OUR TEAM
Dr. Bridget Harris
Veterinarian, Owner
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Dr. Bridget Harris has been practicing veterinary medicine since 1983. She worked in numerous small animal clinics in Calgary until deciding to open up her own practice, Southwood Veterinary Hospital, in 2000. Dr. Harris is a very devoted practice owner who loves all aspects of veterinary medicine. She would like nothing more than to practice seven days a week. When she is not physically in the clinic she keeps in contact with her clients and staff.
Dr. Alissa Ballantine
Veterinarian
Dr. Alissa Gunderson was born in Calgary and went to the University of Prince Edward Island for her undergraduate studies. She graduated from the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine in 2013 with a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine. She spent several years in general and emergency medicine in both Calgary and Edmonton then switched gears and managed oncology patients full time for an additional 3 years. She is now finding a permanent new home at Southwood where she is excited to see pets of all ages and for all reasons! In her spare time, she enjoys outdoor activities, cooking, running, and reading. She spends most of her free times with her two cats and Golden Retriever.
Courtney Nelson
Practice Manager / Registered Veterinary Technologist
Courtney graduated from Fairview College in 2004 and four months later started working full-time at Southwood Veterinary Hospital. Her nurturing and empathetic nature make her a well-suited nurse for all of our patients, especially those who require hospitalization. Courtney has one cat of her own; ‘Sophie’ who was rescued as a kitten and has proven to be an irreplaceable member of the family. The aspect of being an AHT that Courtney enjoys the most is the rewarding feeling she receives from knowing that she is helping to make a difference in the lives of our clients and their pets.
Tiffany Davis
Registered Veterinary Technologist
Tiffany has been working in the Veterinary industry since 2013; she began her career once traveling to Calgary from Ontario.Tiffany joined the team in 2016, while enrolled in the distant learning program at Thompson Rivers University and graduated the Animal Health Technologist program in 2018. She comes to this industry with a kind heart, passion and dedication in making a positive difference in animal’s lives. During her down time she loves spending time with her four legged friend Ruby and her the new addition of her two legged human!
Brittney Eyles
Registered Veterinary Technologist​
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Brittney is a born and raised Calgarian who grew up loving animals. Between fostering from different shelters and caring for her own pets, she decided to follow her passion in animal care and completed the AHT program at Olds College in 2020 where she graduated with distinction. At home, she has a collie mix named Maggie, and 3 cats named Orange, Jax and Eliza (all foster fails). Brittney loves working with the team at SVH and is eager to create a positive experience for you and your pets.
Tea Juntez
Registered Veterinary Technologist​
Tea is a Registered Veterinary Technician who has worked in this field since November of 2019 after graduating from Olds Collage. She has wanted to work with animals since she was 10 years old and Steve Irwin was wrangling crocodiles on Discovery Channel, though at the time she dreamed to be in his footsteps and work with wildlife. She obtained a minor in Primatology while she was getting her Bachelor in Biological Sciences in 2016. After the passing of her family dog Sami in 2016 she reflected on his almost 17 years of life and saw areas where she could have done better in his daily care as an owner, which spurred her further towards veterinary medicine. She is very happy with her decision of becoming an RVT, as now she can provide the best care for her beautiful Starlight, pictured with me. On top of working at the clinic she has been dog and cat sitting for a variety of clients since 2020 and continue to do so.
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Viktoriia Bezzakonova
Registered Veterinary Technologist​
Viktoriia joined our SVH team in June 2023 after graduating with honors from Northwestern Polytechnic’s AHT program in May 2023 and became a Registered Veterinary Technologist in August 2023 and has been helping our clients and their precious animals ever since. Viktoriia has always loved animals and wanted to become a vet as a child. She moved from Russia where she worked as a veterinary assistant for 3 years prior to moving to Canada to study Animal Health Technology in 2021.
Before coming into small animal care, she worked with horses and competed in Dressage. Currently at home in Calgary, her pet friends consist of parrots and other exotic animals. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her animals, hiking, and playing video games with her husband.
Madison Baker
Tech Assistant
Madi graduated with honours from the VOTA program at Robertson College in 2020, joining the team while she was still a student in 2019. She loves getting to know all of the patients, assisting with surgeries, and learning new things everyday! She has two pets at home: a lab mix named Frankie and a siamese mix named Maverick. Her expertise as a technical assistant is greatly valued and she is dedicated to helping our clinic run smoothly. ​
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Crystal Proctor
Inventory Coordinator
Crystal is a huge animal lover! She was born into a dog show family and involved with breeding and raising them. Crystal’s years of retail management experience has made her a valuable member to our team, in both customer service and inventory control. When she is not working she enjoys spending time camping and hiking with her husband, daughter and lab Hunter.
Alicia Knight
Receptionist
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Alicia “Ali” Graduated top of her class for the Veterinary Office Assistant program at Bow Valley College in 2013, she was recognized as the face of the program and was featured on the front page of the Bow Valley Business Magazine. She is very excited to start building a continuous relationship with all the wonderful clients and their fur-babies at Southwood Vet. On her downtime she enjoys spending time playing fetch with her rescue Border collie mix named Zelgius and cuddling with her pleasantly plump rescue cat Butters.
Shannon Barratt
Reception Lead / Receptionist
Shannon is a very dedicated member of the Southwood Veterinary Hospital team. She was previously employed in the banking industry for 14 years before she finally made the decision to follow her passion in working in Veterinary Medicine. Shannon completed her Veterinary Office and Technician Assistant Program in 2019, where she was one of the top students in her class and has since worked her way up to be the head of our reception team. Her favorite part about the job so far is getting to see your fur babies grow up into distinguished pre-teens and then into full grown adults. When Shannon is not at work, you will most likely find her snuggling with her kitten Nugget.
Manon Beaulieu
Receptionist
Manon joined Southwood Veterinary Hospital in 2020, she is an integral part of our Reception Team. Manon brings a mature and lighthearted attitude, as well as an experienced background in customer service. She has 3 tiny furry chihuahua family members that are very photogenic and love to be dressed up. Manon enjoys the challenge of a busy day and is always the first to lend a hand.
