We Asked Our Staff Why They Worked at
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Dr. I Craig Prior was born and raised in Australia, and graduated from the University of Queensland in Brisbane in 1984. In 1982, while representing Australia at the World's Fair in Knoxville, Dr. Prior met his wife, Cindy, a Nashville native. He joined the staff of Murphy Road Animal Hospital in 1986. His special interests lie in small animal medicine and surgery, and improving the quality of his patient's lives through pain management and is a member of the AVMA, TVMA, International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management.
Dr. Bruce Graves grew up in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville for both his undergraduate and graduate degrees. Fortunately Dr. Bruce chose Murphy Road as his place to demonstrate his passion for his profession. His special interests include canine and feline medicine and surgery, small animal endocrinology, and ophthalmology. During his off time, Dr. Graves enjoys scuba diving, water skiing, and UT and Titans football.
Dr. Leighton Bell has spent most of his life in Nashville. After receiving a BA degree from Vanderbilt University, he spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa. His decision to pursue a career in veterinary medicine led him to Middle Tennessee State University and then to Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, where he completed his degree in 1996. Since graduation, he has been on the staff of Murphy Road Animal Hospital. How great for us! Dr. Bell and his wife, Mary, have three children and, at last count, five dogs and three cats.
Dr. James T. Bolles was born and raised in Nashville. He received his BS in animal science from Middle Tennessee State University in 1988 and his veterinary degree from the University of Tennessee in 1993. We are so lucky that Dr. Bolles joined the staff of Murphy Road Animal Hospital in 2003. His special interests lie in canine and feline internal medicine and surgery. Dr. Bolles lives in Franklin with his wife Cherry and their dog Chester.
Dr. Amanda Cassetty was born and raised in Whitleyville, Tennessee, just northwest of Cookeville. She completed her pre-veterinary studies while attending Tennessee Technological University and received her veterinary degree from the University of Tennessee in 2004. For two years Dr. Cassetty practiced in a high quality small animal hospital in Nolensville. In 2006, to our good fortune, she decided to join our professional staff. Her special interests include radiology and ultrasound. In her spare time, Dr. Cassetty is active in her church's youth and outreach programs She shares her home in the Franklin area with her loyal feline companion, Sophie.
Dr. Benjamin Young, a native of Knoxville, TN, received his BA from St. John’s College in Annapolis, MD. His interest in veterinary medicine brought him back to Knoxville where he received his DVM from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in 2010. Prior to joining the staff at Murphy Road Animal Hospital, Dr. Young practiced small animal medicine in Hendersonville, TN. His special interests include internal medicine and dermatology. Dr. Young and his wife, Tara, share their home with their two dogs, Bailey and Cleo.
Dr. Caitlyn Carroll Bear was born and raised on her family’s horse farm in Northern Kentucky. Caitlyn’s love of animals was obvious from an early age when she would bring home injured calves, rats, kittens, dogs, lightning bugs, and any others in need of help. She has competed in horse shows throughout her life and this passion led her to attend, The College of Charleston, where she was a member of the Equestrian team. Dr. Bear continued to follow her love of animals to the University Of Tennessee College Of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation in 2007, Dr. Bear and her husband Ryan decided to plant roots in Nashville. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and two other rescued fur children, Shrimp, and Ellie. Dr. Bear also enjoys gardening and SEC sports.
Dr. Matthew Stevens, graduated from UTCVM in 2001, Phi Zeta (Honor Society). After graduation Dr. Steven practiced at a small animal private practice outside of Chatanooga, in Cleveland, Tennessee, until 2006. Starting in 2006, he took a position with Novartis Animal Health as a professional services manager, and district sales manager. Dr. Stevens, left Norvartis to spend more time at home and accepted a full time position with Nashville Pet Emergency Clinic in 2010. His medical interests include, dermatology, prevention of zoonotic disease, pain management, neurology, and surgery. In his free time Dr. Stevens may be found hiking, reading, or chasing his daughter Sydney (9), son Lucas (10) with his pitbull "Milk" and French Bulldog "Gus", trailing in hot pursuit.
Management
Matthew Chase, our Hospital Manager, grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and studied Economics, and English, at West Virginia University. Previously Matthew was a multi-unit operations manager for a contract management firm. In 2011, Matthew hung up his frequent flyer miles and hotel rewards cards to spend more time with his family and pursue the business of veterinary medicine. Matthew, shares his home in Murfreesboro with his wife Kristen, son T.J., and 3 dogs, Koda, Little Bit, and Rooney.
Kristy Howard is easy to recognize because she is always smiling. With a degree in accounting from Nashville State Technical Institute she joined the staff of Murphy Road Animal Hospital as receptionist in 1998. In April, 2005 she took over the daunting task of ordering and keeping track of the over 2000 medications and supplies that we stock at our hospital. Kristy is married and has two children, Hali and Perry. Her extended family includes two cats, Havannah and Indy.
Christy Goodman joined Murphy Road in 2004 as a pet caretaker in the kennel. She then transferred to the hospital area and worked as a veterinary nurse in the surgery area for 2 years. Christy is now the Head Technician here at Murphy Road Animal Hospital. She has 3 children and several pets.
Honee Wilson, our Chief of Client Services, is an Oklahoma native of Choctaw/French heritage. After coming to Nashville via Las Vegas, she worked as a restaurant supervisor for an international restaurant chain for 8 1/2 years. She joined Murphy Road as a Client Service Specialist in 2006. She has been married for 16 years and she has three cats.
Joel Williams is a native of Nashville. He joined the staff of Murphy Road Animal Hospital in 2001 as a pet caretaker in our kennel. In addition to his work at Murphy Road, Joel is also in the independent music business. He has two pit bulls, Destiny and Shine.
Cori Kresse joined the staff as Manager of the Love at First Sight! Pet Adoption Center in May 2009. Cori lives in Fairview, TN with her many dogs and her bearded dragon. She is interested in dog training and has worked with pets her whole life, doing everything from doggie daycare to retail work. She also volunteered at Love at First Sight during high school.
Our Technicians
Alexis Stewart , LVT, B.S., is a native of Western New York. She relocated to Nashville after marrying her college sweetheart Douglas in October 2008. As a proud Boilermaker, she completed her BS in veterinary technology at Purdue University's College of Veterinary Medicine. Prior to transferring to Purdue, Alexis completed her Associates Degree at SUNY College of Technology at Alfred State. She has been working as a licensed technician since 2004, most recently in Pennsylvania. In her free time Alexis enjoys reading, playing soccer, and spending time with her husband and Boston Terrier puppy, Alara.
Our Pet Nurses
Cheryl Bassham, grew up in Cleveland, Ohio where she opened and operated her own dog training business. Cheryl, and her family recently relocated to Nashville in pursuit of new careers and adventures. Cheryl, is a mother, a wife, and a student studying veterinary technology and wildlife conservation. Her future goals include earning a bachelors degree in biology with hopes of opening my own rescue and rehabilitation center for animals. Cheryl currently resides in the Hermitage area with her family and dog Sassy.
Dana Berendt began her career at MRAH August 1, 2011. She recently relocated from Cincinatti, Ohio after graduation from Miami University with a degree in Zoology. Dana, lives in West Nashville with her tabby cat Stanley, and enjoys playing the alto saxophone and practicing photography in her spare time.
Megan Brodbine joined MRAH in April, 2007 with two years experience in veterinary medicine. Her love and compassion for animals is evident both at work and in her spare time. Megan co-founded Nashville Cat Rescue and is a member of the Board of Directors. She also promotes the human-animal bond along with her "therapy cat," Eve, regularly visiting hospitals and nursing homes.
Mary Ann Corley , B.S., came to Murphy Road with six years of veterinary experience and a B.S. from David Liscomb University. She is very passionate about animals and helping them any way that she can, with a special place in her heart for rodents and Miniature Schnauzers. She aspires to become a veterinarian one day. Mary Ann lives with her husband, Edgar, and her two children, Jade and Edgar Allan. In her spare time she enjoys dancing, music, playing the sax, and scrapbooking
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Zach Dean grew up in LaVergne, TN and graduated in 2004. He studied at UT Martin, for 2 years and transferred to MTSU where he graduated with Bachelor of Animal Science. Zach, also played baseball at both UT Martin and MTSU. Zach is full time firefighter for the city of Hendersonville. He shares his home in the Sylvan Park area with Bewski, a Chocolate Lab, Rose a Yellow Lab, and Boo a Chihuahua Jack Russell mix.
JimDolbow, attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and graduate with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology. When he returned to his hometown of Murfreesboro he realized his passion for animals and now attends Middle Tennessee State University pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Biology and Chemistry with plans to attend vet school. Jim lives in Murfreesboro with his moody cat “Willow”, African Salcata Tortoise “Stanley”, and many aquatic roommates.
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Natasha Porter is studying Pre-Vet at MTSU and plans to attend University of Tennessee in Knoxville for graduate school. She enjoys the hands on learning that she receives as a veterinary nurse here at Murphy Road. After school and work Natasha enjoys relaxing with her husband, Joe, her cat, Mya, and her dog, Brindle.
Kathleen Kelly McCormick , B.A., has been working in the field of veterinary medicine since 1985. She grew up in Cape May, New Jersey on a small farm with horses, goats, dogs and cats. She attended college in Boston, where she joined the staff of Angell Memorial Animal Hospital for eight years and became supervisor of Nuclear Medicine/Radiology. Kathleen and her husband, Stephen moved to Nashville in 1999 so that Stephen could pursue his aspirations as a singer/songwriter. We were lucky enough to have her join our staff in January, 2007. The McCormicks share their home with multiple pets, including two dogs, two cats and a cockatoo.
Amy Noble always knew that she wanted to be involved with animals while she was growing up. During her last year in college, she applied at a local veterinary clinic and was hired as a technician. The nine months that she spent there made her wish she had found something like that sooner because it was definitely what she wanted to be doing. After graduating college, Amy was able to find a position as a technician at a small, rural veterinary clinic near her hometown in Norther Illinois and worked there for eight years. Since getting married in early 2011, Amy and her new husband relocated to Nashville. Amy is excited to experience what Nashville has to offer in their spare time. They also greatly enjoy spending time with and walking their Golden Retriever, Claire.
Xochitl Prieto was born and raised in Southern California. A life long passion for animals led Xochitl to work at several animal hospitals in California. Fortunately for us she brought her eight years of experience with her to Murphy Road. In her free time, Xochitl enjoys spending time with her English Mastiff, Presley, and her German Shepherd mix, Page.
Marquisha Simmons hails from Milton, TN. Marquisha joined our team in July of 2010 as a pet nurse. She is currently attending Western Kentucky University studying Biology. She lives in the Metro area and enjoys spending her free time with Kanu, her Pomeranian.
Tim Williams was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Tim, graduated from MTSU with a B.S. in Biology. After a year of working as a food microbiologist in Nashville, Tim decided to volunteer abroad. He has since served as a math and science teacher with both the Peace Corps, in Malawi and WorldTeach in the Federated States of Micronesia. Tim is now interested in combining his love of animals with his interest in international development and plans to become a veterinarian and work in food-animal medicine, in developing countries. Tim lives in West End Park with his two cats, "Scout", and "Priamwahu", and is very excited to be joining the team at Murphy Road Animal Hospital.
Client Services
Joanne Beretsky is likely to be the first smiling face that you see when you enter Murphy Road Animal Hospital. Joanne moved to Nashville via Myrtle Beach and Charleston, S.C. She many years of veterinary experience and has been our Client Services Specialist since 1993. Joanne lives with a Boston Terrier, a Yorkshire Terrier, and 3 cats.
Brenda moved to Tennessee in December 2009 and joined our team in May 2010. With eight years experience at a animal hospital in California, she is a great addition to our front desk staff. Brenda says, “I really like living in Tennessee and have met a lot of wonderful people.”
Amber Cooper grew up here in Nashville,TN. She has her Associates Degree in Applied Science, Limited Scope X-Ray. Her hobbies include, reading, running, and spending time with her family. She loves animals and has always had pets. She currently shares a home with four dogs
Katie Owen, is a graduate of University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a Bachelors of Arts in Studio Art. She is a native of Nashville, and lives in the Belmont / Vanderbilt area. Here she has plenty of inspiration for her paintings which she hopes to one day sell. Katie can be found smiling at the front desk, and has also been a pet nurse at an Animal Clinic in Connecticut.
Anna Wilson was born in Chicago, Illinois and moved to Tennessee in 1988. She joined our caring staff in 2008 and works as both a customer service representative and a technician. Anna brings with her a Bachelors degree in Animal Science and Mircrobiology as well as a plethora of real world experience. She is the Director and Founder of MidTennesee Working Dog Rescue, a not for profit organization set to rescue and rehome working breeds from animal control facilitites. Anna shares her West Nashville home with Sparky Todd, a Jack Russell mix, Juice a Beligian Malinors, and Kip, An Australian Cattle Dog.
Dora Van Gorden is a native of upstate New York and enjoys visiting home for a classic plate of spaghetti and local wine. She enjoys baking, going to baseball games and crazy dancing when no one is looking. Dora has an adorable cat named Crackle and a lovable Pit Bull/Lab Mix named Ruda Bean, who are both rescues. They are her Yin and Yang.
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Our Pet Caretakers
Ginny Carpenter joined our family in the spring of 2011 as an Animal Caretaker. Ginny hails from Illinois, across the mighty Mississippi River from St. Louis. She holds a Bachelors of Arts Degree in both Photography, and English Literature from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. While not taking care of your pets, Ginny can be found baking and reading, as well as blogging about local food and beverage establishments in Nashville.
David Johnson graduated from LaVergne High School and is interested in earning a degree in Psychology in order to help others. David likes spending time with his children, his fiancé, and his black lab named Shadow and enjoys writing short stories.
Logan Varney is from Erin, Tennessee, a small town where he was raised before relocating to Nashville in 2011. He is a lifetime pet lover. Logan currently resides with his mother, and is saving up money to study engineering. Logan spends his free time playing video games and tinkering with technology.
Professional Grooming
Vickie Harris, our fantastic groomer, has been making pets look beautiful at Murphy Road Animal Hospital since 1980! She was born in Lebanon and grew up in Nashville in the area that is now Music Row. In her free time, Vickie enjoys camping, woodworking, decorative painting and traveling, her favorite destination being Las Vegas! She shares her home with Dr. Pepper, her Miniature Schnauzer and her cat, Gabby, the Princess of the house.
Love At First Sight!
Kristyn Baumann joined the team at Love @ First Sight! Pet Adoption Center as adoption specialist in September of 2008. Kristyn is a full time student at a local university and works with Love at First Sight! part time.
Casey Wagner volunteered at Love at First Sight! Pet Adoption Center from 2009 until the fall of 2011. In the fall of 2011 she became a part time adoption specialist. Casey hopes to one day become a veterinarian technician. In her free time Casey enjoys spending time with her two daughters, husband, and their German Shepherd.
Veterinary Topics
May is "Bump & Lump" Month at MRAH!
When Was The Last Time You Checked Your Pet For Lumps? …Get Peace Of Mind With A FREE Lump Check!
During May we will be offering a limited number of FREE “Lump and Bump” evaluations. During these evaluations we will examine your pet for lumps and determine if they need further review. If further analysis in our in-house laboratory is required then you will receive 20% reduction in the testing fee.
Call 615 383-4241 for an appointment and give Code: LMP0512IN
May is "Bump & Lump" Month at MRAH!
When Was The Last Time You Checked Your Pet For Lumps? …Get Peace Of Mind With A FREE Lump Check!
During May we will be offering a limited number of FREE “Lump and Bump” evaluations. During these evaluations we will examine your pet for lumps and determine if they need further review. If further analysis in our in-house laboratory is required then you will receive 20% reduction in the testing fee.
Call 615 383-4241 for an appointment and give Code: LMP0512IN
Monthly Specials
Contact
4408 Murphy Road
Nashville, TN 37209
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- Phone: 615-383-4241
- Fax: 615-383-9096
- Email Us