Meet Our Team
Our Team of 4 Full-Time Veterinarians, our well-trained nursing staff, and our extended emergency hours allow us to provide the very high standard of veterinary care your four-legged family deserves.
Take a moment to meet the talented veterinarians and their support team.
Our Veterinarians
Dr Brianna Smits
Veterinarian
Dr Smits joined the Coast and Valleys team in December 2016 after recently graduating from Sydney University. She enjoys livestock calls and emergency medicine, and in her time off can be found exploring the coast at the beach. She has a cat called Roger.
Dr Callie Paquette
Veterinarian
Callie grew up surrounded by pets in Kansas in the United States. She made her move to Australia to study at Sydney University and she joined the Coast and Valleys team in January 2021. She enjoys mixed practice and the variety of cases it brings but is particularly fond of cats and small ruminants.
Outside of work you can find Callie baking up some treats for the team, jogging around her house, or hanging with her husband and their two cats Ophelia and Othello.
Dr Ebony Harris
Veterinarian
Ebony graduated from Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga and joined the Coast and Valleys team in 2021. She enjoys the variety of cases seen every day and is interested in all aspects of veterinary medicine.
In her free time Ebony enjoys going to the beach, exploring new places, catching up with friends and family, or just chilling out with her dachshund Poppi.
Dr Victor Bernhardi
Veterinarian
Victor grew up on a small farm near Cairns before moving to Townsville to study a Bachelor of Veterinary Science at James Cook University. He joined the team at Coast and Valleys in early 2023 and enjoys the variety of working in mixed general practice.
Outside of work, you’ll find him playing soccer, trekking through a national park or at the pub for a bit of trivia.
Our Hospital Team
Jess McCarthy
Practice Manager
Jess joined the team at Coast and Valleys in January 2015 as a Vet Nurse student and gained her qualifications while working in the practice. She had previously completed a Bachelor of Livestock Science and has since done further courses in Practice Management, Emergency Medicine, Clinical Pathology and Anaesthesia.
After a break in 2023, Jess has returned to the position of Practice Manager.
Outside of work, Jess enjoys spending time with her horses Smooch, Snoop and Snippet, and her kelpie dog Jazz.
Jemma Hogan
Head Veterinary Nurse
Jemma joined Coast and Valleys in 2017; she has almost finished her Bachelor of Veterinary Technology at CSU and has a special interest in large animal medicine and surgical nursing.
Jemma runs our puppy preschool program and has a huge passion for helping integrate puppies into their new homes. In her spare time, she can be found at an early morning CrossFit class, walking her Cavoodles Ruby, Scarlett and Digby or camping with her husband and friends.
Jade Slattery
Veterinary Nurse
Jade started with us as a vet nurse student in 2018 while achieving her Certificate IV qualification and has continued her professional development to maintain her status as a Registered Veterinary Nurse. In this time Jade has found her interests lie within the laboratories’ diagnostic equipment and with anaesthesia. Though also finds assisting with our equine patients one of the most satisfying aspects.
Outside of work, Jade can be found outdoors either riding her horse Kenny, surfing with the family or hiking with her dog Sarge.
Freyja Shairp
Veterinary Nurse
Freyja joined the Coast and Valleys team in 2020 and holds a Certificate IV in Vet Nursing. She particularly enjoys the surgical aspect nursing, ensuring that each of her patients are as safe as possible during their procedure, and making friends with the animals who get a bit nervous at the vet.
Away from nursing, you’ll often find Freyja reading, knitting, lifting weights at the gym or roller skating. She and her partner are the proud furr-parents of an adventurous Cavoodle Sophie, who loves visiting her friends in the clinic and going out on the boat.
Tamika Hawksford
Veterinary Nurse
Tamika attained her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2016 and joined our team here at Coast and Valleys in 2020. She enjoys looking after the patients for the duration of their time spent in hospital; ensuring they are comfortable and getting the care that they need.
At home, she spends her time with her husband Ryan, baby girl Melody and two very excitable staffys Dakota and Riley. In her spare time, she loves to do arts and crafts, always having a project on the go.
Danielle Morrison
Receptionist
Danielle is one of the friendly faces that greets you upon entering our clinic, followed closely by her little white shadow, Poppy. Danielle joined the team mid 2015 and has become a vital part in making you and your pet feel welcome at our practice.
Bella Hamilton
Veterinary Nurse
Bella joined Coast and Valleys Vet team in 2021 and has her certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing. Bella enjoys surgery and loves interacting with clients, especially with helping them understand their pet’s care. Bella enjoys beach walks, cricket, coffee with friends and loves Disney.
Chloe Riley
Veterinary Nurse
Chloe has been around animals, big and small, her whole life. She joined the team in August 2021 as an animal attendant; and is now a recently qualified Cert IV Veterinary nurse with us. Chloe has a special interest in emergency care, as well as end of life care for our patients.
Chloe currently has 5 horses, 4 dogs and 2 cats so she’s kept very busy outside of work!
Tiarna Klaassen
Veterinary Nurse
Tiarna is a veterinary nurse here at Coast and Valleys, having attained her Certificate II in Animal Studies and Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing whilst working here. Tiarna has a keen interest in expanding her knowledge, learning how the clinic operates and learning how to be the best nurse she can for your four-legged friends.
In December 2022, Tiarna ticked off one of her bucket list dreams, flying to Africa for 2 months to see all it has to offer, including the amazing animal life. When not at work, Tiarna spends her time trail riding with her horse Toka, taking her poodles Lunar and Jaffa on adventures to the beach, dog parks or 4wding through the bush.
Jo Moffat
Receptionist
Jo, aka Mumma Jo, is one of the beautiful faces you see when you enter the clinic. Working here since 2022, she makes it her priority to welcome you and your furry companion into the clinic, always having a smile on her face.
On her days off she loves spending time with her little pup Jaffa, tending to her garden and travelling around Australia.
Georgia Booker
Veterinary Nurse
Georgia joined the Coast and Valleys team in November 2022, with a Cert II in Animal Studies and a Cert IV in Veterinary Nursing. She is also going to enrol in Vet Tech at CSU for second semester 2023.
Georgia has two kelpies Ruby and Ash. In her spare time away from work, you’ll find her at the beach with her dogs or catching up on her TV shows, Grey’s Anatomy and Yellowstone.
Tylah Bowcock
Veterinary Nurse
Tylah is a Certificate IV qualified vet nurse with 2 cats of her own. She joined the team here at Coast and Valleys Veterinary Hospital back in November 2019 before having a small break over 2022 to focus on her pet sitting and dog walking business and has since returned to us here in March 2023.
She is quite hands on in the clinic, especially with our larger animal patients as she shows quite an interest in large animal medicine and treatment. Tylah’s interest in becoming a vet nurse in a mixed animal practice has stemmed from growing up on a farm with a variety of animals from cows and goats to sheep and chickens with her trusty farm dogs.
Megan Rick
Veterinary Nurse
Since qualifying as a veterinary nurse in 2010, Megan has worked in a variety of clinic settings, ranging from general practice to specialist/referral and emergency hospitals. Megan loves a challenge, her favourite areas of nursing are emergency/critical care and surgical nursing, in particular orthopaedic procedures.
Outside of work, Megan is an active mother to two young boys. She spends her spare time at the beach with her Kelpie Marni or on any of the bush and bike tracks around the Central Coast.
Tanya Middleton
Veterinary Nurse
Tanya is a qualified veterinary nurse with experience in specialist, emergency, wildlife and general veterinary nursing. She has a passion for animals, people and books – so much so that she is a published children’s author. Tanya also loves to travel the world and has visited almost 30 different countries, but her favourite place is to be snuggled on the couch with her beloved cat, Lexi the Brave – and a good book.
Georgia McDonald
Veterinary Nurse
Georgia joined our team in 2023 as an animal attendant and has since completed her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing. Georgia enjoys looked after your 4 legged friends whilst they spend time here in hospital. She also takes pride in providing compassionate end of life care for our patients.
Georgia has always wanted to be a Veterinary Nurse. Outside of work, Georgia enjoys camping along the coastline and adventuring.
Kiera Bowcock
Animal Attendant
Kiera joined the team in January 2021 as an animal attendant and has since started her Certificate II in Animal Care.
She enjoys spending time with her dog and sheep at home on her father’s farm. This has given her an interest in working in an animal care facility. Kiera enjoys working with the vets and nurses in everyday clinic patient care.
Jenna Wain
Animal Attendant
Jenna started with the team as an Animal Attendant and is currently working towards her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing. Her favourite thing about Coast and Valleys Vet is working with the team, as well as learning new and exciting skills with her veterinary nurse training. She also has 2 years of experience working in the zoo keeping industry.
When not studying or working she loves spending time with her 2 year old kelpie ‘Rusty’, taking him everywhere she can, to the beach, on hikes, camping trips and his favourite, the dog park.
Charli-Jae O'Bryan
Animal Attendant
Charli joined us at the end of May 2022 and is currently studying her Certificate II in Animal Studies. She enjoys working with all the staff and loves to learn new skills each day. She is an avid animal lover and has always wanted to work with animals. Her best fur friend is her 6 year old Frenchie Miss Memphis, who is just as sassy as her human.
Among other things, Charli is a part of the hot-rodding community and enjoys anything vintage. She loves photography and is fantastic at special effects makeup.
We are committed to helping animals live healthy, happy lives
Want to learn more about Coast & Valleys and the services we have to offer?