Our Team

John Allerton

Veterinarian

John graduated from the University of Queensland in 1996 and gained valuable experience working in three small animal practices before founding Birkdale Veterinary Clinic in September 2003. John enjoys applying his many years of experience to develop the most appropriate treatment plans for his patients, and has a keen interest in surgery. Outside of work, John shares his home with Rigby, his much-loved senior Border Collie x Kelpie cross. Now that his sons are in their twenties and have left home, he enjoys exploring new destinations in his 4WD and caravan.

Kerri Allerton

Practice Manager

Our practice manager, Kerri, does her best to keep the day to day operations of the clinic running smoothly, ensuring that all of the legislative requirements are met, and that the Tax Office, our suppliers and of course all of our wonderful staff, are paid correctly and on time! In her spare time, Kerri enjoys camping, socialising with her friends and family, spending time with her dog, Rigby, and tending to her garden.

Nicola Sheather

Veterinarian

Nicola graduated from Glasgow Vet School in Scotland in 1998. She worked as a mixed vet, treating farm and companion animals, for 6 years before travelling around Australia doing locum work for 1 year. After returning to the UK she continued veterinary work as a small animal vet on the south coast of England. Nicola was persuaded to come and live in Australia in 2009, originally living in Perth, before she discovered that Brisbane was a much nicer place to live. Nicola joined Birkdale Veterinary Clinic in September 2013 and has remained a valued member of the team, while still returning to the UK from time to time to visit her family. Alongside her passion for caring for cats and dogs, Nicola has a strong interest in wildlife and exotics.

Nathalie Moreitz

Veterinarian

Nathalie completed her Bachelor of Veterinary Science with the University of Sydney in 2001 and worked in clinics in New Zealand and the UK before moving to Brisbane in 2011, undertaking a mix of small animal, shelter work, and work in emergency practice. Nathalie joined us as a casual vet in November 2019. In her limited spare time (with a young daughter and son), Nathalie loves hiking, kayaking and skiing.

Claire Micklethwaite

Veterinarian

Claire Micklethwaite had been a vet for over 25 years before moving to the Bayside to be near the water and joining our Clinic as a part-time vet in November 2022. She loves all aspects of her job - both medicine and surgery and enjoys working with pets (and their owners). Away from work, Claire has 3 children and a dog called Wombat. In her spare time, Claire loves travelling and sailing.

Clare Callaghan

Veterinarian

Clare graduated from the University of Bristol in the UK in 2003. She worked as a mixed animal vet for a few years before focusing on small animals. In 2008, she moved to Australia for a year and has not left yet! Clare moved from Sydney to Brisbane in 2022 and started work at Birkdale Veterinary Clinic in November 2022. She has a special interest in small animal medicine and gained membership of the ANZCVS in 2010. Outside of work, Clare has two young sons and so hobbies are currently distant memories.

Alison Lackey

Veterinarian

Alison graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science from the University of Queensland in 2001 and worked for many years with the Animal Welfare League Qld and other small animal clinics. Alison currently works at an emergency clinic on the Gold Coast and undertakes locum veterinary work. We have been fortunate to have her assist us on a casual basis since July 2020. In her spare time, Alison enjoys travel, nature, hiking and tennis.

Jill Younger

Veterinary Nurse

Jill is our longest standing employee and has been with us since May 2008. Jill completed her nursing studies in the UK before moving to Australia with her husband, son and daughter in 2007. Jill loves meeting new people and enjoys a good chat at the reception desk. Away from work, Jill loves socialising and has an interest in classic cars. Jill and her family welcomed their Labrador cross fur baby, Edison, in 2017.

Lucinda Diga

Veterinary Nurse

Lucinda started at Birkdale Veterinary Clinic in 2009 as a casual clinic assistant before commencing full-time work in 2011. She completed her Certificate 4 in Veterinary Nursing with the Animal Industries Resource Centre in August 2017 and has a keen interest in emergency medicine and surgery. With 3 young children (Henry, Ella and Charlie), Lucinda is now working part-time. Away from work, Lucinda and her partner Liam, have two rescue cats, Millie and Ivy, and a bearded dragon.

Tori Buckley

Veterinary Nurse

Tori joined the clinic as a full-time veterinary nurse in July 2019. She started working in the industry after graduating from school in 2013 and completed her Certificate 4 in Veterinary Nursing in July 2017. She has a passion for animal health and loves seeing sick animals return home happy and healthy. In her spare time, Tori enjoys spending time with friends and family, loves going to the beach and hanging out with her border collie, Freddie.

Melissa Rippon

Veterinary Nurse

Our qualified nurse Melissa has been with us since April 2020. Melissa has a special interest in the many different surgeries performed at our clinic and loves seeing animals happy and providing the love and care they need. Melissa lives with her partner (Jaime), daughter (Perrie), and their fur baby (Kobe), a King Charles Cavalier who she loves taking for walks by the beach. In her spare time Melissa enjoys arts and crafts and exploring different places.

Nikita Weston

Veterinary Nurse

Nikita has been working in the veterinary industry since 2015 and completed her Certificate 4 in Veterinary Nursing in 2016. She loves caring for hospital patients and getting to see them recover and go home happy. Nikita enjoys travelling the world and spending time with friends and family. She currently has one English Staffordshire Terrier named Billy, who is a handful on his own, but she still can't wait to add another dog or two to her family.

Lisa Brown

Veterinary Nurse

Lisa had been vet nursing for 21 years before joining our clinic in August 2022. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking gourmet meals for her husband and two adult children, attending music festivals, dog sitting and camping. Lisa loves all types of animals and has a staffy (Laya) and a pug (Bear).

Tahlia Lord

Clinic Assistant

Before joining our team as a casual clinic assistant in January 2023, Tahlia worked as a dog groomer while completing her senior schooling. Tahlia completed her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing with TAFE Queensland in 2025. She has always had a passion for helping animals and loves seeing them happy and healthy. Tahlia enjoys spending time with family and friends, travelling and looking after her 2 cats, Lexie and Walter.

Jessica Farley

Clinic Assistant

Jessica is currently studying a Bachelor of Veterinary Science at University of Queensland, and is expecting to graduate in 2030. She joined the clinic in September 2025 as a casual clinic assistant and is looking forward to working with all types of animals in the future. Jessica's favourite aspects of working at the clinic are being part of a wonderful team and the valuable hands-on learning opportunities. Outside of work, she has three Silkie bantams and enjoys playing the piano, spending time at the beach, and participating in sports.