Dr. Richardson is originally from Tulsa, OK and has lived in 8 different states across the United States. Prior to becoming a veterinarian she was a registered nurse and worked as a surgical nurse for 13 years in the Chicago area. Although she enjoyed her time working in human medicine, Dr. Richardson knew her true passion was with veterinary medicine. She continued to work as a nurse while attending the University of Illinois and proudly obtained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2012. Dr. Richardson was drawn to the variety and pace of emergency medicine and joined the Emergency and Critical Care team of NIVES in March 2013. She and her husband Jeff have a growing family that they share with their dog, Ebenezer & Darcy and cats Severus & Neela. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, painting and photography.