Your Trusted Veterinary Partner in Windham

Dr. Kern is the owner of First Choice Animal Care and Surgery Center which has been serving the greater Windham area for over 10 years. Dr. Kern has been practicing veterinary medicine for nearly 40 years. Dr. Kern graduated from the University of Minnesota with his doctorate and obtained his postdoctoral master’s degree from Virginia Tech where he also did his surgical residency. Dr. Kern has been performing referral surgical procedures since 1987 and became a specialist in surgery in 1996. Dr. Kern has a broad range of qualifications having received training at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, Rowley Memorial Animal Hospital in Springfield, MA, the College of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, and North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine. Seven years ago, Dr. Kern diversified his practice and added primary care services to his referral surgery practice. Dr. Kern primarily treats dogs and cats but has also treated pocket pets, snakes, poultry, llamas and alpacas, and wildlife. Dr. Kern and his family have lived in Maine for over 20 years. Landscaping, hardscaping, and gardening fill in any free time that Dr. Kern may have.

Courtney has been with First Choice Animal Care and Surgery Center since 2019. She began her journey here right out of high school, starting with scanning and filing records. Over time, she transitioned into the receptionist role, where she worked for about a year and a half before training to become one of Dr. Kern’s assistants. As she has grown alongside the practice, Courtney has also been pursuing her degree in business management. Through her studies and experience, she discovered a passion for building strong teams and implementing systems that support a successful practice. Today, she serves as our Office Manager and enjoys overseeing the daily operations of the clinic. Outside of work, Courtney enjoys spending time on the boat, being with her friends and family, or studying. She also has the sweetest red lab named Tiller, who is an avid duck retriever and loves being in the water.

Mackenzie joined our team in February 2022 and is currently pursuing a degree in Veterinary Technology at Penn Foster University. She is working toward becoming a licensed veterinary technician. Mackenzie’s favorite aspects of her role include assisting in surgical procedures and monitoring patients. Outside of work, she enjoys attending car shows, camping, and running her own pet-sitting business.

Lindsey joined the team in October of 2023. Lindsey went to Lake Region High school where she graduated. Her favorite part about working at FCAC is anything: puppies, c-sections, and litter exams. She also enjoys learning anything and everything from Dr. Kern. Lindsey has had a love for animals her entire life. She enjoys spending her free time with her Fiancée, 3 dogs, and cat, lounging on the pontoon boat with friends, going up to camp in Seboomook Maine, or ice fishing in the winter.

Kaitlyn has recently joined our team in the fall of 2025. Working with animals has always been a passion of Kaitlyn’s. She grew up having pets in the home and started working on an equine farm at eleven. Since then, she has worked extensively in the equine industry managing facilities, competing and working with client horses. Although Kaitlyn is still passionate about horses, you can now find her training with high drive working dogs. She works closely with reputable sport training groups with the common goal of competing in the sport PSA (Protection Sports Association). Kaitlyn’s version of fun is hoping in her bite suit to work with these dogs along with training her own Malinois Loki. She competes with him in dock diving and has started training for PSA to hopefully hit the trial field in 2026. Kaitlyn is eager to be a part of the First Choice team and looks forward to learning and assisting more in the clinic!