Meet the Veterinary Team at Frey Pet Hospital

Veterinarian

Preston Ayers, DVM, joined Frey Pet Hospital after graduating from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2011. Growing up on the banks of the St. Croix River in Stillwater, Minnesota, his family moved to Des Moines, where he finished high school. His love of animals and veterinary medicine began early when he caught snakes and birds with his dog in the woods. Dr. Ayers has a special interest in regenerative medicine, laparoscopy, endoscopy, and oral surgery. His wife, Amanda, is part of the Frey Pet Hospital family, and together they have one daughter. Their household stays extra busy with their two dogs, Newman “The Outdoorsman” and LeeRoy Jenkins, and one cat, Topaz. In his spare time, Dr. Ayers enjoys camping, fishing, hiking, canoeing, and watching sporting events (especially the ISU Cyclones!) One of his favorite times is an annual trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota. Iowa Veterinary Medical Association has named Dr. Preston Ayers as the 2016 recipient of its ‘Rising Star’ Award. As the first veterinarian in Iowa to perform single-port laparoscopic surgery, we’ve known Dr. Ayers to be an exceptional veterinarian since he joined us. The Rising Star Award recognizes an IVMA member who graduated from veterinary school within the last seven years and has displayed outstanding accomplishments in veterinary research, private practice, regulatory services, civic activities, academia, and/or organized veterinary medicine.

Veterinarian

Jennifer Feuerbach, DVM, joined the Frey Pet Hospital team in 2004. Dr. Feuerbach grew up in rural northeast Nebraska and chose to pursue her education at Iowa State, where she received her Bachelor of Science and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degrees. She enjoys all facets of small animal medicine, though her favorites include ultrasound, reproduction, and soft tissue surgery. When she is away from the office, Dr. Feuerbach enjoys attending her son’s many high school activities as well as spending time outdoors with her favorite senior standard Dachshund, Piper.

Veterinarian

Kathy Koopman, DVM, joined Frey Pet Hospital in 1996, after practicing veterinary medicine in Arizona for a number of years. Accomplishing her undergraduate degree from Loras College, she went on to obtain her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 1991. Dr. Koopman enjoys many aspects of veterinary medicine and is highly interested in internal medicine, dermatology, and acupuncture. She spends her free time with her husband, Jack, and their daughter, enjoying their daughter’s school activities. Dr. Koopman also enjoys boating, biking, gardening, and water sports, as well as caring for her dog and two cats.

Veterinarian

Brent Reimer, DVM, DACVS-SA,​ was born and raised in Dubuque, Iowa. He attended the University of Iowa for his undergraduate studies, where he double majored in biology and botany. He then received his veterinary degree in 1999 from Iowa State University and subsequently elected to pursue a small animal surgical residency after his graduation. He was accepted into the University of California – Davis small animal surgical program, where he received advanced training in orthopedic, neurologic, and soft tissue surgical procedures, including feline kidney transplantation. Upon completion of the residency, he became board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2004 and returned to perform surgery in his native Midwest. He has a strong clinical interest in canine cruciate ligament disease, arthroscopy, laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, and surgical oncology.

Veterinarian

Morgan Ryherd, DVM, joined Frey Pet Hospital after graduating from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in May 2020. Dr. Ryherd grew up in Cedar Rapids and lived in Ames during her undergraduate and graduate education. Her special interests include cardiology, pathology, and ultrasonography. She and her husband Levi have two young sons and a black Labrador Retriever named Ronan. In her free time, Dr. Ryherd enjoys reading and cheering on the Hawkeyes! (Sorry Steen!)

Veterinarian / Practice Owner

Ryan Steen, DVM, graduated from the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in May of 2000. Dr. Steen worked at Frey Pet Hospital long before his graduation, working as a kennel staff member during the summers and winter breaks. Dr. Steen started as an associate veterinarian at Frey Pet Hospital immediately after graduating and became the sole owner of our hospital in 2003. In 2011, he led the construction of our new hospital. Dr. Steen was elected as President of the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association and has served as President of the Eastern Iowa Veterinary Medical Association. He has also served on the Executive Board of the IVMA. Having gained additional training from Ohio State University, orthopedic surgery is a special interest of Dr. Steen’s. He resides with his wife and three beautiful daughters in Mount Vernon. Their family cherishes their dog named Ollie and their cat named Leonardo. Dr. Steen enjoys following his daughters’ exploits and attending sporting events at Iowa State.

“It is truly my pleasure to work with the talented professionals and staff members who surround me. We have one of the best teams in the state of Iowa who care passionately for our patients.”
– Dr. Steen

Board Certified Clinical Practice Technician

As a Registered Veterinary Technician, Amy has been part of the team since 2002. She graduated from Kirkwood Community College in 2004 as a Registered Veterinary Technician. In 2012, Amy accomplished the strenuous and impressive task of becoming a Certified Specialist in Clinical Practice. Amy is the only Certified Specialist in Clinical Practice in the state of Iowa. Currently, there are only 22 technicians specializing in canine/feline patients in the U.S. Amy currently serves as a Lead Technician for the Frey Pet Hospital team. She has four furry family members. “Ariel” is a Rottweiler mix, and “Tate” is a handsome German Shorthaired Pointer. Additionally, Amy tends to two American Paint horses, Paco and Cash. She spends her free time doing outside activities, which include fishing.

“Some of my favorite things to do at Frey Pet Hospital are helping oncology patients by giving chemotherapy, assisting with C-sections and orthopedic surgeries, emergency medicine, and working in the laboratory. I love to learn new things and keep up with the advances in veterinary medicine through continuing education. I absolutely love my job and love being part of the Frey Pet Hospital team!”
– Amy.

Registered Veterinary Technician

Coming soon!

Alicia came to Frey’s in 2018 as an intern in the Registered Veterinary Technician program at Kirkwood Community College. Alicia has always had a passion for animals, which shows in the quality of care she provides our patients.

Bio Coming Soon

Registered Veterinary Technician

Coming soon!

Registered Veterinary Technician

Coming soon!

Network Administration/Veterinary Assistant

Scott has been an integral part of Frey Pet Hospital since 1996. Scott graduated from Kirkwood Community College in Pre-Veterinary Medicine and also graduated from Capella University in Network Administration. Not only is he talented in patient care, but Scott also manages the hospital network administration. Scott implements strategic IT initiatives that improve business functionality and create a more streamlined experience for our clients and patients. Scott and his wife, Jennifer, live in Marion with their three children, who keep them very busy. As a family of animal lovers, they have two cats, a bird, and a dog. Scott enjoys sports and working outside in his free time.

“I entered into this field because I love animals, and it just feels awesome knowing that I helped save a patient’s life or helped them recover from an illness. I love the relationships I have developed with our clients over the years.”
– Scott.

Veterinary Assistant

Kathy is a veterinary assistant who has been in the Frey Pet Hospital family since 2010. Being half Mexican and half Salvadorian, Kathy speaks fluent Spanish and enjoys the opportunity to translate. She can often be found zipping about the hospital, helping out patients and teammates with a bright smile on her face! She is passionate about dental care, with cleanings and dental radiographs being one of the most satisfying and exciting areas of her job. She is also the star of our YouTube series “Kathy’s Korner”, a video series that provides brief updates and explanations of the services provided here at Frey Pet Hospital.

“I love being a part of improving our patients’ health and educating clients about the importance of dentistry!”
– Kathy

Veterinary Assistant

Heather is one of our experienced veterinary assistants at Frey Pet Hospital and has been a valued member of our team since 2013. She began working in the animal care field in 2006, inspired by her lifelong love for animals. Recently married here in Cedar Rapids, Heather now shares her home with her husband, two cats — Dash and Tippy — and an Anatolian Shepherd named Kaia.

“What I enjoy most is meeting each pet’s needs and ensuring our clients’ concerns are met. I look forward to many more years helping animals and humans alike, here at Frey Pet Hospital.”
– Heather.

Veterinary Assistant

Graduating from the assistant program at Kirkwood Community College in 2007, Mallory joined our team in 2012. She is one of our talented veterinary assistants, providing help wherever necessary. Mallory has three, four-legged children: a beagle named Emma, a Siamese named Genghis, and a tabby cat named Walter.

“What I enjoy most about being a veterinary assistant is being able to comfort patients in times of sickness and being a part of their road to recovery.”
– Mallory.

Vet Assistant

Alli has greeted clients and patients with a smile since 2017. Prior to joining Frey Pet Hospital, Alli worked at the Cedar Valley Humane Society for 2 years. Alli has a passion for both customer service and patient care, and as such, she also works at times in our surgical and medical departments, in addition to her duties at our front reception. Along with her Australian Cattle Dog, Dolly, Alli lives on a farm in Lisbon where she enjoys the quietness of rural Iowa.

Veterinary Assistant

Robert graduated from Kirkwood’s Veterinary Assistant program in 2018. He studied IT fundamentals and graduated from the Computer Support Specialist program in 2024. Working with animals over the years has filled him with a sense of love and appreciation that grows stronger with each day. 

His goal is to make sure each animal we treat feels comfortable and secure during their time spent at Frey.

Vet Assistant

Bio Coming Soon

Certified Laser Therapist

Jennifer has worked here at Frey Pet Hospital since 2001. In 2012, Jennifer became a Certified Laser Therapist. She enjoys providing this service to our patients and has seen the benefits firsthand. Jennifer has been in the veterinary field since 1991. Throughout the years, Jennifer has had many personal pets. She has a daughter with whom she shares four dogs, along with birds, ferrets, pond fish, a bunny, and a tortoise. To say the least, Jennifer has a love for the field! Two of her dogs are Chihuahua/Terrier mix siblings named Sydney and Walter; a Blue Heeler named Lyric, and a Golden Retriever named Willow. Jenifer enjoys working in the lab. She likes the fact that she and the team can quickly find out what needs to be done to help all pets feel better. Whether your pet needs an ear cleaning prior to treatment or a diabetic consultation, Jennifer will gladly help out. 

“My favorite part of my job is helping clients with behavioral consultations. I enjoy working with people ranging from initial puppy and kitten training to behavior issues of geriatric pets. Together with the doctors here at Frey Pet Hospital, we help many clients solve their pets’ behavioral problems to help restore the bond they have with each other.”
– Jennifer.

Vet Assistant

Bio coming soon

Vet Assistant

Pictured is Brie and her Pomeranian, Bandit. Brie came to Frey Pet Hospital in 2024. Brie has had a lifelong passion for animals. She started her career in the animal care industry back in her junior year of high school in 2011.

Vet Assistant

Vet Assistant

Bio coming soon

Customer Service Representative

Joey has been greeting clients and patients since 1998 as a customer service representative. She joined the Frey Pet Hospital team and has become a contact person for many of our long-standing clients. Joey has a cat named Noah, whom she rescued as a kitten on a cold New Year’s night.

“I am truly blessed working with such a great group. The team at Frey is like my second family. Each day at Frey Pet Hospital is a new adventure that I welcome with open arms.”
– Joey

Customer Service Representative

After working in the human medical field, Christiane joined Frey Pet Hospital in 2015. However, prior to that, we knew Christiane and her family as loyal clients, bringing their dear Beagle named Lucky to us for care. Her current pets are two rescues, Thor and Tanner. Christiane and her husband live in Cedar Rapids and have two sons. During her free time, she enjoys being outside tending to a small garden, relaxing by the pool, or camping.

Customer Service Representative

Carole, originally from Canada, has been in the veterinary field for many years. She lives with her husband and daughter in Cedar Rapids and has been part of the Frey Pet Hospital team since February 2017.

Customer Service Representative

Chris has been in the industry since 2017. Chris prides herself in getting to know each client and their pets on a personal level to the point where they feel like family. Chris and her husband have three adorable canines, meet Barney, Addison, and Ronnie. During her free time, she enjoys being outside in the garden, attending Chicago Cubs games, and Orange Beach, AL with her husband.

Board Certified Veterinary Anesthetist

Amanda is a Board Certified Veterinary Anesthetist. Prior to working at Frey, Amanda worked in the Anesthesia department at Iowa State Veterinary Teaching Hospital for six years, where she anesthetized large, small, and exotic animals. Amanda has extensive knowledge in advanced anesthesia techniques and monitoring, promoting patient safety. Amanda is one of 182 Board Certified Veterinary Anesthetists in the United States, and the only one practicing in the state of Iowa. Currently, Amanda and her husband Preston live in Cedar Rapids with their sweet daughter, two mixed-breed dogs, “Newman” and “LeeRoy Jenkins,” and their cat, “Topaz”.

“I am thrilled to be a part of the Frey Pet Hospital Family.”
– Amanda.