Rotating Interns
Taylor Downing
taydow24vt.edu
Dr. Taylor Downing is originally from Gainesville, Virginia. She graduated from the VMCVM in May 2026 with an interest in pursuing neurology. Taylor is excited to return to the VMCVM team and continue expanding her clinical knowledge. Outside of work, Taylor enjoys drawing, painting, and spending time with her two dogs, Spencer and Penelope, and her cat, Bailey.
Isla Farrow
islafarrow@vt.edu
Dr. Isla Farrow was born and raised in Greenville, NC. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in 2020. She is a recent graduate of NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. Her current interest is in Anesthesia.
She has a 7-year old female Holland Lop named Coco Puff. In her free time, she loves to try new restaurants, attend sporting events, and do outdoor activities.
Paulina Garcia
pmgarcia@vt.edu
My name is Paulina. I graduated from Iowa State University. I am originally from California but have previously lived in Williamsburg, Virginia. I like to spend my free time with my husband and our two dogs (Nala and Shadow). I am so excited for my intern year and look forward to meeting and working with the fourth-year students and faculty!
Jennifer Grell
jgrell@vt.edu
Dr. Jennifer Grell is from Staten Island, New York. Her passion for helping others was inspired by her parents, both of which were New York City first responders. However, she discovered her love for veterinary medicine while volunteering at the Staten Island Zoo beginning in middle school. She obtained a BS in Animal Science from Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 2022. She subsequently attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, where she recently earned her VMD in May 2026. Dr. Grell has a special interest in small animal cardiology and aspires to pursue a career in academia to teach future veterinary students.
Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Grell loves yoga, alpine skiing, baking, photography, reviewing local restaurants on Beli, and spending time with her orange cat, Murphy!
Blake Jarratt
hbj208@vt.edu
I am thrilled to return to Blacksburg as a Small Animal Rotating Intern at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. After earning my bachelor’s degree in Animal and Poultry Sciences from Virginia Tech in 2021, I attended Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine before completing my clinical year at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Throughout my veterinary training, I have developed strong interests in small animal internal medicine and veterinary education. During my internship, I look forward to contributing to the collaborative learning environment at VMCVM and fostering strong relationships with clients, patients and members of the VMCVM care team.
Shelley Jersey
srjersey@vt.edu
Dr. Shelley Jersey studied biochemistry and minored in French at University of Florida before attending veterinary school at Auburn University. She is excited to continue improving her clinical skills and expanding her knowledge base with the help of the team at Virginia-Maryland CVM. Her primary clinical interests are emergency medicine and cardiology. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and traveling with her family and friends. Her experiences moving around the world with her pets by her side inspired her passion for companion animal medicine. Today, she has one very fluffy cat named Juko.
Leo Lee
lleo@vt.edu
Dr. Leo Shengta Lee graduated with a BS in Zoology from San Francisco State University, earned a MS in Biomedical Sciences from Texas A&M University, and completed his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the Royal Veterinary College in London in 2025. After graduation, he worked as a general practitioner in Houston, Texas, where he gained valuable experience managing a wide range of medical and surgical cases.
Dr. Lee has a strong interest in both neurology and ECC medicine. He is particularly fascinated by the diagnostic challenges of neurological cases, including lesion localization through detailed neurological examinations, as well as the fast-paced and rewarding nature of emergency medicine.
Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Lee enjoys running, playing badminton, and spending time outdoors. He also appreciates quiet days at home, often joking that his favorite pastime is “staying home like a burrito.” He is excited to continue developing his clinical skills, learn from experienced colleagues, and contribute to providing high-quality patient care and client service.
Iliana Nam
iliana26@vt.edu
Iliana (Yoon Jung) Nam has recently graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. She is from Boston, MA, but originially from South Korea. She is interested in pursuing a residency program in Internal Medicine or Cardiology after completing a rotating internship. In her spare time she loves reading novels, traveling abroad, and cuddling with her two cute cats, Bella & Cassie.
Lexi Nieves
lnieves@vt.edu
Dr. Lexi Nieves is originally from Elizabeth, New Jersey. She completed her preclinical education at St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine and her clinical year at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Nieves began riding horses at the age of 13 and has been passionate about them since. While she knew from a young age that she wanted to be come a veterinarian, it was her love of horses that sparked her passion for equine veterinary medicine. She has a particular interest in equine internal medicine and especially enjoys educating clients and working alongside owners to support the health and well being of their horses.
Outside of veterinary medicine, she enjoys horseback riding, scuba diving, hiking, and exploring new recipes in the kitchen. She also loves spending time with her two cats, Leo and Rosé, who she insists are the most perfect cats in the entire world.