Meet Our Team

Christine Wilkin, DVM

Co-owner

I am kind of a quintessential Iowa girl. I grew up on a farm outside of Mt. Vernon, running around barefoot helping with chores, tending garden, taming the barn kittens and playing with the farm dog. I was in 4-H and spent my summers showing my Appaloosa horses. So as you can guess, as a young girl loving animals, I wanted to become a veterinarian.

I attended Iowa State University and received a Bachelor’s degree in animal science and then on to Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine. Upon completing veterinary school, my education continued as a small animal practitioner in Illinois and Texas. I also gained valuable experience practicing small animal emergency medicine outside of Houston, Texas.

I met my soulmate, Kirk Heisterkamp, at Iowa State University. As partners, we established River Basin in 2000, raised our son Wyatt, and together enjoy time kayaking, camping, outdoor activities, and entertaining friends and family.

Kirk Heisterkamp, DVM

Co-owner

I grew up on a livestock and grain farm in rural Monona County, Iowa at the foot of the scenic Loess Hills. 

My animal science undergraduate studies were split between Oklahoma State and Iowa State Universities. Upon graduating from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1993, I was accepted into a large animal medicine and surgery internship at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. 

Following a few years of equine private practice in the Houston, Texas area, Dr. Christine and I moved back to her home area of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and started River Basin Equine Veterinary Services.

Professionally my areas of special interest include equine surgery, lameness and ophthalmology.

Outside of work I enjoy Canadian fishing trips with Dr. Christine, whitetail deer hunting with our son Wyatt, upland bird hunting with our English Setter “Curlee”, and kayaking rivers in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

If you have some cattle to move or sort, I’ll saddle up a horse with you; otherwise I prefer to ride my motorcycle.

Maggie Reese, DVM

Associate Veterinarian

I was born into a horse family in southeastern, Wisconsin where I grew up participating in local Pony Club, competing my OTTB in Three-Day Eventing, and grooming for the Milwaukee Polo Club.

I received my BS in Biology from Villanova University and stayed on the East Coast to work in pharmaceutical clinical research in Charlottesville, VA. My passion for horses and equine medicine pulled me out of Corporate America to work as a veterinary assistant for Equine Sports Medicine of Maryland before returning back to my home state to pursue my DVM degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

While at UW-SVM, I served for two years as the Social Activities Director for our local chapter of the Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA), served for four years as my class representative for the Curriculum Committee, and founded a new student organization, the Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Club. During my clinical year, I received the Irongate Equine Award and the Dechra Equine Sports Medicine Award for my achievements in equine medicine.

I spent one of my summer breaks with River Basin Equine Veterinary Services being mentored by Dr. Heisterkamp and Dr. Wilkin. I am returning now as an associate veterinarian and will be expanding the clinic’s farm-call services.

Outside of veterinary medicine, I am enjoying newly-wed life with my husband Tommy and our dog Boomer, riding my horse Louis, as well as camping, hiking, and anything else in the outdoors.