Medical Director
Dr Sherry Hill prides herself on developing strong relationships with her clients. She loves getting to know people and their pets! She is passionate about helping senior pets lead a pain-free life. Plus, she has a soft spot for cats.
Clients compliment her friendly, straightforward demeanor. Dr Hill’s goal is to remove the confusion in veterinary medicine while offering quality medical care.
Pets love her calm demeanor. Dr Hill knows animals can feel uncertain about check-ups. So she uses Fear Free tactics like a gentle touch, a calm voice, and lots of treats to help pets feel their best. And she loves a good snuggle when a dog or cat is ready.
Dr Hill has additional training in dentistry. She stays up to date with evolving animal medicine through local and national conferences. Her favorite is the AVMA national veterinary conference.
Dr Hill completed her DVM at Colorado State University. In her free time, she cycles for fun and to raise money for the Livestrong Foundation. She also loves scuba diving and gardening. She has 2 dogs, Letty and Calvin, and 2 cats named Venus and Bruno Mars.
Hospital Manager
Mary’s collaborative leadership skills encourage teamwork, transparency, and personal growth. Clients appreciate that she sets high expectations for their pets’ care and that her team helps achieve these standards. Mary wants clients to know they are an integral part of the Firehouse family.
An advocate of pet comfort, Mary is Fear Free certified. She knows that vet visits can be stressful for the entire family, so she encourages her team to continue to provide the best, individualized care.
Mary is passionate about teamwork and collaboration. She leads by example and encourages her team to grow and find their strengths and passions. She knows that each team member brings their own wealth of knowledge, resources, and ideas to the Firehouse family.
After receiving a degree in Criminal Justice, Mary decided to use her passion for leadership to help improve animals’ lives. She began her veterinary career as a kennel assistant before working her way up. Mary is so excited to lead her team, meet the clients, and help grow the Firehouse family.
When not working, Mary enjoys eating all sorts of delicious food and working out to help cancel out the calories. She has a soft spot for senior pets and knows how special they are to their families as they grow older. Her family includes her husband, three dogs, and a cat. She has two Siberian Huskies: Gambit, a senior, and Ronin, a troublemaker puppy; and a senior, three-legged Miniature Poodle named Meka. Meka is Mary’s heart dog. Her rescue cat, Fufu, is an orange tabby foster fail.
Veterinarian
Dr Kristen Ussery believes that pets can make even the hardest day better. She truly loves building lasting relationships with pet parents through communication and collaboration. She wants clients to feel heard, understood, and comfortable.
Clients appreciate how she explains diagnoses, lab work, and treatment plans in easy-to-understand language. They love that she focuses on their pets’ unique needs. A natural problem-solver, Dr Ussery believes there is no problem too complex for her to solve.
To help pets feel secure, she gives them lots of treats and time to adjust to the check-up. She also gets down on the floor to be at the pet’s level. Dr Ussery is Fear Free certified.
She has a passion for genetic-based medicine and enjoys learning about breed-based conditions. She also has a lot of experience with anal-related issues. She isn’t one to shy away from strange or messy issues!
Dr Ussery received a Biology Degree from the University of Central Arkansas. She then went to Louisiana State University for veterinary school. She moved to Austin as quickly as she could, and loves it here. Depending on the temperature, she is either outside riding horses, training her dog in agility courses, or playing video games with her husband in the air conditioning. She rescued her Australian Cattle Dog, Belle, from the Texas Cattle Dog Rescue during COVID, and calls her a “COVID pup.”
Veterinary Technician
Jessica keeps Firehouse’s core values central to each appointment, focusing on patient care and comfort, client education, and compassionate treatment. Her knowledgeable and personable approach, as well as Fear Free techniques, helps patients and clients feel comfortable. Jessica began her pet care career ten years ago as a kennel technician and quickly fell in love with the trade. She continues to grow and learn at every opportunity so that she can further enhance her level of care. Since the veterinary medicine field is constantly changing, Jessica attends continuing education courses, researches trends, and works with the veterinarians to understand cases.
When not working, Jessica loves attending live music shows and car shows. Otherwise, she snuggles up at home with her rescue pack: Mona, an American Bulldog; Tank, an American Staffordshire Terrier; and her three cats: GIR, Gaz, and Loki. Her top three favorite pets to work with are dogs, cats, and fish.
Veterinary Technician
Raquel loves building relationships with clients and their pets. By getting to know clients and patients, she can provide individualized care. Because vet visits can be stressful, Raquel tries to make the appointments as comfortable as possible. She takes time to answer clients’ questions and takes a patient approach with pets. She always has treats or toys ready to reward pets during their visit.
Raquel also enjoys teaching clients about the importance of yearly lab work and flea and heartworm prevention. She believes that by educating clients, clients can be more involved in discussing their pets’ care.
When not working, Raquel enjoys meeting with friends at local taprooms, breweries, or coffee shops. A self-proclaimed “dog person,” she shares her home with her two German Shepherds, Phoebe and Zeus. She is currently enrolled at Ashworth College to become a certified Veterinary Technician.
Veterinary Technician
Clients love Elantra’s kind, patient demeanor. She is transparent with clients so that they can make informed decisions about their pets’ care. She listens to their questions, validates their concerns, and works with clients to find a solution for their pets.
Elantra can help even the most nervous pet feel comfortable during their visit. She wants each patient to leave feeling comfortable and happy so that the vet is no longer a scary place. She uses Fear Free techniques and treats to keep pets secure. She ensures each pet gets her best care by treating them as her own. Elantra is also a master cuddler and enjoys spending time with pets who have been dropped off. She enjoys working with exotic pets as well.
To keep her skills current, Elantra researches best practices online. She plans to complete her Veterinary Technician Associate’s Degree and her grooming license as time allows. She is also interested in taking courses in Veterinary Terminology. When not working, she likes to play video games and watch movies with Bagheerah, her black cat, or explore the countryside.
Veterinary Technician
Ayleen values patient comfort, safety, and care. Clients appreciate that their pet is always in good hands with Ayleen. She is detailed, thorough, and passionate. She addresses every concern a client has and helps answer all their questions.
She handles each patient with care, adjusting her strategies to make each pet feel comfortable. She also uses Fear Free techniques. Ayleen is constantly learning from veterinarians so that she can provide the best care.
Ayleen studied Public Relations at Texas State University. She has a soft spot for all dogs, but especially Labs. On the weekends, she enjoys working out, spending time with friends and family, going to whatever festivals are happening, and working on her web design skills. Her heart belongs to her two dogs: Captain, a senior Terrier mix, and Hoss, a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix.
Client Service Coordinator
Jen remembers the clients and patients who come into Firehouse, making them feel welcome each time they visit. Clients appreciate that she is efficient and transparent. She also collaborates with clients so they can be involved in their pet’s visit.
Jen is Fear Free certified and reads pets’ body language to find out how they are feeling. She adjusts her care to keep pets as comfortable as possible. Jen has over fifteen years of experience as a technician, but still loves learning new skills to improve her care. A lifelong animal lover, Jen decided to pursue a career in the veterinary field after college.
When not working, she loves spending time outdoors, hiking, paddle boarding, and kayaking. She also spends time in her garden. She and her husband love traveling, especially to Hawaii, Colorado, and Disneyland, but are always excited to see new places. She shares her home with her dog, Una, and five cats: Ash, Buffy, Mal, Rex, and Thor.
Client Service Coordinator
Patti loves collaborating with clients to find the best option for their pets. She reviews patient information before the appointment so that pets do not miss out on anything they may need. This also helps ensure that she and the doctor can address all the client’s concerns. Patti helps teach clients how to use our online pharmacy and app so they can always request what they need.
Patti wants pets to love coming to see us, whether that means giving them treats or love, or a quiet, safe space. She knows that keeping pets comfortable helps everyone meet the client’s medical goals. She is calm, even in emergency situations, which helps clients and patients stay calm as well.
Before moving to Texas, Patti studied business and history in California. Her hobbies include making chainmail, photography, and studying genealogy. A true dog lover, she has three of her own: Ospf (Chihuahua/Poodle mix), Pixie (Dachshund/Chihuahua mix), and Mars (Rat Terrier/Schnauzer mix).