Meet Our Staff

Samuel P. Smith, MS, DVM

Dr. Smith grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He attended Colorado State University where he earned a Bachelor's of Science in Animal Science, a Master's degree in Biomedical Science and finally his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Smith is a fourth generation graduate of CSU and the third to be a veterinarian.

Upon graduation Dr. Smith started practice in Santa Fe, New Mexico at an equine referral hospital. This experience formed the foundation of his current practice.

After practicing in New Mexico, the Smiths headed to Alaska. Dr. Smith started work in Juneau and opened Smith Equine in 2011. Smith Equine was a full service ambulatory horse practice serving all of southeast Alaska. As time passed the need for another veterinary practice in the area was apparent and Dr. Smith decided to open a full service small animal hospital. In the summer of 2013, Tongass Veterinary Services hit the ground running.

Dr. Smith has special interests in orthopedic surgery and dentistry. He enjoys golfing, warm weather, boating and fishing with his family when not working.

Rachelle Smith

Rachelle grew up in Anchorage, AK and met Sam while earning her B.S. in Zoology at Colorado State University. She managed to convince him to move north and by complete chance they landed in Juneau in the summer of 2011. Rachelle plays the role of practice manager and helps in all areas of the hospital, mainly the front desk duties and bookkeeping. Rachelle enjoys running, CrossFit, book club and spending time with her family when not working.

Sarah

Sarah joined Tongass Vet Services in May of 2014. She is our lead veterinary assistant. She has over 10 years of experience with special interests in orthopedics and radiology. Sarah was born and raised in Juneau, AK. She enjoys hiking, fishing, riding her horse Rocky and running with her dog Bruce. She also has two cats, Murphy and Aisha.

Megan

Megan joined Tongass Veterinary Services in August 2015 as our receptionist. She now works in all areas of the hospital and a key member of our team! Megan has a horse named Brooks as well as 2 dogs. A Jack Russell named Henry and a Labrador Retriever named Niko.

Jamie

Jamie started with Tongass Vet Services in the fall of 2015. She is a valuable assistant in all areas of the hospital. She recently graduated from the University of Alaska Southeast and plans to pursue a veterinary degree. When not studying or working she enjoys the out of doors, hiking, hunting, fishing and reading.

Katie

Katie started working at Tongass Veterinary Services in the fall of 2018 as our receptionist. She was born and raised in California, but moved to Juneau in 2012 to attend UAS. Katie has over 6 years of experience in the veterinary field. When not working, she enjoys photography, cooking, and spending time with friends and family. She has a cat named Peas who likes to go for walks in her cat backpack.

Ed is back! Ed began with Tongass Veterinary Services when we opened our doors back in 2013, but then moved away a couple years later. He has been back since fall of 2018 and working as a veterinary assistant. Ed has well over 10 years of experience in the veterinary field and is a crucial team member for TVS. Ed is originally from WA state and enjoys softball, fishing and hanging with his dog Otis during his free time.

Natasha

Natasha joined Tongass Veterinary Services early summer of 2019 as a receptionist. Natasha was born and raised in Amish Country Pennsylvania and made her way to Juneau in March of 2019. Natasha has 2 years experience in the veterinary field with special interest in dermatology. She is currently studying to become a licensed veterinary technician. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dog, Benelli Nova, hunting, and fishing.