Meet Our Veterinary Team
Meet the wonderful veterinarians and staff of Arch Animal Hospital. We take great pride in providing excellent care for your pets!
Get to know our doctors.
Dr. Mike Richards
Veterinarian, Owner
Dr. Mike grew up in the Metro East since early childhood. After graduating from East Alton Wood River High School, he attended the University of Missouri-Rolla, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in biological science. He then attended the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating in 2009. While in vet school, Dr. Mike married his high school sweetheart, Beth. After graduation, they moved back to the St. Louis area. Dr. Mike first practiced in Fairview Heights for 3 years, then in Waterloo for a year. They purchased Arch Animal Hospital in early 2013.
As a young child, Dr. Mike always had an affinity for animals of all kinds. The household that he grew up in with his older brother and younger sister always had pets around. Throughout childhood, they had four dogs, three cats, a guinea pig, a turtle, and several hamsters.
Dr. Mike became interested in veterinary medicine at a fairly early age, largely inspired by his uncle, Dr. Richard Vesper, who practices small animal medicine in Columbus, Ohio. His mother was also a major influence, herself an avid animal lover.
Dr. Mike and Beth have two amazing daughters, Audrey and Eleanor, and an awesome son, Charlie. In addition, they have Rylie, a golden retriever, and Crosby, an English retriever named Crosby. They love being a part of the St. Louis community and look forward to helping the pet owners of St. Louis by providing the best possible medical care for the furry family members all over St. Louis.
Dr. Stephanie Weber
Veterinarian
Dr. Stephanie Weber graduated from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in 2009 after completing her undergraduate degree in Animal Science and a Master of Business Administration. Dr. Weber, a native of St. Louis, has nurtured a lifelong interest in animals, aspiring to become a veterinarian since the age of 8. She takes pleasure in collaborating with clients to identify solutions for all their pets’ problems, both medically and behaviorally as necessary. Currently, Dr. Weber and her husband Greg reside in St. Louis County with their four children, sharing their home with three dogs and two cats. In her leisure time, Dr. Weber enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending quality moments with her family.
Dr. Samantha Heppermann
Veterinarian
Dr. Samantha was born in Chicago, IL but after a family move grew up in St. Louis. She had an interest in animals at a young age and came to work at Arch Animal Hospital in high school as a kennel attendant. Dr. Samantha graduated from Kennedy Catholic High School and went on to pursue a bachelor’s in science at Lindenwood University. Her relationship with Arch Animal Hospital continued throughout the years helping in various positions with the now long-term goal to receive her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. She attended Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and completed her clinical year at Kansas State University. Dr. Samantha graduated on January 31, 2023, and is eager to begin her career as a veterinarian! Her schooling has taken her to many locations but we are lucky to have her return to Arch Animal Hospital as a now Doctor of Veterinary Medicine! Dr. Samantha grew up with three siblings and always a large dog or two running around the house. Her parents took quite a liking to St. Bernards, so she is no stranger to lots of dog drool and barking. She now helps care for her family at St. Bernard, Odin, and Great Pyrenees, Athena, as well as her very own dwarf rabbit, Ragnar. In her free time, she likes to stay active, travel, and spend time with her friends and family.
Get to know our team.
Kristen, RVT, Practice Manager
Lead Registered Veterinary Technician, Inventory Manager
Kristen has been at Arch since May 2016. She graduated from Hickey College Vet Tech Institute in 2011 with an AAS-Veterinary Technician Degree and passed the VTNE to become a Licensed Technician in 2020. Kristen has many pets, including dogs, cats, a ferret, and various reptiles, including ball pythons, an iguana, a tegu, and a sulcata tortoise. Kristen is very passionate about her position in management. Her goal is to create a positive workspace for the Arch team. She loves attending CE that focuses on hospital management to learn as much as she can about different management styles. She enjoys mentoring technicians that are new to the field and watching them grow in their position. Kristen is also very passionate about anesthesia and pain management and strives to ensure her patients receive the most up-to-date care while they are at Arch Animal Hospital for any surgical procedure. In her free time, Kristen enjoys spending time with her husband and kids.
Candace, CSR
Customer Service Representative
Candace has enjoyed working at Arch Animal Hospital since 2012. She graduated from the Vet Tech Institute at Hickey College, where she earned her Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology. She loves working as a customer service representative at Arch because she loves helping animals and their humans too!
In her spare time, Candace loves to read books, take walks, and spend quality time with her family. Their family also includes a playful, sweet, and affectionate orange and white cat named Thor.
Alyssa T., RVT
Alyssa has been part of the veterinary field since her senior year of high school. She graduated as a Registered Veterinary Technician in 2020 from Jefferson College. Alyssa and her husband reside in St. Louis with their pocket beagle Annie and their beagle mix Paige. Beyond her professional commitments, Alyssa takes delight in watching sports and engaging in slow pitch softball on the weekends. Her unwavering passion for animals guarantees that your pets will receive care as if they were her own.
Rachel, VA
Rachel has had a passion for animals from a young age, growing up there was always a dog, cat, or farm animal around. This passion grew into a desire for medicine in the animal field. In 2017, Rachel went to the Vet Tech Institute at Hickey College and started her Veterinary Technician journey. Rachel has a background in mixed animal practice and emergency medicine but has always had an enthusiasm for general practice and providing care for families and their pets. She spends her free time often accompanied by her golden retriever, Oggie and German shepherd, Rommel, by a bonfire and reading a good book.
Angela, RVT
Angela is a Registered Veterinary Technician and St. Louis native whose passion for animals goes above and beyond a professional setting. Since she was 15 years old, Angela has put her love of caring for animals into practice. She continued to chase that professional dream when she attended and graduated from the Vet Tech Institute at Hickey College in 2015. In her free time she not only loves to spoil her two Great Danes, Moose and Thor and Sphynx cat, Kevin but also is an avid reader. Angela’s love of animals ensures that she will always provide the utmost care for your furry little family members!
Jon, CSR
Jon comes to Arch Animal Hospital with seven years of animal shelter experience. He specializes in feline behavior and has helped with around 500 adoptions in his career. Jon is very passionate about the wellness of our clients and furry family members. Outside of work, Jon enjoys the company of his wife and stepdaughter. You may find him at concerts, Blues Games, Fair’s and conventions.
Alyssa S., CSR
Alyssa started working in the medical field early on and doing wildlife rehabilitation whenever she could, thanks to her mother- who worked in home health and helped cultivate Alyssa’s love for animals and helping others. Alyssa studied biology, psychology, and neuroscience for about 2 years. Once the pandemic hit, she came home from school and started working at a rehab center. While she loved the fact that she could help so many people while working in the mental healthcare field. She knew that her place was working with animals. Alyssa has been with Arch West since March 2022. Since then, she has gotten married and bought her first home. She plans to continue her education and work her way up in the vet-med industry. Alyssa has many critters, including Shiloh, the Australian Shepherd, Wesson the Catahoula mix, a ball python, a tortoise, a fish tank and more to come.
Louie
If this ginger kitty seems like a lot of fun, it’s because he is! He purrs a lot and always wants to be around his favorite person. Lou is affectionate, has a bold personality, and is not shy AT ALL about expressing himself. His motto: BE YOU, THEY’LL ADJUST. He is on the braver side as far as tabbies go. He enjoys time outdoors- harnessed and on a leash. Lou has claws and is not afraid to use them. (if you have a curious canine, consider this your warning!)
Louise
Fiercely independent and unpredictably quirky. She makes her needs and presence known with mews and meows throughout the clinic. She is a sensitive tortie cat that LOVES to eat. Louise came to us, an injured kitten, by way of a good samaritan. We don’t know how many lives she has left, but she intends to be weird with the rest of them!