About Our Team
Veterinarians
Dr. Daniel Whitney
Owner & Veterinarian
Dr. Whitney was raised in West Des Moines, IA and spent his childhood helping at Jordan Creek Animal Hospital. He attended Iowa State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Animal Science in 2009 and his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2013. Upon graduation, Dr. Whitney joined a small animal practice in Eagan, Minnesota. In 2016, he returned to Jordan Creek Animal Hospital as a veterinarian, and in 2018, he partnered with his father as a co-owner of JCAH. When his father retired in July of 2025, Dr. Whitney took over as the sole owner of the practice.
Dr. Whitney and his wife, Danielle, are parents to three amazing children, Quinn, Riley, and Sam. Freddy, a spaniel mix, completes their family. When he’s not at the clinic, Dr. Whitney enjoys traveling, golfing, and spending time with his family and friends.
Dr. Anne Kueter
Veterinarian
Dr. Kueter, originally from Freeport, Illinois, received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Science from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. She obtained her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine Degree in 1997 from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. During veterinary school, she worked as a veterinary technician and completed preceptorships at wildlife rehabilitation centers and the Kansas City Zoo. Dr. Kueter joined the staff of Jordan Creek Animal Hospital in March 1997.
Dr. Kueter and her husband Troy are parents of two adult children Abigayle (Abi) and Lucas. They also have a dog Buddy, and three cats; Sully, Bessie, and Tango! In her free time, she enjoys biking, camping, and travel. Dr. Kueter is additionally trained in holistic medicine and acupuncture while also using herbal medicine as an adjunct to Western medicine to treat pets.
Dr. Leah Moore
Veterinarian
Dr. Moore grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and West Des Moines with many pets, including dogs, cats, horses, mice, and rabbits. She attended Iowa State University and studied Wildlife Biology before receiving her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1985. From 1985 to 1999, Dr. Moore worked in small animal practice in suburban Chicago. She came to Jordan Creek Animal Hospital in May of 1999. Dr. Moore enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, and gardening with prairie plants.
Dr. Wendy Johnson
Veterinarian
Dr. Johnson was born in Lubbock, Texas but was raised in West Des Moines, Iowa. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Simpson College and then went on to receive her MBA from the University of Iowa. In 2003, she received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine Degree from Iowa State University. She immediately came on board as an associate veterinarian at Jordan Creek Animal Hospital, where she had served as a veterinary assistant and receptionist during veterinary school. She later practiced as a relief veterinarian to focus on raising her two daughters but returned as an associate veterinarian in 2021.
Dr. Johnson and her husband Joel have two beautiful adult daughters. She truly enjoys spending time with her family, restoring a 1-acre native prairie at her home in Madison County, and geeking out with anything related to plants or animals!
Dr. Cody Mingus
Veterinarian
Dr. Mingus was born in Falls City, Nebraska. She attended the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, receiving her Bachelor of Science Degree in Veterinary Science in 2006. She enrolled in veterinary school at Iowa State University and received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2010. After practicing at a pet hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, she joined the staff at Jordan Creek Animal Hospital in 2012.
Dr. Mingus and her husband Zach, are parents of three daughters, Emree, Palmer, and Vivienne. They are also the parents of a Doberman, Sharon, a Cavapoo, Myer, a Shih Tzu mix, Roger and one cat, Noodle. She enjoys spending her free time with her daughters and pets and watching movies at home.
Dr Rachel Varley
Veterinarian
Dr. Varley and her husband have three daughters, Claire, Cora, and Campbell, and a son named James. They have one Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog named Pickle. Dr. Varley enjoys spending time with family and friends, running, being outdoors, and watching her kids play sports.
Dr. Emily Baughman
Veterinarian
Emily Baughman grew up in West Des Moines and is proud to call it home once again. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Notre Dame before completing her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University. Emily always knew she wanted to become a veterinarian, a goal she pursued from a young age. After veterinary school, Emily spent three years living in Nashville, gaining valuable experience and enjoying life in a new city.
At home, Emily shares her life with her husband, Cory, their sons, Calvin and Miles, and a full house of pets. Her animal family includes Blue, a pit bull mix, along with three cats, T’Challa and Wanda, both domestic shorthairs, and Natasha, a domestic longhair. She has a strong love for learning and problem-solving, and she especially enjoys reading and tackling puzzles. Emily loves to travel, with her favorite adventure being a road trip through Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks, and she hopes to one day visit every national park in the United States.
Veterinary Technicians
Katie
Patient Care Coordinator / Veterinary Nurse, RVT
Katie grew up in St. Charles, IA, on a farm where she raised sheep, chickens, and cows. She currently lives in New Virginia, IA, with her fiancé, Colter. She attended Southwestern Community College in Creston, IA, where she received an AA in Liberal Arts. She took multiple agriculture classes and even bottle-fed a lamb during her time there! She graduated in 2021, then shortly after began working towards her veterinary technology degree. She has since graduated, passed her boards, and earned her title as Registered Veterinarian Technician! She has future aspirations to travel outside the US and become a specialized RVT.
Outside of work, she enjoys sewing, traveling, kayaking, fishing, hunting, gardening, camping, and spending time outdoors. At home, Katie is kept company by her three cats, Goose, Flerb, and Loki, and the newest addition to the family, her yellow Labrador, Wren.
Destiny
Veterinary Nurse, RVT
From a young age, Destiny always knew she wanted to work with animals, and her interest was solidified after shadowing a veterinary technician in high school. She is now proud to be working in the field she has long dreamed of.
At home, she is a devoted pet parent to Dahlia, her longhaired dachshund, and Leo, her 4-year-old cat. Known around the clinic as the “crazy dachshund lady,” she never passes up an opportunity to meet and cuddle any dachshund that comes through the door.
Outside of work, Destiny enjoys reading, arts and crafts, spending time at the lake, and attending country concerts. She also starts every day the same way, with an iced coffee.
Amelia
Veterinary Nurse, RVT
Amelia was raised between Ames and Clive, IA, but currently resides in Boone. She was a homeschooled individual who felt as if she lived under a rock, but her experience shaped her passions and aspirations for the future! She is determined to work with wildlife rehabilitation of fauna, especially raptors.
Some of Amelia’s interests lie in marketing and website construction and design, but to assist her life goals of wildlife rehabilitation, she attended ISU and majored in Animal Science with a Pre-Vet option. Soon after, she graduated from DMACC in May of 2024!
Outside of school and work, Amelia has a calico cat, Sundae, who keeps her company. Back in the day, she used to have her own flock of tamed peafowls (peacocks) and chickens!
Sarah
Veterinary Nurse, RVT
Although she doesn’t currently have pets of her own, Sarah grew up with a variety of family pets including a poodle named Millie, a pitbull mix named Darla, and a malinois named Verda, as well as a lively group of chickens. Outside of work, she and her husband Tim balance a busy schedule of church activities and college events. In her downtime, you can find her weight-lifting at the gym, going for a run, sewing, or creating art.
Veterinary Assistants
Grace
Veterinary Assistant
Grace was raised in West Des Moines and Clive but currently resides in West Des Moines. She attended Valley High School where she excelled greatly in her passion for jazz and marching band. Aside from her talent and love for music, she was involved in basketball, soccer, and dance. After high school, she attended UNI for a short time in the music and biology program. She quickly decided to join the UNI women’s rugby team, where she ended up placing 2nd in the national championship! Grace knew from a very young age that she wanted to become a vet or work with animals. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career working with wildlife. At home, she has one cat, Flopper, to keep her busy!
Preston
Veterinary Assistant
Preston grew up in Vancouver, Washington, and relocated all the way over to West Des Moines, Iowa in 2016. Prior to joining JCAH, he completed trade school training in facilities maintenance and holds an OSHA certification. He considers himself somewhat eccentric, maintaining a unique approach that keeps those around him engaged. Outside of work, he enjoys playing Dungeons and Dragons and applying his artistic skills to painting miniatures, with a particular fondness for all shades of green. While Preston does not currently have any pets at home, he greatly enjoys interacting with the animals at the clinic.
Anna P.
Veterinary Assistant
Anna grew up and currently lives in the DSM area where she graduated from Valley High School in 2019. She has a great love for animals, getting outside, camping, and keeping busy with crafting! Her crafts include painting, sculpting, and glass soldering. She previously worked at Raising Cane’s as their leading manager, as well as helping out at her family’s business. Moving forward, she hopes to become certified as a vet technician. At home, she has her sweet shorkie, Mac Daddy, and cat, Maggot!
Sheila
Veterinary Assistant
Sheila is originally from Jamaica but was adopted when she was 5 years old. She has lived in West Des Moines ever since! She attended Central College to obtain a biology degree. While in school, she started as a fellow kennel attendant but now serves as one of our veterinary assistants! Sheila takes great care of her dogs, Bruno and Kingston. Outside of work, she enjoys anything involving the outdoors: hiking, running, and bird watching!
Phoebe
Veterinary Assistant
Phoebe was raised in Boulder, CO, but now resides in Ames, IA. She is halfway through schooling to become a practicing veterinarian. Outside of school, she works as a technician at the ISU Vet Diagnostic Lab. In the past, she has gained great experience rehabilitating wildlife. The most fun animals she has worked with are jaguars, macaws, and monkeys. When she is not working or studying, Phoebe enjoys bird watching, playing with her Shetland sheepdogs, Rockey and Candy, watching horror movies, and traveling whenever she gets the chance.
Mia
Veterinary Assistant
When she is not working or studying, Mia can be found spending time with her four dogs, Bear, Hank, Lily, and Maggie, her cat, Missy, and her beloved flock of chickens. She also enjoys reading and taking her dogs on hikes throughout the Des Moines area.
Megan
Veterinary Assistant
Megan grew up in Johnston, Iowa, and now lives in Indianola. She graduated from Iowa State University in 2024 with a degree in Animal Ecology (Pre-Vet) and has applied to veterinary school with hopes of specializing in zoo and wildlife medicine. Her time working at the New England Aquarium in Boston sparked a deep passion for marine health and coral reef conservation.
At home, she shares her space with a lively mix of pets, including a Border Collie and Pitbull, two cats, two crested geckos, and a corn snake. Megan enjoys designing reptile and aquarium tanks and often helps with local wildlife rehabilitation. She loves to travel, Germany being a favorite destination, and dreams of cage diving with great white sharks in Africa. No day is complete without a strong dose of caffeine to keep her going!
Jessika
Veterinary Assistant
Before entering veterinary medicine, Jessika had a unique and creative work background, including working as a scare actor and stilt actor at Adventureland and the Slaughterhouse. At home, Jessika cares for a lively group of pets. She has two dogs, Raskal, a six-year-old Great Dane, and Alpine, a four-year-old Great Pyrenees. Her feline crew includes four cats, Chet, Cheesecorn, Teddy, and Dipper, along with a 40-gallon freshwater fish tank. In her free time, Jessika enjoys reading, rewatching star wars, swimming, playing video games, and relaxing with her favorite comfort food, ravioli. One day she hopes to visit many national parks across the country!
Support Staff
Amanda
Kennel Manager
Amanda grew up in West Des Moines and graduated from Waukee High School. She has her associate’s degree in Liberal Arts from DMACC. Amanda started at JCAH in 2012 as a kennel attendant and worked her way up to kennel manager in 2021. Amanda loves attending concerts, playing games, and spending time with her friends, family, and pets. She has three dogs, Bella, Cookie, and Lilo, and a cat, Sunny. One fun fact about Amanda is that she is a huge Superman fan!
Mary Scout
Assistant Kennel Manager
Mary Scout grew up and currently resides in West Des Moines, IA. From 2021-2023, she lived in Korea due to the relocation of her husband in the military. Soon after, she moved back home to be with her family. She is currently enrolled at Arizona State University to obtain her Bachelor of Homeland Security.
She has previously worked at the YMCA and other dog boarding facilities, where her love for animals has continued to grow. At home, she has three pets: a Russian Blue cat named Halt, an Aussie German Shepherd mix named Cyrus, and Ozzy, the newest member of the family. When she is not playing with her fur babies, she enjoys cooking, riding her motorcycle, and playing computer games!
Kylie
Client Care Coordinator
Kylie grew up in Boone, IA, but has since moved to the West Des Moines area. Working with dogs for over six years now, she has enjoyed building relationships with furry friends of all personality types. She is currently on the path of figuring out the direction she would like to take in her educational career with animals. At home, she has two dogs named after her favorite Marvel characters, Coulson and Peggy. In her free time, Kylie enjoys hiking with her dogs, crafting, and keeping up on the best movies.
Lauren
Personnel Coordinator
Lauren was born in Omaha, Nebraska, but grew up in Spirit Lake, Iowa near Lake Okoboji. In 2020, she graduated from Iowa State with a Bachelor’s in Event Management. She has worked in the wedding industry, catering, tourism, sales, and country clubs. Although she did not go to school for animal science, she loves having the chance to work with animals. Outside of work, Lauren enjoys playing the piano, singing, hanging with friends, painting, walks outside, and finding fun events to attend in the area. She hopes to get her own dog very soon.
Lilly
Hospital Receptionist
Lilly is a proud cat mom to five furry companions: Zeus, Hera, Baby, Hades, and Zara. Her passion for animals extends beyond her own home, and one day she hopes to fulfill her dream of running a cat rescue to help even more felines receive the care and loving homes they deserve.
If Lilly could be any animal, she would choose a hammerhead shark for its unique personality and unmistakable style. When she’s not at the clinic, you can usually find her pet sitting, enjoying a well-earned nap, or curled up with a good thriller book on her kindle.
Katherine
Hospital Receptionist
Katherine grew up in Ankeny, Iowa after moving from Woodland, California at age eight, and currently resides back in Ankeny after completing her college studies. She graduated from the University of Iowa in May 2024 with a degree in Linguistics, focusing on Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), and minored in Korean Studies. Her passion for teaching has been a consistent theme throughout her life, evolving from dreams of becoming a music teacher to ultimately pursuing language education.
Beyond academics, Katherine is an avid reader and gamer who keeps a constantly rotating book club going with a close friend while also having studied Korean for six years. At home, she shares her space with Marmalade, her adored long-haired orange cat, whom she lovingly calls her “son.” Whether she’s starting her day with extra cuddle time or seeking out the best Korean dish in town, Katherine is always eager to explore what’s next.
Ellie
Hospital Receptionist
Ellie was raised in Waukee, Iowa, and has since made West Des Moines her home. While studying at DMACC, she didn’t always know exactly what career she’d pursue, but her interest in animals was her guiding light. One of her standout experiences before joining our team was her time at the Lutheran Church of Hope, where she brought endless enthusiasm and care to its members.
She shares her home with her husband, Chuck, and two Labrador retrievers, Skye and Kona, her cherished “fur babies.” When it comes to daily rituals, she starts her mornings with a cup of coffee, ends with ice cream, and may indulge in her favorite comfort meal, Parmesan noodles. Outside of work, she is quite skilled in both cross-stitching and building with Legos! Her favorite way to relax and unwind is by watching The Office, a go-to that never gets old. On her next traveling adventure, she hopes to check a safari excursion off her bucket list!
Charity
Laboratory Assistant
Charity was raised in Douala, Cameroon and now proudly calls Des Moines, Iowa home. Her journey has taken her across continents, including time spent living in Uganda and Germany, experiences that have shaped her global perspective and deep appreciation for diverse cultures and communities. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in microbiology in Cameroon before moving to the United States to pursue her PhD in Toxicology, which she considers her greatest achievement. Although her career path led her into science, she always knew she wanted to serve others and once dreamed of becoming a missionary, a calling that still influences how she approaches life today.
Fluent in multiple languages, English, French, Pidgin, and the Limbum dialect, Charity’s love for culture and connection is reflected in her travels, including her favorite trip to Maryland for a Girl Power conference where she met inspiring new people. Her confidence and presence extend beyond academics. One day she aspires to explore opportunities in the Air Force and modeling. At home, Charity finds joy in simple comforts such as a plate of rice and beans, watching her favorite movie The Encounter, and beginning or ending her day with Bible reading and prayer.
Founder
Dr. David Whitney
Veterinarian
Dr. Whitney was born and raised in West Okoboji, Iowa, and received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree from Iowa State University in 1979. Prior to building Jordan Creek Animal Hospital in 1991, he worked for 12 years at a multi-doctor veterinary practice in Barrington, Illinois. Dr. Whitney is very involved in the veterinary community and has served as President of the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association (IVMA).
Dr. Whitney’s family includes his wife Lorraine, a dog Odie, daughter Lauren, son Daniel, daughter-in-law Danielle, granddaughters Quinn and Riley, grandson Sam, and grand dog Freddy. In addition to spending time with his family, Dr. Whitney enjoys photography and gardening.
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”
-Anatole France