Meet the HeartVets Team
Cardiology clinicians
Jo Harris is one of our Directors, and is an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Cardiology.  She joined HeartVets in 2009 and is based in Exeter, where she offers regular clinics, as well as a number of visiting referral clinics throughout the south west.  Jo has been working in purely cardiology referral practice for the majority of her career and is regularly involved in CPD provision to vets and and cardiologists locally and nationally, and has also presented at several international meetings.  Jo has a particular interest in arrhythmias and her research includes Holter monitoring in canine preclinical dilated cardiomyopathy.Â
Jo has developed the Holter monitoring department at HeartVets, which is now the largest veterinary Holter service of its kind, offering Holter monitor rental, analysis and equipment to vets all over the world.Â
Jo is one of our interventional cardiac surgeons, and is also on the approved Veterinary Cardiovascular Society pre-breeding heart screening panels for auscultation and Doppler echocardiography.
Dave Dickson, one of our Directors, is an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Cardiology, having joined the HeartVets team in 2011. He lives and works in south Wales, where he offers cardiology referral clinics. Dave regularly lectures regularly to local, national and international audiences has presented research at international conferences. His research into feline dyspnoea won the prestigious Best Research Communication at the European Congress of Veterinary Internal Medicine. He has published many original research articles and collaborates with colleagues in veterinary medicine and human exercise physiology from around the world. Dave is one of our interventional cardiac surgeons and is also on the auscultation and Doppler Echocardiography panels for the Veterinary Cardiovascular Society.
Julia Sargent is a RCVS recognised specialist in veterinary cardiology. She obtained her American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Diploma in Veterinary Cardiology in 2015, having completed her specialist training at the Royal Veterinary College. Since then, she has worked in as a cardiology specialist based in the south of England, joining HeartVets in 2025. Julia is primarily based in the South Hams, although offers referral clinics and several visiting practices in Devon and Cornwall. She has a particular research interest in ECG and Holter interpretation and in advanced cardiac imaging. Julia joins Jo and Dave as one of the cardiology specialists in our diagnostic service, offering remote case advice to vets in this country and abroad. Julia is one of our interventional cardiologists and is also on the Veterinary Cardiovascular Society panels for auscultation and Doppler echocardiography.
Anna Beber graduated from the University of Glasgow and spent her first years as a mixed practice vet in both India and Norfolk before deciding to pursue a career in small animal medicine in a busy hospital in Cornwall. In 2016 Anna returned to the University of Glasgow to complete the Small Animal rotating internship at the University of Glasgow Small Animal Hospital where she developed an interest in Veterinary Cardiology. In 2018 she completed a Masters in Veterinary Cardiology and achieved the RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (Veterinary Cardiology).
Each year Anna spends a couple of weeks volunteering as a vet abroad and has worked in many countries including India, Belize, Borneo, Argentina, and Greece.Â
Outside of work she enjoys making the most of the south-west coast by surfing, swimming and running with her dog Maya.
Tiago Bispo graduated from the University of Lisbon in 2007 and worked in several small animal hospitals both in Portugal and in the UK, including Davies Veterinary Specialists, where he completed a rotating internship then worked with the cardiology team, before joining HeartVets in 2019. Soon after, Tiago completed his Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (Veterinary Cardiology) and then achieved the European Masters in Small Animal Veterinary Medicine (Cardiology) in 2024. He is passionate about all areas of cardiology and has a particular interest in echocardiography, completing his Masters thesis on echocardiography of the right heart.Â
His favourite activities outside work include spending time with his young children, mountaineering, rock climbing and playing tennis.
Alex Pack graduated form the University of Bristol in 2015 and spent three years in small animal practice in Somerset, Monmouthshire and Cardiff before joining Heart Vets in 2018, initially completing an internship and then training with us as a cardiology clinician. Alex achieved the RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (Veterinary Cardiology) in July 2021. She is now part of our clinical referrals and interventional cardiology team at Cave Veterinary Specialists, and also offers visiting clinics in the Somerset area. Alex enjoys all aspects of cardiology, and her research interests include atrial fibrillation and cardiac biomarkers in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. She also leads our marketing and social media team.Â
Outside of work she enjoys skiing, canoeing the Wye, travelling, hiking with her two dogs, Evie and Wren and baking for the Heart Vets team (Alex makes exceedingly good cakes!).
Fiona Glen qualified from the University of Edinburgh in 2012 having already attained a degree in Zoology and Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Liverpool. She spent 4 years in mixed and small animal practice before completing an internship in Cardiology at Langford vets, University of Bristol. Following her internship, Fiona worked in a busy first opinion and referral hospital in Bristol providing their internal cardiology service, and in January 2020 completed the RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice.
Fiona’s research interests are influenced by her background in first opinion practice, particularly the role of cardiac disease in geriatric feline patients. Her original research abstract ‘Clinical Use of a Patient-Side Feline NT-ProBNP ELISA Test in 279 Cats in General Practice’ was presented at ECVIM Congress and is currently being prepared for publication. Education and effective communication are two of Fiona’s passions, and she hopes to pursue use of social media as a tool for educating veterinary staff, students and owners as part of the HeartVets team. Outside of work Fiona enjoys cycling, yoga, sewing and running around after her young son!
Dave Evans graduated from Cambridge vet school in 2005 and worked in several roles in England, Wales and New Zealand over the years. He completed his certificate in diagnostic imaging in 2018 and his certificate in cardiology in 2022 and is a recognised RCVS Advanced Practitioner in both disciplines. He currently lives in South Wales with his wife, children, cat and rabbit, and mostly covers our clinics in South Wales and West Wales.
Jenny Wright graduated from the University of Bristol in 2005. She worked in first opinion practice in Cornwall and Bristol from graduation until 2025. Between 2008 and 2025 she was part of a busy, RCVS accredited, hospital team, as part of their internal cardiology and medicine service as well as acting as Clinical Director, before joining Heart Vets in January 2025.
Jenny obtained an RCVS Certificate in small animal medicine in 2010, an ISPVS Certificate in small animal cardiology in 2013 and gained her Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice in Cardiology in 2023. She has also been an independently appointed veterinary member of the RCVS Preliminary Investigation Committee since 2023.
In her spare time, Jenny enjoys jogging, pilates, reading and playing with her two young kids.
Cardiology nurses
Charley Glover RVN joined the HeartVets team in February 2015. Since qualifying with distinction from Bicton College in 2002, Charley worked at St Davids Veterinary Hospital in Exeter where she became Head Nurse. She also became an orthopaedic referral nurse as well as a clinical coach for other members of the nursing team. Since joining HeartVets Charley has used her invaluable referral experience to develop our referral support network and co-ordinate our services. She regularly helps with our clinics around the South West region, and also leads our cardiac interventional surgery nursing team.
Amy Robertson RVN qualified in 2009 at a small animal practice in Winchester, she then moved to Somerset and became a referral nurse at Cave Veterinary Specialists in 2010. During that time, she developed her referral nursing skills in all aspects of nursing and had a keen interest in anaesthesia, imaging and surgery. Amy enjoyed working alongside the Heart Vets team at Cave Veterinary Specialists, especially the cardiac interventional surgeries. This is where her interest for cardiology began and she joined the team in August 2021. Amy is now assisting with clinics in the Somerset area and being part of the interventional surgery nursing team.
Outside of work, Amy enjoys hiking with her dog Milo and spending time away with her young family in their campervan.
Helen Brewster RVN joined the HeartVets team in July 2021 to assist the team in running the holter service and provide support within the clinics. Helen is a registered veterinary nurse, as well as an experienced lecturer, having taught at both Hartpury and Bicton Colleges. She graduated in 2000 with a degree in equine studies and qualified as a veterinary nurse 2004 and has worked in small animal practice, mixed practice, out of hours emergency work as well as a locum veterinary nurse. During this time, she gained both her diploma in advanced veterinary nursing and her ISFM certificate in feline nursing, both with distinction. She is keen to help develop cardiology CPD for nurses.
Julia Carey RVN qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 2014 and worked in the charity sector for 7 years and then for a large hospital as a neurology nurse for 4 & a half years before joining Heart Vets in January 2022. Julia has enjoyed expanding her knowledge of cardiology since joining the team and provides nursing support to the clinics based in Gloucester and South Wales.
In her spare time, Julia enjoys live music, horror movies and devoting time to her greyhound Penny.
Accounts and Admin team
Nicki Fern joined the HeartVets team in September 2015. She qualified in 1994 and has worked in mixed and small animal practices in the Southwest, including the City Vets group where she was Head Nurse. Nicki achieved the Nurses Certificate in Anaesthesia & Critical Care in 2010, but more recently has developed a keen interest in business and management. She leads our admin and accounts teams and was formally appointed as our Practice Manager in 2021.
Mel Davis joined the Heartvets team in May 2020 as a referrals administrator. Previous to her new role Mel has spent many years working as a receptionist, referrals administrator and insurance and accounts clerk in a large referral and first opinion practice in Gloucestershire, so brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team.
Lin Knight RVNÂ worked for many years in admin roles in Suffolk before moving to the South West and joining a veterinary reception team in Taunton.
She had always wanted to work with small animals and so after 6 months she became an Animal Care Assistant and then went on to train and qualify as a RVN, a role she remained in for 10 years, except for a short break working for a well known dog charity as Assistant Manager at a rehoming centre.
Lin found she missed being in practice and returned to nursing in North Devon for a few years before joining HeartVets in 2021.
When Lin isn’t working, she enjoys nothing more than walking the local sections of the South West Coast Path or hiking across Dartmoor and Exmoor
Abigail Courtney has worked in the veterinary industry since 2007 and qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 2013. Abigail has worked in various clinics in South Wales before joining our HeartVets administration team in May 2023. Abigail has a keen interest in Anaesthesia and Cardiology and wishes to study these further in the future. You may see Abigail in our clinics from time to time when covering our Cardiology nurses. Outside of work Abigail enjoys spending time with her family, watching her kids play rugby and walking their dog, Bella. Abigail also has 3 cats named Rose, Buttons and Arlo.
Diagnostics (telemedicine) team
Holly Jones has been part of the HeartVets team since early 2017. She trained and qualified as an RVN at St Davids Veterinary Hospital, Exeter and subsequently worked as an orthopaedic referral nurse for several years. After further developing her organisational skills within both surgical equipment and equine feed companies, Holly decided to return to the veterinary referral world. She has worked with both our admin and nursing teams, and now leads the HeartVets telemedicine service. Holly is the smiley face behind all of your Holter and ECG queries and is always happy to help find ways to improve your care for patients in practice!
Sharon Mitchell joined the HeartVets team in April 2021 as a Holter Analyst having previously worked for the NHS at University Hospitals Plymouth and within the private sector as a Holter analyst and ECG/Holter analysis trainer.
Based in Plymouth and qualifying in 1984 becoming an Associate of the Society of Cardiological Technicians (SCST). I have trained colleagues, people new to the profession and university students in ECG interpretation and the use of the Pathfinder software as well as other Holter analysis platforms.
Outside work I like to travel, explore the UK, attend live music events and the theatre.
Robert Hicks joined the HeartVets team in May 2023 as a Holter Analyst having previously worked for the NHS at University Hospital Plymouth and within the private sector as a both an ECG and Holter analyst.
Based in Plymouth, Robert qualified in 2010 becoming a Member of the Society of Cardiological Science and Technology (SCST) and going on to obtain the Diploma in ECG interpretation. During his time in the private sector and NHS he enjoyed the opportunity to train new members of staff as well as university students in both ECG interpretation and Holter Analysis.
Outside of work Robert enjoys reading historical fiction, playing board games and running table top role play games for friends. He also likes attending various conventions around the UK.