Valli Parthasarathy, PhD, DVM, DACVB

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, Practice Manager
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 and cats. Scott will be excited to help you find ways to improve your pet’s behavior.

Nicole Froelich, DVM, Fear Free Elite

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

Lorenzo JW Fox
CPDT-KA, FDM, SAPT, PDT, 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. 

Grace Peck, KPA-CTP, Cert. SAPT, CPDT-KA, Fear Free Elite

Certified Animal Trainer and Veterinary Assistant
She/Her

Grace, like many trainers, fell into animal training when she adopted a hairy family member with behavior concerns. Her volunteer work at shelters and rescues led her into assisting in veterinary medicine.  

Grace is committed to improving inter-species communication between humans and the animals in their lives. She has worked with cats, dogs, parrots, rabbits, goats, llamas, chickens, and even a banana slug. She currently specializes in independence from Separation Anxiety, cat aggression and house-soiling, modern Constructional Aggression Treatment, and chicken training. 

In her free time, Grace continues to volunteer at shelters and rescues, including teaching a behavior class for veterinary students and helping dogs, cats, and rabbits to recover from surgery. She loves doing canine nosework, making cat toys with garden materials for her feline nieces, and sitting under her apple tree getting mugged for treats by her hens.