Dr. Amanda Pittman grew up in a small Louisiana town about halfway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Essentially, this means that she can cook both Cajun and Creole food! She graduated with college honors in 2001 from Louisiana State University and went on to graduate from veterinary school in 2005, also from LSU. She will be a purple and gold Tiger for all of her days, but living in Knoxville since 2005 and having a son graduate from the University of Tennessee means that some “Big Orange” has found its way into her heart and closet as well.

After several years of practicing conventional medicine and three years practicing emergency medicine, she became very comfortable caring for difficult internal medicine cases and emergency situations. She has received additional training in ultrasound and can perform basic abdominal ultrasounds and echocardiograms. Over time, she began to see a tremendous need for additional relief in her geriatric and critically ill patients and began investigating alternative options. When her own senior dog, Boudreaux, began to have trouble getting around himself, she went back to school, and she was awarded the title of Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed externships in this field at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville, TN, Medvet in Mandeville, LA, and also at Loving Touch in Stone Mountain, GA.

Through her rehabilitation training at Loving Touch and her prior work with Fountain City Animal Hospital, she was exposed to acupuncture and other holistic methods. She went on to train at the Chi Institute in Reddick, FL and received her Certified Veterinary Acupuncture degree, and after that she was hooked! She completed an integrative externship at the Chattanooga Holistic Animal Institute in Chattanooga, TN. Along with acupuncture training at Chi, she learned the basics of veterinary Herbology and Tui-Na, a medical massage technique that uses acupuncture meridians to treat illness in the body. She has also completed advanced training in their Food Therapy program, and will receive certification in that discipline as well, pending approval of her case study.

Dr. Pittman completed certification in veterinary medical manipulation in 2022 (similar to chiropractic care in people) at the Integrative Veterinary Medical Institute in Florida, and she is seeing amazing results in her patients using this treatment modality.

In addition to hosting veterinary students during their clinical rotations and veterinarians doing externships for physical rehabilitation or acupuncture certification, she began teaching in acupuncture labs with students at the LMU College of Veterinary Medicine as part of Chi University’s affiliate program there in the fall of 2025.

There are lots of big changes coming to AWRC in 2026! In January, all of our doctors received training in Piezoelectric Shockwave Therapy and Dr. Pittman purchased an outstanding shockwave unit that does not require sedation to be used- the results are tremendous.

In April of 2026, Dr. Pittman is attending an ozone therapy summit and will bring that knowledge back to AWRC to further assist our cancer patients and difficult wound healing cases. In May, she is attending a course in musculoskeletal ultrasound and after that time will be able to better diagnose difficult musculoskeletal injuries. In June, coursework begins in a certification program through the Integrative Veterinary Medical Institute in myofascial and manual therapies, and in October, she is traveling back to Chi Institute to become a certified Tui-Na practitioner.

Dr. Pittman is a true believer in the power of integrative medicine. Technology has created advanced diagnostic techniques, allowing us to catch disease at its earliest stages, making the Western world a true modern-day marvel. However, the power of Mother Nature and her healing abilities must not be overlooked.  At times, there is a true need for fast-acting modern pharmaceuticals such as antibiotics, but in almost every disease process, we can find a natural alternative to allow the body to heal itself, the way it was intended.

AWRC was founded in the hopes of partnering with pet parents so that they will have the knowledge of all available options for their pets. Ultimately, the veterinarian and pet parent need to work side by side to determine what the best options for each individual pet will be. Our pets give us unconditional love and devotion every day. They deserve the gift of lifetime wellness from us. Dr. Pittman will continue to devote her life to the betterment of animals through nature and also through their bond with their humans.

Dr. Pittman is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians, American Animal Hospital Association, and American Association of Feline Practitioners. She has been elected president of the Knoxville Veterinary Medical Association for the 2025-2027 term. She has 2 adult children, Garrett and Alex, and 2 very spoiled cats. Hopefully, a new canine companion and a new Betta fish will enter her life soon, when the time is right. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, cooking, baking, reading, cross-stitching, kayaking, and spending time with family and friends.

Dr. Jenny Sangid was born and raised just down the road in Kingsport, TN, and like most veterinarians she had dreamed of being a vet her entire life. Through grade school, she participated in as many animal-centric extracurricular activities as possible, such as volunteering at The Exchange Place historic living farm, fostering her love of large animals and agriculture. Dr. Sangid attended The University of Tennessee, Knoxville and completed a B.S. in Animal Science in 2009. She then attended The University of Missouri, Columbia (Mizzou), where she received a Master of Science in 2011 with Thesis research focusing on environmental physiology and animal genetics. After exploring the research pathway, Dr. Sangid changed directions and decided to attend The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine and graduated with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) in 2015 while passionately focusing on small animal medicine and especially the companion animal bond. During the final clinical year of her veterinary education at UT, Knoxville, Dr. Sangid had a wonderful opportunity of completing the Integrative Medicine rotation solidifying her career goal of practicing Integrative Medicine for Companion Animals.

Dr. Sangid moved to Atlanta, GA in 2015 after her graduation and jumped straight into a general practice animal hospital where she was influenced by many amazing veterinarians, advancing her skills in soft-tissue surgery, internal medicine, and dentistry. Dr. Sangid returned to Knoxville, TN and worked at the same general practice until moving to AWRC. In 2017, Dr. Sangid completed her acupuncture certification at Chi University and began incorporating Eastern medicine into her veterinary services. Dr. Sangid is extremely passionate about pain control and geriatric medicine. She completed her certification as a Veterinary Medical Manipulation Practitioner in 2025.

Dr. Sangid is happily married, sharing two wonderful children, Harper and Henry, with her husband Jordan. She will always be a dachshund lady at heart but right now she has two sassy Standard Poodles, Peach and Poppy. She loves spending free time with her family, traveling, and going on adventures. She is an avid reader and regularly participates in a monthly book club.

 Dr. Lauren Meiers was born in Knoxville but grew up just down the road in Alcoa, TN. She was drawn to animals at a very young age, especially horses. That love of horses led to riding lessons, then a job at the barn, and eventually to meeting and working with the veterinarians who came out to care for those horses. Witnessing those doctors help their patients- and getting to assist in that care- set her on the path to becoming a vet when she was in middle school.

Dr. Meiers graduated from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science in 2011, and started vet school with every intention of becoming an equine vet. However, when she reached her clinical year, she discovered that she enjoyed small animal medicine far more than she expected, and her plans began to change. She graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in 2015 and, in short order, was happily working in small animal general practice. There she gained valuable experience and honed her skills in anesthesia, dentistry, internal medicine, and soft tissue surgery.

Dr. Meiers was first exposed to integrative medicine when she saw what a huge difference acupuncture had made for her best friend’s geriatric lab, Bella. With a household full of geriatric pets herself, she knew that acupuncture would benefit many of her patients. So in 2022 Dr. Meiers completed her acupuncture training at Chi University in Reddick, Florida. Acupuncture appointments quickly became her favorite part of the day. Since coming to AWRC she’s expanded her knowledge of integrative medicine. In 2025 she completed her training in Veterinary Medical Manipulation at Chi University.

Dr. Meiers and her husband Cody share their lives with their dog JJ and 2 cats- Jasper and Delilah. They are passionate travelers and enjoy adventurous trips and experiencing new cultures. Dr. Meiers enjoys spending her time hiking, horseback riding, making pottery, and planning her next big adventure.

Dr. Elizabeth Cooper was born in Jamaica and raised in Houston, TX. She attended Texas A&M University for her undergraduate studies and for veterinary school, and she graduated with her DVM degree in 1997.

From 1997-1998, she completed a rotating small animal internship at the University of Tennessee- Knoxville and has worked in the Knoxville area ever since.

Dr. Cooper has special interests in cardiology, dentistry, and ultrasound. She can perform advanced abdominal ultrasound already, and she is taking courses in advanced cardiac ultrasound in the spring of 2026.

Dr. Cooper shares her life with her husband and two children, a cat, a ball python, and lots of fish!
When not working, Dr. Cooper enjoys crocheting, watching football (Go Aggies!), and working with her many fish tanks, including a large, beautifully appointed salt-water aquarium with vertebrate and invertebrate aquatic life.

She has worked together with Dr. Pittman for the better part of the last 20 years, but she joined our AWRC family full time in December 2025. We are so grateful to have her on our team!

Audrey graduated with a degree in Veterinary Science Technology from SUNY @ Delhi.  Though originally AALAS certified and starting a career in research, she decided the personal touch with client’s animals would be more rewarding.  Audrey has been licensed and worked in small, mixed and exotic practices in multiple states before settling in TN.  While still working, she served as the eastern representative for the Tennessee Veterinary Technician Association and was selected to be on the accreditation team for LMU.  She has a strong work ethic and a dedication for your pet whether she is using her talents as a technician in the exam room, laboratory, pharmacy, surgery suite, and radiology room, or as the staff practice manager, running the front desk, answering your phone calls, or making sure that the inventory is stocked and ordered.

At home, Audrey cares for her chickens, bees, dogs, two children and a loving husband (Go Navy).  Her hobbies include sewing, knitting, crocheting, gardening, playing the piano, singing, caring for family and friends, supporting our military and law enforcement and trying to enjoy each day to its fullest.  Several years ago, she experienced a spinal fracture but with the right surgeon and dedication to physical therapy, she has made a full recovery.  After the spinal reconstruction, rehabilitation offered relief and flexibility needed to function with minimal medications to control the pain, while still continuing the work in the field she loves.  A desire for quality of life for ourselves and our animals is her true calling.

When asked why she chose to work at AWRC, Audrey replied:

“Animals are stoic, and their pain signals can be very subtle and vague.  It’s sometimes difficult for clients to find the source of pain and reduce distress and anxiety:  I like that challenge, and we can help.  I enjoy being surrounded by an educated, caring staff that offers multiple methods in which to alleviate the discomfort of our furry friends.  Pets deserve to be comfortable- after all, they give us so much love and devotion.  I can relate to the pain, having gone through the discomfort and recovery of a painful event myself, so I wanted to work at a place where the same level of healing could happen- signing on with AWRC was a no-brainer.”

Hannah Wolf joined the AWRC family in 2019 and is AWRC’s rehabilitation department manager. When she is not helping with exams, scheduling rehab sessions, or talking with clients, you will find her working directly with our patients in the rehab room. Hannah grew up in Colorado and moved to the Knoxville area in 2018. She has been working with animals for most of her life, and has been a veterinary assistant since 2014. She has 2 chocolate labs and 5 cats that keep her on her toes daily. Her favorite hobby to do outside of work is compete in dog sports- especially dock diving, which is why she has such a passion for physical rehabilitation. She also loves training dogs and spending quality time with her fellow dog-loving friends.

Judy Bushee joined the AWRC family in early 2019 after moving to the Knoxville area from Florida. She has been a veterinary assistant since the late 1980’s, and much of that time has been spent working in holistic practices. Judy brought with her a wealth of management experience and knowledge. She is our primary client service representative, and is our liaison for Trupanion Pet Insurance as well as our online pharmacy. She partnered with Dr. Pittman to make “Boudreaux’s Essentials,” our all-natural line of essential oil-based products for pets.
When she is not working, she enjoys fishing, riding her motorcycle, gardening, and playing with her grandbabies and is owned by 2 cats, 2 dogs and fish. 

Nichole relocated to Tennessee with her husband in 2020, bringing with her two decades of experience in the veterinary field. She began her career in veterinary medicine in 1996 in a small rural town in Michigan, successfully working in a 10-doctor practice with both large and small animals. A proud mother of four and grandmother of five, Nichole balances her professional life with her family commitments. When she’s not at work, you can find her enjoying outdoor adventures with her two dogs, Zoe and Hunter, or exploring the stunning mountains of Tennessee on her Can-Am Spyder with her husband.

Kelsey has worked in the veterinary industry for several years, though her educational background is in Psychology from the University of East Tennessee.

She is the proud owner of three fur babies: Rogue, a 13-year-old black Labrador Retriever; Zona, a spirited 2-year-old cat; and Leia, a 12-week-old Dorkie (Yorkshire Terrier and Dachshund mix). Outside of spending time with her pets, she enjoys reading and working on word searches.

Angie grew up in Western Kansas with a farming and ranching family.  She moved to Knoxville in 2019 and joined the AWRC family in 2022. Angie has worked as an Animal Control Officer, Animal Shelter Manager, and Veterinary Assistant. At AWRC, she worked primarily in our rehab room helping our patients with their treatments, but she also assisted the veterinarians in appointments and wherever else she was needed. She really helped to keep our day running smoothly! Her love and passion for animals started when she was young, and she has a particular soft spot for timid and scared animals, working patiently and calmly to make them feel comfortable. Her experience working in the rehab department and seeing the many benefits of massage therapy on dogs with arthritis, mobility issues, fear and anxiety, and those recovering from surgery, led her to seek out certification in animal massage therapy. Angie completed her education at Equissage, and she is now a Certified Canine Massage Therapist and a Certified Equine Sports Massage Therapist. She has started her own business, Hands and Heart Animal Massage Therapy. We are so proud of her! Angie will be offering massages at AWRC on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12-2 pm. Angie says it brings her great joy to give back comfort, healing, and a sense of well-being through the use of her hands. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, baking, camping, hiking, kayaking, road trips and spending time with her animals, family and friends.

In his spare time, Julian enjoys playing sports, watching anime, and spending time with his family and his dog Sadie. And here’s a fun fact- Julian also knows how to belly dance!

Audrey was born and raised in Walland, TN. She joined the AWRC team in January of 2024, but she has been active in veterinary medicine since 2019. She graduated with her Associate of Science degree in the veterinary technology program at Penn Foster in 2023 and became a licensed veterinary technician in 2024 after passing a rigorous board exam. She is a fear-free certified professional and she works very hard to help all of her patients become comfortable in their environment. She takes a special interest in helping anxious pets as she also has an anxious pet of her own at home and she has a passion for helping owners learn different ways to manage their pet’s anxiety. You can find Audrey primarily on Dr. Pittman’s daily team, but she helps everywhere she is needed if Dr. Pittman is not seeing patients. She also helps manage our hospital’s vast inventory. She has a black and tan coonhound named Ani and recently added a mixed-breed sweetie named Strawberry into the family. In her free time Audrey enjoys hiking with her dogs and reading. Audrey says she enjoys learning and gets to do this constantly with integrative medicine at AWRC!

Taylor was born and raised in Knoxville, TN. She went to Carson-Newman University where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Consumer Services and a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Taylor moved away from Knoxville to Seabeck, Washington where she found Zombie, her now ten year-old  Ruby Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They drove back to the East Coast where they lived in Charleston, South Carolina and found Drax, a second Cavie who is now eight years old and Black and Tan! They were all very happy to move back to East TN where they enjoy hiking, biking, and kayaking! Taylor has an incredible appreciation for being the mom of two monsters as she calls them! As they age, she has seen how integrative medicine can ensure they live their lives to the fullest. While Taylor is new to veterinary medicine, she has a passion for caring for animals because of her love for Zombie and Drax! They have inspired her career change and continue to teach her daily how important is it to take care of our pets who love us unconditionally.

You will usually find Taylor managing LASER appointments or helping in our rehab room, but she can also be found helping our doctors with appointments or even at the reception desk when needed. She has experienced how life changing these treatments can be first-hand with Zombie who has sadly had some injuries.  The LASER, underwater treadmill, and strengthening exercises have helped her avoid surgery and continue to enjoy her life!  Taylor now enjoys being a part of those moments for other patients and their families! Drax enjoys participating in the exercises too, and he has also benefited from herbal medicine as he had some skin cancer removed this year. Taylor is thrilled to be a part of such an amazing team who has helped both her monsters stay so happy and healthy for years!

Magena was born and raised in Maryland and moved to Tennessee in 2020. She started her career in the veterinary field in 2015 and quickly learned it was her passion. She has had a small zoo of animals her whole life and always will.  Magena is currently in school to get her license as a veterinary technician! Magena provides assistance in many areas throughout the day around AWRC, helping with technician duties, assisting doctors with patient care, and floating wherever needed. She shares a home with her fiancé Robert and her cat Oatmeal. In her free time Magena likes to build Legos, binge Harry Potter, and hang out with her horse Stella!

Holly joined the AWRC staff in 2025, she’s originally from Hohenwald, Tennessee, where she grew up with a pack of Beagles. She discovered her passion for animal care while working at a boarding facility during college.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from the University of Tennessee, where she also met her husband, Brandon. After graduating in 2015, she moved to Florida, where she developed an interest in reptiles and volunteered at a sea turtle rehabilitation center.

Missing the mountains, Holly eventually moved back home and spent four years working at a small animal clinic in Jacksboro. Her household is full of rescues, including three dogs—Fang (a 13-year-old Pyrenees Mix), Bilbo (a 5-year-old Cattle Dog mix), and Stormy (a 1-year-old Black and Tan mutt)—as well as two tuxedo cats, Pantera and Elvis, and a ball python named Nagini.

In her spare time, Holly enjoys gardening and spending time at the lake with her family.

Animal welfare has been ingrained in me since I was young, inspired by my mother’s work as a vet tech, dog trainer, and founder of a non-profit rescue. Originally from Indiana, I have called East Tennessee home for most of my life. I earned my Associate’s degree as a Vet Assistant and continued my studies at UTK in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

My professional experience includes serving as the Foster Manager at the Humane Society, Tennessee Valley for seven years and as the Foster and Rescue Manager at Young-Williams Animal Center for over three years. I also had the unique opportunity to work at Zoo Knoxville in 2022 as a nighttime caregiver for Stevie the chimp.

While I have always been passionate about shelter work, my experience led me to realize a deep interest in more specialized cases, which is what drew me to the integrated practice here at AWRC.

On a personal note, I am a proud “crazy cat lady” with five cats: Grizabella, Persimmon, Apollo, HoneyBear, and Minerva. While I am a big dog person at heart, I am truly an all-around animal lover. Outside of work, I enjoy pet-sitting, yoga, hiking, biking, and being crafty.

“I love advocating for pets and working with others who share that passion,” Selena says. “Working at AWRC has taught me so much since I started in April 2025.”

When she is not at work, Selena enjoys spending time with her husband and their pets: two Goldendoodles, Pumpkin and Obi, and a cat named Waffles. Her hobbies include baking, spending time with family, and enjoying outdoor activities.