Meet Our Team
Dr. Jason Miller
DVM
Dr. Jason Miller, “Dr. Jay”, was born and raised in Logan County. In 1994 he graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science. In 1998 he graduated magna cum-laude from Kansas State University with a degree in Veterinary Medicine. In 2009 Dr. Jay graduated from the University of Illinois Executive Veterinary Program in Swine Health Management.
After graduating from Kansas State University, Dr. Jay worked in a multiple doctor, mixed animal practice. He then practiced in western Illinois as a swine consultant. In 2003 he started Timbercrest Veterinary Service, a full service veterinary hospital in Atlanta, Illinois.
Dr. Jay is a member of AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association), AASV (American Association of Swine Veterinarians), AABP (American Association of Bovine Practitioners), and ISVMA (Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association).
Dr. Jay enjoys spending time with his three children Ashley, Lane, and Tyler. They enjoy showing cattle and spending time outdoors together.
Dr. Sara Fluty
DVM
Dr. Sara Fluty grew up on a farm outside Mattoon, Illinois. She attended the University of Illinois where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science in 2009, as well as her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 2013.
Shortly after graduation, she and her husband Steve were married. Currently, Dr. Fluty, Steve, and their daughter, Fiona, reside in rural Bloomington near Steve’s dairy farm. While much of her time outside of work is spent helping on the farm, Dr. Fluty also enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, and showing Brown Swiss dairy cattle.
In addition to the cattle, other members of the Fluty family include two dogs and one cat. Minnie and Django are both heeler mixes who were adopted through various rescues, and Apple is a 15 year old tabby cat who Dr. Fluty adopted in college.
Dr. Lara Borgerson
DVM
Dr. Lara Borgerson joined the Timbercrest Veterinary Service team in January of 2015 as a small animal practitioner. After graduating from Mt. Pulaski High School, Dr. Borgerson earned her undergraduate and veterinary degrees from the University of Illinois, graduating with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 1994. Dr. Borgerson completed extensive medical and surgical post graduate training during an Internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. Although she loved her time in Manhattan, she missed her family in central Illinois and returned in 1998 to practice here in Lincoln.
Dr. Borgenson enjoys all aspects of small animal practice and finds that building lifelong relationships with her patients and clients is one of the most satisfying parts of her career. When not in the office, Dr. Borgerson enjoys birding, hiking, gardening, playing and singing in church choirs, and discovering a new book when her own pets are not sitting in her lap!
Dr. Anna Ryan
DVM
Dr. Annie Ryan grew up in rural western Illinois, helping on her grandparents’ farm and working in a local mixed animal veterinary practice. She attended the University of Illinois, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science in 2015, as well as her Veterinary Medicine degree in 2019.
Dr. Ryan is a member of AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association), ISVMA (Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association), and AABP (American Association of Bovine Practitioners).
Currently, Dr. Ryan lives with her husband on the family grain farm in rural Woodford county. In her spare time, Dr. Ryan enjoys attending Illini sporting events, watching Chicago Cubs baseball, hiking, and gardening.
Dr. Ryan’s favorite animal to spend time with is her mixed breed dog, Olive, who she adopted during vet school. In addition to Olive, their farm is home to a flock of chickens, three cats, and two feeder steers.
Dr. Zack Talbert
DVM
Dr. Zack Talbert grew up in rural Armington, IL. He attended Illinois Wesleyan University where he received his Bachelor's Degree in Biology in 2016. He then received his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois in 2021. Dr. Talbert lives with his wife, Elizabeth, in Atlanta, IL. Together, they have a Bernedoodle named Remington. Dr. Talbert enjoys being in the outdoors, exercising, spending time with family, and inventing new products for the veterinary industry.
Sarah Huffman
Technician
Sarah joined our team in 2015 as a Veterinary Assistant. Sarah grew up on a small horse farm in DeWitt County where she showed horses and goats throughout her lifetime. Sarah graduated from Richland Community College in 2013 with an associate’s degree in science and Illinois State University in 2015 with a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and Agribusiness.
Sarah still resides in Dewitt County with all of her four-legged babies. She has one horse named Sundae who is a paint gelding. Sarah also has two dogs; Toy Poodle named Bear and a Labrador Retriever named Genevieve. She also has two inside cats, Mia and Tinkerbell. She recently adopted a stray cat named MJ who is adapting to the indoor/outdoor life very well. Outside of Timbercrest Sarah enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Krista Hickman
Technician
Krista joined our team in 2018 as a Veterinary Assistant. Krista was born and raised in DeWitt county. She graduated from Clinton High School in 2014. While in high school, Krista played basketball and softball and spent a lot of time at the Clinton YMCA working with the youth in various different programs. After high school Krista became a Certified Vet Assistant through Animal Behavior College and received her Associates in Animal Science at Richland Community College. Krista’s house is ruled by two dogs and one cat, Jack, Tesla and Salem. Outside of Timbercrest, Krista is a House Manager at the Clinton Haunted House, she plays on softball and volleyball leagues, and enjoys hanging out by the pool or on the lake with friends and family.
Brie Birky
Technician
Brie was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma and moved to Illinois shortly after. She attended Olympia High School and graduated in 2015. She then went to Eureka College for a year and joined our Team in 2016. Brie has a German Shepherd named Simba that she met when the Humane Society of Logan County brought him in and it was love at first sight. In her spare time, Brie loves spending time outdoors, swimming, and of course, spending time with her pup.
Autumn Mitchell
Tech Assistant
Autumn was born and raised on a small horse farm in rural Dewitt County, where she grew up riding horses. Autumn graduated from Clinton Community High School in 2015. She then went on to receive her Cosmetologist License in 2016. Autumn and her husband, Tyler, still reside in Dewitt County with their Siberian Husky, Arctic, and three Quarter Horses; Copper, Titan, and Rio. In her free time, Autumn enjoys traveling, camping, attending rodeos, and spending time with her dog. Autumn's favorite aspect of the job is being able to interact and build relationships with every patient and client that comes into our facility.
Maddie Blunier
Large Animal Technician
Maddie joined the Timbercrest team in the fall of 2022 as our Large Animal Technician. Maddie was born in Champaign and later moved to a small pig farm in Speer Illinois where she grew up showing pigs with her family. Maddie graduated from Midland High School in 2019 and went on the earn her Associates In Applied Sciences from Blackhawk East in 2022. In her spare time, Maddie enjoys spending time with her family.
Taylor Welbes
Technician
Bio coming soon!
Kaci Batterton
Hospital Manager - Atlanta
Kaci joined Timbercrest in January of 2011 after moving to McLean county from her home town of Tuscola. Kaci graduated from Parkland College in 2007 and Illinois State University in 2009. Kaci and her husband Kyle have two children, a son Kallen and a daughter Keller. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, decorating and watching her nieces and nephews in various sporting events. While her family doesn't have any pets of their own she enjoys getting to interact with patients while at the clinic daily.
Koree Leesman
Hospital Manager - Lincoln
Koree joined the Timbercrest team in 2014. That same year she married her husband, Dustin. They had their first child, Daphne, in 2018 and their second, a son, Wilson in 2020 on Koree's birthday! Koree and her husband live on rural property in Atlanta where they spend most of their time with their children enjoying the outdoors. Koree has a 14 year old Shih Tzu, Izzy, a 10 year old chocolate lab, Piper and a 8 year old cat, Opal. Koree is a Flordia native and frequently visits with her family. Koree loves building client relationships, being apart of the community, and helping to offer and promote the best care possible for Logan and surrounding counties. She firmly believes that a day without laughter is a day wasted!
Sonia Steiger
Receptionist
Sonia joined the Timbercrest team in September 2014 as a receptionist. One of her favorite aspects of her job is the interaction she has with each client and patient on a day to day basis. Sonia grew up in rural Monticello, IL on a small private horse farm. Sonia moved to the area with her 2 daughters to live with her husband and their son on a Red Angus cattle & grain farm. In her spare time, she enjoys showing cattle with her children, training and riding barrel horses, traveling, and supporting her 3 children in their various sporting activities.
Lusero Casarez
Receptionist
She was born and raised in Dewitt count and graduated from Clinton High School in 2014. After high school she went on to Richland Community College to get an Associates in Arts, then decided to pursue her love for animal and took a Vet Assistant course at Heartland Community College. Outside of work, Lusero enjoys spending time with family and friends, going on walks or lounging on the couch with both of her Great Pyrenees mixes, Milo and Luna.
Madison Leach
Receptionist
Bio coming soon!