MEET THE STAFF
What sets our staff apart?
Northwoods is full of talented, driven individuals, and we are proud to present
them in our meet the team section! Team strengthening exercises are so important
to us at Northwoods. We meet regularly both in and outside of work to ensure
that we provide you the best well rounded team of professionals.
Dr. William Kolesar
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Kolesar and his wife Julie both went to school to become Veterinary nurses. Dr. Kolesar went on to become a veterinarian and together in 1999 they opened Northwoods Pet Care Center; a full-service clinic offering veterinary care, boarding, and grooming services. He enjoys spending time with his family as well as hunting, being outdoors and woodworking in his spare time. If you look closely throughout the clinic, you'll find his custom pieces on display.
Dr. Ewa Schinsky
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Ewa Schinsky graduated from University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Wroclaw, Poland in 2012. She owned her own veterinary clinic in Poland until she moved to the United States with her husband in 2021. In 2022 Dr. Schinsky joined the team at Northwoods Pet Care Center. She brought a wealth of knowledge, experience, and a calm and positive attitude to the clinic. Veterinary medicine is her greatest passion, and she always goes the extra mile to ensure each patient is taken care of with the highest quality of care. Outside of work, Dr. Schinsky enjoys being outdoors, sailing, kayaking, hiking, skiing, and playing pickleball. She also loves spending time with her husband and 2 cats.
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Arica HR, PR
Practice Manager
Arica graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice but has found a profound love for the Veterinary industry stemming from her early years raising and showing animals at her local 4H. She is a highly proactive member of the Central Michigan community and it shows in her extraordinary customer service skills. She brings such a positive energy to the clinic all while maintaining a large role of managing both the office and hospital portion, overseeing all functionality and productivity of the clinic. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, children, family & friends and of course, all of her fur-children. Arica also has a passion for volunteering for Special Olympics at both a local and state level.
Julie Kolesar, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Julie graduated from Michigan State University as a licensed Veterinary Technician. She has worked in both the Veterinary and Human medical fields. Furthermore, at Northwoods, she has played a large role in every aspect of the clinic throughout the years, from boarding and grooming, to practicing as a technician while aiding in management; her talents are far from limited. In her spare time, she enjoys seeing her children and grandchildren, and creating timeless keepsakes for them.
Carly LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Carly has worked in the veterinary field since 2006. She received her Bachelor of Science from Western Michigan University but decided to change her career field after working as a Veterinary Assistant. In 2008 she graduated from Michigan State University as a licensed Veterinary Technician. Carly enjoys working in veterinary medicine because everyday is different and she finds satisfaction in helping the patients. She loves the fast-paced flow of Northwoods, how well the staff works together and how all employees are treated as family. Carly comes to work every day with such a positive attitude, a smile on her face and always making everyone laugh. When Carly isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her husband, watching her sons play sports and especially dance parties with her parents, sister, and nieces & nephews. A few words to describe Carly would be trustworthy, dependable, loyal, and especially humorous.
Maddie
Veterinary Technician
Maddie graduated from St. Louis High school in 2017. Before joining the Northwoods family, she previously worked in human healthcare as a CNA for five years. She started at Northwoods as an assistant and since has been promoted to one of our technicians. Maddie is always eager and excited to learn something new all while wearing such an infectious smile. She enjoys caring for our patients and assisting in surgery. Outside of the clinic she coaches the St. Louis Varsity Pom Squad. Aside from coaching, she enjoys spoiling her fur-babies, traveling with friends and being on the lake.
Baileigh
Veterinary Technician
Baileigh joined our team as a receptionist where she has several years of experience but hit the ground running and became a technician before we knew it. She attended Mid Michigan Community College where she began her degree towards Business Management. When Baileigh isn’t working she enjoys spending time with her husband, her dog, cats, and horses along with horseback riding. Working in the veterinary field has always been a dream of hers since she was a little girl. Baileigh is such an asset to have on our team.
Shania
Veterinary Technician
Shania graduated from Alma High School in 2015. Directly after graduation, she became a phlebotomist but her focus quickly transitioned into veterinary medicine. Shania has a strong love and passion for animals which started at a very young age. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her daughter, dogs and also performing at horse shows.
Alysa
Veterinary Assistant
Alysa graduated from Alma High School in 2019 and went straight into working with children after graduation. Alysa grew up with a wide variety of animals in her home which made her an animal lover from the beginning. She always knew she wanted to work in the Veterinary industry which led her to where she is today. During her free time, Alysa likes spending time with her two dogs, enjoying the outdoors or staying in for a cozy movie night.
Liv
Veterinary Assistant
Liv grew up in Sumner MI where she graduated from Alma High School in 2021. Her love for animals started when she was younger, helping her grandparents on their farm. Liv worked as a CNA for two years before joining the Northwoods team. She has two Huskies, Luka and Keno who she loves spending all of her time with when shes not working.
Maya
Veterinary Assistant
Maya is currently a third-year pre-vet student at CMU. She has had a deep love for animals for as long as she can remember and has had just about every species of pet possible. She loves learning new things about animals, medicine and science in general. Maya is looking to spend the rest of her career in Veterinary medicine. Outside of work she loves to spend time at home with her two cats or outdoors hiking or camping.
Autumn
Veterinary Assistant
Autumn attended Michigan State University to pursue a degree in Agricultural Operations before joining the Northwoods family as a veterinary assistant. She grew up showing livestock through 4H at the county, state and national level; which sparked her love for the Veterinary field. Autumn greatly enjoys working with both the patients and their families. In her free time Autumn enjoys raising livestock with her husband, spending time outdoors and especially loves spending time with her dogs.
Lynette
Receptionist
Lynette graduated in 2005 from Ferris State University in Business Management with a focus on Sports, Spa, Entertainment Operations as well as Hotel Management. She has vast experience in customer service including gaming and retail management. She also has several years of experience with fostering animals as well as volunteering for various causes and organizations. In her spare, she enjoys spending time with her two children, their animals as well as spending time with family and friends. She also has a love for the outdoors which includes kayaking, hiking and rock hunting on Michigan’s waterways. She thoroughly enjoys getting to know our clients and their beloved pets. Lynette states she takes pride in working for a clinic that is committed to the health and happiness of their employees. Northwoods is extremely grateful to have Lynette as a part of family.
Autumn
Receptionist
Autumn graduated from St. Louis High School in 2021 and will be attending college soon where she hopes to study veterinary medicine. She grew up working with horses and other small farm animals, which sparked her interest in this field. Autumn gets along easily with everyone and often times is making everyone laugh. During her time off she enjoys spending time with family and friends, napping, and trail riding on ATVs with her siblings. She also enjoys spoiling her cat, Walter.
Elyssa
Spa Specialist
Elyssa has been with Northwoods for over 15 years in our grooming and pet spa department. She offers her exquisite talents to all canine patients, and has an eye for perfection. Elyssa not only provides custom cuts, but she offers many other amenities as well such as but not limited to; ear cleansing, pedicures (nail trim, grind, and/or polish), coat coloring, and so much more. Elyssa spends her off time with her family and friends, and going to outdoor events!