Our team
Dr. Ron Gaeta, Practice Owner
Dr. Krista Zahn, Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Adriana Wilford, Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Lauren Browne, Associate Veterinarian
Michele Dion, Office Manager
Allison Hamilton, Veterinary technician
Clarisse Stradtman, Veterinary Technician
Dr. Ron Gaeta
Dr. Ron Gaeta was born and raised on Long Island in Muttontown, NY where he was associated at an early age with many great horsemen such as Ralph Peterson, Mike McDermott, and Ralph Caristo. Dr. Gaeta was a member of Pony Club, competed in the hunter divisions, hunted with the Meadowbrook Hounds, and played polo for several summers before moving to Southern Pines, NC. While living in Southern Pines, Dr. Gaeta continued to gain experience from his association with the many legendary horseman in the area and through externships at several renowned equine veterinary practices including Delaware Equine Center and Georgetown Equine Clinic. Prior to entering vet school, Dr. Gaeta worked for an accomplished thoroughbred breeder in Virginia followed by employment with Rodney Jenkins, one of the greatest riders of our time.
In 1987, Dr. Gaeta graduated from the College of Veterinary medicine at North Carolina State University accumulating multiple awards including the top spot in his class in equine medicine and surgery. Following graduation he joined Turnpike Animal Hospital, the predecessor to Fairfield Equine Associates, where he was a partner for 13 years before leaving to establish Dunbarton Equine in 2003. During his time at Fairfield Equine, Dr. Gaeta became a certified Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) while developing the nuclear medicine service there. In November of 2004, Dr. Gaeta established East End Equine in order to provide the equine community of eastern Long Island the most advanced veterinary care available.
Dr. Gaeta is a past member of the board of directors of the Northeast Association of Equine Practitioners and the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association, a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the United States Equestrian Federation, the United States Hunter Jumper Association, the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, the International Society of Equine Locomotor Pathology, the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association, and is also an official level 3 FEI veterinarian as well as an FEI Permitted Treating Veterinarian. Dr. Gaeta served as the equine consultant to the Bronx Zoo from 1999 t0 2014 and was named an associate of the Wildlife Conservation Society in 2002.
Dr. Adriana Wilford
Born and raised in Southern Maine, Dr. Adriana Wilford grew up riding and competing in eventing. She went on to attend the University of Vermont, where she earned a BS in Animal Science, and in her spare time, participated on the university’s IDA team. Following her undergraduate studies, Dr. Wilford spent a year working as a veterinary technician at a small animal practice outside of Philadelphia.
Dr. Wilford attended the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine, graduating with her VMD in 2019. She was the recipient of the Charles F. Reid Sports Medicine and Imaging Award, as well as the American College of Veterinary Surgeons Large Animal Surgery Prize. During her time in vet school, she was lucky enough to participate in several veterinary service trips, providing aid to animals in Haiti, Nicaragua, and on the Hopi and Zuni reservations of Arizona and New Mexico. Following graduation, Dr. Wilford completed a one year rotating equine internship at B.W. Furlong & Associates, where she honed in on her love of internal medicine and dentistry.
After her internship, Dr. Wilford found her way to Dunbarton Equine. She is currently an FEI Permitted Treating Veterinarian and is working on her acupuncture certification through the Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Wilford loves the diversity found in equine medicine, but has a keen interest in dentistry, internal medicine, and sports medicine. In her spare time, Dr. Wilford enjoys riding and competing, gardening, traveling, and her dog, Bentley.
Dr. Lauren Browne
Dr. Lauren Browne grew up in New Jersey, where her love of horses began at a young age. She spent many years working at barns and competing in the hunter/jumper discipline as a young adult and throughout college. During college, she also participated in exercise science research that used the equine athlete as a model. Lauren received her BS in Animal Sciences from Rutgers University in 2013.
Dr. Browne earned her DVM from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 2019. She then went on to complete a one year rotating equine internship at B.W. Furlong & Associates, where she gained valuable experience in emergency and sport horse medicine. Dr. Browne has also attended the Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine for training in veterinary acupuncture. After working for an equine practice in Western North Carolina, the Northeast has called Lauren home and she is excited to join Dunbarton Equine.
Dr. Browne is passionate about equine medicine and particularly enjoys sports medicine, integrative medicine, and preventative medicine. Outside of veterinary medicine, Lauren enjoys riding, hiking, and snowboarding with her husband, Mike, their dogs Cooper and Gus, a cat named Cat, and her two horses, Bolder and Finn.
Dr. Krista Zahn
Dr. Krista Zahn grew up in New Jersey where she enjoyed riding and participating in local horse shows. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Biology at Lafayette College and graduated from University of Prince Edward Island College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. Following graduation, Dr. Zahn completed an equine surgical internship at Surgi-Care Center for Horses in Brandon, FL. Dr. Zahn is interested in ophthalmology, lameness and alternative therapies. Dr. Zahn earned her certification in Veterinary Acupuncture in 2014, completed her certification in veterinary chiropractic in 2016, and was certified in kinesiotape in 2021. In her spare time, Dr. Zahn enjoys running and riding her horse Ellie.
Dr. Zahn joined Dunbarton Equine in July 2007 and is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, The Northeast Association of Equine Practitioners, and the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association.