Meet Our Staff

Meet Our Team Of Animal Professionals

Veterinarians:
Dr. James Ward, DVM
Dr. Marcie Short, DVM
Dr. Dawn Lindstrom, DVM

Technicians:
Maureen Owen, LVT
Jennifer Szmurlo, RVT

Groomer:
Ronn Frizado

Animal Care Technicians:
Sharon Dunn
Diane Freed
Lauren Painter
Linda Hester
Liz Bradshaw

Office and Administrative:
Buster
Dr. Phil
Pam Erickson
Annie Mills
Brooke Sanders

Doctors

Dr. James Ward, DVM
Dr. Jim Ward grew up in Aurora, in southeastern Indiana, near Cincinnati, Ohio. He is a lifelong fan of the Reds and Purdue. He graduated from Purdue University in 1976. Upon graduation, he began working at the Allisonville Animal Hospital with Dr. Everett Fleming, who founded the practice in 1957. Dr. Fleming built the foundation upon which the practice is built today. Dr. Ward is thankful for all the experience and knowledge Dr. Fleming patiently passed on. Dr. Ward bought the practice in 1989.

Mrs. Ward, Dot, an R.N. at St. Vincent for 32 years, was instrumental in the design and decoration of the new Allisonville Animal Hospital. It was built by Shamrock Homes, and the practice was moved in August 2000.

The Wards have three boys, Josh (Purdue ’03) and his wife and daughter Anne and Brooklyn; Nathaniel (Purdue ’05); and Christopher (junior at Cedarville in Ohio). All have been active in sports, especially baseball, golf and soccer. The Wards have five dogs: Rosco, Sadie, Crickett, Twinkles and Peter Patches. They also have two cats, Bob and Mia.

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Dr. Marcie Short, DVM
I graduated from Purdue University Veterinary School in 1987 and have worked for Dr. Ward since 2000.  I reside in Indianapolis with my husband, two teenagers, two dogs, three cats and two snakes.

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Dr. Dawn Lindstrom, DVM
I am originally from Annapolis, Md. I graduated from Ross University in St. Kitts, West Indies in 1999. I spent my last two clinical years at Purdue where I met my husband. We live in Fishers and have three children and one cat. I have worked for Dr. Ward since 2004 and look forward to caring for your pets.

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Technicians/Assistants

Maureen Owen, LVT
Maureen Owen began working at AAH in 1979. She and her husband, Jeff, currently have one dog, Seiko, and admit to having “way too many cats!”

Maureen’s son, Allen, and his wife, Hallie, recently made her the grandmother of Devin Nicole, hopefully a future veterinarian. Her hobbies and interests include bike riding, boating, reading, feeding feral cats and cleaning litter boxes!

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Jennifer Szmurlo, RVT
I graduated from Purdue University in 2003 with a BS in Animal Science, then went on to Purdue University’s Veterinary Technology program. I graduated with an Associates degree in 2003. I married my husband in 2005 and we currently have two small dogs.

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Grooming

Ronn Frizado
I have been a groomer for 31 years after graduating in 1980.  I owned my own business for 9 years from ’81-’90 before finding my way to AAH.  I am well versed in all breeds, specializing in small – medium grooms.  Tree hugger… earth lover… semi-retired… life is good!

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Animal Care Technician

Diane Freed
I have worked at AAH for 10 years and love caring for animals. I have two dogs, a retriever mix named Tucker and a silky terrier named Darcie, two Siamese cats, and an aquarium of fish. I also have four grandchildren that keep me very busy!

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Sharon Dunn
Sharon Dunn and her husband, Bill, have a West Highland white terrier, a new golden retriever puppy, six cats, two canaries and an assortment of tropical fish. She has two grown sons and her hobbies are gardening and “garage sale”ing.

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Lauren Painter
I graduated from IBC with an associate degree in veterinary technology in 2009. The love of my life is my horse, Pistol. We like to go trail riding and we are now working on team roping. I started working at AAH when I was 15 years old and enjoy what I do!

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Linda Hester
I have been with AAH for 19 years.  I have been married for 29 years and have a 17-year-old son and 20-year-old daughter.  We have five dogs and lots of cats.

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Liz Bradshaw 
I have been at AAH since 2006. My husband and I live on a small farm outside of Crawfordsville. In our spare time we enjoy riding our two horses, Kani and Levi. We also have three dogs, Calla, Isis and Aldean.

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Recptionists

Annie Mills
Annie graduated from Millikin University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Music degree only to return to school in the spring of 2007 to complete a Bachelor of Science degree with the hope of becoming a vet someday. She joined AAH in the summer of 2007 and has enjoyed volunteering as a foster for stray kittens and puppies. Annie and her husband, Kyle, have two dogs, Poncho and Brewer, two snakes, two freshwater aquariums, and a saltwater aquarium. Poncho and Brewer, who were rescues themselves, love to help care for all of the baby kitties and puppies that come to visit.

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Brooke Sanders
Please check back soon.

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Pam Erickson
Pam Erickson first came to Allisonville Animal Hospital as a client and began working here in May 2000. She has four cats and enjoys a variety of sports — particularly attending football and basketball games — loves cooking and trying different foods, enjoys gardening and paddle boating.

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Dr. Phil
Please check back soon.

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Buster, Clinic Concierge
Buster came through our clinic as a youngster in our feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release) program in early 2003. By May, he had decided he wanted to live indoors with human companionship, walking into houses as if he always lived there… but no one wanted him and was brought to us in May with the thinking he would be put in our adoption program. Buster had other ideas.

From the first day, he strolled happily through the clinic, deeming it his, welcoming clients and patients alike. Sometimes, he presents a client with a toy mouse he drops in their purses and is particularly sensitive to special-needs children, allowing them to handle him with great patience. Obviously, he earns his job title as clinic concierge and is paid with daily turkey treats by his caretaker, Pam.

Buster is currently on a weight-control diet consisting of canned food only… but again, he has other ideas. Being a "carb junkie," he's been caught stealing dry food from hospitalized and boarding kitties by sliding his paw through the bars and scooping the food out of their bowls! And if necessary, he decides to open a fresh bag of food himself.

He is loved by his co-workers and his sidekick, Dr. Phil. Feel free to stop by to visit Buster and pick up his own personalized business card. He will give you a warm greeting in his laid-back Buster way!

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