Meet the team
We’re a diverse mix of people but we’re united by a passion for what we do. Our team pride themselves on delivering quality care and a friendly smile. Whether it’s your first time with us or you’re a regular visitor, we get to know you and your animal, and will always make you feel welcome.
Trevor is one of the founding members of the practice and one of the current directors. He is the senior small animal clinician and is responsible for the overall management there. Trevor has a keen interest in orthopedic surgery and is very involved in the Operation Nest Egg for kiwi at Rainbow Springs.
Holly graduated from Massey University in 2014 and worked as a mixed animal vet – across a diverse range of species –before she joined our Taupo team as a companion animal veterinarian (and to be closer to the ski fields!) She is currently completing a Master’s degree and has a special interest in soft tissue surgery, oncology and cardiology.
Lucy graduated in 2012 and is a companion animal veterinarian at VetPlus Taupo. Lucy has a particular interest in working dog medicine/surgery from a strong rural veterinary background but also enjoys imaging, general surgery and orthopedics. Outside of the clinic, you will find her walking her dogs and involved in sporting activities including squash, snowboarding and mountain biking but at a “casual” level!
Emma graduated in 2005. After a short stint in mixed practice, she has worked with companion animals for the last 16 years. Emma is now working as a part time companion animal vet at VetPlus Taupo. Emma has strong interests in working collaboratively with families for the best health and wellbeing of their pets, and soft tissue surgery. Outside work, Emma is usually found running around after her three young boys (one canine), or ideally curled up reading a good book.
Lucy grew up just North of Rotorua on a lifestyle block around all sorts of animals which sparked her interest in veterinary medicine. Lucy is one of our new graduates having finished Vet school at Massey in 2023. She enjoys all aspects of companion animal work and will also be seen out and about on farm working with some large animals. Outside of work Lucy will be found out in the bush hiking, mountain biking, swimming, or laying in the sun with a good book.
Cath graduated from Massey in 2008, and has worked in companion animal vet clinics in NZ and USA. Cath works part time in our Taupo clinic. In her spare time Cath enjoys reading, travelling, music and arts.
Ashleigh graduated from Massey University in 2014 and is currently working with us while one of our vets is away on maternity leave. She has moved up from Wellington after working there for 4 years and is looking forward to exploring Taupo and the surrounding areas while she is here for the next year.
Andrew grew up on a sheep and deer farm in Wanaka, which developed his passion for animals and the outdoors. Following vet school, he started practice in Taumarunui followed by a stint locuming in the UK. After returning to New Zealand with wife-to-be Sarah, he managed the family farm for several years before moving north. Andrew joined us in 2009 and is a senior production animal vet based out of Taupo.
Jarrod grew up on a Dairy farm in Te Aroha which is where his enjoyment of working with animals developed and he has a keen interest in production animals. He has worked in mixed animal practice in Opunake, Taranaki with a stint in the UK before joining VetPlus in 2021. Jarrod enjoys all areas of large animal work, with a focus on dairy animals. We were lucky enough to also have Jarrod’s wife Natalie in the VetPlus team as a veterinary nurse in our Taupo clinic.
Growing up on dairy farms in Northland and then Piopio in the mighty King Country, Saskia has a strong connection to the dairy industry! After completing vet school in 2024, she is excited to get stuck into her new role as a mostly production animal vet out of Taupo. She has an added interest in small animal surgery, so fear not if you see her looking after your furry friends! Outside of work, she has far too many hobbies and is always up for an adventure! You may see her playing tennis, hockey, running or relaxing by the lake.
Ben grew up in and around Taupo. From a young age he spent much of his free time on his uncle’s farm out of Taihape, this is where he developed his keen interest into the production sector. After finishing vet school in 2023 he returned to Taupo to start at VetPlus where he will fill mostly a production vet role but will dabble as a companion animal vet too. Outside of work Ben can be found mountain biking, swimming in the lake or tripping up the Coromandel fishing and diving.
Daniel grew up in Warkworth on a lifestyle block and this is where his passion for all animals started. He did however, spend more time fishing and diving than anything else. After high school he went travelling overseas for a year and met his now wife, Margaret. They both enjoy a myriad of outdoor activities and sports. After finishing Vet school in 2021 he started out his vet career in Taupo. Most of the time Daniel is out on farm but sometimes you can spot him in the clinic looking after some well-loved pets too.
Caroline completed her Diploma of Veterinary Nursing in November 2009, and soon after became part of our team.Caroline is married to Todd and they have two children. The family enjoys everything Lake Taupo has to offer, such as swimming and going for bush walks.
Born and raised in suburban Whanganui, Nikita moved to the Waikato after finishing college and started working in the dairy industry to try something new. This is where she found her passion for large animals. During this time she gained her qualification as an Artificial Breeding Technician and decided to further her skillset by completing a Certificate in Rural Animal Technology through The Waikato Institute of Technology in 2021. Nikita joined the VetPlus team in 2022 and is excited to pursue her career as a Large Animal Technician while also exploring all that Taupo has to offer.
Kate gained her diploma in veterinary nursing in 2023 and moved to Taupo from the Bay of Islands to have a change of scenery and be closer to family. In her spare time Kate enjoys reading, jigsaw puzzles and going on adventures with her orange dog.
Natalie grew up in Hawkes Bay and went Massey in Palmerston North, after completing a BSc (Animal Science and Zoology), she decided to study BVT. After completing this in 2016 she followed husband Jarrod to Taranaki and started working for Taranaki Vet Centre as a vet nurse. In 2019/2020 she spent 5 months in the UK working in a small animal clinic which was rudely interrupted by Covid19. Upon returning to New Zealand the decision was made to move closer to family. Natalie has been studying and doing animal rehabilitation, this will be something she will be working on for VetPlus. Her interests outside of work include freelance makeup artistry, bush walks – exploring our country, and spending time with family.
Stacey has been Vet Nursing for over 13 years and has spent the past 10 years working in Tokoroa. Outside of work Stacey is helping out her husband on the diary farm, keeping busy with two young children, spending time at the beach or reading a good book.
Jess graduated from Massey with a bachelor is vet technology in 2018 and has worked for VetPlus since. She works with both the large and small animal teams. On the weekends Jess likes to go fishing, hunting or reading a book by the lake.
Sarah was born and raised in Taupo. After college she moved to Cambridge where she worked on a dairy farm. This sparked her interest in large animals. Sarah is in her first year of study to become a technician through Otago Polytechnic. In her spare time she enjoys being outdoors exploring with her puppy as well as rearing calves.
Angie comes from the UK where she completed her veterinary nursing qualification in 2009. With an aim to increase her skills, she worked all over the world, including with dolphins in Florida and at a wildlife hospital in Australia. While on her travels, she fell in love with New Zealand and decided to make Taupo her new home.
Zoe graduated from Massey in 2022 with a Bachelor of Animal Science which furthered her passion for large animals. Since then, Zoe has spent time calf rearing and working on a sheep and beef station before joining the VetPlus team. Outside of work Zoe can be found exploring the outdoors and the local area, at the netball courts or down by the lake.
Toni has gained a Vet Nursing Diploma with Otago Polytechnic and also worked with the Taupo SPCA. Toni is now a qualified Vet Nurse after she completed DipVN in November 2022. Outside of work Toni has a keen interest in local theatre, spending time with her husband and children, a keen baker, and many yarn related activities.
Graduating Massey University in 2004 with a diploma in Veterinary Nursing, Alaina has been part of the VetPlus crew on and off since 2009. In her spare time she enjoys spending time at the lake and beach with her husband Rhys and their 3 children.
Kirstina moved from the ‘big smoke’ Auckland in 2009 to Taupo for a more relaxing lifestyle. She was very involved with the Auckland SPCA and is now helping our Taupo branch. Kirstina has two ‘babies’, Flossy, a gorgeous samoyed which she adopted from the Auckland SPCA, and Sjiqua, a Chinchilla-cross.
Lauren graduated with her Diploma in Veterinary Nursing in 2012. After having her family she has joined the VetPlus team part time. In Lauren’s spare time she enjoys hiking, camping, horse riding and hanging out at the lake.
Jackie moved to Taupo in 2019 with her husband Zane and dog Newman. Jackie grew up on a dairy farm in the Rangitikei. After a 3 year stint in the UK, Jackie returned to Feilding and worked for a large mixed animal vet practice for 9 years before joining Provet in Palmerston North where she has worked for the past 5 years. Outside of work Jackie enjoys playing netball and tennis. Now in Taupo she hopes to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle that Taupo has to offer.
Leanne left school and joined VetPlus to train as a vet nurse many moons ago! In the years since, Leanne has honed her skills in nursing, reception, admin and stock control becoming a key member of the Taupo team. Leanne now manages the stock for the Taupo clinic and looks after our farming clients requirements.
Jean has been with us for a very long time as a receptionist in our Taupo clinic. Her friendly manner provides the first impression for clients when they visit us. Her interests include mountain biking, gardening and socialising with friends over a nice coffee.
Jenni came on board in 2009 as a Business Administrator and has since become our General Manager. Jenni looks after overall operations, including finances, HR and drives the implementation of the company’s annual business plans. Jenni enjoys participating in amateur theatre, hanging out (& spoiling) her much loved Golden Retriever and spending time between beautiful Taupo and Ohope Beach.
Treena joined VetPlus in January 2008, working from our Reporoa Clinic. She works within all of our branches, negotiating with our suppliers and managing the marketing. With four children and loads of animals Treena and her husband are kept very busy!
Matthew is a Reporoa local, being raised just down the road on his family’s dairy farm. Matthew enjoys all aspects of the agricultural sector and enjoys working within the local community. He now works within the marketing and finance team, you will find him moving between all three of our clinics.
Sue joined us in August 2014 and is based in our Taupo office. Sue and her husband, along with their children, have lived in Taupo for the past 19 years. Sue enjoys mountain biking, group fitness classes, swimming in the lake and relaxing with her family.
Kirstina moved from the ‘big smoke’ Auckland in 2009 to Taupo for a more relaxing lifestyle. She was very involved with the Auckland SPCA and is now helping our Taupo branch. Kirstina has two ‘babies’, Flossy, a gorgeous samoyed which she adopted from the Auckland SPCA, and Sjiqua, a Chinchilla-cross.
Lauren graduated with her Diploma in Veterinary Nursing in 2012. After having her family she has joined the VetPlus team part time. In Lauren’s spare time she enjoys hiking, camping, horse riding and hanging out at the lake.
Jackie moved to Taupo in 2019 with her husband Zane and dog Newman. Jackie grew up on a dairy farm in the Rangitikei. After a 3 year stint in the UK, Jackie returned to Feilding and worked for a large mixed animal vet practice for 9 years before joining Provet in Palmerston North where she has worked for the past 5 years. Outside of work Jackie enjoys playing netball and tennis. Now in Taupo she hopes to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle that Taupo has to offer.
Leanne left school and joined VetPlus to train as a vet nurse many moons ago! In the years since, Leanne has honed her skills in nursing, reception, admin and stock control becoming a key member of the Taupo team. Leanne now manages the stock for the Taupo clinic and looks after our farming clients requirements.
Jean has been with us for a very long time as a receptionist in our Taupo clinic. Her friendly manner provides the first impression for clients when they visit us. Her interests include mountain biking, gardening and socialising with friends over a nice coffee.
Jenni came on board in 2009 as a Business Administrator and has since become our General Manager. Jenni looks after overall operations, including finances, HR and drives the implementation of the company’s annual business plans. Jenni enjoys participating in amateur theatre, hanging out (& spoiling) her much loved Golden Retriever and spending time between beautiful Taupo and Ohope Beach.
Treena joined VetPlus in January 2008, working from our Reporoa Clinic. She works within all of our branches, negotiating with our suppliers and managing the marketing. With four children and loads of animals Treena and her husband are kept very busy!
Matthew is a Reporoa local, being raised just down the road on his family’s dairy farm. Matthew enjoys all aspects of the agricultural sector and enjoys working within the local community. He now works within the marketing and finance team, you will find him moving between all three of our clinics.
Sue joined us in August 2014 and is based in our Taupo office. Sue and her husband, along with their children, have lived in Taupo for the past 19 years. Sue enjoys mountain biking, group fitness classes, swimming in the lake and relaxing with her family.
Caroline completed her Diploma of Veterinary Nursing in November 2009, and soon after became part of our team.Caroline is married to Todd and they have two children. The family enjoys everything Lake Taupo has to offer, such as swimming and going for bush walks.
Born and raised in suburban Whanganui, Nikita moved to the Waikato after finishing college and started working in the dairy industry to try something new. This is where she found her passion for large animals. During this time she gained her qualification as an Artificial Breeding Technician and decided to further her skillset by completing a Certificate in Rural Animal Technology through The Waikato Institute of Technology in 2021. Nikita joined the VetPlus team in 2022 and is excited to pursue her career as a Large Animal Technician while also exploring all that Taupo has to offer.
Kate gained her diploma in veterinary nursing in 2023 and moved to Taupo from the Bay of Islands to have a change of scenery and be closer to family. In her spare time Kate enjoys reading, jigsaw puzzles and going on adventures with her orange dog.
Natalie grew up in Hawkes Bay and went Massey in Palmerston North, after completing a BSc (Animal Science and Zoology), she decided to study BVT. After completing this in 2016 she followed husband Jarrod to Taranaki and started working for Taranaki Vet Centre as a vet nurse. In 2019/2020 she spent 5 months in the UK working in a small animal clinic which was rudely interrupted by Covid19. Upon returning to New Zealand the decision was made to move closer to family. Natalie has been studying and doing animal rehabilitation, this will be something she will be working on for VetPlus. Her interests outside of work include freelance makeup artistry, bush walks – exploring our country, and spending time with family.
Stacey has been Vet Nursing for over 13 years and has spent the past 10 years working in Tokoroa. Outside of work Stacey is helping out her husband on the diary farm, keeping busy with two young children, spending time at the beach or reading a good book.
Jess graduated from Massey with a bachelor is vet technology in 2018 and has worked for VetPlus since. She works with both the large and small animal teams. On the weekends Jess likes to go fishing, hunting or reading a book by the lake.
Sarah was born and raised in Taupo. After college she moved to Cambridge where she worked on a dairy farm. This sparked her interest in large animals. Sarah is in her first year of study to become a technician through Otago Polytechnic. In her spare time she enjoys being outdoors exploring with her puppy as well as rearing calves.
Angie comes from the UK where she completed her veterinary nursing qualification in 2009. With an aim to increase her skills, she worked all over the world, including with dolphins in Florida and at a wildlife hospital in Australia. While on her travels, she fell in love with New Zealand and decided to make Taupo her new home.
Zoe graduated from Massey in 2022 with a Bachelor of Animal Science which furthered her passion for large animals. Since then, Zoe has spent time calf rearing and working on a sheep and beef station before joining the VetPlus team. Outside of work Zoe can be found exploring the outdoors and the local area, at the netball courts or down by the lake.
Toni has gained a Vet Nursing Diploma with Otago Polytechnic and also worked with the Taupo SPCA. Toni is now a qualified Vet Nurse after she completed DipVN in November 2022. Outside of work Toni has a keen interest in local theatre, spending time with her husband and children, a keen baker, and many yarn related activities.
Graduating Massey University in 2004 with a diploma in Veterinary Nursing, Alaina has been part of the VetPlus crew on and off since 2009. In her spare time she enjoys spending time at the lake and beach with her husband Rhys and their 3 children.
Andrew grew up on a sheep and deer farm in Wanaka, which developed his passion for animals and the outdoors. Following vet school, he started practice in Taumarunui followed by a stint locuming in the UK. After returning to New Zealand with wife-to-be Sarah, he managed the family farm for several years before moving north. Andrew joined us in 2009 and is a senior production animal vet based out of Taupo.
Jarrod grew up on a Dairy farm in Te Aroha which is where his enjoyment of working with animals developed and he has a keen interest in production animals. He has worked in mixed animal practice in Opunake, Taranaki with a stint in the UK before joining VetPlus in 2021. Jarrod enjoys all areas of large animal work, with a focus on dairy animals. We were lucky enough to also have Jarrod’s wife Natalie in the VetPlus team as a veterinary nurse in our Taupo clinic.
Growing up on dairy farms in Northland and then Piopio in the mighty King Country, Saskia has a strong connection to the dairy industry! After completing vet school in 2024, she is excited to get stuck into her new role as a mostly production animal vet out of Taupo. She has an added interest in small animal surgery, so fear not if you see her looking after your furry friends! Outside of work, she has far too many hobbies and is always up for an adventure! You may see her playing tennis, hockey, running or relaxing by the lake.
Ben grew up in and around Taupo. From a young age he spent much of his free time on his uncle’s farm out of Taihape, this is where he developed his keen interest into the production sector. After finishing vet school in 2023 he returned to Taupo to start at VetPlus where he will fill mostly a production vet role but will dabble as a companion animal vet too. Outside of work Ben can be found mountain biking, swimming in the lake or tripping up the Coromandel fishing and diving.
Daniel grew up in Warkworth on a lifestyle block and this is where his passion for all animals started. He did however, spend more time fishing and diving than anything else. After high school he went travelling overseas for a year and met his now wife, Margaret. They both enjoy a myriad of outdoor activities and sports. After finishing Vet school in 2021 he started out his vet career in Taupo. Most of the time Daniel is out on farm but sometimes you can spot him in the clinic looking after some well-loved pets too.
Trevor is one of the founding members of the practice and one of the current directors. He is the senior small animal clinician and is responsible for the overall management there. Trevor has a keen interest in orthopedic surgery and is very involved in the Operation Nest Egg for kiwi at Rainbow Springs.
Holly graduated from Massey University in 2014 and worked as a mixed animal vet – across a diverse range of species –before she joined our Taupo team as a companion animal veterinarian (and to be closer to the ski fields!) She is currently completing a Master’s degree and has a special interest in soft tissue surgery, oncology and cardiology.
Lucy graduated in 2012 and is a companion animal veterinarian at VetPlus Taupo. Lucy has a particular interest in working dog medicine/surgery from a strong rural veterinary background but also enjoys imaging, general surgery and orthopedics. Outside of the clinic, you will find her walking her dogs and involved in sporting activities including squash, snowboarding and mountain biking but at a “casual” level!
Emma graduated in 2005. After a short stint in mixed practice, she has worked with companion animals for the last 16 years. Emma is now working as a part time companion animal vet at VetPlus Taupo. Emma has strong interests in working collaboratively with families for the best health and wellbeing of their pets, and soft tissue surgery. Outside work, Emma is usually found running around after her three young boys (one canine), or ideally curled up reading a good book.
Lucy grew up just North of Rotorua on a lifestyle block around all sorts of animals which sparked her interest in veterinary medicine. Lucy is one of our new graduates having finished Vet school at Massey in 2023. She enjoys all aspects of companion animal work and will also be seen out and about on farm working with some large animals. Outside of work Lucy will be found out in the bush hiking, mountain biking, swimming, or laying in the sun with a good book.
Cath graduated from Massey in 2008, and has worked in companion animal vet clinics in NZ and USA. Cath works part time in our Taupo clinic. In her spare time Cath enjoys reading, travelling, music and arts.
Ashleigh graduated from Massey University in 2014 and is currently working with us while one of our vets is away on maternity leave. She has moved up from Wellington after working there for 4 years and is looking forward to exploring Taupo and the surrounding areas while she is here for the next year.
Trevor is one of the founding members of the practice and one of the current directors. He is the senior small animal clinician and is responsible for the overall management there. Trevor has a keen interest in orthopaedic surgery and is very involved in the Operation Nest Egg for kiwi at Rainbow Springs.
Chelsea graduated from Massey University in 2017 and worked as a mixed animal vet in Warkworth. Chelsea has joined our Rotorua team as a companion animal veterinarian. Chelsea has completed a Master’s degree through Massey University and has an interest in ophthalmology. Out of work Chelsea has a keen interest in scuba diving and is the owner of a very spoilt heading dog.
Fleur is one of our part-time vets working on our Rotorua clinic. She splits her time between her family and the clinic, but prefers the animals since they don’t answer back as much!
Originally from Hawkes Bay, Hester has now settled and started a family in Rotorua and has been at VetPlus since her arrival in 2019. She enjoys working with a range of companion animals but especially enjoys surgery, and has a special interest in ultrasonography. In her spare time, Hester enjoys gardening, board games and bushwalking, and loves to explore Rotorua’s scenic trails with her family.
Jan joined the Rotorua team in 1995. She has worked at Taradale Vet Hospital in Napier and Kamo Vets in Whangarei, and also spent time in the UK with her husband where she worked full time for Goddards Vet Group. She enjoys small animal medicine and surgery, and likes discussing behavioural problems.
Claire, a Massey graduate, has a keen interest in all species of animals. After starting as a mixed practice vet, she has taken on the challenge of dealing with the smaller creatures, enjoying the variation of medicine and surgery. In her previous career, she worked in the stock market, however after re-training as a veterinarian, she has not looked back.
Natalie graduated from Massey in 1997 and spent her early years working in Wairoa, before heading overseas with Gerald (also a vet with VetPlus). After spending three years in the UK together, Gerald and Natalie came home – and were married soon after! Natalie works part time as a small animal vet and sometimes after-hours.
Karl is a proud Cantabrian who graduated in 1995 and has enjoyed watching the mighty Crusaders from afar. After initially working in Te Aroha, Karl ventured to the UK where he worked predominantly in Windsor. There, he got to treat a few of Elizabeth’s cows and horses, and to see how the other half lives. Karl is based at VetPlus Rural, where he has a varied job description covering dairy planned animal health programmes and beef reproduction programmes. In his spare time, he enjoys watching his four children on the sports field, barbecuing and catching fish.
Kyle joined us straight out of university in 2012. After three years working here, he embarked on an OE with his wife Kate. He worked as a locum around England and Scotland with both small and large animals, and on returning to New Zealand came back to VetPlus Rotorua. He enjoys all aspects of large animal work and has an interest in herd health problems. Outside of vet he loves spending time outdoors with his wife and 3 kids, in the forest mountain biking or on one of the lakes on a water ski.
Anna is a Massey graduate who started work at the Reporoa Clinic in 1996. She went on to work and travel in the UK/Europe for 4 years before returning to be based primarily in Rotorua.
Anna now works part time, mostly in the dairy side of the business at Rural, but also within the Pets Clinic too.
Mel is a VetPlus Pets senior qualified nurse. She has been with the clinic since its inception. Mel is also the stock controller and enjoys rehabbing injured native birds. She covers lunch-breaks at our Rural clinic. In her spare time she helps run a riding school from her property in Ngongotaha. Mel has multitude of animals a dog, cats, many horses, goats, pigs and chickens.
Lindy has lived on a small lifestyle block in Ngakuru for almost 4 years after emigrating from South Africa with her husband Roelof and 2 children Alex and Alyssa. Being out in the country Lindy realised she had a passion in working with animals, particularly production animals, so completed her Rural Animal Technology qualification through Otago. Lindy enjoys boating on the surrounding lakes and going deep sea fishing with her family and dogs Jack and Jill.
Lisette grew up in Hamilton, she studied Veterinary Nursing in Dunedin for a few years before moving back top Rotorua. Lisette is now studying the Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing. She is very interested in animal welfare and rescue and loves going for walks in nature and going to the beach.
Alana graduated from the University of Waikato in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Animal Behaviour. She spent five years as a zookeeper working with a range of species including giraffes and tigers. Alana then decided to make the change to smaller animals and graduated with a Diploma in Veterinary Nursing in 2024 and now works between reception and the nursing team at VetPlus Pets. In her spare time, Alana enjoys running with her dog in the Redwoods and adventuring around New Zealand on the motorbike with her partner.
Issabella has moved from Alberta Canada to be close to her family, she attended Olds College to study Animal Science before pursuing her career in the Veterinary Industry. When Issabella is not working at VetPlus Pets, you may see her out and about casually helping the Rural team, or working Rural front desk at lunch times. Issabella also enjoys showjumping and taking her horse Brian out to the forest.
Janelle grew up in Tauranga where she developed her love for the ocean and the outdoors. She moved to Rotorua in 2024 to live with her partner and is enjoying all Rotorua has to offer! She graduated in 2018 with her Diploma in Veterinary Nursing and has never looked back. She is passionate about surgical nursing and loves being able to get to know not only the pets that come through the door, but their owners too. Janelle has 2 spoilt cats of her own and hopes to be able to own a mini zoo one day.
Michelle has worked with us since 2009 – firstly in our Taupo clinic and now at Pets in Rotorua. Michelle lives with two gorgeous dogs, a cat and a lovely partner. Having lived in Rotorua for most of her life, Michelle enjoys fishing and going overseas in her spare time.
Cherise grew up on a dairy farm in Rotorua and has spent most of her adult life surrounded by animals. Most of Cherise’s working career has been in the equine industry but her son started school so it was time to re-think her career. Following in her mum’s footsteps Cherise completed her Diploma in Veterinary nursing and couldn’t imagine being as happy doing anything else now! Cherise keeps busy at home with son Jackson, a dog named Cash and Victor the cat!
Paula has lived in Rotorua all her life. She has three children, Sarah, Becky and Jim, and husband Dave. In her spare time she enjoys going to the gym, walking the dogs and mountain biking.
Alana graduated from the University of Waikato in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Animal Behaviour. She spent five years as a zookeeper working with a range of species including giraffes and tigers. Alana then decided to make the change to smaller animals and graduated with a Diploma in Veterinary Nursing in 2024 and now works between reception and the nursing team at VetPlus Pets. In her spare time, Alana enjoys running with her dog in the Redwoods and adventuring around New Zealand on the motorbike with her partner.
Robyn joined VetPlus in 2014 as one of Rural’s fronties and feels like part of the furniture now. She shares her wee rural home with a husband, a hairy Beardie, 3 fluffy cats and 3 spotted cattle. Mum to two and Yiayia to two, she enjoys nothing more than mountain biking with them in the Redwoods. Robyn is a sometime water-skier and tennis enthusiast and does not believe in aging gracefully.
Julie grew up on a farm in the Waikato and has always had a love for animals and the outdoors. She headed down south to study and qualified in a NZ Certificate in Veterinary Nursing CVN. Following this she has worked in multiple animal roles including Livestock Improvement Corp, an animal reserve for the Invercargill City Council and the SPCA.
After having her family Julie started working part time for VetPlus Pets in 2019.
Julie and her husband have 2 daughters, they also have 5 fur babies, 2 dogs and 3 cats i plus 10 fish! In her spare time Julie enjoys campervanning and going to the beach with her family.
Jasmine works with us in the Rotorua Pets Clinic as a Customer Service Receptionist. You’ll find her to have a lot of love for small “pocket” pets having grown up with guinea pigs, birds, and rabbits. In Jasmines free time she enjoys being curled up at home with her family watching movies.
Issabella has moved from Alberta Canada to be close to her family, she attended Olds College to study Animal Science before pursuing her career in the Veterinary Industry. When Issabella is not working at VetPlus Pets, you may see her out and about casually helping the Rural team, or working Rural front desk at lunch times. Issabella also enjoys showjumping and taking her horse Brian out to the forest.
Liza has been a farm girl her whole life, she grew up on a sheep, beef, deer and goat farm. Later in life she went sharemilking with her husband. At home Liza has milking goats and a vast array of animals. She enjoys spending time running and mountain bike riding.
Jenni came on board in 2009 as a Business Administrator and has since become our General Manager. Jenni looks after overall operations, including finances, HR and drives the implementation of the company’s annual business plans. Jenni enjoys participating in amateur theatre, hanging out (& spoiling) her much loved Golden Retriever and spending time between beautiful Taupo and Ohope Beach.
Treena joined VetPlus in January 2008, working from our Reporoa Clinic. She works within all of our branches, negotiating with our suppliers and managing the marketing. Treena’s husband Jim is a dairy farmer in Reporoa and they have four children to keep them busy!
Matthew is a Reporoa local, being raised just down the road on his family’s dairy farm. Matthew enjoys all aspects of the agricultural sector and enjoys working within the local community. He now works within the marketing and finance team, you will find him moving between all three of our clinics.
Sue joined us in August 2014 and is based in our Taupo office. Sue and her husband, along with their children, have lived in Taupo for the past 13 years. Sue enjoys mountain biking, group fitness classes, swimming in the lake and relaxing with her family.
Paula has lived in Rotorua all her life. She has three children, Sarah, Becky and Jim, and husband Dave. In her spare time she enjoys going to the gym, walking the dogs and mountain biking.
Alana graduated from the University of Waikato in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Animal Behaviour. She spent five years as a zookeeper working with a range of species including giraffes and tigers. Alana then decided to make the change to smaller animals and graduated with a Diploma in Veterinary Nursing in 2024 and now works between reception and the nursing team at VetPlus Pets. In her spare time, Alana enjoys running with her dog in the Redwoods and adventuring around New Zealand on the motorbike with her partner.
Robyn joined VetPlus in 2014 as one of Rural’s fronties and feels like part of the furniture now. She shares her wee rural home with a husband, a hairy Beardie, 3 fluffy cats and 3 spotted cattle. Mum to two and Yiayia to two, she enjoys nothing more than mountain biking with them in the Redwoods. Robyn is a sometime water-skier and tennis enthusiast and does not believe in aging gracefully.
Julie grew up on a farm in the Waikato and has always had a love for animals and the outdoors. She headed down south to study and qualified in a NZ Certificate in Veterinary Nursing CVN. Following this she has worked in multiple animal roles including Livestock Improvement Corp, an animal reserve for the Invercargill City Council and the SPCA.
After having her family Julie started working part time for VetPlus Pets in 2019.
Julie and her husband have 2 daughters, they also have 5 fur babies, 2 dogs and 3 cats i plus 10 fish! In her spare time Julie enjoys campervanning and going to the beach with her family.
Jasmine works with us in the Rotorua Pets Clinic as a Customer Service Receptionist. You’ll find her to have a lot of love for small “pocket” pets having grown up with guinea pigs, birds, and rabbits. In Jasmines free time she enjoys being curled up at home with her family watching movies.
Issabella has moved from Alberta Canada to be close to her family, she attended Olds College to study Animal Science before pursuing her career in the Veterinary Industry. When Issabella is not working at VetPlus Pets, you may see her out and about casually helping the Rural team, or working Rural front desk at lunch times. Issabella also enjoys showjumping and taking her horse Brian out to the forest.
Liza has been a farm girl her whole life, she grew up on a sheep, beef, deer and goat farm. Later in life she went sharemilking with her husband. At home Liza has milking goats and a vast array of animals. She enjoys spending time running and mountain bike riding.
Jenni came on board in 2009 as a Business Administrator and has since become our General Manager. Jenni looks after overall operations, including finances, HR and drives the implementation of the company’s annual business plans. Jenni enjoys participating in amateur theatre, hanging out (& spoiling) her much loved Golden Retriever and spending time between beautiful Taupo and Ohope Beach.
Treena joined VetPlus in January 2008, working from our Reporoa Clinic. She works within all of our branches, negotiating with our suppliers and managing the marketing. Treena’s husband Jim is a dairy farmer in Reporoa and they have four children to keep them busy!
Matthew is a Reporoa local, being raised just down the road on his family’s dairy farm. Matthew enjoys all aspects of the agricultural sector and enjoys working within the local community. He now works within the marketing and finance team, you will find him moving between all three of our clinics.
Sue joined us in August 2014 and is based in our Taupo office. Sue and her husband, along with their children, have lived in Taupo for the past 13 years. Sue enjoys mountain biking, group fitness classes, swimming in the lake and relaxing with her family.
Mel is a VetPlus Pets senior qualified nurse. She has been with the clinic since its inception. Mel is also the stock controller and enjoys rehabbing injured native birds. She covers lunch-breaks at our Rural clinic. In her spare time she helps run a riding school from her property in Ngongotaha. Mel has multitude of animals a dog, cats, many horses, goats, pigs and chickens.
Lindy has lived on a small lifestyle block in Ngakuru for almost 4 years after emigrating from South Africa with her husband Roelof and 2 children Alex and Alyssa. Being out in the country Lindy realised she had a passion in working with animals, particularly production animals, so completed her Rural Animal Technology qualification through Otago. Lindy enjoys boating on the surrounding lakes and going deep sea fishing with her family and dogs Jack and Jill.
Lisette grew up in Hamilton, she studied Veterinary Nursing in Dunedin for a few years before moving back top Rotorua. Lisette is now studying the Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing. She is very interested in animal welfare and rescue and loves going for walks in nature and going to the beach.
Alana graduated from the University of Waikato in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Animal Behaviour. She spent five years as a zookeeper working with a range of species including giraffes and tigers. Alana then decided to make the change to smaller animals and graduated with a Diploma in Veterinary Nursing in 2024 and now works between reception and the nursing team at VetPlus Pets. In her spare time, Alana enjoys running with her dog in the Redwoods and adventuring around New Zealand on the motorbike with her partner.
Issabella has moved from Alberta Canada to be close to her family, she attended Olds College to study Animal Science before pursuing her career in the Veterinary Industry. When Issabella is not working at VetPlus Pets, you may see her out and about casually helping the Rural team, or working Rural front desk at lunch times. Issabella also enjoys showjumping and taking her horse Brian out to the forest.
Janelle grew up in Tauranga where she developed her love for the ocean and the outdoors. She moved to Rotorua in 2024 to live with her partner and is enjoying all Rotorua has to offer! She graduated in 2018 with her Diploma in Veterinary Nursing and has never looked back. She is passionate about surgical nursing and loves being able to get to know not only the pets that come through the door, but their owners too. Janelle has 2 spoilt cats of her own and hopes to be able to own a mini zoo one day.
Michelle has worked with us since 2009 – firstly in our Taupo clinic and now at Pets in Rotorua. Michelle lives with two gorgeous dogs, a cat and a lovely partner. Having lived in Rotorua for most of her life, Michelle enjoys fishing and going overseas in her spare time.
Cherise grew up on a dairy farm in Rotorua and has spent most of her adult life surrounded by animals. Most of Cherise’s working career has been in the equine industry but her son started school so it was time to re-think her career. Following in her mum’s footsteps Cherise completed her Diploma in Veterinary nursing and couldn’t imagine being as happy doing anything else now! Cherise keeps busy at home with son Jackson, a dog named Cash and Victor the cat!
Karl is a proud Cantabrian who graduated in 1995 and has enjoyed watching the mighty Crusaders from afar. After initially working in Te Aroha, Karl ventured to the UK where he worked predominantly in Windsor. There, he got to treat a few of Elizabeth’s cows and horses, and to see how the other half lives. Karl is based at VetPlus Rural, where he has a varied job description covering dairy planned animal health programmes and beef reproduction programmes. In his spare time, he enjoys watching his four children on the sports field, barbecuing and catching fish.
Kyle joined us straight out of university in 2012. After three years working here, he embarked on an OE with his wife Kate. He worked as a locum around England and Scotland with both small and large animals, and on returning to New Zealand came back to VetPlus Rotorua. He enjoys all aspects of large animal work and has an interest in herd health problems. Outside of vet he loves spending time outdoors with his wife and 3 kids, in the forest mountain biking or on one of the lakes on a water ski.
Anna is a Massey graduate who started work at the Reporoa Clinic in 1996. She went on to work and travel in the UK/Europe for 4 years before returning to be based primarily in Rotorua.
Anna now works part time, mostly in the dairy side of the business at Rural, but also within the Pets Clinic too.
Trevor is one of the founding members of the practice and one of the current directors. He is the senior small animal clinician and is responsible for the overall management there. Trevor has a keen interest in orthopaedic surgery and is very involved in the Operation Nest Egg for kiwi at Rainbow Springs.
Chelsea graduated from Massey University in 2017 and worked as a mixed animal vet in Warkworth. Chelsea has joined our Rotorua team as a companion animal veterinarian. Chelsea has completed a Master’s degree through Massey University and has an interest in ophthalmology. Out of work Chelsea has a keen interest in scuba diving and is the owner of a very spoilt heading dog.
Fleur is one of our part-time vets working on our Rotorua clinic. She splits her time between her family and the clinic, but prefers the animals since they don’t answer back as much!
Originally from Hawkes Bay, Hester has now settled and started a family in Rotorua and has been at VetPlus since her arrival in 2019. She enjoys working with a range of companion animals but especially enjoys surgery, and has a special interest in ultrasonography. In her spare time, Hester enjoys gardening, board games and bushwalking, and loves to explore Rotorua’s scenic trails with her family.
Jan joined the Rotorua team in 1995. She has worked at Taradale Vet Hospital in Napier and Kamo Vets in Whangarei, and also spent time in the UK with her husband where she worked full time for Goddards Vet Group. She enjoys small animal medicine and surgery, and likes discussing behavioural problems.
Claire, a Massey graduate, has a keen interest in all species of animals. After starting as a mixed practice vet, she has taken on the challenge of dealing with the smaller creatures, enjoying the variation of medicine and surgery. In her previous career, she worked in the stock market, however after re-training as a veterinarian, she has not looked back.
Natalie graduated from Massey in 1997 and spent her early years working in Wairoa, before heading overseas with Gerald (also a vet with VetPlus). After spending three years in the UK together, Gerald and Natalie came home – and were married soon after! Natalie works part time as a small animal vet and sometimes after-hours.
Gerald grew up on a Southland sheep farm and still supports the Highlanders. Cutting his teeth in Wairoa, he spent three years in the UK (with his now wife and VetPlus vet Natalie) coming to grips with the finer points of hamster soft tissue surgery, sheep caesareans and the Hedgehog Protection League. Gerald now works as a large animal vet and is one of our Directors.
Eddy was lucky enough to escape living in Auckland where he was born and raised. After a few years working as a vet in the South Waikato, Eddy has joined VetPlus in Reporoa. A keen dairy vet, but Eddy enjoys all aspects of large animal work. Out of work you'll find him out on the water having a ski or attempting to catch a fish.
Niamh grew up in Rotorua before taking time to travel and study, graduating from Massey in 2023. She’s interested in dairy farming, but also spends her time in the small animal clinic to get her cat-fix. In her spare time, she can be found out in the bush or in the gym before relaxing in a local hot pool.
Originally from Devon, England, Greg studied in Edinburgh and has worked in mixed practices in England, Scotland and New Zealand.With over 20 Years of experience as a veterinarian, and in dairy practice since 2008 at VetPlus, Greg has a wealth of knowledge and experience to offer clients. Greg is a trained In calf and Healthy Hoof advisor, holds body condition score accreditation, and is a Fonterra accredited mastitis vet. He also is an accredited Headlands consultant, offering farm consultancy based the “optimal profit, minimal footprint’’ model. Greg manages the VetPlus grazing programme and is proud to have a stake in the health and productivity of dairy heifers.
Lisa has worked in mixed and large animal practice since she graduated in 2012. Originally from the south west of the UK, she worked for a couple years around Bristol and South Wales as a mixed vet before she and her husband embarked on a 12-month working holiday to the Waikato in 2014. They loved New Zealand and the dairy cows so much they decided not to go back. They made the move to Rotorua three years ago where they started a family. Nowadays, Lisa can be found running around after two little people during the days she isn’t working. Lisa works part time from the Reporoa clinic. When she isn’t at work or with the kids, she enjoys a spot of mountain biking or climbing.
A 2015 Massey graduate, Jess has worked with predominantly dairy cows out of Reporoa for most of her veterinary career. After a short break to have her son, she joined the Vetplus Reporoa team in 2023 where she currently works part-time. Outside of work Jess enjoys walking with her dog and young toddler around Taupo, and hopes to get back into mountain biking shortly.
Karen lives on a small lifestyle block in Ngakuru and has worked as a technician for the last 6 years. Karen completed a Rural Animal Technology qualification at Otago in 2018. During her spare time Karen enjoys the great outdoors with her husband, Gene and three children, Cullen, Daniel and Ashlee (and their three dogs). So whether its mountain biking, camping, bush walking, or a lazy day at the beach – there is always a good time to be had.
Ashleigh was born in New Zealand, but moved to the states where she grew up. She lived there for 14 years and returned to New Zealand in 2017 to live on a dairy farm in Ngatea. Ashleigh quickly got the itch for farming and knew it was something worth pursuing. She then tried vet nursing, but still felt the want to work with the large animals. She furthered her education and finished her Rural Animal Technician qualification in 2023. In Ashleigh’s free time she enjoys being outdoors on adventures, riding horses/rodeoing, and playing her instruments.
Matthew is a Reporoa local, being raised just down the road on his family’s dairy farm. Matthew enjoys all aspects of the agricultural sector and enjoys working within the local community. He now works within the marketing and finance team, you will find him moving between all three of our clinics.
Claudia grew up in Rotorua, after leaving school she went dairy farming in Reporoa. Claudia was offered a managers role in Benneydale converting a beef finishing block to a dairy farm where she later contract milked on the same farm. She was given the opportunity to buy a block of land back in Rotorua so took the chance and decided to try something new. With plenty of dairy farming experience, she has now works at VetPlus as a large animal technician. In her spare time she is a competitive horse rider, she also enjoys schooling young and problem horses, and giving them life experience over the farm and up the bush.
Paula joined the practice in September 2007. She has lived on a farm in Reporoa all her life and is well-known in the area. After spending 13 years as our on farm technician, Paula decided to slow down her life and take on the role as part time Administrator and Customer Service Receptionist. When not at work Paula enjoys spending time with her young son and partner, and riding horses.
Renee recently moved to Reporoa from Canterbury. She and her husband own a dairy farm milking 500 Jersey cows. When she’s not helping on the farm or at Vetplus she enjoys cooking, running with her Black Labrador and spending time with her four children.
Originally sheep and beef farming in Tararua, then Gisborne and Northland, Philippa (aka Pip) and her husband Willie settled on a lifestyle block near Taupo seven years ago along with a few sheep and beefies and a menagerie of pets. Having worked as a vet tech in Reporoa for two seasons she also learned to love dairy cows! At home Philippa enjoys spending time with her animals, gardening and outdoors, cooking reading and travel.
Jenni came on board in 2009 as a Business Administrator and has since become our General Manager. Jenni looks after overall operations, including finances, HR and drives the implementation of the company’s annual business plans. Jenni enjoys participating in amateur theatre, hanging out (& spoiling) her much loved Golden Retriever and spending time between beautiful Taupo and Ohope Beach.
Treena joined VetPlus in January 2008, working from our Reporoa Clinic. She works within all of our branches, negotiating with our suppliers and managing the marketing. Treena’s husband Jim is a dairy farmer in Reporoa and they have four children to keep them busy!
Matthew is a Reporoa local, being raised just down the road on his family’s dairy farm. Matthew enjoys all aspects of the agricultural sector and enjoys working within the local community. He now works within the marketing and finance team, you will find him moving between all three of our clinics.
Sue joined us in August 2014 and is based in our Taupo office. Sue and her husband, along with their children, have lived in Taupo for the past 13 years. Sue enjoys mountain biking, group fitness classes, swimming in the lake and relaxing with her family.
Paula joined the practice in September 2007. She has lived on a farm in Reporoa all her life and is well-known in the area. After spending 13 years as our on farm technician, Paula decided to slow down her life and take on the role as part time Administrator and Customer Service Receptionist. When not at work Paula enjoys spending time with her young son and partner, and riding horses.
Renee recently moved to Reporoa from Canterbury. She and her husband own a dairy farm milking 500 Jersey cows. When she’s not helping on the farm or at Vetplus she enjoys cooking, running with her Black Labrador and spending time with her four children.
Originally sheep and beef farming in Tararua, then Gisborne and Northland, Philippa (aka Pip) and her husband Willie settled on a lifestyle block near Taupo seven years ago along with a few sheep and beefies and a menagerie of pets. Having worked as a vet tech in Reporoa for two seasons she also learned to love dairy cows! At home Philippa enjoys spending time with her animals, gardening and outdoors, cooking reading and travel.
Jenni came on board in 2009 as a Business Administrator and has since become our General Manager. Jenni looks after overall operations, including finances, HR and drives the implementation of the company’s annual business plans. Jenni enjoys participating in amateur theatre, hanging out (& spoiling) her much loved Golden Retriever and spending time between beautiful Taupo and Ohope Beach.
Treena joined VetPlus in January 2008, working from our Reporoa Clinic. She works within all of our branches, negotiating with our suppliers and managing the marketing. Treena’s husband Jim is a dairy farmer in Reporoa and they have four children to keep them busy!
Matthew is a Reporoa local, being raised just down the road on his family’s dairy farm. Matthew enjoys all aspects of the agricultural sector and enjoys working within the local community. He now works within the marketing and finance team, you will find him moving between all three of our clinics.
Sue joined us in August 2014 and is based in our Taupo office. Sue and her husband, along with their children, have lived in Taupo for the past 13 years. Sue enjoys mountain biking, group fitness classes, swimming in the lake and relaxing with her family.
Karen lives on a small lifestyle block in Ngakuru and has worked as a technician for the last 6 years. Karen completed a Rural Animal Technology qualification at Otago in 2018. During her spare time Karen enjoys the great outdoors with her husband, Gene and three children, Cullen, Daniel and Ashlee (and their three dogs). So whether its mountain biking, camping, bush walking, or a lazy day at the beach – there is always a good time to be had.
Ashleigh was born in New Zealand, but moved to the states where she grew up. She lived there for 14 years and returned to New Zealand in 2017 to live on a dairy farm in Ngatea. Ashleigh quickly got the itch for farming and knew it was something worth pursuing. She then tried vet nursing, but still felt the want to work with the large animals. She furthered her education and finished her Rural Animal Technician qualification in 2023. In Ashleigh’s free time she enjoys being outdoors on adventures, riding horses/rodeoing, and playing her instruments.
Matthew is a Reporoa local, being raised just down the road on his family’s dairy farm. Matthew enjoys all aspects of the agricultural sector and enjoys working within the local community. He now works within the marketing and finance team, you will find him moving between all three of our clinics.
Claudia grew up in Rotorua, after leaving school she went dairy farming in Reporoa. Claudia was offered a managers role in Benneydale converting a beef finishing block to a dairy farm where she later contract milked on the same farm. She was given the opportunity to buy a block of land back in Rotorua so took the chance and decided to try something new. With plenty of dairy farming experience, she has now works at VetPlus as a large animal technician. In her spare time she is a competitive horse rider, she also enjoys schooling young and problem horses, and giving them life experience over the farm and up the bush.
Gerald grew up on a Southland sheep farm and still supports the Highlanders. Cutting his teeth in Wairoa, he spent three years in the UK (with his now wife and VetPlus vet Natalie) coming to grips with the finer points of hamster soft tissue surgery, sheep caesareans and the Hedgehog Protection League. Gerald now works as a large animal vet and is one of our Directors.
Eddy was lucky enough to escape living in Auckland where he was born and raised. After a few years working as a vet in the South Waikato, Eddy has joined VetPlus in Reporoa. A keen dairy vet, but Eddy enjoys all aspects of large animal work. Out of work you'll find him out on the water having a ski or attempting to catch a fish.
Niamh grew up in Rotorua before taking time to travel and study, graduating from Massey in 2023. She’s interested in dairy farming, but also spends her time in the small animal clinic to get her cat-fix. In her spare time, she can be found out in the bush or in the gym before relaxing in a local hot pool.
Originally from Devon, England, Greg studied in Edinburgh and has worked in mixed practices in England, Scotland and New Zealand.With over 20 Years of experience as a veterinarian, and in dairy practice since 2008 at VetPlus, Greg has a wealth of knowledge and experience to offer clients. Greg is a trained In calf and Healthy Hoof advisor, holds body condition score accreditation, and is a Fonterra accredited mastitis vet. He also is an accredited Headlands consultant, offering farm consultancy based the “optimal profit, minimal footprint’’ model. Greg manages the VetPlus grazing programme and is proud to have a stake in the health and productivity of dairy heifers.
Lisa has worked in mixed and large animal practice since she graduated in 2012. Originally from the south west of the UK, she worked for a couple years around Bristol and South Wales as a mixed vet before she and her husband embarked on a 12-month working holiday to the Waikato in 2014. They loved New Zealand and the dairy cows so much they decided not to go back. They made the move to Rotorua three years ago where they started a family. Nowadays, Lisa can be found running around after two little people during the days she isn’t working. Lisa works part time from the Reporoa clinic. When she isn’t at work or with the kids, she enjoys a spot of mountain biking or climbing.
A 2015 Massey graduate, Jess has worked with predominantly dairy cows out of Reporoa for most of her veterinary career. After a short break to have her son, she joined the Vetplus Reporoa team in 2023 where she currently works part-time. Outside of work Jess enjoys walking with her dog and young toddler around Taupo, and hopes to get back into mountain biking shortly.