Steven Guzmán, DVM
Owner & Veterinarian
Dr. Guzmán graduated from Texas A&M University in 2013 and has practiced mixed animal medicine since. Raised in nearby Manor, TX, he enjoyed raising a variety of animals including dogs, cats, and a family dairy cow.
He and his wife Kassi live on a farm with their children and Blue Heeler, Tally, and enjoy spending time with family and friends. While not at the clinic, Dr. Guzmán enjoys boating, hunting, fishing and serving at their church.
Nicole Benard, DVM
Veterinarian
Dr. Benard completed her undergraduate and veterinary schooling at Texas A&M. Growing up in Central Texas, she has lived and worked on small farms with a menagerie of animals: from cats, dogs, goats, horses, backyard birds and a parrot, to fish, toads, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and a turtle!
She is certified in Fear Free handling and is currently working towards becoming certified in veterinary acupuncture.
When not at the clinic or busy entertaining her cats at home, Dr. Benard spends most of her time rock climbing, running, hiking, and making up new recipes. She enjoys volunteering with Christian Veterinary Missions and hopes to continue with them in the future!
Abby Malthaner, DVM
Dr. Malthaner completed her undergraduate and veterinary degrees at Texas A&M University. As the child of a military family, she spent most of her young life living all over the United States, so the Kyle-area is another new adventure for her!
With a background in wildlife medicine, she has had the opportunity to work with a wide array of species from baby opossums to wild birds and everything in between! She loves getting to know animals of any shape and size.
In her free time, she likes to spend time outside with her dog, Beck, and her cat, Rosemary Potato. She also enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and coming up with new adventures for her and her friends.
John
Practice Manager
John was born and raised in the area, and after living in Colorado, and then northern Arizona, for the last several years, he is very excited to be back home again! With 40 years of leadership and management experience, John is thrilled to be joining the team at Deep Roots. He has two daughters, two kittens, and the world’s best therapy dog that keeps him busy! His favorite quote is by James Herriot, and says, “If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.” He is looking forward to providing the clients and pets at Deep Roots Animal Clinic with exceptional service and care!
Hannah
Veterinary Technician Assistant
Hannah was born and raised in the Austin area and moved to San Marcos to attend college at Texas State University. She recently joined the veterinary field after switching from a major in business management to a major in animal science. She and her significant other have a handsome cat named Leo, 2 parakeets named Elestia and Elenia, and their newest addition, a puppy named Ophelia. Hannah is eager to learn and grow as a technician assistant on the Deep Roots team!
In her free time, she enjoys reading, finding new shows to watch, cuddling up with her cat, going on hikes in the park with her significant other and puppy, and cooking with her roommate.
Trysta
Veterinary Technician Assistant
Trysta was born in Austin and has lived in Kyle most of her life. She grew up on a farm with her family of four and her animals. Growing up around dogs, cats, goats, lambs, horses, donkeys, cows, chickens, and ducks has been a contributing factor in her growing love for animals. Throughout high school she raised and showed goats and sheep for 4H and FFA. It has always been her dream to work with animals both large and small. Going forward she plans on furthering her education to fulfill her dream of becoming a veterinarian.
In her free time, Trysta enjoys spending time with friends and family. There is never a dull moment on the farm, and she enjoys spending time caring for all her amazing animals
Madison
Office Manager
Madison grew up in Miami, Florida, but recently relocated to San Marcos, Texas in the summer of 2020. Growing up she always had a huge spot in her heart for all animals! Though she is new to working in the veterinary field, she is excited to be a part of the Deep Roots family and enjoys learning new things about veterinary care every day. She is working towards a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and is pondering the idea of working with therapy animals once she graduates.
When not behind the front desk or doing schoolwork, you can find her at the gym or napping. She enjoys going to the river and exploring the city she is growing to love and call home!
Emily
Emily was born and raised in Wylie, Texas but recently moved to San Marcos to explore new things. She grew up surrounded by animals and always wanted to be in the veterinary field. Now she lives with her dog Paco and her cat Levi. When not at work she enjoys spending time with friends and family
Chris
Chris lives on a small farm in the country and enjoys tending to his seasonal crops and raising chickens. He enjoys shooting and tinkering with aquaponic systems and can usually be found in the backyard creating custom soil mixes for different plants. His dogs, cats, goats, chickens and soon-to-be sheep make up the bulk of the farm family, but more are joining every day!
Valerie
Valerie was born and raised in Virginia and moved to Texas in the spring of 2023. She has been working in the veterinary field since 2017. She is in the process of obtaining her Master’s degree in Veterinary Forensic Science and hopes to apply to veterinary school soon!
When Valerie is not working or doing her schoolwork, she enjoys exploring Texas and spending time with her family and her cat, Kono, and hopes to bring her dog, Macy, out here to be a Texas girl eventually!
Reagan
Reagan completed her undergraduate studies at Texas A&M in 2022 and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree at Texas State University. She finds joy in bringing smiles to people’s faces and can often be found at the front desk at Deep Roots, working towards that goal. Although she is new to the veterinary field, Reagan is enthusiastic about being a part of the Deep Roots family and embraces the opportunity to learn more about veterinary care each day!
Ashley
Lead Technician
Ashley was born and raised in Tennessee and made the Austin area her home in 2022.
Over 15 years experience in the Veterinary field has solidified her love and passion for animals of all shapes and sizes.
Her favorite part of her job would be patient advocacy/care, leadership and forming lasting relationships with clients and their pets.
During her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, crafting and exploring Texas with her Husband, Daughter, 3 cats and 2 overly attached Pitbull babies.
Jenna
Jenna is a recent graduate of Texas State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. Growing up in the Rio Grande Valley, she developed a deep connection with animals raising lambs, goats, and dogs. From a young age, veterinary medicine has been her calling and her ultimate goal is to apply to veterinary school. An avid traveler, Jenna is eager to explore new destinations to continue her studies and work with animals around the world. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, hanging out with friends, and sharing adventures with her dog, Whiskey.
Jennifer
Jennifer was born and raised in San Antonio before moving to Austin in 2018 with her sister driven by her aspiration to become a vet tech. She started her career as a kennel tech and has since worked her way up to become a vet tech, a role she has probably held for six years. Jennifer shares her home with three beloved pets: a lively dog named Artemis, a quirky cat named gizmo, and a charming crested gecko called Wall-E. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends and immersing herself ‘in’ video games at home.
Alex
Alex grew up in the Midwest, and moved to Central Texas as soon as she could. Growing up she knew she wanted to work with animals, and made it a reality in 2018 by volunteering at her local animal shelter. She’s adept in high volume spay/neuter/vaccination, skilled in animal rehabilitation, and continues to expand her scope of knowledge around veterinary medicine and care. She cannot wait to meet you, and your beloved companions over at Deep Roots!
When she’s not at work, she enjoys being an advocate for the river, giving back to her community, listening to live music, and making memories with her 11 y/o heeler mix, Colt.