Our caring and compassionate veterinary care team!
Meet the Veterinarians & Team of Family Vet Animal Hospital in Danville! We’re pleased to provide exceptional vet care for your pets! Please call us at (434) 836-2499 to speak to one of our caring veterinary staff members! Here’s our team hard at work, learning new techniques, services and how to treat our patients with utmost care!
Amy Lee – Practice Manager
Amy was born and raised here in Danville, Va. Animals have always been a huge part of her life.
Growing up, her dad hatched chickens and ducks every spring. She knew from the time she was a little girl that taking care of animals was a passion of hers. When she turned sixteen, she was offered a job here at Family Vet cleaning up and taking care of the animals. It was her dream job and she was so excited to be given the opportunity to live out that dream.
Now, here she is twenty four years later, still living that dream. She is blessed to have a son, Nick, who is her world and she sees the same characteristics and passion in him. They have their dogs Princess, Brendy and Toby, a cat Ava, a bird Spike, a bearded dragon Zack, and a fish Violet. Amy loves her job and everyone she works with. We are one big family and she enjoys working with them every day.
Amy graduated in 2015 with an associate’s degree in Business Management/Management Specialization and is furthering her education in hopes to become a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager.
Client Care Team
Karen Thompson – Client Care Coordinator
Growing up in Danville, Karen always considered this town her home no matter where her life and family have taken her. As a little girl she had a great love for all animals, whether it was her daddy’s bird dogs (especially one named Doc) or her grandpa’s farm animals. Now it’s her little spoiled Oscar, the Shi-poo who comes to work with her every day.
After she married her sweetheart Floyd, they moved to Texas where they lived on a cutting horse ranch; it’s here that she fell in love with horses and eventually adopted a wild Mustang.
While living in Texas, they were blessed with their first son, Jacob, and three years later after moving back to Danville, they were blessed again with their second son, Justin. Both boys have always loved animals including their Rottweiler, named Roper. He was their constant companion until the day he passed. Another love for both boys has been baseball, they have traveled all over, beginning with little league, and eventually they graduated from Tunstall High School and received degrees from the University of Virginia. Jacob continued his baseball career with the Atlanta Braves system and Justin with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Karen is very proud of both boys and their accomplishments.
Another blessing came into her life when she became a grandmother with the birth of Jacob and Katie’s son, Liam, who celebrated his first birthday in May.
Karen feels very fortunate to work at Danville Family Vet where her coworkers feel like family. They show such care and compassion on a daily basis for the pets that visit. She has been a veterinary receptionist since February of 1989 and can’t imagine doing anything else.
Casey Dinicola – Client Care Coordinator
Casey was born in Atlanta, G.A. and moved to the Ringgold, V.A. area as a child. She relocated to Danville around 2005, which eventually led to her join our team as a Client Care Coordinator. Prior to becoming a part of Danville Family Vet, Casey obtained a B.S. in Sociology at Virginia Tech. What she loves most about her time with us is getting to know clients and their pets, and watching our patients grow up.
Casey gets her caring and compassionate nature from her parents, Melissa and David, and enjoys spending time with them and her little sister, Anna, when she is not at work. She loves all animals, but she is especially fond of cats. Her family currently has 4 kitties named Dylan, Pistachio, D.K., and Lil Bit. She also has two kitties of her own, Puff Daddy and Taz. Outside of the clinic, Casey enjoys living in the moment by spending time outside, traveling, and learning new things. She can’t wait to meet you and your babies, and will go out of her way to make you feel like family and treat your pets as she would her own.
Sarah Dalton – Client Care Coordinator
Sarah is originally from Lawrenceville, Georgia and moved to Pittsylvania County in the summer of 2021. After having already earned herself a leadership role at a pet care facility in Georgia, she was eager to stay in the field and reached out to join our team as soon as she decided to move to the area. In moving from a big city to a slower-paced area, Sarah feels she is more able to be a part of small-town culture and establish herself as an active member of the community. She looks forward to attending community events and becoming more involved in local traditions and values.
Sarah has plans to attend San Juan College in the fall of 2022 and ultimately become a Veterinary Technician, with her primary focus being practice management. When she isn’t busy pursuing her education or catering to the needs of you and your pets, Sarah can often be found out in nature. She loves to go for walks with her dogs Bandit and Belle, spend time at the barn, and ride ATV’s. During the free time she spends inside, she will most likely be binge-watching TV shows with her kitties Leo and Kami. Sarah considers her family to be her greatest support system and has moved to the area to be closer to her mom. She shares her home with her boyfriend, Jimmy, and finds inspiration in her dad, who has overcome a lot and is very influential to her.
In her time at Danville Family Vet, Sarah has been loving making friends with our clients. It is important to her to learn background information on the pets and their life stories so that she can customize their experience. She values making true connections with people and is excited to do so with all our clients so that she can provide you and your pets with personalized, loving care!
Medical Team
Emma Staats – Medical Team Manager
Emma came all the way from New Jersey to find us and joined our team in July of 2017 as a Veterinary Assistant. Although after high school she completed schooling and licensure to become a cosmetologist, Emma could not deny that her true passion was veterinary science. After a few years as a stylist she changed career paths and landed herself in a small veterinary clinic in central New Jersey. After moving to Virginia and finding Danville Family Vet, she worked hard to build upon her leadership skills and is now our Medical Team Manager.
When she isn’t enjoying her time caring for clients and patients with her work family, Emma can be found exploring local trails and lakes with her Blue Heeler, Moose and her Australian Shepherd mix, Newt. She also has a sassy little bottle-raised cat named Pigeon. Emma has a great passion for local and organic agriculture, so you can often catch her, Moose, and Newt at the farmer’s market! She enjoys anything involving art, music, or science. She has a vast interest in constantly expanding her knowledge, a key trait that brought her back into this industry. Emma looks forward to seeing you and your fur babies at your next appointment, where she will go above and beyond to provide you with the outstanding care you deserve!
Cassidy Williamson – Licensed Veterinary Technician
Cassidy grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida, and moved to North Carolina when she was 12 years old. She has had a passion for animals since she was very young. As a child, Cassidy practically memorized a book of dog breeds she had, and was able to identify most breeds on sight at a young age! graduated from Central Carolina Community College’s Veterinary Medical Technology program in 2018, and became a Registered Veterinary Technician that same year.
Cassidy relocated to Danville and joined our team when she married a Danville native in 2020. Her parents, especially her late father, always encouraged her to follow her dreams—which led her to where she is today. Personal relationships and making people feel important have always been two things that are very important to Cassidy, and these values shine through in her daily work at Danville Family Vet.
Cassidy currently shares her home with her husband, her three cats Autumn, Harper Jolene, and Mia, and her American Bully Novalee. When she is not at work, she enjoys playing board games, binge-watching shows on Netflix, visiting quirky museums—the Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum being one of her favorites—and spending time with the people she loves. Cassidy looks forward to making you and your pets feel safe and well-cared for at your next visit!
Kelsey Mitchell – Veterinary Assistant
Growing up in Caswell County, Kelsey learned to love the outdoors as well as animals. At a young age she always knew she wanted to work with animals. She attended Liberty University to pursue a bachelors degree in zoo and wildlife biology.
While in school, she had the opportunity to intern at a wildlife rehabilitation center and a zoo. While she loves caring for all species of animals, her favorite one to spend time with is her beagle named Copper. During her free time, she enjoys hiking and playing volleyball.
Mia Hughes – Veterinary Assistant
Mia Hughes is a veterinary assistant at Danville Family Vet, where she provides exceptional care and support to animals and their owners. She holds a degree in equine science from Averett University, where she demonstrated a strong aptitude for animal science and husbandry. Mia’s passion for animal welfare is reflected in her career choice and is evident in the quality of care she provides to all animals under her supervision.
In addition to her professional commitments, Mia is a responsible pet owner, sharing her home with two dogs, two horses, and a cat, all of whom receive the same level of care and attention. Outside of work, Mia enjoys riding her horses, playing with her dog, and resting.
Kaleigh Grafton – Veterinary Assistant
Pet Hotel Team
Stephanie Cook – Pet Hotel Assistant
Stephanie Cook joined the team in September 2018. Since she was a little girl, she has loved animals. Growing up on a farm, there were always animals to take care of.
As she got older, she knew she wanted to work with animals for a living, as they held such a special place in her heart. The animals give her something great to look forward to everyday.
Out of all the jobs she has had, Stephanie says working at the Family Vet is by far the best work experience she has ever had. She loves coming to work everyday and is looking forward to her future there.
Christine Baumgardner – Pet Hotel Assistant
Christine joined the Danville Family Vet team in early 2020 as a Pet Hotel Assistant. She has been around animals since she was born, and loves being able to spend her days with your pets. She has a unique passion for dog behavior and training, which shines through in her relationship with her German Shepherd, Skully. Christine rescued Skully as a puppy, and has worked hard to help him become a well-adjusted member of her family. She also has an Australian Shepherd named Zelda, a Siamese cat named Sky.
Outside of work, Christine enjoys the outdoors. She loves to go on hikes with Skully, and work on their training. She also enjoys camping, reading, four-wheeling, and traveling. Christine can’t wait to see your pets during their next overnight stay with us, or in day camp. She will definitely go the extra mile to make your babies feel loved while you are away!
Kaitlyn Riffe – Pet Hotel Assistant
Kaitlyn is a student who is originally from Kernersville, North Carolina. She now calls Virginia home, and joined us in the summer of 2021 as a Pet Hotel Assistant. Kaitlyn has always loved all animals, and began pursuing a career in the animal care world by completing her high school’s Veterinary Assistant program. Her ultimate goal is to become a small animal veterinarian, and she is actively and eagerly working toward that goal.
Family is very important to Kaitlyn, and she is very close with her mom, Jenn and her sister, Taylor. She knows that our clients’ pets are family to them as well, so she finds it important to have a personal connection with her clients. This way they know, without a doubt, that she will take good care of their fur babies when they are here at the clinic.
When Kaitlyn is not at work or in school, she enjoys spending time with her family. She has a Boston Terrier named Diesel, whom she loves very much, and enjoys spending time with him as well. Some activities Kaitlyn enjoys are playing the piano, shopping, and hanging out with her friends. She can’t wait for the opportunity to love on your pets and make them feel at home during their next stay!
Laini Wilson – Pet Hotel Assistant
Laini joined our pet hotel team in the fall of 2021, and she couldn’t be happier to be following her dreams to become a Veterinary Technician. She is originally from Danville and will graduate from Tunstall High School in the spring of 2021. Her mom is very influential in her life and has supported her and helped her get started on her journey in the veterinary profession.
When Laini is not loving on your fur babies in our pet hotel, she can be found on her side by side or riding horses. She enjoys hanging out with her friends in her spare time. She has 3 dogs at home named Jaime, Tyrion, and Cersei. She also has a ____ named Giuseppe. Family is most important to Laini, and she strives every day to treat your pets with the same loving care she would show her own! It is her goal to form a close relationship with each one of our clients.
Kacper Tolwinski – Pet Hotel Assistant
Kacper Tolwinski is a dedicated pet hotel assistant at Danville Family Vet. Born and raised in Europe, Kacper has always had a deep love and appreciation for animals, which led him to pursue a career in animal care. After moving to the Danville area during middle school, he quickly established himself as a hardworking and passionate member of the community.
Kacper holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Averett University, which has equipped him with strong analytical and problem-solving skills that he applies to his work at the pet hotel. As a pet hotel assistant, Kacper is responsible for ensuring that every animal under his care receives the highest level of attention and care possible. He is committed to providing a safe and comfortable environment for all pets and strives to make their stay as enjoyable as possible.
Krystal Bowling – Pet Hotel Assistant
Krystal Bowling hails from Ringgold, Virginia, where she spent her formative years on a family tobacco farm that has been in operation for many generations. Growing up, Krystal developed a deep love for animals, which was fostered through her experiences riding horses and showing livestock. At present, she is the proud owner of three dogs: two Australian Shepherds named Haven and Oakley, and a Blue Heeler named Koda.
Krystal is an ambitious individual who is always looking for ways to broaden her horizons. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and exploring new places, as well as working with cattle alongside her friends. She is also passionate about healthcare and nursing, and she will begin her studies in the fall of 2023 to get a degree in nursing at Averett University. Krystal wants to become a travel labor and delivery nurse, and she is committed to achieving that objective through hard work and dedication.
Grooming Team
Mallory Betterton – Groomer
Mallory Kueng Betterton is our expert pet stylist. She was formally trained at the Nan Hall School of Dog Grooming and can work miracles with all breeds. From the fancy show cut poodles to the shi-tzu puppy trim, Mallory operates a full service spa.
Other services Mallory offers include dremel nail filing, terrier stripping, bathing and color accents.
Sarah Hale – Groomer
Sarah was born in Danville, but spent most of her childhood in Blairs on a country farm owned by her grandparents. It was there that she discovered a lifelong love for animals of all kinds. She spent her mornings feeding chickens, goats, and cows and her evenings befriending barn cats and teaching her first dog every trick imaginable.
As a young adult, Sarah attended Averett University and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and communications. It was during this time that she took a job as a dog bather at Petco and discovered a passion for pet grooming. She applied herself to learning the required skills and moved up from bather to groomer to salon manager in only a few years.
Sarah spends her free time with her husband in their home in Danville. They play video games and travel together whenever they get the chance. They have five beloved pets: Linus the dog, Burton the tortoise, and three cats named Sammy, Junebug, and Shiori. In her free time, Sarah also enjoys reading, writing, and making custom crafts such as pet portraits using the art of woodburning.
Sarah loves getting to know her clients and their furbabies and always strives to treat them like family. She believes that every pet deserves to have a happy, stress-free grooming experience where they can feel comfortable and be pampered. She is very excited to be a part of the team at Family Vet and looks forward to grooming for you!
Jenny McFarling – Groomer
Jenny is from Caswell County, North Carolina where she enjoys time with her husband and two wonderful boys. She loves the outdoors, loves grooming and working with the animals and she loves to laugh.
