Our Team

Our Team is here to help

Meet Our Veterinary Team

Our team is here to help. At Tillema Veterinary Clinic, we treat you and your pets like our family. Get to know our awesome team below!

Dr. Richard Tillema

Owner – Veterinarian

Dr. Tillema's Bio

Dr. Tillema grew up on a dairy in Texas where hard work wasn’t an option, it was a necessity 24/7. Dr. Tillema always believed if you take care of the animals, they will take care of you. As you might guess, lots of dogs and cats were dropped off on the dairy and Dr. Tillema was always providing care for those animals that were in need as his dad always joked, “You should open a veterinary clinic.” After graduating from High School, Dr. Tillema had many athletic scholarship opportunities but chose to serve his country in the U.S. Navy. After four years of working with an outstanding search and rescue team, Dr. Tillema got out of the military to work on his passion for veterinary medicine. Dr. Tillema graduated from veterinary school and after a few years working in upstate New York, he opened his own mobile practice in Southern California. He soon after, opened up his brick and mortar practice in beautiful Corona, Ca. In his spare time, he enjoys endurance events, skydiving, training, hiking, and playing and watching sports. Dr. Tillema also enjoys working with the FFA (Future Farmers of America) and the military. He has 5 hairy kids that he enjoys spending time with; Littles, Rebound, Lola, Cujo, and Stevie.

Michelle

Diana

 Lead Vet Assistant

Diana's Bio
Diana has been working with animals for 5 years. She started working as a veterinary receptionist and gained all the knowledge and skills during that time. She chose to work with animals because she grew up with chickens and dogs as a child. Her hobbies include spending time with her family, reading, being outdoors, building legos, and any arts and crafts. She also has a love and fascination for dinosaurs. She does not currently have any pets but does have a tattoo in remembrance of her sweet 12 year old Chihuahua “Squid” that past last year.

Nicole

Vet Assistant

Nicole's Bio
Nicole has always loved animals and knew she wanted to be a veterinarian since elementary school. She is currently studying biology at Cal State Fullerton and is a board member of the pre-vet club. She looks forward to becoming a Veterinarian and is soaking up all that she is learning from Dr. Tillema. As a Vet Assistant at Tillema Veterinary Clinic, she has been able to get a lot of hands-on experience. She enjoys bonding with pets and educating clients on the proper way to care for their large and small animals. She has two dogs named Jaxx and Cully. In her spare time, she enjoys going to the mountains, snowboarding, traveling, and spending time with family.

Shelby

Vet Assistant

Shelby's Bio
Bio coming soon.
Michelle

Samantha

Vet Assistant

Samantha's Bio
Samantha is going to be a third year student in Fall 2022, majoring in Animal Science at UC Davis. She has always had a passion for animals from showing horses to taking care my own family’s zoo which has included dogs, cats, leopard geckos, chinchillas, and bearded dragons. She currently has 2 chinchillas named Chewy and Piggy, 3 rescued cats named Charlie, Oreo, and Calypso. She has gained a lot of large animal experience through her time volunteering in the hippotherapy department at Leaps & Bounds. At UC Davis she has also worked with dairy cattle, goats, pigs and sheep. In her spare time, she likes playing softball, water polo, volleyball, and tennis. She loves reading, especially romance and mystery novels and of course enjoys hanging out with friends and family.
Michelle

Clarisse

Vet/Kennel Assistant

Clarisse's Bio

Clarisse loves caring for pets, it brings her happiness. She has been a pet owner and animal lover all her life. Not only does she care for her own pets, she cares for her friends and family’s pets also that can range from rabbits, dogs, cats, hamsters, turtles, and more. She feels that she is very patient and caring when it comes to helping pets in need. She recently attended and graduated from a vet assistant program. She had a poodle mix named Koko and a rabbit named Penelope. She enjoys reading books, playing video games, and watching anime. She also has an artistic side and loves to draw and paint.