Meet Our Emergency Vets and Nurses

A broad team of experienced and skilled emergency vets and nurses.

Serving Sydney’s north for over 25 years.

Our emergency team are at the heart of the success of NEVS. Our mission is to save pets’ lives with the highest standards of veterinary emergency treatment and pet critical care.

The emergency vets and veterinary nurses at NEVS are experienced, highly qualified and skilled in the critical care of your pet. NEVS vets and nurses stay fully appraised of the latest veterinary knowledge and research to ensure your pet receives the best in emergency vet care.

The NEVS emergency vets and nurses understand the standing of your pet as a member of your family and will treat them with compassion, care and professionalism.

Emergency & Critical Care Veterinarians
Heather Russell - NEVS Emergency Vet

Heather Russell BVSc(Hons) GPCert SAM GCert SAECC

Head Veterinarian and Clinical Manager

Heather graduated from Sydney University with honours in 2002 and immediately began her career in the UK. While in the UK, she completed a GP Certificate in Small Animal Medicine in 2006.
She began working in emergency hospitals in 2007 soon after completion of her certificate and discovered her love of emergency and critical care. On her return to Australia, she began working at NEVS in 2011 before taking over the role of clinical manager in 2015. She completed a Post graduate certificate in Emergency and Critical care with Melbourne University in 2018.
Heather was invited in 2016 and 2019 to be part of an expert panel on treatment of tick paralysis and has contributed to development of a protocol for general practitioners for management and treatment of this disease. Heather lives locally on the Northern Beaches with her Partner, 2 children and Border Collie Flynn.

Alisha Borglund - NEVS Emergency Vet

Alisha Borglund BVSc

Emergency & Critical Care Veterinarian

Alisha graduated from the University of Sydney in 2011 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science. As a new graduate she worked in a busy general practice in Wollongong for 3 years. She spent time in 2010 volunteering for a vaccination and spey/neuter program in South Africa. In 2014 Alisha moved back to Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where she grew up, to work as an emergency veterinarian. She started at NEVS as a casual in 2015 during our busy paralysis tick season. In January 2017 Alisha came on board as a permanent part-time member of our emergency team. She lives on the Northern Beaches with her husband, young son, dog Ned and 2 cats (all rescue animals acquired over the years).  In her spare time Alisha loves to run, get outdoors and travel.

Jessica Li - NEVS Emergency Vet

Jessica Li BVSc

Emergency & Critical Care Veterinarian

Jess grew up locally on the Northern Beaches. After graduating from University of Sydney in 2003, she worked in a busy mixed practice on the South Coast. This is where she developed a keen interest in emergency medicine. She completed post graduate courses via correspondence in ophthalmology and emergency and critical care before venturing back to Sydney to focus on small animals. In 2008, Jess travelled to the remote Leh region of India to work as a field vet for Vets Beyond Borders where she gained invaluable surgical experience. She commenced working at NEVS as one of the emergency vets in 2007 and became NEVS Clinical Manager in 2011. In 2015 Jess left on maternity leave for a short period and has since returned in a part-time role. You may also see Jess working at other local vet hospitals and sometimes vetting at NSW cat shows. Outside of work, Jess loves spending time with her two young children and her two fluffy cats, cooking, gardening and skiing. She can speak fluent Cantonese and some Mandarin.

Lucy Kirton - NEVS Emergency Vet

Lucy Kirton BVetMed MANZCVS (Emergency and Critical Care) MRCVS

Emergency & Critical Care Veterinarian

Lucy graduated from The Royal Veterinary College, London in 2004. She initially worked in mixed practice in the South West of England before moving into small animal practice around London and the South East of England.
In 2011 she moved to Australia, initially travelling around before settling in Sydney’s northern beaches. She has worked full time as an Emergency and Critical Care Veterinarian for over 4 years. In 2014 Lucy achieved membership to the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS) in Emergency and Critical Care. She has been an examiner and mentor for ANZCVS since 2017. She has a particular interest in tick paralysis, CPR and mechanical ventilation.
Lucy undertook charity neutering in Botswana in 2007 with Maun Animal Welfare Society (MAWS) and in her spare time regularly crews on a yacht that races in the Pittwater. Having recently passed her Cert IV in Training and Assessment, Lucy is involved in ongoing further education for vets and veterinary nurses.

Tom Ryu - NEVS Emergency Vet

Tom Ryu BVSc

Emergency & Critical Care Veterinarian

Tom graduated from Massey University, New Zealand in 2001 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science. He commenced working at NEVS in 2004 and is currently our longest serving emergency and critical care veterinarian. Having a special interest in the treatment of tick paralysis, particularly ventilated cases, dog bloat (emergency vets call this GDV), trauma related emergency surgery and more, Tom has a broad knowledge of emergency procedures. Tom resides on Sydney’s North Shore with his wife and daughter.

Christina Kwan - NEVS Emergency Vet

Christina Kwan BVSc (Hons) MVS MANZCVS (Emergency and Critical Care)

Emergency & Critical Care Veterinarian

Dr Christina Kwan grew up in the Hunter Valley before moving to the North Shore and has always loved animals. In 2001, she graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science with first class honours. She then spent several years working in busy small animal hospitals in Sydney and London whilst completing a Masters of Veterinary Studies through Murdoch University, before returning to Sydney University as an Intern and then Resident in Veterinary Pathology. In 2010, Christina started working as an Emergency and Critical Care veterinarian at a specialist hospital in Sydney and has been hooked on emergency medicine since. Christina joined the NEVS team in early 2018 and in 2021 achieved membership to the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Emergency and Critical Care.

 

Ann Dion - NEVS Emergency Vet

Ann Dion DVM 

Emergency & Critical Care Veterinarian

Dr Ann Dion has a double degree with a DVM  (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) from Ontario Veterinary College in 2013 after gaining a Bachelor of Science (biochemistry) in 2009. Ann started as a General Practitioner but soon realized her love for emergency and critical care and quickly transitioned to working as a full time emergency and critical care Veterinarian. Ann’s love of travel and her husband’s job brought her to Australia, where she has been working in specialist hospitals around Melbourne and Sydney before joining the NEVS team in 2018.

Ann loves the adrenaline rush and the challenge of an emergency. She also loves the immediate gratification of fixing something there and then. She takes pride being a point of calm and confidence in a time of stress and the unknown, and supporting clients during this time.

Outside work, Ann has completed an Iron Man, travelled to over 40 countries and loves scuba diving.

Ann and her husband moved to the Northern Beaches after she realized she was spending all her time driving across Sydney to get here. They hope to add a Border Collie puppy to their family once they can shake their travelling addiction.

Cloe Davies - NEVS Emergency Vet

Cloe Davies BVSc MANZCVS (Emergency and Critical Care)

Emergency & Critical Care Veterinarian

Cloe grew up in the eastern suburbs of Sydney and like many animal mad kids, had an ambition to become a vet. She graduated from the University of Sydney with a BVSc in 2008, and after a couple of years in mixed practice, discovered a passion for Emergency and Critical Care medicine which has taken her to multiple hospitals throughout Sydney and conferences both in Australia and overseas. In 2021 Cloe achieved membership to the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Emergency and Critical Care. When not working, she can be found wrangling a menagerie of small children, cats, dogs and pet insects. She likes to sew and swim, make art, veggie gardens and sourdough bread.

Emergency & Critical Care Vet Nurses
Kasey Findlay - NEVS Vet Nurse

Kasey Findlay RVN Cert IV VN Dip VN (ECC) Cert IV TAE

Emergency & Critical Care Nurse Manager

Kasey commenced veterinary nursing in 2006 working on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. She achieved her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2009, while leading a nursing team at a busy general practice.  Kasey has worked at specialist referral hospitals in Sydney and spent several years as a surgery nurse, having a passion for critical care surgery. In 2010 she started teaching veterinary nursing at TAFE and completed a Diploma in Emergency and Critical Care. In 2012 Kasey added a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to her accolades.
Kasey is a passionate and dedicated Veterinary Nurse who is devoted to teaching and veterinary nursing as a profession. She lives at home on the Northern Beaches with her fur family of three cats, one bouncy Labrador, four budgies, 3 chickens and an Angel fish (who eats any other fish she puts in with him).

Belinda - NEVS Vet Nurse

Belinda Cert IV VN

Emergency & Critical Care Nurse

Belinda started vet nursing in 2003 and completed her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2006 at Richmond TAFE. She started out working in general practice for 6 years before moving to a busy referral hospital where she worked in their medicine, treatment and ICU departments over the next 7 years. Belinda has now worked solely in emergency and critical care for 5 years. She enjoys the variety of cases you see in an emergency vet hospital and that you’re always learning something new each day. Belinda started at NEVS as a casual nurse in 2016 and is now one of our wonderful permanent overnight nurses.  She lives with a gorgeous ginger and white cat called Reggie.

Judy - NEVS Vet Nurse

Judy Cert IV VN

Emergency & Critical Care Nurse

Judy started her veterinary nursing career in 2005. She first worked for NEVS in 2007 before leaving to travel and work abroad in 2010. Since then she has worked in many emergency and referral hospitals in Australia, Canada and the UK. In 2016 she returned to NEVS from a 2 year adventure travelling and working in South America. Judy loves emergency nursing for its fast pace and interesting cases. She also has a passion for environmental issues and loves to travel.

Lauren - NEVS Vet Nurse

Lauren BAnVetBioSc DipVN (ECC) Cert IV VN

Emergency & Critical Care Nurse

Lauren started her career in animal care and veterinary nursing in 2005, which led her to join the NEVS emergency vets team in 2007. Since then she has graduated with Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience in 2009 from the University of Sydney. In 2011 Lauren completed her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing making her a fully qualified veterinary nurse, and in 2012 completed Diploma in Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Nursing. She is currently our full time evening emergency vet nurse and cat advocate for maintaining and improving cat friendly practice. In 2014 she became an Accredited Veterinary Nurse with the Veterinary Nurses’ Council of Australia and the Australian Veterinary Association, in recognition of competence, currency and dedication to the Veterinary Nursing profession. Lauren is also a dog and cat groomer, and has three domestic cats of her own; Badr, Tonka and Alaska. In her personal time she enjoys fostering homeless cats and kittens. Her favourite hobby is showing her cats in cat shows all over NSW, especially Tonka who achieved Gold Double Grand Championship and Top 5 Companion Cat in NSW for 2016. She has and continues to show her cats in companion group for promoting responsible cat ownership.

Marjan - NEVS Vet Nurse

Marjan BVSc

Emergency & Critical Care Nurse

Marjan graduated from the University of Veterinary Science Belgrade, Serbia in 2010 with a Bachelor in Veterinary Science. Since moving to Australia in 2012 he has worked in veterinary practices on Sydney’s North Shore as a veterinary nurse. Marjan first started work at NEVS as a casual in 2015 and moved into a permanent role as one of our wonderful overnight nurses in 2017. He enjoys the challenge of working in a fast paced working environment and loves helping animals and seeing their owners happy. Marjan lives on Sydney’s North Shore with his wife and is an awesome dad to 2 young kids who think he’s hilarious and love spending time with him.

Hannah - NEVS Vet Nurse

Hannah Diploma VN

Emergency & Critical Care Nurse

Hannah grew up in Hastings in the UK. She qualified in 2016 with a Level 3 Diploma from the College of Animal Welfare in Hertfordshire. Hannah came to Australia to fill a locum position at NEVS in 2017 and quickly became part of our team so we couldn’t let her leave. Hannah has worked in small animal hospitals in the UK so brings her expertise and experience with the critical patients in particular. She commenced the Vets Now Veterinary Nursing Certificate in Emergency & Critical Care (Cert VN ECC) in 2018. Hannah makes the most of the sunny Northern Beaches lifestyle and is a keen traveller, off having adventures (local and afar) at every opportunity.

Michaela - NEVS Vet Nurse

Michaela RVN FdSc VN

Emergency & Critical Care Nurse

Michaela began working in a mixed practice in Wolverhampton UK in 2010 and quickly realised her love for Veterinary Nursing so went on to qualify with a Foundation Degree in Veterinary Nursing from Harper Adams University in 2015. She has experience in all aspects of Veterinary practice – from mixed animal practice, small animal practice, specialist hospitals and now Emergency and Critical Care nursing. Michaela came to NEVS from the UK for a working holiday and loved the Australian lifestyle so much we convinced her to join our team on a permanent basis. She is currently undertaking a Certificate of Veterinary Nursing in Emergency and Critical Care and will sit examinations in the UK in September 2020.
Michaela makes the most of everything Sydney has to offer and has put together an Australian bucket list which she is steadily working her way through. She misses her family back home, especially her mum, her cat Kiki and her two dogs MJ and Nellie.

Admin & Reception
Tracey Lambert - NEVS Practice Manager

Tracey Lambert Dip Prof Pract Mgt Cert IV BA

Business Manager

Tracey grew up on Sydney’s northern beaches and started her veterinary nursing career working after school in a veterinary hospital in 1990. She completed her Certificate in Veterinary Nursing in 1994. Tracey has worked as a veterinary nurse in practices in Sydney, Melbourne and London and has worked solely in emergency and critical care since she joined the NEVS team full time in 2005. In 2011 she moved into the role of Practice Manager coordinating the emergency vets and nurses and the smooth running of the emergency vet hospital. Tracey completed a Diploma in Professional Practice Management in 2014 and a Certificate IV in Business Administration in 2017. In 2021 Tracey moved into the role of NEVS Business Manager. Outside of work Tracey loves to travel and spend time with her family, which includes a cat stalking Kelpie and the object of her affection a very handsome ginger cat.

Kim - NEVS Reception Manager

Kim Carlaw Cert IV TAE

Kim Carlaw   – Reception Manager

Kim joined the NEVS team in 2020 as part of our rapidly growing client care team and has since moved into the role of Reception Manager. Kim has spent the past 20 years working in many different facets of the animal care industry including zoos, equestrian centres and animal welfare shelters and has a strong passion for helping people and animals. She completed a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment in 2012 and enjoys training and developing teams to meet high standards in both client care and animal welfare. Kim spends all of her spare time out on a farm with her dogs and horses.

Danni - NEVS Receptionist

Danni

Receptionist

Danni joined NEVS in September 2020 as our first ever dedicated Receptionist.  She is currently studying Cert III Captive Animals and will continue into Cert IV Veterinary Nursing. Danni came to us with 5 years of experience in customer service. She loves seeing our long-term and critical patients recover and reunite with their families. When not working at NEVS Danni can be found doing placements at zoos or spending time with her Cattle/Kelpie cross Chase.

Chloe - NEVS Receptionist

Chloe Cert IV VN, Dip BA

Receptionist

Chloe joined our reception team in February 2020 mainly working on Saturdays.  Chloe qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2019, she then developed a passion for customer care and satisfaction along with administration and account management. She completed a Diploma in Business Administration in 2020. During the week Chloe works for Idexx Laboratories as a Sales Rep and Support Specialist where she handles sales, customer complaints and a full range of administration duties. Outside of work Chloe’s interests include horse riding, scuba diving, knitting, dog agility and Sudoku puzzles.

Dianne - NEVS Receptionist

Dianne

Receptionist

Dianne joined NEVS in February 2020 as one of our permanent weekend receptionists. Dianne has  always had a love for animals and helping people, and finds working at NEVS the perfect way to nurture this. Her background is in the Dental Industry both working as a nurse and receptionist, mainly for specialists practices. Outside of work Di enjoys running, walking and spending time with her family and friends on the beautiful Northern Beaches.

Rae - NEVS Receptionist

Rae

Receptionist

Rae grew up on the Northern Beaches. After leaving school she studied at a business college and worked in an office before moving to the country with her horse. After several years she returned to the Northern Beaches with 2 children, a kelpie and later on acquired her labradoodle. Rae now has over 25 years experience in customer service. Rae joined the NEVS team in February 2021 as a part time receptionist, which combines her love for animals and customer service. Outside of work Rae loves spending time with family and friends, dog minding and tending to her beautiful native garden.

Katie - NEVS Receptionist

Katie

Receptionist

Katie has been a member of the NEVS reception team since February 2021. While working at NEVS, Katie has grown to love the excitement and unpredictability of the emergency and critical care workplace. Having grown up on the North Shore, Katie is still involved in her Roseville College high school community through coaching both rowing and netball. Katie is studying a Bachelor of Commerce and Advanced Studies at the University of Sydney. When not at work or studying, she enjoys traveling, cooking, spending time with her friends and taking her Miniature Schnauzer Milly on walks.

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