Doctors and Staff

Dr. Joe Whalen
Dr. Whalen has been with LePar since 1994. Prior to this he was with Blum Animal Hospital in Chicago.  He graduated with honors from the University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1991.  Dr. Whalen’s areas of special interest are alternative medicine – including Chiropractic care, acupuncture, Chinese herbs, Veterinary rehabilitation, and orthopedic surgery.  Dr. Whalen is certified in animal chiropractic through the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association and is a lecturer at the Healing Oasis Wellness Center – the only state approved Veterinary Chiropractic School.  Dr. Whalen has a lovely wife, Lisa, and two children, Nick and Natalie, and a mixed-breed dog, Sophie. In his free time, Dr. Whalen enjoys being a dad, playing basketball, and exercising.

Dr. Joe Whalen has been certified in Veterinary Chiropractic by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association since 2000 and is an instructor in Veterinary Chiropractic at the Healing Oasis Wellness Center. Dr. Whalen completed his Veterinary Acupuncture training at the Chi Institute in 2003, and his Traditional Chinese Medicine Food Therapy training in 2010.

Dr. Elizabeth Cutright
Dr. Elizabeth (Robertson) Cutright joined our staff in 2002, shortly after having graduated from Illinois in 2001.  She has received additional training in wildlife medicine, advanced dentistry, nutrition and applied kinesiology.  She is currently working with Dr. Whalen and Dr. Stimac to advance holistic care and recently completed  advanced training in Nutritional Response Testing (sm), developed by Dr. Freddie Ulan.  Currently, there are only eight certified veterinarians in the country adapting this technique which combines applied kinesiology, acupuncture, homeopathy and laser treatments in animals.  Dr. Cutright shares her home in Chicago with her husband Bradley, children, Katelyn and Edward and Wiemeriner, Lance.

Dr. Corinne Fisher
Dr. Corinne Fisher has been with LePar since 1998 with the exception of a two year hiatus to Portland, Oregon.   A 1998 graduate of  Purdue University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Fisher received her Bachelor of Animal Science from the Universtiy of Connecticut (her home state). She is married to another veterinarian who practices in Northwest Indiana and they have 3 sons and 1 daughter. They also have  a mixed-breed dog,  Payton, and one crazy cat, Chauncy. In her free time, Dr. Fisher enjoys hiking, camping, and hanging with her family.

Dr. Matt Bauer
Dr. Matt Bauer joined the LePar team as a Veterinarian in the summer of 2009. Dr. Bauer first started as a technician in 1999 and is excited to return to LePar and join the team of doctors.  He graduated from the University of Illinois in 2009 with High Honors. Dr. Bauer’s special interests include Anesthesia and Pain Management. He has recently been published in the Journal of American Veterinary Medicine for work in the anesthesia field. Dr. Bauer is currently pursing additional training in ultrasound. Dr. Bauer currently lives in Evergreen Park with his fiance Nikki and their three dogs Georgie, Dexter, and Large Marge.

Dr. Tricia Stimac
Dr. Tricia Stimac joined our team in April 2010.  Prior to this she was with Natural Pet Animal Hospital in Bourbonnais IL.  In 1992 Dr. Tricia Stimac graduated from Marquette University majoring in Business Administration. After working in the realm of business for sometime she changed her career path to follow her life’s passion of caring for animals. She attended Elmhurst College to complete her biology and chemistry pre-requisites and soon after graduated from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana earning her DVM degree. In pursuit of developing her animal knowledge she worked as an intern in Tropic World and a zookeeper in the Swamp at Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield IL., worked as an extern at the Anti-Cruelty Society in Chicago Illinois, managed a medical team at the Wildlife Medical Center at the University of Illinois, worked with the Southeastern Corporative Wildlife Disease Study in Athens GA., attended Envirovet in Jacksonville and Fort Perce FL., worked with APHIS/USDA Emergency Veterinary Services in Washington DC, and worked as an extern in the Wildlife/Exotic Medicine and Surgery Department at the University of Illinois.

Dr Stimac has acquired her alternative knowledge base from a combination of schooling at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, a 2 year employment with well known Holistic Veterinarian, Dr. Karen Becker, and current herbal and Chinese medicine training courses at the a Time to Heal with Drs. Mona Boudreaux and Steve Marsden.

She shares her home with Zoey (an energetic Jack Russell Terrier), Izzy (a frisky calico), and George (a laid back Leopard Gecko).  In her free time she loves being active outdoors (hiking, running, surfing, etc), continues to build her knowledge base of veterinary medicine through continuing education, and spends time with her friends and family.  She also volunteers on days off by spaying and neutering for PACT (a non-profit organization).