Debra MPW Miller-Sokolo is a native of Nebraska and a graduate of Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She grew up in a family of Healers in the Lakotah and Choctaw Native American traditions who nurtured her love of animals and medicine at a very early age. Debra has worked in most facets of Veterinary Medicine during her 39 years in the profession- from kennel attendant to veterinarian. She is experienced in Emergency/Critical Care as well as general small and large animal practice. Debra has a special interest in trauma surgery, radiology, ruminant, and aquatic medicine. Debra and her husband Frank enjoy their family of 2 Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Spinnaker and Tate, an old Nebraska barn cat, Kalaheo, a Norwegian Forest Cat, Eastre, a Congo African Grey, Inkosi, a vosmaeri Eclectus, Wisaye, and a whole bunch of finches, both African and Australian, betas and other freshwater fish, and orchids.

 

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                                       Dr. Jennifer Morris | DVM
Emergency and Critical Care Clinician

Dr. Morris graduated in 2008 with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Washington State University. Previously she had earned her undergraduate degree in Biology from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia. Jennifer is excited to begin her career in Emergency and Critical Care medicine here at Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center. Jennifer was born and raised in Washington State, after graduating veterinary school she moved to Richmond with her Husband, horse, 2 dogs, and 2 cats. In her spare time Jennifer enjoys horseback riding, photography and hiking with her dogs.

 

 

Dr. Jennifer Mosley is a 2008 graduate of Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine. She grew up in Arkansas, but attended LSU for undergraduate studies and veterinary school. She completed a small animal rotating internship outside Chicago, Illinois at VCA Aurora and Berwyn Animal Hospitals. Following the internship, she returned to Southern Louisiana where she worked as a general practitioner as well as performing emergency services for a year. Deciding emergency medicine was a professional passion, she recently moved to Richmond to join the team at the VESC. Her professional interests include emergency medicine, cardiology and internal medicine. When she is not working, she enjoys playing with her dogs, a Beagle named Cooper, and a Beagle mix named Caylie, as well as traveling, dancing, football (Geaux Tigers and Saints!) and good food.

  

Sara is originally from Boulder, Colorado and attended the University of Colorado for her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology. She received her DVM from Colorado State University in 2008 and following graduation moved to Knoxville, Tennessee for a one year internship at the University of Tennessee. After practicing around the Knoxville area, she moved to Richmond in March 2010 to join the team at the Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center. In her spare time, Sara enjoys creating and consuming gourmet food, trying to keep up with her boyfriend while exploring Richmond's mountain biking trails, and getting in over her head with home improvement projects. Her four legged family includes her 9 year old Brittany Josephine, 9 year old Labrador Norris, and 5 year old Cavalier King Charles Ophelia.

  

 Dr. Howard graduated from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1985. Prior to veterinary school, Dr. Howard obtained a BA from Virginia Tech in Biology and a MS in Physiology from George Washington University. Subsequent to his graduation from the VMRCVM, he completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Rowley Memorial Animal Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts. Following an additional six month staff position at Rowley Memorial, Dr. Howard returned to his native Virginia to focus on a career path in the newly emerging field of veterinary emergency and critical care. He joined the staff of the Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center in the spring of 1987 and currently serves as the Medical Director of our organization and continues to be actively involved as a senior clinician in the daytime emergency and critical care aspects of the practice. In 2003, Dr. Howard completed additional training at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts in the clinical management of feline hyperthyroidism using radioactive iodine and now serves as the Director of the hospital's I-131 treatment center.
Dr. Howard enjoys the challenge and diversity of emergency medicine as well as the stimulating academic environment created by working in concert with the center's multi-disciplinary specialists. He also enjoys the unique opportunities and challenges presented in teaching both the veterinary students and interns that come to the center for advanced training during their careers. His special interests include comprehensive management of the trauma patient, nutritional support of emergency and critical care patients, immune mediated blood disorders and metabolic and infectious disease emergencies.
Dr. Howard is a member of the AVMA and the International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society and has served on the Board of Directors for the Richmond Academy of Veterinary Medicine.  Outside of work, Dr. Howard enjoys fishing, traveling, vegetable gardening, golf and a quiet family life with his wife and daughter.

  

Dr. Evan Apotheker knew he wanted to be a veterinarian from a young age and worked in veterinary hospitals around his home in Connecticut in various capacities since he was a teenager. He went on to graduate from Purdue’s School of Veterinary Medicine in 2008 then went on to pursue an internship in emergency and critical care at the Animal Emergency Center in Milwaukee. He then entered general practice in Scottsdale Arizona until the excitement of emergency called him back.
He loves being able to make a difference in pet’s and owners lives and be there when help is needed. He has a sweetheart of a golden/shepherd mix named Sorkin and two cool cats, the Fonz who came from Milwaukee and an old desert cat named Andy. Outside the hospital he enjoys traveling, hiking, kayaking, making pottery, cooking and lately running the streets of Richmond.

  

 Dr. Cloman graduated from the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1997; he also received an undergraduate degree in banking and finance from the same university. He practiced in his home state of Mississippi for 3 1/2 years before moving to Richmond in the fall of 2000. For the next 13 1/2 years he gained more valuable experiences working in a few private practices then he joined VESC and embarked on an emergency medicine career in January of 2011. He enjoys life with his wife, Allison, two boys − Parker and Connor, and one little one expected in mid-August 2011.

  

Dr. Correa was born and raised in Bradenton, FL, but her family roots are from Chile; therefore she grew up with Spanish as her main language. She has been playing tennis since the age of 8, at one time competitively and was even ranked in the state of Florida. Dr. Correa attended several tennis academies; most famous was IMG Nick Bollettieri tennis academy alongside well-known classmates such as Maria Sharapova, Anna Kournikova and Tommy Haas. She graduated from Eckerd College in 2006 with a BS in Biology with a double major in mathematics, and a minor in chemistry and marine science. A month later she entered veterinary school at Massey University in New Zealand, an American accredited program, graduating December 2010. After graduation she moved to Christchurch, New Zealand where in February 2011 experienced a severe earthquake followed by about 500 aftershocks. Forced to leave due to extreme damage Dr. Correa applied for and was excepted into the internship program here at the Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center. Dr. Correa along with her partner and animals are transitioning from New Zealand to start their life over in America. Her current hobbies include playing the Spanish guitar, violin, piano, and photography.

 

 

Sam is originally from LaPorte Indiana and attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana for her undergraduate degree in animal science, biology, and chemistry. She decided that she wanted to go abroad to study veterinary medicine therefore she attended Ross University in the West Indies on the island called Saint Kitts. For the clinical year she attended North Carolina State University. She graduated in 2011 with her doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Ross University. Before going to veterinarian school she worked in a small animal veterinary emergency clinic for 4 years and a large animal clinic for 5 years. Sam has shown horses for over 10 and during some of that time was involved in 4-H with horses. While in 4-H, she was a role model for the younger members by teaching clinics and being the 4-H county queen. She has two horses, Pokey and Cappy, two dogs, Odie and Smokey, and two cats “D” and Endora. She enjoys exercising daily, doing activities outdoors, cooking, playing with her dogs, and riding her horses. Dr. Moffitt has a passion in small animal emergency medicine and is very excited about doing her internship here at the VESC.

 

 

Dr. Amy Lightstone | DVM
Emergency and Critical Care Clinician

Amy is originally from Dallas, TX. She attended the University of California Santa Cruz as an undergraduate earning a degree in Biology and Environmental Science. After living abroad in Australia and backpacking around New Zealand, she decided to attend veterinary school at Massey University in New Zealand and graduated in December of 2010. Amy enjoys working with animals of all shapes and sizes. She is excited about being back on the same continent as her family and about exploring Richmond. In her free time, Amy loves most outdoor activities be it snowboarding, biking, swimming, or hiking. She also enjoys good food, wine, traveling, and movie watching. Amy currently shares her apartment with one crazy kitten named Monkey that can be found climbing the ceiling fan.

 

 

 Wendy J Watts, VMD attended Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania and graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Behavior. After attending veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, she returned to Pennsylvania to practice small animal medicine for the next several years. It was during this time that she discovered her love for emergency medicine. Dr. Watts moved to Virginia Beach in 2005 to become the veterinarian-in-charge at an emergency hospital there, working extensively with area shelters and humane organizations in spay and neuter programs. Dr. Watts also serves as an active board member and volunteer for Wildlife Response, Inc. Dr. Watts joined the Veterinary Emergency Center in December of 2011 to offer Richmond her considerable experience working in emergency veterinary medicine. She lives with her husband, Jared, in Smithfield, VA with their dogs, cats and many assorted reptiles.

 

 Dr. Richard Borecky is a 2003 graduate of Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Prior to attending veterinary school, he was a paramedic in Atlanta, Georgia at one of the busiest EMS services in the Southeast. Upon graduation from veterinary school, Dr. Borecky completed an equine internship in Ocala, Florida and went on to work with one of the largest thoroughbred racetrack practices in the United States. In 2005, he switched his focus to small animal medicine holding positions in general medicine, emergency/critical care and practice management as Medical Director overseeing 16 hospitals in West Florida. Dr. Borecky is passionate about emergency medicine, surgery and providing an exceptional client experience. He relocated to Richmond in December 2011 to join the professional team at VESC. He is a sportsman and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and enjoys spending time with his wife and their Patterdale Terrier and two cats.