James Clarkson, DVM has been practicing veterinary medicine for over 20 years, and is the owner of Westarbor Animal Hospital. He chose to enter the veterinary profession because he loves medicine, feels close to animals, and helping people with their pet’s problems brings him much joy.
Dr. Clarkson graduated from Michigan State University in 1978 and belongs to many professional organizations. These include the American Animal Hospital Association, American Veterinary Dental Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, Southeastern Michigan Veterinary Medical Association and Washtenaw Academy of Veterinary Medicine. He has a special interest in veterinary dentistry and is working towards fulfilling his goal of becoming a board certified veterinary dentist.
He and his wife Pam, a dentist, have two sons and a cat named K.C.
Click here for Dr. Clarkson's resume.
Dr. Heidi Morgan joined the Westarbor team in December of 1999. She has been working in the veterinary field since 1991 and graduated from Michigan State University in 1998. She has been determined to become a Veterinarian since she was three or four year old and couldn’t ever even think of an alternative career, unless you count her secret dream to become an astronaut.
She has a special interest in internal medicine and truly enjoys helping animals to get well. Dr. Morgan also loves to observe and help to strengthen the human-animal bond that her clients and their pets enjoy.
She is a member of the American Veterinary Medicine Association and the Michigan Veterinary Medicine Association. Dr. Morgan has four cats and a dog that share her home. They are Woody, a yellow Labrador, and the four cats; Vibrato, Dolce, Indy, and Pizzicato - a 19-year-old tabby.
When she’s not administering to the needs of her fuzzy patients, Dr. Morgan enjoys photography, cross-stitching, reading, playing the cello, interacting with her own animals and singing in her church choir.
Stefanie Hedding, Westarbor’s office manager,has been working in the veterinary medicine field for over nine years, and for Westarbor since 1994. She originally entered the profession by taking a summer job as a part-time receptionist. She liked it so much that she stayed in the field as an office manager after she received her bachelor’s degree from Eastern Michigan University.
She enjoys working with the clients and their pets and being in a profession that helps the welfare of animals. She has a management membership with the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and has completed several professional management courses. Stefanie shares her home with several furry companions of her own, Jelly Bean and Jewel (two Shih Tzus), Mitch (a Labrador-mix), and three cats named Lily, Laddie, and Winnie.
Jenifer Parsons is Westarbor's head receptionist. She attended Southside Regional School of Nursing. Jenifer has been with the practice since 1999 where she began her career in the veterinary field. Her love and dedication to her work is fueled by her love for animals. She has one dog, Boca, a Pug mix, four cats, Dini, Kazi, Fifi, and Vasilli as well as a Netherland Dwarf rabbit named Gamgee. Jenifer also has one son, Nickolas.
Jenifer has quite an assortment of pets of her own including 2 ferrets named Cuda, and Kiwi, 2 cats named Houdini and Kamikaze, and 5 African Cichlids.
Kristen Vichinsky is Westarbor's Technician Assistant. Kristen began with Westarbor in 1998 while attending Washtenaw Community College, and is currently pursuing a degree in Veterinary Technology. Kristen's interest in the Veterinary field began as a result of having grown up around animals, having an interest in animal welfare and doing all she can to help animals. She also has an interest in animal behavior. Kris has many pets of her own, including three dogs, Vega, Gage, and Max. She has two cats, Hooks and Izod, and two horses, Star and Cali.
Leanne Humrich has been a member of Westarbor's staff since 1998 as one of our reception staff and before that was at a Veterinarian in South Lyon Michigan. Leanne's love for animals is what first attracted her to the field. Leanne will be graduating with a Bachelor degree in Business in 2005. Currently Leanne's pet family consists of four cats, Newman a black Maine Coon Mix, Shamrock, a silver tabby Turkish Angora Mix, Bugsy, a brown Mackeral Tabby, and Scat, a black medium hair.
Ellen Shaw is one of Westarbor's four Licensed Veterinary Technicians. Ellen graduated from Michigan State University in 1991 with a degree in Veterinary Technology and came to work for Westarbor in 1997. Ellen chose the Veterinary field because of her love for animals, and has had many animals throughout her life. Currently Ellen has one dog, a Doberman named Leika, and two cats, Ripple and Tango.
Kristen Harmon, another of Westarbor's Licensed Veterinary Technicians, has been working in the Veterinary field since 1993. She received her Licensed Veterinary Technician degree in 1997 and began working with the Westarbor team in 1998. Kristen currently cares for her two Golden Retrievers, Bo and Carmel. She has two daughters, Natalie and Audrey.
Rebecca Stucki is also one of the hospital's LIcensed Veterinary Technicians. Rebecca has an Associate's Degree in Veterinary Technology from Pierce College in Los Angeles as well as a Master's Degree in acting from the University of Washington. Rebecca has been in the Veterinary field since 2001 when she decided to go back to her first love - animals - after having worked in acting.
Rebecca lived in Los Angeles for thirteen years before moving back to Michigan and coming to work at Westarbor in 2003. Although she loves California, she says the traffic here is much better and the weather much more interesting. Rebecca currently has one dog, a "rare breed" (mixed) named Faith, and two senior cats, Pato and Simon.
Sarah Nickolich is another of Westarbor's receptionists. Sarah has earned her Associates in Applied Sciences in Scientific and Technical Communications from Washtenaw Community College, and is currently attending Eastern Michigan University working towards graduation in Fall, 1995. She is pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics with a minor in Psychology.
Sarah has been working as a receptionist in the Veterinary field since 2004. She has always loved animals and has recently become interested in going to school to earn a degree in Veterinary Medicine. Although she loves all animals, she'd like to focus on marine mammals and eventually work with Manatees.
Melanie Schmitt is Westarbor's reception and technical assistant. She is a senior in High School and plans on pursuing a degree in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida (Miami) in Fall of 2005.
Melanie began with Westarbor in 2004 through a brief internship program at school and has been with the practice ever since. Melanie has a Labrador Retriever named Jasal, two cats - Spike and Cody, a horse named Abe, and a hermit crab named Aloof.
Lynn Dehar is Westarbor's Doctor's Assistant and while she just started on our team in 2005 she has been in the Veterinary Field since 1998. She worked for 6 years in Dallas Texas and has since been in the Ann Arbor area. Lynn's love of the medical field and animals gave her her start in Veterinary medicine and she currently has a Golden Retriever named Mak and a cat named Doodle Bug.
Lynn is a three time member of the the TARVT and was
Certified in Pet Nutrition through Hill's Pet Food in 1996 and 1997. She has
also attended several conferences hosted by the AVMA. Lynn and her husband
live in Chelsea Michigan and she has two children in college and one child
in middle school. Her family enjoys camping, kayaking, planning the
remodeling of their 1855 home and most importantly spending time as a
family.
Andrea Gordon is another of Westarbor's Licensed Technicians. Andrea recieved her Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University and has been in the field of Veterinary Medicine since 1989. Andrea worked in the Anesthesia Department of Colorado State University and has a special interest in Anesthesia and Dentistry.
6011 Jackson Road - Ann Arbor, MI 48103
734.769.5391
e-mail: clinic@westarbor.com