Meet Our Team

Dr. Jen Malter is originally from Southern California and completed her undergraduate education at the University of California, Santa Barbara before moving north up the coast. She spent 12 years at her last practice, both as a licensed veterinary technician, and then as a doctor after graduating from Oregon State University with her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. She's a true Beavers fan and on any day you might find her wearing an OSU scrub!

Dr. Malter started working in clinics in high school as a volunteer and gradually worked her way through the ranks to become a doctor. Having worked in many clinics in many positions has helped shape her own preferences at Oceanlake Veterinary Clinic. Her primary focus is on patient care, patient comfort, and client satisfaction. Everything in the clinic is designed to make your visit as comfortable as possible. While she loves treating dogs and cats, she also has a special interest in birds and other small mammals.

Outside of the clinic Dr. Malter spends her time with her bouncy yellow Labrador dog Emma, unique puli Nanni and Sweet Pea, a Lutino Indian Ring-necked Parakeet. If she can ever get away from the clinic you may find her walking the beach with Emma, bowling, water-skiing, or watching a Beavers game! Stop by and introduce yourself so she can better get to know you and your furry family.

Dr. Kelsey Merriam, aka OLVC's 'crazy cat lady,' graduated with Honors from Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine in 2021. She was raised in the Puget Sound region of Washington State and knew she wanted to stay in the beautiful Pacific Northwest after graduating, but never imagined that she'd end up living a dream come true on the Oregon Coast. She still pinches herself sometimes, and feels so incredibly fortunate to have found such an amazing town and clinic to call home.  Dr. Merriam is passionate about animal behavior and is Fear Free Level 2 certified, so you and your furry family members can have the least-stressful visit possible. She also enjoys cytology (examining cells under the microscope), diagnostic imaging, and preventative medicine, but her favorite thing about veterinary medicine is helping to nurture the human-animal bond. When not in the clinic, Dr. Merriam can be found digging in her garden, perfecting her catio, looking for rocks on the beach, or out hiking. She also enjoys yoga, ice sports (she taught figure skating and played goalie in a hockey league during vet school!), and relaxing with her two purrfect kitties, Ronald and Meeko. 

Kyla completed the Veterinary Assistant program at Linn Benton Community College before moving back to her hometown of Lincoln City in 2011. She then started working for Oceanlake Veterinary Clinic in September of 2011. She grew up on a farm and has experience with a variety of animals such as llamas, chickens, horses, cats, and dogs. She has a Great Dane mix named Boone who has enough energy for 10 dogs. Kyla finished her degree to become a Certified Veterinary Technician through Penn Foster College in 2019. She assists in surgery and exam rooms. On her days off, Kyla enjoys going to the gym, working on home projects, and going on hikes with her dog. She loves meeting new people and animals that come into the clinic.  

Mary is a fifth generation Oregonian who was born and raised on a wheat ranch in Eastern Oregon. After graduating from Whitman College she attended Boise State University to obtain a second degree. She received her Master degree in Health and Human Performance from Fort Hays State University in Kansas. Mary was an Assistant Professor and Head Women's Basketball Coach at Linfield College before moving to the Division I level to coach basketball at University of Idaho, Radford University, and Oregon State University. Following retirement from coaching she was the bookkeeper for Corvallis Cat Care. Currently, Mary is the business manager for Oceanlake Veterinary Clinic. Mary also loves sports, the outdoors, wildlife, bird watching and traveling.

Sam moved to Lincoln City in May of 2021 from Mesa, Arizona. She has over four years of customer experience and has always loved animals. Sam started working for Oceanlake in October 2021 and is eager to keep learning more about the practice. She currently helps with reception, boarding, and treatment. On her days off she enjoys passing time by baking, playing video games, and cuddling with her two boys Jasper (bottom) and Cosmo (top).

Shelby is one of the veterinary assistants here at Oceanlake. This is her first time getting to work in the veterinary field and she is enjoying the experience. Shelby was born and raised in California, but soon fell in love with the scenery at the Oregon coast. She had grown up on a farm and raised a wide range of pets from farm animals like poultry and goats, to more exotic animals such as snakes and hedgehogs. She also had shown goats and poultry competitively through 4-H. In her free time she loves to travel with her dog Scotch (shown in the picture), scuba diving with sharks, or curling up with a good book. Shelby is ecstatic to get to know you and your four-legged family members!

Taylor is really excited to be a part of the Oceanlake Veterinary clinic. She loves working with the animals she gets to meet everyday. This job helped her make up her mind to be a veterinarian. She’s been around all different types of animals throughout her life. Her most favorite animal she has owned is her dog Peppermint (seen in the picture).