclist and skier when not rowing for the UMass Women’s crew team. It’s not uncommon to find Erin home on the weekends, visiting with her dog Dax and two cats, Lincoln and Izzy. Over breaks, Erin loves to come back to the clinic and gain more experience in vet med from the wonderful doctors and techs!
Brynn
Brynn is one of the assistants here at Clifton Park Veterinary Clinic. Hailing from South Carolina, Brynn moved up to New York in 2020 and joined the team in 2025. Having grown up surrounded by animals, Brynn has worked in various parts of the animal industry, including kennel work, training, and helping to hand-raise several species of big cats, deer, and opossums. Brynn’s special interests include behavior, end-of-life care, and neurology. Outside of work, she fosters with Project Paws and likes to spend her free time playing video games and reading, usually choosing horror novels or anything science-y.
Office Staff
Kathy Batzinger
Office Manager
Kathy graduated from Burnt Hills High School and Siena College. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Siena, where she majored in Political Science and minored in History. Kathy began working for Dr. Bogaard when the practice was Country Knolls Animal Hospital in 2001. Fortunately for us, she decided to stay on board when Dr. Cooper bought the clinic and Dr. Bogaard retired! Kathy lives in the Capital District with her two cats, Felix and Ramona. When she is not at work, Kathy enjoys reading, doing crafts, watching Disney movies, and building LEGO.
Millie the Meatball
CCF (Clinic Cat Freeloader)
Millie joined the practice in 2016. She was very shy at first, but now that she is the only clinic cat, she’s really come out of her shell. Millie does miss COVID times, when she was able to lie up in the lobby in the sunshine all day! Now Millie spends her days stealing the dog bed from Dr. Cooper’s dog, Misty, or napping in her Monster bed. And you can be sure if you are headed toward the back of the hospital, she will be close behind, thinking it’s time to eat! On the weekends, you can find Millie in her Glam Shack, enjoying the peace and quiet of the clinic.