About Wagnolia

Dr. Joshi has been practicing veterinary medicine in Chicago for nearly 15 years. She is committed to offering the best medical options for each patient and works hard to educate her clients on how best to achieve their pets' healthcare goals. Dr. Joshi practices whole body medicine, which involves a connected approach to your pet's health. This means that when we are addressing one problem, we are not ignoring others that might be contributing to it. For example, when your pet is experiencing behavioral changes such as anxiety or aggression, she will open up dialogue to address potential underlying issues such as chronic pain, gastrointestinal health and skin disorders among other chronic ailments that may exacerbate behavioral issues. Dr. Joshi has a strong interest in public health and includes concepts of One Health - which is defined as the intersection of human, animal and environmental health - into Wagnolia's approach. She values collaboration with others in the neighborhood such as schools, rescue organizations, and the Chamber of Commerce to help shape a safer community for Uptown's people and pets.

Samantha graduated from Virginia Tech in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Animal and Poultry Science. In 2017 she graduated from Fox College's Veterinary Technician program with honors and as her class representative. In March 2018, Samantha passed her boards and became a Certified Veterinary Technician.  Samantha loves spending her free time with her two hound dogs; Griffy and Rufus. Together they love going to the beach, hiking, and their favorite, camping! If she's not outside, you can catch her at a local music venue or brewery with her husband, Mark. Samantha's favorite part about working at Wagnolia is building relationships with our amazing clients and watching our patients build confidence at the vet and come out of their shells!

Karina has always had a passion to work with animals, so after working in retail, her husband convinced her to go back to school to become a veterinary assistant. During her time studying, Karina was accepted to an internship at Wagnolia. Now a certified veterinary assistant, Karina has been with Wagnolia for over a year, and is going back to school to become a Certified Veterinary Technician! Her love for animals has only grown since starting her work in the veterinary field. Karina enjoys her free time taking much needed naps with her two crazy dogs, Beans and Koda. She also loves enjoying new restaurants with her husband, Ivan, trying new foods and drinks, and watching sports!

Bio coming soon.

Jackie joined Wagnolia in October 2022 and has been working hard to answer our phones and keep our inbox at zero since. She worked for a small petsitting service for four and a half years before joining our team and is delighted to still be working with animals. (Especially those that are as fantastic as Wagnolia's patients!)  Outside of work, you can find Jackie trying out new recipes, birdwatching, or spending time with the other fluffy loves in her life, Kenobi and Pooka. One of her favorite parts of her job is when folks bring their pets in for happy visits. It makes her day to give our furry friends some pets and a treat!

Kaylynne comes from a diverse background of art schooling followed by a career of working in dog daycare for 3 years before finding her place at Wagnolia, where she started out as a kennel attendant, and moved up to become a veterinary assistant. Despite being new to the veterinary world and profession as a whole, she is excited to share the knowledge she’s gained from daycare, and being a cat mom herself, to provide the best care and comfort for all of our patients as she continues to gain more skills and knowledge along the way. Whenever she’s not in the clinic she’s likely spending countless hours creating costumes and props for cosplaying or sitting at home playing games with her cats. Kaylynne’s favorite part about Wagnolia is meeting new furry faces every day and getting to know their individual personalities to provide the best care and support she can!

Emma has been working at Wagnolia since October 2022, where she started her career in the veterinary field as a client care coordinator.  She became office manager in June 2023 and has loved getting to engage with patients, clients, and the community in so many ways!  She is passionate about facilitating patient care that respects animal boundaries and autonomy.  Emma graduated with a BA in History in 2015 and an MAT in 5-12 education in 2016, both from Earlham College.  Prior to working at Wagnolia, she spent 5 years as a middle school social studies and English teacher in Indianapolis, Chicago, and Shanghai.  She enjoys traveling, vegan food, and cuddling with her cat, Pepper, who is the love of her life.  Say hi if you ever see her at the clinic!

Born in Chicago, Brianna's journey with animals began at a young age. Throughout Brianna's nomadic life across Illinois, one constant has remained: her unwavering love for animals. She considers herself very lucky that her two cats, Mouse and Dobby, are kind enough to share their home with her. With a decade of experience dog walking and pet sitting, Brianna's path to veterinary medicine has been paved with a deep-rooted passion for animal welfare. When she stumbled upon the Care Coordinator position at Wagnolia, it felt like her destiny was calling. As a Care Coordinator, Brianna is eager to bridge the gap between pet parents and our veterinary team, ensuring that every furry family member receives the attention, compassion, and expertise they deserve. She encourages you to embark on a journey of care, compassion, and advocacy for all creatures, great and small.