Meet the Team
Drummoyne Veterinary Hospital has been providing exceptional animal health care throughout the region for many years, and our team of dedicated and highly experienced staff pride themselves on providing the highest level of service to you and your pets.
Steven Cooney
BVSc (Hons) MANZCVSc (Small Animal Surgery) – Practice Owner
Steve grew up on the outskirts of Sydney on 5 acres with horses, ducks, chooks, cats and dogs. He knew from a young age that he would one day either run-away or work on a cattle station in the Northern Territory, or become a vet. After graduating from Sydney University in 1992, Steve worked in a dairy cattle practice in Gippsland, Victoria, spending the days delivering calves and treating horses. After 18 months there, Steve then travelled overseas returning to Australia in 1997 and starting work at Balmain Veterinary Hospital.
In 1998 Steve successfully sat examinations in Small Animal Surgery, and was admitted as a member to the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists. His main areas of interest lay within small animal surgery, in particular orthopedics and reconstructive surgery. Steve's own experiences with skin allergies have left him with a keen interest in animal skin conditions also. In 2000 Steve became partner in Balmain Veterinary Hospital and is a proud member of the team. He shares his house with his wife Christina, 2 beautiful children and Miniature Schnauzers Bindi and Tash. Steve has also recently added some chickens into the mix.
Dr Jason Lenord
BVSc (Hons) MANZCVSc (Medicine, Radiology) – Practice Owner
Jason grew up on a wheat and sheep farm near Inverell in Northern NSW. A love of working with animals and an interest in science steered him into a veterinary career. He graduated from the University of Sydney in 1994 and then headed off for three years to work in mixed practices on the Murray River in Victoria and on the NSW coast. Jason then made the move to Sydney to focus on a career in small animals. He worked in Sydney's Eastern suburbs until 2002, and then headed off overseas with his wife Chantay to work and travel, before returning in August 2005 to join the team at Balmain Veterinary Hospital.
Jason enjoys rugby and cricket and coaches both at a junior level. Jason also loves playing golf and tries to not let it take up too much of his spare time. His veterinary interests include small animal medicine, surgery, diagnostic imaging and pathology. In 2007 Jason was admitted to the Small Animal Medicine chapter of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists by examination, and again in 2018 to the Radiology Chapter after more exams.
Jason and Chantay have 3 sons as well as Luna the Labrador X, Sylvester the very cheeky and adventurous domestic shorthair and Trell the Rex Rabbit. Ra (pictured with Jason) is unfortunately no longer with us, having passed away in 2018 at the ripe old age of 20.
Nathan Harris
BVSc MANZCVSc (Medicine) - Practice Owner
Nathan gained his Bachelor of Veterinary Science from the University of Sydney and began his career as a Veterinary Surgeon in a large, small animal practice in metropolitan Sydney. This gave him the professional grounding and confidence to embark on a 3 year hiatus to the United Kingdom where he gained further valuable experience in small animal medicine and surgery. On returning from the UK, Nathan worked for a further 5 years at two inner Sydney Veterinary Practices before settling into Balmain.
During the last 5 years he has been active in pursuing further education and has completed a post graduate qualification in Emergency Medicine. This set the agenda for completing further examinations in Internal Medicine, and in 2010 Nathan gained his Membership in Feline and Canine internal medicine and became a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists. Nathan is also an Australian Government accredited Veterinarian, enabling him to assist clients in the export of their pet to overseas destinations.
Nathan's professional interests lie in medicine and soft tissue surgery, both of which he is passionate in practising. Nathan enjoys serving the community of Balmain, Rozelle and Lilyfield and prides himself on providing the very best advice and care to both you and your companion.
Dr Sammy Smith
Dr Sammy graduated from the University of Sydney in 2021 with a bachelor in veterinary biology and doctorate of veterinary medicine. Sammy grew up in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney and has been surrounded by animals his entire life, knowing from a very young age he wanted to be a vet. He loves all kinds of creatures, having dogs, cats and a snake at home, but will always have a special place in his heart for dogs (including his own very spoilt Cavoodle named Zoe).
Sammy is right at home in a busy veterinary clinic and loves all aspects of veterinary medicine. He has a special interest in internal medicine, emergency medicine, anesthesiology and dermatology and spends as much time as he can further educating himself in these fields, attending online seminars and virtual courses whenever possible.
In his free time Sammy loves going on walks in the bush or along the coast, going to the beach for a swim, watching TV/movies and dancing.
Sammy loves being a part of the team at Drummoyne Veterinary Hospital and proving exemplary care to our patients.
Dr Eleanor Tuffley
Dr Eleanor has more than 25 years experience working as a small animal veterinarian. After graduating, she worked for several years in the UK then moved back to Sydney in 1996. She relishes a diagnostic challenge in medicine, and enjoys surgery.
She has developed a special interest in animal behaviour after diagnosing her own dog with anxiety. She has completed postgraduate studies in behavioural medicine and is a member of the Australian Veterinary Behaviour Interest Group (AVBIG).
Eleanor is married with three children and understands the joys and hard work involved in maintaining a home full of kids and animals, and somehow finds time to play her favourite sports including soccer, ultimate frizbee and tennis, and she coaches her daughter’s netball team.
Dr Sonya El Chami
We welcomed the wonderful Dr Sonya to the team in 2019. Sonya is a highly skilled clinician, and she comes with a wealth of experience in small animal practice, as well as teaching students who are studying the Doctor of Veterinary medicine at the University of Sydney. Sonya has worked as a veterinarian and practice manager at clinics all over Sydney, and she's also also shared her knowledge and expertise via consulting on companion animal policy for the office of local government. Dr Sonya never misses a beat; she knows animal medicine inside and out and she always has the very best interest of her patients and their families at heart. Sonya will go above and beyond to formulate the best treatment plan for your pet; consulting with Sydney's top animal medicine specialists and working tirelessly to achieve the most positive outcome for her patients. Sonya has a great understanding and respect for the bonds that we share with our companion animals. She has a soft spot for Burmese cats, and she loves helping us care for the kitties in our adoption program. We feel very lucky to have Sonya on our team.
Dr Bas Hagreis
Dr Bas Hagreis joined us very recently. We're thrilled to have a veterinarian with his dedication and experience join our team. Bas has over 30 years experience in surgery and internal medicine. After working several years in Bondi Beach and a decade in London, he's spent the last 18 years working in the Inner West. Bas is interested in soft tissue surgery, internal medicine and dermatology and enjoys working out practical solutions to complex problems. The proud owner of Sydney’s most relaxed formerly stray cat Cosmo, he satisfies his need for canine happy tails while at work. When not fixing beasties, Bas likes swimming and loves travel (especially outback WA).
Sian
Sian is our wonderful head nurse. She is energetic and committed to the team and every aspect of patient and client care at the hospital. Her diligence, high standards and always-cheerful disposition make her a great team leader. She has worked at the Hospital for over a decade and has seen many of our older patients grow from the time they were tiny puppies!
Sian grew up in New Zealand, moving to Sydney for the warmer weather. Before moving to Australia, she worked as a veterinary nurse in Christchurch and Auckland. With a particular passion for the care of reptiles and birds, Sian is our go-to nurse for fauna, but of course her love of animals extends to all creatures. Sian currently has two Miniature Pinschers - 'Romie' and 'Finn' as well as a DSH cat 'Harvey'.
Rosie
Rosie heads up our client services team, so pretty much every time you interact with us, Rosie will be there ready to help. Rosie has a passion for feline welfare and loves running our cat adoption program.
Before joining our team, Rosie worked as Primary School teacher, and studied history, English and media at university before deciding to follow her heart and pursue a career in animal care. She started as a Welfare Officer at the Cat Protection Society of NSW before joining us in early 2017.
Rosie loves greeting clients, and cuddling and spoiling your pets. Her goal is to make everyone who comes in to the hospital feel comfortable and welcome.
Her two tabby rescue cats, Rupert and Cleo, and beautiful Golden Retriever, Yorkie are her pride and joy. Rosie is particularly passionate about supporting our clients when their pets are sick, and helping our clients through the loss of their pets.
Laura
Laura started working with us as a trainee nurse in 2016. She rapidly learned the ropes and has become an integral person in our busy veterinary hospital. Laura is passionate about her role, and her work ethic is outstanding. She has always loved animals and she shares her home with two cheeky cats, Jaffa and Kammi, and a beautiful Labrador mix, Charlie. Laura is also a dedicated foster carer, and she's skilled in bottle-feeding neonatal kittens. Laura is now a core member of our senior nursing team, and we feel very grateful to have her. Her skill, energy and enthusiasm are a vital part of what makes the hospital run so smoothly everyday.
Emily
Emily has a passion for animal care and started nursing straight after graduating from school in 2016. She worked her first year as an unpaid volunteer, proving her dedication and commitment before joining Drummoyne Veterinary Hospital in 2017. Emily has a strong interest in surgery and anaesthetics. She has a gentle and caring nature, and always does her best to ensure that our patients are happy and comfortable in the hospital. Emily recently completed a Bachelor of Forensic Science with Honours. She is currently undertaking further research in the area of 'Electronic Nose technology' to use in the search, rescue and recovery of victims of mass disasters. In her free time Emily loves doing flyball and agility with her dogs, camping on the East coast, and surfing. Emily shares her home with a cockatiel called Mango, and two beautiful Border Collies, Benji and Pippa.
Taylor
Taylor is originally from Orange, she moved to Sydney for uni and recently graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience. Taylor started working with us as our puppy preschool assistant and has since taken up more vet nursing duties. Taylor has an unconditional love for dogs, especially staffies, and is also passionate about our slithery friends too. She is the owner of a beautiful German Shepherd called Chevy, and a blonde spotted python called Arbok. Taylor is an avid reader, acrobat wannabe, and a trivia master… you might have seen her face on some quiz shows like Think Tank and Pointless. She is also very passionate about mental health and has spoken at schools with the organisation Batyr. Taylor is currently studying for a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and would like to work in animal reproduction in the future.
Allen
Allen is currently in his third year of a Bachelor of Veterinary Biology and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Sydney.
He fell in love with David Attenborough documentaries at a young age, and has now developed a keen interest in wildlife and exotic animals.
Allen loves all things sports, playing soccer on the weekends and basketball with his friends whenever he gets a chance.
In his spare time he likes to go on bushwalks, volunteer with the St Vincent de Paul Society, and of course spend time with his mischievous American Staffy cross, Logan.
Allen has fast become an integral part of the team- putting his hand up to help with client services, reception, and many other aspects of daily clinic life. Allen has a highly dedicated and professional approach to his work, and loves helping our clients and their pets in any way he can.
Lara
Lara is an invaluable part of our client services team. She brings with her a wealth of customer service experience, having worked many years in the retail and fitness industries, as well as having previously studied veterinary nursing.
Lara also works as a dance and fitness instructor, and is herself a talented dancer/choreographer and contortionist. She is passionate about animal care and people, so she loves having the opportunity to work with our wonderful clients and their pets.
Lara shares her home with a gorgeous, ball-obsessed wheaten Border Collie named Bailey and her cheeky Finnish Lapphund named Meeko. We're very excited to be welcoming Lara back from maternity leave in Mid 2024.
Seraya
Seraya joined our client services team in mid 2023. Seraya is an enthusiastic and passionate member of the team. She loves greeting clients and spoiling their pets. Seraya has worked at veterinary hospitals in Surry Hills and Five Dock, so she brings a wealth of experience in working with clients and is always eager to help in any way she can. In her spare time, Seraya sings and plays the guitar, and she's also a keen photographer! Seraya has a particular interest in animal behaviour and genetics; if you're after a fun fact about a breed or coat colour, she is your girl! Seraya loves her role at DVH and is hoping to study vet nursing in the future.
Mia
Mia joined the nursing team in 2023. Mia has always had a great love for animals, and her career began when she started working in pet shops as a teenager. She then worked as a volunteer in vet clinics for 1.5 years before deciding this was the role for her. She obtained her Certificate 4 in Vet Nursing at TAFE, and has now worked as a qualified Veterinary Nurse in general practice for over 7 years. Mia has a special interest in exotics and wildlife, anaesthetics and pathology. Mia is a confident and friendly vet nurse who loves to care for all animals. She is mum to four fluffy guinea pigs, two cats, a Staffy, a baby Dachshund and discus fish!
Matilda
Matilda has always loved and grown up around animals. She's had all sorts of pets growing up, including dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, guinea pigs, rabbits, fish and even stick insects.. you name it!
With a university degree in Zoology at Western Sydney University, Matilda is furthering her education and is currently studying veterinary nursing. Matilda has a passion for wildlife and in recent years has also volunteered at Taronga Zoo and other wildlife conservation organisations such as WIRES as a rescuer and carer.
Away from work, Matilda enjoys being outdoors whether that be camping, spending time in the garden, bush walking or travelling. She also enjoys spending time with her bunny, two budgies and Gertie the cockatiel.
Jess
Jess recently joined our team in late 2023. In 2022 she completed a Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience majoring in animal disease, health and welfare with honours I. Following university, she began completing a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing and has a special interest in Emergency and Critical Care. In the future Jess hopes to study Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, with a long-term goal of becoming a veterinarian.
Jess is currently working at an emergency and specialist clinic in Terrey Hills as a nursing assistant and is also a volunteer at a variety of wildlife and animal rescue organisations including Taronga Zoo, RSPCA and Sydney Wildlife Rescue. In her spare time, she enjoys going to the beach, running and travel.
Bria
Bria joined our nursing team in late 2023. Bria has had a passion for animals since she was a little girl. She completed her Cert IV Vet Nursing at Gosford TAFE in 2022, and spent her first 6 months in the field working with Avian and Exotic animals. Bria is a talented artist, and she's also a part-time graphic designer. In her Spare time she loves the beach, hiking and diving. Bria loves the beach and wants to move to the gold coast in the future. Bria's dream dog is a red merle Aussie shepherd!
