MEET OUR TEAM
Gail Henry, BVetMed
Dr. Gail Henry is grateful to have found a home for her new business in the Evanston community. Previous to opening her own practice, Dr. Henry was an associate at Hyde Park Animal Hospital and has been practicing veterinary medicine since 2010. While studying, she took full advantage of the opportunity to travel abroad, earning her degree at the Royal Veterinary College of London. She also got the opportunity to work on various farms and intern at the Audubon Zoo while living and studying in England. In her free time, Dr. Henry enjoys spending time with her family and her own pets, Franklin and Alexandra.
Stefanie Altneu, DVM
Dr. Stefanie Altneu has been practicing veterinary medicine in the Chicagoland area since graduating from veterinary school in 2004. She completed her undergraduate studies at Colorado State University and received her DVM from the University of Illinois. Outside of work, she enjoys birding and reading. She also enjoys spending time with her husband, children, cats Lego and Raspberry, a box turtle named Butternut and Bobby the tarantula.
Megan FitzGerald, DVM
Dr. FitzGerald grew up in Chicago and was raised surrounded by a variety of pets from cats and dogs to iguanas, box turtles, Guinea pigs, hamsters and horses. As a teen and young adult she actively competed in equestrian events and gained experience working as a small animal veterinary assistant and volunteering at an equine hospital and a wildlife rehabilitation center. She received her DVM from Ross University in the Caribbean and completed her clinical year at Purdue University. After finishing a year-long internship at a busy equine surgical referral center in Southern California, Dr. FitzGerald moved back home to Illinois and became an associate with a local small animal hospital, helping to spay and neuter strays for the humane society on weekends. Fulfilling a long held dream to practice in another country, Dr. FitzGerald spent several months working as a mixed animal practitioner in Melbourne, Australia. Since then she has been working in small animal practice in Chicago and is now excited to join the team at Evanston Animal Hospital.
Dr. FitzGerald enjoys gardening, reading, cooking and volunteering at the humane society in her free time.
Valerie Papuga, CVBL
Valerie joined Evanston Animal Hospital when it first opened in 2017. She has been working in the veterinary field since 2002 when she started working as a kennel caretaker at her local veterinary clinic while in highschool. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, live music, traveling internationally, and volunteering with various animal organizations in the Chicago area and spay/neuter campaigns in Central and South America. Valerie has acquired a small herd of animals at home, which includes a Pomeranian named Biscuit, two handsome cats – Diego and Leaf, a petite yet BUFF cat that was born with no back paws & a backwards rear leg named Elberta (Elba for short), a wonky one-eyed semi-blind orange tabby named Walter C. Mango (also responds to Mr. Mango Man, Hector, Leroy, Melvin, Wallace), and a 25+yr old turtle named Oogway.
Amy
Amy is new to veterinary care, but has been a volunteer at Evanston Animal Shelter for over 3 years. She grew up in Oklahoma where she helped care for all kinds of animals including large exotics such as ostriches, wallabies, and giraffes on her family’s farms. Amy has a Bachelor of Fine Art from Eastern Washington University and in her spare time she loves to paint as well as read, hike, scuba dive, and spend time with her family and pets. She lives in Evanston with her husband Kevin, her two children, Spencer and Kendall and their dog Raven and cat Fluke. Her dream is to retire in Dominical, Costa Rica where she can volunteer at Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary while her husband surfs.
Bella
Bella grew up loving animals her whole life, from the moment she first visited her Uncle Paul’s farm, a veritable menagerie of dogs, cats, and horses that she loved with all her heart. She has worked with animals since high school, first by volunteering with the Evanston Animal Shelter, and working in the Ecology Center shortly before she left for her first year at college. She has also worked previously at a doggy daycare and boarding kennels for over two years, and more recently, has assisted her uncle on their farm and learning how their horses are cared for and treated medically. Bella has had a long-time fascination and affinity for the ocean, and intends to become a marine biologist. In her spare time, she loves to draw and sing as well as visit the aquarium whenever she can. She has one crazy dog of her own, a naughty chihuahua Jack-Russell mix named Radar, whose namesake is his gigantic ears, and she loves her boyfriend’s dogs as her dog in-laws, the affectionate Kaylee, who has heart but very little brain, and their newest addition, the dainty and dignified Juliet. She holds their recently departed dogs, Axl and Josie, in her heart always.
Caitlyn
Caitlyn has been working in the vet field since 2017, starting while she was a freshmen in college at Loyola University of Chicago. She just recently graduated with a degree in Biology and plans to continue her education in wildlife conservation. Caitlyn has been around animals her entire life and absolutely adores all of them which drew her to the field in the first place. When she’s not chasing around cats and dogs, she’s usually curled up reading with her two cats at home or hanging around Chicago with her friends. 
Denisse
Denisse has been working with animals as long as she can remember. They have been a huge part of her life as she loves all animals no matter the size and temperament. Denisse worked at a boarding facility for 2 years and has been a pet sitter for 3 years. She has experience in handling cats, dogs and ferrets, as well in grooming cats and dogs. She hopes to go back to college to finish her Biology degree at some point in her life. When Denisse is home she is accompanied by her dog Camila and her cats Taco and Sushi, who she loves very much and cuddles all day.
Emily
Emily likes dogs and snakes.
Emma
Emma is an upcoming sophomore at Duke University studying Biology with a concentration in Animal Behavior, and hopes to go to vet school to become a small animal veterinarian. She loves all kinds of animals, and first started her experience in veterinary medicine by interning with an equine veterinarian. When not at the barn with her horse Chrome, Emma enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and 4 cats.
Jurney
Jurney has been working with animals for 2 years, but loving them forever. She plans to go back to school and become a veterinarian in the future. When not at work helping pets Jurney is at home with her 2 year old chihuahua named Kiwi, who she loves more than anything.
Katherine
Katherine has been working in the veterinary field since 2015. Being born and raised on a dairy farm in Mississippi, she has had a life filled with animals for as long as she can remember. She has her Masters in Theatre History and Criticism from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. When not loving on every animal she meets, Katherine works as a freelance Dramaturg (or theatre historian) in Chicago. She shares a home with Lady Magnolia, a perfect kitty who orders her around at all times.
Michael
Michael has been working in the veterinary field for over 15 years and has always loved animals since he was a kid. He started off in veterinary emergency and specialty medicine, and then transferred to general practice. Michael has two cats, Pots and Pan.
In Memory of Kahlua
Kahlua is the moral support and grounding force of the hospital. She takes greeting clients and patients very seriously, and can often be found prancing around the hospital to make sure everything and everyone is working hard. When she is not working hard, she is napping harder, often found dozing contently on the counter in front of the hospital windows. Kahlua has never met a stranger, and looks forward to making sure each and every patient at EAH feels welcome and safe.
Kahlua suddenly passed away on May 20th, 2021. May she reign in paradise. Her love and light will be missed at the hospital.
In Memory of Benny
Benny is the grandpa of the clinic. He enjoys the occasional hobble around the clinic and can often be found yelling for attention from the comfort of his bed. In his spare time Benny is a free lance coder often re-configuring our entire computer system. Benny is also a prankster. He loves sitting on the phones to end calls between Dr. Henry and clients mid-conversation. Sometimes called the grumpy old man of the clinic Benny is a sweetheart on the inside who enjoys awkwardly stand-sitting on the staff’s laps while getting chin scratches.
Benny passed away on February 27, 2020. We will all miss his awkward love and morning meows.