Meet Our Team!
Meet the veterinarians and team at SmartVet! We’re pleased to provide exceptional vet care for your pets!
Our Staff
We are so pleased that you are viewing our staff page. All of us at SmartVet feel we are a close-knit family, bonded together by longevity, affection, and compassion for animals. We are proud that many of us have been working at SmartVet since we opened our practice. This makes us unique in the most wonderful way possible.
Dr. Romanie Walter
Founder & Veterinarian
Dr. Romanie Walter graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois in 2005. She then completed a veterinary clinical science small animal medicine and surgery internship (IPSAV) from 2006 until 2007 at the University of Montreal. Dr. Walter opened SmartVet in November of 2011. She focuses her time on serving you, our SmartVet clients. Dr. Walter has a special interest in continuing education, emergency medicine, and critical care. Her family includes her husband, a daughter, a Doberman named Keema, and a cat named Frank.
Dr. Laura Peterson
Veterinarian
Dr. Laura Peterson graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois in 2010. After graduation, Dr. Peterson worked for a mixed animal practice in the St. Louis area. In 2015 she moved back to central Illinois to be closer to her family and joined SmartVet. She has a special interest in wellness and preventative care and loves seeing patients in their own homes. Dr. Peterson’s hobbies include travel, her family cattle farm, and anything outdoors!
Dr. Erin Adkins
Veterinarian
Dr. Erin Adkins graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California Davis in 2009. She went on to complete a 1 year internship at a veterinary hospital in San Francisco and since that time has practiced in emergency/specialty hospitals and general practices in Northern California and Australia. She joined SmartVet in 2019. Dr. Adkins has a special interest in internal medicine, ultrasound, and emergency medicine. Although she has enjoyed her travels, she is now happy to be settled down in Normal with her family.
Dr. Emily Tabor
Veterinarian
Dr. Emily Tabor graduated from the Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2015. She spent several years working in large animal medicine prior to turning her attention to small animal medicine. While Dr. Tabor loves all fluffy animals, she has a soft spot for felines, especially large ginger tabbies. Dr. Tabor’s interests outside of the clinic include sharing her love of cooking, playing board games, and traveling.
Liz
Practice Manager
Liz started in veterinary medicine working in the horse world. She’s been with SmartVet since 2018. Her passion is helping new employees and supporting the next generation of vet meds. Her “superpower” is reading canine body language and helping our patients enjoy their visit. She shares her life with four cats and a French Bulldog named Liam.
Sarah
Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT)
Sarah loves veterinary dentistry! Sarah started in vet med in 2008, and her favorite thing about her job is building trust with fearful pets. She attended Parkland College’s Vet Tech program. She prides herself in taking a Fear Free approach to treating patients. She loves how far vet med has come in treating pet pain.
In her free time, she enjoys going on nature hikes with her husband and dogs, bike rides, and spending time with family and friends.
Megan
Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT)
Megan has been a CVT since 2016 and has worked at SmartVet since 2018. She loves assisting in surgery and taking care of hospitalized patients. When she’s not at work, she enjoys fishing and kayaking. She shares her life with a puggle named Scooby and a toy poodle named Charlie.
Jasmine
Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT)
Jasmine is one of our Certified Veterinary Technicians. She has been with SmartVet since 2016. She attended Parkland College, Champaign, and Urbana. She prides herself on being an advocate for patients while they are in her care, and she loves seeing them go home feeling better than when they came in.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her son, family, and pets.
Bianca
Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT)
Bianca has been a veterinary assistant since 2019. She completed her Veterinary Technician degree at the end of 2023, and after passing the national exam, has earned her Certified Veterinary Technician license. She believes in Fear Free patient care. She worked in zoo medicine for 9 years and knows the value of cooperative care for all animals. Bianca shares her life with a Labrador named Whiskey and a cat named Newt. As you might have guessed, Bianca is a big fan of the Harry Potter franchise. In her free time, she enjoys playing pool, spending time with her pets, going to concerts and festivals, getting tattoos, and watching movies.
Gabby
Veterinary Assistant
Gabby has been a veterinary assistant since 2007, with 10 years in emergency medicine. She participates in canine agility and modified bickering with her Beauceron, Zico. They share their life with two cats, Chevelle (spicy cat) and Skillet (one-brain-cell cat).
Alex
Client Service Representative
Alex is one of our Customer Service representatives. She’s been with SmartVet since 2019. She attended U of I and has a degree in Animal Sciences. Her favorite thing is helping senior pets live their best lives. Alex shares her life with a 19-year-old cat named Duff and a Shiba Inu mix named Dory.
Bailey
Veterinary Assistant &
Client Service Representative
Bailey is a veterinary assistant and a customer service representative. She’s worked in veterinary medicine since 2017 and loves teaching new pet owners the best way to take care of their fuzzy family. Bailey is a huge fan of the band Imagine Dragons and frequents their concerts. She shares her life with a mixed-breed dog named Marnie and a cat named Bleu.
Alyssa
Veterinary Assistant
Alyssa started her career in veterinary medicine in the military. Her favorite part of being a veterinary assistant is calming nervous patients. Alyssa shares her life with 11 geckos, 5 tarantulas, 4 rats, 3 ferrets, and 2 snakes. She also breeds and sells isopods for reptile habitats.
Alexa
Veterinary Assistant
Alexa joined the SmartVet team in 2022 as a veterinary assistant. She is currently attending ISU and plans on a career in veterinary medicine. Alexa shares her life with Alvin the Pomeranian, Arlo the beagle mix, and two cats, Piper and Pepper. In her spare time, she loves to decorate cakes.
Anna
Veterinary Assistant
Anna is one of our Veterinary Assistants. She’s been with SmartVet since 2024. She graduated from Parkland College in May 2024 with her Veterinary Technician degree. She loves providing the best possible care to all animals and guidance to pet owners. Everyone wants the best for their pets, and she takes pride in anything she can do to help achieve the goal of having a happy, healthy pet. In her free time, she loves spending time outdoors, hiking, and paddle boarding; she also enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Karrie
Vet Assistant
Karrie has been with SmartVet since 2019. She loves making vet visits a little less scary for pets. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her three spoiled lap dogs (two Great Danes and a 100-pound Heinz 57); she also volunteers with the fire department as a firefighter, EMT, swift water rescue tech, and fire investigator for Woodford County; and she loves reading books.
Emily
Remote Client Service Representative
Emily has been working in veterinary medicine since 1994. She’s currently a customer service representative and loves helping people with their pet’s needs. Emily has six Saint Bernards, one Irish Wolfhound, a Shih Tzu, and a corgi. And a ginormous monthly pet food bill! She’s also a talented singer.
Aaron
Client Service Representatives
Aaron is one of our Client Service Representatives. He’s been with SmartVet since early 2023. He takes great pride in his communication skills, which are helpful in a multitude of situations, whether it be scheduling routine exams, discussing treatment plans and details, answering questions, or being empathetic when needed. He also prides himself on making sure the patient and client are at the forefront of his mind, always looking for ways to make their visit perfect. In his free time, he is a dad first and foremost; he loves spending time with his son exploring nature, taking photos, and traveling locally. Good food, fun times, family, and friends (furry ones included) are his keys to a happy life.
Vanessa
Vet Assistant
Vanessa has been with us since 2023, and she is Fear Free certified. She brings compassion and empathy to every interaction with both her patients and their human companions. Outside of work, she is a marketing committee member for her sorority, Omega Phi Beta. She also enjoys time with her fur baby, Dixie, as she brings immense joy and companionship to Vanessa’s life.
Rosalind
Vet Assistant
Rosalind has been with us for the past 3 years. She loves watching her patients grow and helping them heal. Outside of work, she loves riding and showing horses.
Zico
Lunch Monitor
Zico loves spending his lunch hour with his best friend Liam. His favorite activity is walking himself with his leash while sporting Dobby ears. Zico gets plenty of exercise bikejoring. He has two cats, Chevelle and Skillet, and one human he calls Mom.
Liam
Class Clown
Liam has been “working” at SmartVet his whole life! His favorite thing to do is play wrestle-mania with his buddy Zico during their lunch break. He is particularly talented at making new friends and making his human friends laugh.