Derek Fried was born in The Bronx and raised in Riverdale, New York. After attending The Bronx High School of Science, Derek stayed local for his undergraduate studies at Queens College. In addition to the pre-veterinary science courses, Derek majored in both anthropology and the humanities. Derek continued his education at The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, where he received his V.M.D. in 1995.

After working for a group of veterinarians in Brooklyn for four years, Dr. Fried convinced his partners to help him start The Riverdale Veterinary Group in 1999. It was always Derek's vision to open up a small animal clinic in his home town of Riverdale. RVG has grown into a full service veterinary hospital, open seven days a week, employing about fifteen people.

When not working at RVG, Derek spends most of his time these days with his wife Jen and their two small children: Julia, future leader of the free world, and Jacob, future New York Yankees starting pitcher. When he can escape, Derek still enjoys cruising down a lazy country road on a sunny day aboard his motorcycle, listening to the wind.

Dr. Jessica Palmeri is a graduate of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitts, West Indies. She received her undergraduate degree in Anthropology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Dr. Palmeri has returned to NYC to join the Riverdale Veterinary Group staff.

Her primary veterinary interests are feline internal medicine and preventative medicine. Dr. Palmeri is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and is a contributor on the forums of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN).

Dr. Palmeri enjoys traveling, cooking, knitting, and participating in various activities around New York City, where she lives with her husband and their dog, Kitt, as well as their three cats, Forrest, Salem, and Lenore.