About Us
Dr. Sarah Malenchak started Westhills Equine Veterinary Services in 2011 as a mobile service. In the winter of 2016, Westhills built a home base office/hospital facility just west of Stony Plain, AB. Since its start-up, Dr. Sarah has aimed to grow a team of hard-working and caring equine professionals.
Westhills EVS strives to provide compassionate and high-quality care to our equine patients and clients of Stony Plain and surrounding areas. We proudly service clients in a variety of disciplines including hunter/jumper, dressage, western performance and pleasure. Our team-based approach focuses on creating a positive work environment that encourages advancements in knowledge and education while encouraging the best possible relationship between our clients and their equine partners.
Learn more about Westhills core team of dedicated staff below. We are also fortunate to have many valuable part time and seasonal staff.
Veterinarians
Owner/Veterinarian
Dr. Sarah Malenchak, DVM
Sarah grew up on a beef and grain farm in Manitoba and has always had a passion for horses, which inspired her to pursue a career as an equine Veterinarian. She graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatchewan. After graduation, Sarah relocated to the Stony Plain area and started Westhills Equine Veterinary Services in 2011. Her goal has always been to provide quality equine veterinary care to the area with a team of dedicated and caring professionals. She has a special interest in reproduction and heads our reproduction department from April - September.
Education
WESTERN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE SASKATCHEWAN
Graduated 2009
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
Certified Equine Rehabilitation Practitioner 2017
Activities & Affiliations
AAEP member
VETERINARIAN
Dr. Brandy Rimmer, BSc, DVM, VSMT
Brandy grew up near Lake Isle, Alberta and has been involved with horses her whole life. Brandy attended University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and joined Westhills in the Spring of 2017. Her interests include lameness and dentistry. Brandy is also a graduate of the Veterinary Chiropractor Learning Centre, a member of the College of Animal Chiropractors and a certified Veterinary Spinal Manipulation Therapist (VSMT). In her spare time she enjoys speding time with her family, riding and moving cattle on their ranch. Please note that Dr. Brandy is currently not taking appointments while she has taken a step away to focus on raising her growing family. You may see her here or there when she steps in as support when needed, but otherwise we look forward to Dr. Brandy’s return in the future.
Education
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY FACULTY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
Graduated, 2017
VETERINARY CHIROPRACTOR LEARNING CENTRE
Graduated, 2019
Activities & Affiliations
AAEP member
Veterinarian
Dr. Kirstin Park, BVM&S
Kirstin grew up on an acreage near Stony Plain before moving to Scotland for 5 years to study veterinary medicine. She graduated from Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh with a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, and joined Westhills immediately after graduation for an internship in equine medicine and reproduction. Following her internship, Kirstin moved to New Zealand to work as a locum vet during their busy summer/breeding season before returning back to Canada and the Westhills EVS team.
Kirstin has a particular fondness for emergency medicine and loves the variety that general practice provides. Her other interests include neonatal medicine, dentistry and wellness/preventative care. In her free time, Kirstin loves to travel and can often be found outdoors, hiking or camping with her friends and family.
Education
ROYAL (DICK) SCHOOL OF VETERINARY STUDIES EDINBURGH
Graduated, 2022
Activities & Affiliations
AAEP member
Veterinarian
Dr. Andrea Lepoutre, DVM
Andrea is from Ecuador and first began her veterinary journey pursuing a career in Equine Health Technology. From there, she completed externships in Ohio, USA and then in Sydney, Australia as a technician which fueled her interest to continue her schooling and become a veterinarian. She graduated with a veterinary degree from Universidad San Francisco de Quito in 2015 and shortly after returned back to the USA to obtain her Certification in Equine Rehabilitation from the University of Tennessee. She then completed a year long internship at an equine hospital in Texas before returning home to run her own equine ambulatory practice. Looking to follow her passion in reproduction and with a desire to pursue more advanced medicine than what is available in Ecuador, Dr. Andrea went back to Texas for the breeding season at Brazos Stallion Station before ultimately relocating to Canada and joining the team at Westhills in early 2024.
Andrea can be found split between our reproduction department and our main clinic. In her spare time, Andrea enjoys traveling (if that wasn’t obvious), any outdoor activities and spending time with her husband and cat.
Education
UNIVERSIDAD SAN FRANCISCO DE QUITO VETERINARY SCHOOL
Graduated, 2015
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
Certified Equine Rehabilitation Practitioner 2016
Veterinarian - emergency and critical care
Dr. Ashley Vanderburgh-Oakley, BSc, DVM
Ashley grew up in the greater Toronto area, where her love of horses was fostered from an early age by her grandfather. She grew up riding off the track thoroughbreds and training in the disciplines of eventing and dressage. She completed a Bachelor of Science in biology at the University of Saskatchewan before attending St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine and graduating in 2020 prior to joining Westhills for a six month internship. Ashley then took some time away in small animal practice and to grow her young famly, and then returned to Westhills EVS in 2024 as our overnight emergency and critical care veterinarian. Her interests include lameness, surgery, and of course emergency medicine, and she also still spends a few days a month working at a small animal emergency clinic. Outside of work, Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband, two children, and cat.
Education
ST GEORGE’S UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
Graduated, 2020
Veterinarian
Dr. Marthe Wildsmith, DVM
Marthe grew up in Ardrossan Alberta, riding horses since she was young. She always aspired to be a veterinarian but in between high school and vet school, took a little side trip to complete a music diploma in piano performance from Grant MacEwan University! She then attended Veterinary School at the University of Calgary and graduated in 2019, still horse crazy and with a passion for equine medicine. She loves dentistry and podiatry, and has completed many hours of continuing education in postural rehabilitation and Lazaris Nerve Release techniques. In her spare time, Marthe enjoys riding her OTTB and being with her young family.
Education
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY FACULTY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
Graduated, 2019
Registered Veterinary Technologists
Registered Veterinary Technologist & TRAINING COORDINATOR
Dana Laidlaw, RVT
Dana grew up on a family acreage in the Graminia area. She has spent several years on the eventing circuit but in the last few years, has shifted her focus to developing her horsemanship skills with her young horse, Jill. She is a graduate of the NAIT Animal Health Technology program and joined the Westhills team in winter of 2015 as our office manager. With a passion for developing training programs and working with new staff, Dana has since transitioned to our Training Coordinator. Dana also completed her EEBWI certification as an Equine Body Worker in 2009. In her spare time, Dana keeps busy with her two kids, husband and herd of horses at home. She can primarily be found in the office or with new staff members.
Education
NAIT ANIMAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGY
Graduated, 1996
Registered Veterinary Technologist & executive of Marketing and Public relations
Amy Burden, RVT, EEBWI
Amy grew up in the Stony Plain area and has been involved with horses since she was young, spending 12+ years competing on the hunter/jumper circuit before “switching sides” and spending her college years riding with a trainer of reining horses. Amy is a graduate of the NAIT Animal Health Technology program and is also EEBWI certified as an Equine Body Worker, working alongside our veterinarians as part of your horses care team in massage therapy. In her spare time, she enjoys camping, traveling and spending time with her family, friends and two dogs. Amy joined Westhills in the spring of 2017 after completing her practicum with us. She primarily stays in clinic and can most often be found either working on her role in marketing or caring for hospitalized patients, assisting with emergencies or completing tech appointments.
Education
NAIT ANIMAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGY
Graduated, 2017
EQUINOLOGY EQUINE BODY WORKER CERTIFICATION I
Certified, 2020
Registered Veterinary Technologist
Cora Kaplan, RVT
Cora grew up in Parkland County and has always had a passion for animal care. She completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from MacEwan University with a focus in conservation. She then continued her education at Lakeland College in the Veterinary Technology program, starting with Westhills EVS shortly after in Summer, 2025.
Cora brings a diverse background in animal care, with experience in beef cattle and companion animal practices, as well as wildlife rehabilitation and research. Outside of the clinic, Cora loves spending time outdoors anywhere from in the water to on a moutain.
Education
LAKELAND COLLEGE - ANIMAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGY
Graduated, 2025
Veterinary Medical Assistants
veterinary assistant - reproduction
Kimberly Smith
Bio coming soon.
veterinary assistant - emergency & critical care
Megan Weber
Megan grew up in Athabasca, AB where she got involved with horses at a young age. In high school, she worked at the local vet clinic and spent her free time travelling to rodeos across Alberta. After graduating, Megan went to Saskatchewan to learn to ride cutting horses where she discovered her passion for starting colts and shoeing horses, and decided to pursue Farrier school. After graduating from Olds college in 2022 with her Farrier Science certificate, she then spent two years training horses and guiding backcountry trips for Parks Canada in Banff and at the Ya Ha Tinda.
Megan has since relocated back to Edmonton to pursue her passion for equine veterinary care. She joined the Westhills team in early 2025 as an emergency and critical care overnight assistant. In her spare time, Megan enjoys spending time in the backcountry with her horses and dog as well as hiking.
veterinary assistant - emergency & critical care
Lauren Nagel
Lauren was born and raised in the Edmonton area and her equine journey began at 12 years old. After competing in three-day eventing and experiencing the challenges of competitive riding, she shifted her focus to equine rehabilitation, and athletic development. Lauren holds a Diploma in Equine Studies from the University of Guelph and a diploma in Equine Performance Therapy, and her passion for equine well-being is evident in her continuous pursuit of knowledge. With over 14 years of hands-on experience owning and working with horses, she has worn many hats, from casual rider to competitor and full-time caretaker. Lauren joined the Westhills team in early 2025 as an emergency and critical care overnight assistant. When not working at the clinic, Lauren can be found caring for horses at home and spending time with her family and other pets.
Management
ACCOUNTING MANAGER
Kelsey McGaw
Kelsey grew up in Hinton, Alberta, where her dad’s love for horses quickly became her own at a young age. She developed a passion for barrel racing and joined a drill team that performed at numerous amateur and professional rodeos, including a competition at the Calgary Stampede.
Kelsey is a Journeyman Red Seal Hairstylist by trade and later took a career change where she discovered a passion for numbers and finance. After starting a family, she returned to hairstyling, operating a successful home-based salon that allowed her to stay home and raise her son. Eventually an opportunity brought her back to the equine world, managing an equestrian facility and combining her leadership, accounting, and business background with her passion for horses.
Today, as Accounting Manager at Westhill’s, Kelsey continues to merge her love for horses with her knowledge in finance and operations. Outside of work, you will find her spending time with her family, her animals and competing at cow horse shows.
Support Staff
client care representative - lead - main clinic
Jaylene Janzen
Jaylene grew up on her family’s acreage just outside of Devon and was always around horses. She joined 4H as soon as she was old enough and started competing in Endurance at the age of 8. She has now been a part of the sport for over 20 years; attending NAJYRC in Kentucky in 2012 and qualifying for WEG in 2018 with a homebred Arabian named Sakic. Jaylene graduated from MacEwan University in 2021 from the Hearing Aid Practitioner program. Since then, she has fallen in love with working in the veterinary field, starting first at a small animal clinic and then following her passion of equine and joining Westhills in early 2023. It has been the perfect fit for Jaylene who enjoys caring for both people and animals. In her spare time, Jaylene loves adventuring with her family and friends as well as spending time with her horses.
Client care representative & hospital assistant - main clinic
Savannah Hanson
Bio Coming Soon.