Dr. Chris Sims

Dr. Chris Sims grew up on a farm in Flemingsburg, Kentucky. He has always loved animals, and taking care of them was a daily routine on the farm. He decided at a young age that veterinary medicine would be a good career choice, so he planned his college education to accomplish his goal.

Chris attended the University of Kentucky as a pre-vet animal science student. He then went on to Auburn University, College of Veterinary Medicine and received the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1992.

After graduating, Dr. Sims returned to his rural hometown in Kentucky and focused his practice on dairy and beef cattle, and horses. His patients also included occasional sheep, goats, pigs, buffalo, ostriches or llamas, so he got to experience treating a wide range of farm animals!

In 2005, Dr. Sims moved to Florida to work with the USDA.  Missing his work with animals, he joined a small animal practice the following year. He purchased the Winter Springs Veterinary Clinic from Dr. Jerry Eans in 2011.

Chris and his wife, Carla, have been married since 1989. They have two beautiful daughters, Olivia and Leah. Completing their family is Teddy, a sweet little toy poodle.

In his spare time, Chris enjoys traveling and spending time with his family.

Dr. Shari Walker

Dr. Shari Walker is originally from Lexington, Kentucky, and received a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Asbury University in 2007.  She went on to pursue her dream of becoming a veterinarian at Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine, where she received the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.  Dr. Walker joined Dr. Sims and the staff of Winter Springs Veterinary Clinic after graduating in the Spring of 2012.

Dr. Walker is passionate about serving God through small animal medicine, reaching out to people and their pets, and helping enrich the lives of all her four-legged patients.

When she is not at work, she enjoys shopping, scrapbooking, watching Kentucky basketball, biking, and spending time with friends and family.

Dr. Walker is married to her wonderful husband, Jeff. They have a Chihuahua named Winston and three cats, Nemo, Willow, and Bo.
 

Dr. Meri Rantakillo

Dr. Meri Rantakillo was born and raised in Finland in small town Nummela, 50 miles from Helsinki. Animals and especially horses have always been her passion. After attending equine massage education, she knew she wanted to work with animals and applied to Finland's only Veterinary School in Helsinki at the age of 24.

She received a temporary veterinary license in 2004 and worked with mixed practices as a county relief veterinarian until she graduated in 2007. In April 2008, Dr. Meri was headhunted to Sweden to work in an equine clinic where she became a specialist in sports medicine for harness racing horses. After three and half years, Dr. Meri started her own ambulatory equine practice.

After one of her clients decided to move to the USA, Dr. Meri got the idea to register in the accreditation program for foreign graduated veterinarians which would give her the possibility to work in the USA. She passed all the exams in 2016 and moved to New Jersey in August 2018.