Meet Our Team
Dr. Michelle Thornberry
Medical Director
Dr. Michelle Thornberry joined the Binder Animal Hospital team in 2024 as veterinarian and medical director. She grew up in Springfield, MO among dogs, cats, horses, float trips, cashew chicken, and Andy's Frozen Custard. She went to veterinary school at the University of Missouri, which is where she met her St. Louis-native husband. He easily convinced her to move to St. Louis with the promise of St. Louis Cardinals baseball and continued Andy's Frozen Custard, and they live in Kirkwood with their family now. Together they have 3 sons (Jude, Austin, & Liam), Skittles the cat, Nolan Arenado the dog, and Sissy the horse. Dr. Thornberry loves her job, but especially enjoys surgery and dentistry. Every now and then she even gets the chance to work alongside her husband. She can't wait to see you and your pet family soon - conversations about "The Wild Thornberrys" are always welcome.
Dr. Karen Felder
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Felder has been at Binder Animal Hospital since 1992. She majored in Biochemistry undergraduate school and in 1988, she graduated from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. Currently she is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association and the Greater St. Louis Veterinary Medical Association. She has two cats named Bizzee and Koda.
Dr. Andrew Swatek
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Swatek graduated from the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of Missouri in 2011. After graduation he began work as a full time emergency veterinarian at Associated Veterinary Specialists. For the following 12 years, Dr. Swatek continued working exclusively as an emergency veterinarian at AVS, VSS, and AEC. During this time he gained diverse experience treating critically ill pets. Despite his love for emergency medicine and surgery, Dr. Swatek began working as a family veterinarian in 2023 to better accommodate the growth of his personal family. While Dr. Swatek embraced the importance of preventative medicine, he missed the challenge of focusing on sick pets, and continued working part time as an emergency and urgent care DVM at VEG and Binder Animal Hospital. Dr. Swatek is excited to continue his work caring for sick pets full time as an urgent care DVM at Binder Animal Hospital. Dr. Swatek looks forward to being able to provide care for pets in need of both urgent medical and surgical care.
When not caring for the community’s pets, Dr. Swatek enjoys spending time with his family, friends, and two cats Scribble and Pyro. Dr. Swatek does not currently have any dogs, but looks forward to having dogs again, as soon as his wife will allow it. His wife is also a veterinarian, but she is a cat person.
Sarah, BS, RVT, CVPM
Hospital Manager
Sarah Wilmes joined Binder Animal Hospital as Practice Manager in May 2024, bringing over two decades of experience in the veterinary field. A Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) since 2003 and a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) since 2023, Sarah has worked across general practice, emergency medicine, and veterinary technology education. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and is certified in Burnout Preparedness, equipping her with the knowledge to support both the operational success of the hospital and the well-being of her team. This broad background allows her to combine clinical expertise with strong leadership and compassionate management.
Throughout her career, Sarah has been passionate about fostering high-quality patient care and supporting veterinary teams to thrive in their roles. Whether mentoring staff, optimizing hospital operations, or engaging with clients, she is dedicated to advancing veterinary excellence every day.
When Sarah is not at work, she is usually sitting at a ball field watching her kids play softball or baseball. She finds relaxation in getting lost in a good book and spending time at home with her dog, Bullseye, and her two cats, Leo and Allie.
Michelle, RVT
Registered Veterinary Technician
Michelle is married and has 2 adult daughters who also share her love for animals. Her pets currently are a small, sassy yorkie and 2 very relaxed cats. For over 33 years she has had the privilege of caring for pets and supporting their families at Binder Animal Hospital.
Lexi, RVT
Registered Veterinary Technician Supervisor
Lexi joined the Binder Animal Hospital team in July 2024. She was born and raised in St. Louis and is the oldest child in her animal loving family. Unsurprisingly, her passion for animal care led her to pursue a career in the veterinary field quickly after high school. She graduated with her degree in Veterinary Technology in 2013 and has been practicing as a Registered Veterinary Technician since. She has dedicated herself to providing top-notch medical care and compassion to her patients and clients alike, with a deep love for diagnostic imaging and venipuncture. When she's not at the clinic, Lexi enjoys spending quality time with her husband and two sons, who share her love of the outdoors and all creatures great and small. They have two dogs and four cats and have been known to occasionally foster a misfit kitten or guinea pig.
Matthew
Veterinary Assistant
Hello! My name is Matthew and I am a veterinary assistant at Binder Animal Hospital. I spent some time studying wildlife biology at Missouri State before making my way back to STL to pursue a career with animals! In my free time, I take care of my 3 cats, a snake and chameleon. Gardening and embroidery are some of my other favorite things to do in my spare time. I can’t wait to meet your furry friend soon!
Kasandra
Veterinary Assistant
Kasandra was born in Illinois, but lived in Arizona for several years where she began her career in veterinary medicine. Previously a certified phlebotomist, Kasandra ventured into the animal side of health care on a whim, enrolled into a veterinary technician program, and has loved every part of it since. She now resides in St. Louis with her husband, her two sons, and her great dane named Arya. In her free time she enjoys exploring new parks with her boys, playing several instruments, and sketching.
Maddy
Veterinary Assistant
Hi, I’m Maddy Kruep, a vet assistant who’s happiest when surrounded by fur, paws, and wagging tails. I live with two goofy huskies and two sassy cats who run the show at home. When I’m not caring for your pets, I’m probably off camping, hiking, or chasing my own around the woods. I love being part of a team that treats every animal like they’re one of our own.
Megan
Customer Service Representative Supervisor
Megan has been working in the veterinary field for over 3 years. She started out as a CSR, and has worked in many areas of a hospital. Her love for animals extends into her home life ever since she was a young child, always having 3 cats, and currently has 2 cats of her own, Linda and Peco. Outside of work, you can find Megan at home building Legos with her curious kitties who seem to lose Lego pieces faster than she can put them together, but always have the biggest piece to her heart.
Julia
Customer Service Representative
Julia has been working in the veterinary field for over 6 years. She started out as a vet assistant at the beginning of her career and eventually transitioned into the reception side of the clinic. Julia has always had a passion for taking care of animals even as a young girl. Her home has never been empty of animals. In her free time, she enjoys reading a good book, taking trips down to the Ozarks and going kayaking with her mom. She sometimes visits her family out in the country and helps take care of the chickens. While her pup Lola tags along to find the stinkiest thing she can roll in.
Maurnice
Customer Service Representative
Hello! My name is Maurnice Scott and I am the youngest of 4 siblings. I studied Animal Science at SIUC and have always been in love with animals. I have two fur babies, a kitten named Freya and a pup named Oakley. I enjoy video games, reading, baking and spending time with my partner and family.
Stacey
Customer Service Representative
Stacey is a retired teacher and has always been passionate about "all things animal," including working at an animal hospital. So she was super excited to join the Binder team in March 2024. Believing in the importance of teaching others about the proper care and treatment of animals, she continually found ways to incorporate animal education throughout her teaching career and is now fortunate to talk to clients about their pets. Her "happy place" is anywhere there are furry critters.
Stacey’s animal endeavors include working as the Humane Society of Missouri's Camp Director, Duo Dog's Kennel Enrichment volunteer, and helping with special events for various animal rescues and shelters. She was also a long-standing board member and vice-president of the non-profit group OpSPOT (Operation Stop Pet Overpopulation Today). She has experience with dog training and agility, and loves to dog walk and pet sit for friends.
Stacey was awarded the Humane Teacher of the Year in 2002 and received Teach Kind’s Compassionate Teacher of the Year award in 2015.
