Our Team

Annette
Groomer

My name is Annette, and I have been grooming for 29 years. I love being a groomer, I take pride in making your dog look and feel at its best! I have also been featured in a video by Dremel on how to teach people the correct way to file your dogs nails, which you can view here.

I am always looking for new ways to perfect my groom and learning about different styles. I especially love giving your dog a splash of color for a creative groom!

When I am not grooming I love spending time with my 2 sons, especially during baseball season. I also enjoy spending time with my boyfriend and flea market shopping! Come set your appointment today!

Nikki
Customer Service Representative

With 20 years of experience in the industry, Nikki takes pride in greeting clients with a warm smile. Her friendly demeanor creates a welcoming atmosphere for everyone who walks through the door. In her free time, she enjoys spending quality moments with her family and her beloved dog, Apple.

Barb
Lead Receptionist

With over 18 years of experience in the veterinary field, Barb is a dedicated and compassionate member of our team. She studied at Loyola University and has a true passion for veterinary medicine, especially when it comes to rescuing animals. Over the years, Barb has cared for a variety of animals, including cats, kittens, dogs, squirrels, opossums, birds, and more, and she’s particularly loves and is skilled at bottle-feeding very young kittens and squirrels.

In her free time, Barb enjoys cooking, attending concerts, reading suspense and mystery storybooks, watching movies, spending quality time with her family, and enjoying comedy shows. A fun fact about Barb is that she once met comedian Adam Ray in Austin!

Alex
Veterinary Technician

With over 30 years of experience in the veterinary field, Alex brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our team. He studied at Elmhurst College, the Chicago National College of Naprapathy, and Suomi College, building a strong foundation in animal care. Alex is passionate about providing compassionate care and empathy to every patient he meets.

Outside of work, he enjoys taking road trips with his family and dog, and you can often find him camping, hunting, and fishing.

Shari Santucci
Practice Manager

With 10 years of experience in the pet industry, Shari Santucci is dedicated to providing exceptional patient care and well-being through client education and clear communication. She prides herself on building strong client-patient relationships and caring for pets as if they were her own.

Outside of work, Shari enjoys spending time with her English Bulldogs, Bentley and Louie, reading books, and staying active through workouts. A fun fact about Shari is that she had hip dysplasia – just like dogs can get!

Dr. Costa
DVM

Bio Coming Soon!

Tina Kassaraba
Receptionist

Bio Coming Soon!

Barb Glass
Receptionist

I have worked at NWAH for 12 years. My free time is dedicated to fostering kittens and rescuing animals, including turtles, squirrels, raccoons, and birds. I enjoy country music, concerts, comedy, reading, and cooking. I love spending time with my three adult children and their families.

Nicole Posen
Receptionist

Hi, my name is Nicole, and I’ve worked at Northwest Animal Hospital for 5 years! I’m a receptionist; I answer the phones, make appointments, and check owners and their pets in and out! I’ve lived in Des Plaines my whole life and have always loved working with animals and their owners! My family and I own a dog named Apple, a bird named Banana, and a fish named Orange. We are true animal people!

Bozena Prawowska
Kennel Staff

Bio Coming Soon!

Zachary Danegger
Vet Tech

Bio Coming Soon!

Tanya Falkenhayn
Vet Tech

Bio Coming Soon!

Sam Gervens
Vet Tech

Bio Coming Soon!

Alex Rudawski
Vet Tech

Bio Coming Soon!

Lisa Hardy
Vet Tech & Practice Manager

Bio Coming Soon!

Dr. Brian Courtney
DVM

Dr. Brian Courtney grew up in Oak Park, IL. When he was 15 he began working at a local boarding kennel. From then on, he was hooked into the pet care business. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1985 with a bachelor’s in Biology and liked Champaign Urbana so much he went back for 4 more years of study at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois, receiving his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. Besides working for the Northwest Animal Hospital for 20 years, Dr. Courtney has a companion animal house call practice.

In the 5 minutes per day that he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Linda, his 3 children, and his menagerie of pets. He also enjoys playing his guitar (badly).

Dr. Olivia Hardebeck
DVM

Dr. Olivia Hardebeck graduated from the University of Illinois in 2019 with her doctorate in veterinary medicine. She attended Purdue University and earned her undergraduate degree in Animal Sciences. She spends her free time traveling, going to concerts, and spending time with her two cats (Remy and LittleFoot), pitbull mix (Kerosene), and turtle (Armando).

Dr. Jennifer Draca
DVM

Dr. Jennifer Draca grew up in the Chicago suburbs and discovered her passion for veterinary medicine early on. She began working as a veterinary assistant at 19 and continued in the field until starting veterinary school in 2015. She completed her undergraduate studies at DePaul University and went on to earn her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Midwestern University in Arizona in 2019.

During her time in veterinary school, Dr. Draca developed a deep commitment to volunteering and providing care to underserved communities, work that continues to inspire her practice today. She has special interests in dermatology, palliative care, and alternative medicine, and she takes great pride in treating every patient as if they were her own, while making every client feel like family.

Outside of work, Dr. Draca loves spending time with her husband and their two young daughters, Natalia and Nikolina. She’s also a proud fur mom to five pets: Smokey and Mila, both rescued pit bulls; Moose, a Rottweiler; and her two cats, Mr. & Miss.

Dr. Mary Hernandez
DVM

Dr. Mary Hernandez is a dedicated veterinarian with a special interest in dentistry, having completed extensive advanced training in the field. Her favorite part of the job is advocating for pets and educating clients to ensure their furry companions receive the best care possible. Outside of work, Dr. Hernandez enjoys traveling, photography, Disney pin trading, and scrapbooking. She is also a proud pet parent to Tinkerbell, who is featured in her photo!

Dr. Laura Brown
Interim Managing Veterinarian

Dr. Laura Brown graduated from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 1987, following her undergraduate degree in Biology at Illinois. She began her veterinary career in Southern California, focusing on equine medicine for thoroughbred racehorses. In 1989, she transitioned to small animal medicine.

Dr. Brown opened her own veterinary hospital in the Libertyville, IL area with the support of her husband Kris and their daughters Sara and Clare. Now empty nesters, Dr. Brown and her husband enjoy spending time with their Golden Retriever Stanley, golfing, playing tennis, and socializing with friends.

Dr. Marta Petryna
DVM

Dr. Marta Petryna has been in practice for over 40 years, graduating from the University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1979. She started practicing on the Northwest side of Chicago, and after 3 years bought her own practice in the Ukrainian Village, working there until 2005. After selling her practice and “retiring,” she was asked by her childhood friend, Dr. George, to “help out” a couple of days a week. She has been working part-time at Northwest Animal Hospital ever since. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling. (Especially with her four daughters)

Dr. Edwin Sullivan
DVM

Dr. Sullivan’s hometown is Libertyville. He received his veterinary degree from the University of Illinois and lived in Mundelein for most of his professional career, where he founded Mundelein Animal Hospital. As an active resident of Mundelein, Dr. Ed served many years in the local elected office, including 16 years as a Village of Mundelein trustee.

Now, Dr. Ed practices part-time and finds more time to play golf, work his farm and dote on his family, which includes 9 grandchildren.

Dr. Sullivan’s love of animals has been a lifelong devotion both as a veterinarian and as an owner. He presently lives in Libertyville with his wife Barb, Bee the cattle dog, Lizzy the bulldog, and cat Nick.

Dr. Tim Sullivan
DVM

Dr. Sullivan grew up in north suburban Libertyville, IL.  At age 10 he began assisting his oldest brother, Ed, a veterinarian much his senior.  There began his long journey to a veterinary degree from the University of Illinois in 1983.

Dr. Sullivan eventually bought his brother’s practice, The Mundelein Animal Hospital in 1986. He thoroughly enjoyed practicing there for 35 years, semi-retiring in 2016.

Dr. Sullivan has been working part-time at Northwest Animal Hospital since September 2016. He has very much enjoyed getting to know the clients and their pets!

Dr. Sullivan’s family includes his partner Mike, and his cat Calvin.