Our Highly Qualified Nurses and Customer Care Experts
Ashleigh Bligh NLP Master Prac.
Ashleigh grew up in Sydney, where she attended school, graduating in 2009.
She always wanted to help make a difference to people's lives. This led her to the study of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), Hypnosis, Life Coaching, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and Reiki.
Ashleigh completed her Masters in NLP and Hypnosis and went on to create her own Life Coaching Business.
In December 2010 she moved to Cooma with her mother, in search of a property. Not long after moving to town she met her partner Liam and hasn’t looked back.
After living in town for around a year, Ashleigh wanted to give back to the community and saw an opportunity to do so at Snowy Vets. Having no experience in this field, she threw herself in the deep end and is thoroughly enjoying the constant learning experience.
She bought a house with her partner Liam in 2014. They got married in 2017 and now have a baby girl called Audrey. They also live with their two Devon Rex Cats Calvin & Douglas.
Cath Sirett BMgt, Cert IV VN, Cert II AS
Cath is originally from Sydney, where she attended school before moving to Central West NSW, where she obtained her Bachelor of Management in 2003, at the University of Sydney, Orange Campus.
After graduating, she was employed in equine management positions first at a warmblood breeding enterprise, and then at a polo horse stud. Following this, she packed her dog and her horse and moved to Wee Waa to work as a Jillaroo on a large cattle and cropping property.
Cath eventually moved to Jindabyne and began work at a horse trekking business, moving to Berridale in 2008, and marrying Lindsay in 2010. She met George and Mike through their veterinary involvement with the horses, thought they seemed like good blokes and subsequently approached them for a job. They couldn't believe their luck and hired her on the spot. After beginning work at Snowy Mountains Veterinary Group in 2009, Cath completed her Certificate II in Animal Studies, and her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing. She and Lindsay now live on 400 odd acres with their two sons Jim and Hazard Danger.
Cath loves the challenges that present themselves at Snowy Vets and the interaction with the community, clients and other members of the team which her position affords her.
In the future, Cath looks forward to focussing on team well being, team engagement and team empowerment and also improving her strategic management capabilities, whilst continuing to interact positively with the team.
Cath's extended family includes Jules the Stumpy Jack Rattle Dog, Poppy the Kelp, a fleet of four steeds- Tilda, Ash, Sergeant Thundersocks and Nugget, not to mention her two grown poddy wethers Snowy and ShankBag and prize chook Bok Bok.
Billie Trent-Smith Cert IV VN
Billie was born and bred in the Snowy Mountains and loves everything about it here. Growing up her amazing parents supported her horse crazy antics which have continued into adulthood. After going away for boarding school she completed a Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management in Wagga Wagga which were the best years of her life. While studying Billie worked as a roustabout and farm hand, strengthening her love of working with large animals. Billie lives on a 3500 acre property with her horses, dogs and about a dozen house mice. She now jumps at every opportunity to adopt or foster any animal orphaned, be it lamb or wombat, forever growing her experience in animal care. While she will always make room for animals in need, the most important thing in her life remains to be Boots, her adopted Whippet. The opportunity for Billie to work at Snowy Vets was hard won and now she is firmly here to stay. The plan for the future? Billie wants to study as many courses as she can, with particular emphasis on handling large animals and assisting surgery.
Fiona Abbott Cert IV VN, Cert II AS
Fiona grew up in Christchuch, New Zealand where she went through school and then gained her National Certificate in Equine Stable Practice level 3.
Through this course she got a job as a polo groom which sent her across the Tasman to the Hunter Valley to work at Ellerston from October 2003. Here she met her now husband Jason who moved her and her two kiwi cats down to the Snowy Mountains in May 2006.
Starting off at Sundance Bakery suited her 'sweet tooth' very well, but she found she was starting to miss her fuzzy friends. She enrolled in an Animal Studies course at Goulburn TAFE and then, after a few chats with George and Mike, she became a work experience student early in 2007; initially part time, and moved to full time in October 2007. In August 2011 she graduated from TAFE with her Vet Nurse Certificate IV.
Fiona most enjoys helping to look after the animals on the Monaro and assisting the vets, especially the challenges and variety that involves. She loves being able to send a patient home, especially after a difficult case, and watching the reunion between best friends.
Fee's two cats, Kizmet and Runty, and two dogs, Zemi and Captain Spud, are a huge part of her family.
Maddie Corben
Maddie grew up on the Central Coast and spent the first few years of her life living on a Dairy Farm with her family.
After completing High School, Maddie and her Parents moved to Canberra with their two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Whilst in Canberra, Maddie worked extensively in Customer Service doing what she loves, engaging with and helping people. She has studied many facets of Management and Small Business Management
After an extensive Career in Hospitality Management and Retail Management, Maddie & her Fiance Tim moved to Nimmitabel in 2017. She continued to work in the Customer Service Industry which eventually lead her to apply at Snowy Vets and she's never looked back. She loves being able to bring her handsome Springer Spaniel named Gus to work with her. Her two cats and chickens at home must be a bit jealous.
Maddie thoroughly enjoys being a member of the Snowy Vets team and loves meeting all the beautiful pets and people of the Snowy Mountains.
Meagan Clarke Cert IV VN
From an early age I moved to a small country town in the northern tablelands where my love affair of all things animal began. Surrounded by polo, racehorses, cattle, sheep, kangaroos and cats there was always plenty of action with many an odd stray calling our doorstep home. Horse racing being a constant throughout my life.
My need for travel took me to Europe, where my husband and I spent many years living in The Netherlands and London. The decision to start a family at a slower pace of country life brought us back to Australia in 2004 and the Snowy Mountains is now our home.
After seeing my last child off to school this year, I decided to change career directions, from Film Marketing to my first love, our four legged and furry companions. I decided to commence further studies in Veterinary Nursing and took up the opportunity to work with Snowy Vets full time, a dream come true.
I love that special bond that exists between man and his faithful companion and the effect they have on our wellbeing. Each new day brings rewards and challenges as a veterinary nurse and I feel so blessed to be able to play such a positive role in both their lives.
After completing my Certificate IV, I would love to extend my studies into orthopaedic surgical nursing or equine care.
Meg Poulton
Although Meg was born in Sydney, at the age of 3 her family made the big move to Berridale where she is yet to leave.
Meg has always had a passion for animals, over the years she has looked after LOTS of animals and completed Animal studies. She became a Wildlife carer 15 years ago, mostly for birds and still cares for as many as she can.
She joined Snowy Vets in 2018 as part of our customer care team and is currently known as our resident bird lady as well as our Spreadsheet Queen.
Jack and Rosie are her adorable feline babies that she couldn't imagine life without.
Megan Wright VN
Megan and her red cattle dog named Ruben recently relocated back to their hometown of the Snowy Mountains in 2019 to join our Snowy Vets team.
Growing up on her family's farm near Dalgety, Megan has had the opportunity to work with a large variety of animals, including sheep, cattle and horses. During this time, she enjoyed competing her horses across the country.
These days, she like working and competing her young Quarter Horse named Polly.
Before staring at Snowy Vets, Megan worked for an Equine hospital for a number of years. Whilst she is enjoying all the furry faces of our mixed animal passion, she enjoys our farm visits to large animals the most.
Megan is currently studying a Bachelor of Veterinary Technology, and is loving every day in our busy clinic!
Monique Wills Cert IV VN
Monique was born and raised on the central coast, she always had a love for animals and would drive her parents crazy constantly bringing home stray or roaming cats. Coming from a family of human nurses she thought it would make sense to follow in their footsteps. At age 16 she completed her certificate 3 in aged care and continued to work in this industry for almost 8 years- during this time she also made sure she was involved with animals by volunteering for Wires and owning as many as she was allowed!
In 2013 her and her partner moved to Shannons Flat and this is where her love for large animals began. A local sheep farmer would give her poddy lambs to raise and she also felt a strong love for cows! In 2015 she was blessed with a daughter and this didn't change a thing, she could be seen carrying Isabelle around the farm in the baby bjorn fencing, woodcarting and feeding her poddy calves.
In 2016 she took a break from nursing and took a job at the local bakery which gave her a chance to focus on her future career, much to her amazement Snowy Vets was hiring at this time! She is grateful everyday that she was given the opportunity to work with such a fantastic group of people and is currently completing her certificate 4 in veterinary nursing.
Monique and her family all live on their own patch of paradise at Greenlands, not far from Nimmitabel with their 8 pet cows, 1 riding cow, a beautiful horse, 2 alpacas, 2 cats and 3 dogs (Ruby-Noodle the crazy cockerspaniel), Holly the mechanic JRT and Mister the property guardian Labrador.
Penelope Joy
Penelope grew up on the outskirts of Sydney with enough room for a menagerie of cats, dogs, poddy lambs, ducks, birds and horses. Her love of cats began young and she longed to grow up and have her own indoor cat family.After studying Philosophy at Sydney University and working in the music industry she decided to leave the city and came to the Snowy Mountains in 2008. She fell in love with the landscape of the Snowy Mountains and Monaro region, and fulfilled her dream of her own cat family. She currently has eight feline flatmates and also Ferdinand, a poddy lamb (now sheep!) who loves a walk in the yard of an evening. Her other interests include poetry and photography and spending as much time in nature as she can. Penelope values connecting with people and their pets, and is proud to be part of such wonderful team at Snowy Vets.
Sharron Kristoff Dip.App.Sc(Ag), Grad Dip.Ed(Ag)
Sharron grew up and went to school in Wollongong, before she moved to Wagga Wagga to study for a Diploma in Applied Science (Agriculture), then a Graduate Diploma in Education.
After a stint of work in Wollongong after graduation, Sharron came to Jindabyne and soon after set up her own Angora goat stud, and worked as a station hand for a few years.
A serious car accident took her out of the work force for nine years, but George Timmins was lucky enough to entice her back to work with him at the then Baron Street Veterinary Clinic in Cooma. Since then Sharron has been our most faithful and tireless employee - always willing to go the extra mile or two... whatever it takes.
Sharron has over a decade of experience as both a veterinary nurse and in customer service.
Sharron is now happy working a couple of days a week, and looking after her flock of Angoras, with the help of her black and tan kelpie, Tess.
