Surgery
Dr David Burgess
BVSc (Hons) FANZCVS
Registered Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
David graduated from the School of Veterinary Science at the University of Queensland with first class honours in 2000.
He worked in equine and small animal practice in Brisbane before returning to the University of Queensland as an intern in 2002. He continued to work at the University as an Associate Lecturer and Registrar in Small Animal Surgery before moving to Queensland Veterinary Specialists in 2009 to undertake a residency in Small Animal Surgery.
He is a fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists and a registered specialist in small animal surgery. Although he enjoys all aspects of surgery, he has a particular interest in minimally invasive surgery – laparoscopy, thoracoscopy and arthroscopy.
Dr Lucas Beierer
BVSc GradDipEd MVetSurg DACVS-SA
Registered Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Lucas graduated as a veterinarian from the University of Queensland and immediately undertook a rotating internship here at QVS. Surgical internships then followed in Adelaide and Perth, part of which involved a tertiary qualification in adult education.
He undertook a residency in small animal surgery at Murdoch University whilst also completing a masters of veterinary surgery looking at the biomechanics of locking plates.
Lucas was accepted by examination as a Member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (Surgery chapter) in 2011. He became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons – Small Animal in 2015 and an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Orthopaedics in 2016. He has spent several years working in the Northwest of England prior to making the decision to return home to Brisbane. He has a broad array of surgical training and clinical experiences, enabling him to offer the very best to QVS clients. He is certified to perform Total Hip Replacements and has extensive experience in minimally invasive traumatology.
Dr Tim Pearson
BVSc MANZCVS GradDipEd MVetClinStud MVetSurg DipECVS
Registered Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Tim graduated from the University of Queensland in 2001 with honours and worked in mixed and small animal practice for several years in both Australia and the UK before returning home in 2008 to pursue his dream of becoming a specialist small animal surgeon. He attained Membership of the Australian & New Zealand College in Small Animal Surgery by examination in 2009 and then moved to Perth where he completed a 12-month surgical teaching and research program at Murdoch University followed by a 3-year specialist residency training program in Small Animal Surgery as well as Clinical and Research Masters degrees in fracture biomechanics.
After leaving Murdoch in 2015, he worked for 3 years in a busy private referral practice in Perth and in 2017, he became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons by examination and is a registered specialist in Small Animal Surgery. Tim embraces all aspects of surgery but in particular, he enjoys complex fracture repair, joint replacement and neurosurgery.
Tim and his wife Lauren returned home to Brisbane in 2019 after 9 years in Perth. In his spare time, Tim is a sporting tragic and spends his spare time refereeing rugby and supporting his beloved Broncos, Reds and the Wallabies. He and his wife have a little boy named Tom and a tabby cat named Poppy.
Dr Guy Bird
BVSc GradDipEd MVetClinStud MVetSurg DipECVS
Registered Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Guy graduated from James Cook University in 2013, after which completed two separate specialty trainee programs. In 2016 he moved to Perth and completed a 12-month surgical trainee program at Murdoch University and attained a Graduate Diploma in Tertiary Education. Guy then completed a 3-year specialist residency training program in Small Animal Surgery at Murdoch University. During that time he also completed a Masters of Veterinary Clinical Studies.
After his residency training he spent a year at a busy private practice specialist clinic in Perth, before moving back home to Brisbane. He completed of a masters in research studying fracture biomechanics. Guy successfully passed his European diploma examination in small animal surgery in 2022.
Guy is passionate about all aspects of surgery with special interests in fracture repairs, neurosurgery and complex angular limb deformities.
Dr Ryan Swepson
BVSc GradDipEd MVetClinStud MVetSurg
Surgical registrar
Ryan graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science from James Cook University, Townsville in 2015. He then moved back home to Brisbane and spent two years here at QVS, undertaking a rotating internship followed by a surgical internship. In 2018 he moved to Perth and spent 12 months completing a specialty traineeship in small animal surgery at Murdoch University, followed by a three-year residency program in small animal surgery. While at Murdoch, he also completed a Graduate Diploma in Tertiary Education, a Masters of Veterinary Clinical Studies, and compiled a thesis for a research masters studying adrenal gland tumours. After his time in Perth, he moved back to Brisbane and re-joined the team at QVS.
Ryan enjoys all aspects of surgery, spanning soft tissue, orthopaedics and neurosurgery. When he isn’t in his scrubs, Ryan enjoys watching rugby and cricket, freediving, and all things outdoors. He and his partner have two cats and one dog, the cats are extremely well travelled, making the trip across the Nullarbor in a camper van with them when they moved from Perth to Brisbane.
Dr Alecia Evans
BSc (Hons) BVSc (Hons) GradDipEd MVetClinStud
Surgical registrar
Alecia graduated from The University of Queensland in 2016, before undergoing a rotating internship and a surgical internship here at Queensland Veterinary Specialists.
She then moved to Perth to undertake a specialty traineeship and subsequently a residency in small animal surgery at Murdoch University. During her time in Perth, Alecia was involved in teaching and gained a Graduate Diploma in Tertiary Education, as well as a Masters in Veterinary Clinical Studies. She also undertook research toward a thesis investigating the biomechanics of 2.0mm locking plates, and has presented this work at multiple international conferences.
Along with her husband Ben and their cat Dougie, Alecia has now moved back to Brisbane to join the team at QVS. Outside of work Alecia is a self-confessed nerd, loving all things sci-fi and fantasy.
Dr Erik Brudevold-Iversen
BVSc MANZCVS MVM
Surgery Resident
Dr Faustina Niap
Small Animal Surgery Intern
Dr Charlene Lee
Small Animal Surgery Intern
Dr Fei Pang
Small Animal Surgery Intern
Tianah McCubben-Gray
Surgery Head Nurse
Stafford
Tianah obtained her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2011. Since obtaining her qualification Tianah has worked in number of small animal general practice clinics, which is where she developed her interest in small animal surgery. Tianah join the team at Queensland Veterinary Specialists two years ago, and was promoted to Head Surgical Nurse in 2021.
Tianah is passionate about all aspects of small animal surgery. She is particularly interested in critical anaesthesia.
Outside of work Tianah enjoys spending time with her three dogs.
Samantha Smith
Surgery Coordinator
Stafford
Sam is from regional NSW and has been a veterinary nurse since 2008, completing her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2013. After working in general practices around Sydney’s north shore, she began working as a veterinary nurse at SASH (Small Animal Specialist Hospital), where over the next 6 years she worked in surgery, emergency, oncology and radiation oncology.
Sam is also passionate about wildlife nursing and rehabilitation and has worked at Australia Zoo's Wildlife Hospital and in Canada at the Vancouver Aquarium: Marine Mammal Rescue Centre.
As a new challenge, she is excited to be working in the newly created position of Surgery Coordinator at QVS Stafford. Outside of work, Sam loves travel and spending time with family and friends.