Gwen
Practice Manager – Since 1992
Gwen has been with Prytania Vet since we opened in 1992 and has worked in the veterinary field since she was 13 years old. She’s worked every position throughout the hospital from kennel to reception and has been the practice manager since 1996. She graduated from UNO with a biology degree. She enjoys working with an amazing group of people and hearing her co-workers singing throughout the hospital and talking to our patients. She also appreciates that our entire staff works tirelessly to offer the best care possible and treats every pet as a part of our family. Gwen has three dogs – Toby, a Jack Russell Terrier that loves to swim, Oliver, a yellow lab that loves to retrieve anything from the bottom of the pool, and Hutch, a corgi that follows Gwen around begging for treats and cuddles, a green cheek conure named Chico, and a lizard-hunting cat named Noskers. She loves fishing, cycling, and kayaking with her husband, Matt, and two boys, Josh and William. She also enjoys photography and reading.
Tamika
Kennel Manager- Since 2002
Tamika was born in New Orleans during Hurricane Hugo in 1980 and has lived in North Dakota and Mississippi. Tamika was in the Army JROTC for five years and served on active duty in the Air force for two years. She has been working as an advocate for animals for over twenty years. Tamika trains our new kennel technicians and has worked in many positions throughout the hospital. She is always willing to help out – from the front to the back of the building. Tamika has an amazing ability to recognize almost all of our patients as soon as they walk through the door. Whenever someone brings in stray pets, we always count on Tamika to identify them so we can reunite them with their parents. Tamika has a big family, including a twin sister, and loves spending time with all of them. She also has two dogs, Elvis Presley and Magnum Holstein, but she has often opened her home to pets in need of a little TLC before finding their forever home. You can always hear Tamika sharing her beautiful, soulful voice with the dogs and cats in the kennel.
Danielle
Public Relations Manager, Veterinary Nurse – Since 2006
Danielle was born and raised in New Orleans. After graduating from Loyola University, she traveled through Europe for two months before joining our team. She also manages our website, social media, and client education materials. She is very detail-oriented and loves learning on the job and educating our clients and staff. She keeps track of many details with patient records and patient care. Dani organizes donations for local pet organizations and can often be seen at local pet fests representing Prytania Vet. She also is the queen of International Health Certificates. She assists all of our clients through the intricate process and pages of paperwork required to bring their beloved pets to other countries. Dani is certified to teach English as a Second Language and plans to continue traveling around the world. She enjoys yoga and vegetarian cooking. Dani has a handsome hound dog mix named Bienville, a pug mix named Frank, and a feisty tortoiseshell cat named Tater Tot. She also is our go-to foster mom, she opens her home to any pet in need and brings them back to health and finds them forever families. Her favorite things about working here is getting to hug on big dogs and letting kitties sleep in her lap while she does paperwork.
Daniel
Office Manager – Since 2007
Daniel is our office manager. He graduated from Tulane University and Benjamin Franklin High School and has completed the Tulane Teaching Preparation and Certification Program before deciding that his calling was helping our clients and patients. His favorite part of the job is being able to meet and help educate all of our clients as well as meeting the wide variety of pets that come through the hospital. Daniel is the proud owner of two kitties from Zeus’ Rescues, Murdock, aka Lil’ Wheezy, and Ziggy. He adopts older kitties that have a harder time being adopted. In his free time, Daniel enjoys reading and writing, playing music, and going to shows around town. He was born to English parents in Tuebingen in Southern Germany, but settled in New Orleans in 1991.
Jeremy
Treatment/ICU Supervisor and Director of Training – Since 1997
Jeremy joined the PVH team in 1997 working in the kennel before making his way to the ICU/ treatment room. Since then, he has been fortunate enough to have gained immeasurable experience working in general practice, at LSU Veterinary School in Baton Rouge, and as a hospital manager for a large specialty and emergency veterinary hospital. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from UNO in 2014 and was excited to rejoin his home team at PVH in 2017 as Treatment/ICU Supervisor and Director of Training. His knowledge, attention to detail, and calm demeanor amidst the controlled chaos that can be veterinary medicine are vital to keeping the treatment room running smoothly. His ability to read subtle physical and behavioral changes in his patients, allows him to recognize changing medical needs as they occur, as well as helping him to connect with even the most scared or sick patients. He is a strong believer in the role that empathy plays in the healing process, and spends as much time as possible with ill or frightened patients comforting them and trying to make sure that they feel safe and loved. As an animal lover himself, Jeremy knows the importance of connecting with clients and patients, and strives to treat all pets like they are his own. Jeremy is married to Colette Seale (whom he met at PVH), and is the proud father of two sons: Jacob and Benjamin. He has two dogs- a Doberman/ Bull Mastiff mix named Rosie, and a Rottweiler named Homer. He also has four cats — Macaroni, Cheese, Weasel, and Punkin, a bearded dragon named Merlin, and multiple fish tanks. He is a guitar player/singer/songwriter, and loves snorkeling, camping and hiking with the family.
Catherine
Client Care Specialist – Since 2014
Catherine was born and raised in Metairie, Louisiana. She has held a variety of jobs, but her love for animals brought her to Prytania Vet. She grew up with a lots of animals such as cats, dogs, hamsters, hermit crabs, and even a duck named Ducky. She loves working with animals and spending her lunch breaks playing with the kitties and our office cat, Deuce. She is very outgoing and eager to learn and grow with her PVH family. Catherine is very close with her parents and loves going to the movies with her dad. Her best friend, Coco, a miniature dachshund with whom she grew up with, passed away in March of 2013 at the age of 16. Luckily, Catherine has her Allie cat, who was found as a newborn kitten in an alley a week before Katrina, to keep her company. They have been inseparable ever since.
Virginia
Veterinary Nurse and Safety Officer- Since 2011
Virginia attended the Louisiana School for Math, Sciences and the Arts in Natchitoches before graduating with a Biology degree from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. She loves biology and chemistry and enjoys being able to apply her knowledge in a practical setting. She started in the kennel and still enjoys her after-hours shifts walking dogs. Now her responsibilities include helping doctors in rooms and surgery in addition to being the safety manager for the clinic. You will often find Virginia in our cat room making sure all of our kitties are as comfortable as possible with fluffy bedding, toys, and even a little catnip. Virginia has three cats, Merlin, Winifred Sanderson, and XanadU. She is a doula, amateur fermentation geek, and budding herbalist.
Derek
Veterinary Nurse – Since 2016
Derek has been in the veterinary field since 2010. He grew up in the North Shore of Massachusetts but transplanted to New Orleans in 2016. Since childhood, he has always had a love for animals that thrust him into the veterinary field after high school. Derek is currently working on prerequisites for Veterinary School and has plans to attended LSU in the near future. You may find him working during the daytime practice or at night working with the emergency service. If he’s not at the clinic you can catch him hanging out with his two cat daughters, Luna and Cosma.
Olivia
Veterinary Nurse / Dental Specialist – Since 2017
Olivia moved to New Orleans in 2011 from Chicago. She attended Loyola University, majoring in Political Science with a minor in Arabic and Middle East Peace Studies. She spent time in Morocco before returning to what she had always loved: caring for animals. She began working as a veterinary technician in 2013, and joined the Prytania team in August 2017. She has three dogs: two Long-Haired Chihuahuas named Iggy and Bowie, and a Pitbull named Harper. When she isn’t working, she can be found cooking, browsing record stores or supporting her favorite basketball teams.
Kate
Dental Specialist – Since 2008
Kate had five years of vet experience before joining us in 2008. She is meticulous and careful, and is a perfectionist when it comes to keeping our patients’ teeth healthy! She loves seeing all of the wonderful puppies and kitties that come to visit our practice. Kate was born and raised in Harvard, Massachusetts but is a wanderer at heart and has lived in Boston, Hawaii, Washington, Vermont, North Carolina, and California. She feels at home in New Orleans though, a city which she thinks complements her perfectly. You will always find her in an awe-inspiring costume for Mardi Gras, Halloween, and kickball prom. She also enjoys live music, both local and national artists. She has an adorable mixed breed puppy, named Jelly Belly.
Ellen
Treatment/ ICU Nurse – Since 1999
Ellen has New England roots and was born in Pittsburgh. She knows the workings of the hospital inside and out and is amazing at keeping track of details. Thanks to her experience as a local bar owner, she also acts as our in-house therapist – we can talk to her about anything. She graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, and we love when she shares her famous buffalo chicken dip with us. In here free time, she now loves traveling to Hawaii. Ellen owns her own pet sitting business called Home Heart Pet Care. She finds the work that she does with animals extremely rewarding and enjoys helping sick pets feel better. She is the proud owner of Earl, her beloved Doberman/Chocolate Lab mix.
Kevin
Treatment/ ICU Nurse – Since 2006
Kevin worked at Prytania Vet from 2006 to 2010 then rejoined us in 2012 where his years of experience and calm demeanor are an asset for pets going through hospitalization or emergencies. He is also an ICU technician in the ER at a local veterinary referral hospital. Kevin enjoys the challenges of emergency work and the technical skills involved such as IV catheter placement, venipuncture, and radiology. He is also one of our on-site computer technicians. Kevin is a Renaissance Man who loves music, video games, and literature. He holds a Masters of Fine Arts degree in writing from UNO and is currently working on a novel. He has a black lab named Odin, a trouble-making kitty named Ryu, and a deaf pit bull rescue from Katrina named Kali.
Wirth
Treatment/ ICU Nurse – Since 2007
Wirth has excellent humor and is well respected by the staff and clients for his knowledge, competence, but most of all, compassion. Wirth has an amazing eye for detail and knows when a pet isn’t feeling well or is showing subtle symptoms. His introduction into veterinary medicine started in Georgia in 2001 while working with both small animal and exotics. He enjoys diversity and finds the daily challenges of vet hospital life rewarding. Wirth is a “jack of all trades” and performs to high standards in all areas of our hospital, from computer IT work to client relations. Wirth is currently pursuing a degree in diagnostic imaging. He enjoys photography, graphic arts, and working with computers. His photography exhibits in a couple of locations uptown and is credited with most of the work on our website. Wirth has two cats – Fubar and Sterling.
Drew
Treatment/ ICU Nurse / Veterinary Nurse – Since 2010
Drew moved to New Orleans and joined Prytania Vet after visiting his twin brother during Mardi Gras. Drew is a Treatment/ ICU nurse as well as a veterinary nurse. He was born in Hammond and moved to Birmingham, Alabama shortly thereafter. Drew enjoys working to keep animals healthy and safe, and the pets are always comforted by his sweet, southern accent. He is also known for providing plenty of snacks for his co-workers and patients. During football season, you can spot him here sporting his red Alabama Crimson Tide scrubs – he only gets away with it because the animals love him so much and he has a pair of Saints scrubs too. He also enjoys going to the movies, concerts, and Jazz Fest. He spent 3 months in 2015 traveling around the world making all of us jealous with his breathtaking photos. He has a beautiful shepherd mix named Chalupa and a black cat named Luna. Roll Tide & Who Dat!
Betsy
Groomer and Kennel Assistant – Since 2001
Betsy Collins is our groomer extraordinaire! She does most of our bathing as well as shavedowns. She had 10 years of veterinary experience prior to joining our team. She spends most of her time in the kennel, and loves getting to know all of the pets that come to stay with us. Clients will often meet her when their pets come in for boarding – she gets them settled in their home away from home. She is a great cook, and always cooks the turkey for our Thanksgiving pot luck. Betsy likes to spend time with her family, particularly her three children, Courtney, Randall, and Brittany, and her grandchildren, Serenity and Caden. Serenity is responsible for naming their black and white cat Oreo Ice Cream. Betsy is an avid football fan and cheers for the Saints and LSU. In her spare time, you can find her outdoors at barbecues, crawfish boils, or any of the many outdoor festivals here in south Louisiana.
Victoria
Veterinary Nurse — Since 2021
Victoria was born and raised in New Orleans and graduated from the University of New Orleans with a BA in music performance. She loves animals and enjoys getting to see all of the technical and medical things going on behind the scenes. Victoria appreciates the positive atmosphere at Prytania Vet and thinks everyone is nice and supportive. She also likes doing her part to help both pets and owners feel better and more at ease. She loves reading, any kind of arts and crafts, painting, drawing, and recently took up crocheting. Victoria also played the flute and various instruments for a long time. After hand surgery, she stopped playing in groups and now just plays for fun with her little cousins.
Virginia
Veterinary Nurse – Since 2021
Before working at Prytania Vet, Virginia traveled around the country doing seasonal work in Colorado, Montana and many other beautiful places. She returned to Louisiana to pursue a career in animal healthcare. She lives here with her sweet senior cats, Pazu and Claudia. Since working at PVH, she has learned the ins and outs of the veterinary field and has confirmed her love for it. Spending all her time with animals and other people that share her passion makes her happy. When not working with animals, Virginia enjoys making art, hiking and caring for all of her plants.
Paje
Veterinary Nurse – Since 2021
Paje was born and raised in New Orleans. Before joining Prytania Vet, she worked at many fast-food related jobs. Her interest in veterinary medicine brought her here. She is currently studying at Penn Foster online to become a certified veterinary technician. Paje plans to become a successful veterinarian. She loves the experience she gets at PVH and enjoys learning new things every day. Paje has an American Guinea pig named Squirrel and an American Pitbull mix named Casper. In her free time, she enjoys shopping, sketching and Anime Weeb. She is also a fan of horror and true crime stories and loves Reese’s cups.
Josh
Veterinary Nurse – Since 2021
Josh was born and raised in the New Orleans area. He started working in the veterinary field as a kennel technician at the age of 16 and it was love at first site. Josh has continued to work in the industry since that time holding a wide array of positions including grooming, intensive care technician, and emergency department supervisor for a local veterinary hospital. In his free time, Josh enjoys physical activates, making art, and spending time with his two pitbull sons, Tank and Drago.
Ty’Shay
Client Care Specialist – since 2021
Ty’Shay was born and raised in New Orleans. She went to Lake Area High School which is now called John F. Kennedy High School. She is continuing her education at University Of New Orleans where she studies Pre Vet. After completing her undergraduate at UNO, Ty’Shay plans to go to vet school at Texas A&M University. She has always had a love for animals since she was a little kid. She has two dogs, a black German Shepherd named Bear and a brown Belgian Malinois named Roxy, a chameleon named Kirk and a rat snake named Putting. Ty’Shay loves working at Prytania because she can see surgeries from time to time and the people are very nice. In her free time, she likes to hang out with friends and spend time with her nephews.
Francis
Kennel – Since 2022
Francis Weller has eleven and a half years of experience working with animals, with eight years under Audubon zoo and two and a half years in veterinary care. He has been at Prytania veterinary Hospital for one full year. Francis has a bachelors of science from the Louisiana State University’s Renewable Natural Resource department in wildlife conservation. Currently, Francis also works writing third-party TTRPG books and tutoring high school students in math, science, and literary studies.
Catherine
Veterinary Nurse – Since 2018
Bio coming soon.
Vee
Client Care Specialist – Since 2022
Vee has loved animals ever since her mom surprised her with a Border Collie puppy wrapped in a blanket for her 6th birthday. As a child, her dream job was to become a veterinarian, but she began studies in pursuit of a health information management degree. While in school, she cared for pets for numerous families and gave her clients peace of mind while they were away from their fur babies! Currently, Vee is enjoying the best of both worlds in her role as a client care specialist. Her love for animals, passion for helping people and years of customer service experience makes her a wonderful asset to our team and she is excited to grow with her PVH family. Outside of work, her hobbies include: traveling, fine dining, game nights with family, sports, and spending time with her two hyperactive mixed-breed doggies!
Angel
Kennel — Since 2022
Before joining Prytania Veterinary Hospital, Angel worked at McDonald’s and volunteered at the aquarium and insectarium for two years. She graduated from Edna Karr and from there went to LSU in Alexandria. She then transferred to Delgado to pursue a degree in veterinary technology. Angel loves being a part of the PVH team. She loves working with animals and learning how everything works in the hospital environment. She thinks PVH has a great atmosphere and feels like she couldn’t ask to be a part of a better team. She has a four year old Labrador Retriever / German Shephard mix named Asia. When she is not in school or at work, she enjoys singing, dancing, doing hair, going out, playing sports and learning to do new things.
Lauren
Kennel assistant since 2021
Lauren grew up in Metairie and went to East Jeff High School. When younger, she volunteered at a shelter walking dogs and playing with the animals. She also spent five years working for a pet care service. Lauren loves working here at PVH, being with the animals every day. She also loves how friendly everyone is and enjoys getting to learn new things on a regular basis and getting to watch an occasional surgery if time permits. Lauren has a senior Pitbull, named Zee, that was rescued from being a bait dog. She also has a Fluffy grey tabby named Claire that showed up one night and adopted her. In her free time, Lauren enjoys spending time outdoors with her family. She also hopes to further her education and training with the animals.
Kallie
Kennel — Since 2023
Bio coming soon!
Kaylee
Kennel – Since 2022
Before joining Prytania Vet, Kaylee worked at Camp Bow Wow and Pet Paradise. She enjoys working at PVH, because she feels like it’s a big family. Her previous experience working with dogs was very helpful. She has a cute little dog named Luna, who is a Westie mix. Kaylee grew up in the Kenner Metairie area and has been there for most of her life. She graduated from Archbishop Chapelle High School. In her free time, she loves to sing, dance, paint, draw, theatre, and improv. People would normally describe her as bubbly, outgoing, and friendly.
Randee
Kennel – Since 2023
Growing up in an animal loving family, Randee has been around many amazing animals in her life including dogs, horses and guinea pigs. She is a Louisiana native and graduated from Academy of Our Lady. She also has a Bachelor Degree in Biology from the University of Holy Cross. She and her family currently own 6 dogs and 4 horses. Randee enjoys the welcoming and kind nature of working at Prytania Vet. She also loves learning more about how to care for and treat animals while being at Prytania Vet, since her dream job is to be a Wildlife Biologist. In her free time, Randee is involved in many hobbies and interests including collecting video games and music, cosplaying, journaling, attending pop culture events and so much more!
Ellis
Client Care Specialist – since 2022
Ellis was born and raised in New Orleans. He served six years in the United States Army with the Louisiana National Guard. He had just finished a year-long deployment in Iraq just a few months prior to joining our staff. An aspiring screenwriter, Ellis currently majors in film at the University of New Orleans and plans to satiate his wanderlust by spending some time living abroad after graduation. He really enjoys getting to know the clients and giving our patients plenty of love and attention. Ellis spends the majority of his free time traveling, watching movies, reading, writing, and, perhaps most often, spiraling into an existential crisis.