Our Team
Meet the caring and compassionate veterinary care team of West Houston Veterinary Medical Associates in Houston! We’re pleased to provide exceptional veterinary care for your pets! Call us at (281) 493-4712 or contact us to speak to one of our caring veterinary staff members!
Dr. Mark Gochenour | Co-Medical Director
Dr. Gochenour, “Dr. G”, received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Texas A&M in 1977, and started WHVMA 41 years ago. Mark always wanted to be a veterinarian, saving the local wildlife and strays growing up. His vision of the future of veterinary medicine in prevention and wellness care makes him our leader in continuing to improve the quality of life for our patients through his creation of the Free Vaccines for Life and Healthy Pets for Life program.
He regularly attends continuing education meetings, ultrasound seminars, and performs all of our ultrasound and echocardiogram diagnostics. If your pet needs any of these procedures, you can observe through the glass walls of the special procedures room, and even see what’s going on at the same time through our second monitor!
Dr G has an English golden retriever named Misha, 5 cats, Britta, Kitty Gaga, Tripod Bob, and Miss Priss. He also enjoys multiple sports activities; from baseball and basketball to cycling which keeps him busy in his free time.
Dr. Randy Tonking | Co-Medical Director
An Aggie through and through, our Dr. Tonking graduated class of 1981, and is our other owner of WHVMA. The outpatient area is a buzz with the high energy “Dr. T” emits while seeing our patients and taking care of their families. He always has a smile on his face and a greeting for our clients and their pet family members.
Extending the quality of life for our canine and feline friends has always been at the forefront for Dr. Tonking, and he enjoys taking time with his clients as well as their pets.
When not enjoying the latest Aggie football game, Dr. T enjoys visiting his two sons, Blaine and Reid, and his grandchildren. Dr. T is also very proud of his sons for serving our country.
Dr. Thane Boyce | Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Boyce grew up in Muncie, Indiana, as the son of a small animal veterinarian. Growing up, his family had cats, dogs, and horses, which gave Dr. Boyce invaluable experience. This helped him value the importance of helping animals; he realized it could bring joy into people’s lives and was intrigued by the field. The passion inevitably translated into a career as he attended Brigham Young University for his undergraduate coursework and then graduated from Purdue University's College of Veterinary Medicine with his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Boyce enjoys fostering the human-animal bond between owners and their pets and especially loves talking to new pet owners about that exciting experience.
He and his wife have two cats, Iris and Ruthie, who rule the house. In his free time, Dr. Boyce enjoys a variety of hobbies, including hiking, camping, cooking, and home improvement projects.
Dr. Sarah McDonnell | Associate Veterinarian
Dr. McDonnell is a Houston, Texas native who has actively enjoyed equestrian activities, including polo, since childhood. She attended the University of St. Thomas and graduated Magna Cum Laude, with a B.A. in Theology and a B.S. in Environmental Science. She also earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) degree from the University of Houston Law Center. Dr. McDonnell was admitted to the Bar of Texas by the Texas Board of Law Examiners in 2019 and is licensed to practice law in the state of Texas. Most recently, she graduated from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine (LSU SVM) with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM). While obtaining her DVM, she served as a co-chair on the LSU SVM Sustainability Advocates and Veterinary Environmentalists Committee, competed as a member of the nationally recognized LSU SVM bovine palpation team, interned with the Humane Society Legislative Fund, a single-issue animal welfare lobbying organization working at the federal level, and externed with the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine learning about pharmaceutical approval within the aquaculture industry.
Her professional goals are to serve others through veterinary clinical work, with the advocacy of humane animal practices that are sympathetic to the needs of both animals and public health, and to promote the diversity of the veterinary profession.
Annette VerHoeven | Clinic Director
Annette was born in Long Island, New York, but most of her childhood and upbringing took place in Denmark. In fact, after graduating college, she held residencies in places like Austria and Germany.
As a child, her dream job was to be a professional translator for the United Nations, which would be fitting considering she speaks multiple languages.
Annette is known for possessing a strong inner drive, and an innate source of energy and motivation. She prides herself in her constant desire to learn, which pushes her to work harder.
When not working, Annette can be found rescuing animals. She specifically spends her time working with the Chow Chow Rescue.
Emily Alford | Office Manager
Emily was born and raised in Houston, Texas. After being given an opportunity to join the marketing team for a restaurant located in Pasadena, TX, her passion for hospitality and community involvement really began.
Her passion for animal has ALWAYS existed. Growing up Emily had multiple family members working in the vet industry and those who were firefighters. Her dream job as a child was to be a firefighter, but a traumatizing death of a family member changed her course. Emily was in the Army for three years, but when offered to work with WHVMA after returning home, she finally feels like she belongs in a industry which could not be more perfect.
Emily has a knack for thriving in stressful situations. Multitasking, problem solving, quick thinking, and level-headedness are strengths. She has a great sense of humor and can make light of any situation. While attending a seminar at LSU, Emily was voted, "most likely to succeed.
Emily strives to support her team, both professional and personally. This job means the world to her and feels it is an important time to be kind in this world.
Tim Bell | Kennel Manager
Tim is our kennel manager and has been with WHVMA since November of 1990. His mild manner and great smile keep us laughing, and his love of pets shows through in every aspect of animal care. Tim always makes sure to keep our pet resort running smoothly, making our patients stay as much like home as possible.
Need to check on your pet while they're boarding with us? You can call and speak to Tim personally, and get the news on how your pet is doing!
Paulette Lomas | Client Service Specialist
Paulette grew up in Sugar Land, Texas. When she was a child, she dreamt of being a ballet dancer, or artist. Ironically, now she is known for her versatile skills in accounting, domestic and international pet shipping, and more.
On the weekends, Paulette can be found at the farmers market, going to the beach, or just relaxing at home.
Alejandra Tzoc | Client Service Specialist
Alejandra’s lifelong love for animals began during her childhood, surrounded by dogs, cats, and small farm animals. These early experiences fostered her compassion and inspired her to pursue a career focused on providing exceptional care to pets. With hands-on experience in veterinary support roles, animal care facilities, and community outreach programs, Alejandra combines her nurturing instincts with practical expertise to ensure pets receive the best care possible.
To complement her experience, Alejandra earned an associate’s degree in Business Administration, equipping her with the organizational skills needed to support operational success. When she’s not working, she enjoys traveling, exploring new cultures, and spending quality time with her family. Alejandra is dedicated to fostering the bond between pets and their families, ensuring every fur baby feels loved and cared for.
Breyn Pulcher | Veterinary Technician
Breyn has been all about animals for as long as she can remember, and has always been an advocate for the fur babies that don't have a voice.
As a child, her dream job was to become a marine biologist. She is known for her punctuality, multitasking abilities, and most importantly keeping a positive and fun environment with her energetic personality! Breyn is also known for giving back to the community, in 2016 she raised over $6,500 for breast cancer awareness.
When not at work, Breyn can be found creating different kinds of arts, such as painting, or resin crafting.
Cherry Buske | Grooming
Cherry is our Pet Stylist and has been at WHVMA since June of 2000. With over 25 years of grooming experience, Cherry makes our dogs and cats look great, either with styling or haircuts!
Cherry was born and raised in the Philippines, but has also lived in Singapore and California. She loves to share stories from back home. Cherry also loves helping our neighborhood animal pets in need. She has been rescuing and adopting local pets for the past 4 years and although it takes a great amount of time, she enjoys it as a labor of love.
When not spending time making your pets look fabulous and with her vast four-legged family at home, she enjoys visiting her family all over the U.S.
