Doctor Mentorship Program

Reagan Bugg, DVM
Regional Doctor Mentor

A 2017 Mississippi State University graduate, Dr. Bugg is passionate about teaching surgical and dental techniques. As a Regional Doctor Mentor, she promotes effective client communication and owner engagement, enhancing overall patient care.

Dr. Bugg owns 4 horses and competes in Adult Amateur Hunters with Brewsky, her 13-year-old RPSI Warmblood.

Inspired by her mentors, Drs. Murphy and Wright, Dr. Bugg values creating supportive environments for new graduates. She loves the hands-on aspect of being a Regional Doctor Mentor, assisting across 12 regional hospitals.

Her goal: Fostering growth and happiness in new veterinarians, mirroring the supportive environment she's enjoyed for 7 years.

Katie Fish, DVM
Director of Mentorship Programs

With a DVM from Cornell and BS from University at Buffalo, Dr. Fish brings 20+ years of veterinary and mentorship experience. A classical violinist and world traveler, she applies her passion to nurturing new veterinarians.

Transitioning from general practice to full-time mentorship in 2020, she supports early career vets across multiple hospitals. As Director of Mentoring Programs at Thrive Pet Healthcare, she leads initiatives fostering medical excellence and well-being.

Dr. Fish creates safe spaces for honest discussions about veterinary challenges. She normalizes experiences for new doctors, building their resilience.

She excels in soft-tissue surgery and is passionate about mentorship as both a topic and skill. She values the benefits of the national community at Thrive in improving patient outcomes and nurturing doctor well-being.

Her goal: Empowering vets to achieve clinical excellence, while supporting personal well-being and fostering community.

Trevor Garb, DVM
Regional Doctor Mentor

A Texas A&M DVM graduate with an Emergency & Critical Care internship at DoveLewis Animal Hospital, Dr. Garb brings extensive experience in emergency medicine and practice leadership. He's been a partner at Pet Emergency & Specialty Center and helped open multiple urgent care locations.

As a Regional Doctor Mentor, Dr. Garb focuses on helping new graduates transition into their roles as veterinarians and leaders.

An ocean enthusiast, Dr. Garb enjoys surfing and free diving. At home, he's kept busy by Clayton the Siberian husky, Fig Newman the Terrier mix, and Walnut the California desert tortoise.

His goal: Help new vets maintain their passion, achieve their goals, and realize how amazing they truly are.

Jon Friend, DVM
Regional Doctor Mentor

With a DVM from NC State and an ongoing MBA from Wake Forest, Dr. Friend brings diverse expertise to his role as Regional Doctor Mentor. An AVMA and NCVMA member, he excels in orthopedics and soft tissue surgery.

Dr. Friend's career spans private and corporate practice, regional medical director, and now mentorship. He's passionate about work-life rhythms and leadership development.

An avid MLB fan and memorabilia collector, Dr. Friend balances professional growth with personal passions like hiking and camping.

His goal: Creating a mentorship model that positively influences the entire veterinary profession.

Ali Mason, DVM, cVMA
Regional Doctor Mentor

After graduating from the Atlantic Veterinary College on Prince Edward Island, Dr. Mason completed a small animal rotating internship in Manhattan. After her internship, she went directly into general practice in Brooklyn, New York.

Dr. Mason joined Thrive in 2020 after holding roles as a medical director and area medical director for practices in and around NYC. During this time, Dr. Mason realized she loves building relationships with families and their pets and enjoys providing medical support to the doctors, technicians, assistants, and administrative staff she works with.

Dr. Mason enjoys all facets of veterinary medicine but has a special interest in dermatology and challenging medicine cases. She is also certified in veterinary medical acupuncture and works to integrate acupuncture into her practice. Before joining Thrive, Dr. Mason ran and organized new graduate mentorship programs for hospitals in New York City.

Dr. Rainier Ko, DVM, MS Diplomate ACVS, Diplomate ACVIM (Neurology)
Regional Doctor Mentor & Regional Medical Director

In 2000, Dr. Ko earned his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Université de Montréal. Following his internship at the Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, Dr. Ko returned to Montréal as a laboratory instructor in small animal anatomy and applied surgical anatomy. He then went on to complete a residency in small animal surgery. In 2005, he earned his joint Master of Science degree from Purdue University in Indiana.

Dr. Ko received board certification in small animal veterinary surgery in 2007, and went on to complete a neurology residency at Colorado State University. It was there, in 2014, where he earned his second board certification. This accomplishment distinguishes Rainier as one of seven people in the world who are double-board certified in small animal surgery and veterinary neurosurgery.

In 2023, Dr. Ko joined the Thrive Animal Medical and Surgical Center - North Scottsdale as an orthopedic, soft tissue, and neurosurgeon. He recently returned to Colorado to follow his passion for veterinary mentorship and medical field leadership.

Dr. Jen Turner
Regional Doctor Mentor

Dr. Turner earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at Washington State University. After her first year of veterinary school, she completed an externship working with a wide variety of marine and exotic species, including dolphins, sea lions, reptiles, birds, sea turtles, and fish. She continued her training at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, gaining experience in aquaculture and contributing to research on sea star wasting disease. Shortly thereafter, she had externships at SeaWorld San Antonio and the Navy Marine Mammal Center in San Diego.

Dr. Turner later pursued a shelter medicine internship at the University of Illinois, where she discovered that, while she enjoyed clinical medicine and surgery, her true calling was in teaching. Additional training included an internship with the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region in Colorado Springs.

Her academic career has included serving as Clinical Assistant Professor of Shelter & Community Medicine at Midwestern University (2019–2022) and, most recently, as Assistant Teaching Professor at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine (2022–2025). These roles have allowed her to combine her love of shelter medicine with her passion for mentoring the next generation of veterinarians.

Since then, she has been fortunate to continue building a career in veterinary education while relocating every few years with her husband, an officer in the U.S. Air Force.

Dr. Karyn Collier 
Regional Doctor Mentor and Medical Director

After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Tougaloo College in Mississippi, Dr. Karyn Collier attended Cornell University, earning her DVM. 

Originally from Mississippi, Dr. Collier moved to New Jersey for her full-time veterinary career. For more than a decade, she worked in general practice and emergency medicine at various hospitals. In 2012, she assummed the role of Chief Medical Officer at the Saint Francis Veterinary Center. Under her leadership, SFVC was named American Animal Hospital Association's (AAHA) 2019 Practice of the Year.

Dr. Collier moved to Dallas in 2021, when she began working at Thrive's Hillside Veterinary Clinic. Today, she serves as Hillside's Medical Director where she also continues to provide hands-on veterinary care. She also finds time to serve at community vet clinics and wellness centers.
With 30 years of experience under her white coat, Dr. Collier shares her extensive leadership and practical skills with colleagues. She says these discussions help create positive staff and client experiences which, in turn, helps ensure even better medical care for pets.