Meet our veterinary team!

Veterinarian

Dr. Foss knew from an early age that he wanted to take care of animals. Born in Arizona, he moved to Idaho to complete his undergrad education at U of I and then earned his doctorate from Washington State University Veterinary College. He eventually moved to the gorge and built the Hood River Alpine Veterinary Hospital. His passion for learning and innovating has led him to various worldwide experiences in equine sports medicine. He has been able to utilize what he has learned from these experiences to benefit pets of all sizes in the gorge. Dr. Foss’s interests include acupuncture, ultrasonography, endoscopy, lameness, and injury rehabilitation.

When he’s not in the clinic, Dr. Foss is usually traveling around the world, hunting or serving our Columbia Gorge community.

Veterinarian

Dr. Rachel Foss graduated from Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2019, following in her father’s footsteps to become a Veterinarian. For the first two years of joining the practice in 2021, she focused on Feline Medicine but now enjoys working with all our animals, both large and small. Dr. Rachel has a special interest in Feline Medicine, Behavior Medicine, Endoscopy, and Dental Surgery, and is Fear Free Certified. She has two cats of her own, a Domestic Shorthair and a Purebred Persian, both of whom are rescues.

Dr. Rachel was born and raised in the Hood River/White Salmon area and participated in Swine and Cat 4-H in Skamania County. She is excited to be back in the area she was raised in and loves. Dr. Rachel Foss is fear-free certified Level 2.

Veterinarian

Practice Manager, Certified Veterinary Technician, CVT

Sharon earned her degree in Veterinary Technology at the University of Minnesota, Waseca campus, in 1985. She started her career as a veterinary technician in Lewiston, Minnesota, at a large mixed animal practice focused mainly on dairy ambulatory medicine. She was then hired by Alpine Veterinary Hospital in Bingen, WA, in 1987. There she worked with and then married Dr. Mike Foss. Sharon and Dr. Foss have three beautiful children, and they have raised them through practice life. Many clients recall Dr. Foss driving up to their farm for a house call with Sharon and the kids in tow. Sharon is very proud to have her daughter joining the family practice as a veterinarian. Sharon is currently the managing technician of the practice. Dr. Foss and Sharon will be celebrating their 34th anniversary in 2022 and celebrating 35 years of working together as a team to take care of our patients and clients in the gorge. When Sharon is not working, she enjoys camping with her family, crafting, art, crocheting, and knitting.

Certified Veterinary Technician, CVT

Kelsey began her career at Alpine in 2009 and has worked with us off and on until 2018, when she became a permanent fixture here at the clinic. Kelsey was born and raised in the Columbia River Gorge. She is a mom to her son Justace, as well as a couple of cattle dogs. While exploring her education, she ended up in Lexington, Kentucky as an intern for the Kentucky Equine Management Internship. There she was able to work closely with Thoroughbred mares, foals, and yearlings at Lane’s End Farm. After her internship, she began pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Pre-Veterinary Animal Sciences. While she was in school, she worked for Juddmonte Farms, one of the most prestigious breeding and racing farms in the Thoroughbred Industry. She has had the opportunity to help foal, guide, break, and train many well-known racehorses. She graduated from the University of Kentucky in December 2017 and has moved back home to become a Veterinary Technician. Kelsey is also an Emergency Medical Technician who volunteers her time with Klickitat County Fire District 3 as their Emergency Medical Services Coordinator.

Veterinary Assistant

Leah joined the team in September 2021 after many years here as a client.

Leah moved from Connecticut to Oregon in 2012 to take a break from the horse industry. Leah spent her childhood days riding and competing in hunter jumper shows, and after high school, she began training dressage riders in Fairfield, CT. She has experience in EAGALA therapy and, in 2018, opened a horseback riding program to share her love of riding with the Hood River community. Her pets include two dogs, three horses, and a cat. She is very delighted to learn and assist patients here at Hood River Alpine Vet. “After being an Alpine client for several years, I am excited to join a team of such passionate and knowledgeable individuals!”

Veterinary Assistant / Kennel Technician

Jessica started working at the Hood River Alpine Vet Hospital in 2019. After moving from sunny California to the magnificent Columbia Gorge, she is determined to expand her knowledge in veterinary medicine. Currently a kennel assistant, Jessica is now enrolled to start her journey as a Certified Veterinary Assistant. Before working with us, Jessica previously worked at horse boarding barns, dog and cat grooming salons, and pet motels. In her spare time, Jessica runs a troop of gogo dancers in Portland, as well as doing photography, cosplay, and mixology.

Veterinary Assistant / Receptionist

Bio coming soon.

Brittney is a recent graduate from Washington State University where she received her Bachelors in Animal Science. She has grown up her whole life here in the PNW and has always been very involved with animals. She spent most of her time in college volunteering at different humane society’s, and studied production systems abroad in Costa Rica. Outside of work she loves being outdoors with her two labrador retrievers fishing, hunting, and hiking!

Receptionist

Jodee was born and raised in the Columbia River Gorge. She Graduated in 2017 from Horizon Christian School and moved to Arizona shortly after graduation, where she fell in love and added a crazy baby girl to the mix. Shortly after her family’s move back to the Gorge, she started her career here with us in April of 2021. She currently is working part-time so that she can stay home with her little girl part-time as well. Growing up, you could often find Jodee on her horse, whether it was on a trail behind her home in Husum or any rodeo across the PNW. She fell in love with the sport of rodeo at a young age and found barrel racing, in particular, to be her passion. Animals, especially horses, have always held a special place in her heart, and she feels lucky to have had that lifestyle growing up. She now is very happy that she gets to enjoy working here, where everyone shares the same love for animals that she has.

Receptionist

Emily came to work for us just this year. She is a Gorge local. Emily graduated from Columbia High School in White Salmon in 2017. From there, she traveled to Bozeman, Montana, to pursue a degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology – NCIS agent in the making. Emily graduated from Montana State University in 2019. Emily came back to the area in 2020. Her love of animals scored her many opportunities to pet sit for friends and family. Emily was passionate about learning more about caring for animals, and that is also when she decided to join the veterinary world. Emily loves working and spending time with animals. Emily has two sweet cats and six rats of her own, while her parents have two dogs and two cats. In the future, Emily hopes to continue to learn about the health and care of animals.

Kennel Technician

Bio coming soon.