Your pets’ front line carers
Our Vet Nurses
Lani Hackland
Nurse Manager
Growing up in Sydney’s Inner West, Lani has always had a strong love for animals and a keen interest in science. Studying veterinary nursing felt like the perfect way to combine her two passions, and it has become a career she finds both rewarding and fulfilling.
Before moving into specialist veterinary medicine, Lani worked in several general practices throughout Sydney’s Inner West. Over the years, she has gained experience across a variety of specialty departments, as well as emergency and after-hours care. Working in these diverse environments has allowed her to develop a broad skill set, adapt to different clinical situations and continue expanding her knowledge of veterinary medicine and surgery.
One of Lani’s greatest influences was her very first dog, Ishtar, who was highly reactive and required a very gentle approach when receiving veterinary care. Through caring for her, Lani gained a firsthand understanding of how stressful a hospital environment can be for some animals. This experience inspired her to focus on creating a calm, safe and positive experience for patients when visiting the vet, particularly those who are nervous, anxious or reactive.
Lani brings to the team extensive experience across general practice, specialist medicine and emergency care, along with strong organisational skills, adaptability and a genuine passion for helping both animals and their owners, as well as mentoring more junior team members through their training.
Her particular interests within veterinary nursing include patient care and helping animals feel comfortable during their hospital visits. She finds it incredibly rewarding to build trust with patients and support them through what can often be a challenging time.
What Lani loves most about being part of the Turramurra Veterinary Hospital team is the shared commitment to providing exceptional care for both patients and their families.
At home, Lani shares her life with her daughter, Mia, her partner, their two dogs, Ellie and Sarge, as well as two pet bearded dragons called Toothless and Sherelanda. They constantly remind her why she chose this profession and continue to inspire the care and compassion she brings to her work every day.
Louisa RVN
Senior Vet Nurse
Louisa joined Turramurra Vet in 2019 as a nurse, following two years on reception in a busy veterinary specialist hospital. In addition to a Certificate II in Animal Studies and Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing, Lou became a registered veterinary nurse and continues to undertake further study in the field.
Lou has always been involved and interested in animal welfare, with a particular interest in fostering and adoption. She has fostered many dogs over the years, with a fondness for very large, timid, crossbreed dogs that often find it harder to be placed into homes.
At TVH, Lou is a wonderful mentor to our junior nurses and enjoys working with a professional and supportive team. She has a particular interest in surgery and x-rays, as well as looking after unwell hospital patients. Seeing these patients returned to their families happy and healthy is always very rewarding.
Lou keeps very busy with her own pets, which include an elderly Russian Blue cat Busta, quarter horse Rocky, and her current mega-mix foster, Blu. In her spare time, you will find Lou riding her horse as much as she can and finding new adventures to take her dogs on.
Daina BSc (Syd.Uni), RVN
Senior Vet Nurse
Daina joined Turramurra Veterinary Hospital in April 2023 as an experienced veterinary nurse. She has a calm and mediating presence, along with a wealth of knowledge which she brings to our Nursing Team. Daina has fast become an invaluable member of the team, whether she is working closely with our veterinarians, supporting the nursing team, or caring for our beloved patients and clients.
Daina grew up in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs and attended Sydney Girls High School. She has always loved animals and bonded closely with her childhood pets. She obtained a Bachelor of Science (BSc) at Sydney University and, for the first 20 years of her professional career, worked closely with her family in their rubber extrusion company.
Once her father retired and sold the family business, Daina found herself at a crossroads in her career. Lucky for us, she chose to finally follow her passion for animals and obtained her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing. A significant influence in choosing this path was the partnership she shared with her horse, Beau, whom she competed in dressage with for 20 years. Daina became a registered veterinary nurse and continues to undertake further study in the field.
Daina enjoys working at Turramurra Veterinary Hospital, where the team is friendly, supportive and dedicated to patient well-being. She has a particular soft spot for our geriatric patients, ensuring they receive comfortable and dignified care. When she retires, Daina would love to adopt older animals and give them the “peak end experience” they deserve in their advanced years. The most recent lucky beneficiary of her love for the golden oldies, is Mosey, who turned up at our doorstep having been found injured. Mosey’s microchip was traced to an owner who had lost her 10 years ago and unfortunately was not in a position to take her in, so Daina came to the rescue instead!
Daina owns two other Domestic Shorthair cats called Toastie and Mouse, as well as a feisty Miniature Dachshund called Binky. When not at work, she loves to keep active, whether that be going for a run or a ski trip. She enjoys food and cooking and attending the theatre and ballet performances.
Spencer
Senior Vet Nurse
Born in London, England, Spencer relocated to Australia at the age of six and has been a resident of Turramurra and its surrounding areas ever since. Spencer is now a fully qualified veterinary nurse, having completed his Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2024. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Veterinary Technology at Charles Sturt University.
Outside of his studies and work, Spencer enjoys spending time with his two Cavoodles, Bentley and Jett, and playing video games. He is enthusiastic about his role at Turramurra Veterinary Hospital and is dedicated to gaining as much knowledge and experience as possible.
Evie
Trainee Vet Nurse
Evie grew up in the Northern Beaches, regularly looking after and walking the neighbours’ dogs. Evie has wanted to work with animals for as long as she can remember and fondly remembers her year 10 work experience at a vet practice, and how the nurses had such a hands-on role.
After finishing high school at Freshwater Senior Campus, Evie obtained a Certificate II in Animal Studies and is currently working towards her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing. Prior to joining the TVH team in April 2024, Evie worked as an animal attendant at a pet shop for three years. During this time, she was exposed to a wide variety of animals and learnt a lot about the early years of an animal’s life.
Evie is a self-motivated team player and considers herself quite skilful at venipuncture (retrieving blood and placing IVs). She is curious about a lot of things and loves that everyone at TVH is always happy to answer her questions, even the silly ones. Evie is interested in pet dental health and pathology, as she finds both fields very complex and enjoys learning new things every day.
Outside of work, Evie is very creative and likes to create jewellery and beaded items, paint, draw, crochet and sew. As a Northern Beaches local, she also loves going to the beach whenever possible. Evie lives with a very cute cavoodle Bobby Sparkles, who loves that she works at a vet as there are new smells to discover after every shift!
Parya
Vet Nurse
Parya is a dedicated veterinary nurse who joined the TVH team in September 2025. She has a deep passion for high-quality animal care and a strong desire to continually grow within the veterinary field. Parya’s love for animals began when she cared for own paralysed cat, Mishi, for four years. This experience taught her patience, empathy and shaped her decision to pursue a career where she could make a meaningful difference every day.
Parya studied Veterinary Medicine in Iran, where she developed a strong foundation in animal health and behaviour. Moving to Australia, she was motivated by the opportunity to expand her skills in a progressive and supportive environment. Parya loves working at Turramurra Veterinary Hospital because of the variety of cases, the high standards of care, and working alongside and learning from the vets. She especially enjoys seeing how everyone collaborates to achieve the best possible outcome for each patient. Parya’s strengths include detail-orientated patient care, a positive mindset, and the ability to support her team calmly and effectively during busy moments.
Outside of work, Parya loves spending time in nature, going for bushwalks or being at the beach, as well as simply relaxing with her family, watching movies and playing board games. Although she currently doesn’t have any pets, she hopes to welcome a rescue animal into her home in the future.
Maxi
Veterinary Bioscience Student
Maxime joined TVH in July 2023 as a veterinary science student currently studying a Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Animal and Veterinary Bioscience) at the University of Sydney, with plans to progress into the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Maxi has always aspired to become a veterinarian, driven by a strong desire to advocate for animals that cannot speak for themselves. She hopes to work and travel both domestically and internationally following graduation, with a long-term goal of specialising in equine practice.
Born in Portugal, Maxi spent weekends riding at a local stable, sparking a lifelong passion for horses. After briefly living in Melbourne, her family settled in Goulburn during her high school years, where she grew up on a rural property and competed her horses across mounted games, team sorting, campdrafting and pony club gymkhanas. She also lived in Germany with her grandparents for three months in preparation for her German HSC.
Alongside her studies, Maxi has developed extensive hands-on experience across wildlife care at various rural Vet Hospitals, stablehand work, and a strong livestock background encompassing sheep and cattle husbandry, shearing, lamb and calf marking, dairy farming, and representing her high school in cattle showing.
Maxime enjoys being part of the team at Turramurra and has a particular interest in surgery and emergency medicine. Outside of work, Maxi enjoys going for a surf and has a strong interest in fashion, whether she is making her own clothes, attending fashion shows or going to events in the city and taking photos.
Maxi
Veterinary Bioscience Student
Maxime joined TVH in July 2023 as a veterinary science student currently studying a Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Animal and Veterinary Bioscience) at the University of Sydney, with plans to progress into the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Maxi has always aspired to become a veterinarian, driven by a strong desire to advocate for animals that cannot speak for themselves. She hopes to work and travel both domestically and internationally following graduation, with a long-term goal of specialising in equine practice.
Born in Portugal, Maxi spent weekends riding at a local stable, sparking a lifelong passion for horses. After briefly living in Melbourne, her family settled in Goulburn during her high school years, where she grew up on a rural property and competed her horses across mounted games, team sorting, campdrafting and pony club gymkhanas. She also lived in Germany with her grandparents for three months in preparation for her German HSC.
Alongside her studies, Maxi has developed extensive hands-on experience across wildlife care at various rural Vet Hospitals, stablehand work, and a strong livestock background encompassing sheep and cattle husbandry, shearing, lamb and calf marking, dairy farming, and representing her high school in cattle showing.
Maxime enjoys being part of the team at Turramurra and has a particular interest in surgery and emergency medicine. Outside of work, Maxi enjoys going for a surf and has a strong interest in fashion, whether she is making her own clothes, attending fashion shows or going to events in the city and taking photos.
Michelle
Veterinary Bioscience Student
Michelle joined the Turramurra team as a veterinary science student in December 2024 and takes pride in helping animals and the community wherever she can. Michelle has a double degree in a Bachelor of Animal Science and Veterinary Bioscience from the University of Sydney (2025). Her Honours project specialises in Canine Parasitology, researching hookworm anthelmintic resistance. She hopes her research benefits the scientific community, particularly improving the wellbeing of dogs in rural Australia. Michelle loves practical hands-on work with all animals and seeks to become a Vet in the future.
Michelle is bubbly, hardworking and prides herself on having a strong attention to detail, always having a keen eye on patients under her care. This skill has proved to be important numerous times, providing invaluable assistance to animals who have needed extra intervention.
Michelle’s dog Coco is an absolute joy in her life! Coco is a Moodle who in 2024 was paralysed in her hind-legs and diagnosed with meningitis. It was a long road to recovery, but thanks to the work of neurologists and her family, Coco is back to being her playful self. Michelle longs to have a career in bringing hope to those in times of need, in the same way that others have helped her.
