Meet Dr. Liz and her team...

Liz Oien, DVM, Owner

From an early age, Dr. Liz Oien knew she wanted to become a veterinarian.  Her love for the profession originated from her family farm when she would work side by side with the local farm vets.  Her education includes obtaining her Bachelor of Neuroscience Degree from Washington State University and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Ross University.  Dr. Liz has been practicing small animal and emergency medicine in Western Washington since 2012.  She opened her doors of Port Orchard Animal Clinic, in 2017. It has been a labor of love and a life long dream to have her own practice.

Although Dr. Liz truly enjoys all aspects of helping dogs and cats, she has a natural affinity for soft tissue surgery and dentistry.  To make sure she stays up to date on the latest advancements, she attends national conferences and has been trained by board certified dentists and surgeons.  If your pet does require surgery, rest assured they are in skilled hands. You may also notice she has a knack for handling dogs and cats, and some say even seeing into their soul. This likely developed after years of experience and working with a wide array of farm animals while learning to adapt to the different behaviors of llamas, cows, sheep, dogs, cats and chickens. This isn’t her first rodeo, she has seen a little bit of everything.

You probably have already figured this out, but Dr. Liz is a bit of an old soul.  Her hobbies include making stained glass lamps, golf, baking, wheel thrown pottery, and listening to Frank Sinatra.  She loves to spend time with her son Winston.  Her pup Peaches is often at the clinic, keeping Dr. Liz company.

Jacque Pence, Veterinary Assistant

Jacque is a natural care giver, she fell in love with helping people and animals and it has become her purpose to work towards making a difference and to do things which matter. She is new to the veterinary field, but you would never know it, she’s already found her groove and fallen in love with the profession.

Jacque has always enjoyed spending time with animals, she and her family have worked with over 40 horses in an Arabian breeding program in Arizona and Oregon. While she isn’t currently working with horses it provided her with first hand experience of how to handle different types of animals. She currently loves on her dog Winston and enjoys taking him on walks with her Grandpa.

She has high ambitions to continue her academic work and is studying to become a nurse. She is currently enrolled in Olympic College and attending prerequisites classes in preparation for the nursing program in 2024.

Her hobbies include traveling, going to the beach, baking, and watching as many baseball games as possible.

Whitney Watland, Veterinary Assistant/Manager

Whitney is one of our veterinary assistants and occasional receptionist. She happily assists wherever she is needed. She recently completed her bachelor's degree from Washington State University in social sciences and comes from a management background, having managed a pet sitting company for five years, and with her husband Jeff, a Pepperidge Farm franchise for many years. A true Pacific Northwesterner, Whitney was born and raised in Gig Harbor and now resides on Fox Island.

She and Jeff love live music, especially at the Columbia River Gorge, and their favorite bands are Dave Matthews Band, Zac Brown Band, and Foo Fighters. They also adored seeing OAR at Red Rocks. Exploring and traveling brings Whitney great joy, whether it be a day trip to the mountains or a cross country trek. Whitney also enjoys reading, gardening, working on her house and yard, and hanging out with their beloved pups, Martin Van Buren and Lou Piniella.

Whitney recently welcomed her little boy, Van to her family. She loves spending time with her husband Jeff and their little one who loves cuddling up with their two dogs Marty and Lou.

Natasha Gastaudo, Veterinary Nurse / Licensed Veterinary Technician

Natasha has been working alongside Dr. Liz for over 3 years.  After having her son August, she returned to work at Port Orchard Animal Clinic in 2017.  She feels that she has found her calling as a certified veterinarian technician. Starting out as a veterinary assistant in 2010, she graduated from Brown Mackie College in 2014 and has been a Licensed Veterinary Technician for 5 years.

Before finding her niche in veterinary technology, Natasha spent a few years volunteering at a wildlife rehabilitation center and interning at the Kansas City Zoo caring for elephants and sea lions! While she enjoyed working with large animals, she found her passion in education, caring for patients, and getting to know their owners.

Natasha and her husband, Brandon, are originally from Missouri.  They enjoy hiking and traveling as much as they can with their son, August. Her hobbies include reading, swimming, and yoga. As our resident cat lady, she spends a lot of time cuddling her two black cats, Kova and Cash.

Marissa Van Niekerk, Veterinary Assistant

Marissa grew up in Maple Valley, Washington, always being a lover of animals everyone knew she’d end up in this profession one day. After graduating from Washington State University with a BSc in Animal Sciences she moved to South Africa to work for a non-profit organization. There she worked on game preserves and in rehabilitation centers caring for wild and endangered animals, her favorite being the rhinoceros and elephant. She met her husband, Wessel, in South Africa and this is where they rescued their dog Ranger, a Boerboel/Rottweiler mix.

Marissa has worked in veterinary clinics of all different kinds for 6 years now. She, Wessel, and Ranger currently reside in Gig Harbor with Ranger and their other dog Stompie, a Mastiff/Pitbull mix. When Marissa is not working she loves to travel and enjoys cooking, gardening, camping, birding, and pretty much anything outdoor related. Oh and don’t forget, Go Cougs! 

Alissa Bennett, Veterinary Nurse / Licensed Veterinary Technician

Alissa has always been drawn to the animal field and was lucky enough to begin her veterinary career 8 years ago in Monterey, CA. This isn’t too much of a surprise for anyone who knows Alissa - She grew up with quite the crew including peacocks, hedgehogs, and lizards! While there, she learned quickly that caring for animals was where she belonged. Alissa thrives with the challenges the veterinary field has to offer and has special interest in anesthesia, dental care, and orthopedics.

Alissa recently graduated from Penn Foster with an associates in Veterinary Technology and became a licensed veterinary technician in July of 2019. Outside of work Alissa enjoys spending time with her husband, Travis, and their two adorable dogs, Mango and Kiwi. Together they love adventuring, cooking and watching movies!

Lisa O’Donnell, Receptionist/Client Care Coordinator

Lisa has been the welcoming face of veterinary clinics for 20 years and continues to enjoy meeting new people and their pets. You might recognize her smiling face because she has resided in the Kitsap area her entire life! You will hear me say it a few times over, Lisa is a gem. She is always willing to offer a hand to anyone who needs it.

Lisa and her husband, Butch, enjoy all that the Pacific Northwest has to offer - hiking, clamming, kayaking, archery, and fishing are some of their favorite activities. Not only is Lisa skilled with a bow, but she is also a trained Flamenco dancer! There is never a dull moment at Lisa’s house with her four fur-babies, Echo, Lee Lu, Frosty, and Fluffy the cat.