Meet Our Staff

Dr. Rachel Spencer grew up in central Wisconsin. She received her Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Science degree from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 2016. Her first job brought her to the Bemidji area, where she was providing small animal veterinary care in both Bemidji and Roseau, Minnesota. Friends and family brought her back to the Twin Cities for the past few years, but Dr. Spencer’s heart has remained in the north woods. Joining Headwaters in June 2020, she is excited to be back in the area where she has so many fond memories. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her boyfriend, Dave, friends and family. She also enjoys biking, kayaking and reading.

Dr. Tom Rietveld was raised in Albert Lea, Minnesota and grew up coming to his family's cabin near Itasca State Park. In turn, he and both of his siblings all chose Bemidji State for their undergraduate college education. Dr. Tom and his wife (Melanie) met while both were embedded in the science classes at BSU, graduating in 1993. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Minnesota in 1997. His first job took him and his young family to Northwest Wisconsin where he worked as a large animal veterinarian in a dairy practice.

Relocating back to the Bemidji area in early 2001, his work shifted to mainly working with pets. 20+ years later, Dr. Tom and Melanie have built a thriving small animal clinic in what used to be the Rietvelds' home.

The fabric of Headwaters' business philosophy is nurturing relationships with the clients and patients. Dr. Tom: "Engaging with people on a personal level, getting to know the families and their pets is what makes me tick. I love to hear peoples' stories."

Dr. Tom and Melanie have 3 children, ages 24, 22 and 19. They share their home with 2 ridiculous cats (Ruthie Mae and Barty Crouch) and regular visits from their daughter's cat (Vito). As empty nesters, they are currently dogless as their last dog, a sweet 8-year-old black Labrador a few years ago.

In his personal time, Tom likes to spend time with his family, reading, running, and tinkering & organizing (it's a perfectionist thing). As he and Melanie embrace empty nesting, they are excited to travel more to see their 3 children (wherever they are). The woods around his family's cabin hold a special place in his heart, and he and his son are avid deer hunters. In 2018, the Rietvelds were proud to become a military family, as their son is now serving in the United States Air Force.

Dr. Cal is the board certified surgeon that we contract with for specialized surgical procedures, mainly orthopedic (bone) surgeries. He and his family live in the St. Cloud area and he owns Central Minnesota Veterinary Surgical Referral, and he travels all over north-central Minnesota, NE Wisconsin and Eastern North Dakota. Out-state clinics utilize his skills on a contractual basis, and our clinic is one of his clients. He is a gifted surgeon and veterinarian, and we are happy to utilize his service.