We are extremely proud of our dedicated team. We hire only the best and most experienced employees to become a part of our team here at Midland Prairie Veterinary Services. Our team is filled with highly dedicated animal lovers who are well trained at their jobs. They will do anything possible for their patients and the owners who love them.
Learning and education are very important here at Midland Prairie Veterinary Services. We strive to have a state of the art hospital with a staff trained in the latest medical advances. Our patients deserve the very best veterinary care.
Basically, our team is full of animal lovers. They make it a goal to treat each patient like their own. They give each patient plenty of love and attention. They are prepared to discuss preventative medicine so that every pet can stay as healthy as possible. They will also do everything that they can to make a sick pet feel better as soon as possible.
If you would like to speak to someone on our team, don’t hesitate to contact us today at (515) 674-3228 (Colfax) or (515) 674-3228 (Maxwell).
Dr. Christie Gordon
Dr. Christie Gordon has been with the clinic since July 2015 and has been practicing in the area since 2010 when she graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine University of Illinois. She mainly treats dogs, cats and exotic pets and is usually based out of the Maxwell location. When not working she enjoys spending time at home with her husband and their menagerie of animals.
Dr. Meredith Johns
Dr. Meredith Johns graduated from Iowa State University in 2010 and moved back to the area in 2017 to join the practice. Prior to returning to central Iowa, she practiced mixed and small animal medicine in central Missouri and Southeast Iowa. Dr. Johns enjoys the variety that comes with caring for all types of animals and learning something new every day. She also has a masters degree in Public Health and has a special interest in infections that affect both animals and humans. She lives in Polk City with her husband Joe and two daughters, Marnie and Hollis. She feels she has found the perfect work home with the staff, clients and patients at MPVS! Go Cyclones!
Dr. Rebecca Smith
Dr. Rebecca Smith lives in Colfax with her husband Justin and their four kids, Natalie, Ramona, Nathan and Natasha. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she graduated from Washington State University in 2002 and has practiced veterinary medicine in rural mixed-animal practice in Oregon, Montana, and Nebraska prior to moving to Iowa in 2015. When the opportunity arose to start Midland Prairie Vet with Dr. Johns and Dr. Gordon in 2018, it was a perfect fit. Dr. Smith enjoys the diversity of practicing medicine and surgery in all species, and her favorite part of practicing here is the real sense of community that is found in Central Iowa. In her spare time, she and her family enjoy being part of the ministry of Adult & Teen Challenge of the Midlands, and taking their horses out for rides in the woods.
Dr. Ashley Burrows
Dr. Ashley Burrows graduated with her Bachelor of Science from Luther College in 2018. She then went on to Iowa State’s Veterinary School to receive her DVM and graduated in 2022. She grew up in Bondurant and is excited to return and serve the area. If you ask her what her favorite animal is, she won’t be able to pick one! She enjoys the variation of the species we get to see at Midland Prairie Veterinary Services. In her free time, Dr. Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband Kole, daughter Mallory, and two dogs Luna and Oscar.
Dr. McKayla White
Dr. McKayla White graduated from Iowa State’s college of Veterinary Medicine in 2023. She is originally from south central Minnesota but now calls central Iowa home. She loves the variety that comes with being a mixed animal practitioner and is excited to serve the clients at MPVS. When not at work, McKayla can be found teaching dance classes, finding ways to enjoy the outdoors, and more recently has enjoyed participating in a couple Tough Mudder events.
Betsy Damman
Betsy Damman graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Microbiology, but because of her love for pets, both large and small, she came to work in the veterinary field. For the past 27 years, she has been serving patients and their owners. She has been with our clinic since April 2014. In her time away from work, she loves to garden, fish, and be with family and friends. Betsy is a farm girl at heart. She loves helping her husband on the farm and just being outside. Betsy has two dogs of her own, Belle and Nova.
Sara Cornelius
Sara graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science. She joined us in August 2016 with five years of previous experience working as a veterinary technician. Sara lives in Maxwell with her four children, Kaylee, Mackenzie, Landon and Cameron as well as her dogs, Evie and Shea, and cat Ryder. In her “free time”, Sara enjoys playing volleyball and attending concerts. One of her favorite things about working at MPVS is working with pot-bellied pigs! You definitely have seen her at every location, but is now primarily in Huxley!
Deb Finch
Deb has been a jack of all trades since the beginning and can be seen doing just about anything around either clinic! Deb is a local gal, growing up on a farm outside of Collins. Her interest in animals started at an early age and was cultured through her livestock and pet projects in 4H. After graduation from high school, she attended Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa, where she received her Associate of Arts degree in Agriculture. Deb has over 20 years experience as a veterinary assistant. Deb and her husband Eric raise hay and meat goats on their home farm, along with raising their two sons. Deb enjoys reading, gardening and boating in her free time.
Alyna Johnson
Alyna Johnson graduated from DMACC with a degree in Veterinary Technology and a license as a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) in 2017. She started as a volunteer with the clinic in high school in 2012, and then became an employee in 2013. Alyna and her husband Connor make their home in Maxwell with their son Thomas, their corgis, and chickens. Alyna can be found ready to help your animals primarily at our Maxwell clinic location!
Brenna Thomson
Brenna joined Midland Prairie in August of 2020 as a veterinary assistant. As of 2025, she has graduated DMACC with a degree in Veterinary Technology and passed the necessary exams to become a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT). Brenna primarily works in Colfax, but can occasionally be found in Maxwell. She currently lives in Newton with her 3 dogs, Wini, Rico, and Toto, and 1 cat, Juniper. In her spare time, Brenna is an avid runner but can also be found cuddling up with a good book or one of her many crochet projects.
Beth Hunsberger
Beth joined the team in our Colfax clinic in October of 2020. She lives in Colfax with her husband and five children. In her spare time she likes to hang out with friends and family and watch her kids during sporting events. Beth has two pets at home, a yellow lab named Greta and a cat named Katja.
Kassidy Adams
Kassidy graduated from Iowa State with a degree in Biology in December 2021. She will be continuing her education at Iowa State in pursuit of a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine beginning in the fall of 2022. She grew up on a farm outside of Bondurant and owns goats, horses, and a llama named Stanley. Kassidy’s favorite patients to see are exotics, large animals, lab puppies, and bulldogs. In her free time, Kassidy enjoys spending time outside doing everything from water activities to hammocking.
Addie Ehlers
Addie studied Animal Science at Iowa State University until she was accepted into the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State in 2024. She will now be starting her second year studying both large and small animals as she loves animals of all shapes and sizes. Outside of the clinic, Addie enjoys spending time with friends and family, pet sitting for others, and watching horror movies. You can find her at any of the three locations ready to help when she isn’t in school!
Hailey Clark
Hailey joined the MPVS family in 2022. Her passion for animals began at a very young age, as she had a menagerie of childhood pets- which ranged from rats to horses! During high school, she enjoyed volunteering at a local rescue, where she assisted with dog walking and cat care. Following graduation, she worked as a veterinary technician for several years before embracing the opportunity to become a stay-at-home mom to three children. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, playing volleyball, working out, reading, and participating in AKC dog shows. She shares her home with four dogs—Sakora, Echo, Creed, and Kingston—and two cats—Popsicle and Ron—as well as a spoiled rotten bearded dragon named Hank.
Faith Johnson
Faith joined the MPVS family in 2023. She graduated from Iowa State in 2025 with a bachelors in Animal Science. She currently attends school online and plans to get a masters degree in Human-Canine Life Sciences in the summer of 2026. In her free time she enjoys going on adventures with her 2 year old golden retriever, Bert, hanging out with friends, DIY crafts such as quilting, and spending time with family. Faith rotates between all 3 clinics and can be found doing all sorts of different jobs!
JJ Westendorf
JJ Westendorf joined the MPVS family in 2022. JJ is from Marshalltown and has animals of all sizes from goats to axolotls. JJ enjoys baking and crafting in her spare time. One of JJ’s favorite jobs at MPVS is cuddling large breed dogs like her dog Bruno. JJ can be found primarily at our Maxwell location.
Emily Washington
Emily graduated from Iowa State with a degree in Animal Science in May 2020. Emily works in the Huxley location, and has been on staff there since 2016. She grew up on a farm outside of Elkhart surrounded by animals. She currently has a cat named Lucy and a dog named Ellie. Emily enjoys photographing livestock shows, hunting and spending time with friends and family.
Sarah Stolte
Bio Coming!
Lindsey Pitcherello
Lindsey joined the MPVS staff in 2023. She is currently enrolled in veterinary technician school so that she can continue to learn and help serve our local community. In her spare time, Lindsey enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as taking care of her many animals!
Kim Adams
Kim is married to Dr. Matt Adams, the superintendent of WDM Schools. They have 3 grown children, Katie, Maverick and Kassidy and 4 grandchildren. Holding 3 bachelor and 2 masters degrees one of her greatest accomplishments was getting a chefs certificate from the Iowa Culinary Institute. After spending the last 35 years as an educator she retired in 2023. Kim has started a homestead called “Summer Break Farms” where she has dairy goats, bees, chickens, dogs, cats, a llama and a horse. She believes MPVS has the best doctors, techs, care and prices around and feels fortunate to have such a great retirement job!
Sarah Fritz
Sarah Fritz completed her undergraduate degree at Iowa State University with a Bachelors of Science, a minor in Biology and a certificate in Swine Management. She is from Shakopee Minnesota but moved to Iowa looking to learn more about large animals. When Sarah has free time she enjoys reading, cooking, and fishing for walleye and bass. Sarah plans to pursue a career in veterinary medicine as a large animal DVM.
Emilie Sparks
Emilie joined the team in our Colfax clinic after graduating from PCM High School in 2024. She has always had a love for all kinds of animals growing up and it was her dream to work with them. She has two dogs of her own, Felix and Roxy. She really enjoys here at MPVS and treats every animal like they are her own!
Chloe Coleman
Chloe joined MPVS in March of 2025. She is currently attending DMACC in hopes to later become a Registered Veterinary Technician. In Chloe’s free time you can find her hanging out with her senior cat, Callie (not pictured), or enjoying the outdoors with her friends and family.