Nursing Staff
Jennifer Bonhs - Head Veterinary Nurse
Certificate III in Veterinary Nursing
Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
Diploma of Veterinary Nursing – Emergency & Critical Care
Jennifer joined the UVTHS team in June 2005 & worked as an ICU nurse for the first three & a half years & then joined the specialist medicine unit where she continues to work as one of our medicine nurses.
Jennifer is a qualified veterinary nurse, completing certificate III & IV in veterinary nursing in 2001 & then completed her Diploma of Veterinary Nursing in Emergency & Critical Care with distinctions, in 2010.
When Jennifer is not supervising the nursing team or looking after her patients, she enjoys spending time with her husband & her two very spoilt babies (her cats!).
Joanne Tapp - Veterinary Nurse
Associate Diploma in Animal Technology
Jo obtained her Associate Diploma in Animal Technology from Ultimo TAFE in 2001, and joined the UVTHS as an ICU veterinary nurse in April, 2003. Jo then moved on to work with the medicine specialist team where she continues to work as one of our medicine nurses
Like most nurses, she has a menagerie, which keeps her busy (two dogs, a cat, a rabbit and assorted fish). She also enjoys being outdoors, reading and spending time with her two sons.
Carolina Dillen - Veterinary Nurse
Certificate III in Veterinary Nursing
Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
Carolina joined the UVTHS team in 2005 as an ICU nurse & then moved on to join the anaesthesia department where she continues to work as one of our anaesthesia nurses. She devotes her time making sure that all our patients are comfortable and content.
Carolina graduated from Ultimo TAFE in 2001 where she completed Certificate III and IV in Veterinary Nursing. During this time she spent six and a half years in a branch practice in the Sutherland Shire where she gained a broad knowledge of veterinary nursing.
Carolina’s interests include dentistry, emergency and critical care and grooming. In her spare time Carolina enjoys spending time with her own furry family & her two boy’s.
Rhonda Foreman - Veterinary Nurse
One of the most longstanding members of the medicine team, Rhonda joined the UVTHS as a veterinary nurse in 1986 & continues to work as one of our general medicine nurses. During her time here she has completed TAFE training in both Domestic animal care and veterinary nursing. Rhonda is also the safety officer at the UVTHS.
Rhonda has a special interest in veterinary dermatology. When not at work Rhonda enjoys taking care of her two sons and her Chihuahua cross foxy ‘Chelsea’.
Kelly Amaro - Veterinary Nurse
Veterinary Nursing Certificate
Kelly completed her Veterinary Nursing Certificate in 1993 and spent 15 years in a busy private practice as the head nurse and manager of the Burwood Animals Rescue Kennels. The no-kill shelter re-homed abandoned and neglected animals within the Burwood Council district.
As a result of her interest in animal behaviour she has completed her Certificate IV in Companion Animal Service and is an Accredited Instructor with Delta Society Australia.
Her dog training business ‘Love on a Leash’ was established and Kelly runs Puppy Preschool classes and private consultations to manage basic obedience and behavioural issues in dogs.
Kelly spent 9 months in a veterinary specialist centre before joining the UVTHS team in 2005 and can often be heard singing her favourite Prince songs through the corridors.
April Hadges - Veterinary Nurses
Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
April is a qualified veterinary nurse having completed her Cert I, II and IV in veterinary nursing as well as her Veterinary nurse technician certificate. April joined the UVTHS team in 2007; first as an ICU nurse and now as a general medicine nurse. Her prior work was in private practice as well as a 24 hour vet hospital, where she enjoyed emergency and critical care cases.
When not at work, April is busy with her horse (Diva, a thoroughbred mare) and precious Labrador, Rajah.
Nicole Kingston - Veterinary Nurse
Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing
Certificate in Enrolled Veterinary Nursing
Associate Diploma in Biological Techniques
Nicole is one of our surgery nurses. She has been a veterinary nurse for the last 13 years and has worked at various veterinary hospitals in both Sydney and the United Kingdom. Some of these include Kirrawee Veterinary Hospital, University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Camden, The Animal Referral Hospital, The North Shore Veterinary Hospital, RSPCA Putney, London UK and The Julia Boness Veterinary Hospital, Bedfordshire UK.
Nicole has extensive training in both emergency medicine and surgical nursing.
Nicole loves to spend her spare time being outdoors, travelling with her family and being with her little boy!
Jordana Busenshut - Veterinary Nurse
Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
Jordana completed Certificate I and II in animal studies and Certificate IV in veterinary nursing in 2004 & graduated from Wollongong University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Medical Science.
Jordana joined the UVTHS team in January 2009 as an ICU nurse & has since moved onto join the specialist medicine unit as one of our medicine nurses.
Jordana has 2 dogs, Rosa (Chihuahua cross) and Sally (Spoodle) & a 15yr old cat named Marble who she absolutely adores.
Emmalene May North - Veterinary Nurse
Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
Emmalene completed Certificate I & II in animal studies and Certificate IV in vet nursing. She commenced her job with Sydney University in January 2009 as an ICU nurse & then moved on to become a general medicine nurse.
Emmalene shares her spare time between- riding horses - Caper and Bunns; playing with Jaydee (miniature pony); looking after 2 birds Monito (a very cheeky Galah) & Aussie (a very playful scaly breasted Lorikeet) and spending time with 2 dogs - Angel (Chihuahua) and Stitch (Labrador).
Meghann Kuchar - Veterinary Nurse
Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
Meghann did her veterinary nursing certificate in 1994. Since then she has worked in a number of general practices as well as working at the RSPCA, a surgical specialist hospital & also doing work in emergency medicine. Meghann has done a number of continuing educational courses to keep her skills up to date.
Meghann joined the UVTHS team as an ICU nurse in September 2008 & now works full-time in our SAVES department as an after hours nurse. Meghann’s special interests include emergency & critical care nursing.
When not at work, Meghann is kept busy with her two dogs, Ned, a very sweet American Staffordshire & Gary, an English Staffordshire who is the baby of the family that is more than happy with life & a cat, Indi, who rules the house & keeps the two dogs in line.
Vera Christou - Veterinary Nurse
Associate Diploma in Biological Techniques
Vera joined the UVTHS team in August 2009 as a surgery nurse. Vera has spent 11 years as a head nurse of a busy mixed practice on the outskirts of Sydney & she has a strong background & keen interest in laparoscopic surgery.
Vera has also spent some time working in research.
Rebecca Tuck - Veterinary Nurse
Certificate III Captive animal management
Certificate of Veterinary Nursing (Enrolled)
Rebecca joined UVTHS in early 2010 as an ICU nurse. Before this she worked for a number of years at Kirrawee Vet Hospital, Ku-ring-gai Veterinary Hospital and as the senior nurse at Roseville vet clinic. Rebecca completed her certificate of veterinary nursing in 1996.
In 2004 Bec spent a year teaching Dressage in London's Hyde Park Stables and travelling the UK and Europe. Bec also spent some time volunteering in Borneo with the endanged Sun bears and Orang-utans.
When not working Rebecca surfs, dives, trains in Taikido and spoils her cats Henry and William.
Bernadette Grace - Veterinary Nurse
Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
Bernadette started her working career as a nurse in the public hospital system before changing to veterinary nursing in 1998. She graduated from Richmond TAFE in 1999 with a certificate IV in veterinary nursing & worked in general practice until 2010 when she joined the UVTHS nursing team as a surgery nurse.
Bernadette has a keen interest in animal welfare and spent time in India working for Vets Beyond Borders helping to run vaccination & desexing clinics.
Bernadette is owned by a very spoilt 17year old cat and two very cheeky rabbits! When not at work Bernadette enjoys making beaded jewellery.
Holly Smith - Veterinary Nurse
Certificate III Animal Studies
Certificate IV in Animal Studies
Diploma in Veterinary Nursing
Holly has been working as a veterinary nurse since 2002, and joined the University UVTHS team in 2007 as a veterinary receptionist. Holly then moved on to join the anaesthesia department where she continues to work as one of our anaesthesia nurses. During her time in private practice she worked at a clinic which worked closely with the Sydney Dogs and Cats home in Carlton. Holly has been an active member of WIRES since 2001.
She has owned and ridden horses for over 20 years (the special 'Sgt Pepper'), has a great love of dogs, namely 'Cooper', birds and also has a keen interest in wildlife, amongst her favourites are possums and flying foxes.
Louise McGregor - Veterinary Nurse
Certificate II Animal Studies
Certificate IV Veterinary Nursing
Louise joined the UVTHS nursing team as an ICU nurse in 2007. She then joined the anaesthesia team in 2010.
Louise has completed certificate II in animal studies and certificate IV in veterinary nursing with distinctions. She wishes to continue her studies in the areas of anaesthesia and critical care.
Louise takes extra time to pay special attention to all of our furry feline friends in hospital, and loves Boombalina her bengal. She would like to be involved in whale shark research in the future.
Penelope Walt - Veterinary Nurse
Certificate IV Veterinary Nursing
Veterinary Nursing Technician Certificate
Penelope joined the UVTHS team in May 2011 as an ICU nurse. Prior to this, Penelope worked in other specialist hospitals in Sydney as an emergency nurse. Before becoming a veterinary nurse Penelope was a registered nurse & worked at the children’s hospital at Westmead.
Penelope is a qualified veterinary nurse completing her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2004 & the obtained her Veterinary Nursing Technician Certificate through AIRC in 2007.
Sandra Blunt - Veterinary Nurse
Certificate IV Veterinary Nursing
Sandra joined the UVTHS team in 2009 as an ICU nurse and she enjoys nursing for the unique and critical patients during the night.
Sandra has been working as a veterinary nurse for 11 years in various private practices around Sydney. She has completed certificates I, II and IV in veterinary nursing and is currently studying for her Diploma in Emergency and Critical Care.
When Sandra is not nursing she is being bossed around by her Persian cat Baz, cuddling her other sweet cat Princess Leia and lying in the sun with her three Long Neck turtles Ivy, Frankie and Crush.
Kathryn Ladd - Veterinary Nurse
Certificate III in Veterinary Nursing
Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
Kat joined the UVTHS nursing team in May 2010 as one of our ICU nurses.
She completed her certificate III in animal studies & certificate IV veterinary nursing in 2002.
Kat has been a veterinary nurse for the past ten years & has worked in various small animal general practices & specialist clinics throughout Sydney & then moved to the UK in 2006 & worked in a busy RSPCA animal hospital in London for 4 years.
Since returning home to the sunshine Kat enjoys her work in the emergency department helping clients & the patients & nursing the sick & injured animals back to good health.
When Kat is not at work she enjoys all things outdoors, music & travelling.