Dr. Penny Dye
Veterinarian, Co-Owner
Dr. Dye grew up on her family farm near Chappell, Nebraska. She first realized she enjoyed working with animals as a member of the Future Farmers of America organization, caring for lambs and cattle. Working on a farm also helped her learn the basics of running a business, a skill that would serve her years later as the Co-Owner of Dakota Hills Veterinary Clinic!
Penny attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln to study Animal Science. She was accepted into The Ohio State University, where she obtained her veterinary degree. She got her first job at Dakota Hills in Rapid City. She has limited her scope of practice to small animals since 2006, and particularly loves the occasional challenge of a difficult surgical or medical case.
Dr. Kami Ireland
Veterinarian, Co-Owner
Dr. Ireland grew up on a small cattle ranch east of Rapid City. Her parents came from humble beginnings, and instilled in Kami and her sister the importance of acquiring an education and working hard to achieve success. Dr. Ireland now combines that work ethic with her love of animals as a Veterinarian and partner in ownership at Dakota Hills!
In 1997, Dr. Ireland graduated from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska with a Bachelors in Biology. She attended veterinary school at Iowa State University—largely because the teaching hospital’s horses and foals reminded her of her ranch origins—and graduated with her DVM in 2001. Afterwards she joined the Dakota Hills team.
Dr. Curtis Stonecipher
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Stonecipher developed his love for animals while growing up in Rapid City around dogs, cats, horses, mules and chickens. He recognized the unconditional love and devotion animals provided and decided he wanted to be able to return the favor!
After high school, Dr. Stonecipher attended college in Coffeyville, Kansas and Arlington, Texas before returning to South Dakota and finishing his undergraduate degree at Black Hills State University. From there he was accepted into the class of 2000 at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, he received a job offer from Dakota Hills Veterinary Clinic and has practiced here as an Associate Veterinarian since then!
Dr. Jessica Matlock
Associate Veterinarian
Growing up, Dr. Jessica had a horse named Coosa, whom she credits with teaching her about the human-animal bond. Over 19 years, Coosa helped raise her from a pre-teen all the way to becoming a veterinarian. Throughout that time, Dr. Jessica learned to listen to the subtle signs animals give when they are happy and content, in pain or distress, or simply frustrated from not understanding what their owner wants them to do. Coosa ultimately taught Dr. Jessica the power of unconditional love – something she works hard to foster and support with her patients and their owners.
In college, Dr. Jessica initially debated between becoming a human doctor and a veterinarian. Part of the reason she ultimately chose veterinary medicine was due to the variety of things she would be able to do as opposed to human medicine. For instance, she can go from a complex surgery to a puppy vaccine visit to a sick hospitalized medical patient all within one morning. It’s certainly never boring! She loves being challenged, and learning and growing every day.
Dr. Jason Shipman
Associate Veterinarian
When Dr. Shipman was growing up, his hometown didn’t have any veterinary services. He remembers taking the long drive out of town with his parents to see the closest vet for the family pets. This revealed to him the crucial role veterinarians play in communities and he knew at a very young age he wanted to be able to fill that role in the future. Being able to experience and help foster the human-animal bond is one of the most rewarding aspects of this career, and Dr. Shipman feels so fortunate to serve pets and their families each day.
Dr. Shipman attended the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND for his undergraduate studies, and then pursued his veterinary degree at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. He graduated with his DVM in 2019. After initially starting his career in Rapid City, Dr. Shipman elected to pursue new opportunities and experiences as a travel/relief veterinarian in Phoenix, AZ. Over the years, he was fortunate to work in dozens of different veterinary hospitals and with a variety of teams, but he was incredibly excited to return home to Rapid City and join the team at Dakota Hills.
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