Meet Our French Alps Speakers
Andréa L. Minella, DVM, PhD, DACVO
Dr. Andréa Minella received her bachelor’s degree, veterinary degree, and a PhD from Michigan State
University. During her PhD, Dr. Minella studied inherited retinal diseases and novel treatment strategies such
as gene therapy and genome editing. Dr. Minella then completed a small animal medicine and surgery
internship at the University of Wisconsin followed by a comparative ophthalmology residency at the University
of California, Davis. Dr. Minella spent 3 years practicing at the Veterinary Eye Center of NYC’s Queens
location. She recently helped launch Veterinary Eye Center’s first Connecticut location in Greenwich, where
she now serves as an ophthalmologist and the Medical Director. A native of Long Island, NY, in her spare time
Dr. Minella loves a day on the water, a night enjoying the arts, or spending time with her pets Fred and Millie,
her husband Jake, family, and friends.
Kimberly Hassen, MA, DVM, CVA DACVAA
“I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and earned my DVM from the University
of Wisconsin-Madison in 2015. After vet school, I completed a small animal
rotating internship at Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital in Colorado and anesthesia
residency at North Carolina State University, earning DACVAA status in 2019.
I currently work at a combined specialty and emergency small animal practice in
Colorado where I also serve as the Medical Director. I take a holistic approach to
anesthesia and patient care, working hard to keep my patients calm and
comfortable throughout their hospital stay. My favorite tools include pre-visit
pharmaceuticals, ultrasound-guided locoregional anesthesia, and perhaps most
importantly - snacks.
I love tapping into my creative side through my hospital’s marketing efforts.
Recently, I directed a parody of Taylor Swift’s latest music video for Veterinary
Technician Week, which earned a “like” from the mastermind herself. This, I feel,
is one of my life’s greatest accomplishments.
Outside of work, I bake sourdough variants, do Lagree Pilates, and read
historical fiction. My pets include two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels named
Hammy and Cheezy, who are collectively known as The Lunchables, and a
tuxedo cat named Mr. Sandwiches.”