Meet the Team
We’re extremely proud of our committed team, who consistently go above and beyond to provide the best for our patients and clients.
All our veterinary surgeons attend courses regularly keeping them informed of the latest developments in veterinary medicine. They all specialise in the treatment of small animals, and pursue active further education in various areas.
Working alongside our vets, we have an extraordinary team of nurses. They carry out technical work and are skilled in undertaking a range of diagnostic tests and medical treatments. In addition to caring for your pet while they are in our care, our nurses are also able to provide advice over the telephone as well as running nursing clinics and nurse consultations.
Our support team is dedicated to ensuring you and your pet gets the best treatment possible. Made up of Clinical Care Assistants, Receptionists and Admin staff, the team is well equipped to facilitate your pet’s journey through Ash Tree Vets and provide a friendly and efficient service.
Stella Coulson
Clinical Director
Stella graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2009 and managed to squeeze in some travelling before joining us the following year. She only intended to spend a short time in Leicestershire, but has been with us ever since! She has a special interest in diagnostic imaging and patient welfare and is always planning her next adventure abroad.
Rachel Chan
Veterinary Surgeon
Rachel graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2013, after which she worked for one year in Norfolk and then eight years in a hospital in Northampton. Rachel joined Ash Tree Vets in 2022 where she has shown a particular interest in emergency medicine and holds a certificate relating to this. Outside of work, Rachel enjoys playing a variety of instruments - badly, she says :) - going to the gym, walking Poppy the dog, and trying to keep up with her two children!
Lucy Clarke
Veterinary Surgeon
Lucy graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2015 and joined the Ash Tree team the following year. She has a huge soft spot for rabbits and particularly enjoys working on medicine cases and meeting new people! Some of her favourite hobbies include horse riding, travelling and crafting – she always has a creative project on the go!
Helen Draper
Veterinary Surgeon
Helen graduated in 2002 and worked at a small animal and referral hospital for 15 years before joining us in 2021. A real globetrotter, she worked in the DRC, Cameroon, Thailand and Costa Rica before settling in Market Harborough with her family and pets. When she’s not working, she loves walking, cycling, singing (badly) and spending time on her allotment.
Nicole Dyer
Veterinary Surgeon
Nicole has enjoyed a varied career since graduating in 2013, having spent time travelling, doing locum work and volunteering for veterinary charities in Australia and Thailand. After returning to the UK, she joined our team in 2019 and is now developing her interest in internal medicine. She is also a keen rock-climber and has a three-legged cat called Peggy!
Tine Headland
Veterinary Surgeon
Tine has been qualified for over 10 years and has worked in a variety of settings, including; university hospital, dedicated out-of-hours-practice and general practice. She is interested in all aspects of being a 1st opinion vet and especially enjoys working together with clients to make sure their pets are looked after in the best way possible. Outside of work Tine keeps busy with her young family and enjoys the odd DIY project.
Rebecca Hearne
Veterinary Surgeon
Rebecca graduated from the University of Surrey in 2022. Prior to her vet degree she completed a Diploma of Higher Education in Veterinary Bioscience, and has also undertaken an internship at Chester Zoo. In her spare time you will find Rebecca out for a walk or run with one of her two Cocker Spaniels, Jess and Gordon.
Claire Isaacs
Veterinary Surgeon
Claire graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2013, and is a general practitioner with a surgical bias and a certificate holder in companion animal surgery. She is also the proud owner of a very handsome three-legged cat called Sid!
Nigel Jacklin
Veterinary Surgeon
After graduating from Cambridge University in 1995, Nigel worked at a busy small animal practice for 12 years. He joined us in 2007 and has a particular passion for orthopaedics, cruciate surgery, ultrasound and cardiology. His interests outside of work include squash, attempting to play the guitar, water sports and anything to do with flying!
Sonia Lynch
Veterinary Surgeon
Sonia graduated from Liverpool University in 2002, and after a short stay in Canada and a stint as a mixed practice vet, she joined our team in 2010 to concentrate on small animal medicine. She enjoys her varied caseload and loves getting the opportunity to work with our wonderful team, clients and patients every day!
Liz Mears
Veterinary Surgeon
Liz graduated in 1999 and worked in practices in Somerset and New Zealand before joining us in 2014. She loves the positive atmosphere at our practice and enjoys getting to work on tricky cases! When she’s not working or looking after her three children, she can be found walking, cycling, tending to her allotment and making novelty birthday cakes!
Chris Sherwood
Veterinary Surgeon
Chris graduated from Cambridge University in 1991, and has 25 years wide ranging surgical experience - both soft tissue and orthopaedic. He also has an interest in veterinary cardiology/echocardiography. Outside of work his pursuits include dancing (ceroc/modern jive) and gardening.
Elissa Tennant-Brown
Veterinary Surgeon
Elissa graduated from Cambridge University in 2013, and worked at a small animal hospital in Northampton before joining us in 2019. She enjoys all aspects of her job, but has a particular passion for soft tissue surgery. When she’s not wearing scrubs, she can often be found running, cycling or walking her cocker spaniel, Lucy.
Nick Turner-Henke
Veterinary Surgeon
Nick grew up on the outskirts of Birmingham and graduated from Edinburgh University in 1995. A self-confessed all-rounder, he has been part of our team since 2000 and loves getting stuck into all aspects of his role. He lives with his wife, two children and pets, and enjoys running, cycling and competing in distance running and adventure races!
Charlie Wright
Veterinary Surgeon
Charlie graduated from The Royal Veterinary College in 2008 after previously completing a BSc (Animal Sciences) at Edinburgh in 2003. She worked for 1 year in Kent then returned home to Leicestershire where she worked for 14 years as a mixed practitioner before joining Ash Tree Vets in 2023. Charlie enjoys all aspects of 1st opinion practice but is also very happy to treat and provide advice on chickens. Outside work - home life is busy with two young children, but she occasionally finds time to run, read and attempt to grow veggies in the garden!
Kathleen Wood
Nurse Manager
Kathleen qualified as a vet nurse in 2015, and worked at various local practices and volunteered at a clinic in Thailand before joining our team in 2018. She loves all aspects of her role, but has a particular passion for mentoring and supporting student nurses. In her free time, she loves looking after her Labrador, Lily, and hand-reared cat, Cabbage.
Alexia Dickens
Veterinary Nurse - Student
Alexia has a background in animal care, having worked as a boarding kennels supervisor before completing a veterinary care assistant course. Since starting her nursing qualification Alexia enjoys working as part of a friendly, fun, and supportive team at Ash Tree Vets and thrives on the opportunity to learn from her many experienced colleagues.
Outside of work Lexi spends time with her Cockerpoo, Brandie, and loves reading and running - however Brandie refuses to partake in this!
Laura Gardiner
Veterinary Nurse
Laura graduated from Harper Adams University in 2012, and completed lots of her nursing training with us. She couldn’t stay away and officially joined our team in 2015. She has a particular passion for inpatient care and training budding student nurses, and enjoys watching live music and looking after her two cats.
Mel Gunn
Veterinary Nurse
Mel did her training with us in 2009 and enjoyed it so much that she joined us permanently in 2010. She particularly enjoys the patient care aspect of nursing and usually has a stash of treats in her pocket. Outside of work she enjoys outdoor swimming, hiking and birdwatching, as well as spending time with her dog, cats and bunnies.
Emma Hughes
Veterinary Nurse
Emma studied at Nottingham Trent University and has been part of the Ash Tree team since 2016. She has a keen interest in exotic species, surgical nursing and feline care, and loves to travel, cook, keep fit, and spend time with her partner and their two cats, Oberyn and Ellaria.
Tracey Joyce
Veterinary Nurse
Tracey graduated from Middlesex University and the Royal Veterinary College in 2007, and joined our team in 2012. She has a keen interest in anaesthesia, and loves bonding with our patients and clients and finding creative ways to improve our processes. An outdoor fanatic, she can often be found horse riding or looking after her dogs.
Kathryn Powell
Deputy Nurse Manager
Kathryn qualified in 2020 as a registered veterinary nurse, and joined Ash Tree Vets in 2022. Kathryn says that she enjoys many aspects of her role, particularly that there is always something to learn, and something to improve on. She loves to use her skills and knowledge to improve the patient’s stay with us. Most of Kathryn’s spare time is spent looking after her young children and family dog, Rolo.
Katie Smith
Veterinary Nurse
After graduating from Harper Adams University, Katie returned to Ash Tree Vets where she had completed her student work placement in 2020. Katie enjoys many aspects of her work, especially surgical nursing, and enjoys being part of the Ash Tree team. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with family and friends, walking, and cooking.
Emileigh Wand
Veterinary Nurse
Emileigh graduated in 2022 with first class honours, and returned to work at Ash Tree Vets where she had completed her student placement. Emileigh is especially interested in anaesthesia and is pursuing this further as part of her career progression. Outside of work Emileigh plays and competes in Polo, loves going on adventures (even though her navigation skills are not the best), travelling, and looking after her dog and cat.
Louise Hastings
Practice Manager
Louise joined us in 2016, and was originally part of our reception team before becoming our practice manager. Her previous experience in finance, customer service and business comes in handy every day! Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her young family and going on adventures that often entail nature walks, ice cream runs and caravanning.
Julie Lake
Office Administrator
Julie has been part of our team since 2010, having previously worked in retail and mortgage banking for 26 years. Her busy role entails, sorting Pet Health Plan applications, assisting with insurance claims, and various other admin tasks. Outside of work, she loves spending time outdoors with her family and dog, going to the gym, reading and having a cuppa with friends.
Hilary Lawton
Accounts Officer
Hilary is a qualified accounting technician and has years of retail banking experience under her belt, having cut her teeth working at a local accounting firm and as a school business manager. She deals with our purchase ledger work and team salaries, and enjoys a busy home life with her dogs, Conker and Snafu. Her many hobbies include baking, singing and crocheting.
Ellen van Aken
Marketing Coordinator
Ellen joined our team in 2015 and brought her wealth of knowledge and experience with her! Ellen heads up our marketing and social media coordination, and offers support to the rest of the team. She also makes an excellent cup of tea.
Lindsay Munton
Clinical Support Assistant and Pharmacy Manager
Lindsay joined Ash Tree Vets in 2021 and quickly became an integral part of the clinical support team. In 2022 Lindsay added the role of Pharmacy Manager to her skillset and enjoys keeping up-to-date with medical supply information, and making sure we are stocked and compliant with medication supply protocols. She also enjoys her work within the clinical support team, keeping all clinical aspects of the surgery running smoothly. In her spare time, Lindsay enjoys spending time with her family, and walking her dogs Ivy, and Dottie - and has on occasion acted as foster parent to dogs in need.
Tasha Allen
Receptionist
Reception
Nicky Clark
Receptionist
Nicky has been with us since 2015 and loves the variety that her role on reception entails. Client satisfaction is always her top priority, along with supporting her colleagues to bring about the best outcome for every pet. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, dog, three cats and two turtles.
Claire Drew
Receptionist
Claire joined Ash Tree Vets in 2017 inspired by her passion for animals. She loves to travel and has previously worked in Spain, USA and Australia to name a few. She speaks fluent Spanish and her hobbies include traveling, food and rescuing dogs.
Aimee Peers
Receptionist
Reception
