Meet the Team

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  Dale Linney

  Clinical Director

  MRCVS

  Dale graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2013, and began his career at a mixed practice in Devon. He spent four years at our practice before joining a busy out of hours clinic as their lead veterinary surgeon, and returned to us in 2022 as a clinical director, where he works alongside his wife, Lizzy. He has a passion for emergency and critical care, and loves exploring the countryside with his four dogs.

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  Elizabeth Linney

  Clinical Director

  MRCVS

  Lizzy studied veterinary science and pathology at the Royal Veterinary College, and joined us in 2013. She loves all animals and loves the challenges of mixed practice work, whether in the consulting room or out in the Devon countryside. She is a keen cook and baker, and enjoys gardening, countryside walks and taking care of her four dogs and three cats.

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  Louise Rowson

  Practice Manager

  RV

  Before joining our team in 2017, Louise spent nine years at another mixed veterinary practice, where she learnt all about small and large animal care. When she’s not working, she loves exploring the countryside with her dog.

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  Shelly Jefferies

  Head Nurse

  RVN

  Shelly graduated from Bristol University in 1999, and has since completed European nursing, canine massage, canine psychology and wound management certificates. As a qualified assessor and clinical coach, she helps train our student nurses. In her free time, she provides training on wound and bandage care to practices all over the South West with the Veterinary Wound Library, and is the proud owner of two dogs and three cats all taken on as kittens from the surgery.

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  Suzy Garland

  Veterinary Nurse

  RVN

  Suzy joined our team in 2018, and having moved to Devon several years ago, she was keen to revisit her previous veterinary nursing career after taking a break to raise her children. She enjoys all aspects of her varied role, and loves spending time in the Devon countryside, walking her dog, horse riding, gardening and sewing.

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  Alexia Orchard

  Veterinary Surgeon

  BSc Hons BVetMed MRCVS PGCertVCP

  Alexia (BSc Hons BVetMed MRCVS PGCertVCP) moved down from a North Devon practice after a year on an intensive farm internship. Following the internship she is ready to hit the ground running here at Jonathan Wood. Alexia has a love for farm practice has filled her with lots of ideas to bring into the practice which she is excited to get started on!

  When not at work you’ll find her working her chocolate Labrador or with her head in a good book! Pictured is a little goat kid she delivered by caesarean who was kindly named after her!  Alexia is looking forward to working alongside our farmers, whilst also developing her small animal knowledge.

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  Josie Sanders

  SVN

  Josie is born and raised in the local area and has joined the practice as a student veterinary nurse. Josie has worked with a range of animal prior to joining the team here including Alpacas, Goats, Dogs, Cats, Horses and even Rhino’s – when she spent some time in South Africa volunteering at a Rhino sanctuary. In her spare time Josie enjoys spending time with her own pets, especially her mini ponies Henry and Harold.

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  Lesley Moult

  Receptionist

  Lesley has worked in veterinary practice for most of her working life, initially as a veterinary nurse and in more later years as a receptionist. Outside of work Lesley spends most of her free time walking her dog Elsa across the Devon and Cornwall countryside and coastal paths.

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  Vickie Elston

  Receptionist

  Having worked in a veterinary environment before joining us in 2022, Vickie slotted straight into our reception team. She lives on a beef and sheep farm, and has her own small flock of sheep. A keen knitter, she has donated over 500 hand knitted items to her local hospital’s special baby care unit, some of which were made using her own flock’s wool.

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  Ali Woodstock

  Receptionist and TB administrator

  Ali grew up on a poultry farm in the South East, and moved to Devon with her family in 2006. She spent eleven years at a busy GP practice before joining us in 2019, and helps to arrange TB tests. In her own time, she loves spending time with her husband and grown up daughters, as well as going for walks with her friends and her dog, Welly.

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  Lucy Healing

  Receptionist

  Lucy moved to Devon in 2019 after years spent working in music and film retail in London, and has been part of our team since 2022. She enjoys all aspects of her job, especially chatting to clients and meeting our canine patients. She has a poodle collie cross and an adopted cat of her own, and loves walking, gardening, cooking and reading.

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  Sara Thurgood

  Receptionist

  Sara has been with us since 2012 and often helps with dog and horse related enquiries. As a qualified dog trainer who runs a local dog training school, she loves meeting canine patients in our waiting room. In her own time, she is kept busy with her horses, sheep, cats and dogs and her involvement with her local pony club.

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  Milly Chappell

  Student Veterinary Nurse

  Milly has been with us since 2020, working as our kennel assistant. Milly previously worked in a boarding kennel for many years. Excitingly for 2025 Milly has become a student veterinary nurse with us and is enjoying learning all things veterinary nursing.

  She loves dogs, especially spaniels, and has seven working spaniels of her own at home. In her spare time, she enjoys going for woodland walks, off-roading, drawing and painting.

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  Holly Harris

  Receptionist

  Holly joined the team in 2023 after working in customer service for a number of years. She has a passion for all animals but in particular dachshunds. In her spare time she enjoys family days out exploring Devon and performing in the local amateur dramatics society CoDs. Holly has taken on the roll of Well Being Mentor for the practice.

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  Anca Mica

  Veterinary Surgeon

  MRCVS

  Originally from Romania, Anca qualified in 2006 at USAMV Bucharest and has been living in the UK since 2010. She previously worked as a veterinary surgeon in an emergency service for 7 years. Anca enjoys medicine, emergency and critical care and providing a high standard of care for her patients. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her friends and going for walks around Devon`s coast and countryside .

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  Lydia Gill

  Veterinary Surgeon

  MRCVS

  Lydia studied at the University of Edinburgh and graduated 2025 and is excited to get involved in everything that’s part of being a mixed vet.

  Lydia is originally from Yorkshire and has been enjoying exploring Devon in her free time. She loves wild swimming, being out in nature and occasionally trying out a new cake recipe. 

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  Terri Bussi

  Clinical Practice Manager

  RVN

  Terri qualified as an RVN in 2004 from College of Animal Welfare in London.  She has gone on to be theatre manager and branch manager in other vet practices.  Her special interest is all things feline and she has an ISFM certificate in feline nursing.

  You’ll see her in green when she is nursing and in blue when she is having an admin day for her practice manager role.

  She loves nature, reading, drawing and animals (and drawing animals!), and has 4 lovely kitties that she has rescued over the years.
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  Vanessa Nuthall

  Receptionist

  Vanessa has lived in Devon all her life, mostly in this area, and is from a farming back ground.

  Horses are her favourite animal. Vanessa trained as a chef and ran her own outside catering business for many years. Vanessa is excited for a career change with JW vets. In her spare time she loves to spend time in her garden and watching rugby.

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  Tia Lucas

  SVN

  Tia has joined the team as a student nurse and is looking forward to learning all things vet nursing.

  Tia’s love for animals began in childhood and never stopped growing. From rare chicken breeds to exotic pets like her ambilobe panther chameleon, her home is a vibrant mix of species.

  Working dogs have always been part of her life, and her cocker spaniel adds extra joy to the mix. Her heart belongs to farm animals—especially the highland cattle.