Meet the Veterinarians, Registered Veterinary Technicians, and Management Crew

DVM

Dr. Lisa Preston graduated from Purdue way back in 1988! She is a “Regionite” and grew up in Highland. After graduation, she worked at the Calumet Emergency Veterinary Clinic and also did relief work at various local clinics. She started working at St. John part-time in 1989 and full-time in 1995. Dr. Preston became part owner of the clinic with Dr. Dave Austin in 1999 as they planned a large expansion of the then small clinic.

Dr. Preston is very proud of the growth and expansion of St. John Animal Clinic over the years. “We have kept up with advances in veterinary medicine with state-of-the-art equipment and a beautiful building. This enabled us to hire many top-notch veterinarians and staff who have contributed to this being a Best of the Region Winner for many years. The daily collaboration between veterinarians really contributes to the high-quality care we are able to offer.”

She truly looks at practice as a partnership between the client, pet, and veterinarian. The more involved and educated the client is about their animal, the better they can make choices regarding care. She welcomes questions and discussions and sometimes even learns from her clients. Dr. Preston takes her time working with scared and reactive pets and has earned the nickname “the cat whisperer” for her ability to work with fearful and fearless felines. Dr. Preston has a special interest in acupuncture and has used it with success, especially for arthritis pain and intervertebral disc disease.

Not only is she an amazing veterinarian but she won the distinction of NWI-IWA’s “Most Influential Woman of the Year” for business in 2019!

Dr. Preston is married and has two grown children, two cats and two dogs- all rescues (except the children 😊). She enjoys cycling, hot yoga, and is trying to like working out at the gym. She has a passion for adventure. Given the opportunity she will kayak, snorkel, and zipline among other outdoor activities. A few years back she hiked and camped in the Grand Canyon to see the amazing Havasupi village and waterfalls. She loves planning vacations, especially oceanside, to rest and recharge.

DVM

Graduated from Purdue’s School of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. While attending Purdue Dr. Buggie was involved with the SCAVMA and AAHA. After graduation, she had many offers for employment and we were lucky she chose us! She has worked here at St. John Animal Clinic since graduation and is now one of the owners!

She is an active member of CAVMA, IVMA, and AVMA. Veterinary medicine is her passion; she enjoys preventative medicine and soft tissue surgery. She is our resident Heartworm Treatment Doctor, plus worked very hard to help our clinic to attain Fear Free Certification!! She has attained the Elite status within her individual Fear Free certification.

Dr. Buggie loves spending time with her family (especially her amazing son and amazing daughter), and her pets. She also loves to go fishing, boating, doing crafts, is an avid reader, and enjoys beekeeping. She even finds time to volunteer as a 4-H assistant leader, and mini 4-H leader.

DVM

Dr. Melissa Dunn is one of the associate veterinarians working at St. John Animal Clinic. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Butler University in 2010 and her doctorate degree from Purdue’s Veterinary College in 2014. She is a member of the IVMA and AVMA. She completed a postgraduate chiropractic program at the Healing Oasis Wellness Center in 2024

Dr. Dunn enjoys all types of appointments and surgeries, but she loves preventative care in a fear free environment. She is excited to incorporate more integrative medicine into her daily practice at the clinic.

She knew she had an interest in the veterinary field from a very young age. SJAC felt like home when her family brought their dog for yearly visits back when she was in 4th grade. She started working at SJAC in 2008 during her summer and winter breaks as a receptionist and veterinary assistant. She has always loved the family atmosphere and support throughout college that she wanted to return after finishing her DVM.

Outside of the clinic, she loves spending time with her husband and two children fishing, baking, and riding bikes or go-carts.

DVM

Dr. Kim Michels is one of the associate veterinarians here at SJAC. She graduated from Purdue University with her B.S. in Animal Sciences and later her D.V.M in 2017. Dr. Michels is also a member of AVMA, INVMA, and Fear Free Pets (Level 3 certified).

Dr. Michels has always had a love for science and found veterinary medicine is a rewarding career for her. Each day is different, and she loves all the different roles she can have as a veterinarian such as dentist, surgeon, or a primary care doctor. Dr. Michels has diverse interests in medicine, behavior, and surgery. She enjoys building bonds with her clients and patients and cherishes those opportunities to interact with them.

Dr. Michels grew up in Northwest Indiana and came to SJAC for an externship during her final year of veterinary school. She enjoyed her time here and returned after working in Illinois for a few years. Some perks at SJAC are the short commute to work, the awesome team members, and the loyal and grateful clientele.

In her free time, Dr. Michels enjoys attending fitness classes, baking, crafting, and spending time with her husband and rescue Dutch Shepherd, Leia and a Belgian Malinois named Rogue.

Emily Shilling, RVTEmily received her Associate degree in Applied Science in Veterinary Technology from Joliet Junior College in 2009. She’s been at SJAC since! Emily has a senior pittie named Yukon Jack and has 2 kitties named Iroh and Princess Peach. Outside of working with animals, Emily enjoys reading, attending supercross races with her husband and camping w her family.

Fun facts about Emily: she is obsessed with polka dots, and turtles!

RVT

Holly is a 2013 graduate of Purdue University with her AS in Veterinary Technology. Holly has been with the clinic since 2003 when she was in high school and started out as a receptionist. We are lucky to have her talents, compassion, and tender heart. Holly loves all animals but has a special place in her heart for Mastiffs.

When she is not here at work, she enjoys spending time with her pets, family and friends!

RVT

Shannon joined the SJAC team in February of 2020. Since then she has truly enjoyed getting to know her patients and their owners as well as learning something new everyday! She received a BS in Science from Purdue Calumet and then continued her education at Fox College where she earned her AS in Veterinary Technology. She then passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam and received her license to practice in both Illinois and Indiana!

Shannon has two dogs, Ace and Hazel, who she loves immensely. She also has 4 cats (Whiskey, Riot, J Bell, and Beanie) who keep her on her toes!

When she isn’t at work taking care of her patients, Shannon loves being with her family. Her daughter, Haylee, is her favorite person ever!

Emma joined SJAC in January of 2024, newly graduated from Vet Tech Institute at Fox College, where she got her AS in Veterinary Technology. She worked here as an assistant until she passed her boards in May 2024. Then she hopped over to the Tech side where she currently works hard as one of our lovely RVTs.

Emma has two adorable fur babies of her own: Ava, a smart and beautiful hound mix, and Ellie, a goofy catahoula husky mix. In her free time, she likes to spend time with her pets, play video games, watch TV and spend time with loved ones.

Emma loves working at SJAC and bonding with each and every patient she meets. She also loves to learn every thing she can. Her favorite part of about working at SJAC are the people she works with and the patients she gets to help.

Fun fact: Emma graduated Tech School at the age of 19.

Practice Manager

Kelly joined SJAC in 1999 and has worked in all areas of the clinic. Currently, you can find her working behind the scenes as Inventory Manager as providing support for staff and clinic in many capacities. Kelly is a proud graduate of Purdue University. She Fear Free Certified Elite and loves all animals, but has a soft spot for Black Labrador Retrievers and black cats. Kelly resides in Chesterton with her husband, young son and pets (Labrador, black cat, eclectus parrot and leopard gecko). She loves to stay active and enjoys running, hiking, camping, scuba diving and rally with the dog. She taught barre for 5 years and was also a wildland firefighter for 2 seasons.

Sheena is the in-clinic Practice Manager here at SJAC. She started at our clinic as a Veterinary Assistant in 2015 and has been cross trained in reception and surgery. She has continued to grow and exceed expectations, while always willing to lend a helping hand. She started working in the veterinary field when she was sixteen, and with her previous experience at a few different clinics, Sheena has comfortably settled into SJAC due to the quality of care given to patients. Sheena has the biggest heart and finds great joy in helping patients, clients, and her fellow coworkers. She always has a bright smile and takes an active role in making sure other smiles are shining even brighter. When Sheena isn’t working, she enjoys going on adventures and spending time with her loved ones. Sheena cherishes moments with her pets as well as other animals.

Technician Manager

Maggie received her associate in applied science in 2002 and her bachelor’s in science in 2003 from Purdue University Veterinary Technology Program. While there, she was a member of the student chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Her studies focused on animal behavior and management.

Maggie has a Pomeranian mix named Mr. Fluffypants, known as ‘pants’ here in the clinic who was rescued from an overcrowded shelter in China. Some fun facts about Maggie are that she loves to sing, she is a published author, loves to travel, and her favorite place is Disney World.

Zone Lead – Reception Supervisor

Jody has worked at SJAC for 10 years this past Aug! She was promoted to reception supervisor in 2023. When she is not having fun with all the dogs and cats at the clinic, she is playing with her own! She has 3 English Mastiffs named Chloe, Killian, and Copper! Before SJAC she was traveling the world with her husband, Tim, who retired from the Air Force after 21 years of service! Now that they have settled down, they like to go camping and fishing with family and friends!

Surgery Supervisor

Elizabeth Mazur is the Surgery Supervisor here at SJAC. She has worked in the Veterinary Field since 2005, and came to SJAC in 2012 looking to expand her knowledge. Liz has worked her way up the ladder from receptionist to veterinary assistant, and eventually into her new position as Surgical Manager. Even though she is the Surgical Manager, she still enjoys working as an assistant, and occasionally works as a receptionist when needed. Liz loves the interaction between the clients and the patients. When Liz is not at work, she enjoys spending her time with her husband and son! They love to travel, and their favorite place to visit is Disney World! When she is not traveling, she loves to be outside with her son going for walks and swimming! She also has two dogs, Beemer a mini dachshund, and Levi a border collie. She also has two dogs, Gus a golden retriever, and Levi a border collie.