Vickie Pagan
Owner & Chief Operations Officer
Certified Nutritional Specialist - Dogs Naturally University Certified Raw Feeding Specialist - Dogs Naturally University Certified Nutritional Specialist - Earthwise Pet Certified Dietitian Specialist - Earthwise Pet
Vickie retired from a 30-year career in Finance to open the first Nature’s Pet Market in Ashland. Her inspiration has always been her love for and protection of her Bernese Mountain Dogs.
Her very first Berner, over 30 years ago, led her down the path of researching canine nutrition. Three decades ago, the average lifespan of this magnificent breed was sadly only 5 years. The Bernese Mountain Dog breed was struggling with health issues and,d of course, longevity.
Understanding the building blocks of nutrition started the search for the right FOOD… not… FEED! Recognizing a need for biologically appropriate foods and nutritional support for Dogs and Cats in Southern Oregon, Nature’s Pet Market of Ashland opened in May of 2011. Nature’s Pet Market of Medford followed 4 years later.
Educating her Staff and Customers about the benefits of better nutritional support for their most loved Pets is a true passion for Vickie. Her goal is for all Pet Lovers to learn simple ways to “Build a Super Bowl” for their furry friends! Nature is also Vickie’s passion. She is an avid hiker, camper, backcountry roamer, passionate photographer, and lifetime shenanigator… ALWAYS with at least one of her beloved Bernese Mountain Dogs leading the way!
Mark “Papa” Pagan
Owner & Chief Financial Officer
Mark retired in 2013 after a 44-year career as a Retail Automotive Executive. His last 13 years were spent as a multi-store General Manager with the Lithia Automotive Group. Opening their second store in Medford brought Mark fully into Nature’s Pet! Mark was born and raised in Oakland, California. He and his wife, Vickie, have been together for 40 years and moved to the Rogue Valley in 2001 from the small town of Fairfax, California. With 5 children and 13 grandchildren, the family is a focal point in Mark’s life. When not working, he spends his spare time golfing. Mark has been an enthusiastic member of the Rogue Valley Country Club for the last 25 years. Mark has been an important part of the development of both the Ashland and Medford stores. Mark’s administrative knowledge has built a solid business structure that has been instrumental to Nature’s Pet’s growth and success. Mark has also helped raise, love, and spoil their Bernese Mountain Dogs for over 30 years! Favorite joke?… “Our Dogs are so spoiled, we bought them stores!”
Bree T
General Manager
Certified Nutritional Specialist - Dogs Naturally University Certified Raw Feeding Specialist - Dogs Naturally University Certified Nutritional Specialist - Earthwise Pet Certified Dietitian Specialist - Earthwise Pet
Bree grew up in Eugene, OR, where she met and married her husband. After they graduated from high school, they decided to move to Ashland in 2015. Shortly after arriving, Bree’s customer service background and strong lifelong passion for animal care led her to begin working at Nature’s Pet Market of Ashland & Medford as a part-time cashier. During her time here, she has been given opportunities to pursue education in animal health and nutrition and gained certifications as a Pet Nutritional Specialist and Pet Dietician. Bree became our General Manager in 202,5 after 10 years of dedicated service to Nature’s Pet Market. Bree genuinely enjoys educating our Staff and Customers on all the many ways to feed and care for their pets! When she’s not at the stores, she enjoys spending time with her 2 dogs and her husband, going hiking & camping throughout Oregon, and traveling as often and as far as she can!
Sara W
Leadership Team
Certified Nutritional Specialist - Dogs Naturally University Certified Raw Feeding Specialist - Dogs Naturally University Certified Nutritional Specialist - Earthwise Pet Certified Dietitian Specialist - Earthwise Pet
Sara grew up in Berkeley, CA, and has a variety of interests… including her 4 cats! Sara started at Nature’s Pet in the summer of 2018 and quickly moved from clerk to inventory specialist to nutritional specialist, even taking outside courses in pet nutrition and raw feeding. She’s helped numerous families choose the best options for their fur babies over the years and is happy to share the knowledge she’s gained.
Rebecca B
Leadership Team
Certified Nutritional Specialist - Earthwise Pet
Certified Dietitian Specialist - Earthwise Pet
Rebecca has lived in many places across the Americas, which sparked her passion for nature, marine life, and holistic wellness at a very young age. Her knowledge in nutrition, herbalism -even gardening- has been a lovely addition to the team, where she came across the opportunity to expand her knowledge even further – to include pets! She always has a little fun fact in her back pocket and is happy to share what she’s learned over the 5 years she’s been part of the team!
Alyeska & Katmai
Store Ambassadors
Treat Dealers
Meet our current Store Ambassadors… Alyeska (5 years) and Katmai (1 year). These are The Adventure Gurlz… always on the trail with Vickie! So far, they have traveled to 7 states together… and visited 10 National parks… multiple National Monuments… and especially love the trails close to home for those quick romps! They do love “mountain doggin”!!
Both girls are from a wonderful Preservation Breeder in Montana, “Licorice Fern Bernese,” and come from a line that Vickie has worked with for decades. Preservation Breeders are very important for this breed. Bernese were once a complex mix of health and longevity concerns. Dedicated Preservation Breeders are creating healthier lines by ensuring the breed receives nutritious, biologically appropriate food. All Preservation Breeders are committed to the strict standards set by the “Berner-Garde Foundation.” Preservation: Breeders conduct extensive medical, orthopedic, and genetic testing, as well as conformation judging, for breeding stock. They are strong advocates of easy temperaments, good structure, and a long, healthy life!