Nursing Staff
Carla Horstmann, BS, MS is the veterinary technician supervisor at AHNA. A member of the staff since 1980, Carla has a Master's Degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She enjoys working at AHNA because the staff are the kindest and most compassionate people she has ever known and she gets to work beside them every day, utilizing the most up-to-date technology and patient care protocols. Carla's four-legged family members include two dogs, Bit and Bagel; five cats, Cheerio, Kix, Raisen, Dennis and Daniel; and two horses, Luke and Boo. When she's not at the hospital, Carla enjoys camping, hiking, gardening, going to yard sales and flea markets, playing basketball and spending time with friends, family and her pets.
Certified veterinary technician Kelly Brown, RVT has helped care for pets at AHNA since 1987. She enjoys making a difference in the lives of pets and their owners and likes giving back to the community by helping with wildlife rehabilitation. In her spare time, Kelly can be found running, reading, working on her farm and horseback riding. Her home is filled with pets and she enjoys the companionship of her three dogs, Conere, Soever, and Savvy; horses Zar, Whiskers, Cooper and Ellie, a miniature donkey named Eyore, and eight cats.
Sharon Ammons, RVT is a certified veterinary technician and has been part of the AHNA team since 1995. The state-of-the-art hospital, loving environment, high-quality care and closely-knit staff are just some of the many reasons Sharon enjoys working at the hospital. When she's not at the hospital, Sharon enjoys hiking, camping, doing yard work, taking photographs and preparing for the arrival of her new baby.
Registered veterinary technician Ruby Kane, RVT joined the AHNA team in 2005. She enjoys the fast-paced aspect of working in a busy veterinary practice and loves seeing all the puppies and kittens that come in. In her spare time, Ruby can be found out hiking with her dogs, Ella and Brando, or horseback riding.
Certified veterinary technician Jennifer Deuel, RVT has helped care for pets at AHNA since 2005. She is proud of the high-quality patient care offered at the hospital and loves being part of the caring, friendly staff. Hiking, jewelry-making, camping and cake decorating are just some of her many pastimes. At home, Jennifer can be found spending time with her pets, Jose, a German Shepherd mix, and Ethel, a cat.
Gretchen Harwell, RVT has been a surgery assistant at AHNA since 2007. She loves working with the friendly and enthusiastic staff and enjoys working in surgery. She shares her home with two Dachshunds, Annie and Killian, and a Parakeet named Slash. Gretchen and her dogs participate in confirmation and dog shows and she is a member of the Dachshund Club of South West Ohio. In her spare time, she enjoys knitting, reading, cooking and gardening.
Registered veterinary technician Kelly Carter, RVT joined the Animal Hospital of North Asheville team in 2008. She feels very fortunate to work at the hospital and enjoys working with the caring staff and knowledgeable veterinarians. When not at work, Kelly enjoys spending time with her husband, thrift shopping and going on the occasional hike. Music is a huge part of her life and she enjoys both listening to and playing music. Her animal companions include a dog named Ripley and two cats, Simon and Gertie.
Karlyn Lewis, RVT is a medical/surgical care veterinary technician. A registered veterinary technician, Karlyn has been a member of the Animal Hospital of North Asheville team since 2005. She enjoys working with the compassionate staff members and is proud of the high standard of care the hospital offers.
Karlyn and her husband Michael are the proud parents of a son, Logan. Their family also includes two dogs, Nanook and Foxy, and four cats, KitKat, Tigger, Slvester, and Hobbes. In her spare time, she enjoys going on hikes with Logan and spending time with her family. In the summer, Karlyn can be found with her family out on their boat on the lake, swimming and fishing.
Registered veterinary technician Anje O'Nan "Nan" Ruby, RVT has been a member of the Animal Hospital of North Asheville team since 2009. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Studio Art and an Associate's Degree in Veterinary Technology. She enjoys working at the hospital because the staff treats every animal with compassion. She is proud to be part of the team.
Nan has many creative pursuits and enjoys refurbishing old furniture, glass blowing and taking photos in her spare time. She also gardens, and uses the vegetables and herbs from her garden in her cooking. Nan's animal companions include Peyton, a St. Bernard, and two cats, Bella and Pervis. She also fosters animals through the Asheville Humane Society.
Patty Vannice, RVT -- Bio and photo to follow
Pharmacy technician Lesley Dawn Wig has been a member of the AHNA team since 2003. She is currently enrolled in Penn Foster College and is pursuing her veterinary technician certification. She is proud to be part of the highly-skilled and knowledgeable staff at AHNA and enjoys learning new things about animal care each day. When she's not working at the hospital or studying, she can be found hiking the Appalchian Trail. Lesley also started the AHNA Book Club, which meets as often as possible to discuss a variety of books. She also enjoys spending time with her husband and their pets. They share their home with four dogs, Jack, Lennon, Valentine, and Mocha and a cat named Simon.
Cindy Radcliffe is an exam room technician at AHNA. A member of the staff since 2008, Cindy has worked in the animal care for more than 30 years. She started out as an AHNA client and was so impressed with the excellent care offered at the hospital that she became an employee. Cindy's animal companions include two dogs, Kiwi and Murdock, both of whom are rescue dogs. Kiwi and Murdock are involved in dog agility and obedience training and also volunteer for pet therapy at local nursing homes. Cindy enjoys spending time outdoors with her dogs and they can often be found hiking and spending time with friends and family.