Our Reception Team

(Pictured L-R: Chani and Lea; picture of Kim coming soon!)

Chani, Kim, and Lea are the first friendly faces you'll meet when you walk into our clinic.  Our front desk staff are not only supremely talented and well-trained, but also courteous, attentive, and hospitable.  Whether you need a cup of calming herbal tea and a cookie upon arrival, or your pet needs a cool drink, they'll take care of you! These Knollwood reception team members are also the caring voices you'll hear when you call to make your appointment. 

Chani is our Front Office Supervisor.  Together with our Head Nurse Nikki, they've been working at Knollwood for over 15 years!  Chani is a wonderful receptionist, as well as our resident computer expert.  She co-administers our hospital Facebook site with Dr. Mitchell, and she administers our Twitter site.  Her long-term goal is to train to become Knollwood's Practice Manager, and she already handles our in-hospital accounting. 

Kim has extensive customer service experience.  While usually at our front desk serving as our primary Receptionist, she also is training to help Chani handle the consultation coordination process for the referrals Dr. Mitchell receives from area veterinarians and their clients.  If you are seeking a referral for integrative evaluation of your pet as a possible acupuncture, chiropractic, or herbal therapy candidates, Kim and Chani will work with you after receiving the referral form from your veterinarian.

Lea has worked with us for over a year now and is enjoying the challenge of training at the front desk. She also handles our daily charge sheets, making sure that your charges are accurate and that you receive full value for the time spent with us!  Lea plans to enter Harper's Veterinary Assistant training program, to further her career opportunities at our hospital.

With our computerized system, Chani, Kim, and Lea can give you any pertinent information about your pet with a minute's notice. Many other members of our staff, such as Ashley J. and Ashley K.,, are cross-trained in our Reception area also, so you may see them working at the front desk as well from time to time.  All front desk team members can track any allergies that your pet has, or any special requests or needs that a patient has when they come in for a visit. Call our front desk staff to make your appointment today! If you have a medical question, a member of our staff may put you on hold briefly so that you can speak to a Nurse...

Nurses

(Clockwise from upper left:

Nikki, Jill, Ashley L.; picture of Leslie coming soon!)

Our Nurses are just as accommodating and helpful as our front desk staff!  They are always available to assist the Doctors while caring for your pet.  They're also available for any questions that you may have.  Speaking with one of our Nurses is always the fastest way to get a question to, and an answer from, one of our Doctors. 

When you and your pet come in for a visit, a Nurse will be the first person in the room with you. The Nurse will collect pertinent information from you, such as medications, diet, allergies, temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate, and body condition. A Nurse can also sit down with you to discuss all of the needs of a new puppy or kitten, so you can be sure that you're doing everything possible as a new pet owner. As with every member of our staff, our Nurses attend continuing education classes, so you can always be sure that you are getting the latest, most up-to-date information. You can make an appointment with one of our Nurses to learn the proper techniques for ear cleaning, dental home care, and anal gland expression for your pet. Call today to make an appointment for a demonstration!

Each of our Nurses has a special area of interest and expertise.  Nikki has been working with rescued cats and kittens for a very long time, and can tell you anything you need to know about kitten and cat care.  Jill, pictured above with her Bearded Dragon, can provide helpful advice about reptile care.  Leslie has worked as a Veterinary Nurse for years  - and now, as a new Mom, is excited to be coming back to work on a part-time basis.  And Ashley L. has already been accepted into the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine via their Early Acceptance Program.  She can answer questions from any budding veterinarians in your family!

  Nurse &
Hospital Assistants

 (Pictured L-R: Ashley J., Anney)  

Our Nurse and Hospital Assistants are responsible for a whole lot of what keeps our hospital running smoothly! They are responsible for maintaining our hospital in a clean and sanitary condition, but that's just the start of their duties.  You will often find them in exam rooms assisting our Doctors, as we transition towards paperless medical records.  They make sure that your Doctor and Nurses have a clean room in which to see you in a timely and efficient manner, that your charges are correct, that you receive all the care and medications you need, and that all medications are packaged and labeled safely and correctly.  They are available to help you and your pet to and from your vehicle if you have an ill pet that requires assistance - or if you're trying to handle a rambunctious dog and get the baby settled in your car.  

Both Anney and Ashley J. are planning careers as veterinary medical assistants.  Anney is working towards completing her bachelor's degree, and Ashley J. has recently returned to work with us after completing her Army Basic Training.

Relief  Team

(Dr. Mary Papacek & Katie)

Our relief team consists of experienced and dedicated individuals who we are fortunate to have waiting in the wings when the need arises.

Dr. Mary Papacek retired from small animal practice at Knollwood in 2009, to pursue a new career in veterinary relief medicine.  She now provides veterinary services for many of the small animal practices in our area, whenever an additional Doctor is needed.  Because Dr. Mary enjoys seeing her former Knollwood clients and their pets, she has assigned Priority status to our relief veterinary needs.  We are fortunate to have Dr. Mary's services available, whenever one of our staff Doctors are attending a seminar or when Dr. Mitchell is lecturing.

Katie is a valuable flex-time member of the Knollwood Hospital for Pets family with many years of experience.  She's currently finishing her second year of studying veterinary medicine at the University of Illinois, but don't worry!  She'll be back in the clinic, assisting our Nurses and Receptionists during semester breaks in 2010.  Please be sure to ask about her vet school experiences when you see her.

Volunteers

 (Tami and Doris)

"Volunteers don't necessarily have the time, but they have the heart." - Anonymous

This is true of our Knollwood volunteers, Tami and Doris.  They come in because they truly enjoy working with animals, and because they are very passionate about doing it.  Their duties can include everyday tasks, such as preparing surgical packs, inventory, or filing, but are certainly not limited to that.  They can also be found sitting with your pets after procedures or surgeries, so that your pet has a soothing voice and a loving hand to keep him or her company. 

In addition to her on-going help at the clinic, Tami  is an experienced pet rabbit and guinea pig owner who can tell you anything you need to know about pet rabbit care.  Feel free to call her with your questions on Tuesdays.  Doris, our former Office Manager is retired but recently decided to re-join our staff as a volunteer on Tuesdays and Saturdays  - and both we and the clients who remember her special touch are thrilled! 

Knollwood Hospital for Pets thanks Tami and Doris for not only giving their time and service to us, but for giving their love and compassion to our furry friends and their human companions!

Knollwood's Webmistress

Kelly (pictured with one of her feline consultants) works from home as our Webmistress.  Kelly has designed, developed, and maintained our website from Day 1, and she is the one who keeps it up-to-date and running smoothly - even though she now lives in Champaign, Illinois!  Fortunately for us, being a Webmistress means she can live anywhere, so long as she has her trusty computer handy. 

Kelly receives your pet photos, stories, memorials, and ideas for many of our columns, and makes them a reality on our web pages.   If you have any new ideas, suggestions for improvement, or have any recommendations for the "Our Favorite Things" pages, contact Kelly at postmaster@knollwoodhospitalforpets.com.