Phone: (02) 4832 1977 

Veterinary Nurses and Support Team Members

Meet our caring, enthusiastic and dedicated nursing and administrative staff.

Karen Reeves

Practice Manager

Karen ReevesKaren is the founding staff member of Crookwell Veterinary Hospital. Joining previous owners Jennie and Robert Churchill as all-round vet nurse / receptionist / administrator straight from high school in 1982, Karen has notched up over 30 years with CVH. 

She rapidly learnt to stay upright during surgery, monitor anaesthetics, provide vet nursing care for sick and injured animals, answer the phone, do the accounts and single-handedly make sure the small but growing practice was never less than brilliantly organised.

As Practice Manager, Karen is responsible for managing and overseeing all practice administration and non-veterinary staff. Her enormous contribution to the development of our veterinary practice in Crookwell over so many years is valued and respected by the practice partners, our staff and our clients.

 

Jess van Groningen

Receptionist and Administration Manager

Jess’s diverse experience and skills complement the CVH team perfectly. After a 12 year career as an Early Childhood Teacher in Australia and Indonesia, Jess turned to animals, first as an equine nurse while studying for a Bachelor of Equine Science and in 2013, she completed a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing.

Jess maintains a part time career as an educator. Working for the NSW Responsible Pet Education Program since 2011, Jess takes her two German Shorthaired Pointers Mojo and Ned into preschools, childcare centres and primary schools teaching children about being safe around dogs and how to be responsible pet owners.

Outside work, Jess has successfully competed in dog field and retrieving trials with Ned, and is currently breaking in and training her three year old Warmblood gelding Remi for dressage.

Maryann Storey

Maryann StoreyMaryann joined the team in 2006 when we moved into our new premises. The hard worker who keeps the hospital pristine and sparkling, Maryann’s love of animals and birds shows in the extra TLC she gives to all our patients.

Maryann is an ace gardener and she has an amazing menagerie at home. Maryann has a fur family family which includes the ever loyal and ball mad Bundy the dog, Libby the horse, and her feline companion Simba.

Tara Lambert

Veterinary Trainee Nurse

Tara started at CVH in 2020 while studying for certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing, which she is currently in the process of completing. Tara grew up in Goulburn and has a keen interest in horses.

As well as working at CVH Tara rides track work, which means early mornings even through winter, exercising racehorses at the Goulburn track. Tara also works as a strapper on weekends and as has strapped a group one winner!

She loves all sports and unfortunately is a mad raiders supporter, rarely missing a home game. If not strapping horses Tara enjoys the outdoors and regularly goes on hiking, fishing, and rock-climbing adventures.

Tara recently adopted a kitten through the CVH adoption program called Ollie, who will retrieve a toy and take it to the front door where it hides it in amongst the shoes.

Tara is looking forward to finishing her studies and building a career in the vet industry and hoping one day the raiders might win another premiership.

Lily Panne

Veterinary Nurse

Lily started working at CVH while still at School, after finishing school she went on to compelete her certificate III in animal studies on her way to becoming a qualified Veterinary Nurse. 

Not surprisingly, Lily loves animals and has a rather large menagerie at home – 2 dogs, 3 cats and 4 horses. Of these, Bob the cat has only half his lungs after having to have the rest removed by the vets at CVH due ot severe lung abscess. Not just content with a cat with only half her lungs she recently took on Pepper the Kelpie who only has 3 legs. Pepper had to have one of her legs removed after suffering a complex fracture which was unable to be fixed with out ongoing significant joint issues. Pepper is a bundle of energy and loves to dig, even with one front leg. 

Rebeka Picker

Veterinary Nurse

Bec joined CVH in 2018 while studying her certificate III in animal studies, she completed her certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2019. Bec has a Labrador called Marley, who is as crazy as the Labrador in Marley and Me which she is named after. She is handy with a hockey stick and plays in the first-grade competition in Canberra.

She is integral part of the CVH team and has a love for most animals except for the avian variety. Bec is aiming to become a primary school teacher so she can teach the young minds of the next generation.

Ellie Searl

Veterinary Trainee Nurse

Ellie is the newest member of the CVH team. Ellie will be a familiar face to many in Crookwell, having grown up on a farm on the outskirts of town.

After graduating from Crookwell high school in 2020, where she was School Captain, Ellie has set her sights on a career in veterinary nursing and is currently completing her certificate III. When Ellie is not working at CVH she can be found making a mean coffee at Zest café or on the hockey fields playing in the local competition.

She is a quiet achiever and an integral part of the team. She has a compassion and love for all the furry animals that come into the clinic. Ellie has a Border Collie named Evie.