Meet the Squad

Dr. Phan grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and began volunteering at her local animal shelter at just 13, where she discovered her passion for veterinary medicine and community service. After completing veterinary school in Tennessee, she returned to the Hampton Roads area, where she had previously attended Old Dominion University. She has since worked as a high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter surgeon and shelter veterinarian. Seeing the need for affordable, accessible veterinary care for local families and rescue organizations, she founded Snip Squad to help fill that gap. Outside of work, she enjoys cruising, spending time with her husband and son, and caring for their menagerie of animals.

Dr. McHugh has worked in the veterinary field for 25 years, including several years in the nonprofit sector. She earned her degree in Animal Bioscience from Penn State University in 1993 and graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in 1997. Throughout her career, she has been licensed to practice in five different states. In her free time, she enjoys visiting family in Pennsylvania and spending time with her two daughters.

Juli grew up in Suffolk, VA but went to college in Tennessee, this is actually where her and Dr. Phan met! They bonded over their love for rescue animals and always dreamed of working together as vet and vet tech. Juli is now back in Virginia and using her skills to teach and manage Snip Squad’s clinic. Although her first born will always be neeto-beeto she is currently expecting her first human child!

Michelle is a plant and live music enthusiast who feels most at home on the water or soaking up time at the beach. She shares her life with Mae, a 3-year-old rescue and proud stage-5 clinger. Before joining Snip Squad, Michelle spent many years as an office manager at emergency veterinary clinics, where she built a strong foundation in fast-paced operations, client care, and team support.

Nora has 10 years of experience in animal care, including wildlife rehabilitation, zookeeping, high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter, and shelter medicine. She earned her B.S. in Wildlife Biology with a concentration in Wildlife Rehabilitation from Lees-McRae College in 2018 and became a licensed veterinary technician in 2024 after attending TCC. She’s a cat lady to the max and especially loves handsome, big-headed male cats. When she’s not at work, she enjoys hanging out with her cats, reading horror fiction, and playing cozy video games.

Katie grew up in Yuma, Arizona, and brings both skill and great energy to the team. She has a lifelong obsession with giraffes and an unforgettable experience assisting with a vasectomy on a wild impala in Africa during a study abroad program. Her favorite dessert is cheesecake, and her college pet was an axolotl named Tiny—ask her anything about axolotls, she’s happy to nerd out. Outside of work, Katie loves playing tennis and is always up for staying active. She is currently in school to become a licensed veterinary technician!

Annah is an experienced vet assistant coming from general practice. She has 3 girls that keep her busy when she’s not at work! Annah hopes to pursue her degree in veterinary technology and become a licensed technician.

Maxine has been in the non profit world for almost 20 years! She took a brief break to try out the human world but shortly made her way back to veterinary medicine. She has never met a cat she doesn’t love and you can often hear her saying “hisses get kisses!” Her super power is wrangling angry chihuahuas because she has several abandoned angry ones herself. When she’s not working she enjoys spending time at the beach with her dog Jamaica.

A big foodie at heart, she is always either cooking a new recipe or checking out a new restaurant. Before joining Snip Squad, she worked in finance and held several receptionist roles, where she developed strong skills in organization, client communication, and multitasking.