About Us

Dr. Bullen is a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. While not born in North Carolina, Dr. Bullen is a North Carolinian at heart.  She completed, not only two bachelors degrees at NC State, but was fortunate to stay on for an additional 8 years to complete her doctorate of veterinary medicine, a rotating medical and surgical internship, her residency in small animal clinical nutrition, and a clinical nutrition fellowship.  She was even the NC State Mascot for a time (go Wolf Pack!).

Following board-certification in clinical nutrition, she established the Clinical Nutrition service at Veterinary Specialty Hospital of the Carolinas. In conjunction with Dr. Luisana, she established the Clinical Nutrition service at Friendship Hospital for Animals in D.C. and is a co-founder of Peak Veterinary Specialists. 

When she is not collaborating with colleagues and clients, she loves to spend time with her husband, Nathan, and her boys Arthur and Rowan.  

Dr. Luisana is a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. She is a proud Raleigh, NC native and received her bachelor's in biology and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University. She worked in general practice for several years before returning to NCSU for a residency in Veterinary Nutrition. She completed a Clinical Nutrition fellowship with BluePearl Veterinary Specialty Hospital of the Carolinas. In conjunction with Dr. Bullen, she established the Clinical Nutrition service at Friendship Hospital for Animals in D.C. and is a co-founder of Peak Veterinary Specialists. 

She is interested in all aspects of veterinary nutrition, especially critical care nutrition, gastrointestinal disease including protein-losing enteropathy, renal disease, homemade diets and nutrition's role in wellness. 

Although she is happy to still call North Carolina home, she tries to travel as far and wide as possible. She enjoys spending time with her 2- and 4-legged family, exercising, surviving her kids' schedules, and planning said trips.

 Dr. Kurzbard is a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. She earned her BS in Animal Science and MS in Animal Biology, with a focus on the interaction between nutrition and immunity, from UC Davis. From there, she earned her DVM at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, CA. She completed an internship at Southern California Veterinary Specialty Hospital, and a residency in Clinical Nutrition at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Dr. Kurzbard developed the Nutrition department at BluePearl Pet Hospital in Irvine, California before joining Peak Veterinary Specialists. When she is not working, she enjoys spending her time with her family, especially outdoors.  

 Dr. Mui is a board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialist. After earning her veterinary degree from Tufts University, she pursued advanced training at the University of Pennsylvania and completed her small animal internal medicine residency in 2021. She then worked at Friendship Hospital for Animals in Washington, D.C., and later served as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Colorado State University. She is passionate about teaching and is known for delivering practical, clinically relevant guidance for general practitioners. In her downtime, she enjoys Netflix and is happiest when there’s a cat nearby. 

Allison's has a background in professional rodeo handling, where she was state champion. She retired early from her rodeo career to focus on her hobby of collecting antique ceramic geese. Thankfully, she decided to put her herding skills to use with the staff at PVS. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her rescue alligators and said ceramic geese.

(Allison's bio is being held hostage until she gives us her own version)

 Ashlee is a board-certified veterinary technician with over 15 years of experience in referral and specialty practice. Her background includes leadership roles in management as well as extensive work in oncology, where she developed a deep appreciation for the role nutrition plays in supporting patients and improving quality of life.

Ashlee is especially passionate about client education and building meaningful connections with pet owners. She believes that empowering families with clear, compassionate guidance helps them make confident, informed decisions for their pets’ health.

Outside of work, Ashlee enjoys life with her husband, two children, and their animal crew—two dogs, a cat, and a tortoise. As a very active family, they love hiking, skiing, and traveling together whenever they can. 

(photo coming soon!)

Jessica is a board-certified veterinary technician specialist in small animal internal medicine with over 20 years of clinical experience in referral and specialty practice. In addition to her clinical work, she is deeply engaged in veterinary education and mentorship, designing and delivering continuing education and professional development for veterinary technicians and support staff nationwide. Jessica supports nutrition patients through detailed case review, clear client communication, and close collaboration with referring veterinarians.

Outside of work, Jessica lives at home with her husband, three dogs (Tank, Ruger, and Opie), one cat, and six chickens. Her adult children live close by, and she enjoys knitting and quilting, as well as spending time with her first grandbaby.

Kim is a registered veterinary technician with a bachelor’s degree in veterinary science and a specialty certification in nutrition. She has years of experience supporting clinical nutrition services and working alongside veterinary nutritionists and also has experience in oncology and internal medicine.

Kim is passionate about making nutrition practical, approachable, and impactful for both pets and their pet parents.

She resides in sunny California. In her free time, she enjoys beach walks, hiking, and traveling with her husband and their sweet Labrador.

Samantha (Sammi) earned her CVT in Veterinary Technology in 2002. Early in her career, she worked in a feline-only practice and then transitioned to emergency & critical care in 2005. After seventeen years as an overnight ICU/CC technician, Sammi transitioned to a daytime role, joining an internal medicine service in Boston. Sammi received her VTS in ECC in 2011, her internal medicine VTS in 2016, her VTS in nutrition in the summer of 2022. Outside work, Sammi spends time with her boyfriend, three crazy cats (Honey Badger & Samwise and Barrons) and a Yellow Nape Amazon parrot named Pandora (lovingly referred to as Chichen). When not working, Sammi enjoys reading, hiking, traveling, and pursuing international veterinary projects, where she can apply her skills beyond the hospital.