Meet our team!

Dr. Brian Hayes

DVM

Dr. Hayes is an Iowa native who graduated from the Veterinary College of Iowa State University in 1994. He worked in mixed large and small animal practices before founding the Cat Clinic of Iowa City in 2002 to focus on feline medicine and create the best veterinary environment for cats. He is a member of the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners.

Dr. Anna Lyons-Nace

DVM

Dr. Lyons-Nace was born and raised in Iowa and developed a love for animals and a passion for caring for them at a very young age. By age 8, she knew that she wanted to be a veterinarian. Dr. Lyons-Nacereceived her DVM from Iowa State University in 2004, and practiced companion animal medicine in Arizona and Iowa, until joining the Cat Clinic in 2022. Along the way, she completed an MPH from the University of Iowa in 2014 (Go Hawks!) and became board certified in veterinary preventive medicine in 2015. Dr. Lyons-Naceis very excited to be at the Cat Clinic, and fulfill her dream of working in a feline-exclusive practice. Her professional interests include feline geriatric medicine, feline wellness, environmental enrichment, and public health.

When she is not working, Dr. Lyons-Nace enjoys spending time with her husband, Adam, and their beloved ginger tabby, Redcat. Her other interests include gardening, cooking, reading, and traveling.

Nicole Simmons

Practice Manager

Nicole is a Southern girl at heart, having lived much of her life in Texas and Louisiana.  She earned her MS in Cell Biology from the University of Houston in 2008 and spent most of her professional career in higher education- 14 years as a college instructor in Allied Health Sciences and 5 years as a Laboratory and Program Coordinator.  Since moving to Iowa in 2021, she decided to leave the collegiate world and spend her days petting cats while also managing the day-to-day operations at the Cat Clinic of Iowa City.  Nicole resides in Cedar Rapids with her husband, 3 children, 5 cats (ScooterDog, Orca, Texas, Hat, and Luna) and 2 dogs (Dougie and Jilly).  In her free time, she enjoys baking, camping, kayak fishing, and being a soccer Mom.   

Natalie Taylor

Registered Veterinary Technician

Sarah Stoppleworth

Registered Veterinary Technician

Sarah joined the Cat Clinic of Iowa City in June 2018 as an RVT after graduating from the Veterinary Technician Program at Kirkwood Community College with an A.A.S in Veterinary Technology. Sarah has her Cat-Friendly Veterinary Professional (CFVP) certification through the American Association of Feline Practitioners and is Elite Fear Free Certified. Sarah is a volunteer instructor for the National Kitten Coalition and has over a decade of experience fostering neonatal kittens. In addition to focusing on the youngest of felines, Sarah also excels in guiding patients and their families through the end–of–life process. Sarah lives in Iowa City with her partner, two beagles, two cats, and an ever–rotating assortment of foster kittens.

Bri Baker

Veterinary Assistant

Bri has been working in the veterinary industry since the pandemic in 2020.  She was attending Vet Tech school at Front Range Community College, north of Denver, before deciding to move back to Iowa to be closer to family.  Bri takes pride in helping make anxious animals feel comfortable during their visit to the vet and educating pet parents through chronic conditions.  She has two feline family members, Chaos and Ollie, and a funky canine named Rocco.  In her free time, Bri enjoys paddleboarding, hiking and listening to music. 

Taylor Fishnick

Veterinary Assistant/Receptionist

Taylor grew up in Dubuque, Iowa and graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University with her Bachelor of Science degree in 2021. Since then she has worked in the medical field for 2 years, assisting physicians and veterinarians alike. She lives with her partner and two cats, Lillian (5y/oF) and Lemmy (2y/oM). In her free time, she enjoys loving on her cats, dancing, and spending time with her family.

Tessa Walker

Receptionist

Bio Coming Soon!

Lindsey Van Dyke

Receptionist

Lindsey moved to Iowa in 2018 and has been a receptionist in veterinary care for over 7 years.  She and her husband, Derek, fill their home with lots of love and fur!  They have 2 dogs: Ziva (a Golden Retriever) and Fletcher (a mutt, 50% terrific/50% awesome), and 4 cats: Gob, Penny, Bowie, and Starla.