Damon O'Gan, DVM
Dr. O’Gan comes from the Big Horn Mountain country of northern Wyoming. After earning his veterinary degree at Texas A&M , he practiced at Hill Country Equine in Boerne, Texas, under the tutelage of Dr. David Dutton. With a strong interest in equine emergency care and lameness evaluation, Dr. O’Gan saw a growing need for a quality equine practice west of Austin, and founded the practice in July 2004.
Dr. O’Gan is a proud member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and enjoys teaching and sharing his equine experience with the community. He has been the "Vet On Call" for MyHorseMatters.com, and spoken to professional groups, such as the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Alamo Dressage Association. Dr. O’Gan also speaks at public schools, where he encourages young people interested in equine medicine to learn more about the profession.
Matt Evans, DVM
Dr. Evans is a native Austinite with a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine From Texas A&M University. Prior to joining Austin Equine Associates, Dr. Evans worked at Gulf Coast Large Animal Clinic. He maintains active membership in the American Association of Equine Practitioners, Texas Veterinary Medical Association and American Veterinary Medical Association.
Dr. Evans' interests include sporthorse medicine and equine reproduction. He enjoys volunteering and has served as the on call veterinarian for the Houston Livestock Show as well as on the Veterinary Testing Committees for the Houston Livestock Show and Brazoria County Fair. Dr. Evans joined Austin Equine Associates in June of 2005.
JoLynn Joyce, DVM, MS, DACVS
Dr. JoLynn Joyce is a native of Huntsville, Texas. She attended Texas A&M University where she earned both her Bachelor and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees. Following veterinary school, Dr. Joyce completed an equine internship at Waller Equine Hospital.
With a special interest in equine lameness and surgery, Dr. Joyce continued her education by completing a three-year equine surgery residency at Colorado State University in July of 2007. Following her residency, Dr. Joyce was hired by CSU as a staff surgeon. During her time in Colorado, Dr. Joyce was mentored by world renowned surgeons and became proficient in many specialized surgeries including arthroscopy, laparoscopy, fracture repair, respiratory disorders, reproductive surgery and emergency colic surgery. CSU is widely acknowledged for its expertise in equine lameness and digital imaging. As a resident and staff surgeon, Dr. Joyce gained tremendous interest and experience in these fields.
Dr. Joyce is a Board Certified surgeon and a proud member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Equine Practitioners. She is happy to return to the great state of Texas and make Austin Equine Associates her home.
Rachel Wilson, DVM
Dr. Wilson is a native of Dripping Springs, Texas. She attended Texas A&M for her undergraduate studies in Biomedical Science and obtained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree in the Spring of 2010. She has particular interest in lameness, internal medicine and surgery. Dr. Wilson joins Austin Equine Associates as our first veterinary intern. She is member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Dr. Wilson is thrilled to be back living in the Austin area. Away from work, she is an avid rider and owns Malcolm, a twenty-one year old Thoroughbred.
Meredith Naylor, Head Technician
Originally from Dallas, Meredith moved to Austin in 2000 to attend the University of Texas where she earned a B.A. in English and rode for the U.T. Equestrian Team. After spending several years working in emergency room administration, Meredith decided to trade in human doctors and patients for the equine variety. Meredith joined Austin Equine Associates in March 2007, and has enjoyed being a part of the practice’s development from an ambulatory service to a premier surgical facility. In her free time, she loves reading, taking her dogs to the lake, and taking jumping and dressage lessons with her horse Blue.
Dominique Le Baron, Vet Technician
A native of California, Dominique moved to Texas in 2005. With her love of horses established at a young age, she has been involved in many facets of the equine industry. As a technician for Austin Equine, Dominique enjoys handling the horses and being part of a team that is such a positive force in the Hill Country horse community. A crazy horse woman in the making, Dominique joined the Austin Equine team in July of 2009. Commonly found with hay in her hair and a brightly colored scarf, Dominique enjoys working with the horses, especially the silly ones. "Every day presents new opportunities to learn and challenges to overcome. Working together to effect some positive changes... that’s what it’s all about." When not at work she might be found stretching her horses’ legs out on the trail, working on a little dressage out in the field or starting a young one in the round pen. After a day filled with horses, she likes to finish up with some time in front of the piano or by reading a really good book.
Jennifer Kelly, Vet Technician
Jennifer was born in San Antonio, and at the age of five moved to the great city of Austin. Since she was a little girl, she wanted to spend her life helping animals, and now she does just that. Jennifer joined Austin Equine as the weekend tech in the spring of 2009 and became a full time technician in April 2010. Before becoming an equine vet tech, Jennifer spent many years working at small animal clinics and running a pet sitting business. When she isn’t taking care of others’ loved ones, she spends most of her time trail riding her horses Gemini, Diva, and Cal. At home, she also has three adopted dogs and four rescued cats.
Kumi Smedley, Front Desk Receptionist
A late Spring 2008 addition to our staff, Kumi brought with her a unique combination of experience – everything from years of horse and office experience, plus a teaching and surgical background! In addition to her personal brood of five riding horses, Kumi owns a breeding and competition stallion, Kovington *Ps*, that stands in Virginia. She is an active member of the American Trakehner Association, as well as chairperson of their publications committee. In the few hours Kumi has left in her week, she enjoys the Austin music scene.