Get to Know Our Veterinary Team in Norwood Park, IL
If you are new to Abell Animal Hospital, please take a moment to meet our wonderful team! Our doctors and support staff are avowed animal lovers, with an extraordinary range of skills and years of knowledge and experience. We’re here to answer all your questions, make you feel at home, and use every resource available to us to provide your pet with the most outstanding care.
If you have any questions about our team or our hospital, give us a call at (773) 631-6727.
Our Doctors
Simran Singh, DVM
Dr. Singh graduated in 2003 from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitts. His clinical year was completed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Veterinary Medicine. He joined the staff of Abell Animal Hospital in 2004 as an associate veterinarian. Dr. Singh is a member of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association and American Veterinary Medical Association. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife Sherry, their two children Ranveer and Raina, and four-legged friend Bruno.
Irena Gaber, DVM
Bio coming soon!
Gongjoo Paik, DVM
Dr. Paik grew up in New York City and studied veterinary medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. After graduating in 2017, she decided to head to Chicago to pursue her career in small animal medicine, and has fallen in love with Chicago! She has special interests in ophthalmology and surgery. In her spare time, Dr. Paik enjoys exploring new restaurants around the city with her husband Earl, spending time with her fur baby Kodi, playing board games/card games, sitting down with a good book or relaxing to a cool new Netflix or Korean TV show.
Our Staff
Cheryl Practice Manager
Cheryl obtained her AAS in veterinary science in 2001 from Bel Rea Institute in Denver, CO. She was a lead technician for 6 years at an emergency/specialty practice where she knew she had found her passion for veterinary medicine. Cheryl was excited to have the opportunity to become practice manager at Abell, and became a certified veterinary practice manager in 2022. She strives to provide patients with a comfortable experience, while focusing on client education. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, gardening, and spending time with her three beautiful children.
Melissa Client Care Coordinator
Melissa started at Abell in 2002 in the kennel department. Since then, she has ventured through the different areas of the hospital as a veterinary technician, assisting in surgeries, to her current position as a senior receptionist. In 2012, Melissa earned her Bachelor of Science degree in health administration with a concentration in long-term care. Although she loves working with animals and being a part of the human-animal bond, she may someday travel to the human side as she has developed a passion for working with the elderly. Melissa lives with 2 dogs, Radar (Shepherd Mix) and Foxie (Pomeranian), and one cat, Teddy (domestic shorthair. When she is not spending her time at work or with her pets, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and trying out different restaurants because of her great love for food!
Amanda Client Care Coordinator
Amanda has worked for Abell since 2018. She is always upbeat and ensures her team has a good laugh every shift!
Elise Client Care Coordinator
Bio Coming Soon
Savannah Client Care Coordinator
Savannah recently moved to the area from Kentucky. She has a passion for vet med and animal rescue, beginning from a young age. She currently has 5 rescue cats and 1 dog. She also enjoys traveling, reading, and trying new things.
Katherine Certified Veterinary Technician
Katherine has a BS in accounting from Eastern Illinois University. After working in the field for a few years, she realized that helping animals was her calling. She graduated from the Vet Tech Institute at Fox College with her AAS in Veterinary Science in 2012. Katherine enjoys the outdoors, traveling to the Caribbean, and long walks with her Chihuahua/terrier mix.
Christine Certified Veterinary Technician
Christine graduated from the Vet Tech Program at Northampton Community College with her AAS in Veterinary Science in 2015. She always knew from a young age that she would be helping animals. When not working, she enjoys staying at home watching TV, playing video games, and spending time with her paraplegic cat Oliver and her pitbull Layla.
Letty Certified Veterinary Technician
Letty graduated from the Vet Tech Institute at Fox College in April 2023 and became certified in August of 2023. She has worked for animal shelters and veterinary hospitals since 2016. Her interests include diagnostic imaging and behavior. She hopes to pursue a specialty certification in her career as a CVT. On her time off she enjoys volunteering in animal shelter events for underserved areas in Chicago and Indiana. When not working with patients, she likes to be outdoors with her husband or hanging out with their three dogs, one cat, 5 bantam hens, and two axolotls.
Alyssa Exam Room Assistant
Alyssa began at Abell in 2022. She will be graduating from the University of Illinois at Chicago in Spring of 2024 with a Bachelors in Psychology. She hopes to find her true calling in life here at Abell. In her free time, she likes to hang out with her family and trying different foods!
Crystal Exam Room Assistant
Crystal has been with Abell since 2022. She has always loved working with animals and has a soft spot for those in need. Crystal believes that because animals bring us unconditional love, and become a part of the family, they deserve the same care as such.
Katie Exam Room Assistant
Katie has been working in the veterinary field since 2000. She has always had a passion for animals and anything animal related which is why she decided on a career as a veterinary technician. In her spare time she enjoys caring for her own furry family members, exploring the outdoors, working on home projects and discovering new places around Chicago with her husband and two children.
Courtney Exam Room Assistant
Courtney began working at Abell Animal Hospital in the late summer of 2013. She started as a kennel assistant, and with hard work and a true love of the job, has moved up to the role of a technician. She has always had a passion for helping animals and is looking to pursue her technician certification in the near future.
Kim Exam Room Assistant
Kim has been with Abell since 2020. She started as a client care coordinator and realized her true calling was helping with the pets as a technician. What Kim likes most about the position is the hands-on care and bringing comfort (and her great energy) to all the pets she helps care for.
Thamara Exam Room Assistant
Thamara started in 2022 as an exam room assistant. She enjoys the people she works with, and loves the supportive environment that encourages her growth and development of her veterinary nursing skills. On her time away from the hospital she keeps busy with her 3 growing boys!
Veronica Veterinary Assistant
Veronica recently graduated from the University of Illinois and plans to start graduate school within the next year. As an assistant at Abell, she hopes to gain more experience working with animals and with those who share the same passion for helping animals. In her free time, she is usually enjoying the outdoors, caring for her cat Cy, or fostering kittens for a city shelter.
Missy Veterinary Assistant
Bio Coming Soon