Bios

Doctors

Dr. Christine Heinz
Dr. Christine Heinz received her DVM degree from the University of Illlinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. Before becoming an Illini, Dr. Heinz was a proud Spartan, earning a B.S. in Animal Science and graduating with honors in 2002 from Michigan State University- Go Green!Christine is a native of suburban Chicago, where her immediate family and most of her extended family still reside. While she greatly misses deep-dish pizza, Christine is very happy to call Indianapolis her home. She lives in the Broad Ripple area, not too far from BRAC, with her husband, Aaron, and their two dogs, Kodie and Staley. Kodie was a blood donor dog at the teaching hospital at Michigan State before Christine was lucky enough to be able to take him home. Staley came from the Indianapolis Humane Society and became a wonderful addition to the family and is a great brother to Kodie. Christine loves to be outdoors with Aaron and their dogs, will jump on the chance to do a little downhill skiing, and enjoys cooking and trying different ethnic cuisines.Dr. Heinz has a special interest in surgery.Dr. Heinz's philosophy of veterinary care: I love talking to people about their pets! I want people to understand what is going on with the health of their pet, so that they can feel secure in the decisions they make regarding their little ones. I think that everyone has a different and unique bond with their pets and it's my job to treat not only their pets, but also their owners with the care, commitment, and compassion that they deserve."

Dr. David Brunner
Dr. R. David Brunner, DVM is the owner and founder of the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic. He received his DVM degree from Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1977 and opened The Broad Ripple Animal Clinic in 1981.His commitment to offering only the highest quality veterinary medicine possible, coupled with compassion and extraordinary customer service has won the BRAC nationwide recognition and respect within the veterinary community. He is a member of many veterinary organizations including the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association and The American Animal Hospital Association. He is a past president of the Indianapolis Humane Society and continues to support their efforts as well as those of several other animal organizations.Dr. Brunner enjoys and excels at every aspect of veterinary medicine, but has a special interest in Endoscopy and Surgery.Dr. Brunner lives in Indianapolis and has 2 wonderful daughters, Molly and Kendall. Noel, his beloved Black Lab, usually comes to work with Dr. Brunner and oversees the running of the clinic.Dr. Brunner's philosophy of veterinary care is based on the Golden Rule: Treat others and their pets as I and my own pets would want to be treated. "

Dr. Lisa Sponsler
Lisa Sponsler grew up in Lexington, KY and showed hunter jumper horses for more than 10 years. She moved to Indiana in 1986 to attend Purdue University. Lisa graduated from Purdue in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, achieving highest distinction honors. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Purdue University in 1994. She has been practicing as a small animal veterinarian at the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic for the past 12 years.Agility and obedience competition was a natural replacement for horse shows. Lisa has trained and competed with 2 Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers and 2 Shih Tzu. As a veterinarian and pet lover, Lisa appreciates the value of dog training as it relates to the human animal bond, and an enriched lifestyle for dogs. She finds positive training, including clicker training, to be a great way to train all breeds, but also particularly valuable when working with more difficult to train breeds such as the terrier and toy breeds.Lisa lives in Carmel with her husband Andy, their 2 year old son Benjamin, and their dogs Cubby (Wheaten Terrier), Chili (Shih Tzu), and Kiri (rescued Wheaten Terrier). Lisa and Andy are volunteers for Wheatens In Need – a Wheaten Terrier rescue organization. They have fostered many homeless dogs over the years.

Dr. Liz Murphy
Dr. Murphy received her DVM from Cornell University in 1997. Prior to attending veterinarian school. Dr. Murphy graduated from Duke University's Physician Assistant Program and worked as a Physician Assistant in Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery at a Children's Hospital in Boston. She knew as soon as she walked in the doors of BRAC that it was the type of practice she wanted to work in and has been here since 1997.Liz and her husband Mark Kesling live with Mark's daughters Elizabeth and Rachel, along with their dogs Dora, Fiona, and Shrek and cats Bill, Hillary, and Nickel - all of whom are rescued oets. Liz's hobbies include painting, photography and creating art using her computer.Dr. Murphy has special interests in internal medicine and reproductive medicine. Dr. Murphy's philosophy of veterinary care: Over the years I have continually been amazed by the depth and complexity of the bond between people and their animal companions. My goal as a veterinarian is to celebrate these unique relationships while working to enhance and preserve them by providing the best possible medical care. "

Dr. William Neumann
Dr. Bill Neumann, DVM received his DVM degree from the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. Bill and his wife Debbie have two beautiful daughters, Alison and Sarah. The Neumann family lives in the Indianapolis area with their cat Pita (Domestic Short Hair) and Lacey (adopted from Wheaten Terrier Rescue). Bill is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys a wide range of activities such as camping, birding, and gardening. He is also an avid sports fan. Bill and Debbie like to play cards and go dancing.Dr. Neumann has a special interest in Ultrasound Diagnostics.Dr. Neumann's philosophy of veterinary care: I enjoy veterinary medicine because I not only get to see and help the animals that we love, but also teach and talk to the people that care for them. I believe teaching and compassion are important in pet care. Compassion is needed for both pets and their owners, and educating pet owners about their pets and their pet's problems is the cornerstone of quality care."

Dr. William Widmer, MS
Board Certified Veterinary Radiologist