Chrisy
Chrisy has been Vet Nursing since 2007 and has worked at McMaster and Heap since 2013. She is one of our senior vet nurses and can be found on reception, in surgery, starting consults for the Vets or in nurse consults. She particular enjoys working with cats even the more challenging ones.
Her and her partner James enjoy going on Motorbike trips in their spare time and relaxing with friends. They currently have 3 cats at home, all ironically have had eye issues and keep Steve busy.
Georgie
Hi my name is Georgie. I completed my National Certificate of Vet Nursing in 2010 at Otago Polytech and am a NZVNA Listed Vet Nurse.
I am an animal lover through and through and have two rescue dogs, Bodhi, a ridgeback cross and Mississippi, a bull terrier collie cross. They keep me and my partner Matt very busy!
I have special interests in surgical nursing, nutrition, and canine behaviour. In my spare time I enjoy walking, yoga, and reading. I look forward to meeting you and your pets.
Jaime
Hello my name is Jaime. I joined McMaster and Heap in January 2017. I took my education, and spent my formative years, in Wellington.
After travelling I returned to Christchurch to study at Canterbury University. There I graduated with a Bachelor of Biological Science. Keeping my degree broad, I soon realised that I was passionate about animals, their behaviour and their biological make up. After completion of my degree, I moved up north to Auckland to complete my Certificate in Veterinary Nursing. I secured a vet nurse job with a boutique clinic in Parnell and "cut my teeth" in vet nursing over a two year period. I enjoyed my time in Auckland, however I prefer the friendly, slow paced lifestyle that the South Island offers.
The step up to Mcmaster and Heap is a natural progression for me - I am surrounded by animals (my primary love is cats) and I can immerse myself in vet nursing in a caring, thriving, busy and sophisticated atmosphere. I look forward to meeting clients and assisting them - and their pets - in every way possible.
Sam
Hi I’m Sam and fortunately for me, I started working at McMaster and Heap in May 2014. I have been Vet Nursing since 2010 and have my national certificate in veterinary nursing.
I grew up in small, rural, West Coast town, always around animals large and small, and I knew from a very young age that working with animals would be my future. I share my home with my partner and 2 michievious cats, Lace and Shady.
I look forward to seeing you and your fur babies in the clinic.
Sarah
Sarah has been with McMaster and Heap for 7 years. During that time she has had two beautiful girls, Blake and Evelyn. They live on Sarah’s family farm with her husband and lots of fur babies.
Sarah has a special interest in Oncology and helping our special friends improve their quality of life.
Sarah spends most of her time out the back organising and running the surgical schedule. She loves the variety at Mcmaster and Heap and the ability to make a difference.
Emily
Hello, my name is Emily and I joined McMaster and Heap in September 2020 after spending time in the clinic for work placement. I hope to complete my Diploma in Veterinary Nursing at the end of 2021.
Previous to Veterinary Nursing I spent most of my time travelling and working overseas and I am now settled in Christchurch with my partner and his two dogs.
I am very excited to start my veterinary nursing career and meet all of your lovely pets!
Natasha
I’m Tash. I have been passionate about animals for as long as I can remember, and have been working with them since studying Animal Care in 2012. I had initially intended to follow on with veterinary nursing at this time but decided instead to make the move to London, where I spent nearly 5 years running my own dog walking and sitting business and loved every minute of it.
In 2018 it was time to make the move back home. Vet Nursing still felt like the right fit for me, so in 2019 I took up distance study with Otago Polytechnic and completed my Diploma in Veterinary Nursing. I was lucky enough to be offered a job whilst doing placement at McMaster and Heap and I haven’t looked back since; feeling like I’ve become a part of a wonderfully crazy animal loving family.
I have a special interest in hospital nursing. I love having the opportunity to really get to know the patients and help them get better. Recently, I have been enjoying becoming more experienced in surgical nursing. I also love being out on reception to greet you and your gorgeous fur babies, and look forward to being able to assist you in any way I can 🙂
Letitia
Hi, my name is Letitia, and I started working for McMaster & Heap in 2020 after I came back from London due to Covid.
I have been nursing since 2015. My passion is surgical and hospital nursing. It is so rewarding to get a bond with my patients and be able to nurse them back to health. Every day is different which I love, as I am always learning and kept busy.
In my spare time I love to exercise, travel, hang out with friends and also look after my Frenchie (Frankie), who keeps me on my toes.
I look forward to meeting you, and your fur babies!
Jemma
My name is Jemma and I joined the McMaster and Heap team in November 2021. I was born in Gore and moved up to Christchurch a month after the February earthquakes.
It has been a life dream for me to become a Veterinary nurse and I received my vet nursing diploma in 2019 just before Covid-19 made an appearance in NZ.
I currently have one fur baby who my partner and I rescued two years ago, her name is Toastie and she is now my cuddle buddy and goes pretty much everywhere with me.
I enjoy every aspect of the Veterinary industry but thoroughly enjoy reception and having the ability to gain connections with clients and their fur babies! I am excited to be able to further my knowledge in anaesthetics and monitoring with the different cases that come through McMaster and Heap every day.
Amanda
Amanda started vet nursing in 2013 after studying for her diploma in Palmerston North. She has joined the McMaster and Heap team in 2021 after deciding to return to the South Island where she grew up, after spending 10 years in the North Island.
She particularly enjoys hospital nursing and nutrition as she loves getting to know her patients, their personality traits and enjoys the rewarding job of seeing a healthy patient leave her care to go home to their families. Her passion for nutrition comes from seeing the improvements that can be made to an animals health with a food that suits them best allowing them to live to their full potential.
While not at work Amanda enjoys latin dancing, running, a good book, knitting and most of all relaxing with her husband and her fluffy cat.
Fun fact her ... a not so secret fear is moths!
Aliesha
Aliesha started nursing in 2013 after studying for her Diploma in Invercargill. She then made the move up to Christchurch and has called the city home ever since. Having nursed in a few clinics around Christchurch she discovered her interests lie in Surgical and Hospital Nursing and a special interest in Emergency care.
Aliesha made the move to England in 2019 with her partner to do some traveling and to locum nurse around the UK. After 2 years abroad they travelled home to welcome their little girl Ivy into the world.
Aliesha started working as a locum at McMaster and Heap after her maternity leave ended in 2021 but quickly fell into a full time role.
Outside of work Aliesha likes spending time with her little family, spending as much time outside as possible.
Kayleigh
Hello my name is Kayleigh. I completed my diploma in veterinary nursing in 2017 through SIT in Invercargill and started working down there as soon as I had completed my studies and have been slowly working my way up the country very since. I was lucky enough to get a job at McMaster and Heap at the start of 2022.
I enjoy surgical nursing the most but also love a day caring for the hospital patients. There is nothing more rewarding then seeing a sick patient return to their normal selves.
I currently have two dogs, Floyd a chihuahua cross and Reef a staffy cross with a dream of adding many more doggos to that! In my spare time I go on many an adventure with my partner and dogs, love reading a good book and I can’t say no to a scary movie.
Hannah
I’m Hannah and I’ve been at McMaster and Heap since October 2021. I studied at Otago Polytechnic in Dunedin, and have been a veterinary nurse since 2017.
I enjoy all aspects of vet nursing, and have a special interest in surgical nursing. Helping animals is what motivates me every day, ensuring they are happy, healthy and cared for.
In my spare time I love to go to the beach, travel, exercise, play football, and catch up with friends and family. I have a goofy greyhound at home called Percy who loves to be the life of the party, and cheer for me and my football team on the sidelines.
Anna
Hi I’m Anna and I started working with the McMaster and heap team in March 2022, after moving up from Dunedin.
I competed my certificate in veterinary nursing in 2015 and my diploma in 2018. My main interests include dentistry, canine behaviour and surgical nursing.
I currently have two Springer spaniels who keep me busy. In my spare time I enjoy sports and spending time with family and friends.
Pepa
Hi I’m Pepa!
I completed my Diploma at SIT in Invercargill in 2021.
For as long as I can remember I’ve known I wanted to work with animals, I’ve been very fortunate to grow up overseas in countries such as Japan and Samoa so have gotten to experience different cultures and the animals in them.
I have a passion for emergency nursing and critical care patients where in most cases you have to act fast and sometimes think outside of the box.
I also have a special interest in orthopaedic surgeries due to the challenging process of these procedures and the in depth care that is required.
I look forward to meeting you and caring for all your fur babies.
Maddison
My name is Maddison and I have been a vet nurse for 5 years. Shortly after I was born my family moved from Christchurch to the Chatham Islands for 5 years as my family is from there and this is where my love of nature and animals and nature began. I have raised various types of animals from pet sheep, magpies to ferrets. I currently have a small zoo at my house with 5 rescue cats, an axolotl, leopard gecko and 2 ferrets which keep me very occupied. I have always had a passion for animals especially the weird and wonderful animals that people don’t typically like. Over my nursing career I have been able to experience a lot of cool cases and challenging experiences, but my favourite part of nursing has been being apart of orthopaedic surgeries and also being a part of cases with animals that we don’t often see such as reptiles.
Ellie
Hello, my name is Ellie. I am one of the locum veterinary nurses at McMaster and Heap vets. I am from the UK but moved to NZ in 2022. I completed my degree in veterinary nursing in 2019, I then went on to work in a busy animal hospital and emergency out of hours work. I moved to NZ in 2022 and joined the McMaster and Heap team!
Outside of work I love going on big hikes with my rescue dog, Miniature Dachshund, Billy (Yes he keeps up with those little legs)! Since we both moved over from the UK we have being trying to tackle as many mountains as possible!
I look forward to meeting you and your pets!