Meet our Staff
Doctors



Dr. Kelly Willard is the owner of Hudson Veterinary Hospital and Boston Heights Veterinary Hospital. She graduated from Ross University and serves as a Major in the US Army Reserves as a veterinarian. Dr. Willard and her husband Ryan live in Cuyahoga Falls with their two daughters and their two dogs. In her spare time, Dr. Willard enjoys travelling, spending time with friends and family, and running – qualifying for the Boston Marathon annually.
Dr. Glenn Thorson obtained his medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He was the previous owner of Boston Heights Veterinary Hispital for 28 years. Dr. Glenn enjoys knowing the entire family as well as caring for their pets. He and his wife Nancy live in Stow.
Dr. Lisa Van Nieuwal graduated from Ross University after completing her undergrad at Virginia Tech. Dr. Lisa has four dogs and two cats, as well as a Dutch Warmblood horse. She frequently fosters Boston Terriers for a local rescue/ In her free time Dr. Lisa enjoys competitive horseback riding, skiing and hiking, Dr. Lisa lives in Hudson.
Technicians



Denise earned her degree in Veterinary Technology from Columbus State Community College. She joined the Boston Heights Veterinary Hospital family in 1999. Denise enjoys spending time with her husband, David, and their young son. They share their home with a plethora of rescued animals, including three dogs: Bernie, Beine and Vinnie and four cats: Lu, Loopy, Weaver and Eureka.
Beth started at Hudson Veterinary Hospital in 2002 and works at both hospitals now. She oversees all OSHA regulations and keeps careful records of our controlled substances. She also assists with appointments and surgeries, and completes all overseas pet transport paperwork for our clients. Beth volunteers as a trail monitor with the Metroparks Service and enjoys going to comic book conventions. Beth lives in Twinsburg with her two rescued kitties Spot and Biscuit.
Lori came on staff in 2015 with 12 years of previous veterinary assistant experience. She worked at Hudson Vet for three years as a technician and was promoted to kennel manager fall of 2018 and then returned to the office as a technician and receptionist late in 2021. Lori has three grown boys and five adorable grandchildren. She is also “mom” to her three pups – Cabela a Rhodesian Ridgeback, Koda a Boston Terrier and Ruger a Labrador Retriever and two cats Coal and Diesel. Lori spends her free time enjoying her dogs, sons, and her grandchildren. Lori lives in Streetsboro.
Receptionists



Whitney became part of our family in July of 2016. She has always had an affinity for animals. She currently has 2 dogs (Kyole and Rocky) and 2 cats (Gypsy and Raven). Outside of the office she enjoys spending time with her son. She is excited to work in a field where the learning never ends!
Kathy joined our Staff in August 2015. She has always had a passion for animals having had variety of pets including exotic birds, guinea pigs, hamsters and of course dogs and cats. She enjoys walks with her Golden Retriever “Rosie” and her Special needs Australian Shepherd “Gunner”. She has been married to her husband Tony for 14 years and has three children. When she is not here with our team, she enjoys and values her family time.
Karrie started working in the office at Hudson Veterinary Hospital in 1997 and now at Boston Heights Veterinary Hospital as well. She is the lead client service representative and practice manager at Hudson. She is responsible for all accounts receivable as well as overseeing the front office and all hospital staff. She and her husband Clay live in Stow with their two teens and two cats Hash Brown and Kate. Karrie volunteers as the treasurer for the cat rescue group Forever Friends Foundation and is very involved in her children’s school and sports activities.
Groomer and Kennel



Ashley has been working in animal sheltering and welfare at the Humane Society of Summit County since 2008. She is currently the Behavior Supervisor and oversees the daily behavioral needs of the animals in the shelter’s care as well as offers post adoption training assistance. Ashley is also a CPDT-KA certified professional dog trainer offering in-home training for dogs and cats. She is the proud mother of five very special pit bull mixes (Irma, Jonas, Dually, Kenny and Chopper) and two senior kitties (Chadwick and Clover). She enjoys spending time with her husband Zach. They love bonfires, camping and riding (quads, dirt bikes and side-by-sides). She also enjoys hobbies such as reading and crocheting.
Lisa is an animal lover with over 20 years experience in grooming. She has worked at the Boston Heights Veterinary Hospital since 1989. She has a husband, two beautiful girls, a cat and a dog. Her hobbies are gardening, journaling and digital photography.