Dr. Houmes grew up in Springfield, IL and went to Pleasant Plains High School. She attended the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign earning her B.S. in Biology and then received her B.S. in Veterinary Science in 2003 and her DVM degree with Honors and from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. During her time at U of I, she volunteered as a tutor and mentor for children, worked at a veterinary clinic in Urbana , and worked at the university dairy farm.
Shortly after graduation, Dr. Houmes joined the West Lake Animal Hospital family and has been there ever since. She really enjoys her co-workers and loves working with clients and their pets. She has a special interest in internal medicine and client education. General practice is very rewarding because of the opportunity to treat a variety of medical conditions, and Dr. Houmes particularly enjoys connecting with her patients and their families.
Dr Houmes met her husband, Barry, while attending undergrad at U of I, and they were married in June of 2005. They have two boys, Nathan and Ryan, who keep them busy with baseball, football, and basketball. In her free time, Dr. Houmes spends time with family and friends, volunteers with community members at Washington Street Mission, where she is a board member, and enjoys sports, traveling, outdoor activities, and going to Illini games. Dr. Houmes and her family have a Golden Retriever Mix named Chewy and one guinea pig named Jerry.