Lauren Brechner is an old soul and a closeted punk rocker. She may be the only one in the Class of 2021 listening to Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, and Green Day on a record player. She’s also “obsessed” with old sitcoms, like “Friends,” “Cheers,” and “Frasier.”
Born and mostly raised in south Florida, Lauren moved to Gig Harbor, Washington, her junior year of high school. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Washington and is a proud Dawg. “It’s been fun and exciting attending veterinary school at WSU in enemy territory,” she said. Growing up in Florida, Lauren said there is no place she loves more than the ocean. There’s even a long-running joke in her family that she’s a mermaid.
Lauren and her husband, Alex, are moving to Ballard, Washington, after graduation with their greyhound, Tonks (named after Nymphadora Tonks from “Harry Potter”), and their two cats, Davos and Foosa. Lauren will be a small animal general practitioner in Ballard. While Davos, Foosa and Tonks have to stay at home, in spirit, Lauren takes her late greyhound, Lupin (named after Professor Lupin from “Harry Potter”), everywhere she goes. “He was such a beautiful part of my journey of becoming a veterinarian. I wear a necklace with his photograph etched onto it with the phrase ‘do good deeds’ on the back, to remind me that he is always with me supporting me,” she said. “Personally, I cannot think of a greater way to serve God, my community, and fill my soul than to be the person in charge of the health and wellness of Earth’s beautiful creatures. I want to be a veterinarian because it has always been my calling and my vocation. I want to use my compassion for animals to enhance the human-animal-bond to reach its full potential.”
Fun Fact: Lauren and her best friend, Kelsey Merriam (also a member of the class of 2021), have been coaching skaters ages 2-60 at the Palouse Ice Rink since their first year of vet school.