Staff

Dr. Gould, a northern Illinois native, received her veterinary degree from the University of Illinois in 2009. She also completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois, graduating with her name on the Bronze Tablet in 2005.

Dr. Heather grew up in Bettendorf, IA where she spent most of her childhood riding and showing horses. She was active in 4-H and knew she wanted to be a veterinarian from a young age. She graduated from Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2015 and began working for Ashton not long after. 

Dr. Heather enjoys both small and large animals but her main areas of veterinary interest include equine medicine and preventative medicine for all species. Dr. Heather and her husband, Shawn, live on a small acreage where they have 2 dogs, cats, and a horse. 

Dr. Sam joined the Ashton Animal Clinic in 2018. She grew up on a farm in Michigan where her family raised many different kinds of animals ranging from goats, horses, cats, dogs, racoons and everything in between. She received her veterinary degree from Ross University and completed a 1 year equine internship at Kendall Road Equine Hospital. Dr. Sam enjoys working with all species but has a special interest in equine medicine. In her spare time she enjoys horseback riding, riding motorcycles with her husband and spending time with her dog and cats.

Mallory joined the staff at Ashton Animal Clinic in May 2011. She earned her degree in Veterinary Technology at Rockford Career College in 2009. Mallory enjoys her position as a veterinary technician because it gives her the chance to educate clients on pet care and nutrition. Mallory enjoys spending time with her husband, 2 children, and their dog Krypto.

Cat graduated with a degree in Veterinary Technology from Rockford Career College in 2016 and joined our team later that same year. She did her internship at River Ridge Animal Hospital in Dixon, IL. Cat’s favorite thing to do is assisting with surgery and helping pets through the recovery process. In her down time, she enjoys spending time with her dog and two cats. 

Tara graduated with a degree in Veterinary Technology from Rockford Career College in 2017, and joined our staff that same year. Tara was born and raised in Paw Paw, IL and enjoys working with both small and large animals. Tara's favorite area of interest is oral health for both canines and felines. Her personal pets include one dog and three cats. In her spare time, Tara enjoys taking her dog Kingston to the dog park and playing recreational volleyball.

Amy has been a veterinary technician with the Ashton Animal Clinic since 2008. She offers multiple years of experience and knowledge in canine breeding and showing to our clients. Amy enjoys working at Ashton Animal Clinic because it gives her the chance to help educate owners on pet care. Amy lives on an acreage with her husband John and their 4 children. Her personal pets include dogs, cats, horses, goats, and ducks. 

Erica is a veterinary technician and started working at Ashton Animal Clinic in 2012. She earned her degree in Veterinary Technology at Rockford Career College 2011. Erica enjoys working with both small and large animals. She enjoys spending time outdoors, horseback riding and kayaking. Her personal pets include dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, goats, cattle, and poultry. 

Austin is the bookkeeper at Ashton Animal Clinic. While not helping at the clinic, Austin works as a firefighter/paramedic. Austin enjoys hunting, fishing, and the great outdoors.

Ashley is an experienced groomer and animal handler. She graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelor’s in Animal Science. After, she pursued a career in pet grooming and received her training from PetsMart. She joined the Ashton Animal Clinic team in 2016. Her personal pets include three dogs, one horse, and a donkey. 

Darwin is the Office Manager of Ashton Animal Clinic, joining Dr. Gould and her staff in 2017. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture Education from University of Illinois in 1978. He taught High School and College agriculture for several years before making the shift back to agriculture management focusing on large animal production and nutrition. With his diverse background and experience he brought new ideas and concepts to the veterinary business. Darwin believes leadership through setting a positive example is the only way to achieve success in business. Capitalizing on every opportunity to help staff grow by tapping into their individual strengths is the foundation of his daily activities. In his time away from the practice he enjoys spending time with is wife, daughters and grandchildren as well as traveling and raising purebred sheep. 

Michelle moved to the area in 2013 and started working as a bather at a local pet store. With her love of animals, she wanted to become more involved with not only the pets, but the owners as well leading her to join our team at Ashton Animal Clinic in 2016. Michelle has grown up with owning dogs and cats her whole life. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time and traveling with her husband, children, and pets.