Staff

Our talented staff is carefully chosen for their caring, professional manner. They bring an array of skills, training, and interests to the team so that your pet receives competent, skilled care, and you receive friendly, concerned attention.

Practice Manager

Nancy Potter joined Olathe Animal Hospital in 1991. As the practice manager, she is in charge of finances, administrative duties, and quality care. Nancy serves on the editorial advisory board of Firstline Magazine, a national publication for veterinary professionals. Nancy has two rescue dogs, a schnoodle and a papillon, and a 19 year old African Grey Parrot who likes to boss the dogs around! She also has 3 grown children, and 1 grandson. In her spare time, Nancy enjoys gardening, and vacationing at the beach. She has a special interest in the human/animal bond, and the rewards being a pet owner brings.

Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVT)

Our RVTs have completed an Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology and are registered in the state of Kansas. They are dedicated individuals, ready to provide quality and compassionate care to your pet.

	Karla Capper, R.V.T., has been at OAH since 1998. She graduated from the MWCC Veterinary Technician Program in 1992, and has worked in veterinary medicine since 1989. She has a mini aussie who was a rescue dog and her son and daughter have a rotating menagerie of fish, frogs and bugs. Her special interest is in client education, making sure clients have the information they need to take good care of their pets.
	Peggy Gregg, R.V.T. has been at OAH since December 2003. She graduated from Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology in 2003 with an Associate of Applied Science. She is a Registered Veterinary Technician in charge of our Laboratory and Scheduling with a special interest in behavior. She lives with her 4 cats: Maggie, Dobby, Taz and Lily, and dog-Breeanna. In her spare time she enjoys reading and going to the movies. She is also a part time Licensed Massage Therapist and is pursuing an interest in Animal Massage.
	Emily Warne, R.V.T. grew up in a very small town in Iowa. She attended Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she played volleyball and basketball. She graduated with a BA in Public Relations. However, after moving to Kansas City she decided to change careers and graduated from Maple Woods Vet Tech program in May of 2006. She joined OAH in March of 2006. Emily spends time with her husband, Daniel, and their daughter Colbie, born in 2010. She enjoys caring for their pets which include a lab mix named Bella, 2 cats, and one guinea pig. In her spare time Emily enjoys helping her husband w/ BBQ competitions, and especially enjoys cheering on the Chiefs, Iowa Hawkeyes and Kansas Jayhawks.
	Julianna Hegner, R.V.T. joined OAH in November 2004, as a kennel attendant. After graduation, she attended the MCC Veterinary Technician program and is now a Registered Veterinary Technician. She has a special interest in dental care for dogs and cats. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her furry family, which includes three guinea pigs and her blue heeler mix, Cassie.

Veterinary Assistants

These employees have received several years training and continuing education. Their love of veterinary medicine and pets brings a special commitment to their care.

	Lisa Albright joined OAH in February 2012. She has been a Veterinary Assistant since 2004, working in surgery, inpatient, and outpatient. She has a Chihuahua named Brutus, and 2 Bearded Dragons named JD and Tequilla Rose. In her spare time she enjoys camping and any outdoor activity, also is a big fan of NFL Football.
	Kelly Nyffeler is a kennel attendant and inpatient and lab assistant at OAH and has been working here since July 2008. She is currently a sophomore at Kansas State University majoring in Animal Sciences and Industry with a Pre-Vet option. She has two dogs named Roxy and Sam and two guinea pigs named Snickers and Doodles.
	Christine Quinn joined OAH in September 2008, after moving to the area from Arkansas. Christine works in outpatient and is our Pharmacy Team Leader. Her passion is keeping our pets healthy and implementing preventive measures to deter any future health issues. She has had several years of experience in rehabilitation of raptors and other wildlife animals.

Front Office Staff

Our friendly front office staff is eager to welcome you and your pets to our hospital. They are happy to schedule your pet for any services from regular appointments to surgery, boarding or grooming.

	Melissa Coker is an Olathe native and has worked in veterinary care since 2001. She loves spending time with her husband, 2 daughters, 2 cats (Beaumont & Bailey), and a hamster (Melody Belle). She enjoys trying out new restaurants, going to Silver Dollar City with her family, and she has a weakness for Christopher Elbow chocolates!
	Elaine VanGorden joined OAH in January, 2000. She attended Pittsburg State University and holds bachelor degrees in social work and psychology. We refer to Elaine as our "Rescue Queen" because of all the stray and unwanted animals she has placed in new homes. Elaine lives in Overland Park with her two children, Ellie and Jackson. She also shares her home with two cats, a rescued boxer, a guinea pig and a bearded dragon.
	Lori Flores works as a Client Service Specialist and has been with OAH since April 2004. Lori is married and has 2 children, and shares her home with 3 dogs, a Goldendoodle, an English Mastiff that takes up the entire bed, and a Jack Russell mix she found on the highway. She also has a very ornery senior cat that doesn't act his age, 2 Guinea Pigs and a foster African Gray. When not at work, she spends her time chasing her kids to various soccer events and attempts keeping a clean house after all her pets.
	Angie joined our front office staff in August 2011, but has enjoyed working in the veterinary field since 2006. Angie has 250+ pounds of dogs, Dove and Goose, and two cats, Riggs and Little Man. She also keeps herself busy with her daughter, Alayna, and husband, Justin. Angie enjoys working in her yard and garden, and keeping up with her large koi and goldfish pond.
	Lisa Houge joined OAH in 2002. Lisa and her husband share their home with a dog, Ernie, a cat, Snowshoe, 2 guinea pigs, and a little girl, Sammy. She enjoys being a soccer mom and traveling to exotic places!
	Nora Gilmore joined the OAH team in November 2011 as a Client Services Rep. She has several years of client service experience in the human medical field and decided it was time to make the switch to animal health in order to pursue her love of working with animals. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Psychology from Park University and is also a long-time volunteer for local animal rescue and foster groups. Nora and her husband have an array of “four-legged children” including 3 dogs, 3 indoor cats, a colony of 12 free roaming outdoor cats and usually a foster kitten or two.

Kennel Staff

Our kennel staff's main responsibility is the care and comfort of your pet while staying at our hospital. The staff takes great pride in the cleanliness of our hospital, making sure pets receive 'tender, loving care', and that any special needs are attended to.

	Cassie joined OAH as a kennel attendant in February 2011. Cassie’s responsibilities include taking care of dogs, cats, birds, and even bearded dragons, chinchillas, rabbits, ferrets and everything in between! Cassie is president of her school’s National Honor Society, is a part time community service volunteer, an aspiring future doctor, and avid video gamer. She has a miniature schnauzer named Elvis. Cassie loves what she does and feels blessed to have the opportunity to know each pet that is under her care.
	Kathy Nyffeler joined OAH as the Kennel Manager in August 2011 after being a stay at home mom for 15 years. She also maintains her real estate license and helps manage her family’s personal property holdings. She and her husband have three children, ages 19, 17, and 15. Kathy enjoys going to their lake home to ski, wakeboard, surf and tube! Her family are proud owners of two dogs, two guinea pigs, and a rabbit. Kathy feels very fortunate to be a team member of Olathe Animal Hospital.
	Jeremy Thelen joined us in Oct. 2009. He graduated from Blue valley Southwest in 2012. In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf and going to the lake. He has a Golden Retriever named Duke. Jeremy enjoys getting to know all of the pets that stay at OAH.
	Melissa Cutting has worked as a kennel attendant at OAH since June 2008. She graduated from Olathe North High School May 2009 and is currently a senior at KU Med majoring in Nursing. Melissa has an awesome border collie mix named Gatsby.
	Alex Gunter joined OAH in 2012 and works as a kennel attendant. He attends Olathe South High School. Alex is a Life Scout in the BSA working toward his Eagle Scout and volunteers at his church doing camera work. He has a cat named “Whiskers”, loves animals and wants to pursue Animal Science as a career. Alex looks forward to getting to know every animal that stays with us!
	Haley joined OAH in September of 2011 as a kennel attendant. Her pet family includes 2 maltese, 2 bulldogs, and a maltese mix! Haley is active in her school orchestra and is an accomplished violinist. She enjoys music and hanging out with her friends. Haley is interested in pursuing a veterinary career after high school.

Professional Grooming

Jen Phillips joined OAH in August 2011. She has worked in the animal field since 2002. Jen attended the Grooming Academy in St. Louis. After 3 ½ years of grooming full time, Jen did technician work for 7 years and did grooming on the side. Jen’s love of grooming led her to make it her full time career again. The love of her life is “Annabelle”, a cocker spaniel who is her constant companion. Her other child is “Brown Dog” a senior Pomeranian who she adopted in high school. Jen enjoys the outdoors and always has a bright, happy attitude and a smile on her face.