Team

OUR VETERINARIANS

  • Rhoda Stevenson

    Rhoda Stevenson

    DVM Dipl ABVP Avian/Owner and Founder

    About Rhoda Stevenson

    Dr. Stevenson is a graduate of the University of Florida Veterinary Medical School and has practiced in Jacksonville for over 30 years. She is board certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in avian specialty and has owned and operated the Exotic Bird Hospital since 1995, where over 12,000 patients were seen last year.

    Rhoda has written articles for national magazines and presented seminars for international organizations. She is also involved with community education appearing on local television and presenting to schools, libraries and several Florida bird clubs. She has worked with the Jacksonville Zoo, is a member of the Zoo Animal Health Committee, and is a frequent consultant for Marineland.

    Rhoda lives in Mandarin with thirty birds including pet and aviary birds, and her dog Rocky.

    Watch Dr Stevenson in action
  • Melissa Smith

    Melissa Smith

    DVM

    About Melissa Smith

    *Bio Coming Soon*

  • Tony Colbert

    Tony Colbert

    DVM

    About Tony Colbert

    Dr. Tony was born, raised and educated in the Midwestern United States. He graduated from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2013. Dr. Tony traveled extensively during his education, pursuing preceptorships and externships in exotic animal medicine from experts in Australia and throughout the United States. While in veterinary school, he was the President of both the Iowa State’s Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians and Association of Avian Veterinarians clubs. Dr. Tony heavily supplemented his own education and the education of others interested in exotic animals with hands-on exotic animal clinical experience, clinical reference materials and lectures from experienced exotic practitioners. His passion for reptile and avian medicine burns as strong as ever, and he seeks to maintain a high-quality, current knowledge-base and skill set in these areas.

    Following graduation, Dr. Tony spent a year working as a crocodile veterinarian in the Philippines, dividing his time between two facilities on opposite ends of the county. In 2014, he returned to the U.S. to practice exotic animal medicine in beautiful coastal California for two years before returning to his home city of Chicago to join one of the busiest, most reputable exotics-only practices in the state. After two years of failing to cope with the land-locked Midwest and its miserable winters, his yearning for the tropics and the beach brought him to sunny Florida. He shares his life with a ball python that he has had since age 17, a Russian tortoise, an Indonesian blue-tongued skink, a lovely Citron cockatoo and a gentlemanly Goffin’s cockatoo.

  • Robyn Borger

    Robyn Borger

    DVM

    About Robyn Borger

    Dr. Borger graduated in 2015 from St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine in Grand Cayman. She then completed her clinical year at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Dr. Borger was born and raised in Belleville, Illinois. Among having dogs growing up, Dr. Borger also had chinchillas, snakes and a guinea pig. For the past three years, she has lived in Florida with her faithful dog Crystal, who has been by her side ever since she adopted her during week one of veterinary school. Dr. Borger is a small animal veterinarian with a special interest in exotics and surgery.

     

  • Rosemarie Borkowski

    Rosemarie Borkowski

    DVM

    About Rosemarie Borkowski

    Professor & Veterinarian at Jacksonville University. Dr. Borkowski has been part of Exotic Bird Hospital for more that 15 Years.

  • Hannah Hipkiss

    Hannah Hipkiss

    DVM

    About Hannah Hipkiss

    Dr. Hannah Hipkiss is a 2023 graduate from the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine and recent Florida transplant. In veterinary school, she was the president of the ZEWA (Zoo, Exotics, Wildlife and Aquatics) club, and completed 4th year clinical externships at the San Diego Zoo, Smithsonian and Conservation Biology Institute, and Brookfield Zoo. She was inspired to pursue advanced training in large animal medicine (horses, livestock, camelids, pigs) and completed a large animal internship at Iowa State University following graduation. With a specialized interest in anesthesia, she completed a specialty internship in anesthesia at the University of Missouri soon after. During these internships, she was able to apply her training at many zoos and aquarium facilities across the country, including the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program, where she currently serves as a relief veterinarian.

    She has a special interest in avian and aquatic medicine, but she is happy to see all beasts big and small, feathered or scaled. Dr. Hipkiss feels blessed to have the ability to join an expertise team that cares about patients first. Her favorite thing to do is dance and read at the beach with her dog, Yogi.

ADMINISTRATION

Belinda Gomez

Belinda Gomez

Administrative Service Provider Financial/Planning

Belinda Gomez, a dedicated member of the Exotic Bird Hospital team since 2011, has a deep-rooted compassion for animals, fostered by her upbringing with various pets. Her life experiences, including rescuing needy animals, have given her a profound understanding of the special bond people share with their pets. With over 22 years of experience in the veterinary and management field, Belinda is passionate about helping people strengthen their relationships with their pets. Her primary goal is to educate and empower pet owners to provide better care. She firmly believes that preventative care and nutrition are the cornerstones of ensuring the longevity of all species. In her free time, Belinda enjoys camping or spending time at the ball field with her family.

Andres Gomez

Andres Gomez

Administrative Service Provider/Marketing

Andres Gomez became a part of the Exotic Bird Hospital team in 2012. He holds a degree in marketing and advertising and consistently keeps himself updated on the latest marketing trends through education and certifications beyond his degree. He is pursuing his second bachelor’s degree in business at FSCJ. Andres has grown up with dogs and has always had a strong love for animals, so he values the bond people share with their pets. He believes in building and maintaining honest, organic relationships with people. Andres likes to play sports, travel, and study when he is not working at the hospital. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions regarding Exotic Bird Hospital’s marketing, app, website, or social media, Andres will gladly respond to them.

Front Desk

Elisabeth Triegaardt

Elisabeth Triegaardt

Client Service Administrator

*Bio Coming Soon*

Josie Crouse

Josie Crouse

Client Service Administrator

*Bio Coming Soon*

Lab Technician

Paul Hamry

Paul Hamry

Lab Technician

Paul has been with the Exotic Bird Hospital for many years. Although he is now retired, Paul still works here part-time as a lab technician. He and his wife Donna have a wide assortment of pets including birds, chickens and dogs. Paul enjoys gardening and planting vegetables and has over 200 different types of plants.

Technicians

Matt Rind

Matt Rind

Animal Care Specialist

*Bio Coming Soon*

Imari Belsches

Imari Belsches

Animal Care Specialist

*Bio Coming Soon*

Sara Gibson

Sara Gibson

Animal Care Specialist

Sara joined our team at the beginning of 2023. Although she is relatively new to veterinary medicine, she has wanted to work with animals since she was a child. Sara has a love of nature and has a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She has visited the Amazon Rainforest and Galapagos Islands. Sara enjoys establishing bonds with her patients and finds it very rewarding when she earns their trust. Seeing the individual personality of an animal always brightens her day. Sara has a French bulldog, a calico cat, and a pineapple green cheek conure.

Mascots

Kermit

Kermit

Chatter Box

Zeus

Zeus

Mascot

11744 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville Fl 32246 PH: (904)256-0043