Meet the Team
Our caring veterinary team is proud to deliver excellent care to local pets and owners
Clinical Directors & Practice Managers
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Chris
Hospital Director
RVNAfter joining us in 1996, Chris helped to develop our 24-hour out of hours service and spent 15 years working as an out of hours and emergency veterinary nurse. During this time, he completed certificates in emergency and critical care, nursing and anaesthesia, before becoming Hospital Manager when our veterinary hospital opened in 2019, and stepping into the role of Hospital Director in 2023. Above all, he is passionate about providing quality care to our patients and excellent customer service to our clients.
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Jenny
Clinical Director and Veterinary Surgeon
MA VetMB PgC(EAS) MRCVSJenny graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2007 and has been with us since 2021. She has been a Clinical Director since 2023 and currently carries out mostly administrative duties. She holds a postgraduate certificate in exotic animal studies, and is passionate about the welfare of all species, with a particular interest in pain management and behaviour.
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Lauren
Clinical Director
BVetMed MRCVSBorn and raised in the South Wales Valleys, Lauren spent her teenage years working as a kennel assistant at her local practice. After graduating from the Royal Veterinary College in 2009, she remained close to her roots and worked in the Blackwood area before joining us in 2014. She particularly enjoys internal medicine and holds an RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice. Outside of work, she loves taking care of her dog, Doug, travelling and supporting Welsh rugby – trips to the Millenium Stadium are a regular fixture in her calendar.
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Emma
Practice Manager
RVNEmma joined the Valley Vets team in 2004 and qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse a few years later, becoming our head nurse soon after. A familiar face to many of our clients, she is a third Dan black belt in Taekwon-do, a sport she has been passionate about from a young age and competed internationally in.
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Claire
Hospital Manager
RVN C&GCertVNESClaire grew up in the seaside town of Milford Haven in West Wales, and spent her teenage years kayaking, bodyboarding and entering sailing competitions. She also kept dogs and stick insects, who would escape and climb up the curtains – much to her mother’s disgust! She joined the Valley team in 2002 and qualified as Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2008, becoming our head nurse the following year. She also holds a nursing certificate in wildlife and exotic nursing. Valley Vets has become her second family and she couldn’t imagine doing another job. In her own time, she enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking and taking care of her own pets.
Veterinary Surgeons
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Brogan
Veterinary Surgeon
MRCVS -
Charlotte
Veterinary Surgeon
MRCVS -
Christine
Veterinary Surgeon
MRCVSAfter graduating from Bristol University in 2015, Christine completed a master’s degree in Infectious Disease Control and Epidemiology at the University of Liverpool. She works as part of our emergency night team and is working towards a certificate in emergency and critical care, an area she is particularly interested in. In her spare time, she enjoys entering her dog, Flick, into agility competitions and taking care of her cat, Peggy.
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Daisy
Veterinary Surgeon
MRCVS -
Tariq
Veterinary Surgeon
BVSc CertAVP(ZooMed) DipECZM(Avian) MRCVS EBVS®Tariq hails from Cardiff and graduated from the University of Bristol in 2014, after which he worked at a small animal practice in Newport. He later embarked on a four-year European College of Zoological Medicine internship and residency program at Great Western Exotic Vets in Swindon. He completed the RCVS certificate in zoological medicine in 2018 and the ECZM(Avian) European diploma in zoological medicine in 2021, and is a European veterinary specialist in zoological medicine (avian medicine and surgery). He leads our Valley Exotics service and enjoys all aspects of avian and exotic practice, especially avian and reptile medicine and surgery, as well as treating amphibians, fish and invertebrates. His hobbies include travel, photography, gardening and visiting country pubs.
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Elisabetta
Veterinary Surgeon
DVM CertZooMed ECZM DiplElisabetta graduated from the University of Naples in 2002. Her interest in exotics became clear shortly after her graduation, anticipating a career mainly based on non-conventional animal medicine and surgery. In 2007, she moved to the UK, where she initially worked in private practice and for wildlife charities. In 2009, she started the first European College of Zoological Medicine (ECZM) residency in Small Mammal Medicine, which she completed at The Royal School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh. She went on to complete an RCVS Certificate in Zoological Medicine and the ECZM diploma, specialising in small mammal medicine and surgery. She has published extensive work over the years and lectures both in the UK and internationally.
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Joel
Veterinary Surgeon
DVM Msc(Vet) Msc(Bris) GPCertSAS BSAVA PGCertSAS MRCVSAfter graduating from the University of Évora in Portugal with a master’s degree in veterinary medicine, Joel headed to Cheshire to complete a surgical internship at a referral hospital. He continued his surgical studies by completing the ESVPS General Practice Certificate in Surgery and the BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Surgery. He is also an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery and has a master’s degree in stem cells and regenerative medicine. He is currently working on a PhD project in biosciences at Cardiff University, studying glutamate receptor antagonists as a potential novel treatment for osteoarthritis in dogs.
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Laura
Veterinary Surgeon
BVetMed GPCert FelP MRCVSOriginally from London, Laura graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2007. She worked at a small animal practice in Kent before moving to Cardiff and joining our team, and is an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Feline Medicine. She also holds a General Practitioner Certificate in Feline Practice and has participated in various multicenter clinical trials, looking at the treatments available to cats. Outside of work, she loves travelling with her husband and taking care of her own cats.
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Rachael
Veterinary Surgeon
MRCVS -
Syn Yoo
Veterinary Surgeon
MRCVS -
William
Veterinary Surgeon
MRCVSAfter graduating from the University of Bristol in 2014, Will worked at small animal practices in South Wales. SInce joining our team, he holds a Certificate in Small Animal Surgery from the University of Liverpool. In his spare time, he enjoys being outdoors, fishing, sea kayaking and walking his dog, Flick.
