The team at Lunenburg Veterinary Hospital is comprised of highly trained and experienced animal health professionals who have a genuine love for working with pets. Our staff treats every patient with the highest quality of medical care as well as a gentle touch.
Our Doctors
Carl Flinkstrom – DVM
Education: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, 1983
Interests: Dogs, cats, exotics, wildlife, gardening, photography, personal growth, mentoring, networking, helping others.
In 1983, Dr. Flinkstrom settled in Lunenburg with wife Teresa and sons AJ and Sean, and opened Lunenburg Veterinary Mobile Facility, making house calls for “All Creatures Great and Small.” In 1988 the practice was moved from the pickup truck and the kitchen table to the current facility. Two more boys and several grandchildren later, the Flinkstrom family is still growing and working together. In his spare time outside of practicing veterinary medicine and keeping up with the latest advances, Dr. Flinkstrom is devoted to his ultimate dream of building and helping others build residual income in some of the hottest industries on the planet, namely telecom, new technologies, energy, and merchant services, which will allow him to expand the practice to a new, larger, state of the art facility where he will one day be able to volunteer his expertise and provide optimal veterinary care regardless of the pet owner’s ability to pay.
Valerie Calabria-Maher, DVM
On Our Team Since: 2016
Education: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine – Tufts University, Internship – Angell Memorial Animal Hospital
Awards, Degrees, Etc.: Phi Zeta Veterinary Honor Society
“Dr. Val” moved to Massachusetts to attend Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, and never left. After graduating from Tufts in 1993 and Angell in 1994, she became a staff veterinarian at several animal hospitals and also had her own veterinary relief practice. She was delighted to join the team at Lunenburg Veterinary Hospital as an Associate Veterinarian. Dr. Val enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine, geriatrics, and exotic pets. She and her husband Tom share their home with their Sheltie – Wesley; three cats – Willow, Chloe, and Opal; four parrots – Bogey, Henry, Peaches, and Peeps; and four chinchillas – Silver, Scout, Jade, and Rush. In her spare time, Dr. Val enjoys mysteries, crossword puzzles, Classic Country and Rock music, and anything to do with the ocean.
Laurie Lofton, DVM, CVH
On Our Team Since: 2017
Education: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, 1989, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine
Awards, Degrees, etc.: Certified Instructor, Basic Animal Rescue Training (BART) to train first-responders (fire fighters, etc.) in rescuing and stabilizing animals in emergency situations; Certified in Veterinary Homeopathy, by the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy; Environmental Educator training with the National Audubon Society, Dayton, Ohio; Training expeditions to the Dominican Republic, training Veterinarians and Veterinary students in animal health issues and problem-solving techniques.
Dr. Lofton grew up in California, but is happy to call New England her home. She has been in veterinary practice, working with many species of animals, since graduation from Tufts Veterinary School in 1989. Dr. Lofton loves all aspects of veterinary medicine, with special interests in illnesses and conditions of a persistent and chronic nature.
Outside of veterinary practice, Dr. Lofton loves adventure travel, hiking, bicycling, gardening, everything to do with the outdoors, and nature study.
Our Staff
Teresa Flinkstrom – Hospital Administrator
On Our Team Since: 1984
Education: Leominster High School
Interests: Dekhockey, gardening, and watching the Bruins and Patriots.
Teresa graduated from Leominster High School. She later met and married Dr. Flinkstrom in August of 1984. Teresa is the co-founder and Hospital Administrator of LVH. She has won the Presidential Physical fitness Award. Teresa has four great boys, three daughters-in-law, three grandsons and five granddaughters. She does the bookkeeping and payroll, as well as filling in wherever and whenever needed. She enjoys playing dekhockey, gardening, and watching the Bruins and Patriots. Her favorite time is spent with her grandchildren and family. She has always had animals involved in her life, either wildlife or pets. She says it is very rewarding caring for animals.
Alex Flinkstrom – Practice Manager
On Our Team Since: 2008
Education: Alex graduated Summa Cum Laude from UMass Lowell with a Bachelors degree in Sound Recording Technology.
Interests: Alex enjoys repairing saxophones, spending time with friends and family, and following the Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox and Patriots.
Alex grew up around animals and started working in our front office at the age of sixteen. He handled the front office of a 15 veterinarian practice in New York City for 2 years before returning to us. Alex has been the Practice Manager since 2014. Alex and his wife Shawna reside in Westminster with their daughters Alaina, Paige, and Emma! They have a Timneh African Grey Parrot named Cutie Pie, and cats named Momo and Moonlight.
Mark Dorval – CSR
On Our Team Since: 2014
Education: Associate’s Degree, Liberal Arts, Mount Wachusett Community College
Interests: Art, antique restoration, writing, reading, yard sales, and trivia.
Mark worked for 20 years at a small Co-operative Bank, starting as a teller and working up to President. He then worked as a Teacher’s Aide for the Shirley, MA school system, and more recently at a sales and marketing firm in Marlborough, MA. In his spare time, Mark likes to restore trunks, furniture, artwork, and ceramics; he also enjoys drawing, painting, reading, and trivia. Mark lives in Shirley with his wife, Karen. He is the proud parent of Navarro, a tuxedo cat, as well as grandfather to his daughter’s 5 cats, Ruxin, Loki, Spike, George, and Fred, as well as her Catahoula Leopard dog Violet, and Lemon Beagle Arya.
Alyssa Johnson – Head Technician
On Our Team Since: 2013
Education: Biology and Animal Science major, Holyoke Community College
Interests: Downhill mountain biking, camping, hiking, spending time with her pets, family, and in the great outdoors.
Alyssa attended Holyoke Community College, majoring in Biology and Animal Science while interning at Tender Heart Veterinary Care in Gardner. During High School, she was an intern at Veterinary Ophthalmology of New England. She is certified in artificial insemination for farm animals. Alyssa has two cats “Opal” and “Onyx,” as well as a Maltese-Westie mix dog named Julie. She has worked at the Gardner Ale House since it opened. In her spare time, Alyssa enjoys downhill mountain bike racing, camping, and hiking. She loves spending time with her family, pets, and in the great outdoors.
Mary Pariseau – Head Surgery Technician
On Our Team Since: 2018
Education: UMass Dartmouth
Awards, Degrees, etc.: Associates Degree with a minor in Art History
Mary went to college for large-scale ceramics and photography and has since worked at primary care, emergency care, and shelter medicine with animals. She missed working closely with owners and their animals, so she found her way back to primary care. In her spare time, Mary hikes with her dogs Loki and Odin and enjoys dog photography. She shares her home with 5 cats as well. Mary is interested in learning more about dog training and behavior.
Iris Gyles-Trombley – Client Liaison
On Our Team Since: 2013
Education: North Middlesex Regional High School
Interests: Horses, dogs, cats, sci-fi, action, and horror movies.
Iris has been a client of LVH for more than 30 years because, as she says, “When you meet someone who knows their stuff, you stick with them.” She has now been working for Dr. Flinkstrom for more than four years. She has seen that his compassion and knowledge are second to none, and would bring her pets nowhere else. Iris has raised, trained, and showed horses of many breeds, has bred, trained, and showed German Shepherd dogs, and trained and showed her Belgian Malinois. She loves all animals, with a special attachment to horses, dogs, and cats, and has been married to her husband Jim, since 1979. (Jim was the toughest to train.) In her spare time, when she’s not watching Action, Sci-fi, or Horror movies, she loves spending time at the stable with Rollie, who is Iris’s newest family member – a Belgian Draft quarter-horse cross.
Vanessa Indeglia
On Our Team Since: 2017
Education: University of Massachusetts Amherst 2019, Pre-Vet major; North Middlesex Regional High School
Vanessa plans to go to Veterinary school after graduating from UMass, has a dog named Murphy, and works at Kimball Farm. She is a teaching assistant for a poultry course, is an animal caretaker at a finch research lab at school, and also works on a farm in Hadley.
Vanessa loves ice cream, spending time with family and friends, going to the movies – especially MARVEL movies, and going to the beach.
Molly Melanson
On Our Team Since: 2020
Education: Leominster High School, University of Rhode Island, Junior.
Molly is an Animal Science major with a concentration in pre-veterinary medicine. She plans on going to Vet school after she graduates to earn her DVM and practice wildlife conservation medicine. Molly has 3 cats at home: Gracie, Lydia, and Maxwell; a hermit crab, and a tank of freshwater snails. She loves entomology, and painting, and she is a big bookworm.
Abbigail Schow
On Our Team Since: 2022
Education: Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School
Awards, Degrees, etc.: Certified Veterinary Assistant
Abby is interested in Acrylic painting, drawing, fishing, kayaking, and photography. She would like to be a Veterinary Technician who specializes in Radiography. She is currently a senior at Monty Tech, on a co-op externship. Abby has two dogs, Anja and Sam, and two cats – Khights and Rose.
Megan Rossi
On Our Team Since: 2022
Education: Currently in the Veterinary Technician program at Mount Wachusett Community College
Awards, Degrees, etc.: BS in Psychology from Elms College, 2019
Megan has a cat named Roy. She is interested in exotic pets, and is planning to do an externship to learn more about emergency and critical care for animals. She loves geriatric and senior pets! Megan loves listening to music, hiking, and baking.
Alicia Rossi
On Our Team Since: 2022
Education: Veterinary Assistant Certified from Mount Wachusett Community College
Alicia has two cats, 3 guinea pigs, and a ball python! She has a soft spot for senior animals, and loves reptiles, amphibians, insects, etc. Alicia is currently planning on going back to school to become a Veterinary Technician. She can be spotted easily, because she has Teal hair!
Ariana Castillo
On Our Team Since: 2022
Education: Veterinary Technician Institute, Pittsburgh, PA
Awards, Degrees, etc.: Associates Degree, Veterinary Technician
Arianna has 3 dogs – Funny, Lea, and Banner, and a cat – Zeus. She likes to travel, especially to Guatemala, where she visits her relatives. Ariana speaks both English and Spanish, and is currently learning Portuguese.