Dr. Kessel graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2017. In addition to her DVM degree, she also underwent further training to receive her USDA-APHIS certification. Dr. Kessel has always wanted to be a veterinarian ever since growing up on a farm in rural Illinois, and her eagerness to move to the city eventually brought her here to Chicago! She gets pure joy from her profession and considers herself lucky to be able to wake up every day and work with animals loved by their people, surrounded by a team that cares as much as she does. Dr. Kessel is honored to have her patients’ care entrusted to her and it’s something she never takes for granted.

What makes veterinary medicine so rewarding for Dr. Kessel? For her, there are several things: being able to help people by helping their pets; nurturing the human-animal bond by helping a new pet get started off on the right paw with good preventative care; teaming up with pet parents to determine the best treatment for their companions; and ensuring that elderly pets are as comfortable as they can be for as long as possible!

Dr. Kessel’s favorite activities outside of work include relaxing on the beach at the lakefront, running, and re-learning how to rollerblade. She also enjoys traveling; India is her favorite place so far. At home, Dr. Kessel shares her life with Happy Feet, a 16-year old tabby she’s had since he needed to be bottle-fed.