Meet Our Veterinarian Team
Meet the veterinarians & team of Pets and Vets as Partners. We’re pleased to provide exceptional vet care for your pets.
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Get To Know Our Team
The love for animals and the desire to provide them the best quality of life has created our Pets and Vets as Partners family. Our dynamic, hardworking, and energetic team works tirelessly in order to provide the absolute best care possible for your family pet. Our team is the reason we are able to offer you exceptional, personalized treatment every time you visit.
Dr. Emily Bowers
Dr. Natalie Strode
Dr. Kayla Ehlers
Dr. Shirissa Thompson
Erika
Veterinary Assistant
Erika trained service, therapy, and police/military canines for over five years before deciding to work at a veterinary clinic to better understand first aid to help her police canines. While there, she fell in love with the medical side of the pet industry. She has worked in ER and large animal clinics but prefers general practice due to the client/patient relationships that can be built. In her free time, she enjoys painting, gaming, and spending time with her big family and friends. She shares her home with her cat- Voodoo and two guinea pigs- Hoggle and Melman.
Emily
Client Service Representative
Coming Soon!
Heather
Registered Veterinary Nurse
Coming Soon!
Kayla K
Veterinary Assistant
Kayla joined Pets and Vets in August 2023. She has over four years of experience as a vet assistant and takes a special interest in reading parasitic cytology tests. She and her boys (Grayson and Paul) share their home with two dogs, Dolly and Rip. Kayla is a Florida native who loves eating sour patch straws, horseback riding, and four-wheeling in her spare time.
Tatum
Veterinary Assistant
Tatum joined Pets and Vets as Partners in September 2022. She is currently an undergraduate student at Purdue University pursuing a BS in Wildlife Biology with a plan to pursue wildlife rehabilitation in the future. She has two cats (Bonnie and Frankie) and one dog (Aspen), and enjoys reading, spoiling her pets, and spending time outdoors!
Juliana
Veterinary Assistant
Bio Coming Soon!
Jenn
Veterinary Assistant
Jenn joined Pets and Vets in November 2020. She graduated from Purdue in May 2021 with a BS in Neurobiology and Physiology. She is currently a first-year veterinary student at Purdue, and she is planning on pursuing small animal medicine in the future. Jenn shares her home with two cats (Mochi and Java). In her spare time, she enjoys going to the gym, taking ballet classes, and cuddling with her cats.
Kayla
Client Service Representative
Kayla started as a CSR in March 2023. Since starting, Kayla has expressed how much happiness it brings her when meeting everyone’s fur babies and loves knowing her team shares the same passion. Kayla originally wanted to work with children but soon discovered her real passion was working with the elderly. It provided her the opportunity to truly be an advocate for them. Since leaving human medicine, she has found her drive again while working with animals. Kayla shares her home with her 2-year-old cat named CiCi but has a huge obsession with golden retrievers, which will forever be her favorite breed. In her spare time, she enjoys disc golf and traveling and finds the most peace when being outside and hiking.
Lydia
Client Service Representative
Lydia joined the Pets and Vets team in March of 2016. She shares her home with her husband, Justin, three Australian Shepherds (SadieMae, Sanibel, and Sprig), and two cats (Mallory and Henry). In her free time, Lydia enjoys going on hikes, reading, caring for her houseplant collection, and trying new recipes.
Stephanie
Head Client Service Representative
Stephanie joined the team in October 2019, following her graduation from Purdue University with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. She has a special interest in helping animals without homes and spends a lot of time working for PawSwap and volunteering at shelters. Outside of work, she enjoys spending her time at Harry’s, being outdoors, or hanging out with her two dogs, Ollie and Tigger.
Brenda
Veterinary Nurse
Brenda joined Pets and Vets as Partners in September 2013 as a part-time Registered Veterinary Nurse. She has been registered for over 15 years with experience in research, academia, and emergency and critical care. Brenda has a young daughter who shares her mother’s love for animals and three fur kids (a dog and two cats) at home. In her spare time, she loves being outdoors and spending time with her family and friends. She just adores the patients and clientele at Pets and Vets as Partners!
Katie Mowery
Veterinary Nurse
Katie joined our team as a part-time veterinary nurse in August 2019. She is a 2012 graduate of the Purdue Veterinary Technology program and spent seven years dedicated to being an emergency and critical care technologist. One of her greatest accomplishments was when she obtained her veterinary technology specialty certification in emergency and critical care in 2017. She also obtained her Fear Free certification in 2019 and loves taking some extra time with our more fearful patients to gain their trust. In true veterinary technician fashion, Katie shares her home with three dogs (Kato, Zeppelin, and Paisley), two of whom were adopted straight from the emergency room. Although emergency and critical care medicine remains a passion, Katie is enjoying the close relationships she has developed with our clients and patients.
Jen
Veterinary Technician
Jen graduated from Purdue University as a Registered Veterinary Nurse. She has been practicing since 2007 and rejoined the team in the early summer of 2022. She, along with her husband and two daughters, share a home with their two cat brothers, Finn and Theo. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching TV, sewing, and crafting.
Crystal
Veterinary Nurse
Crystal graduated from Morehead State University with an associate’s degree in Veterinary Technology and a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. She has spent the majority of her veterinary technologist career working with large animals. She started working at Pets and Vets in August 2018. She enjoys meeting the clients, learning about their animals, and being able to help educate them about the care of their pets. In her spare time, she loves to work on her family’s farm (caring for the cows and all duties that go with owning livestock), hanging out with her wife Alayne, their two dogs (JoJo, & Meadow), and two cats (Reese & Barley Moonshine Snicker Whiskey), gardening, camping, hiking, birding, or just being outdoors.
Larissa (Ris)
Veterinary Nurse
Larissa joined the practice as a Veterinary Assistant in March 2013 and graduated from the St. Petersburg College Veterinary Technology program to become a Registered Veterinary Nurse in June 2017. She also has a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and Biochemistry, as well as extensive experience and graduate education in animal care, including pets, wildlife, dairy calves, and behavioral research. One of her favorite parts of being a vet nurse is making lasting bonds with the animals as well as their human counterparts. In her spare time, she enjoys crafts, reading, houseplants, and spending time outdoors. Larissa shares her home with Dahlia (Pitbull), Ayla (Longhair Tabico), Jelly (Gerbil), and Petra (Russian Tortoise).
Moneica
Practice Manager
Moneica joined the team in August 2018 as a Client Service Representative and was promoted to Practice Manager in October 2021. She and her son, Elias, share their home with their cat, Nita, their dog, Rutt, and their two Guinea Pigs, Everest and Liberty. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, sewing, crocheting, and cheering on the Chicago Cubs.
Anna G. Slagle
Veterinarian
Bio Coming Soon
Dr. Shirissa Thompson
Veterinarian
Dr. Shirissa Thompson received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine in 2022 and joined the practice in 2023. She also serves as a Medical Officer in the Army National Guard. Her interests include small animal endocrinology, dermatology, and emergency medicine. Dr. Thompson shares her home with her wonderful husband, Wilcher Smith, and their three dogs, Xena, Komo, and Zues. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and shopping.
Dr. Kayla Ehlers
Veterinarian
Dr. Kayla Ehlers is a 2012 graduate of the Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine and joined the clinic in 2013. She enjoys all areas of general practice but has a special interest in dermatology and preventative medicine. Dr. Ehlers and her husband have three pets, including two cats, Polly and Pancake, and a miniature schnauzer, Pixie. She enjoys traveling and anything outdoors, especially hiking, kayaking, biking and fishing.
Dr. Natalie Strode
Veterinarian
Dr. Natalie Strode graduated from Purdue University’s School of Veterinary Medicine in May 2009. She joined the practice in June 2009. Her special interests in practice include cardiology, urology, and all areas of client education. Dr. Strode shares her home with her husband, Joel; their twin sons, Parker and Jackson; their daughter, Piper; their dog, Kate Spade; and their cat, Louis Vuitton. Dr. Strode enjoys traveling, reading, shopping, and being outdoors. She and her family are huge Boilermaker fans and attend as many Purdue sporting events as possible.
Dr. Emily Bowers
Medical Director & Veterinarian
Dr. Emily Bowers received both her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees from Purdue University. Dr. Bowers joined the practice as a doctor in June of 2007; however, she has worked here as a veterinary assistant since 2001. She now serves as the medical director for our AAHA-accredited hospital. Her interests include the canine and feline urinary tract, as well as anesthesia. She has an affinity for the English bulldog breed but enjoys seeing all breeds of dogs and cats alike. Professional affiliations include local veterinary chapters (WCIVMA, IVMA) and national associations (AVMA, IVECCS). Dr. Bowers shares her home with her husband, Kevin, their two sons, Harrison and Crosby, and their dog, Socks. In her spare time, Dr. Bowers enjoys cycling, Amazon Priming, wine, and going to any and all Purdue sporting events.