Valli Parthasarathy, PhD, DVM, DACVB
Fear Free Elite, Low Stress Handling Certified

Co-Founder, Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist
She/Her

Dr. Valli has had a long-standing passion for learning about and applying behavioral methods and training to different species, including dogs, cats, horses, parrots and even South American Pacas. While working on her PhD, she became skilled at distinguishing normal versus abnormal behavior in domesticated and exotic pets, as well as wildlife.

After her earning her PhD, she decided that she could help the animals most at risk by studying veterinary medicine and combining it with her love for behavior. She graduated from the University of GA College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006, and moved to Portland. She was in general practice until 2009, at which point she founded Synergy Veterinary Behavior in collaboration with Scott Raymond, CPDT-KA.

In addition to consulting with pet owners in person and via telemedicine, Dr. Valli is sought after to consult on behavior cases directly with veterinarians. She is also invited to present on topics such as decreasing patient fear in the clinic, psychopharmacology, and behavior problems at local, regional and national veterinary meetings. Dr. Valli is Fear Free Certified (Level 3).

Dr. Valli completed her veterinary behavior residency under the mentorship of Dr. Kenneth Martin, DVM, DACVB, and became a Veterinary Behaviorist in November of 2020. She is committed to providing the best veterinary behavior care for her patients as a Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist.

Scott Raymond, MS, CPDT-KA

Vice-President, Co-Founder, Jack of All Trades
He/Him

Scott has been helping dogs and their families with training classes and private consults for over twenty years. He achieved the status of Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) in 2004. Continuing education is very important to Scott, and he has attended numerous seminars and conferences on dog behavior and training. Along with other members of Synergy, Scott is Fear Free Certified.

He has titled his personal dogs in tracking and competition obedience and is a Canine Good Citizen evaluator. He and his dog, Sita (pictured on the left) were a Pet Partners Animal Assisted Therapy Team (Complex) for the Read to the Dogs program through the Multnomah County Public Library.

Dr. Valli and Scott created Synergy Veterinary Behavior to provide clients with a place where they could have full behavioral support for their dogs, cats, and other animal companions.

Nicole Froelich, DVM
Fear Free Elite, Cat-Friendly Certified, Low-Stress Certified

Behavior Clinician
She/Her

Dr. Nicole earned both her undergraduate (BS Zoology & BA Spanish) and veterinary degrees from Washington State University. She spent a summer working with grizzly bears at the WSU Bear Center and learned how powerful positive reinforcement could be. These 400 pound animals were trained to hold out a paw for a blood draw to be rewarded with apples and honey water. The bears, biologists, and veterinarians all looked forward to these interactions, and it was wonderful to see how much could be accomplished with relative ease.

Through working with her own dog’s behavioral issues, she has developed a soft spot for fearful and aggressive animals and for the people who care for them. She has a special interest in helping vetphobic animals and has completed the Karen Pryor Academy course on Better Veterinary Visits in addition to her Fear Free certification. She uses the strategies from these courses combined with her own experience and medical knowledge to help fearful pets receive the care they need. In her free time, Dr. Nicole enjoys trail running, mountain biking, attending Portland Thorns games and obsessing over all things Doctor Who.

Jennie Fiendish, CVT, VTS (Behavior), CPDT-KA, CTDI

Veterinary Technician Specialist in Behavior
She/Her

Cas Walden, Fear Free Certified

Veterinary Assistant
She/Her

Casandra, a Florida native, has always been surrounded by animals. Growing up in a family that never turned away a stray, she had the pleasure of sharing her home with multiple cats, dogs, parrots, hamsters, guinea pigs, and even a ferret or two. After leaving behind the challenges of Florida’s alligators and bugs, she found herself in San Diego, where she discovered her true passion. Jasper, a lovable chihuahua mix, entered her life and sparked a deep love for working with animals. Casandra pursued her passion by completing a Veterinary Assistant Certificate program and obtaining certifications in CPR and Fear Free practices. Currently, she is dedicated to obtaining her Veterinary Technician license and aspires to specialize in rehabilitation and massage. Her utmost priority is ensuring the comfort of her elder animal patients during their exams. Alongside Jasper, Casandra shares her life with a sweet and spirited kitty named Grim Reaper. During her downtime, you can find her indulging in activities such as playing Animal Crossing, painting, crocheting, or cherishing moments with her two beloved boys.

Lorenzo JW Fox
FDM, SAPT, PDT, CCUI, Fear Free Trainer

Certified Animal Trainer
He/They

Lorenzo grew up on a petting zoo and cattle farm in Kentucky surrounded by a variety of animals- everything from camels and coatimundis, to arctic foxes and water buffalo. He obtained his BA from Seattle University in 2012, and then dove into the world of behavior.

After nearly a decade working with kids, teens, and young adults in adventure guiding, wilderness therapy, juvenile incarceration, residential treatment, and crisis centers, Lorenzo now works with animals. He utilizes play, consent, choice, clear communication, and the building of predictable patterns so that both humans and animals can thrive. Exploring a relational and ethological approach, Lorenzo specializes in resolving challenging and complex behavior struggles- including aggressive behaviors, fears and phobias, and separation-related distress.

With his own dogs, he enjoys sports like agility, tracking, nose-work, dock diving, hiking, climbing, and laying in the sun for hours. He also spends time and energy improving husbandry and enrichment for his aging cockatiel, 8 foot boa, and baby tarantulas. 

Amber Mahoney, CDBD, CPDT-KA, FDM

Certified Animal Trainer
She/Her

Amber first discovered her passion for animals and behavior when she helped her first dog work through behavior challenges. That journey led her down the path of becoming a professional trainer in 2008. Over the years she has worked with dogs in classrooms and their homes, as well as in the shelter setting. She loves finding ways to help clients bond with and enjoy their companion animals, even when they are facing challenging behaviors.

In her free time, Amber enjoys exploring the world of scent with her three dogs and has been competing in the sport of Nose Work since 2010. She’s also an avid knitter and D&D enthusiast

Andrew Rogers, FDM, Fear Free Trainer

Certified Animal Trainer
He/Him

Andrew was in the military for 14 years doing multiple jobs such as presidential ceremonies and flying satellites. Following his military service, Andrew decided that the years of experience in the multiple fields he specialized in wasn’t where he wanted to take the rest of his life, so he branched out into the canine training world. While volunteering for Canine Companions (formally Canine Companions for Independence), Andrew got his Department of Labor (DoL) Animal Trainer Certification and developed a love and passion for the humane care and treatment of animals, with a special interest in canine enrichment. He then dove into canine learning, cognition, and behavior and began applying for training positions within the veterinary world. From there, Andrew started with Synergy Veterinary Behavior and has been more fulfilled in his time here than in any other career experience he has had. He is excited to continue to learn and grow and to help people and their animal companions live a manageable and healthy life within the society into which we have domesticated our companions.

In his spare time, Andrew likes to read, play video games, play guitar and sing, network/socialize, and learn new crafts. Andrew doesn’t have any pets of his own and hopes to pour all his knowledge, patience, and help into our pets and their human companions

Kayla Hall

Client Care Representative, Fear Free Elite
She/Her

Kayla has been working with animals since she was 19 at her local humane society in Nebraska, adopting out pets in need of homes and consulting with adopters to find the perfect match. Her love of animals started long before that though! As a child, she would visit her aunt and uncle’s farm in Iowa to ride horses and help her uncle feed cattle (but really just ride along in the Kabota). Her first dog was a Chesapeake Bay Retriever who defied all breed characteristics and was the most laid-back best friend a girl could’ve gotten from Santa! After working at the humane society, she moved on to teach puppy classes as a dog trainer back home. She left the animal field for a while but found herself longing to be back when she moved out to Portland. Kayla is especially passionate about encouraging people to better understand their pets and learning how to advocate for their animal companions. In her free time, Kayla enjoys playing board and video games, taking her dog, Archie, on walks, and watching her cat, Felix enjoy his chaotic and energetic life.