Meet our amazing veterinarians!
Dr. Marshall Kohr
Hospital Director/Veterinarian/Senior Partner
Dr. Kohr's Bio
During high school, Dr. Kohr worked on a farm and developed a strong admiration for the individuals he worked with. He searched for a profession that allowed him to work outdoors and contribute to the livestock industry—a career in veterinary medicine was the perfect answer!
Marshall grew up in Millersville, Pennsylvania, in agriculturally based Amish Country. In 1985, he started veterinary school at Colorado State University, graduating along with his classmate and future business partner Dr. Darren Lynde in 1989. While Dr. Lynde returned to his hometown of Gillette, Dr. Kohr practiced in a livestock clinic in Bridgeport, Nebraska. Two years later, he reconnected with Dr. Lynde and moved to Gillette, where the pair started their own practice in the spring of 1991.
Professionally, Dr. Kohr is interested in the diagnosis and treatment of equine lameness. He also enjoys the challenge of equine reproduction. He is proud of all the different perspectives, skills, and personalities the staff of the Animal Medical Center bring and is always excited to come work with such a great group of people.
Marshall is married to his wonderful wife, Lynn, who Dr. Kohr says is one of the best horsemen in the Rocky Mountain region. He also has three children, who are all attending University. He loves watching his wife and kids compete in barrel racing and attending his kids’ other sporting events. Dr. Kohr recently retired from service in the Wyoming Army National Guard as a Colonel!
Dr. Darren Lynde
Veterinarian/Senior Partner
Dr. Lynde's Bio
Darren’s family has lived in the Gillette area since the early 1900s when his grandparents decided to homestead the land in Campbell County. Dr. Lynde attended the University of Wyoming for his undergraduate studies before being accepted to Colorado State University’s Veterinary School. After obtaining his veterinary degree, he returned to his hometown of Gillette, where he worked at another clinic until he opened the Animal Medical Center along with Dr. Kohr in 1991.
Every day, Darren heads to the clinic excited because he knows that each day will be different. He especially likes internal medicine cases and is proud of the recent advances in dental care that allow him to stop undetected pain and infections for his patients. He especially enjoys continuing education because it allows him to stay on top of the latest techniques, theories, and practices. Providing the most state-of-the-art care to his patients is Darren’s top priority.
At home, Dr. Lynde lives with his wife of 24 years, Kim. They have two children: Garrett, 19, possibly the biggest Broncos fan in Gillette, and 17-year-old Lauren, who is passionate about dance. The family has collected rescued pets over the years, including their current fourteen-year-old terrier mix, Stella.
In his spare time, Darren enjoys fly fishing, ice fishing, and trolling, which he started very young with his father and grandfather. He also enjoys reading history and staying engaged with news and happenings.
Dr. Rachel Young
Veterinarian/Partner
Dr. Young's Bio
Rachel spent four summers working at a guest ranch in the Bighorn Mountains outside of Buffalo, Wyoming. She absolutely loved the area and started to look for a veterinary clinic nearby. In July of 2013, she started at the Animal Medical Center. Now working primarily as one of Animal Medical Center’s after-hours veterinarians, she is grateful to help animals and their owners during difficult situations. She also enjoys mentoring new veterinary graduates and helping them get acclimated to the profession.
Outside of work, Dr. Young enjoys hiking and snowshoeing with her husband in the mountains. She also loves horseback riding and photography and enjoys reading and scrapbooking when the weather isn’t agreeable.
Dr. Diane Ernst
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Ernst's Bio
Diane attended veterinary school at Washington State University. After practicing in Glasgow, Montana, she joined the Peace Corps for three years. After that, she practiced in Belt, Montana, before returning to her hometown of Gillette. She joined the team here at the Animal Medical Center in September of 1996.
As a vet, Dr. Ernst loves working with kittens and puppies and helping to make their first visits not so scary. She also enjoys offering training and care tips to owners to ward off potential behavior problems.
Diane enjoys reading, riding horses, singing in the community choir, and helping out on her friend’s ranch in her free time. She also has two dogs of her own, both adopted from the local shelter: Dodge, a long-haired Border Collie, and Boots, a short-haired Border Collie. One of her cats, Ember, came from our local shelter, and the other Talli was rescued as a tiny kitten from a feral litter.
Dr. Susan Lucas
Dr. Lucas' Bio
At home, Susan has several pets of her own: three Sussex spaniels, a Scottish Fold cat, and a desert lynx cat. She’s been training and competing in obedience with her dogs for many years now. Dr. Lucas also enjoys hiking in the mountains with her dogs and has even been on several overseas trips for long-distance hiking.
Dr. Scott Linford
Dr. Linford's Bio
Dr. Linford started at AMC as an Associate Veterinarian in July 2018. He attended both Utah State University and Kansas State University, studying veterinary medicine and ultimately becoming a DVM. He chose to work in veterinary medicine because he enjoys the challenge of diagnosing problems and then surgically correcting them. His favorite part of working in veterinary medicine is the people he works with, their supportive approach to patient care, and the fact that they put the patient ahead of themselves.
Dr. Linford and his wife Trish have four adult children. Tate works in management and raises Labradors, Alysa (Dr. Core) practices medicine at Mayo Clinic –Phoenix, Sarah is a UW graduate, and Colin is studying engineering and playing football. Outside of work, he enjoys ranching, raising bulls for sale to commercial and seed stock operations, and raising stock dogs to help with the cattle – all the kids are gone, so he and Trish need all the help they can get!
“I think it’s easier to find a solution than look for division. In the long run, we all want the same thing.”
Dr. Emily Violini
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Violini's Bio
Dr. Violini earned her bachelor’s degree in Animal and Veterinary Science from the University of Wyoming. Later, she attended Vet school at Washington State University. Growing up on her family’s ranch, she watched vets treating sick animals, which motivated her to pursue veterinary medicine. Her goal is to assist animals and their owners through her profession.
Her favorite aspect is that she gets to help the animals and the people who love them. Whether it’s helping a family with a new puppy or making sure a herd is healthy and profitable, she finds it very fulfilling.
Dr. Violini has a 3-year-old cat named Cheezit, and enjoys cooking, reading, and exploring Wyoming. She is looking forward to exploring northeastern Wyoming and finding the best scoop of ice cream.
Dr. Liz Boos
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Boo's Bio
In her free time, she enjoys reading, soccer, riding horses, and eating good food.
Dr. Boos shares her life with her husband, two children, two dogs, a cat, six horses, and a flock of chickens.
Dr. Madie Petree
Associate Veterinarian (Starting in August)
Dr. Petree's Bio
Growing up in a rural hometown, Dr. Petree was surrounded by animals her mother took in as strays. Those early experiences—and frequent visits to local veterinary clinics—inspired her to pursue a career where she could care for animals and support rural communities in the same meaningful way.
Her favorite part of veterinary medicine is forming genuine connections not only with animals, but also with their owners and families. She finds it especially rewarding to see them return to the clinic feeling better. Her coworkers describe her as compassionate, hard-working, funny, and determined.
Dr. Petree’s family includes 11 dogs, a three-legged cat (all former strays), and a small herd of Black Angus cattle. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, attending concerts, singing worship songs, writing poetry, and spending time outdoors.
Dr. Abby Small
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Small's Bio
Originally from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Dr. Small earned her Associate of Science from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, then went on to Mississippi State University, where she completed her Bachelor of Veterinary Medical Technology in 2020, her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2025, and is currently working toward her MBA. She is RECOVER CPR certified and USDA-accredited.
Known for her dependable, resilient, and light-hearted nature, Dr. Small enjoys building relationships with clients and pets alike. Her clinical interests include small animal surgery and anesthesia, and she’s passionate about lifelong learning within the field.
Outside of work, Dr. Small enjoys baking, cooking, carpentry, crocheting, hiking, and reading with her three dogs—Rosco, Bella, and June Bug—by her side. Her cat, Anakin, was adopted through MSU’s Homeward Bound Project, where Bella once helped foster over 20 animals. Dr. Small is excited to begin her next chapter in Wyoming, combining her love for animals with her love for the outdoors.