Doctors
Dr. Hunter Vandenberg – Owner
Dr. Hunter Vandenberg grew up in Ankeny, Iowa. He graduated with a degree in Biology from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. He attended Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and received his DVM in 2016. His special interests include surgery, dentistry, preventative medicine, and the itchy dog (dermatology).
In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with family, traveling, biking, and anything involving the great outdoors. He also enjoys aquaponic gardening, a mixture of aquaculture and hydroponics. Dr. Vandenberg resides in Ankeny with his wife Anna, daughters Sloan, Sutton and Sawyer and their dogs; Enzo (Scottish Terrier/Chihuahua Mix), Beesly and Riggs (Mini Goldendoodles).
Dr. Betty Grim-Newton
Dr. Betty Grim grew up in southeast Iowa and attended Northeast Missouri State University and graduated with a degree in Animal Science. After working for 2 years for the 4-H program in Illinois, she decided to return to school and pursue a veterinary degree. She graduated from ISU College of Veterinary Medicine in 1994.
Dr. Grim and her family enjoy trail riding and competing in Competitive Mounted Orienteering. She lives on a small acreage in Madrid with her husband and son, 2 dogs, 4 cats, and 5 horses.
Staff
Heather
Surgical and Technician Staff
Heather joined the Ankeny Animal Health Clinic staff in 2000 after attending Southwestern Community College where she played softball. Heather currently lives in Mitchellville with her husband Jeff, kids; Jade and Josie, and her menagerie of pets; Radish and Alfie (Pugs), Billy and Marsha-Mella (Cats), Peter (Leachianus Gecko), and many chickens, ducks, and fish. When not working she enjoys gardening, coaching her daughter in softball, gathering with family, and traveling.
Jessica
Office Manager
Jessica first joined the Ankeny Animal Health Clinic staff in 2001 as part of the technician staff while attending Des Moines Area Community College. In 2017 she stepped away from our full-time staff while her kids were in their busy years only filling in when needed. In August of 2021, she rejoined our regular staff as our Office Manager. Jessica lives in Ankeny with her husband Derrick, kids Lily and Austin, dogs Trixie (Weimaraner) and Cholula aka Lu (Pug), and cats Goose and Maverick. Jessica loves road-tripping with her family to National Parks and spending her weekends watching her kids play ball.
Christa
Surgical and Technician Staff
Originally from the East side of the state, Christa migrated to central Iowa to attend Iowa State University and pursue a career in Engineering. After a few years in the field, a drastic change in career path led her here. She lives in Ankeny with her family: Marshall, a Math professor at DMACC, and Linus, a Border Collie/Norwegian Elkhound mix. Rain or shine, they can be found walking the High Trestle Trail, running and swimming at the dog park, playing frisbee, attempting to hike all National and State Park and Recreation areas, and barking at emergency sirens.
Ashlyn
Veterinary Assistant
Ashlyn grew up in Ankeny but now lives in Alleman with her Husband, Matt, son Mason, 4 dogs; Hemi (Beagle), Pluto (Lab Mix), Max and Marley (Dachshunds) – and her flock of 8 Chickens. Ashlyn joined our team in 2018 working part time while in high school. After graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in Animal Science, she now works full time at the clinic. In her free time, she loves going on walks, being outdoors, and spending quality time with her family and the rest of her crew.
Payton
Veterinary Assistant
Payton grew up on the East side of Des Moines and attended Southeast Polk High School, graduating in 2022. She joined our team in 2021 working part-time while finishing school then became full-time after graduation. In her free time, she enjoys going to her family farm riding dirt bikes, fishing, and spending time outdoors. Payton lives in Runnells with her three dogs: Annabelle (American Bully), Shorty (Pitbull/Beagle), and Tiger (Pitbull).
Michaella
Veterinary Assistant
Michaella joined us in 2023. She grew up in Ankeny and graduated from Ankeny High School in 2022. She has three cats and two dogs: Truly, Tito, Kujo, Bellamy (Saint Bernard), and Chico (Pomeranian). In Michaella’s free time, she enjoys snuggling with her cats while watching TV or going on adventures with her pets. She also enjoys traveling and going to her favorite artist’s concerts.
Mildred
Supervisor of All Things
Millie joined our staff as a supervisor in June of 2020. She keeps everyone on their toes letting us know when it’s time to feed her and when we’ve missed her afternoon treats. You can often find her keeping watch from one of the clinic’s windows or napping in the sun in her bed.
Shannon
Veterinary Assistant
Shannon grew up in Nevada, Iowa and graduated from Nevada High School in 2019. She went on to study Animal Science at Iowa State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in 2023. After working in animal rescue for two years, Shannon joined AAHC in the fall of 2025. She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her dog, Phoebe (Australian Shepherd), and three cats; Opal, Clove, and Sookie.
Carly
Veterinary Assistant
Born and raised in Hawaii, Carly initially moved to California to pursue her degree in Animal Science at UC Davis. In 2025, she decided to move to Ames, Iowa for a change of pace and joined the practice in October 2025. She is currently taking classes to become a Registered Veterinary Technician. In her free time, she enjoys hand-lettering, playing online with friends, or running around with her dog Castiel (Pomeranian/Papillon mix).
Zoe
Veterinary Assistant
Zoe graduated Iowa State University in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Ecology. After working as a zookeeper for several years, she transitioned into veterinary medicine. She joined the team as an assistant in 2025. At home, she has 3 cats (Zarra, Franklin, and Momma Cat) and a flock of 19 chickens. In her free time, she can be found hiking, kayaking, tending to the chickens, or going to the races.
Kayla
Veterinary Assistant
Kayla grew up in Altoona and graduated from Southeast Polk High School in 2018. She has been playing softball since 2007 and still enjoys competing in slow-pitch leagues with several of her old fast-pitch teammates. In her free time, Kayla enjoys attending concerts, kayaking, and spending quality time with her family. She is also actively involved in autism awareness events alongside her niece, Jenna.