Dr. Charles Miller
Owner, Veterinarian
Dr. Charles Miller has always had others’ interests at heart—before becoming a veterinarian, he worked as a registered respiratory care practitioner for 32 years, specializing in neonatal and pediatric critical care. When he began contemplating a career change, it only made sense to combine his love of medicine with his lifelong adoration of animals. Veterinary medicine was the perfect choice! Now, Dr. Miller has been serving the pets and animal owners of the area for nearly 28 years.
Dr. Miller grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia before moving to Durham with his mother and two sisters. He first joined the Triangle Veterinary Hospital team as an undergraduate student in the late 1980s, using the real-world experience he gained here to prepare himself for veterinary school. Next, Dr. Miller attended North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine to earn his Doctorate. Shortly after graduating in 1992, he joined the Triangle Veterinary Hospital family as a licensed veterinarian and became the practice owner four short years later.
Medically, Dr. Miller is interested in orthopedic, soft-tissue, and laparoscopic surgeries, internal medicine, oncology, and endoscopy. He also likes staying current on the constant advancements in veterinary healthcare and passing this knowledge on to his clients. Most of all, Dr. Miller enjoys interacting directly with his patients and their owners on a daily basis.
Dr. Miller is an avid runner, cyclist, gardener, and car and motorcycle aficionado. He enjoys decorating his new home and spending time with his puppy Magic and a new kitten named Kobe.
Dr. Ashley Pooch
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Ashley Pooch’s life has always involved animals. She grew up in Wilmington and spent her childhood trying to befriend the stray kittens in her neighborhood and attempting to teach her family’s stubborn Heeler mix to jump over homemade obstacles with the hope that someday he would be an agility champion. It’s only natural she wanted to be a small animal veterinarian for as long as she can remember!
Dr. Pooch got her bachelor’s degree in zoology with a pre-veterinary concentration from Auburn University (War Eagle!). While there, she gained experience with a wide variety of creatures by volunteering at the humane society, Southeastern Raptor Center, and the Auburn vet school’s Equine Reproduction Unit. During her undergraduate years, she spent a summer studying abroad at the Royal School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, Scotland. From there, Dr. Pooch went on to obtain her doctorate of veterinary medicine from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2018. Her clinical year included externships at a cat-only clinic in Sacramento, a small animal general practice in Kailua, O’ahu, and the Guide Dogs for the Blind campus in San Rafael. Her clinical interests include feline medicine, behavior, and dermatology. She also loves interacting with and building lasting relationships with her clients.
Dr. Pooch lives in North Raleigh with her two extremely snuggly cats, Siegfried and Tristan. Her hobbies include swing dancing, writing, reading, cooking, baking, running, triking (like biking, but with one extra wheel!), exploring the Triangle, and traveling. She is very proud of her younger sister, who is a veterinary student at the Royal School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, Scotland!
Lorena
Originally from Europe, Lorena first came to the United States 35 years ago to help her husband manage an American Paint Horse ranch in northern Durham. Through plenty of hard work and dedication, Lorena came to adore the devotion and love that she received from the animals she cared for. She’s known that pet care was her true calling ever since!
Lorena was born in Padova, Italy and also spent time in Germany as a child after her parents moved there. In addition to English and Italian, she also speaks German and even a bit of French!
Lorena first joined the Triangle Veterinary Hospital team in 2004 after being referred here by a friend and client. She serves as the Hospital Manager, and her favorite part of the work is getting to see happy, healthy pets be returned to their loving and appreciative owners.
Lorena and her husband, Charles, live in Haw River. They have two grown sons, Franco and Marco.
Reggie
Team Lead – Veterinary Technicians, Kennel Staff
For Reggie, caring for animals isn’t just a hobby, or even a career. It’s something that brings joy to his heart on a daily basis—he simply can’t imagine doing anything else! Reggie has been caring for the area’s pets here at Triangle Veterinary Hospital for 18 years.
A Durham native, Reggie first entered the human healthcare field after high school, serving as a nursing assistant in various retirement homes. It didn’t take him long, though, to realize that something was missing. That something was animals! Reggie joined the Triangle Veterinary Hospital family in the fall of 1998, and has been here ever since.
Reggie has been married to his wife, Monica, for over 20 years. The couple has four sons, two of whom have followed in their father’s footsteps and entered the veterinary field themselves. Reggie and his family share their home with a dog named Dakota.
Dr. James Malatesta
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. James Malatesta was born and raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where his deep love for animals first took root. From a young age, he was drawn to veterinary medicine, inspired by his experiences caring for his own pets as well as those of friends and family. He quickly recognized the vital role veterinarians play in keeping pets happy and healthy within the community.
Dr. Malatesta was awarded the Arkansas Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship before graduating from high school in 2013. He then attended Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2017. During his undergraduate years, he combined his passion for animal welfare with hands-on experience, working as a veterinary assistant at a local animal hospital. His interest in medicine expanded further as he served as a research assistant in a microbiology lab, where he contributed to the study of antimicrobial compounds aimed at combating antibiotic resistance, a growing concern in both human and veterinary medicine.
Following his graduation from OBU, Dr. Malatesta pursued his doctorate at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, where he honed his skills in animal care, diagnostics, and treatment. It was during his time at LSU that he met his wife, Rebecca, a fellow veterinary student. After graduating, the couple moved to North Carolina to begin their careers—Rebecca as an overnight emergency veterinarian at BluePearl, and Dr. Malatesta in general practice.
The Malatesta share their home in Knightdale, North Carolina, with a beloved pack of four dogs—Vito, Lucille, Callie, and Sylvie—and three cats—Spidey, Baked Ziti, and Old Cat, who is 19 years old. Dr. Malatesta firmly believes that pets are family members, and he treats every patient under his care as if they were his own, providing them with compassion, kindness, and the highest standard of veterinary care.