Our Veterinary Team
Dr. Don Cole - Majority Co-owner
Dr. Don Cole has been practicing veterinary medicine for 36 years after graduating from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1980. He received his B.S. from the University of New Orleans. He moved to Athens in 2001 and joined the team at Winterville in 2004, so he's worked here for 16 years! In 2011 he decided to make the jump into practice ownership and bought the growing practice from the founder and current owner at the time, Dr. Wayne Brubaker.
Dr. Cole is a phenomenal clinician and surgeon and especially enjoys working on new surgery cases, diagnosing difficult endocrinopathies and using radiology and ultrasound to find the best plan of action to care for his patients. His special interests are internal medicine and emergencies.
Dr. Cole has been married to his brilliant wife, Dr. Judy Saik, for 40 years. They met in veterinary school and have enjoyed sharing a love of animals and medicine ever since.
Together they have one daughter, Catie, who is a navy physician. Their son-in-law, Dave, is a member of the navy as well, and works in computer science.
On his time off, Dr. Cole enjoys running, working around his farm, and reading.
Dr. Cole states working at Winterville has "taught me how to prioritize life, family, and work. My favorite part of the job is diagnosing diseases and I love the friendly family atmosphere here."
Dr. Cole is a phenomenal clinician and surgeon and especially enjoys working on new surgery cases, diagnosing difficult endocrinopathies and using radiology and ultrasound to find the best plan of action to care for his patients. His special interests are internal medicine and emergencies.
Dr. Cole has been married to his brilliant wife, Dr. Judy Saik, for 40 years. They met in veterinary school and have enjoyed sharing a love of animals and medicine ever since.
Together they have one daughter, Catie, who is a navy physician. Their son-in-law, Dave, is a member of the navy as well, and works in computer science.
On his time off, Dr. Cole enjoys running, working around his farm, and reading.
Dr. Cole states working at Winterville has "taught me how to prioritize life, family, and work. My favorite part of the job is diagnosing diseases and I love the friendly family atmosphere here."
Dr. Anna McQuaid - Co-owner/Acupuncturist
Dr. Anna McQuaid has worked at Winterville for 6 years. Dr. Anna grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and received both her B.S. and DVM from the University of Florida.
Dr. Anna's love of veterinary medicine started at a young age with a love for all animals, both large and small. Her career began with 10 years of equine practice where she focused on equine anesthesiology and surgery. Later she decided to extend her area of interest, and began working with small animals and focusing on Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Anna is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist and is also certified by the International Chiropractic Association. She practices integrative medicine (using a combination of Eastern and Western medicine therapies, including herbs and acupuncture) to give her patients the best possible outcome.
When not working at the clinic, Dr Anna spends time on her farm with her horses and dogs, loves spending time with her kids Ben and Lisey, riding horses, camping, and mountain biking
Dr. Anna has a strong faith and her love for the Lord is evident through the kindness she shows to all those around her. She loves working at Winterville because "WAC has helped me become a better doctor by working with other staff members who knowledgable and encouraging. I love working with people and animals, so this is the perfect job for me!"
Dr. Anna's love of veterinary medicine started at a young age with a love for all animals, both large and small. Her career began with 10 years of equine practice where she focused on equine anesthesiology and surgery. Later she decided to extend her area of interest, and began working with small animals and focusing on Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Anna is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist and is also certified by the International Chiropractic Association. She practices integrative medicine (using a combination of Eastern and Western medicine therapies, including herbs and acupuncture) to give her patients the best possible outcome.
When not working at the clinic, Dr Anna spends time on her farm with her horses and dogs, loves spending time with her kids Ben and Lisey, riding horses, camping, and mountain biking
Dr. Anna has a strong faith and her love for the Lord is evident through the kindness she shows to all those around her. She loves working at Winterville because "WAC has helped me become a better doctor by working with other staff members who knowledgable and encouraging. I love working with people and animals, so this is the perfect job for me!"
Dr. Matthew Groover - Co-owner/Surgeon
Dr. Groover was born in Statesboro, Georgia. He received his undergraduate degree from Georgia Southern University and obtained his DVM at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Groover has been a full time associate at Winterville Animal Clinic for 10 years now. He says, “When I came to Winterville it felt like a great fit. There is a great family atmosphere among the employees.”
Dr. Matthew has always had a special interest in surgery, and is now our primary surgeon here at Winterville. He has trained with Dr. Jonathan Chambers, a former orthopedic specialist from UGA, and is now a pro at even the most complicated orthopedic procedures. He is excited to be able to provide much needed surgeries to his patients at a reasonable cost.
Dr. Groover has been married to his beautiful wife, Breanna, for 12 years. Dr. Groover enjoys mountain biking, fishing, water skiing/wakeboarding, and activities with his three kids. He is also very active in his church. Their family also includes a Pit bull mix named Tucker, a Vizsla named Sophie, a chihuahua mix named Chocolate Chip, and a shepadoodle puppy named Rosie. Dr. Groover loves working at Winterville "because of friendly people, the family atmosphere, and great clients."
Dr. Matthew has always had a special interest in surgery, and is now our primary surgeon here at Winterville. He has trained with Dr. Jonathan Chambers, a former orthopedic specialist from UGA, and is now a pro at even the most complicated orthopedic procedures. He is excited to be able to provide much needed surgeries to his patients at a reasonable cost.
Dr. Groover has been married to his beautiful wife, Breanna, for 12 years. Dr. Groover enjoys mountain biking, fishing, water skiing/wakeboarding, and activities with his three kids. He is also very active in his church. Their family also includes a Pit bull mix named Tucker, a Vizsla named Sophie, a chihuahua mix named Chocolate Chip, and a shepadoodle puppy named Rosie. Dr. Groover loves working at Winterville "because of friendly people, the family atmosphere, and great clients."
Dr. Emily Parsons - Associate Veterinarian/Surgeon/Founder of Winterville's Wildlife Program
Dr. Emily Parsons did an externship while doing her clinical year at UGA's of Veterinary Medicine. She loved everyone at Winterville and valued the way we practice medicine. It was the last externship of her clinical year and she never left! Dr. Emily has always had a special interest in exotic and wildlife medicine. She spent time in high school and college working in a sea turtle sanctuary and had the chance to work with some awesome wildlife rehabbers as well as boarded exotic specialists. In 2015, she received her wildlife rehabilitation license for the state of Georgia. After much pleading, she started the WAC Widlife Program. She loved exotic and wildlife medicine because it is always unique and keeps her learning crazy new things. She also enjoys soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries. She's very thankful to have had Dr. Cole and Dr. Groover, both phenomenal surgeons, as mentors. She was born in Wisconsin but she received her B.S. from Virginia Tech. She began her vet school career at St. Matthews University School of Veterinary Medicine in Grand Cayman and finished her vet schooling at UGA. When she's not working at Winterville, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, hiking with her dogs, spending time in her garden, and traveling. Dr. Emily states, "I love working here because everyone I work with truly loves his/her job and has a passion for what they do. I love that patient health is our number one priority while still being able to provide affordable care. I feel that this sets WAC apart from other clinics."
Dr. Anne Shirley - Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Anne Shirley was born in Jacksonville Florida and moved to Dekalb county at a young age. Always an animal lover, she attended the University of Georgia School of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 1986. She especially enjoys feline medicine and surgery as well as continuing her education in the areas of animal nutrition, immunology and radiology.
Dr. Shirley has been married to her wonderful husband, Stone, for 32 years and they have 2 sons who also work in agriculture. The family has a Jack Russel Terrier named Bonnie as well as 4 farm cats.
In her spare time she enjoys gardening (Dr. Shirley was recently certified as a Master Gardener!), tending to her families feed store, Shirley Feed and Seed, and working on her families farm, Shirley Acres, where they raise the famous Shirley's Show Cattle. She also enjoys reading novels (her favorite book is The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings) and also exploring different botanical gardens.
Dr. Shirley has been married to her wonderful husband, Stone, for 32 years and they have 2 sons who also work in agriculture. The family has a Jack Russel Terrier named Bonnie as well as 4 farm cats.
In her spare time she enjoys gardening (Dr. Shirley was recently certified as a Master Gardener!), tending to her families feed store, Shirley Feed and Seed, and working on her families farm, Shirley Acres, where they raise the famous Shirley's Show Cattle. She also enjoys reading novels (her favorite book is The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings) and also exploring different botanical gardens.
Dr. Julie Gayer - Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Julie Gayer was born and raised in England, and met her American-born husband when he was a foreign exchange student in a college class they shared together. Dr. Julie moved to the United States in 1992 and married her American sweetheart that same year. Fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian, she attended veterinary school at the University of Georgia. She graduated with her DVM in 2002 and has been practicing in small animal medicine ever since. Dr. Julie has 3 beautiful children: Amy age 18, Ellie age 15, and Jake age 12. The family has a revolving door of rescue animals including one cat who only has 3 legs! and 4 dogs. In their spare time the active family competes together in triathlons. They also enjoy recreational swimming, running, and bicycling.
Dr. Katherine Fowler - Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Judy Saik - Acupuncturist / Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Lorelei Pritchard - Associate Veterinarian
Starla Rutledge - RVT and Office Manager
Starla Rutledge, RVT and Office ManagerIf you ever wonder how everything runs smoothly at Winterville Animal Clinic, despite being a busy practice seeing over 100 patients every day, you can look no further than our amazing office manager and head RVT, Mrs. Starla Rutledge!
Starla has been working in the field of veterinary medicine since she was 16 years old and started working with Dr. Henry "Doc Henry" Brubaker, long before Winterville Animal Clinic even existed! Through the years Starla gained her Associates degree in Animal Science and later studied to become a Registered Veterinary Technician.
When Doc Henry's son, Dr. Wayne Brubaker, bought Comer Veterinary Clinic, he brought Starla on board and she eventually ended up managing that practice for 12 years! Dr. Wayne moved on to build his own clinic and Winterville Animal Clinic was born. With some coaxing, Dr. Wayne convinced Starla to join him on the adventure that is now Winterville Animal Clinic.
Starting out as his only technician 13 years ago, Starla now manages the bustling practice and heads a team of 8 doctors, 3 RVTs and multiple veterinary assistants and receptionists.
From managing the books, sorting out scheduling and making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes, there is really nothing that Starla can't do. Full time practice management doesn't leave her much time to use her technician skills, but she is still the first to be called for a complicated dental surgery (her favorite!) or to help out with a particularly challenging blood draw or catheterization. She is also always willing to help our younger RVTs as they work on their newfound skills.
Starla has been married to her wonderful husband, Dwight, for 28 years. They have 3 children who they adore: 30-year-old Caleb (along with precious grandson, Mickey), 25-year-old Macy, and 24-year-old Mylane. The family is rounded out by their 3 dogs, 2 barn cats, 25 free range chickens and 20 goats!
When not working at Winterville Animal Clinic, Starla loves spending time with her family. She enjoys going to farm auctions and touring old farm houses with her husband. They are currently renovating their house in a vintage farm style! She also enjoys weekend getaways with her mom and aunt, who are her best friends.
Starla puts her whole heart into her work at Winterville Animal Clinic and considers her employees and clients her extended family. Starla's office seems to be a revolving door of employees getting advice and pep talks from this pro in the field of veterinary medicine. Of Winterville's clients Starla says, "I hold my clients and their pets best interests at heart. I love my job, and try to treat each client as I would family."
Starla has been working in the field of veterinary medicine since she was 16 years old and started working with Dr. Henry "Doc Henry" Brubaker, long before Winterville Animal Clinic even existed! Through the years Starla gained her Associates degree in Animal Science and later studied to become a Registered Veterinary Technician.
When Doc Henry's son, Dr. Wayne Brubaker, bought Comer Veterinary Clinic, he brought Starla on board and she eventually ended up managing that practice for 12 years! Dr. Wayne moved on to build his own clinic and Winterville Animal Clinic was born. With some coaxing, Dr. Wayne convinced Starla to join him on the adventure that is now Winterville Animal Clinic.
Starting out as his only technician 13 years ago, Starla now manages the bustling practice and heads a team of 8 doctors, 3 RVTs and multiple veterinary assistants and receptionists.
From managing the books, sorting out scheduling and making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes, there is really nothing that Starla can't do. Full time practice management doesn't leave her much time to use her technician skills, but she is still the first to be called for a complicated dental surgery (her favorite!) or to help out with a particularly challenging blood draw or catheterization. She is also always willing to help our younger RVTs as they work on their newfound skills.
Starla has been married to her wonderful husband, Dwight, for 28 years. They have 3 children who they adore: 30-year-old Caleb (along with precious grandson, Mickey), 25-year-old Macy, and 24-year-old Mylane. The family is rounded out by their 3 dogs, 2 barn cats, 25 free range chickens and 20 goats!
When not working at Winterville Animal Clinic, Starla loves spending time with her family. She enjoys going to farm auctions and touring old farm houses with her husband. They are currently renovating their house in a vintage farm style! She also enjoys weekend getaways with her mom and aunt, who are her best friends.
Starla puts her whole heart into her work at Winterville Animal Clinic and considers her employees and clients her extended family. Starla's office seems to be a revolving door of employees getting advice and pep talks from this pro in the field of veterinary medicine. Of Winterville's clients Starla says, "I hold my clients and their pets best interests at heart. I love my job, and try to treat each client as I would family."
Tonya Phillips - Senior Veterinary Assistant and Pharmacy Manager
Tonya is our longest-term employee here at Winterville. At 15 years old, Tonya and her mother brought their dog in to see Dr. Brubaker with a gunshot wound. After Dr. Brubaker saved her dog, he offered the young animal lover a position at his newly opening clinic and the rest is history.
Tonya married her husband, Jason, in 1996 and welcomed identical triplet daughters a few years later. Together they care for a 34¬-acre farm which includes: horses, cows, goats, chickens, rabbits, hamsters, fish, and of course her 8 rescued dogs and 7 rescued cats.
Tonya currently works as our staff team leader and manages our inventory and pharmacy. Tonya also helps with Winterville Animal Clinic's Wildlife program and has helped numerous rabbits, squirrels, raccoons and opossums be rehabilitated and released into the wild.
In her spare time, Tonya enjoys reading historic Civil War novels, traveling to the mountains and visiting Civil War Monuments with her family and being active in her church where her husband serves as the minister.
Tonya married her husband, Jason, in 1996 and welcomed identical triplet daughters a few years later. Together they care for a 34¬-acre farm which includes: horses, cows, goats, chickens, rabbits, hamsters, fish, and of course her 8 rescued dogs and 7 rescued cats.
Tonya currently works as our staff team leader and manages our inventory and pharmacy. Tonya also helps with Winterville Animal Clinic's Wildlife program and has helped numerous rabbits, squirrels, raccoons and opossums be rehabilitated and released into the wild.
In her spare time, Tonya enjoys reading historic Civil War novels, traveling to the mountains and visiting Civil War Monuments with her family and being active in her church where her husband serves as the minister.
Jessica Harrison - Assistant Practice Manager/Veterinary Assistant/Therapy Dog Tester
Jessica left the rolling hills of Pennsylvania in 1996, and traveled south to Georgia! She started her veterinary assistant skills in Alpharetta, worked in Lawrenceville from 1997 to 2006, then in Greensboro from 2006 to December 2015. She has recently married and moved to Oglethorpe County.
Jessica joined our team in February of 2016, after moving here from Greene County. She had a passion for animals as a young girl and pursued her dreams of working with them starting in a local pet store during high school. For the past 19 years she has been working in the animal field. Growing up she had all kinds of pets from rabbits, fish, guinea pigs, cats and dogs. In 2000 Jessica earned her Animal Care Certification. A few years later in 2003; she decided to pursue a dream of earning a dog training certification. She now has her own dog training company, Dealing With your Dog and offers group classes at Bryan Park in Crawford or private lessons in your home. She can help with basic manners, behavioral issues and much more. Once graduation is complete many of her students move onto to do therapy work with their dogs. Jessica is a Tester/Observer (T/O) for the Alliance of Therapy Dogs and can help you and your dog become a therapy team!
In 2010, Jessica had the desire to learn more about pet dentistry and earned her certification with the Association of Veterinary Dental Technicians.(ASVDT); she can’t stress enough importance on educating clients on dental care. “Veterinary dentistry has come a long way over the years, there is much more to do then just cleaning and polishing. Dental care starts at home with basic brushing!” And yes most pets to allow this to be done by owners. At her previous employment Jessica worked with a DVM on advanced dentistry, working with intra-oral x-rays, root canals, mouth molds, vital pulpotomy, and even applying braces on a dog.
In 2012 Jessica suffered severe injuries in a motorcycle accident, doctors feared she would not live and if she did, they didn’t think she would walk again. While bed ridden for 6 months and intense physical therapy, Jessica needed something to keep her mind working, and applied to Equissage to take an at home course for Canine Massage Therapy. It kept her mind off her pain and the grueling physical therapy. She completed the course and can now help patients heal from surgery, injury and arthritis. Due to these catastrophic injuries; Jessica had to re-home her two Paint horses, that she was fond of trail-riding every weekend. After learning to walk again she had a bucket list wish to compete in the local Dancing With the Lake Oconee Stars, and raised over $15,000 for a local pregnancy center. With that amount raised; her and her partner came in first place After being told she would never walk again, she danced instead with a hip hop rendition of Footloose! She would not be where she is today without the support of family, friends and her faith.
In 2015 Jessica completed her abdominal ultrasound training with Oncura Partners and became a certified ultrasound technician. She can scan your pet’s abdomen, perform tissue & bladder samples and generate a report for her DVM to help them treat your pet with the best possible plan for care. She enjoys educating and meeting clients and getting to know them and their pet on a personal basis. “Each pet should be treated as if it is your own.” Her passion lies in senior medicine, and of course puppy kisses! Jessica enjoys reading, watching movies, cooking, spending time with her husband and rehabilitating baby squirrels in her spare time. She attends the Crawford Church of Christ and leads small groups. Jessica personally owns three friendly felines and a Husky/Collie Mix that is a registered Therapy Dog.
Jessica joined our team in February of 2016, after moving here from Greene County. She had a passion for animals as a young girl and pursued her dreams of working with them starting in a local pet store during high school. For the past 19 years she has been working in the animal field. Growing up she had all kinds of pets from rabbits, fish, guinea pigs, cats and dogs. In 2000 Jessica earned her Animal Care Certification. A few years later in 2003; she decided to pursue a dream of earning a dog training certification. She now has her own dog training company, Dealing With your Dog and offers group classes at Bryan Park in Crawford or private lessons in your home. She can help with basic manners, behavioral issues and much more. Once graduation is complete many of her students move onto to do therapy work with their dogs. Jessica is a Tester/Observer (T/O) for the Alliance of Therapy Dogs and can help you and your dog become a therapy team!
In 2010, Jessica had the desire to learn more about pet dentistry and earned her certification with the Association of Veterinary Dental Technicians.(ASVDT); she can’t stress enough importance on educating clients on dental care. “Veterinary dentistry has come a long way over the years, there is much more to do then just cleaning and polishing. Dental care starts at home with basic brushing!” And yes most pets to allow this to be done by owners. At her previous employment Jessica worked with a DVM on advanced dentistry, working with intra-oral x-rays, root canals, mouth molds, vital pulpotomy, and even applying braces on a dog.
In 2012 Jessica suffered severe injuries in a motorcycle accident, doctors feared she would not live and if she did, they didn’t think she would walk again. While bed ridden for 6 months and intense physical therapy, Jessica needed something to keep her mind working, and applied to Equissage to take an at home course for Canine Massage Therapy. It kept her mind off her pain and the grueling physical therapy. She completed the course and can now help patients heal from surgery, injury and arthritis. Due to these catastrophic injuries; Jessica had to re-home her two Paint horses, that she was fond of trail-riding every weekend. After learning to walk again she had a bucket list wish to compete in the local Dancing With the Lake Oconee Stars, and raised over $15,000 for a local pregnancy center. With that amount raised; her and her partner came in first place After being told she would never walk again, she danced instead with a hip hop rendition of Footloose! She would not be where she is today without the support of family, friends and her faith.
In 2015 Jessica completed her abdominal ultrasound training with Oncura Partners and became a certified ultrasound technician. She can scan your pet’s abdomen, perform tissue & bladder samples and generate a report for her DVM to help them treat your pet with the best possible plan for care. She enjoys educating and meeting clients and getting to know them and their pet on a personal basis. “Each pet should be treated as if it is your own.” Her passion lies in senior medicine, and of course puppy kisses! Jessica enjoys reading, watching movies, cooking, spending time with her husband and rehabilitating baby squirrels in her spare time. She attends the Crawford Church of Christ and leads small groups. Jessica personally owns three friendly felines and a Husky/Collie Mix that is a registered Therapy Dog.
Stuart Williams - RVT/Treatment Lead
Stuart has worked here for about 1.5 years and quickly stepped up as our treatment lead. With his years of experience, organization, and determination, he has become an essential member of our team. We don't know what we would do without Stu! His love for animals is what has driven him to be able to throw catheters/draw blood easily, log medications, and assist in emergency situations. Stuart's favorite part of the job is working with his coworkers. "They're my home away from home." Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and 3 children. He is also a great cook and finds smoking meats therapeutic! He hopes to open a restaurant when he retires. He would also love to travel to space.
Emily Sprague - RVT/Dental Technician
Emily has worked here about 2 years now. She is an Athens native and was hired right after she finished up her internship here and completed her RVT degree at Athens Technical College. She has always had a passion for helping animals. Emily has been a great addition to our team and performs most of our patients' dental cleanings! She has also been trained by some of the best avian rehabbers and is our go to about anything bird-related. These exotic patients can be easily stressed coming to the clinic, but Emily always knows how to comfort them and make them feel at ease. She says one of the most rewarding parts of her job is helping animals in need. Outside of work, she enjoys relaxing at home with her family and taking her dog Aiko for walks in the woods.
Sharon Evans - Senior Veterinary Assistant/Surgery Technician
Sharon, our head surgery technician, has worked at Winterville for 9 years! She hails from Flint, Michigan and is passionate about veterinary medicine because she grew up watching her grandfather take care of homeless dogs. She wanted to do the same when she grew up. She says it always makes her feel better helping the helpless! She has been working in the field of veterinary medicine since 1978, when she started working for Dr. Maxwell here in Athens, Georgia, right after graduating high school. Sharon learned many things while working for Dr. Maxwell including dog grooming, animal husbandry and exotics medicine. Sharon used this knowledge when she later managed a pet store where she enjoyed grooming dogs and cats, caring for many in-house avian, reptile and small mammal species. After 13 years working for the University of Georgia’s Health Center as a pharmacy technician, Sharon came back to the veterinary side of the medical field and joined the Winterville Animal Clinic team in 2011! Sharon started out working in the pharmacy, but soon decided she wanted to get even more hands on. She graduated from Penn Foster College in 2019 with an associate's degree in Veterinary Technology. She especially enjoys performing dental cleanings, assisting with surgery and interacting with clients as she discharges surgery cases and helps clients understand how to care for their pets in the post-surgical period. She loves working here because "it's not like a job really, it's more like spending time with family who all like the same things as you. My favorite part of the job is helping make pets healthy and teaching owners how to properly take care of them so that they can live a long life. Dr. Cole is also like a brother to me!"
When Sharon is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, which includes her husband and high school sweetheart Lamar and their 18-year-old daughter. They share 3 dogs: a standard poodle named Bella, a miniature pincher named Tootsie and a Chihuahua named Tippy Toes. Together Sharon’s family enjoys traveling, gardening, cooking (Sharon once owned her own restaurant!) swimming in their pool and being active in their church.
When Sharon is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, which includes her husband and high school sweetheart Lamar and their 18-year-old daughter. They share 3 dogs: a standard poodle named Bella, a miniature pincher named Tootsie and a Chihuahua named Tippy Toes. Together Sharon’s family enjoys traveling, gardening, cooking (Sharon once owned her own restaurant!) swimming in their pool and being active in their church.
Karen Stewart - Treatment Assistant
Karen has worked here for 5 years, and she is passionate about veterinary medicine because she grew up in a family that welcomed and cared for numerous animals, especially strays. She "loves the hands-on aspect and making each patient as comfortable as possible." She enjoys every day with her work family and hopes to continue as long as possible. Outside of work, Karen is very involved in rescue work and focuses on the special needs of elderly animals. She also enjoys spending time with her husband and her own fur-babies. She is truly a joy to work with and essential to our team. We don't know what we would do without her!
Shannon McBride - Senior Receptionist
Nicole Bushore - Veterinary Assistant/Receptionist/Acupuncture Assistant
Nicole's passion for veterinary medicine is driven from growing up in the rural Midwest with horses, wildlife, and many family pets. Nicole grew up in Iowa but moved to Athens in 2015. She actually started out as an A.P. client in 2016 and was hired in 2018! She loves working here because "the staff is like family. My favorite part of working here is seeing all of the cases that have happy endings. On her days off, Nicole enjoys cooking, watching sports (the Green Bay Packers and the Iowa Hawkeyes), kayaking, playing cards, and spending time with her 2 dogs: a coonhound named Mabel and a basenji mix named Ruby!
April Phillips - Receptionist
Claire Najjar - Receptionist
Janet Harrison - Receptionist
Jennifer Jimenez - Receptionist
Journey Hunter - Receptionist
Melody Powell - Receptionist
Kyle Soriano - Veterinary Assistant
Drew Norton - Veterinary Assistant
Drew began working here 1.5 years ago, after receiving a B.S. in Animal Science from UGA. He hopes to one day attend vet school. He's passionate about veterinary medicine because he finds peace in knowing he is helping the helpless and believes this field aligns with his two primary morals: kindness and compassion. Drew states that working here has "given him a lifetime of lessons within the field." His favorite part of the job is serving the community and clients. Outside of work, he enjoys running with his dog Barney, watching sports, playing video games, camping, kayaking, and going to the shooting range. He is also very involved in his church.
Ashley Sewell - Veterinary Assistant
Ashley joined our team in April of 2020. She's from Rome, Georgia but has lived in Athens since 2012. Whether it's been working at boarding facilities, animal control, as a pet sitter, or in vet clinics, she has been fostering and working with animals every since! Ashley has studied at both Kennesaw State University and UGA, but is planning on completing an RVT program soon. She's passionate about veterinary medicine because she loves learning new things and helping both people and pets. She's also a big husky girl and loves advocating for them through vet med hobbies! She enjoys working at Winterville because of how much everyone here cares about animals and their well being. She also appreciates how much we all care about each other and respects management and how willing everyone is to help each other. Outside of work, Ashley loves hiking, attending concerts, playing boardgames/videogames, trying new food, and fostering cats. She also works at Bear Hollow Zoo and loves wildlife.
Corine Roberts - Veterinary Assistant
Corine joined the WAC team in April 2020 and recently moved to Athens with her husband and daughter. Her husband is in the military, so she's looking forward to settling down and having a 'forever' home! She's been passionate about veterinary medicine as long as she can remember. She completed Penn Foster's Vet Assistant Program and plans on receiving her RVT degree soon. Corine loves working here because she has been learning new skills and has been cross-trained in many different areas of the clinic. "Everyone here is very nice and helpful." On her days off, Corine enjoys going on adventures and hiking with her family. She also enjoys horseback riding and running.
Alton Amaral - Veterinary Assistant
Andrew Norton - Veterinary Assistant
Claire Gabriel - Veterinary Assistant
Donovan Robar - Veterinary Assistant
Julie Gaines - Veterinary Assistant
Kayla Hutcherson - Veterinary Assistant
Kimberly Shellnut - Veterinary Assistant
Laura Ebbert
Liliana Holcombe - Veterinary Assistant
Lillie Ann Forsyth - Veterinary Assistant
Mikayla Mashburn - Veterinary Assistant
Natalie LaRou - Veterinary Assistant
Noah Welch - Veterinary Assistant
Sydney Beatty - Veterinary Assistant
Tabatha Fowler - Veterinary Assistant
Tara Helwig - Veterinary Assistant
Vanessa Foor - Veterinary Assistant
William Peebles - Veterinary Assistant