Hospital Manager
Kristin is Birch Island's fear-free certified Hospital Manager. She is instrumental in keeping our practice running efficiently while sharing her kindness & humor with both staff and clients. Born and raised in Boston, MA, Kristin moved to Jacksonville in 2004 which is when she found her passion for helping animals as well as their owners. Since then, she has been in the veterinary field in various capacities. Kristin combines her managerial, administrative, customer service and animal care skills together to provide exceptional service to our clients & patients while overseeing daily hospital functions. In addition to her important role as office manager, Kristin has a full family life including a wonderful husband and five beautiful children, two of which are twins! Of course, her family wouldn't be complete without Karma and Cash, the Pitbulls. With what little free time she has, a couple of Kristin's favorite activities are going to the zoo & swimming.
Veterinary Technician
Leslie is a Florida native, having been born here in Jacksonville. She spent some time in Pennsylvania, before moving back here in 2000. Having a strong interest in science, Leslie graduated from Keiser University as a Radiologic Technologist as well as Sanford Brown where she became a certified veterinary technician. She has now worked with animals for over 15 years including five as a vet tech. Leslie has a large family of animals including Lycan, a Boxer mix and Minion, a teacup Chihuahua along with two cats, Asia and Thriller, as well as two ferrets. Rounding off the pack is Rowdy, a quarter horse Leslie takes great pride in. When not with animals, Leslie can be found combing the beach or thrift stores and is a big fan of Halloween. We happily welcomed this knowledgeable & dedicated fear-free certified animal aficionado to our team in 2019!
Veterinary Technician
Joining us from Chicago, Whitney’s passion for animals led her to enter the pet healthcare field as a veterinary technician. Having worked in both general practice and specialty arenas, Whitney brings a wealth of experience to our team. She traveled from Illinois to Florida with her two adventurous kitties and all three are enjoying the warmer weather. Reading, hiking, live music and oceanside leisure are Whitney’s activities of choice and she is hoping to someday return to school for Marine and Coastal Biology. Her enthusiasm and capacity for kindness are a perfect Birch Island fit!
Veterinary Technician
Leila is originally from Wisconsin and moved to Jacksonville in 2014. Having developed her excellent customer service skills in the food & service industry, Leila now enjoys using them in an environment she truly loves. Growing up, she was always surrounded by animals. Dogs & cats were part of her family and she also got to help with pigs, horses, cows & chickens on various small farms. Leila now has a dog named Archer and considers the patients at Birch Island her extended family. When time allows, Leila is busy renovating her house or enjoying creative crafts like painting, making jewelry, gardening and DIY projects. A fan of scientific oddities and interesting stories, she also likes true-crime podcasts. Leila is just as appreciative to be part of the Birch Island team as we are to have her!
Veterinary Receptionist
A happy & helpful face at the front desk, Crystal is one of our awesome receptionists! Her outgoing & sociable nature combined with her love for animals makes her the perfect addition to our team. Crystal shares her home with three cats – Dexter, Fresca & Chip – and dog, Buster. She has been a veterinary receptionist for several years and truly enjoys her role. We were lucky to welcome her aboard in 2019. In her free time, Crystal likes going to the beach, soaking up the Florida sun and watching scary movies. Her dream is to one day tour the country in an RV with her life partner Natasha and visit all 50 states. But, for now, she loves that she has the opportunity to interact with such great people & pets. Thank you for joining us, Crystal!
Veterinary Receptionist
Jessica joined the Birch Island family in February of 2020. Her love of animals and kind, caring & outgoing nature have made her a perfect addition to our team. Jess has a large fur family including four horses (Tennessee Walkers Gypsy, Jed & Cocoa plus Morgan mix, Rocky) and a Yorkie named Nike. Originally from Atlanta, Jessica loves going to the beach, being outdoors, monster fish tanks and spending time with friends and family. You can’t miss her sparkling smile at our front desk!
Veterinary Technician
Shana is a Jacksonville native who brings experience and dedication to our practice. Several years of being a vet tech, pet-sitting and having her own animal crew all make Shana well-versed in caring for our patients. Her four-legged family includes Usher a Cairn Terrier and Gatsby & Fat Boy, two kitties. A fan of exotics, Shana used to have many reptilian pets as well. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, going to the beach, outdoor adventures and being with her family which includes a young daughter and fiancé.
Veterinary Technician
Austin is a dedicated, hardworking team member who started out in our resort with the ambition of becoming a vet tech, which he has accomplished and is thriving at! A Jacksonville native, Austin's love for animals and desire to help them led him to Birch Island where we immediately saw his compassion and drive. His fun-loving yet focused, helpful & eager nature has been a valuable asset to our staff and our clients. Austin's pet family includes two dogs (a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and black German Shepherd) as well as two tuxedo cats. In his spare time, Austin enjoys working on his car, video games, gardening and, of course, spending time with his four-legged family.
Veterinary Technician
Originally from Washington DC, Joyce has planted roots in Jacksonville and joined our team in 2021. She brought with her several years of veterinary technician experience as well as a Diploma in Veterinary Assistance from Penn Foster. Joyce has two cats, Jeffurry and Juan Diego as well as two adult human children, a daughter and son. A creative, dedicated, and outgoing part of our team, Joyce enjoys reading, dancing, watching anime, playing video games and incorporating nature into everyday life. She has a bright spirit and a kind heart which is seen in her compassion toward our patients and her coworkers.
Veterinary Technician
Shane moved to Florida from Michigan and has been taking advantage of the weather through camping, hiking, kayaking and other outdoor activities. With many years of experience working in veterinary hospitals, he has extensive knowledge of emergency medicine, surgery, anesthesia, and overall technician responsibilities. Hardworking and loyal, Shane also has a great sense of humor that is felt throughout our practice. He is very thoughtful and treats both animals and humans with care & compassion including his sweet Pitbull mix, Karli.
Veterinary Receptionist
Like her name implies, Coral is a fun-loving ocean enthusiast who was born & raised in Jacksonville. Her favorite place to visit is the Georgia Aquarium and she spends much of her free time at the beach. Coral names her dad as her “best friend” and she has a home full of fur kids that she adores including dog Henry who is a tripod cancer survivor. In addition to Henry, she has four cats – Evie (also a tripod), Bobbie, Milo & Malibu. Currently enrolled in UNF to pursue a career in Elementary Education, Coral is a patient, kind-hearted addition to our team who loves helping people and their pets.
Veterinary Receptionist
Hailey has enjoyed living on both coasts, first California and then Florida. After attending Valosta State University in GA, she moved back home to finish her degree in IT Management. Hailey has a creative spirit with a passion for art & drawing, including designing all her own tattoos! Her fur family includes cats OJ & Georgia and Great Pyrenees Mix, Beau. Hailey enjoys spending time at the beach and reading. Her dedication to helping our clients makes her an excellent asset to the Birch Island family!
Veterinary Technician
Born in Washington state, Caitlyn embraced becoming a Floridian soon after. She is an experienced vet tech who joined our team after transferring over from another animal hospital. A fur mom to two Pitbulls (Dhingus & Luna) and a kitty (Flower), Caitlyn has turned her love for animals into a career where she can help make their lives better. In addition to having an educational background in computer science from FSCJ, she is passionate about working on cars & building things. Traveling and trying new foods is also one of Caitlyn’s joys. We are grateful to her commitment, compassion and dedication to both our team and our patients.
Social Media & Events Coordinator
You may not see a lot of Laurie in person, but you will certainly hear from her! Joining the Birch Island team while it was still in its planning stages, Laurie quickly took on the role of social media manager as well as an event coordinator. A passion for writing and a background in the veterinary field were the perfect combinations for her to be the go-to person for keeping our Facebook and Instagram pages active & inspired. In addition, she contributes content to the website and participates in community events. Laurie is a friendly face around the office as she comes in routinely for updates on happenings and meets with staff. A former vet tech from Massachusetts, Laurie, and her family moved to Florida in 2017. She met Dr. Dee soon after and was honored to be asked to partake in the Birch Island journey. Sharing a home with four Pitbull mixes, two rabbits, a bunch of fish and two humans (husband and stepson) is an adventure in itself, but Laurie also enjoys travel, wildlife tours, festivals and social meetups with friends. One of the first people on board at Birch Island, she has enjoyed watching it develop and grow. It’s been wonderful for me – I mean “her” – to be part of the team.