Calista was born and raised in Tucson, AZ and became interested in the field from her passion to learn about animals. After receiving her Veterinary Assistant Certificate from Pima Community College in 2017, she was inspired to continue her education and went on to complete her Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology in 2020. She then took her state and national exams to become a Certified Veterinary Technician the same year. In November 2022, she joined the Rita Ranch Pet Hospital team after working at another clinic for 2 years. Calista and her husband, Andrew, share a 9-year-old cat (Esmeralda) who enjoys having all four paws on the ground. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with friends and family [citation].