Veterinary surgeons

Clinical Director

Steve qualified from Cambridge Vet School in 1989 and worked for the next 12 years doing mainly small animal and cattle work in Oxfordshire before moving to Devon. Steve became a partner at Gabriel, Grills and Associates in Ivybridge, and developed his small animal interests particularly in orthopaedic surgery and reptile medicine. In 2013 he sold the practice to CVS and took on the role of clinical director at Filham Park, as well as here at Woodlands in September 2015. Since then Steve has enjoyed working with the staff at both sites and trying to integrate the best parts of both practices to provide the best quality service that we can to all of our patients. Steve's leisure time is spent as much with his family as possible, walking two Terriers, coaching his youngest son’s football team at Ugborough Football club and practising Taekwondo.

Luke graduated from Bristol University in June 2012 and then worked in a small animal practice in Torquay. He joined the team here at Woodlands Vets in April 2015. Luke enjoys many aspects of both canine and feline medicine, but particularly the clinical pathology and cytology (interpreting blood results and looking at small tissue samples down the microscope). Whilst to many it may sound dull, he likes to think of it as being a detective - using all the clues to reach a diagnosis. Luke has a particular soft spot for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. When not at work, he enjoys cycling, playing the piano and going to the gym.

Jane qualified, with honours, from the University of Bristol in 1983 and has been passionate about animals since she was old enough to catch them and cuddle them. She spent 12 years in mixed practice in Worcestershire and the Isle of Wight, enjoying the farm and equine visits. Since 2004 Jane has worked solely in small animal practice. She is experienced in all aspects of first opinion practice and has a special interest in rabbit medicine and surgery. Jane lives in Ivybridge with her family's rescued rabbits, cat and dog. Benji, who is a rescue dog that no one else wanted, has definite delinquent tendencies and has educated Jane in problem canine behaviour.

Justine qualified as a veterinary surgeon from Bristol Veterinary School in 1995 and then joined a mixed practice in Newquay, spending three and a half years there. She did a mixture of small animal and farm work which also involved dealing with the animals at nearby Newquay Zoo, seeing with various cases ranging from darting monkeys to suture their wounds to treating anorexic pumas. Justine joined Woodlands Vets in 1998 and her particular interests are anaesthesia and small furries. Her hobbies are spending time with family, especially walks on Dartmoor and swimming in the sea.

Kerry graduated from Bristol in 2000. She began work in mixed practice, but after 2 years decided to move to small animal practice. It was then that she began to develop a keen interest in surgery. She joined Woodlands in 2003 and has since become the senior surgeon here. She completed her certificate in 2016, having had some time off to have her two children, and gained her advanced practitioner status in 2018. She enjoys both soft tissue and orthopaedic surgery, regularly taking referrals of more challenging surgical cases from the large first opinion practice. She is interested in fracture repair and stifle disease, and has been key to the increasing use of laparoscopic techniques both for neutering and other procedures within Woodlands.

Anna graduated from Glasgow Vet school in June 2008 and joined Woodlands as a newly qualified vet, working initially at the hospital in Plymouth and more recently at the Ivybridge branch. During Anna's 4th and 5th years at vet school, she worked in Mauritius for a neutering charity. Anna travelled around the island neutering cats and dogs using converted ambulance as the operating theatre. Anna enjoys all aspects of veterinary work but particularly enjoys soft tissue surgery and dental work. In her spare time she enjoys playing on the beach with her 2 daughters and husband, she also enjoys sailing, skiing and renovating her house.

Sarah graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2014 and started work at Woodlands Vets straight after. During her first year at university Sarah was lucky enough to travel to South Africa where she spent three weeks working on a cheetah reserve. In her free time she can be found walking her Border Collie called Cassie on Dartmoor, horse riding, cycling and enjoying a piece of cake or two with friends.

Ruth graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2010. Since then she has worked in a small animal practice in Devon, before joining Woodlands in 2015. She enjoys all aspects of her job, there’s never a dull moment! She particularly enjoys soft tissue surgery and caring for her geriatric patients. Through work she has acquired 2 rabbits, an elderly Golden Retriever and 2 naughty hand-reared cats! In her spare time she enjoys getting outside, paddle boarding and running. Ruth also volunteers for Street Vet: a charity who provide veterinary care to homeless owners and their pets.

Born & raised in Romania, Sorin studied at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “Ion Ionescu de la Brad”, Iasi from which he graduated in 2014. Sorin has always loved animals and becoming a Veterinary Surgeon was his childhood dream. Being an ambitious person he moved here in the UK and joined the Woodlands Veterinary Group in October 2017 and from then until now he says that he is very happy and honoured to be part of a professional team that works together as one, every day for the health and welfare of the animals. Outside the work schedule Sorin enjoys travelling and seeing old historical places, swimming, going to the gym and occasionally challenges himself to the repair of notebooks and hardware/software testing

Originally from the states, Kendall first graduated from Miami University with a degree in microbiology. He then travelled to the United Kingdom and attended the Royal Veterinary College, qualifying in 2015. He spent his first 2 years as a mixed animal vet in mid-Devon. He then had the amazing experience of traveling around Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia before joining the veterinary team here at Woodlands. Outside of work Kendall enjoys all things outdoors, traveling and American football. He and his wife are also busy renovating their first home.

Froya is originally from Norway and graduated from the University of Veterinary medicine in Kosice, Slovakia in 2018. After graduating Froya spent 6 weeks in India and Thailand volunteering as a veterinarian and participating in a spay and neuter program before starting work at Woodlands. In her free time you can find her in the forest with her two active dogs, camping, training and competing in bikejoring with her dogs.