Iaon Cottrell
Practice Manager
Iaon came to us from a varied background of computer and mechanical skills as well as management experience. He is self-taught in computer hardware, software, networks, and web design.Iaon has been Practice Manager since 2003 and has done extensive updating of our computer network. He has added WiFi internet access for our clients to use, upgraded our entire xray to a completely digital system, and is in the process of converting the entire hospital to a paperless medical records system. He is greatly responsible for West End becoming a cutting-edge general practice.
He wears many hats, including Practice Manager, IT Guy, Handyman, and General Go-To Guy. He is a dedicated Operation Catnip volunteer and had the honor of writing a set of protocols for Operation Catnip surgical assistants. His personal interests include Butter Fly Gardening, composing electronic music, digital film making, Disc Golf, Ball Golf, And fragging 12 year olds on Xbox. He has been married to Dr.Deborah Cottrell since Feb of 2004 and their pet family consists of a Doberman named Ramona AKA "Slow Mo", Pit Mix named Heather just Heather, a long haired chihuahua named Chuper AKA "Super Chuper", a Shizh-Tzu named Trixie AKA "The Swiffer", and a large Koi Pond with 58 wait 57.... no 56.... wait 55... ummmm I mean 54 koi, and 2 red shouldered hawks living in the tree near the pond.
UPDATE - The fish have finally out grown the hawks ability lift them from the pond. however the hawks have reverted back to the indigenous squirrel population.
Michelle
Assistant Manager / Receptionist
Michelle has a long history with West End, originally starting as a volunteer in the summer of 1992, and then as a kennel technician in the fall of the same year. She worked her way to becoming a technician and then a receptionist. She worked with us until Feb 2001, when she left us to raise a family. She took a 6 1/2 year leave of absence and then returned to West End in June 2007.
Michelle has been involved with animals, both domestic and wild, her whole life. She has raised raccoons, squirrels, possums, and bunnies in addition to her own two children. She currently owns a Golden Retriever named Bella Boo and a pit bull named Alpha. She also has a ferret named Gracie Mae. She spends all of her time away from the office with her kids and husband Justin.
Kalee
Receptionist
Kalee hails from Chiefland and is currently a student at UF, majoring in Animal Science. She has a background in agriculture and raised hogs and steers in the FFA while in high school.
She hopes to attend the UF College of Veterinary Medicine. She enjoys horseback riding, fishing, and spending time with friends, family . She has two Chihuahuas named Buttercup and Tito.
Lindsey
Receptionist
Lindsey started out as a volunteer and soon became a receptionist here at West End in 2010. She originally was pursuing to be a human doctor and graduated with a Bachelor degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology in the fall of 2009. After graduating, she decided she wanted to work with animals and pursue a D.V.M. degree. Lindsey enjoys spending time with friends and family, drawing, and Disney movies. She lives with her boyfriend and their two dogs, Billy and Brooke-lynn, along with a newly adopted kitty named Sequel.
Maren
Receptionist
Maren graduated the Zoo Animal Technology Program at Santa Fe College in 2008. She later completed an internship with the Bird and Mammal Department of St. Augustine Alligator Farm in the summer of 2009. In the future, Maren hopes to return to school to receive a Bachelors degree in Zoology and one day work as a zookeeper in an accredited zoological facility. Her dream is to become the next Crocodile Hunter (sans stingray). In her spare time she enjoys playing video games, bowling, and drawing. Everyday she comes home to her loving fiancé, John; her dog, Lola; her pair of chinchillas, Cheech and Chong; and her crazy ferrets, Wilma and Sausage.
Erin
Veterinary Technician
Erin began work at West End as a receptionist in August 2005 and has been a technician since 2008. She is currently attending UF with a double major in Biology and Animal Sciences, and a minor in Chemistry. After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Spring 2011, she hopes to continue on the UF's College of Veterinary Medicine to become a small animal veterinarian. Erin has three beloved pets: a Pembroke Corgi (Cody), a longhaired Dachshund (Jessie), and a gray tabby cat (Tyler).
Ben
Veterinary Technician
Ben started out as a Kennel Technician in 2006 while going to school at UF. After earning his bachelor of science degree in 2009, he left for further schooling in the Caribbean islands. Since he has returned to the states he has been working full time while he applies to vet school.
Travis
Veterinary Technician
Having worked on a farm for several years, Travis has cared for many species, including buffalo, donkeys, and many types of birds. He moved to Florida in 2008 and began working at a pet store. He joined the staff of West End in 2009 and we hope to have him with us for a very long time. He and his girlfriend have many pets who consume their free time at home. These include six cats, two St. Bernards, horses, turtles, fish and snakes. He has a special interest in non-venomous snakes, especially the native Floridian Corn Snake.
Frankie
Veterinary Technician
Frankie attends Newberry High School and began as a volunteer at West End in the summer of 2006, then earned her way to a paid position in the summer of 2008. When she's not at school or work, she volunteers her time assisting animal rescue groups at adoptathons at PetSmart. She hopes to attend the University of Florida and become a veterinarian. Her pets are a giant Doberman named Thor, two ferrets named Max and Loki, and a cat named George.
Kimi
Kennel Technician
Kimi is a Gainesville native graduating from G.H.S. in 1995. She has worn many hats working throughout the Gainesville community from bar-tending to retail to local mortgage companies and is now employed at North Florida Rehabilitation and Specialty Care. She is highly devoted to the patients and residents in the facility working along side internal departments such as Social Services, MDS, Admissions and Reception/Accounts Payable. She is the one of the newest members of our team being attracted here due to her compassion for all animals. She has two cats, Milly and Sasha. In free time from both jobs, she enjoys spending time with her fiance, Shannon and going to the beaches.
Alex
Kennel Technician
Alex began as a kennel technician in August of 2010. She is currently a student at UF pursuing a degree in Animal Sciences, and plans to attend veterinary school. She shares her home with a shepherd mix named Lily, and a kitten named Myrtle. An avid equestrian since age 5, she spends any spare time at the barn riding and caring for her beloved horses, Mikey and Gaston.
Ariel
Kennel Technician
Ariel is one of our newest team members. She started out as volunteer and was hired on in june 2011.