Kourtney Grimm was born and raised in central Illinois and returned home after graduating with a DVM from the University of Illinois in 2012. Like many veterinarians, she has always loved animals, but developed an interest in exotic and wildlife medicine after studying sea turtles in Costa Rica for a year before starting veterinary school. Despite being landlocked in Illinois, sea turtles remain her favorite animal. Dr. Grimm serves on the ARAV Board and actively pursues additional education in exotic animal medicine to provide high-quality care to many different species of animals. She has a specific interest in community outreach and enjoys doing talks to adults and children about exotic animal care and medicine. Dr. Grimm makes it her priority to provide a fear-free environment that’s comfortable for both her patients and their owners. She aims to provide high-quality, compassionate care to all types of animals. Dr. Grimm shares her home with her husband, two sons, and a daughter. She owns a menagerie of critters including: a dog, several cats, 2 red-footed tortoises, an axolotl, a uromastyx lizard, chickens, and bees. When she’s not working, she loves to be outside and enjoys traveling with her family, Costa Rica being their favorite destination [citation]