Meet the Team at Gardner Animal Care Center

Christy has been at Gardner Animal Care Center since 2002 but has been in the field of veterinary medicine since 1991. Before coming to Gardner Animal Care Center, Christy worked as an assistant hospital manager at a small animal hospital in her hometown of Keene, NH. She is a member of the Massachusetts Veterinary Technician Association, serving as the organization’s corresponding secretary. In October 2012, she was awarded the MVTA Veterinary Technician of the Year. She is also a member of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. She is married and has two cats: Simon Theodore Boris and Gideon Dillinger Boris. She likes anything athletic (especially trail running- she ran her first 60-mile race in October of 2014) and is a hardcore #3 Dale Earnhardt fan!

Kim graduated from Becker Jr. College with an Associate’s Degree in Science specializing in Veterinary Medicine. Upon graduation, she started employment at Framingham Animal Hospital. Kim then moved to sunny San Diego, CA, and worked at El Cajon Rancho Veterinary Clinic. She then moved to Monterey and worked at Pacific Grove Animal Hospital. When she returned to Gardner, Kim finally took employment at Gardner Animal Care Center in 1989. Many years later, she still enjoys her technician job.

Haley studied at Becker College in the Animal Science Program, graduated in 2013, and became a CVT (certified veterinary technician) not long after. Before joining the GACC team, Haley completed her externship hours here and had such a great experience she was thrilled to be called back as a permanent member of the team. Since early childhood, she has loved animals and always knew that working with them was what she wanted to do. Haley lives in New Hampshire with her boyfriend and three dogs, a sheltie mix named Beetle, a Pomeranian mix named Binckley, and a Chihuahua mix named Oliver. She enjoys yoga, running, hiking, and spending time with her friends and family in her spare time.

Gone, but never forgotten.

Linda has been a member of the Gardner Animal Care Center since 2004. Before she came to GACC, Linda worked as a Veterinary Technician at a domestic and wildlife clinic in Wickford, RI. She was also a boarding manager and veterinary assistant at a small animal hospital in Jacksonville, FL. Her compassion for animals is evident to the owners and team members. Much of her time is spent counseling our clients on the importance of healthy nutrition and weight management. Linda spends much of her time outdoors biking, hiking, or enjoying road trips outside the hospital. She has three rescue cats, Alice, Moonpie, and Reese.

Kasey started at the Gardner Animal Care Center in 2014. Kasey went to school in South Carolina for business management while serving four years in the United States Air Force. After her enlistment, she returned to Massachusetts and was married shortly after. She and her husband have three boys, which keeps them very busy! When Kasey was about seven years old, she witnessed a stray cat deliver a litter of kittens. Since then, she knew she wanted to do something that involved animals. She believes working for a veterinarian is a great way to provide customer service, which she loves doing, and also being around animals all day.

In her free time, Kasey likes spending time with her family and being outdoors. She is also a big baseball fan. You can usually find Kasey watching her kids play at the local baseball field. At home, Kasey has two American Bullies named Vayda and Brix and a cat named Kiki.

Michelle started working as a client services representative in September 2015. She lives with her two cats, Merlin and Max, and her two dogs, Rosey and Ginger. She has a degree in commercial art and design. Michelle was self-employed for nine years as a nail technician. Before joining us, she also took an online course in medical transcription. Her hobbies include gardening, painting, stained glass, and crafting.

Gina has been with Gardner Animal Care Center as an ACT since April 2015. She is currently attending Mount Wachusett in the Allied Health Program. At an early age, Gina knew she wanted to work in human or animal healthcare. Gina lives in a small town in New Hampshire with her family, boyfriend, and two dogs, Molly and Xena. Molly is a very chubby and friendly chihuahua mix. Xena thinks she’s a lap dog but is a Great Dane/Cane Corso mix.

Gina enjoys photographing her dog, Xena, and all the fantastic daycare dogs. In her spare time, you won’t find Gina without her shadow, Xena. The two love to go on walks, hikes, and swimming.

Click here to learn more.

Claudia is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) with more than 30 years of experience in dog training and canine behavior modification. Claudia is originally from Germany, where she started training dogs competitively at the young age of 14. She competed in the sport of Schutzhund in Regional and National Level competitions and taught pet obedience classes since the early 90s. After she moved to the US in 2002, she immediately started to do the same here; personally, her most significant success as a dog trainer and handler was her “Vice National Schutzhund Champion” title in 2006.

In 2007 we were fortunate to add Claudia to our team, and she has been teaching classes ever since. Claudia teaches on Saturdays only as her “real job” as an Assistant Manager in a Bank requires her attention Monday through Friday. Along with standard training classes, Claudia specializes in problem behavior dogs and finding individualized solutions to address these problems.

Claudia is passionate about all dogs. Her main objective is to help our clients learn to understand their dogs better based on their characteristics and tendencies that might differ from other dogs in the class. Her teaching style is based on canine behavior science and transparency in its approach. Her classes are not “cookie-cutter.” Everyone receives the same basic training, but the pace and precise technique depend on the team’s individual needs. Claudia strives to create a respectful, trusting relationship and bond between humans and dogs.

Many employee pets, including Dr. Mike’s and Dr. Brian’s dogs, have been through her classes successfully.

Claudia’s favorite breed is the German Shepherd Dog; her Kennel name, “Van Gogh,” is world-renowned. Claudia and her son share their home with a 13-year-old sable GSD and a 6-year-old rescued Pitbull-Mix, a certified Therapy Dog.

Karen is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) who hosts obedience classes on weeknights and evenings here at the GACC. She is a CGC and PUPPY S.T.A.R evaluator for the American Kennel Club (AKC) and a SPOT evaluator for the United Kennel Club (UKC). Karen teaches Advanced Canine Good Citizen classes and Therapy Dog Training classes in our 3,000 sq. ft. indoor training facility. She also teaches Puppy Preschool, Puppy Obedience, and Basic Obedience classes in the same facility on weeknight evenings throughout the year. She is certified in all levels of dog obedience training. She has been instrumental in helping many dogs at GACC achieve advanced levels of Canine Good Citizenship, as well as going on to become therapy dogs. She is dedicated to helping dogs fit well into our society through behavior training.

Since 1998, Karen has been active in animal-assisted therapy (AAT). Her background in psychiatry and education equipped her to move into this field and become an educator and a tester/observer for the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Many of her students have gone on to actively visit hospitals, nursing homes, schools, libraries, and senior centers, bringing joy and hope to others. Karen and her dog, Mya, are active in the community, visiting several weekly medical facilities. Mya has made well over 650 therapeutic visits and has reached the highest title of a therapy dog that the AKC awards- “Distinguished Therapy Dog.” Mya can also act as a “demo” dog and assistant in some of GACC’s obedience classes.

Karen is particularly interested in the early socialization of dogs and strengthening the human-animal bond. She is GACC’s dog behavioral instructor for the GACC Daycare team. She is currently supervised by three cats, two Golden Retrievers, and a German Shepherd Dog, who brings her much happiness, keeps her on her toes, and teaches her new things all the time!