After graduating from Mandeville High School, Dr. Alissa Whitney fulfilled a childhood dream and earned her bachelor’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She returned home to teach secondary math and science at Northlake Christian School so that she could have a gap year before continuing her education. She found that she enjoyed teaching much more than she expected and it was seven years before she made the shift to go LSU.
While it was awkward to transition back into being a student, there were benefits to being older: her study skills were better, she was more settled in life, and she was comfortable interacting with pet owners. She spoke at elementary schools around Baton Rouge to teach bite safety and joined the school’s Tiger Human Animal Therapy Service (Tiger HATS), for which was given a University Service Award for using a therapy dog to help at-risk children learn to read. She had an otherwise normal experience in vet school until three days after Hurricane Katrina, when she found herself at Parker Coliseum at midnight, unloading busloads of cats evacuated from New Orleans. She spent weeks at the emergency shelter there before rotating back to the teaching hospital, where life had completely changed. Animals were being housed in every available corner and the hospital caseload had exploded. Despite the added stress and chaos, Dr. Whitney believes that this time was a blessing, as it gave her experience that she never would have had otherwise.
Returning home once again, Dr. Whitney took a position at a veterinary hospital in Covington. Never content to just sit back and relax, she also taught part-time for the veterinary technician program at Northshore Community College and did pro bono shelter work in her spare time. After 12 years as an associate, she was ready to take the next step and left to start her own practice. She is now working in Old Mandeville, just blocks away from her childhood home. She and her business partner are preparing to celebrate the eight year anniversary of Monroe Street Animal Hospital, where they use Fear Free principles to put their patients at ease. During the pandemic, she was able to complete the necessary training for her Human Animal Bond certification, so that she could better meet the needs of her clients and patients.
Dr. Whitney serves as the treasurer for the Florida Parishes Veterinary Medical Association and volunteers as a member of the Abita Springs Historic Commission. She remains active in the MIT community as a local member of the Educational Council, a group of alumni that interview and advise applicants. She remains grateful to her family for all of their support in her endeavors.