Meet the Team

After 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. 

Jenny 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.

Born 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.

Emma 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.

Claire 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.

Catrin qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2014, and worked at a mixed practice in Aberystwyth before joining the Valley team. As one of our medical nurses, she holds a certificate in medical nursing and is working towards her certificate in transfusion medicine. Her main interests include oncology, feline medicine and emergency medicine. In her free time, she enjoys running and watching rugby and ice hockey. She also works part time for Pet Blood Bank as a phlebotomist and has fostered and hand reared kittens – she has two cats of her own, both of whom she adopted from our practice and nursed back to health.

Emily joined us shortly after graduating from Hartpury University in 2016. After spending time working in our exotics department, she developed a real passion for the area and decided to enter the world of exotic nursing full time in 2021. She holds a certificate in small mammal care and is working towards a certificate in advanced avian nursing. In her own time, she is kept busy with her daughter and her cats, Nala and Zuri. She also enjoys netball and exploring Wales.

Lauren completed her zoology degree at Swansea University and has been with us on a permanent basis since 2015. She is currently working towards certificates in exotic veterinary medicine, having proudly taken on the role of exotics nurse since 2019. When she’s not working or looking after her many pets, she loves exploring Wales with her dogs and enjoying the odd glass of cider.

A fluent Welsh speaker, Nadine grew up in the South Wales Valleys and joined our team in 2011 as a receptionist. She was inspired to train as a Registered Veterinary Nurse after helping her own dog, Cassie, recover from a broken leg and has since rehomed several pets and hand reared many kittens, all while discovering her passion for exotic pets (especially lizards and parrots).

Rebecca qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2018, a few years after graduating from Hartpury College with a degree in animal health and welfare. She has a particular interest in anaesthesia, surgery and pain management and loves spending her free time watching ice hockey, supporting the Cardiff Devils and socialising with friends. 

After graduating from the Royal Veterinary College in 2011, Robin gained experience at a 24-hour veterinary hospital and completed certificates in emergency and critical care and anaesthesia. When she’s not working, she loves hitting the gym and exploring all that Wales has to offer with her partner.

Serena graduated from Bristol University in 2010 and has a passion for emergency and critical care and out of hours work, having completed certificates in these fields. 

Outside of work, she loves walking her dogs, Barney, Monty and Mavis, and curling up with a good book and cup of coffee.

Originally from Yeovil in Somerset, Hannah moved to Wales when she was six. She is currently the longest serving member of our team and has hand reared many litters of kittens, three of which she fell in love with and kept! She has a passion for music, cars and cooking, and is working towards an anaesthesia and analgesia qualification.

Sophie is from Oxfordshire and had various pets while growing up, such as guinea pigs, mice, gerbils and a bearded dragon, which inspired her love of exotic species. Nowadays, she is kept busy with her rabbits, Horace and Penelope. She also enjoys going to gigs, metal detecting, swimming and origami.