Dr. Nell grew up on a small farm in Illinois and developed a passion for working with animals at a very young age. She graduated with her DVM from the University of Illinois in 2004, practiced for a few years in Southern California, and eventually moved to Portland, Oregon where she founded a neighborhood small animal practice with her husband. Her journey into integrative medicine began in 2010 when she enrolled in the IVAS Acupuncture course and her eyes were opened to the wonderful world of Traditional Chinese Medicine.  From that point on, she has been integrating TCM with conventional treatment plans to achieve the greatest impact for her patients.  Nell returned as a teaching assistant for the IVAS course in 2013 and over time her role has evolved into Teaching Associate Coordinator and Instructor.  She completed the requirements and examination in 2019 to become a Fellow of the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture (FAAVA). Nell has lectured at both allopathic and integrative veterinary conferences around the U.S. and internationally.