Our Team.

Dr. Dan is a second-generation veterinarian, with both of his parents moving to Canada from Cairo, Egypt after finishing vet school. He grew up in Oakville, Ontario, then headed to Massey University in New Zealand to complete his schooling. He has bounced from one side of the country to the other since graduating in 2019 and finds himself back on the west coast to continue his veterinary journey and find a place he can call home.

While on these adventures he has developed a range of outdoor interests including anything from backpacking to paddleboarding. On his days off he can be found trying to solve rock climbing puzzles, finding his way out of the forest hikes, or staying alive in Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes.

Dr. Dan is Fear Free Certified, and his veterinary interests are in surgery (including TPLOs, or Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy, an advanced surgery for animals with ruptured cranial cruciate ligaments) and clinical nutrition. He is excited to have joined the Oaklands as of February 2022!

Chris has been practising small animal medicine in British Columbia since 2003. Born and raised in Vancouver, he studied animal science at UBC before heading to the Philippines for vet school with a side of tropical adventure.

Over the years Chris has developed a strong interest in surgery. He particularly enjoys the challenge of orthopedic procedures and is continually building his knowledge in this area. Chris enjoys helping people understand the underlying issues at play in the care of their pets and is always happy to answer questions.

Outside the clinic, Chris has a soft spot for local microbrews and loves to cook. Although there was a time when he could usually be found on his surfboard or playing football, his busy kids take most of his free time these days.

Leith Williams grew up on an acreage in the Highlands just outside Victoria. As a child, she nearly drove her parents insane with her menagerie of pets. Dogs and cats, followed by rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, hedgehogs and degus inundated the property, eating potted plants and climbing drapes in the living room. Later, 2 horses arrived and 4 ferrets who (further) terrorized the household on a regular basis. What could she do to justify all this?

Her path was obvious. Leith completed a BSc in Biology at UVIC in 2004 and completed her veterinary studies at Massey University in New Zealand in 2010 (where she and Dr. Piercy were study buddies in the same class). Leith enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine including seeing pocket pets, but has also developed a special interest in dentistry.

In her spare time Leith is an avid outdoors enthusiast, and has two young sons (Dane and Soren). At home on her acreage in Metchosin, she spends time chasing chickens and ducks out of her garden and growing a ridiculous number of plant species.

Hi there, I’m not much of an autobiographer. I have been struggling with this bio for a while now. I was told I should write it in the style of Beastie Boys lyrics…

(To be read to the tune of “Intergalactic”)

From Vic to McGill used to speak FRANCAIS
Started Human Physiology and said no WAY
Jumped out of a plane, swam with sharks AWAY
Picked scorpions out of boots, army ants DISMAY
Then New Zealand to learn vet, a little CRAY CRAY
Next was Doc Piercy but no CLICHÉ
Coffee and kickboxing are how she likes to PLAY
To run she’ll get up at the break of DAY
And when she’s at work she loves to SPAY
When there’s problems with your pet no need to PRAY
Eyes and ECGs she loves to SURVEY
So get to Oaklands without DELAY!

Translation: Joanna has a lot of interests in veterinary medicine, but foremost is cardiology and ophthalmology. She also likes being “the quirky one”!

Born and raised in Ontario, Dr. Wenn completed her undergraduate at the University of Guelph before earning her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) in 2020. She moved to Victoria shortly after graduation, navigating the unique challenges of starting her veterinary career during the height of the pandemic. After five rewarding years practicing at a local clinic, she joined the Oaklands team in June 2025, where she’s thrilled to be reunited with her OVC classmate Dr. Nate Bachynski.

Dr. Nicola enjoys all aspects of small animal general practice, but has a special interest in feline medicine, internal medicine, and ultrasonography. She also finds fulfillment in surgery and values the relationships built with clients and their pets over time.

Outside the clinic, Dr. Wenn shares her home (and her Sprinter camper van) with her husband Peter—a former professional mountain bike athlete and Tokyo 2021 Olympian—and their two cats, Yoshi and Billy. An adventurer at heart, Dr. Wenn has always been drawn to the outdoors—hiking, cycling, van camping (yes, with her cats), and traveling whenever she can.

One of her most formative experiences was a two-month volunteer trip to South Africa and Namibia as part of Global Vets. There, she worked in underserved townships, interned at the world-renowned Cheetah Conservation Fund, and participated in a rhino dehorning operation—a conservation effort to combat illegal poaching. That experience cemented her love for wildlife and strengthened her commitment to animal care.

Fittingly, her vet school class at OVC was known as the Ruby Rhinos, and a small red rhino mascot (named Ruby) now sits on her desk as both a good luck charm and a powerful reminder of her journey—both academic and global.

Dr. Sabrina Chipping was born and raised in Victoria and earned her undergraduate degree in Biology, with a minor in Visual Arts from the University of Victoria in 2020. She went on to complete her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Melbourne in 2024. During her studies, she had the opportunity to travel to nearby regions, including Lombok, Indonesia and West Arnhem Land in Australia’s Northern Territory, where she provided veterinary care in remote communities.

Dr. Chipping has been working in the veterinary field since 2017 in a variety of roles. Most recently she has worked as a small animal veterinarian at a speciality referral hospital in Sacramento, California. She has professional interests in diagnostic imaging, surgery, dentistry, and community outreach.

Outside of work, she enjoys exploring more of Vancouver Island, hiking, scuba diving, snowboarding, painting, and traveling around the world as much as possible. When she’s not on the go, she is spending time with her loved ones and her three-legged black cat, Poppy.