Veterinarians
Mackenzie Vermey, DVM
For her entire life, Dr. Mackenzie Vermey has always wanted to be a veterinarian. She was born and raised in New Berlin, WI and from an early age expressed an interest in anything pertaining to animals and science. She received her doctorate of veterinary medicine from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine in 2012. In January of 2017, she became the new owner and medical director of Animal Clinic in Sussex. She brought with her 20+ years of experience in the veterinary profession. Although she will tell you she absolutely loves every aspect of her career, some of her professional interests include dentistry, ophthalmology, internal medicine, and surgery.
Dr. Mackenzie and her husband, Jason, share their home with two coonhounds- June and Fern, and two sassy cats- Floyd and Jones. Her interests outside of work are running with her dogs, camping, hiking, kayaking, and swimming. She is very excited to provide the highest quality of medicine to her patients and looks forward to the future!
Jennifer Cortright, DVM
Dr. Jennifer Cortright graduated from the University of Illinois in 2000 and joined the Animal Clinic in Sussex in 2009. Dr. Jennifer enjoys soft tissue surgery, dentistry and has a special interest in ultrasound. She became certified in small animal ultrasound through completion of the University of Illinois’ Executive Veterinary Program in 2012. The Cortright's share their Wauwatosa home with their cats and look forward to a day soon when they will again welcome a big dog.
Rachael Favero, DVM
Dr. Rachael is originally from New Berlin and has lived in Wisconsin her whole life. She is 2000 graduate of The University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary medicine and has a special interest in dermatology and internal medicine. In her free time, she enjoys riding her horse, "Denver", gardening, traveling to tropically warm climates and reading historical fiction & non-fiction on her Kindle.
She and her husband have been lifelong pet owners and believe that a pet really becomes an integral part of your family. Dr. Rachael believes in encouraging all pet owners to take an active role in the health and well-being of their pets. She is very much looking forward to getting to know both you and your pets as well as continuing to support their happy, long and healthy lives.
Emilie Lauri, DVM
Dr. Emilie grew up in Madison, WI and couldn’t imagine a life that wasn’t filled with animals. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine in 2012. She recognizes the importance of the human animal bond and strives to further connect people with their pets through her veterinary practice. She enjoys clinical medicine for the wide variety of experiences and opportunities to problem solve that it affords every single day. Her two big dogs and two cats keep her very busy! When she isn’t working to give her pets a better life, she enjoys spending time hiking and being outdoors, reading, crafting, and playing the piano.
Technical Support Team
Denise, CVT
Denise has been a certified technician for over 20 years and has been working part time with the Animal Clinic in Sussex since 2004. She enjoys assisting the doctors with patients in the exam rooms and educating clients on preventive care. When not working here, you will find her working on her family dairy farm and spending time with family. She has 2 dogs, plenty of cats, and a herd of dairy cows and calves.
Jerusha, CVT, VTSCP (Canine/Feline)
Jerusha has worked in the animal field for 20 years, ranging from shelter work to specialty practice and has been with the Animal Clinic in Sussex since 2015. She has two great young kids as well as two dogs Kimber and Maple, and a handful of chickens. She successfully completed the requirements for specialty recognition and is now a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Clinical Practice. She enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her family.
April
April has been in the veterinary field for over 15 years and has been with the Animal Clinic in Sussex since 2009. She enjoys caring for pets and educating clients about the best care for their companions. Her hobbies include horseback riding, sports, spending time with her husband and daughter, and taking her dogs on long hikes.
Meghan, CVT
Meghan has been with Animal Clinic in Sussex since July 2018. She obtained a BS in animal science from the University of Wisconsin Madison in 2011, and her Veterinary Technician Degree from MATC in 2013. Meghan enjoys being there for pet owners; answering their questions/concerns and being able to provide their pets with quality care. In her free time, Meghan enjoys spending time with her family, painting, decorating cookies, scrapbooking and spending time outdoors.
Brook, CVT
Brook has been with the Animal Clinic in Sussex since September 2020. She graduated from Madison College in 2015 with an associates degree in Veterinary Technology and shortly after acquired her CVT license. Brook enjoys educating clients and helping sick animals feel better. In her free time she likes to crochet, hang out with her cats and attend concerts.
Julie
Julie has worked in the veterinary field since 2002 and has been with Animal Clinic in Sussex since August 2020. She and her husband Steve share their home with their dogs Mango and Maui, and their cat Bobby. In her spare time Julie enjoys reading, gardening and walks in the woods.
Danica
Danica joined Animal Clinic in Sussex in September of 2021. Originally from Iowa, life brought her back to Wisconsin and we're happy to have her! She has spent 10 years in the veterinary industry, and with her husband has two cats Keira and Aloy. In her free time Danica enjoys painting and drawing.
Anna
Anna has been with Animal Clinic in Sussex since September of 2021. She recently completed the Veterinary Assistant program through Milwaukee Career College and is looking to pursue her Veterinary Technician degree as well. She's a busy mom of two and spends much of her free time chasing them around! She's also a fur-mama to her dog Dak, and three cats Felix, Lila, and Lilly.
Katie
Katie joined our team in July of 2023 after graduating from University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point and obtaining her Bachelors of Science in biology with a Spanish minor. She has a dog and two cats at home and enjoys hiking, skiing, spending time outdoors and with friends and family. Katie is eager and ready to learn more about veterinary medicine so she can help sick pets.
Lauren
Lauren came to us in March of 2022 all the way from Florida. She was a sergeant in the Marine Corps working as a Military Police Officer, after which she started her veterinary journey.
She has three furry babies at home- two dogs and one cat, and is working towards her bachelor's degree in biology. She is so excited about her future here at the clinic and all the things she will learn. Lauren is a great addition to our team, and we know you'll love her too!
Client Service Specialists
Michele
Michele started working with the Animal Clinic in Sussex in 2004. Sharing the love of animals with our clients is what brings her to work. Her hobbies include spending time with her family and cats, walking her dogs, and reading.
Tera
Tera joined the Animal Clinic in Sussex team in 2025. Tera believes strongly in family—pets are family too. At home she and her husband share life with their dog Jake, and over the years they raised their two children in a house full of love with two cats, two dogs, and two birds. She knows firsthand that losing a pet is never easy, but that our lives are richer for the time we share with them. Recently her family has been blessed with grandpuppies—Jack and Flint—so there’s lots of wagging tails around! In her free time Tera enjoys life’s simple pleasures and remodeling their home. Tera is looking forward to working with our clients and their families!
Kelly
Kelly is thrilled to be joining the team at the clinic and to begin this new chapter working with animals. Although new to veterinary medicine, her love for animals has been a lifelong constant. She's had animals all her life, and they have always been an important part of her family.
Before transitioning into animal care, Kelly worked in human medicine, where she developed a strong foundation in patient care, compassion, and attention to detail. She is excited to bring those skills into the veterinary field and to focus her passion on caring for the furry (and sometimes not-so-furry) members of your family.
When she's not at the clinic, she stays busy trying to keep her dog, Charlie, out of trouble — which can be quite a challenge. Her toddler granddaughter is always coming up with imaginative ways to involve her in new adventures which keeps life full of fun!
