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Meet Our Amazing Team

We are a group of passionate animal lovers who are thankful for the opportunity to take care of your pets. Always professional, we strive to give you and your pet the best veterinary care possible.

If you think you would be a great fit as part of our team, visit our Careers Page.

Careers At Leduc

Our Veterinarians

Veterinarian, DVM

Dr. Ken Smith, DVM, BSc

Growing up in the rural east central Alberta community of Castor, Dr. Ken Smith has always had animals in his life. The farm dogs, cats, horses, cattle, sheep, chickens, turkeys and honeybees he cared for instilled a love and appreciation of all living things at a very early age. In 1989 he completed his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, then graduated with his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1993. He then joined the mixed animal practices in Langenburg, Saskatchewan and Russell, Manitoba where he enjoyed working on many species before moving to Leduc in 1996 where he has been practicing at the Leduc and Beaumont Animal Clinics ever since. Dr. Smith believes the most rewarding part of his work is the many wonderful people he has come to know through caring for their furry family members and feels very fortunate to be serving people in this capacity. Away from the office, he enjoys camping and hiking with his family, gardening, music and badminton.
Managing Partner

Dr. Zuzana Smith, DVM

Dr. Zuzana Smith grew up with several generations of German Shepherds and learned early on the value of animal companionship. She set her sights on a career in veterinary medicine and graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1994. Dr. Smith started out in a mixed animal practice straddling the Saskatchewan and Manitoba border but moved closer to home when the first of her three children were on the way. During the early years of motherhood, Dr. Smith worked part-time for the CFIA and did some locum work for various small animal practices in the Edmonton area. Dr. Smith has now stepped back from clinical practice to work as the practice manager of the Leduc and Beaumont Animal Clinics. In her spare time, Dr. Smith likes to spend time with family, to knit or read with a cat or two on her lap, to bake, and to tend her flower garden.
Veterinarian

Dr. Tanya Groundwater, DVM

Dr. Groundwater was born and raised in Williams Lake, BC. She lived on an acreage and actively participated in 4-H with beef projects, as well as various executive positions within the 4-H club. She went to school at the University College of the Cariboo (now called Thompson Rivers University) for her pre-veterinary medicine courses. She was accepted to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and graduated in 2006. From 2006-2007 she worked as a mixed animal practitioner in Moosomin, Saskatchewan and then ventured west and worked in High Prairie, Alberta as a mixed animal practitioner from 2007-2012. In June 2012 she moved to Millet and started working with the Leduc Animal Clinic.

Dr. Groundwater is married and has two very active children who keep her entertained. She also owns one cat and two dogs which adds to the very busy household. She enjoys living in Millet as she can now spend more time with her family. She also enjoys scrapbooking, card making, sewing, gardening and camping.

Veterinarian

Dr. Francine Chabot, DVM

Dr. Chabot grew up on a farm in southern Saskatchewan, where she spent many hours trying to tame the wild barn kittens. Dr. Chabot spent two and a half years working as an Animal Health Technologist before deciding to become a vet. She graduated from Ross University in 2011 and has been part of the Leduc Animal Clinic team since 2012. She has two house cats, Lola and Moe, and has a Chesapeake Bay retriever named Jenny. She enjoys gardening, reading, needlepoint, hiking and continues to try to tame the barn cats.
Veterinarian

Dr Augustine Nnamdi Odika, DVM

Dr Odika hails from Ozubulu - Anambra State Nigeria. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He joined Leduc Animal Clinic in November 2022, where he is deepening his interest and passion for surgery and internal medicine.
Dr. Odika is passionate about encouraging more girls from marginalised communities and backgrounds to explore career opportunities in science, technology, Engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and he volunteers his time and skills with The STEM Belle to drive this cause. He is married to Doreen his best friend and enjoys playing soccer, and video games, learning new dance moves, and traveling.
Veterinarian

Dr. Erick Espinosa, DVM

Erick Espinosa is a Mexican-raised veterinarian who has been in contact with small animals since he was young. He obtained his veterinarian degree at Mexican Autonomous National University in 2016 and has been working with small animals ever since. In 2017 he made a practice at the small animal hospital at the State of Mexico Autonomous University for 6 months where he enjoyed practicing all kinds of medical management. He has practiced at a wide range of hospitals since then. In 2021 he opened his own practice in Mexico City until he came to Canada in 2023 when he started working at Leduc Animal Clinic. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, going to the gym, and horseback riding.

Our Manager

Practice Manager

Laurie Bryanton

Laurie had been in the veterinary industry for the last 16 years. She started her career in 2007 as a receptionist at a mixed animal practice. Shortly thereafter she took the role of Office Manager for several years. After completing The Practice Management Program through Olds College she then took on the role of Practice Manager. Laurie loves to learn and has also completed a Veterinary Assistant Program in 2022.

Her love for animals started at a young age and she realized quickly how important pets were to people. She was always in “awe” to see the bond shared between a person and their pet. Animals and people have always been a passion of Laurie’s. She sets out to make everyone‘s experience exceptional and to ensure they feel valued. Through continued education she ensures that she is striving to learn and develop new skills to help her clients, patients, and team.

When Laurie is not at the clinic, she loves to hit the trails with her puppers to experience a new adventure and spend time with her family and friends. Laurie’s motto has always been “To love what you do while doing what you love.”

Our Registered Veterinary Technicians

RVT

Corrie Opsahl

After graduating from Fairview Collage in her hometown, Corrie joined our team in October of 2012. Since being here Corrie has shown a love for all things tech including anesthesia, lab work and x-rays! Corrie brings the same love she has for her friends and family to her work by helping pets and feeling a great deal of compassion for their families. When she isn’t overcoming new challenges at work, she’s enjoying family time watching movies, and loving the lazy Sundays with her dog Star.
RVT

Sharon Doll

I was first interested in Veterinary medicine at about the age of 8yrs old. I grew up on a cow-calf operation near Beaumont. Our veterinarian came out and I got to watch him do a c-section on one of our cows. I asked him how to become a veterinarian. He explained to me if I want to be the one to work with the animals most of the time to become a Veterinary Technician. He told me that doctors diagnose the problem with an animal and they get the Veterinary Technicians to take blood do xrays give medications etc. So that's how I decided to become an RVT.

Fast forward to the year 2001, I needed to do work experience in a vet clinic to get into college. I did this at Leduc Animal Clinic. I was offered a job after school hours to be a kennel attendant then they offered me a job in the summer to be an assistant. I worked my 2nd year as a tech student as well. I graduated from Lakeland College in Vermilion in the year 2004. Since then I have worked in both mixed and small animal practices. I seem to always find my way back to Leduc/Beaumont Animal Clinic. This has been my favourite place to work and I am so excited to be back.

In my spare time, I enjoy curling, golfing, biking, walking, and spending time with my husband and 3 kids. I also enjoy visiting family and friends.

RVT

Kyla Wilkerson

I love doing dental cleaning and Anesthesia and I get to work with pets and their people. In my spare time, I enjoy Cross Stitch, Reading, Horseback Riding, and Crafts.
RVT

Heidi Lochhead

Heidi has been an animal enthusiast since she was in kindergarten, after seeing a fascinating stuffed animal “emergency c-section” in show and–tell by a friend’s veterinarian mom, she knew a life-long career with animals was her calling. After graduating from the Animal Behavior College in 2016 and earning a Veterinary Assistant degree, along with certificates in Pet Massage, Animal Nutrition, and Cat Management and training, she continued learning about animals working in the pet industry as a professional stylist for dogs and cats of all breeds until 2020, when it was time to go back to school and pursue a career as a Registered Veterinary Technician. Heidi graduated from Nait in 2023, earning the title RVT. Along with her love of continued learning, Heidi enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, two dogs, and many reptiles.
RVT

Cassandra

Cassandra has always known that she wanted to work with animals. She started off her career in veterinary medicine after she graduated from the VMA program at NAIT back in 2022. She worked in a very busy emergency and specialist clinic for a couple of months and then got accepted into the NAIT Animal Health Technologist Program. During the 2 years of school, she got amazing experience working at an exotic clinic, where she fell in love with all animals. Cassandra did her practicum here at Leduc Animal Clinic after Graduating the AHT program in 2024. She has a n interest in anesthesia, pharmacology and nutrition. She hopes to eventually do nutritional consults with clients. Eventually, she plans to go to vet school, but wants to work as an RVT for a couple of years to gain experience. In her spare time, she loves to read, listen to music, bake and spend time with friends and family. She also loves spending time with her amazing puppy Stanley.

Our Veterinary Medical Assistants

VMA

Kayla Beckett

Kayla came to Alberta in 2017 with her fiancé, from a small town in the Ottawa Valley of Ontario. They both grew up with dogs and now have two of their own, a German Shepherd named Belle and a Pitbull named Beast. It was her love for these two that made her want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. She received her diploma in the Veterinary Medical Assistant course at NAIT and hopes to one day further her career to become a Veterinary Technologist. In her spare time, she enjoys camping, quadding, and fishing.
VMA

Avery Neufeld

Avery graduated from the Veterinary Medical Assistant Program at NAIT in 2023 She joined us here At Leduc Animal Clinic shortly after completing her practicum. She has adored any and all animals since she was very little and has always known she wanted to work with animals. Her favourite things to do in her spare time are to hang out with her cat and dog and to go camping with her family.
VMA

Brianna Larocque

Brianna grew up in Bonnyville, a small Alberta town, where she was always surrounded by animals; whether at her friends’ farms or her own pets at home. Since moving to the city, she has already adopted two amazing cats, Milo and Nala. In her spare time she enjoys reading, going rock climbing, camping and spending time with her friends and family. Brianna graduated from the Veterinary Medical Assistant program at NAIT in the spring of 2023 and joined our clinic in September 2023. In the future, she hopes to continue her education by going into the Animal Health Technology program

Our Client Care Representatives

Lead Receptionist

Leanne Borgstrom

Leanne has been with Leduc Animal Clinic since November of 1997. She grew up in Eganville, Ontario – about 1-1/2 hours from Ottawa. There she graduated from Opeongo High School and moved to Alberta in 1985. At the clinic Leanne enjoys her ability to help pets and their owners with concerns and looks forward to seeing something new each day. When she’s not at work you can find Leanne with a good book, enjoying her backyard garden, camping in Alberta, and visiting family in Ontario.
CCR

Debbie Pickett

The newest Deb to join our group, Debbie joined the team in September of 2021. She grew up in the great town of Ferintosh and went to school in New Norway. Debbie loves to learn as much as she can when at the clinic, and at home you can find her cozying up with a good book, tending to her plants or crocheting a new project for a family member. Debbie has so far loved her job and is looking forward to learning and helping as much as she can here at the clinic.
CCR

Janine Dumka

Janine has had a great love for animals her whole life and always wanted a career in which I would be able to help animals. She received her diploma as a Veterinary Technician Assistant in June 2023 and joined our team here at Leduc Animal Clinic in July 2023. She enjoys horseback riding, reading, going for walks and most of all spending time with her furry friends Josie the German Shepherd and Mica the Ragdoll.
CCR

Aidan Russell

Aidan came to us as a practicum student and joined our team shortly after graduating from the Norquest College with her VOA certification. Aidan’s love for dogs started as a young kid with her first dog, a Boston Terrier. She started working with dogs in 2023 at a kennel and then at a daycare, where she knew working with animals was her career choice. She loves learning new skills in her position. Her first foster dog got adopted in June 2024 and she hopes to foster more dogs in the future to help them find their forever homes.