Skip to main content

Meet the Team

Dr. Nanci Wood-Huels

Veterinarian and Owner

Dr. Nanci has been a familiar face in the Effingham area for the past 32 years. Practicing at the Altamont Veterinary Clinic since 1988, she has now grown her practice to include The Pet Wellness Center. “Building a state-of-the-art facility that can provide exceptional care while being cost-conscious for our clients has been a dream of my self and my husband’s for many years”. Dr. Wood-Huels and her husband, Dr. Stan Huels have two sons and 6 cats and currently live in Altamont.

Dr. Kimberly Perkins

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Kimberly Perkins grew up in Effingham IL, obtained her Associates Degree from Lake Land College, and her Bachelor’s degree from SIU Carbondale. Dr. Perkins then went obtained her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) where she lived out of the country located on the tiny island of St. Kitts in the Caribbean. She then completed her last year of vet school, Clinical year, by a non-traditional rotating clinicals. Each month she traveled to a different city or state to work and learn from various specialty and emergency hospitals, general practice clinics, or specialty single species clinics across the US including IL, KY, TN, TX, VA, NY, and NJ. After graduating veterinary school, Dr. Perkins came back home to help her hometown community as a relief vet at local vet clinics that turned into full time working here at PWC. Outside of being a vet, she enjoys horseback riding & camping in Southern Illinois Shawnee National Forest, traveling to new destinations across the world & in the US, baking desserts, as well as spending time with her family, friends, & boyfriend. She adores & spoils her 3 dogs (Sunny, Sarge, & Scout), 3 cats (Cowboy, Boots, & Don), and family’s 6 horses (Amigo, Rawhide, Jessie, Alexis, Gabby & Rosa).

Dr. Jean Czemski

Associate Veterinarian

Growing up in Olney around various animals, Dr. Jean knew she wanted to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale, she attended the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduating, she spent the next seven years practicing in southern Illinois. Dr. Jean enjoys preventative medicine the most, but dermatology and nutrition are of interest as well. Outside of the clinic, Dr. Jean enjoys spending time with her cat Tempe, reading, drawing, constellation hunting, and visiting with her parents, still in Olney.

Dr. Noelle Savedoff

Veterinarian

Noelle Savedoff is a DVM working in the veterinary practice of Pet Wellness of Southern Illinois, located at PWCOSI.com. With over 30 years of experience, Noelle has built an impressive educational background that has taken her from Europe to Florida, St. Kitts, Oklahoma, and Ohio, before returning to Florida and settling in Palm Beach and Effingham, Illinois.

Noelle has known since the age of 3 that she wanted to become a veterinarian, and this passion for animal care is reflected in her daily work. She has a special interest in small and exotic animal medicine and surgery, with a soft spot for little dogs.

Noelle is a member of several professional associations, including the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), Florida Veterinary Medical Association (FVMA), Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association (ISVMA), and Palm Beach Veterinary Society (PBVS).

Outside of work, Noelle loves to learn about different cultures, having picked up Spanish and French over the years. She also enjoys cycling, yoga, painting, theatre, and cooking, and never turns down the opportunity to enjoy good music or watch a baseball game.

Gage Houser

Practice Manager

Gage came to us from Oblong Illinois back in 2014. Since then Gage has spent his time learning the ins and outs of the Clinic and continuing his education is Veterinary Medicine. Gage has been our Practice Manager for several years and has helped the Clinic become AAHA Accredited, as well as, Certified Feline Friendly. At the Clinic Gage loves seeing the variety of cases that come in and getting to work with his amazing team. Outside of the Clinic, Gage spends his time working for the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior as their Executive Director, furthering his education, and spending time with his Husband and seven (7) cats. Gage’s cats are named Cogburn, Dove Cat, Daisy Lu, Mandy-Bell, Yeti-Spaghetti, TT Monster, & Micky Monster.

Kristina Opfer

Certified Veterinary Technician / Head Technician

Kristina graduated from the Vet Tech Institute at Hickey College December of 2016 as a Veterinary Technician. She came to work at the Pet Wellness Center shortly after graduating. Kristina lives in Altamont with her Husband Tanner and her cats Lucy, Persephone, Zuko, and a dog named Daisy. Outside of the clinic Kristina enjoys spending time with her family, playing with her pets and reading.

Mackenzie Workman

Certified Veterinary Technician

Mackenzie was born and raised in Newton. She graduated from Newton Community High School in 2017. She then moved on to Parkland Community College and graduated with a degree in Veterinary Technology. In Mackenzie’s free time she enjoys hanging out with her dogs Gus Gus, Harley, and Jack Jack and her boyfriend.

Katie Stodden

Certified Veterinary Assistant

Katie completed her internship for school with us in May 2019, and joined our team full time shortly after. Katie enjoys working with all the animals and getting to know the staff. Outside the clinic, Katie spends her time hanging out with her son, family & friends, and her 2 German Shepards, Zoey & Loki.

Sydney Lorton

Veterinary Assistant

Sydney grew up in the Cowden-Herrick and currently lives with her Husband outside of Herrick. At the Clinic she enjoys being part of Puppy Wellness visits and loves seeing them grow up as they come in for their follow-ups. Outside of the Clinic, Sydney spends her time with her Husband and their many animals. Sydney currently has four (4) dogs, Lady, Elle, Finch, & Bubba Gump, as well as, one (1) cat named Kit-Kat, a goat named Gizzy, a donkey named Stinky, and a horse named Nelly.

Jen Wormhoudt

Groomer

Jennifer is originally a native of Effingham, IL where she lives with her 3 children and two cats. Prior to joining the PWCOSI team, Jennifer has had a wide-ranging career in the animal care field. She graduated with a B.S. in Agriculture with a specialty in Animal Health Technology from Murray State University. She then went on to spend 5 years working as a Veterinary Technologist in veterinary clinics, followed by 6 years working in Veterinary Software and Technology, and the past 8 years running her own grooming business, Diamonds in the Ruff Grooming.

Lindsey Sutherland

Groomer

With over 10 years in the grooming industry, Lindsey has the skills to keep pets looking and feeling their best. She grooms dogs XL to small and enjoys forming a bond with each and every pet that comes through. In her downtime, she loves walking trails with her German Shepherd and Mini Bull Terrier Vladimir and Lux and spending time with her husband and son.

Katie Logsdon

Groomer’s Assistant

Katie is a Grooming Assistant at the Pet Wellness Center of Southern Illinois. Katie moved to Neoga at a young age to help her family with their farm land and graduated from Neoga High School in 2021. She enjoys living in a small town and working in the veterinary industry. Katie’s passion for animals was inspired by seeing abandoned animals in the country and making it her mission to help them in any way she can. Her favorite thing about working with animals is creating a bond with them and making them feel safe and comfortable. Katie knew she was in the right profession after working with a dog that was scared of the dryer but ended up letting her dry him completely. Outside of work, Katie recently got married and loves spending time with her fur babies and family. She also enjoys fishing, golf cart rides, going for coffee, and running her small business.

Kortney Conner

Grooming Assistant

Kortney grew up in Cowden Illinois and currently lives in Effingham with her Husband. At the Clinic, Kortney loves getting to work with all the dogs she sees in grooming and getting to be part of our Team! Outside of the Clinic, Kortney and her husband enjoy going camping all around Illinois and watching sports. They currently have two (2) adorable dogs, Roxy a Pomeranian and Maizy a Dachshund.

Madison King

Receptionist or CSR (Client Services Rep)

Madison grew up and still lives in Jewett Illinois. While she is at the Clinic she enjoys meeting and getting to know all of the Clients that come in. She also enjoys getting to spend time with and getting to know all of their precious Fur Babies! While outside the Clinic, Madison spends her time with her dog and her family. Madison has a Long-Haired Dachshund named Cooper.

Contact Info

1911 W Evergreen Ave
Effingham IL, 62401

Phone: 217-342-7444

Office Hours

Mon-Fri: 7:30am – 6:00pm
Sat-Sun: Closed

©2024 Pet Wellness Center of Southern Illinois. Designed and Managed by ViziSites. Terms of Use. Website Accessibility.