The Avian & Exotic Team

You and your pet will always be treated with the utmost care!

Stacey Leonatti ​Wilkinson, DVM
​Diplomate ABVP (Reptile & Amphibian)

Dr. Wilkinson's bio

Dr. Wilkinson earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. From 2006-2015 she worked as an associate veterinarian at Avian and Exotic 
Animal Care in Raleigh, NC, a veterinary practice that treats only exotic pets.

In 2013 she became a board certified specialist by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in reptile
and amphibian practice. In 2015 
Dr. Wilkinson left North Carolina to start the first hospital on the Georgia coast exclusively dedicated to the
care of exotic pets. 

She is the only reptile and amphibian specialist certified by the ABVP in the state of Georgia.

Dr. Wilkinson is also an adjunct assistant professor at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, instructing students in
exotic animal medicine and surgery.

​Dr. Wilkinson has been published in textbooks and scientific and non-scientific journals and lectures nationally on exotic animal medicine and care. She is active in the Association of Reptilian and
Amphibian Veterinarians, where she serves on the board of directors as Treasurer.  She is also active in the Association of Avian Veterinarians
and the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians, and is a member of
the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Georgia
Veterinary Medical Association.

In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, fishing, swimming, and enjoying our beautiful coast. At home Dr. Wilkinson has a dog, cat and many various reptile pets, including iguanas, geckos, tortoises, and snakes. You'll see her green cheek conure at the office ​every day as well! In October of 2017, she  added a new human family member - her son Bill who you might see around the office too!

Mary Cate Miller, DVM
​Associate Veterinarian

DR. miller's BIO

A native Floridian, Dr. Miller earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Florida
College of Veterinary Medicine in
2018. While in school, she was president of the Association of
Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians Student Chapter, as well as an officer
in the Wildlife, Zoological, and Avian Animal Medicine club. Directly after graduation she completed a one-year internship at Avian & Exotic Animal Hospital of Georgia, and she loved 
the clinic and the area so much that 
she accepted the offer to stay on as 
an associate veterinarian once the internship was completed.

Dr. Miller is currently an active member of the Association of
Avian Veterinarians, the Association
of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians, and the Association
of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians,
and is also a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
She is especially interested in avian medicine and surgery, infectious diseases, and wildlife conservation, although she loves all aspects of
exotic veterinary medicine and the
wide variety of patients it brings.

She spends most of her spare time painting and drawing, especially pet
portraits. She also enjoys horse-back riding, hiking with her dog, kayaking and gardening. Dr. Miller's pet family includes a greyhound named
Captain, cats Archer and Poptart,
and four snakes - Barnaby the Boa constrictor, Rhia the Variable king
snake, Nikolai the Russian rat snake, and Murdoch the Bredli's carpet python.

Victoria J. Bender, DVM
​​Associate Veterinarian

DR. bender's BIO

​Victoria Bender, DVM is a 2016 graduate of University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and earned her BS in Biology from Duke University. She was born in New York and raised in South Florida, where she still has family. While in veterinary school, she spent time learning at various zoological institutions,
interned at Walt Disney World’s
Animal Kingdom and conducted research on the immune systems
of elephants and manatees. After earning her DVM, she returned to
North Carolina to complete an internship in avian and exotic
animal medicine. Since then, she
has worked in Raleigh and outside
of Philadelphia as an associate with
a caseload made up entirely of
exotic mammals, birds, reptiles,
fish, and wildlife. 
 
Outside of the hospital, Dr. Bender enjoys speaking with local groups
and classes about various topics in veterinary medicine. She is passionate about avian and exotic pets and loves
to educate others about them. Since 2019 she has served on the board of directors for the Association of Exotic Companion Mammals (AEMV) and
has been elected to the position of
Vice President in 2021. She plans to pursue board certification in exotic companion mammals. 
 
At home, Dr. Bender caters to the
needs and desires of a rambunctious Miniature Schnauzer and a sophisticated grey tabby. She hosts weekly trivia nights with a loyal following and enjoys both domestic and international travel. Dr. Bender
​also works as a professional actor and improviser. She has loved living in Durham and Philadelphia and is now excited to make Savannah home! 

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Will
Practice Manager

Will's BIO

Will is the practice manager 
here at AEAHG. Will also
worked at Avian and Exotic
​ Animal Care in Raleigh as a
veterinary technician and
manager overseeing the other technical and pet care staff.
He has managed multiple exotic animal focused pet stores in the
past, which has instilled a
passion in him for the care of
​ exotic pets to this day. Will is
an extremely experienced
reptile keeper and breeder as
well, having worked with
hundreds of different
species. He is also an
experienced aquarist, having
kept freshwater fish species,
 saltwater fish, and coral reef
tanks. While he loves working
​ with animals, he also really
enjoys working with people
and the management aspect of
the job, allowing Dr. Wilkinson
to focus on her job as the veterinarian. Will grew up
here on the south Georgia
coast and he is excited to be
​back home!

​Serina​
Registered Veterinary Technician

Coming Soon
Veterinary Assistant

Serina obtained her degree in Veterinary Technology from Ogeechee Technical
College in May 2019. She completed her
​internship with us from January - April
2019, and we liked her so much, when
she graduated we asked her to stay on
as a member of the staff!