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.
Susan
Practice Manager
Susan's Bio
Susan has been working in the animal care field since 1993. She has always had love and compassion for animals. She began working at a grooming shop in high school and then at a veterinary hospital where she worked many positions including Groomer, Vet assistant, Customer Service Representative, and Manager. She worked with the same veterinarian for 28 years. Susan really takes pride in her ability to work with pets and making them feel calm and at ease. She also loves working with clients and helping to educate them in the best way to care for their pets. Being a Practice Manager at Tillema Veterinary Clinic has been very rewarding as she really enjoys keeping morale up, having teamwork, and helping everyone to meet the goal of giving our clients and their pets the best care possible. In her spare time, Susan enjoys art, crafts, music, photography (you will see on our social media), movies, gardening, and gathering with friends. She has an awesome husband and 2 adorable Chihuahuas named Chico and Chica.
Elsa
Lead Vet Assistant
Elsa's Bio
Elsa knew from an early age that she wanted to work with animals and would often bring home strays and injured wildlife. Not much has changed. As a Lead Vet Assistant at Tillema Veterinary Clinic she shows compassion and care to every pet that she works with. She always goes that extra mile to make them feel comfortable. She is often seen hanging out in the kennel with the pets cuddling them, hand feeding them, and helping them feel safe. Previously she worked at a veterinary clinic for 17 years. With those years spent at that facility she became very close to many clients. They became like a part of her family. She looks forward to building that bond here. She loves every aspect of her job and enjoys working with large and small animals. She currently has two cats and a ferret. In her spare time she enjoys yoga and aerial dance.
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.
Erika
Vet Assistant
Erika's Bio
Erika has worked in the animal care field since she was in High School. She was lucky that her school offered an Animal Health course through R.O.P. This gave her the opportunity to work with many types of species from dogs and cats to birds and reptiles. As a Vet Assistant, she enjoys being able to help clients keep their pets healthy and happy. Currently at home, she has a duck named Chacita, 4 chickens named after Disney princesses; Marida, Mulan, Anastasia, and Moana. She also has 2 parakeets: Vladamir and Susan, a Finch; Mimi, a Cockatiel; Lola, 2 cats, Sebastian and Sassy, 4 dogs; Hero, Cornelia, Evie, Mina, a Sulcata Tortoise; Philip, a family of Guppies accompanied by 2 Zebra Tetra, 2 Red Eye Tetras and 1 Bristle Nose Pleco. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, watching action and horror movies, and hanging out with her friends and family.
Devynn
Customer Service Representative
Devynn's Bio
Devynn has been passionate about animals her whole life and feels blessed to have a career in the animal care field for over 15 years. While in high school, she was part of the FFA program where she raised two pigs named Lil Bits and Daisy. Also at that time, she worked at a veterinary hospital as a Customer Service Representative where she also was trained to be a Groomer. Now as a Customer Service Representative at Tillema Veterinary Clinic, Devynn is dedicated to making sure patients have a comfortable and enjoyable experience each visit. She has two cats named Sonic and Jack. In her spare time, she enjoys music and live shows, and spending time with her family and friends. She is looking forward to continuing her career and passions. One day she hopes to have a farm of her own where she can have many animals including pigs of her own.
Melissa
Customer Service Representative
Melissa's Bio
Melissa started working with animals in 2014. She has worked as a dog walker, shelter attendant, receptionist, and a variety of positions in animal hospitals. Working with animals is very rewarding and fun for her. She really loves all aspects of animal care including educating clients on the best care for their pets. In her spare time, Melissa runs a small Etsy store named Kingsruffwear, where she sells handmade and stylish pet accessories and more. Her dog King is the reason she began her store as he is her beloved dog, a partner in crime and they love going on fun hikes together.
Marissa
Kennel Attendant
Marissa's Bio
Marissa has been working with animals since 2012. She has worked as a veterinary assistant, kennel attendant, bather, groomer, and receptionist. Her experience volunteering at OC Animal Care helped her spend time with pets and allowed her to comfort them and keep them calm. Pets tend to sense her calm demeanor through stressful situations, which allows them to feel more at ease. She really enjoys helping clients by treating their pets as if they were her own. In her free time, she enjoys education, theater, music, crafting, Disney, and living history events.