Author Biographies

Audrey
AUDREY S.
Audrey manages the Warehouse and Fulfillment Departments at Drs. Foster and Smith. With four children in hockey and a husband that coaches, their travels around the Midwest make it difficult to have pets at home. Having had pets all of her life, ranging from fish to horses, Audrey fills her “pet void” by keeping a blue parakeet, named Skittles, in her office.

BARB S.
Barb is a Certified Veterinary Technician with degrees in Journalism and German Studies from the University of Minnesota. She lives happily in the northwoods of Wisconsin with her Newfoundland, Rudder, and her tuxedo cat, Max. Barb is Senior Copywriter for Drs. Foster and Smith dog and cat catalogs and has been with the company since 1999. See all articles by Barb S.
Cherie and Bowie
CHERIE R.
Cherie is a photographer at Drs. Foster and Smith. She and her husband, Adam, are avid outdoorsmen, as well as volunteer firefighters. They share their home with their dog, two cats, and a beta. Cherie also shares her daily workspace with two skinks, a lovebird, and a Green-Cheeked Conure. In her free time she photographs wildlife and the night sky. See all articles by Cherie R.
Pet-Blog-EllenELLEN B.
Ellen and her husband have two grown children and two dogs who were both adopted from a local shelter. Kobe is sweet, calm lap dog, and Izzy is a cute, feisty puppy! Ellen earned a BBA from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and works in the Internet Marketing Department at Drs. Foster and Smith. See all articles by Ellen B.
Gordon Magee blog pictureGORDON MAGEE
Gordon Magee is the Internet Marketing and Media Manager for Drs. Foster and Smith. Over the years he has had two black labs and a golden retriever, as well as cats. Time spent with dogs, cats, cows, and horses was part of his fun of growing up in a small Iowa farm town. Gordon Magee.
HEATH S.
Heath has an unbridled passion for koi and koi ponds and is employed with the Drs. Foster and Smith warehouse team. Heath has two children and one golden retriever, along with 38 wonderful koi. Heath S.
HOLLY NASH, DVM, MS
Dr. Holly Nash received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Minnesota, and a Master’s Degree in epidemiology (the study of the transmission, distribution, and control of disease) from the University of Wisconsin. She has worked in a primarily dairy practice, as a veterinary epidemiologist, and as a companion animal veterinarian. Dr. Nash has been with Drs. Foster and Smith since 1998. She has always been interested in the human-animal bond and the education of animal owners, and finds being Editor of PetEducation.com a perfect match. She enjoys and has had experience working with many species of animals, and is a member of the American and Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Associations. Holly Nash.

JACKIE A.
Jackie and her husband share their home with their two small dogs, Murphy and Baxter, and a pit bull mix, Beau. As a first-time dog owner, Jackie finds it endearing that her dogs, though small in size, are so large in personality. Jackie works in the Internet Marketing Department at Drs. Foster and Smith and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. See all articles by Jackie A.
Pet-Blog-JanetJANET S.
Janet and her husband Steve have two kids, two dogs, one senior cat, one rabbit, and a few dust bunnies! Janet works as an engineer in the MIS department at Drs. Foster and Smith. She holds two Bachelors degrees from the Milwaukee School of Engineering, as well as a Masters degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. As a volunteer firefighter, EMT, and working mom, she finds joy in balancing her busy life of work, kids, pets and various other activities. She hopes to learn from you as she shares some life adventures! See all articles by Janet S.
Pet blog author Jeff K.JEFF K.
Jeff currently heads our Video Studio. In 1998, he also started our in-house Photo Studio. Jeff was one of a handful of North American photographers chosen to beta-test digital photography in the late 1980s and was integral in the early development of that technology. Jeff has always been a multiple pet owner, and is particularly partial to rescued Springer Spaniels. See all articles by Jeff K.
KATHARINE HILLESTAD, DVM
Dr. Katharine Hillestad received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Illinois. She is a companion animal veterinarian and has a special interest in feline medicine, animal behavior and nutrition. Dr. Hillestad has been with Drs. Foster and Smith since 2001. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association. See all articles by Katharine Hillestad.
KERI K.
Keri is a lead catalog designer for Drs. Foster and Smith and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from UW-Stout. She shares a small home with her husband, two Chinese Crested dogs, two cats, two ferrets, several reptiles and amphibians, and 30-some gallons of freshwater planted aquariums. See all articles by Keri K.

KEVIN K.
Kevin earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Wright State University, and is an avid marine life photographer, lifelong aquarist, and marine fish enthusiast. He has worked in the aquarium industry since 1983. He launched the LiveAquaria.com web site in 2000 and designed and oversaw the installation of the Drs. Foster and Smith Aquaculture Coral and Marine Life Facility, which opened in July of 2005. Kevin is currently the Director of LiveAquaria at Drs. Foster and Smith, and is an author, photographer, and speaker for many aquarium related clubs & groups. See all articles by Kevin Kohen.
Pet-Blog-Mary-Ellen
MARY ELLEN K.
Mary Ellen and her husband have two children and Jager, a lab/husky mix adopted from a local rescue organization. Mary Ellen did not grow up in a household with any pets, but it took only a few months working at Drs. Foster and Smith to make her realize she had to have one. She is a merchandising manager here and holds a BS in Business Administration and Marketing from Marquette University. See all articles by Mary Ellen K.

MATT S.
Matt Stelter owns and operates Wyndlair Collies, breeding AKC Rough & Smooth champion Collies in Northern Wisconsin. Matt and his wife, Anita, have both been active in the sport of purebred dogs for over 20 years. Matt was a multiple Best in Show and National Specialty-winning handler before becoming an AKC-licensed dog judge in 2008. He’s also an internet specialist at Drs. Foster and Smith, where he’s worked in various positions since 1993. Matt earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. See all articles by Matt S.

MELISSA R.
Melissa is owned by an active Border Collie named Mocca, and 3 cats: Kai, Cirrhi & Ritter. Melissa and Mocca compete in AKC Agility trials monthly, with the hope of continued advancing and further training. She is a Graphic Designer and Project Coordinator for the DrsFosterSmith.com and LiveAquaria.com websites. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Michigan State University and is a lifelong pet lover and owner. See all articles by Melissa R.
Mi KMI K.
Mi and her husband have two grown children and two grandchildren. She enjoyed dog ownership in the past, and now enjoys her granddog, Bean. Mi is the proofer and trafficker in the Internet Creative department at Drs. Foster and Smith. She has a BA degree in Sociology from Adrian College, located in Adrian, Michigan. See all articles by Mi K.
Pet-Blog-Michelle
MICHELE B.
Michele has been with Drs. Foster and Smith since 1993 and is currently a buyer for Foster and Smith Aquatics. Michele’s childhood dream was to rescue all the dogs from the animal shelter, and working for Drs. Foster and Smith has been a great way to nurture her passion for animals. Michele, her husband, and daughter have 2 dogs, Allie and Georgia, adopted from the local animal shelter. They also keep 200+ gallons of reef aquariums and a 28-gallon freshwater aquarium. Michele has a Business Management Degree from Nicolet College and is currently pursuing a degree in Operations and Supply Chain Management through Franklin University. See all articles by Michele B.

MONICA S.
Monica has “animal-itis,” a condition apparent in her desire to own and love many pets. Her “zoo” includes four cats, a dog, a Black & White Argentine Tegu, an Andean Milk Snake, and a Frilled Lizard. She also has a buckskin Quarter Horse, named Stefani’s Investment (aka Genie) and a chestnut Arabian, named WF Roses Are Red (aka Rose) and cares for multiple aquariums. She works as an Internet Content Specialist at Drs. Foster and Smith and LiveAquaria.com to support her “real job” of caring for her animals. See all articles by Monica S.
Pet-Blog-Promise
PROMISE N.
Promise and her husband have 5 children and 10 pets which include 4 dogs, 2 cats, 2 guinea pigs, 1 rat, and 1 turtle. She works in the Merchandising Department at Drs. Foster and Smith and has been employed for the company over 15 years. Although they keep her very busy, she enjoys spending time with her family and her pets.

SCOTT A. MCKAY, DVM
Dr. Scott McKay received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Michigan State University. He has worked with large and small animals in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Some of Dr. McKay’s interests include educating clients on how to best care for their animals and the human-animal bond. He has a special interest in wildlife. Dr. McKay has been with Drs. Foster and Smith since 2007. He has worked with a wide variety of animals and enjoys the diversity of this profession. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association. See all articles by Dr. Scott McKay.

TERRI S.
Terri and her husband Ron have 2 horses, Pearl and Zoe, and 2 Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Cooper and Doc. She has an Animal Science degree from UW-River Falls and is a Merchandising Coordinator at Drs. Foster and Smith. See all articles by Terri S.

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