Our Team

A Team of Leaders

The Saginaw Valley Equine Clinic team strives to provide the highest quality veterinary care to horses through the most up-to-date biotechnologies and education. Whether your horse is your athlete or your pet, one thing is certain: Your horse is an important part of your family and should be treated as such. We appreciate your trust in our care.

Melissa Aceto, DVM

Veterinarian
Melissa Aceto grew up in Orillia, Ontario, Canada, where she raised Quarter Horses and Appaloosa performance horses. Her lifelong connection to horses led her to pursue veterinary medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph.

Tina Bennett

Barn Manager
Tina Bennett has spent much of her life caring for animals and supporting the horse community. Today, her world includes four horses, a donkey, two dogs, and four cats, reflecting her lifelong passion for animals and their well-being.

Nicole Bone, LVT

Anesthesia
Nicole Bone has always loved horses. Growing up as a self-described city kid who desperately wanted to be a country kid, she found her way into the equine world while working at a therapeutic riding stable. That experience inspired her to pursue an equine education at Michigan State University.

Brad Cumper, DVM

Veterinarian
Dr. Brad Cumper earned his doctorate in veterinary medicine from Michigan State University. His specific area of interest is sports medicine. He and his wife, Cami, have two daughters, Isabel and Peyton

Amanda Dixon

Inventory Technician
Amanda Dixon, joined Saginaw Valley Equine Clinic after relocating from Arizona to Michigan with her fiancé. At home, she stays busy with two Off-the-Track Thoroughbreds, a Golden Doodle, a Chihuahua, and her cat. Since moving north, Amanda and her horses have been settling into Michigan life, including one very memorable welcome-to-Michigan moment involving a hair dryer and frozen basement pipes.

Hanna Fiting

Barn Technician
Hanna is a barn tech here at SVEC and we are so lucky to have her. She is one of the hardest working and kindest people that we have the pleasure of knowing!

Lilly-Rose Frehling

Clinical Care Technician

Lilly-Rose was inspired to pursue a career in veterinary medicine because she owns her own horses and lives in an underserved area. She thoroughly enjoys guiding and helping owners through every situation!

Timm Gudehus, DVM, DACVS, DECVS

Surgeon
Dr. Gudehus moved to Indiana from Germany where he served as an equine surgery specialist since. He is board certified by both the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) and the European College of Equine Surgeons (ECVS). His love of horses and equestrian sports dates back to his early childhood, growing up in a family with a long history of horse riding and breeding.

Ali Kuizenga

Clinical Care Technician
Ali Kuizenga was born into the horse world and has been riding since childhood. She began in Western Pleasure before being encouraged to try reining, a discipline she quickly fell in love with. Her passion for horses continues today.

Kylee Laverty, DVM

Veterinarian
Kylee Laverty, DMV joined Saginaw Valley Equine Clinic after earning her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Illinois. Originally from Illinois, Kylee spent much of her childhood in Weatherford, Texas, an area known for its deep horse culture and strong Western performance horse community.

Scott Nebergall, DVM

Veterinarian
Dr. Scott Nebergall earned his doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Illinois. His specific areas of interest are reproduction and dentistry. He and his wife, Stephanie, have one daughter, Harper

Abby Pale

Clinical Care Technician
Abby Pale’s passion for horses has taken her on an incredible journey across the country and around the world. Originally from Pennsylvania, she recently moved to Michigan after marrying her husband and wanting to be closer to his family.

Liz Routh, DVM

Veterinarian
Although originally from Indiana, Dr. Liz completed her doctorate of veterinary medicine at Iowa State University. Her main areas of interest include preventative medicine, herd health, dentistry, and ophthalmology. Outside of work, Dr. Liz likes to read, craft, maintain her aquariums, and ride whenever possible!

Miranda Smith

Clinical Care Technician
Miranda Smith has loved horses from an early age. Her passion began with her grandmother and continued when she received her first horse at just eight years old. She has been riding ever since and now owns five horses.

Krista Schaefer

Inventory Manager
Krista brings years of customer service and experience in the equine industry to our team. Krista has many close friends within the horse community. She has spent much of her life in Freeland, where she currently resides with her husband, Ron, along with their Australian Shepherd, KelCee.

Paige Schmidt

Clinical Care Technician
Paige has been around horses her entire life. She started taking dressage lessons at age eight and continued through high school. She trained and showed Arabian sport horses at the national level in college at MSU and continues to compete at that level today with her mare MSU Shes Always Right. If she’s not hanging out with her husband and two dogs (Murphy and Ollie), you can find her remodeling her house.

Mitchell Susalla, DVM

Veterinarian
Mitchell Susalla, DMV joined the Saginaw Valley Equine Clinic team after earning his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Michigan State University. A native of the Metro Detroit area, Mitch grew up with four siblings, including an identical twin.