Meet the Heartland family.

Matthew brings over 15 years of experience in the healthcare field to Heartland Veterinary Partners, having held diverse roles throughout his career. His journey across various medical sectors has equipped him with the skills to collaborate effectively with healthcare teams to build culture and create favorable business outcomes. Matthew excels in building positive relationships with leaders and stakeholders, a strength he eagerly brings to the veterinary industry. He holds a BS in Business Administration and an MBA with a concentration in Project Management. Matthew enjoys an active lifestyle outside of work and cherishes moments with his family in Johnston, RI, where he lives with his wife, daughter, and two dachshunds, Frankie and George.

Matt has over two decades of operations and leadership experience across the retail and restaurant industries. In 2019, his prior company expanded outside those industries into Veterinary Medicine & Matt helped to grow that division to 16 practices. In 2022, Matt joined Heartland in a role within their IT Department. With IT’s fingerprints being everywhere, he really enjoys working with multiple departments supporting operations, marketing, and construction.

Outside of work Matt enjoys going to concerts at many of Chicago’s great venues, exploring the city on his bike, and hosting grill-outs in his backyard.

Felicity is highly driven to help improve the lives of those working in vet practices. Establishing and maintaining sustainability is one of her key goals, as achieving this will ultimately lead to more pets receiving the care that they need. Felicity began this mission of helping increase access to vet care when she founded a startup that facilitated virtual care visits on behalf of vet practices, and she is excited to continue to work towards achieving this goal while at Heartland! Felicity’s professional experience spans software engineering and banking. Felicity holds an MBA from The Wharton School and graduated summa cum laude from Villanova University. When she is not working, Felicity enjoys spending time with her family and pup, Ralph.

Ren has been a credentialed veterinary technician since 1998. Since then, he has practiced in both GP and specialty facilities coast to coast before joining the corporate landscape some years back. His primary areas of interest include dentistry, chemotherapy, and leading-edge modalities such as photobiomodulation (laser) therapy, regenerative medicine (PRP/stem cells), digital thermal imaging (thermography), and rehabilitation medicine. Originally from Belgium where he grew up on a goat farm, it is common to hear him converse with patients in French. In his downtime, Ren keeps the adrenaline and serotonin flowing by flying gliders, skydiving, scuba diving, or spending a day at the range. Divinum Opus Est Sedare Dolorem.

Kenny has nearly two decades of experience in the veterinary industry. His experience began early as a veterinary assistant and has grown into a passion for caring for the people who now provide this essential care to our communities. Prior to joining Heartland, Kenny led dozens of practices throughout the state of Florida over the last 9 years as a field director. He has a passion for helping veterinary professionals grow and develop to maximize their potential and elevate access to care within our communities. His philosophy of taking care of the people so they can take care of the pets creates the highest levels of engagement and success within his teams.  Kenny resides in Miami, FL with his partner, along with a rescue pup Beyonce, and a cat Maka who moved in on his own.

Julie brings 20 years of veterinary industry experience to Heartland Veterinary Partners from working as a CSR, Practice Manager, and Practice Coach. After working in these roles, she quickly realized her passion for problem-solving and leading people.  Assisting practice teams with growth and culture is very rewarding for her.  Julie was born and raised in Northern Michigan and currently lives with her husband Wayne and 2 chocolate Labradors, Jaeger and Blitzkrieg.  Living in Northern Michigan brings lots of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, especially the lakes and walks in the woods.

Ellen has been in vet med since 1992.  Her journey started in the kennels, and she continued to grow into her passion for leadership, operations, and people along the way.  As our Strategic Initiatives Coordinator, she has helped our Heartland teams to grow or implement new services with training programs, support and resources customized for the team’s experience to ensure she preserves their individuality.

Dr. Boggs is a veterinarian from the small town of Plain Dealing in northern Louisiana. He graduated from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, proudly supporting his alma mater with a “Geaux Tigers!” shout-out. Dr. Boggs has an extensive range of veterinary expertise, spanning from equine exclusive medicine to small animal emergency and general practice. He has worked across several states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Louisiana, Missouri, and Nevada. As part of his dedication to the veterinary profession, Dr. Boggs is thrilled to be a member of the Heartland team, where he can contribute to the support and growth of veterinary practices while embodying the principles of servant leadership. Outside of his professional endeavors, Dr. Boggs cherishes his free time, often immersing himself in nature. He can frequently be found in the mountains, engaging in activities such as hiking, camping, mountain biking, and snow skiing.

Gina began her career in marketing within the pet care space over six years ago. She brings business ownership experience, leading a team of pet sitters and managing marketing efforts for her former dog walking and pet sitting service in downtown Chicago. Most recently, Gina supported a national brand of pet resorts throughout the US with local community marketing and go-to-market strategies. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her fiancé and spends most of her free time going on adventures and snuggling with her 2-year-old Rottweiler, Pit mix named Kiyo.

Jessica has been active in the veterinary industry for over 20 years in some varying capacity. Prior to joining Heartland, she held clinical management roles in private and corporate practice, practice consulting, and most recently she spent time within the veterinary distribution space. Jessica earned her Animal Sciences degree in the early 2000’s and has used that degree while traveling and practicing across the US. Outside of work, Jessica spends time outdoors with her family at sporting events, the beach, in the gym or traveling. When not outside, she loves to read, go to the movies and is secretly a video game junkie. She also volunteers as a veterinary technician at her local humane society, working in both the clinic and as a foster parent.

Alicia’s love for animals began early on in her life, but she was introduced to veterinary medicine in college where her passion for this industry really took off and has been enjoying and learning about it for the last 17 years. As a Practice Manager for a privately owned small animal general practice, she learned how to run a well-oiled veterinary clinic, and understands that every single staff member influences the culture of a clinic. She loves being able to see the staff work as a team and believes every employee can grow in the field and reach their goals.  She has supported many veterinarians through leadership and multi-site operations in both private and corporate practice environments all over the country. Alicia lives in West Lafayette, IN, and in her free time she enjoys riding and showing her horses, taking her pups hiking/camping/kayaking, and just enjoying the general outdoors.

Claire is a lifelong lover of the veterinary industry who is dedicated to the responsible execution of business operations to benefit the medical outcomes for pets and excellent treatment of veterinary professionals. Claire has experienced the veterinary industry as a non-credentialed technician, a practice manager, a hospital co-founder/owner, and has supported veterinary hospitals on both a regional and national level. Her education includes an executive MBA, a bachelor’s in business with an emphasis in human resources and marketing, a certification in veterinary practice management, a certification in human resources, a six-sigma green belt, and a fear free certification. Claire resides in Orlando, Florida with her husband Jamie and is the mom of two amazing adult sons and the proud parent of a Golden named Bradley, a Schnauzer named Muffin, and a cat named Spot.

Annie has worked in multiple cross-functional Human Resources roles focusing on compliance and HR audits, learning and development, employee relations and recruitment. Her past experience encompasses a variety of industries including logistics, recreation and dental healthcare. Her passion for people and a love for animals made joining the Heartland team in June 2021 a perfect match. She currently leads the payroll function, benefits strategy, and wellness initiatives at Heartland. Annie attended the University of Iowa, earning her bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with family and friends, and spending time outdoors.

Lolita has spent the past five years in Human medicine working as a Regional Director supporting clinics in Indiana, Kentucky, and Hawaii. Lolita has an MBA, Master of Public Affairs, and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. Lolita is new to Veterinary Medicine, but is skilled in ensuring the pursuit of safe, quality care. Lolita loves animals and donates time and resources to local shelters to help improve the lives of abandoned animals. Lolita and her husband live in Indiana, and love trying new restaurants and traveling when possible. Lolita enjoys adventure and lives by the motto “If you aren’t willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for ordinary.”

Renee Humphries thoroughly enjoys mentoring and supporting team members and managers in the veterinary industry and has over 30 years’ experience. She started as a veterinary technician in a mixed animal practice and also worked at an equine practice as their Practice Manager. She had an exciting career with Hillside Veterinary Clinic in Dallas, TX as their Hospital Administrator where she assisted the group in extending their hours to become a 24/7 emergency hospital, opening their specialty practice, and purchasing 7 satellites. Renee and her husband live on their cattle ranch in North East Texas and she enjoys riding her horse and painting.

Brice started his career over ten years ago at a private zoo with dreams of being the next Steve Irwin. There, he found his passion for marketing and building relationships within the community. In 2018 Brice joined the veterinary world as the marketing director for a general practice clinic. From there he joined Heartland in 2020 as a practice manager and eventually transitioned onto the marketing team as a marketing associate. Brice graduated with a BA in Biology from Missouri State University. In his spare time, Brice loves to travel, golf, spend time with family and friends, and love on his fur babies.

Mike brings over 15 years of experience in both operations and facilities. Prior to entering the world of veterinary medicine, he was Facilities and Project Manager for approximately 180 financial, commercial, and institutional properties in the Ohio area. After that, he spent 8+ years as a leader at MedVet in Operations. His first three years were spent developing and growing a Facilities team to support their specialty hospital network. Most recently, he was accountable for all operations initiatives for ten specialty hospitals from the Great Lakes to the northeast. Mike currently resides in Chicago with his wife, who is a boarded Veterinary Radiologist, and kids (two humans, two dogs, and a cat). In his spare time, he loves to enjoy the outdoors, hike, and travel anywhere he has never been before.

Kim has enjoyed working in the veterinary industry since 1999. Starting as a large animal assistant at a large practice in South Dakota, she fell in love with the industry. Kim started managing practices in 2003 at a large emergency hospital, and from there she assisted the owners of the practice in selling to a consolidator. Soon after, she started her career in multi-site leadership, supporting hospitals in multiple states that focused on general practice, emergency, urgent care, and specialty. Kim feels at home in the hospital setting and loves helping her teams grow and develop. Kim lives east of Rapid City, South Dakota with her understanding husband who just smiles when she brings home another critter. She loves traveling with her family and playing rodeo grandma to her granddaughter.

Cidney Fitzpatrick joined the team as a Marketing Associate. Cidney began her career in the veterinary industry in 2008 as a Client Service Coordinator with Banfield Pet Hospital where she spent seven years gaining a well-rounded understanding of veterinary medicine. She then graduated from Miami University in 2014 with a BA in Communications and a focus on digital marketing. Prior to HVP, she was working at Medvet marketing their specialty and ER centers.

Kelly’s experience in marketing and advertising spans several decades, and includes leadership roles within companies on the brand side and within advertising agencies. While she’s experienced in virtually every aspect of marketing, Kelly’s expertise and passion is in location-based marketing where she has had success developing strategies to drive traffic and revenue to local businesses. Prior to joining Heartland, Kelly was the head of marketing at XSport Fitness and at Apartments.com. She also led advertising and field marketing efforts at Bally Total Fitness. Kelly’s agency background consists of senior account management positions at a variety of shops including Leo Burnett where, as Senior Vice President, she led the Nintendo of America team. Kelly’s most recent position was at TDH Creative where she led an integrated team for Vi Senior Living (formerly Classic Residence by Hyatt), a luxury senior living brand with locations in six states. Kelly received her BA in Journalism/Advertising at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Her love for animals has led her to volunteer positions within shelter organizations and to having many faithful companion animals over the years.

Kirstin found her passion in veterinary medicine six years ago when she managed a private general practice. From there, she joined Heartland Veterinary Partners in 2019 as a Practice Manager. Her earlier work in marketing and her knowledge of practice operations gave her the perfect skillset for her current role as a Marketing Associate. Kirstin graduated from Pittsburg State University with a business degree and spent the early part of her career working with start-up companies. In her spare time, Kirstin enjoys spending time with her family and hiking with her dogs, Hooch and Lily.

Ken has over 15 years of experience in general construction, including 7 years of facility maintenance. Prior to joining Heartland Veterinary Partners, Ken spent 5 years managing facility maintenance with a private veterinary practice, Animal & Avian Medical Center, which has been a Heartland practice since December of 2018. Ken began his Heartland career providing facilities support to practices in the state of Ohio, but has since expanded into other states where he focuses on improvements, upgrades, and additions. Ken is passionate about maintaining high-quality facilities to support our veterinary professionals. He enjoys spending time camping and other outdoor activities in his free time.

Andy is a Human Resource professional with over 20 years of experience in several different industries such as retail, manufacturing, banking, and hospitality. Andy has supported multi-unit leaders and local field leadership in those organizations throughout the majority of his career. He appreciates the opportunity to travel to Heartland practices and meet all of our amazing teams. Andy enjoys supporting teams through training and development, finding process improvement, and helping manage change. Andy received his BA in Psychology from Eastern Illinois University and lives in Chicago.

Kiearra’s career began in the veterinary industry in 2008 upon graduating from Purdue University’s Veterinary Technician program and has continue to grow since. She has supported veterinarians as a registered technician, through practice management and leadership, & multi-site operational support in private practice as well as in corporate practice environments. Kiearra began working with National Veterinary Associates in 2011 and during her time there she supported general small animal, large animal, and exotic practices in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas. Kiearra is passionate about supporting veterinary teams in growth and development. She is happiest when she is connecting and communicating with teams to support their goals and aid in elevating their personal development. Kiearra resides in west central Illinois with her husband and three daughters. She enjoys spending time with her family on her small hobby farm with their horses, goats, pigs, dogs, and cat.

Joe has over a decade of experience in various operational management roles. Prior to joining Heartland Veterinary Partners, Joe spent several years with Analyte Health, the nation’s largest independent telehealth company helping patients gain better access to and understanding of diagnostic information, focusing on vendor partnerships and expanding a physician network for nationwide coverage. Joe also led various veterinary practices while at Banfield Pet Hospital increasing operational efficiency and financial performance. During this time he also managed efforts to promote pet food pantries and local shelter services within the Chicagoland area. Joe earned his BS from Carthage College and MBA from Lewis University.

Kerrie joined the veterinary industry in 2005, and has held many roles in support of veterinary practice management. Most recently, Kerrie has embraced the role of consultant with veterinary practices. Previous to consulting with general practices, she was the multi-site director of three AAHA accredited, after-hours emergency practices in Nashville, TN. Kerrie also worked for IDEXX Laboratories as a Cornerstone trainer and managed a specialty and emergency practice in Rochester, NY.

Kerrie earned her Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) designation in 2011 and both the PHR and SHRM-CP designations in 2017. She spent 10 years in two separate Fortune 500 organizations with a focus on business and human resource management prior to finding her passion in veterinary medicine.

Kerrie has been an active member of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) since 2006, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) since 2013; as well as previous involvement with the Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Practice Association (VESPA) and the Veterinary Specialty Practice Alliance (VSPA). Outside of work, she and her husband Joe own a vinyl record store in Nashville. She also enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her family, including her pit bull rescue, Gladys.

Keri Horn has over 20 years of experience in management including seven years in multi-site senior housing management and then in regional management of veterinary practices. Her experience in long-term care started in skilled nursing homes and then moved into assisted living for a start-up company where she served as Regional Operations Director for 7 years and oversaw 14 assisted and independent living communities. In 2013, Keri transitioned into animal healthcare by joining VCA as a Regional Operations Director overseeing 23 general practice animal hospitals in Illinois and Milwaukee. She joined Pathway Vet Alliance in 2017 where she was responsible for general practice and specialty/ER hybrid hospitals in the eastern United States. Keri earned her BS in Biology from Bradley University and her MBA from Olivet Nazarene University.

Angela brings over 20 years of experience leading teams and driving operational excellence within the veterinary industry. She’s held management roles in a multitude of environments including private and corporate practices, and has supported multi-specialty/emergency and general practices of all sizes across the country. Angela’s passion is developing transformational growth strategies that align with a practice’s culture, team purpose, and service to the community. In addition, she is committed to creating and supporting career growth opportunities for professionals within the veterinary industry. Angela earned her BA in Psychology from San Francisco State University and a Master of Science degree in Human Resource Management from Troy University, and she received a Certification in Veterinary Practice Management early in her veterinary career. Angela and her husband live outside Nashville in a home they share with three cats, two parrots, some busy chickens, and a few exotics.

Dr. Robinson has over 30 years of veterinary industry experience holding numerous clinical, operational, and senior management roles throughout his career. Prior to joining Heartland Veterinary Partners, Dr. Robinson held a senior management and operations position with National Veterinary Associates, a group veterinary hospital and support organization with over 500 hospital locations and 1000 veterinarians throughout the U.S. Prior to National Veterinary Associates, Dr. Robinson held several management roles with Banfield Pet Hospital, including as a Regional Medical Director for Banfield responsible for multi-hospital leadership and operations for a region with over 180 veterinary hospitals. Prior to these management roles, Dr. Robinson also owned, operated, and successfully sold his own veterinary hospitals. Always a practicing DVM; his special clinical interests are avian medicine, orthopedic and soft tissue surgery. He enjoys lecturing, teaching and sharing his knowledge through journals, media,and mentorship. He is a graduate of the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, has an MSPH degree from the Howard University School of Medicine, and a BS from Southern University. He previously served as vice president of the Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine and is presently a class agent for the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Robinson also served as the Chairman of the Practice Advisory Panel of the AVMA that notably issued the AVMA Practice Advisory Panel report on Telemedicine.

Carl has more than 20 years of finance and accounting experience, including nearly ten years in the healthcare services location based business. Carl held senior finance and accounting roles while at Accelerated Rehabilitation, a private equity backed leading outpatient physical therapy company which grew to over 300 locations in eight states prior to selling to Athletico Physical Therapy in 2014. Prior to his work at Athletico and Accelerated Rehabilitation, Carl held a senior finance role at Applied Systems and served as a global accounting executive for the consulting firm A.T. Kearney working across multiple domestic and international offices. He graduated with a BA in Accounting from Northern Illinois University and a Masters of Information Systems from DePaul University.

Katie has spent the last several years in a marketing agency supporting communications efforts for a variety of industries. Before that, Katie worked for five years as a Customer Service Representative at a veterinary practice. She is grateful to be back in the vet med world where she can combine her passion for marketing and for supporting veterinary practices! When she isn’t wrangling her two kids, dogs, chickens, and honeybees, Katie enjoys rock climbing, hiking, and watching binge-worthy shows.

Barry has over 23 years of experience in general construction, including 20 years as a successful general contractor. For the three years prior to joining Heartland, he worked for a worldwide commercial roofing manufacturer as their US Technical Services Coordinator. In this role, he oversaw all US warranty-related commercial roofing repairs/replacements, as well as the company’s national contractor training program and their seven national training centers. Barry’s passion is to support our veterinary teams by updating and modernizing their practices. In his spare time, he enjoys vacationing with his family, playing golf, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.

Emma began her career within the veterinary industry in 2011 after graduating from Otterbein University with a Bachelor’s degree in Equine Veterinary Technology and an Associate’s degree in Veterinary Technology. Emma then went on to work within Otterbein University’s pre-veterinary studies department, supporting the staff veterinarian and managing their equine facility. Emma continued her work with Otterbein as she completed her Master of Business Administration degree. In 2017 she began working for MedVet as a Regional Operations Manager. Within this role, Emma focused on operational excellence and financial stewardship, and was accountable for all operational initiatives within her region of up to ten emergency and specialty hospitals. In her spare time, she loves to be outdoors spending time with her family, horseback riding, and exploring new places.

MaryAnn’s veterinary career spans 10+ years, and she’s had the privilege of working with leaders of general practice, urgent/emergency care and specialty practices. She is excited to partner with practice leaders to follow through on Heartland’s mission of improving the lives of veterinarians. She loves working in veterinary medicine because it provides the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the people who help all the pets! She has an accounting degree from Niagara County Community College and Niagara University as well as certifications in group fitness instruction, personal training, and nutrition. She is originally from Buffalo, NY—Go Bills!!—and relocated to Tampa 28 years ago with her family. She has two very special fur babies—Tucker and Beebs/Beans. Her non-work time is filled with outdoor adventures including kayaking, paddle boarding, hiking/backpacking and physical fitness.

Ashleigh’s background is in design, and she began her career in interiors working at a high-end residential design firm in both Ohio & Florida offices. Through that experience, she developed an interior architectural skillset, while working on 50 residential properties in both Florida and Ohio. Ashleigh transferred those skills to an Austin, Texas-based interior design firm, where she primarily focused on producing all construction document sets for Austin’s tallest commercial tower to date. Ashleigh is passionate about designing functional veterinary hospitals for both the humans and animals using the space. She graduated from Kent State with a degree in interior design in 2019. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and puppy, as well as excessively baking!

Connor has spent the last 15 years leading teams through high-growth in the healthcare industry, while staying true to a purpose-driven culture. Connor began his career in the investment banking division of Cleary Gull (“CG”) where they routinely helped founder owned and led businesses into their next chapter of ownership. His exposure to entrepreneurialism during his childhood and while at CG, inspired him to join National Surgical Healthcare (NSH), an owner and operator of musculoskeletal focused short-stay hospitals and surgery centers with over 500 affiliated physicians. While at NSH, Connor managed mergers and acquisitions and eventually led operations across multiple surgical facilities. After NSH sold to Surgery Partners (NASDAQ: SRGY), Connor joined Heartland as COO in 2017, a vet-centric focused platform that had a handful of practices at the time. Heartland has since grown to an expansive network of practices and veterinarians across 27 states. Connor’s oversight as President includes strategic initiatives, field operations, marketing, integrations, procurement and facilities expansion. With experience across both animal and human health, Connor’s focus continues to be partnering with world class doctors in order to provide the best possible client and patient experience.

While Connor lives in Chicago, he is a loyal Michigander and enjoys time “up north” with his wife and young children on the water, beach, or golf course.

Angela Deputy is a Human Resources executive with 20+ years of experience across various industries including technology, healthcare, automotive, and retail. She has led talent and organization development efforts for publicly and privately held organizations including Walgreens Boots Alliance, and most recently, Aspen Dental. Angela earned an MBA from LaSalle University in Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Ball State University in Indiana, and has a number of certifications in various leadership programs and assessment tools. Angela holds a board position with Aspire, a non-profit organization recognized throughout Illinois and Wisconsin. Outside of work, Angela loves running, cooking and spending time with her husband and two sons.

Peter has over a decade of experience in operations and leadership roles spanning multiple industries. Prior to joining Heartland Veterinary Partners, Peter spent several years managing international development projects in Latin America and then as a management consultant with PwC implementing strategies to increase efficiency and operational effectiveness. Most recently, Peter was with Innovetive Petcare, focusing on improving business operations at acquired veterinary hospitals. Peter earned his BA from Virginia Tech, economics training at the London School of Economics and a dual MBA from the University of San Diego and the Tec de Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico.

Mike has over 20 years of experience as a multi-unit leader, including over 6 years of experience in the veterinary industry. Prior to joining Heartland Veterinary partners Mike lead several teams with Banfield in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota and San Diego, CA where he helped his teams gain in their leadership and management skills, and promoted several of his team to new leadership positions. While at Southern Veterinary Partners Mike’s primary role was to transition newly acquired hospitals and their hospital teams to the practice. Mike has also worked in the childcare industry as well as other service industries. Mike and his wife Lynda make their home in Saint Louis, MO where they have two dogs and a pond with 15 fish. Mike’s hobbies are cycling and gardening, and he is an avid baseball fan. Mike earned his BA in Zoology at the University of Tennessee, and has an MBA with an emphasis in Human Resources from New York Institute of Technology.

Tina has over 15 years of experience in the veterinary field including various multi-site management roles. Prior to joining Heartland Veterinary Partners, Tina spent the last several years in a regional management role for another veterinary partner group where she worked closely with practice leadership to achieve operational and financial excellence in locations spanning across the western United States. Before her role in regional support, she managed private practices to include general practice and emergency. Tina has a passion for mentoring leaders, growing veterinary professionals and providing exceptional client experience for our patients and pet parents. In addition to Tina’s veterinary experience, she has also worked in marketing and served in our armed forces. She is a native of our southern states calling Alabama home. She enjoys hobbies that mostly occur outdoors, lives with a handful of furry family members and is most proud of her two daughters, Makenzie and Hanna.

Michele has 25 years of multi-unit leadership which includes 11 years in the veterinary industry. Prior to joining Heartland Veterinary Partners, Michele worked with veterinary groups to manage General Practice, Emergency and Specialty hospitals through states in the Midwest, South, and West. Michele transitioned new hospital partnerships while working with her portfolio to help teams in their leadership/management skills and to increase operational/financial performance. Being able to support teams who help pets and clients is what energizes Michele. Michele has also worked in the car rental industry with Enterprise and Hertz. She resides in Peoria, AZ, with her husband Bill of 27 years. In her spare time, she enjoys visiting her children Ryan and Kelsey, completing home projects, cooking, and relaxing outdoors.

Hailing from New Orleans, Dr. Duris graduated from LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. He has worked with multiple veterinary groups in the Specialty and General Practice realms, including Compassion First Pet Hospitals and The Nave Group, respectively. Dr. Duris uses a team-based approach to help maximize efficiency and workflow. With a lead-from-behind mentality, he empowers individuals to have maximum impact. Dr. Duris is happily married with three children, four dogs, and three cats. In his free time, you can find him alpine mountaineering, freediving, and mountain biking.

Kaylene began her career in veterinary medicine upon graduation from Michigan State University as a Licensed Veterinary Technician. She has worked in general practice, emergency practices, research, and as a practice manager at an internal medicine practice. She spent several years teaching a variety of courses to veterinary technician students while also taking courses in business management. Most recently she worked for Petco as a District Services Manager where she helped her services teams grow their businesses by fostering relationships with their guests and providing great customer service. She has a passion for helping team members with professional growth, mentoring, teaching, and working with teams to provide exceptional visits for our guests. Kaylene is originally from Michigan but currently resides in Minnesota with her husband Jayme and youngest son Noah. She also has five adult children and three wonderful grandchildren she enjoys spending time with. Kaylene loves to spend time with her family on their hobby farm with their goats, pigs, chickens, peachicks, turkeys, dogs, and cats. In her spare time, she loves reading and painting.

Jon has more than twenty years of finance and accounting experience. Prior to joining Heartland Veterinary Partners, Jon was Vice President of Finance at FlexManage (an IT consulting firm). He has also held senior finance roles at two global management consulting firms—A.T. Kearney and Huron Consulting Group. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in accountancy and is a registered CPA in Illinois. In his time outside of work, Jon enjoys spending time with his wife, three children, and their chocolate labradoodle.

Christy has enjoyed working in the veterinary field for the last 8 years, most recently in regional management for another veterinary practice group supporting practices in the Midwest. Christy earned her BA in Illinois, and had a career in optical management prior to joining the veterinary field. Christy has a passion for serving others and being able to support teams who help pets and their people. Christy and her family live outside Milwaukee and enjoy being active in the community as well as tooling around the country in their RV with their two dogs enjoying the great outdoors.

Prior to joining Heartland, Dr. Huston practiced as a small and exotic animal veterinarian for over a decade. During that time, she started her career as an Associate Veterinarian and became a Medical Director with VCA Animal Hospitals. She has led her hospitals to financial growth and development, and as an Area Medical Director, she also focused on multisite leadership by training and developing other leaders in her region. She was born and raised in Iowa and graduated from Iowa State Veterinary Medical School. Dr. Shawna holds a board position with Penny Fix, a non-profit organization that provides free spay/neuter services throughout the country. She loves baking, traveling, and going on adventures with her husband and two sons.

Sara has over 12 years of experience in the veterinary and healthcare field. She began her career in the United States Army as an Animal Care Specialist, where she quickly realized her passion was leading and supporting veterinary teams. Sara had the pleasure of serving her country in multiple military veterinary facilities around the world including South Korea and various US states. She worked in hospital and nursing home administration after her honorable discharge. She eventually found her way back to veterinary medicine when she directed a large veterinary hospital and surgical center in Nashville. Sara completed her BS in Healthcare Administration at Purdue and went on to earn her MBA. During her free time, Sara enjoys gardening, weightlifting, and watching her three boys play on various sports teams.