Dr. Richard Banks

Practice Owner and Veterinarian

Dr. Banks grew up in the Lansing area and graduated from Grand Ledge High School. He graduated with honors from MSU College of Veterinary Medicine in 1995. After graduation, he accepted a job in the Grand Rapids area. This is when he began to fall in love with West Michigan.

After working in the area for several years he decided this is where he wanted to plant roots and start his family. He opened Northland Animal Hospital in April of 2001. His goal was to run a hospital based on quality medicine, client education, and excellent customer service. After all these years he believes Northland sets the standards in all of these areas.

Outside of medicine he enjoys time with his wife Dana, daughter Hope, and son Foster. Camping, boating, and travel are their favorite family activities. He shares his life with his cat, Pepper, and his dog, Bella.

Dr. Jenna Bauer

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Bauer was born and raised in southeast Michigan. She graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2015 after having completed her clinical year at Kansas State University. She and her family are thrilled to settle in West Michigan.

Dr. Bauer enjoys many aspects of veterinary medicine, including preventative care, dentistry, and senior medicine. Dr. Bauer loves connecting with clients and helping ensure a long, happy life with their beloved pets. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, two children, their Golden Retriever named Huckleberry and cat named Poppy, reading, hiking, traveling, and cheering for the Detroit Red Wings.

Dani

Practice Manager

Dani has worked in veterinary medicine for 15 years, and has been with Northland since 2016. She began as a Client Service Representative and Office Manager and was promoted to Practice Manager in 2024. Her favorite part of working at Northland is the relationships that she is able to build with the clients and their pets.

Dani has a B.A. in English from Arizona State University. In her spare time, Dani enjoys going to concerts, reading, and spending time with her friends and family, including her two cats Pippa and Ducky.

Michelle

Lead Licensed Veterinary Technician

Michelle has been working in veterinary medicine for 25 years - 14 years in emergency medicine, 11 years in general practice, and almost 8 years at Northland Animal Hospital.

Michelle's favorite things about vet med are client education, patient advocacy, and learning new things every day!

Michelle and her husband have 2 kids, a 16-year old and a 6-year old; a 3-year old Golden Retriever named Bacon; 2 cats named Cletus and Jeff; and 2 mice, Sparkles and Rainbow Dash (although the names vary from day to day). Her hobbies include knitting, crocheting, reading, and telling anyone that will listen about the benefit of native plant species.

Isabella 'Bella'

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Isabella ‘Bella’ is a licensed veterinary technician with 5 years of experience in animal medicine. She attended Baker College and has a passion for small animal medicine, preventative care, and educating clients. The biggest reason she is in this field is making a personal connection with your pet and you. She loves when you know her name and your pet greets her with a happy tail wag!

Outside of work, Bella enjoys camping, kayaking, exploring the beaches of Michigan with her pup, Pepper, and her family. ON lazy days indoors, she loves having a book in hand and cuddling with her cats, Rogue and Polaris.

Ashley

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Ashley is a licensed vet tech with 8 years of experience in animal medicine. She attended Baker College and has a true passion for making a difference in the lives of animals. As she puts it, "You're not only helping animals, but also educating clients to help prolong their best friends' lives." She love staying up to date with the latest in veterinary medicine and is always eager to learn how to improve the care of pets.

At home, Ashley shares her life with her husband, Chad; their two cats, Mando and Kiara; and their Brittany, Moki. Outside of work, she enjoys soaking up the outdoors, whether it's boating, jet skiing, or playing softball. And when she's indoors, she's a gamer at heart, enjoying her time on both her PC and Nintendo Switch.

Sam

Veterinary Assistant

Sam has been working at Northland Animal Hospital since 2019. She started off working as facility assistant before moving to a veterinary assistant in 2021. Outside of work, Sam rides horses competitively across Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky and has been doing so for 10 years now.

Currently, Sam is a student at Grand Valley State University studying Biology with an emphasis of pre-veterinary. Outside of her busy lifestyle, Sam enjoys hanging out with her two dogs, Maxine and Penny, buying new houseplants, and antique shopping!

Dani 'D'

Veterinary Assistant and Client Service Representative

Dani ‘D’ was a client of Northland Animal Hospital for 10 years before joining the team in April 2022. When asked about her time at Northland she said “Having been a client myself for so long and now an employee, I can honestly say that the people at Northland Animal Hospital truly do care about their clients and the animals they meet. I am very proud to be a part of this team.”

Dani works at the front desk and also spends time in the back as a vet assistant. Her favorite things about working at Northland are the animals she meets and also the great people she gets to work alongside.