We are proud to be a Fear Free Certified practice! At South Branch, all doctors and staff are trained and certified in Fear Free techniques to make your pet’s visit to the vet a less stressful one.
Dr. Elizabeth Pope, Fear Free Elite Certified
Owner/Veterinarian
Dr. Elizabeth Pope grew up in NJ with the dream of pursuing a career caring for animals. She is a graduate of Oklahoma State University, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences where she met her husband, Nick, a fellow veterinarian. After graduation, they returned to the Garden State and they reside in Hunterdon County with their beautiful baby boy, Benjamin, two spoiled dogs, Eloise and Brody, and a small herd of cows, goats, and chickens. Dr. Pope treats small animals and has a personal interest in internal medicine, rescue work, preventative care, and oncology.
Dr. Emily Denning, Fear Free Certified
Veterinarian
Dr. Denning was born and raised in New Jersey, where she was an avid equestrian and surrounded by animals, fueling her drive to become a veterinarian. She received her bachelor of science degree from Penn State University and went on to receive her DVM from Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona, graduating with multiple awards.
Dr. Denning’s veterinary interests include internal medicine, wound management, and preventative care. Outside of work, Dr. Denning enjoys spending time with her husband and their cat, Nelson.
Dr. Nick Pope
Veterinarian
Dr. Nicholas Pope grew up on a farm in Oklahoma knowing he wanted to be a veterinarian from day one, and earned his DVM from Oklahoma State University. Dr. Pope’s grandmother was the office manager of a multidoctor clinic in his hometown, inspiring his desire for owning and operating veterinary hospitals and beginning his lifelong involvement in the veterinary industry.
Dr. Pope is passionate about delivering exceptional patient care, leadership development of his team members, and practice management. He loves living in beautiful Hunterdon County on a small farm with his wife Elizabeth, son Benjamin and all his animals. When not at any of the practices you can find him either fishing the Raritan, golfing, or driving around admiring his cows.
Dr. Jamie Ulassin
Dr. Jamie Ulassin was born and raised in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. She grew up riding horses, which is where her love for animals initially began. She attended the University of Pittsburgh, where she obtained her bachelors in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. She then went on to obtain her VMD at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Dr. Ulassin has a special interest in small animal soft tissue surgery, dentistry, and internal medicine. In her spare time she loves hiking, horseback riding, and spending time with her husband, and her two dogs; a Chow Chow named Sarge, and an American Bully named Harley.
Matthew Klitsch, Fear Free Elite Certified
Certified Veterinary Technician
Matt joined our team in 2013 and comes from a diverse background of working with animals. He spent six years as a lead-volunteer with a local wildlife rehabilitator. Matt also worked in a local animal shelter as an animal care technician and is an NJ certified animal control officer. Matt holds a B.A. from Montclair State University, an M.F.A. from Drew University, and an A.S. in Veterinary Technology from Penn Foster. He lives in Hunterdon County with his cat and rat (Celes and Locke, respectively).
Diana Buhl, Fear Free Elite Certified
Certified Veterinary Technician
Diana, a graduate certified veterinary technician, has been with South Branch since 2007 and is our Head Veterinary Technician. She is a graduate of the Veterinary Technical Institute in Pennsylvania and holds a B.A. from Boston University. Diana has over ten years experience in small animal hospitals and emergency and surgical veterinary medicine. Diana lives nearby with her husband and their dog and cat.
Samantha Whitmore, Fear Free Elite Certified
Veterinary Assistant
Samantha is one of our veterinary assistants and has been a member of our team since 2011. She has experience working with a wide variety of exotics; including lizards, frogs, rodents, ferrets, and chinchillas. She has previously volunteered in a local animal shelter and spent a summer working with equines at a riding camp. Samantha lives nearby with her beloved rabbits: Chicken Nugget, Waffles, and Guala Stomps
Helan Thomas
Veterinary Assistant
Helan received her BS in Biology and a BA in Environmental Studies from Seton Hall University. In her free time she works at a local avian rehabilitation center, does bird banding, and enjoys playing with her cats, Moon and Orio.
Rebecca Wolf
Veterinary Assistant
Rebecca joined the South Branch team with six years of experience at a local feline sanctuary. She obtained a B.A. in Communication, but had always wanted to be involved with veterinary medicine since the age of 8. Growing up, Rebecca had 13 guinea pigs over many years. She currently shares her home with three cats, Eno, Ari, and Archer.
Brooke Maziarz
Veterinary Assistant
Brooke grew up in Hunterdon County surrounded by cats and dogs. She spends her free time spoiling her dog Lilybelle and volunteering at a local wildlife center.
Alyssa Homeier
Client Service Representative
Alyssa grew up in Tennessee and earned a BS in psychology at UT Chattanooga before moving to New Jersey in 2018. She worked as a home healthcare aide for seniors before joining the South Branch team. Growing up, she had a variety of pets ranging from cats and dogs to newts and guinea pigs. Now she lives in Hunterdon County with her beloved cat Cookie and her other cat Cocoa Bean.