Kayla Noel
Practice Manager / Registered Veterinary Technologist
Kayla grew up with a Sheltie named Sunny, and it was the countless hours of playing with and caring for him that first inspired her to help pets. She has always felt a natural inclination to fix things that were broken, and as she got older, her interests in anatomy and physiology started to blossom. For Kayla, caring for pets professionally in the veterinary field was simply the only choice that made sense!
Kayla is originally from the Transcona area of Winnipeg and spent many hours volunteering with her family’s veterinarian during her teenage years, learning the ins and outs of the veterinary profession hands-on. She graduated from Red River College’s Animal Health Technology program in 2010, then transferred to Sage Creek Animal Hospital from a “sister” clinic to serve as Head Technician upon the clinic’s grand opening in April 2013.
Now, Kayla serves as the hospital’s Practice Manager! She’s especially interested in neonatal care—Kayla even volunteers with rescue groups to care for orphaned puppies and kittens—and is fond of pet nutrition. She likes helping pet owners choose the proper diets for their animal companions.
Kayla lives on a 10-acre hobby farm east of Winnipeg with her husband, Jack, and their daughters, Rose and Evelyn. Kayla and her husband share their farm with a multitude of animal companions: a loving Shepherd/Malamute mix who goes by Moose; five cats named Saturn, Styx, Ranger, Pixie, and Rupert; and occasionally a host of pigs and chickens. When she isn’t helping to ensure the hospital’s smooth operation, Kayla enjoys camping, horseback riding, waterskiing, and wakeboarding.
Wayne Mackey
Registered Veterinary Technologist
From childhood, Wayne wanted to care for animals as a profession. Wayne finds caring for each animal as if they were his own extremely rewarding. Wayne was born and raised in Winnipeg and is an only child from a small family. He has had dogs since he was four years old, and being around dogs from a young age certainly influenced his ultimate career choice.
Wayne began school in the Business Administration program at Red River College. After starting the program, he realized his true calling was in animal health. He registered for the Animal Health Technology Program the same day he discontinued the Business Administration program. Wayne started working at Sage Creek Animal Hospital in February 2020. His favorite parts of the job are client education, pet nutrition, and inventory management. Wayne has two dogs, Stewie and Megatron. Stewie is an Italian greyhound/chihuahua, and Megatron is a Jack Russell Terrier. When he’s not working, Wayne enjoys camping, gardening, barbecuing, and playing softball and hockey.
Melissa Hemminger
Registered Veterinary Technologist
Melissa’s parents worked in human healthcare, so she’s been interested in the medical sciences since her earliest days. Coupled with a lifelong adoration for the earth’s creatures, a career in the veterinary world simply made sense! As a Registered Veterinary Technologist, Melissa is proud to help pets live happier, healthier lives daily.
Melissa grew up on a honey farm three hours southwest of Winnipeg, where she and her family kept everything from pigs, chickens, cats, and dogs to hamsters, a guinea pig, and fish. She attended Red River College in Winnipeg to study in their Animal Health Technology course, even serving as Class President and graduating with honors. Melissa joined the Sage Creek Animal Hospital family shortly after school—she’s been here ever since.
Around the hospital, Melissa enjoys the challenges of placing IV lines and completing dental cleaning procedures. She never tires of hearing before-and-after stories of pets revitalized after a thorough tooth cleaning! Melissa also likes discussing animal care techniques with pet owners.
When she is not at work, Melissa can be found crocheting, camping, baking, and going for walks with her husband and sons. She also enjoys spending time with her cats, Maple and Stella.
Chantel Richey
Registered Veterinary Technologist
Chantel has been told all her life that animals are her calling, and some have even said she has a sixth sense for all types of animals. She grew up surrounded by animals: her family dog Buddy, many cats over the years, guinea pigs, hamsters, a chinchilla, and even rescued some beta fish once. Since she was three years old, Chantel has wanted to help, heal, and make sure every animal feels loved, so becoming a Veterinarian Technologist was the perfect fit as an adult.
She started in the veterinary field in 2013, working as a veterinary assistant for seven years, where she developed her love of surgeries, emergencies, and client education. She graduated from the Veterinary Technologist program at Red River College in 2021 and hopes to further develop her skill set in behavior and dentistry. She is excited to help clients with the best care for their fur babies.
Chantel enjoys spending time outdoors, walking or even just sitting on a deck. Her greatest joy is being an aunt to her nieces and nephews, and she spends as much time as she can with friends and family. Chantel is currently a fur mom to her golden cross, Lily, and two cats, Max and Zuzu.
Bria Yeryk
Registered Veterinary Technologist
Meet Bria Yeryk, a passionate Registered Veterinary Technologist (RVT) at Sage Creek Animal Hospital, where her lifelong love for animals has blossomed into a rewarding career. Raised in Winnipeg with her parents and two brothers, Bria’s upbringing was enriched by the presence of family dogs, fostering her deep-rooted connection to animals. From a young age, her affinity for animals was evident, as she played, trained, and even fashioned homemade bandages while playing “vet” at home. It was clear early on that she was destined to work in the veterinary field.
Bria explored various programs in high school before discovering the RVT program, which immediately resonated with her. She enrolled at Red River College in 2016 and began working in clinics the following year, relishing the hands-on learning experiences offered by the program. Graduating in 2018, Bria’s passion for her work only grew.
Bria’s favorite aspect of her job is analyzing lab samples under the microscope, especially when observing tiny critters’ intricate movements. She thrives on the diversity of each day in the veterinary field, cherishing the opportunity to educate clients on pet health and nutrition while forging meaningful connections with pets and their owners.
Outside work, she finds joy in spending time indoors with her pets or embarking on outdoor adventures such as hiking and kayaking with her beloved pups. Whether unwinding with a good book, practicing yoga, or cycling through the scenic landscapes of Winnipeg, Bria’s zest for life is evident in all that she does.
Emma Stewart
Head Veterinary Assistant
Emma had always felt that she would excel as a veterinary assistant. She loves working with clients and patients and learning new things daily about keeping pets happy and healthy.
Emma was born and raised in Winnipeg. She attended the Veterinary Office Assistant program at Robertson College and graduated in 2014. She worked at another clinic before joining the Sage Creek family in May 2019. Emma loves interaction with clients. If you have a concern, then she is concerned too! Her favorite part of the job is being able to help with surgical procedures, treatments, and pet care. Emma had the opportunity to go to Guelph, Ontario, to see the Royal Canin food plant and has learned so much about food through those lessons, along with being able to ask the fantastic team at Sage Creek for nutritional advice. In February 2023, she was fortunate to attend the annual Western Veterinary Conference in Vegas! She brought back many helpful tools for the clinic to support you and your pet even more.
Emma lives with her two cats, Ella and Frankie. When not at work, she likes to attend gym classes such as cycling or kickboxing, go for bike rides, and cross-stitch.
Jennifer Ritchot
Veterinary Assistant / Student Veterinary Technologist
Jenny’s love for working with animals began when she was young. Her parents would foster young kittens, sometimes as young as one day old, until they were old enough to be adopted, and she would help wherever she could. This often- involved bottle feeding and lots of kitten cuddles!
Jenny grew up in Morden, Manitoba, with her younger siblings. After graduating high school, Jenny moved to Winnipeg and studied at the University of Manitoba. While studying, she began working in childcare, where she remained for many years. In 2016, her dog, Dash, was diagnosed with epilepsy. When learning about epilepsy and what was involved with the diagnosis, Jenny became even more interested in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. After completing her Veterinary Office Assistant program at Robertson College, Jenny moved back to Winnipeg from Drumheller, Alberta, and began working at Sage Creek Animal Hospital. After several years at Sage Creek Animal Hospital, Jenny wanted to further her education in veterinary medicine and is now working towards becoming a Registered Veterinary Technologist. Jenny is interested in dermatology and enjoys educating clients on supporting their pets with allergies.
Jenny lives in the St. Norbert area with her husband, Jesse, and their children, Finn and Holly. They have a bustling household with three cats, Lieutenant Dan, Starr, and Taco, and a golden retriever, Lucy. When not at work or busy studying, Jenny loves to bake and try new Pinterest recipes! She will never pass up an offer for sushi or seafood and can usually be found spending time with family and friends.
Emeralda Grimm
Veterinary Assistant
As a child, Emeralda grew up with various animals, such as horses, goats, chickens, ponies, cats, and dogs, but her favorites have always been horses and cats. She wanted to be in a field that would better help her understand any animal she might have.
She was born in St Boniface, Winnipeg, and grew up in southern Manitoba. In 2019, she graduated from the Veterinary Assistant course at Robertson College. She worked for a few years at another clinic before coming to Sage Creek Animal Hospital in July 2021. She has always been fascinated with lab work and learning anything she can.
Emeralda’s interests outside the clinic include reading books and manga, hanging out with her friends, and watching anime and movies, especially horror movies. Anything related to ancient history has always fascinated her, such as the Egyptian pyramids and the Greek temples. She has always had a strong wanderlust for travel, and the world is bigger and more exciting than ever.
She shares her home with her cat, Stitch, named after the movie Lilo & Stitch, as she is exactly like the movie version of her name. Two other furry friends who live with them are Piper and Nero, Emeralda’s roommates’ cats.
Oleksandr Yarosh
Veterinary Assistant
Bio coming soon.