Originally from North Carolina, Dr. Bautista moved to California to pursue her doctoral degree in physiology. After completing her PhD, she went on to obtain her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of California, Davis. Following her DVM, Dr. Bautista practiced small animal general and emergency medicine in the Sacramento area and served as the campus veterinarian for a local veterinary technology program. She returned to the University of California, Davis to complete a dairy food safety and security fellowship and a residency in clinical veterinary toxicology at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory. Dr. Bautista worked briefly as an associate toxicologist for the California Environmental Protection Agency before returning to general practice for several years. A Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology, she has authored numerous journal articles, book chapters, and lay articles. Her experience in research, clinical practice, and toxicology brings a unique perspective to her current role as a Scientific Communications Veterinarian for Royal Canin.