Church Street Animal Hospital Staff Page

A Day With the Staff

Lee Ann Dye graduated from college and began working and volunteering with animals. She was a technician with the Dekalb-Gwinnett Animal Emergency Clinic for 10 years before joining the staff at the original Clarkston Animal Hospital. She has experience with patient assessment, I.V. catheter placement, medical/surgical treatments, anesthetic monitoring, diagnostic procedures and critical patient care. She particularly enjoys client interactions/education. In her spare time, she enjoys all equine activities including horseback riding and horse related events/activities. She enjoys indoor/outdoor gardening; her 75 gallon freshwater aquarium; her 2 cats: Chester and Batboy; her almost human dog, Kiwi; and her horse, Confetti.

Gary Shaw, Jr began working at Church Street Animal Hospital in his Junior year in high school. After graduation he continued to work with and learn to care for animals while he pursued higher education at Georgia Perimeter College. In his spare time, he likes to bowl, play video games and hang out with friends. While growing up, he had multiple dogs and cats; and as a young child, his family had a pet cow.

Renee Freeman graduated from high school and has been working with veterinarians for the past 4 years. Her goal is to return to school to further her education. She loves to bowl, teach liturgical dance, and spend time with family & friends, especially her dog "Morgan Freeman" and her cat, Mischief. Her philosophy in life is to "Be happy, and live life to the fullest."

Matthew Boswell completed high school and has enjoyed leaning about caring for animals while working at Church Street Animal Hospital. He walks the boarded dogs, helps care for the kennels, and is responsible for the general cleaning and maintenance. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his cocker spaniel, playing computer games, learning Spanish, writing books, and learning all he can about tigers. He really enjoys taming cats and hopes to get a PhD in feline zoology so he can study the tiger in captivity and in the wild. His goal is to help save the tiger from extinction.

Jenna Stegin earned her 4 year degree from Agnes Scott in the Spring, 2008. She previously volunteered at the Atlanta Humane Society and presently volunteers with the Chastain Park Equine Therapy Program. In her free time, she likes to tend to her patio garden, ride horses and go antique shopping. She currently owns two cats, a Maine Coon named May, an American Bulldog named Sadie, an adopted cat from Church Street Aninal Hospital, named Boy Kitty and the most recent member of the family, an 8-yr old Solid-Paint Geldiing, named Chipper. Jenna is a fourth generation Atlantan, who is a huge animal lover. She shares her Decatur Condo with her 2 cats and her boyfriend, Bobby.

Shannon Smith completed high school and worked with and learned to care for animals at Church Street Animal Hospital during her first tenure of 2 years. She recently started her second tenure and you will see her in the reception area interacting with and educating clients. Her future plans include pursuing a career as a Flight Attendant. In her spare time, she enjoys movies, eating out, and taking her dogs to the park. She has a Poodle named Farrah, a Chihuahua named Frankie, and a cranky cat named Mewtant.

Alice Steele earned her 4 year degree from UGA in 2008 in Social Studies Education. During her college years, she worked at the Animal Medical Clinic in Athens as a receptionist/technician. Prior to this she had worked in a clinic iin Seattle as a a vet tech. Her parents are licensed AKC judges and raise and show Basset Hounds. She grew up going to all-breed dog shows and working in her parents' kennel. She has a dog, Curbside; a cat, Maggie; 2 bunnies, Nivyn & Cadbury, and 2 rats, One & Two. Although she loves her mutt, Curbside, she will always have a soft spot for hounds! She likes spending time with her husband, Zach, her family, playing outdoors, and reading many books at a time. She and Zach own Wordsmiths Books, where Nivyn and Cadbury call home.

Jeanne Sanders completed high school and gained experience working with animals at several doggie day care centers before finding a job at an animal hospital in Atlanta. She was employed there for 2 years before joining the reception staff at Church Streeet Animal Hospital. She likes to read A LOT; loves sewing and making costumes; loves to create art using multi media: drawing, painting and sculpting. She grew up with both cats and dogs and presently has a Pomeranian named Baby, a fat cat she calls BFP (big fat pud) whose real name is Eevee, a Maine Coon names WiiPii and a ittle white cat named Mogget. She has always loved animals, especially cats and "can't imagine a life without them."

Kelley Aungst graduated from Georgia State University in 2007 with a BA in Communications in Film & Video. She plans on becoming a professional photographer or videographer. While in school she voluntered with several Atlanta area rescue organizations. She also did a student documentary in film school on animal euthanasia, puppy mills, and rescues. She is an avid naysayer of pupply mills and animal abuse. She believes "animals are one of the most special blessings in life." When she is not in the reception area at Church Street Animal Hospital, she enjoys watching movies (she is a cinema history buff), photography, graphic design, hiking, shopping, and baking. She also enjoys taking her 4 dogs: her Beagle, Bridget; her Poodle, Billy; and her 2 Yorkies, Willy and Lucy to the park with her boyfriend, Jeff.

Jordan Wiener completed high school and gained experience working with animals as a Veterinary Assistant for the Sandy Springs Animal Emergency Center, before joining the vet tech staff at Church Streeet Animal Hospital. He enjoys traveling, skiing, kayaking, hiking, camping, swimming, soccer, playing the trumpet/trombone and video games. He lives with three dogs: Lab-mix, Retriever-mix and a Rottweiler-mix; two Parakeets and two cats. He has had pets his whole life and "will continue to have more."

Heather Craig completed technical school and gained experience as a groomer and then a receptionist/vet tech in a clinic in Virginia prior to coming to Georgia and Church Street Animal Hospital. She was raised by a mother who rescued any animal who was in trouble. Consequently, she had many pets growing up: ferrets, lizards, birds, cats, dogs, horses and all rodents that are legal to have. She was in the United States Pony Club and worked showing horses. She lives with her husband, Jeremiah, her daughter, Hailey, and Soot, a black cat. In her spare time, she spends time with Hailey ("she is the sun and my life revolves around her") going to museums, the Atlanta Zoo, the Georgia Aquarium, Monkey Joes and their favorite place, the Yellow River Game Ranch where they love to feed the deer. Heather's goal is to study vet technology, become certified, obtain licensure in wild life rehabilitation and start her own animal rescue organization.

Susan Cocchi completed high school and has 12 years prior veterinary experience in the small animal field. She enjoys reading, gardening, listening to live music and is an animal advocate. She has a dog named Rose and a cat named Sammy. She grew up with animals in all shapes, sizes and breeds. She has worked with and for animals for most of her professional career and believes that "they should all be cared for by someone who loves them."

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