Meet the Team at Del Mar Heights Veterinary Hospital

Richard Baer began work in private practice after graduating from UC Davis Veterinary School in 1984. He has worked in the San Francisco bay area and San Diego prior to founding Del Mar Heights Veterinary practice in 1990.

Dr. Baer and his wife have raised three sons in the Carmel Valley area, along with their golden retriever, Molly and their labrador, Maggie. While not working he enjoys skiing, biking, and running.

Originally from South Africa, Dr. Jackson has lived in four different countries. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences at the University of California, Irvine. She then went on to earn her veterinary degree at the University of Glasgow in Scotland – the same school that the famous vet, James Herriot, attended. She graduated with commendation in 2015 and moved back to Southern California to practice.

Dr. Jackson has a passion for providing gold-standard care to your pets. She especially enjoys getting to know her clients and working with them to come up with a healthcare plan that works best for everyone.

In her free time, Dr. Jackson enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and a 3-legged cat named Abbie (named after the Scottish whisky, Aberlour). She also enjoys gardening, hiking, yoga, traveling, and checking out all of San Diego’s amazing restaurants.

Dr. Lea Doumani was born and raised in the suburbs of Corona, CA. She had many beloved pets growing up, ranging from cats and dogs to birds and fish. She spent much of her time volunteering at animal shelters, farm animal sanctuaries, and wildlife sanctuaries across Northern and Southern California. She has since developed her passion for strengthening the human-animal bond.

Dr. Doumani attended the University of San Diego for her undergraduate education, where she received a bachelor’s in biology and a minor in chemistry. She then received her veterinary degree at The Royal Veterinary College in London, United Kingdom, in 2022.

In her spare time, Dr. Doumani enjoys traveling, painting, and the occasional video game.