Cindy
Practice Coordinator / Veterinary Assistant
Having worked with animals for nearly her entire professional career, Cindy’s background is heavily grounded in animal rescue. She discovered early on that she has a natural talent for putting animals at ease, understanding their personalities, and advocating for what is in their best interest, both mentally and physically. This, coupled with her pragmatic approach to management and virtually unshakable nerves, has made working with animals Cindy’s true calling in life.
About a year or so after graduating college, Cindy found herself searching for a job that she could be passionate about. Upon answering an ad placed by a local animal shelter looking for animal caretakers, her adventure began! The shelter was new and growing and over the years, Cindy grew along with it. After almost 17 years with the organization, learning and helping to build it, she decided it was time to move on to new challenges and opportunities. She shared her experience and knowledge with several other rescues, working as Director of Operations for one and Medical Manager for another, before finding her new home as Practice Coordinator of Animal Hospital of McHenry.
Professionally, Cindy enjoys running laboratory tests because she appreciates the precision of it. She also loves communicating with clients, educating them, and in turn, learning new things herself from time to time! And, of course, there’s the opportunity to work with patients and get to know new furry friends. What’s not to love about a job that involves kitty cuddles and puppy snuggles?!
Outside of the clinic, Cindy resides in Mundelein with her husband, two stepchildren, three cats, and one turtle. All of the cats are rescues, each from a different place Cindy has worked. Her newest adoptee, Skitters, was surrendered to AHOM after being attacked by a predator. Knowing he couldn’t give her the life she deserved, Skitters’ previous owner agreed to let the AHOM team find her a new home. Turns out that home happened to be Cindy’s.
In her spare time, you can usually find Cindy in her garden. New to the hobby, Cindy is still learning new about what to plant and where, as well as how to get the most out of her backyard farm. She’s also in the process of learning how to can and preserve some of the things she grows. When she’s not tending to her crop, Cindy also enjoys antiquing with her husband and spending time in nature.