Rotating Interns
Madison Casey
madic@vt.edu
Dr. Madison Casey is from Towson, MD. Madi has been passionate about horses from a young age. She graduated with a degree in animal and poultry sciences from Virginia Tech and completed veterinary school at Ross University in St. Kitts. Madison has an island dog named Lily, and a Sphynx cat named Dobby. Her hobbies include hiking with her dog, reading, and horseback riding.
Kassandra Crissman
kassie@vt.edu
Dr. Kassie Crissman graduated from LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and is very excited to be working with everyone this next year! She lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the past 14 years but is originally from Leonardtown, Maryland. She and her family breed, raise, and show Arabian horses and have for the past 8 years or so and horses are an enormous passion of hers. In addition to horses, she has a deaf cat named Cheeb and a GSD mix named Bear. She is also extremely passionate about research and hope to be involved in some projects during her internship, if at all possible! Her research interests thus far have included preeclampsia, endometrial cups, and various studies exploring the microbiome. She is excited to begin this journey and can’t wait to be a part of the team.
Cecelia Ivey
iveyce25@vt.edu
Dr. Cecelia Ivey is from Prince George, VA. Anything equine related became her passion when she was six years old when she began taking horseback riding lessons. She graduated with a biology degree from the Virginia Military Institute in 2021 before proceeding to veterinary school at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. In her free time, she enjoys riding her heart horse of 14 years, Risky, alongside her husband, Nick. Her and her husband love being outdoors and exploring new places.
Alley LaPlante
alleylaplante210@vt.edu
Dr. Alley LaPlante graduated from VMCVM in 2025. Outside of work, she loves to read, bake, and spend time with her two financial burdens (Ember and Nuggs) and her boyfriend – usually out on the Huckleberry, at the gym, or just happily rotting on the couch.
Shaylyn Lewis
sblewis@vt.edu
Dr. Shaylyn Lewis is originally from Edgewood, Maryland. She studied animal science at Iowa State University from 2018-2021 before beginning veterinary school at Ross University! She then completed her clinical year at Kansas State University in December 2024. Since then, she has been enjoying time off with her little family before moving to Virginia. She began her career in vet med as an emergency assistant during the COVID pandemic, which is where her love for emergency medicine began. Throughout school, she also developed a strong interest in cardiology. She has two fur babies – her coconut retriever from St. Kitts named Scruffy, and her gray tabby from Kansas named May. She is excited to be back on the east coast and to learn a lot this year!
Maria Madsen
mjmadsen@vt.edu
Dr. Maria Madsen recently graduated from Midwestern University and is excited to join the team at Virginia-Maryland CVM this year. At Midwestern, she developed a strong interest in neurology both in the classroom and during her clinical year. The most interesting parts of neurology for her are being able to localize lesions with a thorough neurological exam and neurosurgery. Outside of veterinary medicine, she enjoys painting with acrylics, drawing, and spending time outdoors hiking. She is looking forward to meeting and learning from the experienced team and eager to contribute to the high-quality care provided.
Alexandra Peters
alexandrapeters@vt.edu
Dr. Alexandra Peters is originally from upstate New York. She completed her preclinical education at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and her clinical year at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. She has a dog named Mambo, who she adopted while living on the island during vet school. She is currently interested in small animal orthopedic surgery. Outside of work she enjoys skiing, hiking, and spending time with Mambo. A fun fact: she has a twin brother!
Tiernan Smith
tiernansmith@vt.edu
Dr. Tiernan Smith is originally from Galesburg, Illinois. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Truman State University and attended veterinary school at the University of Missouri. He is excited to join the community at Virginia-Maryland CVM to continue advancing his knowledge and developing his clinical skills. His primary clinical interests include neurology and anesthesiology but looking forward to exploring and learning about all areas of emergency and specialty medicine during the next year. Outside of work, he enjoys reading, cooking, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with friends and family.
Cassidy Sproul
csproul@vt.edu
Dr. Cassidy Sproul was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, and attended Morehead State University where she received her BS in Veterinary Science and a Minor in Spanish. Her favorite experience during this time was going on a study abroad in South Africa and learning about the various species, aspects of catch-and-release, and the practices of veterinary medicine in a different country. She graduated from Ontario Veterinary College with her DVM in June 2025 with an interest in pursuing Ophthalmology.
Dr. Sproul has a Chihuahua mix named Alfie, an orange cat named Roméo, and a black cat named Abél. Outside work, she enjoys playing volleyball, traveling, reading, and hiking to see waterfalls.