Our Careteam

Ashley’s love for pets was instilled in her by her grandmother, a huge animal-lover herself. Ashley has also always been fascinated by the world of medicine and science ever since she can remember. By working to better the lives of pets as a member of the veterinary profession, she gets to combine the best of both worlds! Ashley is a proud member of the hospital’s Veterinary Assistant team.

Ashley is originally from the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas, and moved to Ludington in May of 2019. It wasn’t long before she had signed on at the Animal Hospital of Ludington as a Veterinary Assistant. Ashley couldn’t be happier to launch her journey in veterinary medicine here at the clinic! She is particularly fond of helping with surgeries, studying samples in the lab, and helping owners with preventative care. Most of all, Ashley likes learning more on a daily basis in order to best serve the area’s adorable four-legged companions.

When she’s not at work, Ashley likes exploring her new town, taking photographs, and spending time with her family. She has two cats at home: Dexter, who mostly keeps to himself but enjoys the occasional cuddle; and a quirky Calico named Dumplin’ who can’t get enough attention.

Tashina has spent time around animals since the day she was born, including dogs and cats, horses, cows, pigs, hamsters, and fish. She’s always felt an innate connection with pets, and she wanted to serve as an advocate for those who can’t always speak up for themselves. That’s why Tashina decided to become a veterinary professional!

Tashina is originally from Custer and joined the Animal Hospital of Ludington’s care team as a Veterinary Assistant in the summer of 2018. She’s been caring for pets here ever since! Tashina finds that she has special passions for anesthesia and surgical work, and she loves to constantly learn something new. Above all, she likes knowing that she’s able to make a lasting difference for the families of the community.

When she’s not at work, Tashina can be found reading, watching classic Disney movies, kayaking, and spending quality time with her family. She has one dog at home: Jake, a Labrador mix who recently learned how to use his inside voice.

Animals have always been a central part of McKenna’s life. Growing up in the country, she and her siblings had to make their own fun, which usually consisted of playing with their many pets. There were dogs and cats, rabbits and hamsters. Eventually, McKenna started her own hobby farm, complete with horses, goats, chickens, ducks and cows. As an adult, her love and compassion for all living creatures led her to a career in veterinary medicine. She is thrilled to be living her lifelong dream!

McKenna’s journey officially began at a local kennel, where she gained invaluable experience and fostered her desire to learn more. She joined Animal Hospital of Ludington in June of 2022. As a veterinary assistant, McKenna has a particular interest in preventative care and laboratory work. She loves the fact that every day is different and an opportunity to learn something new.

In May of 2022, McKenna married her best friend, Kevin. Together, they have one dog - a golden retriever named Dallas, and three cats: Louise, Millie, and Karl. Dallas is a total mama’s boy and has mastered the art of persuasion through the use of puppy dog eyes. The cats are independent, but occasionally enjoy cuddling, as long as it’s on their terms.

Outside of work, you can usually find McKenna in the barn with her horses, Peach and Dot. Her other hobbies include going for walks at the state park or beach, taking photographs, and finding new crafts to try.

Sara grew up in the country outside of Ludington with her parents and two brothers, and spent much of her childhood exploring the great outdoors. It wasn’t hard to develop a love for the earth’s creatures early on in life. Sara has always known that she would enjoy working hands-on to better the lives of pets! She’s able to do just that every day as a member of the hospital’s Veterinary Assistant team.

Sara used to work in the restaurant industry but knew that she wanted to do something more personally rewarding. She knew that veterinary care was her true calling! Sara joined the team here at the Animal Hospital of Ludington and now serves as a Veterinary Assistant—she loves the new challenges she faces every day, and finds that one of her favorite parts of the job is the way it constantly keeps her on her toes. Sara also loves to meet new pets and animal owners on a daily basis.

Outside of work, Sara likes paddle-boarding in the summers, reading, going for hikes with her dogs, and spending quality time with her friends and family. She and her husband have two canine companions at home, Rhyno and Millie, who are best friends and are rarely found apart.

Tangella was born and raised in Custer, MI, where animals were always a part of her life. She often visited her aunt, who introduced her to horses and riding, and was gifted her first horse at the young age of eight. Tangella’s mother also bred and raised Shih-Tzus, an experience that sparked an interest in caring for smaller pets. Having grown up in this environment, it came as no surprise that Tangella would one day end up working with animals as a career.

After high school, Tangella went on to attend Baker College of Muskegon, where she completed the AVMA accredited veterinary technology program. Through this program, Tangella fell in love with the technical aspect of pet health care and knew she’d chosen the right path. Upon graduation, she spent several years at various practices. When she welcomed her first son in July of 2021, she decided it was time to find a place that was closer to home, and AHL fit the bill. She joined the team in April of 2023 and hasn’t looked back since!

Professionally, Tangella has a special interest in anesthesia because there’s no one-size-fits-all approach for every patient. She also enjoys performing dental prophylaxis and taking dental radiographs. Seeing the process through from start to finish and witnessing the end result is something Tangella finds truly fascinating.

At home, Tangella has many pets of her own, including two dogs: a Pekingese mix named Lashae, and a miniature Australian shepherd named Rahshi; four Siamese cats (Mahlaina, Mahlana, Meesha, and Kahkasha); and one domestic longhair named Sasha. Rounding out her crew are four horses, including a 34-year-old Arabian named Tara, a palomino quarter horse named Kachica, and two grulla miniature horses named Komande and Kahzzi. Tangella and Tara have hundreds of miles under their belts.

When she’s not busy working or tending to her plethora of pets, Tangella enjoys spending time with her husband, Steven, and their young son, Braxton. An avid outdoors person, Tangella also enjoys archery hunting, fishing, riding ATVs, kayaking, riding horses in the national forest, and sorting cattle on horseback.

Emily grew up in Fountain, MI with two siblings and too many cousins to count. Her grandfather always kept livestock, so her younger days were spent climbing silage bags and helping out around the farm. Emily was gifted her first horse at age 11, and from there began raising steers. She also had a close relationship and indelible bond with her dog, Toby, whom she credits as her biggest inspiration in life. It came as no surprise that Emily would one day grow up to work with animals professionally!

Emily’s journey into animal care began as a showman in 4-H. Raising project animals and being an equestrian throughout high school has helped her develop patience and love for animals large and small. Emily joined the Animal Hospital of Ludington team in November of 2023. In her role as a veterinary assistant, she feels passionate about educating clients on preventative care, and has a special interest in anesthesia monitoring.

At home, Emily has one dog of her own—Tobias Lee (Toby), who is utterly obsessed with his human. In addition to animals, Emily’s other interests include co-ed softball, beach volleyball, and singing karaoke. Her most memorable experience was competing in a singing competition at age 14 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee where she took home the award of “Future Star of Tomorrow”.

Faith has been working with animals since she was a young child. She joined 4-H at the age of eight and began showing goats, rabbits, and eventually horses. When her horse developed tendonitis, Faith stepped in and handled her medical care. Although the healing process wasn’t always linear, seeing her gradually improve over time was very rewarding to Faith, knowing she played a big role in her recovery. The experience confirmed Faith’s desire to one day work with animals professionally.

Faith’s journey started in elementary school, when she began volunteering at her local animal shelter. By the time she graduated high school, Faith knew veterinary medicine was the career path for her. In April of 2019, shortly after she began interning at the Animal Hospital of Ludington, she was offered a position as a veterinary assistant. Professionally, Faith enjoys client education. She also has a special interest in cytology and the entire surgery process, from preparation to post-surgical care.

Outside of the clinic, Faith resides in Pentwater with her husband, Stephen, and their four-legged children: an Australian Cattle Dog mix named Nova, an American Staffordshire Terrier named Mickey, a grey domestic shorthair named Reuben, and a Tobiano Paint horse named Willow, who is officially retired from the show ring and living her best life. Together, Faith and Willow have won more than 250+ 1st place ribbons and trophies.

In addition to her passion for animals and science, Faith’s other personal interests include weightlifting, baking sourdough bread, playing video games, watching Survivor with Stephen, and spending time outside with the dogs.