Our Terrific Staff at AHAH

Veterinarians
(Click for detailed biography)

Stephen Camp, DVM

Nedra Barksdale , DVM

Rebecca Clow, DVM

Darin Flaska, DVM

Anita Kuhnle, DVM

Molly O'Brien , DVM

Heather (Almy) Venn, DVM

*Otis, CAT

*Rhyno, CAT

*Squishy, CAT

Veterinary Technicians

Kristin Cullen
Lauren Golab
Lori Herron
Deborah Poczatek
Anna Trujillo

Surgery Technician
Catherine Ponczkowski

Building Maintenance

Julie Vehrs

Julie is also
Kennel Manager

Receptionists

Jackie Bacci

Laura Bauer

Elyse D'Agostino

Teri Gathercoal

Connie Launius

Melinda McGrew

Susan Poczatek
Reception Manager

Barb Roberts

Kennel Assistants

Elizabeth Feraz

Nicole Nelson

Olga Novikova

Danielle Reif

Julie Vehrs is also
Kennel Manager

Between us, we have over 100 years of veterinary experience helping pets and their owners. The majority of those years have been together as a team. The younger members bring to the table just as much as the older members. What the younger members may lack in years they certainly make up for with enthusiasm, hope, and very current knowledge. Each of us has our own unique approach to medicine and specific areas we have become more familiar with. This individuality, combined with our team effort, gives us a very broad and diverse base to help you and your pet.

Dr. Camp

Stephen V. Camp, DVM

Steve Camp, D.V.M., was born and raised in the small Hoosier town of Howe, Indiana. His family's farm has been in the same family for over 125 years. Dr. Camp loved his life on the farm and said, "I just can't remember there ever being a time when I didn't want to be a veterinarian." Graduating from high school with academic and athletic honors, Dr. Camp went on to Purdue University where he did his pre-veterinary curriculum, and then was accepted into Purdue's School of Veterinary Science and Medicine. Dr. Camp is a licensed veterinarian in both the state of Illinois as well as Indiana.

Dr. Camp met his wife, Laura, at Purdue, and they were married while both were still in school completing their degrees. Immediately upon graduation, Dr. and Mrs. Camp moved to Arlington Heights. They have one daughter, who is also a Purdue University graduate. The Camp family members are Purdue football fanatics, loving to tailgate before Boilermaker home games. Dr. Camp is also an Illinois High School Athletic Association basketball referee in his spare time, and he enjoys catch and release fishing, movies, and watching pro sports. Dr. Camp's best "buddy" is his 23 pound butterscotch colored cat "Buster". Buster was abandoned, and his great big purr found him a home with Dr. Camp.

Dr. Camp has co-owned the Arlington Heights Animal Hospital since 1978. One of the pivotal reasons Dr. Camp chose to own his own animal hospital was because of his strong feelings about how veterinary medicine should be practiced. Dr. Camp said "I want to be able to treat my clients as I would want one of my own family members treated, and with insightful knowledge, true respect, and heartfelt kindness." Dr. Camp became the sole owner of Arlington Heights Animal Hospital when Dr. Sefcik retired in June, 2004.

Dr. Clow

Rebecca Clow, DVM

I was born and raised in a small town by the name of Agency (pop. 600), located in southeast Iowa. Although growing up surrounded by Hawkeye fans, I eventually came to my senses and decided that being a Cyclone was much more beneficial. I attended Iowa State University, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Animal Ecology and Environmental Studies.

A different call of the wild soon caught my ear and I proceeded on to the College of Veterinary Medicine, also at Iowa State, graduating in 1998.

Outside veterinary medicine I enjoy antiquing, photography, and travel. At this point my household pet population consists of a very naughty cat named Nadia (aka "Bad kitty - get off counter.")

I have been with Arlington Heights Animal Hospital since April, 2002.

Dr. Flaska

Darin Flaska, DVM

I grew up in Palatine and went to Fremd High School. where I enjoyed baseball, building construction, and getting to know "my now wife" Bree. After graduation, I attended the University of Wisconsin - Parkside as a biology major. Although animals were always an integral part of my life, college helped me to realize my future as a veterinarian. I transferred after three years to the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in May 2004. Go Badgers!

In March 2003 Bree and I got married, went on a honeymoon to Florida, and then adopted our three rambunctious yet lovable cats Sandy, Tabitha, and Allie. I was fortunate enough to have an externship at the Arlington Heights Animal Hospital in October 2003 and later accepted a position at the clinic to begin my veterinary career in June 2004.

I am very excited to contribute to the clinic and continue my veterinary medicine education.

Dr. Kuhnle

Anita T. Kuhnle, DVM

I grew up in a near west suburb of Chicago and attended West Leyden High School. I thought they were rid of me in 1977 but they invited me back in 2002 to be inducted into their Wall of Fame. I think it was an elaborate scheme to collect on my overdue library fines.

The University of Illinois was my home for the next seven years: three years of undergraduate work in biology and four years of veterinary college. In my senior year I did a six week mixed-practice externship in Southlake, Texas. I had entertained ideas of becoming a mixed-animal practitioner. I particularly liked working with dairy-cows and horses. I soon discovered that the long hours in a truck are monotonous and "horses" means "horse people", so I gave up that idea. Of course, being covered in Texas-sun-baked manure ten hours a day had nothing to do with the decision. I graduated from veterinary college in 1984 with high honors.

I joined Arlington Heights Animal Hospital in May, 1984. Since then I have seen many changes in the veterinary profession. There have been wonderful innovations as well: a few years ago I learned ultrasonography. This is a very useful diagnostic tool and, by being able to perform this procedure in our hospital, our patients benefit.

I married my husband, Ken, in 1988. In our first two years together, we built our house - ourselves. It was some of the hardest work I have ever done. We have cats, an Italian Greyhound, and an Australian Shepherd. All of our cats were strays and our Italian Greyhound was a rescue. We have a full house and cannot imagine a day without any of them. Ken and I both have advanced belts in Shotokan Karate. We love to fish and travel.

When I was seven, I decided to be a veterinarian because I wanted a career I could enjoy for life. Many years of life and many years of practice later, I still feel the same. Helping animals live healthy lives is very rewarding.

Dr. O'Brien

Molly O'Brien, DVM

I grew up in Des Plaines, IL, where I lived until I went away to college. I attended the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and earned my undergraduate degree in Animal Sciences. After college, I headed off to the island of St. Kitts in the Caribbean to start veterinary school at Ross University. I spent a few years living there while I was in school and then went on to finish up with a year of clinical experience at Oklahoma State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. I earned my DVM and accepted a job at Arlington Heights Animal Hospital in May 2006. I really enjoy traveling but after moving around so much, I'm happy to settle down in a familiar area.

I have had many pets through the years, including hamsters, birds, and dogs, and they have always been an important part of my life. I had wanted to be a veterinarian for a long time and I am very happy that I got to see that dream come true. Right now I only have one dog, a Wire Fox Terrier named Lucky, but he singlehandedly keeps me busy.

Dr. Barksdale

Nedra Barksdale, DVM

I grew up on a farm in the small, southern Illinois town of Kimmundy as the youngest of eleven children! Animals have always been a part of my life, as my family raised cattle, pigs, horses, chickens, ducks, turkeys, and lots of cats and dogs. I attended Eastern Illinois University, from which five of my older sisters also graduated. I received my BS in biology in 2003 from Eastern, and my DVM from the University of Illinois' College of Veterinary Medicine in 2007, with honors. While in Champaign, I saw the Illini make it to the national championship game and watched Chief Illiniwek's last dance at Assembly Hall.

I started with Arlington Heights Animal Hospital in 2007, and live in Arlington Heights with my two cats, Tiki and Rudy.

Dr. Almy

Heather D. Venn, DVM

Dr. Venn graduated from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in June, 1994 as Dr. Almy, and joined our staff all shiney and new. Dr. Venn grew up on a farm in central Illinois. Her desire to care for animals was obvious very early, and we are grateful to her parents for everything that added to the Dr. Venn we know. A terrific general practitioner, cancer chemotherapy is becoming Dr. Venn's special interest.

She happily became Dr. Venn in 2005.

Dr. Otis

Otis,CAT

Otis joined our staff in 1985. He brings a vast wealth of feline experience, and serves as special consultant on many of our tougher basket cases. He has a way of "getting through" to them with an intuitive insight.

Otis passed away October 5th, 2007, over the age of 23. He was loved by many and will be missed by all.

Otis,CAT, Concerned

Otis & Opal

Otis & Opal
Bring Opal out by moving your mouse over her picture

Otis & Opal

Otis took on one girlfriend his entire life. Whether out for a stroll or staying in, they were inseperable.
He adopted Opal early in her life, late in his: he was captivated by her youth. He trained and nurtured her.
He remains true to her, even though, as often happens in the summer/winter romance, she outgrew him.

Rhyno

Rhino, Otis' new intern clinic cat, was, as usual, a stray who won everyone's heart in September. He is a permanent addition.

Squishy is the newest clinic kitty, arriving in December as a victim of being abandoned in winter. As Receptionist Susan Poczatek tells it:

"I got the call from Lori of Arlington Heights Animal Control on or about Dec. 21 or 22 asking if she could bring us a small kitten about 5 weeks old if she could get him un-frozen from under a pier in a lake where he was hiding. It was a very cold and windy day and she said that his feet were frozen into the lake and that she was not sure what kind of shape he would even be in if they did get him out. I said sure and we watched for a couple of days and he finally arrived on Christmas eve, 2004. His feet and underside of his tail needed alot of attention. Luckily his paw survived as you can see in the picture. He stays here in the office with Dr. Camp alot and has turned out to be a great smooooshy cat as well."