Our Careteam

Emily grew up in Cary with her older sister and parents. She knew at a very young age that she wanted to learn more about animals. At the age of 14, after many years of begging, pleading and bargaining, Emily was finally allowed to adopt a dog. Being responsible for another living creature solidified her desire to work with animals on a more permanent basis. This would ultimately shape her future.

Emily’s career journey began at age 16, when she was hired as a kennel technician at a local animal clinic. She would go on to study biology at NIU while working as a dog walker on her summer breaks. After a brief relocation to Phoenix, Emily moved back to the area in 2010 and worked as a groomer for several years before joining the Animal Hospital of McHenry in May of 2022. As one of our customer service associates, Emily enjoys helping her colleagues and making sure our patients are taken care of.

Outside of the clinic, Emily lives with her boyfriend and their plethora of pets: Casper, a Bichon mix who is constantly following them; Tigger, a gray tabby who is an 18 pound cuddling, eating machine; a hedgehog named Bubbles, who would rather be left alone with her bugs and wheel; and a ball of kitten trouble named Jasmine.

In her spare time, Emily enjoys cooking, fishing, and camping. She’s constantly trying to learn new recipes and looking for new places to camp. Emily’s greatest achievement was going back to college and graduating from NIU with a bachelors in Biology after suffering from a stroke at age 25.

Although she’d always had a soft spot for animals, Elyse didn’t know she would find herself working in the veterinary profession one day. When she first applied to be a veterinary employee, she was just looking for something a little different. Now, Elyse’s work is much more than a job—it’s her true passion!

Elyse first joined the Animal Hospital of McHenry family in November of 2011. Her favorite part of the workday is the wide variety of things she gets to do and the multitude of different pet personalities she’s able to interact with on a daily basis.

At home, Elyse has several pets. She shares her life with two cats named Noah and Summer; a rescued mouse who goes by Mousy; and multiple fish.