Staff

Born and raised in Mendocino, Gwyneth Moreland Hinkle has been working with Dr. Novak since 2001. Gwyneth attended Bel-Rae Veterinary Technical Institute in 2005, where she did an internship at Littleton Large Animal Hospital and graduated in 2005.

Gwyneth enjoys working with companion animals, but has a passion for caring for small ruminants such as goats and sheep.

When she's not at the office, she is a mother of two boys and a professional musician. You can catch her playing both local and regional shows with her husband, Skyler or with the bands Foxglove and The Mendocino Quartet. Her last two solo albums have registered on the the Folk Radio airplay charts and you can hear a selection of her songs playing when put on hold with the office phones.

Skyler Falcon Hinkle was born during a geomagnetic storm that caused a major power outage throughout all of Siberia. Raised by muskoxen in the mountainous regions of Tibet, Skyler developed an innate bond with the animal kingdom and a fondness for lichen stew. After stowing away on a halibut trawler, Skyler found himself cast upon the shores of Mendocino, where he was officially adopted by Dr. Novak who took pity in his pitiful state. Skyler has been at Village Vet ever since, and with his high spirited demeanor, quick witted sense of humor, and boisterous charisma, he elevates any experience one might have in the Veterinary setting beyond expectation. A talented musician and song writer, he enjoys life to the fullest with his wife, Gwyneth, their 2 boys, 1 horse, a German Shepard and Hound dog.  

Monica Morris grew up on the warm sandy beaches of Ventura and graduated from Ventura High School in 1997. After receiving her AA from Ventura City College in 1999 she moved north (to hug trees) and attended Humboldt State University where she graduated with a BS in Marine Biology and Zoology in 2002. Her passion and love for the environment and Mother Nature’s creatures lead her on a path with PSMFC/CDFW sampling local fisheries along the Mendocino coast.  After several years, the opportunity to be a part of preservation and compliance on local bridge projects presented itself. Monica worked on the 10 Mile River Bridge Project, Greenwood Creek Bridge Project, and Willits Bypass as a Biological Monitor and Water Quality Resource Specialist. Her next journey in life led her to the family at Village Vet where she is fortunate enough to help those animals in need. Monica enjoys chillin’ at the beach, dancing, and hiking/exploring in the forests with her husband Chris and two children Isliana and Wyatt. Their home is loved by their cat Sweetie, Corn snake Amber, 4 chickens, fishies and numerous visiting wildlife. 

Diva Gallo grew up on the Mendocino Coast surrounded by animals including donkeys, horses, chickens, cats, dogs and pet rats. She graduated from Mendocino High School and went on to receive a degree in Marine Conservation from University of California, Berkeley. After college she worked for World of Science Publishing in the Bay Area until working at a desk was just too soul crushing and she escaped to embarked on a career in veterinary medicine. Diva shares her house with a tawdry tuxedo cat named Mr. Todd, a beatuiful hound dog named Talia and a curmudgeonly beta fish named Tiburon. She spends her time outside when ever possible or doing creative projects such as watercolor painting. Diva started working at Village Veterinary in 2014. ** Diva is currently attending Veterinary College in Scotland! She will still be working at the office on winter and summer breaks. Yay! We are so incredibly  proud of the future Dr. Gallo!**

Alexa is a junior at Mendocino High School. She has been working at Village Vet since 2018. Since she was little, her life's dream has always been to go to college to become a veterinarian. Alexa has a stellar attitude, a great work ethic and is a natural when it comes to handling animals, big and small. Alexa spends her free time riding her young horse and competing in horse shows. She loves animals and can’t wait to become Alexa Miller, DVM. 

As the most important member of the Village Vet team, Eloise’s duties consist mainly of keeping her coworkers in line. The most vital duty at the office (filling her food bowl twice daily) is a complex procedure and must be observed with the strictest of protocol. She has been on a diet and meow weighs in at 12 lean mean feline pounds of pure muscle. She hopes to someday reach her fighting weight of 9 pounds, but alas, she does love her food bowl. Rest assured that under Eloise’s watch, your furry children will receive the absolute best of veterinary care, as long as all of the assorted canine patients stay away from her sacred food bowl.