Dr. Patti Iampietro was born near Allentown, Pennsylvania, and has wanted to be a vet since she was little. As a girl, she adopted a bunny from her neighbors and her love of animals grew from there. She graduated from Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, and received a bachelor degree in Animal Bio-Science in 1989. Dr. Patti spent the following five years at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She graduated from veterinary school in 1993 and completed her rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery in 1994. Dr. Patti then joined the Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center in Langhorne, PA, in 1996. She has spent the majority of her career in emergency medicine and surgery and has assisted in management.

Over the past couple of years, Dr. Patti has volunteered her time in animal shelters and nonprofit hospitals and also assisted in the animal relief efforts of Hurricane Katrina. After everything she saw during the hurricane, Dr. Patti decided that she wanted to help needy animals on a larger scale, and with her background, she felt that she could really help provide quality care. She chose Best Friends because of its reputation, its mission, and because it is a group of people whose goals and ideals are similar to hers.

In her down time, Dr. Patti enjoys reading and has a passion for birding. She is a "recreational triathlete" and very much likes any activity outdoors. Some of her favorite times, however, are spent with her truly best friends, Bacci and Booshi. Bacci is a crazy, high-energy, mixed-breed dog rescued in her work as an emergency vet nine years ago. She has become Dr. Patti's companion on many hiking and camping trips and is her favorite running partner. Finally, most special of all is Booshi, a buff-colored kitty rescued from an abandoned litter of all black cats. He has been a gift to Dr. Patti every day for seventeen years.