Dr. Susan L. Nelson, VMD: I am a veterinarian who has been living and practicing in the Derby area for 30 years. A native of western Pennsylvania, I attended Allegheny College in Meadville, PA, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. I moved to Vermont after graduation in 1990. For 18 years I practiced large & small animal medicine/surgery as an associate and have been working independently since the end of 2007. I am a 30 year member of the AVMA and the VVMA.
Andrea J. Nelson, LVT: I am a Licensed Veterinary Technician with fifteen years of clinical experience. I have an A.A.S. in Veterinary Science from State University of New York, Delhi and a B.S. in Animal Science from Cornell University. For the past several years I have been managing a local family law practice and studying for the Vermont bar exam. My ultimate goal in life has always been to own and operate a veterinary hospital.
THE CONNECTION
After graduating from college, Andrea moved to the Northeast Kingdom and sought employment as a Veterinary Technician at the same animal hospital in which Susan was a practicing Veterinarian. They worked together in hospital for four years. Working together came easy, their personalities and work pace gelled, making work enjoyable. They were co-workers who became friends, and in 2011, friends became family when Andrea married Susan’s brother-in-law. After leaving work from their common employer, they toyed with the idea of opening their own clinic. In one serendipitous discussion they decided the time is right to marry their individual skill sets and aptitudes and become partners their common goal of veterinary clinic ownership. Their commitment to the care of animals in their community led them to this joint venture, emphasizing quality care and affordability for their NEK neighbors.