Meet Our Team

Education:

B.S. in Animal Sciences, University of Florida, 1999

• Summa cum laude
• Outstanding 4 year Scholar (awarded to students maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout undergraduate studies)
• Anderson Scholar of Highest Distinction (awarded to students maintaining a 4.0 GPA through the first 2 years of undergraduate studies)

M.S. in Animal Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Florida, 2004

• Summa cum laude

Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, 2008

• Magna cum laude

Background: Dr. Nichols, a Ft. Myers native, has come full circle, returning to her roots to provide high quality, affordable veterinary surgery to the dogs and cats of southwest Florida. With a strong foundation in general veterinary medicine, Dr. Nichols has transitioned to a role that emphasizes her surgical experience, a field where she believes she can make a significant impact on animal welfare.

Family/Pets: Dr. Nichols compassion for pets extends to her home that she shares with her loving husband, daughter, and three dogs- Gus, Ella, and Pickles- and two cats, Rose and Chunky.

Hobbies/Interests: Dr. Nichols enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, and reading.

Education: 

B.S. in Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, 2012Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, 2018Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Chi University, 2020

Background: Dr. Braun grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. At a young age, he discovered that he was passionate about caring for animals. Dr. Braun has over six years of experience working in the veterinary field prior to becoming a veterinarian. His professional interests include: preventative care, integrative medicine - focusing on acupuncture and herbal medicine, internal medicine and dentistry. Dr. Braun grew up vacationing in Southwest Florida and is proud to now service Cape Coral and it’s surrounding communities.

Family/Pets: Dr. Braun shares his home with his wife, Kristin, their two weimaraners, Stella and Luna, two mini-dachshunds Aster and Indi and two clownfish, Skipper and Rico. 

Hobbies/Interests: Dr. Braun enjoys spending time outdoors. He loves paddle boarding, boating, snorkeling, and scuba diving. Dr. Braun likes to explore with his wife and their dogs - whether thats finding new hiking trails to dog-friendly restaurants. He is a passionate sports fan. Dr. Braun follows his hometown Minnesota teams and Manchester United.

Education: BS in Biology from the University of Missouri-Columbia 2009.

DVM from University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine 2013.

Background: Dr. Apking grew up in Columbia, Missouri and had a passion for animals from a young age. She began riding horses at the age of 2 and enjoyed spending time with creatures of all shapes and sizes. Her professional interests include Internal Medicine (especially Endocrinology, Immune-mediated Disease and patients with multiple co-morbidities), Preventative Care and Dermatology.

Family/pets: Dr. Apking is lucky to share her life with her husband, Scott, and their son, Vincent. Their furry and feathered family includes dogs (Brick, Bentley, Bobby, and Billie Jean), cats (Niles, MJ, and Biscuit), Quaker Parrot (Besos), bunny (Salty), hairless guinea pigs (Carmie, Frank, and Marie), Quarter Horses (Stormy and Brooks), and and a few fish.

Hobbies/special interests:  In addition to spending time with family and friends, Dr. Apking enjoys horseback riding, cycling and spending time outdoors. She is excited to finally live close to the beach and fulfill her life-long dream of snorkeling with manatees.

Education: University of Minnesota

  1988-BS in Veterinary Science
  1990-DVM
  1996-MS in Clinical Laboratory Science, specializing in the differentiation of leukemias

Background: Born and raised in rural Minnesota. I ended up coming to Sanibel Island every year for a family vacation, which cemented my love of the area. I transferred to the Washington DC area in 1998, having the opportunity to move to Labelle in 2021.

Family/Pets: My amazing husband Sam gallantly supports our animal family which includes 3 Dobermans (Forrest, Clementine, Valencia and Reyna), 2 Toy Manchester Terriers (Bullitt and Tazer) and red foot tortoise (Jolene). We live in the rural Fort Denaud area where I enjoy being outside.

Hobbies/Interests: I have a strong affinity for working and service dogs, having raised 7 puppies to be guide dogs for the blind. I enjoy training my dogs,  particularly for obedience. I have a lot of experience with exotic and non traditional pets and appreciate all species-wild or domestic. Other interests include playing classical piano, hiking with the dogs, boating and spending time at the beach.

Education: 

BA in German Language and Studies from Florida State University (2009)
Certificate in Veterinary Practice Management from St. Petersburg College (2016)

Background: Autumn fell into the veterinary world in 2007 when she picked up a side job in College as a receptionist for a low-income veterinary hospital. She discovered her love for veterinary medicine and decided to
pursue a career in the field. She has worked as a technician in a variety of practices. She has worked with high and low cost canine and feline practices, and has even worked with exotics like kangaroos, eagles, snakes, and many more. Most recently she was a lead emergency technician for a specialty and emergency hospital in the Space Coast area of Florida. Autumn and Dr. Nichols met back in 2009 when working in a practice together. They formed a solid friendship and decided that one day they would open a practice together where they could practice the type of medicine they felt Clients and their pets deserved! Islandside Animal Hospital is the product of that dream.

Family/Pets: Autumn lives with her Husband, who is her high school sweetheart and their son. They have 3 animals. 2 rescue dogs Winnie - a Japanese Chin and Floofs - a Pomeranian, and 1 cat: Isobel.

Hobbies/Interests: Autumn loves watching sports. She is a huge Denver Broncos and Florida State Seminoles fan. She also roots for Orlando City Soccer and she frequents home games with her Husband. She enjoys traveling, reading, playing video games, and cooking.