Meet Our Team

Dr Peter Brunsdon, BVSc

Veterinarian

Peter Brunsdon graduated from the University of Sydney in 1983 and his first position as a qualified Veterinarian was here at the Leeton Veterinary Hospital.

After a few years here in Leeton, Peter left to gain further experience at practices in Corowa & Queanbeyan before settling in as the owner of the Tumbarumba Veterinary Clinic. Two decades later, Peter sold the Tumbarumba practice to work as a locum in Wagga and surrounds & his locum services were acquired by the team at the Leeton Veterinary Hospital in 2019. After a couple of years of working almost full time at here as a locum, Peter decided to purchase the practice in 2021.

Peter enjoys the constant variety of animals, caseloads, clients and challenges that working in a rural practice provides. Having the availability of modern diagnostic facilities for production and companion animals is also an asset and he finds having a great team who make the workplace very functional a benefit.

Peter loves working dogs and currently has a Border Collie cross named Manny.

Dr Jessica Panozzo, BVSc

Veterinarian

Jessica is originally from a farming district near Chicago in the US. She studied Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney and graduated in 2017. The Leeton Veterinary Hospital is her first position as a Veterinarian, though she also worked as a Vet Nurse during her time at Uni at the Annandale Vets in Sydney.

She has a special interest in feline health & welfare. Jess loves to see all the patients that come into see us, especially the Australian wildlife that come in for veterinary care.

Jessica has a cat named Mowgli and a Kelpie cross called Akela.

Dr Joelle Tiffin BVetBiol BVSc (Hons)

Veterinarian

Joelle is a Leeton local. Working with animals was always the dream career, ever since she was a young girl.

She graduated from CSU Wagga in 2012. While studying Veterinary Science, Joelle gained valuable experience as a Nurse at Leeton Veterinary Hospital during her university holidays. After graduation, she came to work with us as a Vet for a short time before taking some time out to expand her family. She returned to work with us in 2022.

Joelle really enjoys assisting the development of the human-animal bond with our clients and their fur-children. She has a special interest in behavioural medicine & in helping pet owners to take the best care of their pets.

At home, she has a Border Collie named Milo, two cats called Betty & Ash and a few horses on her parents’ local property.

Joyce Guest

Clerical Administrator

Joyce has been working as a Receptionist and Clerical Administrator since 2002 but has worked as a Vet Nurse before her children arrived.

Working with a great team and being able to assist great clients are just two of the things Joyce enjoys about her job. Getting the chance to have a cuddle and a pat with puppies and kittens would have to be her favourite though.

Joyce has a rescue dog at home, Harvey the Pomeranian.

Melinda Angel

Veterinary Nurse

Melinda moved to Leeton to work as a Veterinary Nurse in 2002 and has her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing and the Veterinary Nurse Technician Certificate as well as certificates in Information Technology.

Melinda enjoys the variety of cases and animals that she sees and that every day brings new and different cases and there is always an opportunity to learn and be challenged in her career. Having the opportunity to promote animal health and wellbeing through community projects is another bonus.

She shares her home with Roxie the crazy Kelpie. Melinda has also had cats, budgies and cockatiels that have been rescue cases in the past and way too much aquatic life to count.

Sophie Morton

Veterinary Nurse

Sophie Morton is a local having grown up in Narrandera and Wagga before starting her studies in Veterinary Nursing at Wagga TAFE. She qualified as a Vet Nurse in 2012 and had 6 years’ experience in Vet Nursing before joining us in 2017.

The relationship that we have with our clients and patients is one thing that Sophie loves to foster. She also enjoys being there by your pets’ side when you can’t be.

Sophie has a Terrier cross dog called Bessie & a Jack Russell named Freddie as well as several cats, horses & many, many chickens at home. She has also raised orphaned kangaroos, possums and other wildlife.

Georga Smethurst

Veterinary Nurse

Georga grew up on the mid north coast of NSW and moved to Wagga to attend CSU and study Veterinary Technology.

While she was studying, Georga came to do a placement for her university course in February 2024. Once she had completed her studies, and had gained her dual qualifications of the Cert IV in Vet Nursing & Bachelor in Veterinary Technology, she began working for us in December 2025.

Georga always knew she wanted to work with animals and loves that she can combine a love of medicine and animals through nursing. She enjoys the diversity of patients that come to visit us and the variety of cases that we see.

At home, Georga has two Jack Russell Terriers called Matilda & Alfie.

Reese Caburong

Veterinary Nurse

Reese moved to Leeton from the Philippines in 2022. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting and once she had moved to Australia, she decided she wanted to pursue a career change and work with animals.

She joined us at the Leeton Vets when she began studying the Cert IV in Veterinary Nursing at the Wagga TAFE in August 2024. Reese earned the Buster Ryan Memorial TAFE Scholarship while studying and completed her studies in December 2025, earning The Most Outstanding Student award in her graduating class.

Being able to care for her patients is what Reese loves about being a nurse and she finds that following cases of unwell patients through to good health is very rewarding. Seeing these patients reunited with their families brings her the most joy.

At home, Reese has two cats, Polly & Lemon, and a Golden Retriever named Paisley.