The Blue Ridge Team

Kelly Burke, DVM

Veterinarian, Owner

Dr. Kelly Burke was raised in Lakeside, Arizona where she attended Blue Ridge from second grade on. She participated in softball, basketball, track, volleyball, band, and Spanish while attending Blue Ridge. After graduating in 2007 she attended Arizona State University. While attending ASU she went to Guatemala and Mexico several times for missions working with children. After graduation from ASU in 2010 she attended Washington State University for veterinary school. She traveled to Mongolia with Christian Veterinary Mission in 2011 to teach children English in the Gobi Deset. She graduated from veterinary school in 2015.

Blue Ridge Pet Clinic has a special place in Dr. Burke’s heart as she started working here in 2004 at the age of 14. She worked her way up from kennel assistant to now the practice owner. She met her husband while working at Blue Ridge. He was a veterinary technician. She focuses on the veterinary client relationship and enjoys partnering with clients to achieve the best care for their animals. She has special interests in soft tissue surgery, pain management and exotics.

In her free time, Dr. Burke loves spending time with her husband and two children exploring the beautiful White Mountains. She enjoys camping, fishing, and hiking with her two golden retrievers. She also has two cats and tortoise waiting at home (they don’t enjoy hiking as much). She and her husband are involved in their church family and the community. She will occasionally umpire for Blue Ridge softball games. She also loves traveling and visiting as much of the world as possible. She loves the White Mountains and looks forward to helping it be a great place.

James Ponder, DVM

Veterinarian, Owner

Dr. James Ponder brings over 40 years of veterinary experience to Blue Ridge Pet Clinic. He earned both his Bachelor of Science in Zoology (1979) and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (1985) from the University of California, Davis. While he pursued the small animal track, he also spent three summers on the equine ambulatory service, originally planning to enter mixed animal practice.

Dr. Ponder began his career at Lassen Veterinary Hospital and later served as an emergency clinician for the Salinas area, covering all weekend and holiday cases for six independent veterinary hospitals. In 1987, he founded Romie Lane Pet Hospital in Salinas, CA, which he owned and operated for over 30 years. His practice was known for its comprehensive care, blending advanced Western medicine with a compassionate, personal approach.
In 1999, Dr. Ponder became the first veterinarian in Monterey County certified in veterinary acupuncture through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. While he offers acupuncture as an option, his primary focus has always been on medicine and surgery. Throughout his career, he has integrated cutting-edge tools like endoscopy, ultrasound, and laser therapy to ensure the highest standard of care.

A lifelong learner, Dr. Ponder regularly attends continuing education events and stays current with veterinary advancements. From 2012 to 2020, he provided after-hours emergency care until midnight, often following a full day of appointments. He also hosted a weekly call-in animal advice show on KSCO 1080 AM radio in Santa Cruz from 2015 to 2017.

After selling his practice in 2020, Dr. Ponder remained on as an associate before joining Blue Ridge Pet Clinic in April 2022, where he continues to offer expert care in small animal medicine and surgery.

Jordan Clark, DVM

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Jordan Clark grew up in Hahira, GA on a horse farm, giving her a passion for animals at an early age. She graduated from Valdosta State University with a Biology Degree and was then accepted into the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.

During veterinary school, Dr. Clark became involved with Christian Veterinary Mission, which led her to take several veterinary mission trips to places such as Romania, the Navajo Reservation and the local White Mountain Apache Tribe. Through these mission trips to the WMAT, she met her (now husband) Curtis and the door opened for her to work at Blue Ridge Pet Clinic after graduation.

Dr Clark’s favorite part of being a veterinarian is encouraging people through their animals. Her interests include senior pet care, critical care and equine medicine.  Dr. Clark’s family includes her husband, Curtis, and daughter, Hannalin, along with their two rescue pups. Her favorite hobbies include traveling, hiking the White Mountains, and spending time doing youth ministry on the reservation.

Cimmeron Madrid, DVM

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Cimmeron Madrid is proud to call the White Mountains home. His family originates both locally in the Eagar area and all the way from Minnesota. He was born in Show Low, but has also lived in Gilbert and Sierra Vista. He graduated from Buena High School in Sierra Vista in 2013. By his own admission, he did not know what he wanted to do in high school. His desire to become a veterinarian began after watching an equine veterinarian suture an injured foal’s leg while he worked for a dude ranch near Alpine and Big Lake. He then started down the veterinary path at Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher. In late 2014, he moved to the Dominican Republic to serve a 2-year mission for his church where he achieved fluency in Spanish. In 2017, he moved to Rexburg, Idaho and attended Brigham Young University-Idaho, where he graduated with a bachelors in Animal Science in 2019. Thankfully, he was accepted into veterinary school at Washington State University in 2020 and graduated in May of 2024.

In 2019, he needed an internship to complete his undergraduate degree. He got in touch with Blue Ridge Pet Clinic and they were nice enough to hire him on and train him as a veterinary assistant, where he worked during that summer and before graduate school. Dr. Madrid is grateful that they were willing to take him back upon completion of veterinary school and is glad to be in the White Mountains again. Dr. Madrid enjoys being out in the woods, having spent several summers on horseback in the Apache National Forest.

He and his border collie Rue have been all over and through many adventures. He is active in his church, likes to hike, read, watch a good movie, and come up with hilarious puns (at least he thinks so).

Chris Reed

Office Manager

Chris started with Blueridge Pet Clinic in late 2022. He brings over 15 years of management experience with him. Chris is from Boise Idaho and decided to move to Lakeside after meeting his wife who grew up in the area. He lives here with his wife, five children, two dogs and three cats. He fills his free time with his family doing things with his community and local church.

Amberlee

Practice Manager

Amberlee has been a dedicated part of Blue Ridge Pet Clinic for over 8 years. Originally from Sanders, Arizona, she graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in business. With over a decade of experience and a passion for leadership, she helps keep the clinic running smoothly every day. Outside of work, Amberlee enjoys spending time with her husband of 12 years and their three boys.

Cassie

Front Office Supervisor

My husband, Travis, and I have called the beautiful White Mountains home for nearly 7 years. I’m proud to be the Front Office Supervisor here at Blue Ridge Pet Clinic, where I’ve been part of the team for the past 2 years—and I truly love what I do!

Before joining Blue Ridge, I spent 5 wonderful years working at the Humane Society of the White Mountains. My heart has always been in animal care, and that passion carries through everything I do—from greeting clients at the front desk to fostering tiny kittens with Travis and offering pet sitting on the side.

Helping animals and supporting the people who love them is more than just a job—it’s my calling. I feel so lucky to be doing what I love every day, and I hope to continue for many years to come!

Sandra

Veterinary Technician

Sandra started her career in the animal field at 18, volunteering at Wildife World Zoo. She helped in several areas of the Zoo for several years until taking an internship at Sea Life Park in Hawaii. She was then hired as a trainer after her internship. While at Sea Life Park, Sandra became involved with the park’s Seabird Rehabilitation Facility, eventually running it for 11 years.

Sandra moved back to Arizona at the beginning of 2020 to be closer to family. Sandra started working at Blue Ridge Pet Clinic as a veterinary technician later that year. Sandra enjoys being able to assist in helping pets in the community.

In her free time, Sandra volunteers with the raptors at the White Mountain Nature Center. She also enjoys exploring the White Mountains, looking for and photographing wildlife. During the summer you can find her teaching line dancing.

Matt

Veterinary Technician

Matt has been dedicated to the veterinary field since 2006. He began his career working in emergency and specialty clinics, gaining valuable experience and a deep understanding of animal care in critical situations. In 2016, he found his home at Blue Ridge Pet Clinic, where he continues to serve the pets and people of the White Mountains with compassion and expertise. Matt is passionate about making a difference in the lives of animals and their families and is proud to be part of a team that shares that same commitment.

Mae

Veterinary Technician

Mae enjoys hunting and camping as well as good places to eat here in the white mountains oh and we can’t forget her wonderful family and pets that she absolutely love to spend time with. Mae was born and raised in Flagstaff, AZ. When she was a very young kid, she had a love for all animals big or small, that’s how she knew what type of work field she wanted to be in, that’s what led her to Blue Ridge Pet Clinic. She enjoys working at Blue Ridge Pet Clinic with all her wonderful Doctors, coworkers and wonderful community that we have here in the white mountains.

Mae is grateful to be a part of Blue Ridge Pet Clinic .

Kiana

Veterinary Technician

Hi everyone! My name is Kiana, I am a Veterinary Technician here at Blue Ridge Pet Clinic. With close to 5 years of being in the Veterinary field, my passion for helping your fur babies is what makes it all worthwhile. I am a University of Arizona graduate with a Veterinary Science Degree with hopes of furthering my education in Veterinary Medicine. Being born & raised on the nearby White Mountain Apache Tribe, it’s even more important to be able to utilize my skills to contribute to local communities.

Lydia

Veterinary Technician

Lydia is a dedicated veterinary technician who has been part of the Blue Ridge Pet Clinic family for nearly seven years. A proud Show Low native, she began working at the clinic when she was just 15 years old, driven by a deep love for animals and a passion for helping others.

After spending a year and a half in Washington serving an LDS mission, Lydia returned home and resumed her work at the clinic. She’s now a key member of our technician team, known for her fun energy , strong work ethic, and genuine care for every patient she sees.

Lydia shares her life (and sometimes her pets!) with her mom, and together they care for 7 dogs and 4 cats. When she’s not at the clinic, you can find her enjoying the outdoors with her husband and their furry crew.