Meet the Team

As the Practice Administrator of Quartet Veterinary Specialty Hospital, she oversees the daily operation of the practice with the Medical Director, Jack Gallagher, DVM, DACVS. Her daily duties include oversight of HR, marketing, payroll, finance, inventory, and direct involvement in issues that require additional client support.

She is especially proud of the passion and skills the Quartet team brings to the Triangle Region. “We have the most experienced and accessible team in the Triangle region. If you need a surgeon, you will see a surgeon. We will get your pet seen. That is what we do and we are good at it.”

Kathleen graduated from St. Bonaventure University with a BA in Communications.

Kaitlyn has a passion for staff development, building cohesive teams, community outreach, and business growth and development. Her experience in leadership and business helps her strive to build the next generation of leaders in veterinary medicine.

Outside of work, Kaitlyn is an animal rescue advocate and enjoys reading and finding new local restaurants to try. She also enjoys being outside at the beach or in the mountains, riding her horse Annie, and spending time with her husband Chris and their two rescue dogs Lexie and Jax.

Outside of work, Kelly shares her life with her incredible partner, Lisa, three very energetic dogs—Clover (her sweet 12-year-old rescue mutt) and two-year-old littermates Denali and Aurora (a wild pair of rescued pit mixes)—and a house full of spoiled rescue kitties. When she’s not working, she’s probably out on a trail with the dogs, lost in a great book, watching a movie, or planning their next travel adventure. Kelly is really excited to be part of this team and looks forward to getting to know everyone—humans and animals alike!

Outside of work, Michael enjoys spending time with his family and their enthusiastic black Lab, Bella.

Andy helps to support day-to-day accounting operations and contributes to process improvements and special projects.

Andy enjoys spending time with his long haired chihuahua, Lulu, and loves to have great food with friends and family.

Born and raised in Maryland, Scott now calls central Florida home. Outside of work he enjoys traveling, getting lost in a good book, an outdoor adventure, and spending time with friends and family.

In her role as Chief People Officer at EVG Specialty Network, Debbie leads the company’s people strategy, including talent acquisition, leadership development, total rewards, and HR operations. She partners closely with the CEO and leadership team to build the infrastructure and capabilities needed to support EVG’s continued growth across its hospital network.

Debbie and her husband live in Northern Virginia and have three children—two boys and one girl—and a mini labradoodle named Kobe. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, spring flower planting, and running.

In 2021, Ashley made an unexpected leap into the world of recruiting—and it turned out to be the perfect fit. Now, she gets to combine her clinical experience and love for people to support veterinary teams in a whole new way.

When she’s not connecting talent with opportunity, you’ll find her at home with her delightfully sassy cat and a thriving jungle of houseplants. She’s a fan of good books, great music, quality time with loved ones, exploring new places, meeting new people, and just about any side quest life throws her way.

Katie brings a unique blend of educational leadership and recruitment expertise to the veterinary industry. She holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Elementary Education from East Carolina University and spent thirteen years in North Carolina serving as a classroom teacher, instructional facilitator, and literacy coach. This foundation in mentorship and strategic development enables her to serve as a trusted advocate for the veterinarians she supports.

Since relocating to Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2021 with her husband, Jason, and their chocolate lab, Utley, Katie has dedicated her career to veterinary recruitment. She is passionate about bridging the gap between professional coaching and talent acquisition, helping clinicians secure roles aligned with their long-term career goals.

Outside of work, Katie enjoys reading, exploring new places, spending time with family and friends, running, and cheering on the East Carolina Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, and Green Bay Packers.

Anna joined the team in 2025, bringing over a decade of experience transforming complex financial data into clear, actionable insights that support strategic decision-making. Her career in financial planning and analysis (FP&A) began in 2012, shortly after completing her MBA at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. With her innate planning skills and strong affinity for numbers, Anna found FP&A to be a natural and rewarding career path.

As Senior FP&A Analyst at EVG Specialty Network, Anna leads core initiatives in budgeting, forecasting, and long-term planning. She analyzes financial trends, develops robust scenario models, and evaluates outcomes, always striving to build processes that enhance accuracy, efficiency, and transparency.

Originally from North Carolina, Anna currently lives in Lawrenceville, Georgia (just outside of Atlanta) with her two adorable but mischievous tabby cats. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, attending live concerts, and frequenting cat cafés and adoption centers—where her fondness for cats often leaves her wishing she could adopt them all.

In his role as Chief Financial Officer at EVG, Sam oversees all finance and accounting operations, and provides strategic financial leadership and support to the management team and board of directors.

Sam and his wife, Crystale, live just outside Portland, Maine. They have two children, and a labradoodle named Baxter. Outside of work, Sam enjoys spending time with his family and friends, and relaxing at his cottage in New Hampshire.

Rachelle was a military kid who spent much of her life overseas, with many years in Germany. She graduated from George Mason University with a degree in psychology and has worked in the veterinary industry for over 15 years. Her career began in high school at a small, family-owned veterinary hospital, where she continued through college. Since then, she’s worn many hats in the field — including running her own successful pet care business — and previously served as an Emergency and Critical Care Coordinator at Friendship Hospital for Animals. Over the years, she’s focused on finding ways to make daily operations run more smoothly, improving communication between teams, and creating systems that help everyone work more efficiently.

Rachelle has a lifelong love of animals and a special interest in behavior. She is passionate about dance, theater, teaching children, and collecting plants (always finding room for just one more). She lives in DC with her partner, their daughter, and two rescue pit mixes, and loves spending her free time traveling and being outdoors with her family.

Sara’s passion for animal care began early, and it has guided her career path ever since. As a high school student, she worked as an assistant at a general practice clinic, which sparked her interest in veterinary medicine. Sara went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Medical Technology, with a minor in Business, from Wilson College. After becoming a credentialed technician in 2011, she advanced her career in specialty medicine, working as a Surgery Technician at Angell Animal Medical Center.

Sara’s experience spans several renowned veterinary hospitals, including two EVG Specialty Network hospitals. In 2015, she joined Friendship Hospital for Animals as a Specialty Surgery Technician and later transitioned to a Nutrition Technician. She also worked at Quartet Veterinary Specialty Hospital as a Patient Care Technician. Throughout her career, Sara has had a deep passion for mentoring students and emerging veterinarians, sharing her extensive knowledge and experience in specialty medicine.

Outside of work, Sara enjoys running, spending time outdoors, and visiting her parents on Cape Cod. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and three sons.

Melissa is a creative at heart with a big passion for art and design. Growing up bi-cultural has given her a unique perspective and an endless curiosity for connecting with people and their stories. Sports have also played a huge role in her life, especially golf, which earned her a scholarship and led her to move to the States—a journey that shaped who she is today.

A dog lover through and through (especially golden retrievers!), Melissa is known for her genuine, friendly, and positive spirit. She loves traveling, meeting new people, exploring cultures, and capturing the beauty of the world through her camera lens. For Melissa, life is all about seeing things from every angle with a big smile and the best attitude.

Whether she’s brainstorming her next big idea, exploring a new place, or playing a round of golf, Melissa always brings creativity and warmth to the table.

Stephen has spent over 20 years as an operations specialist in both private and corporate settings. Having simultaneously led as both a hands-on operator and a consultant, he offers a unique perspective when it comes to operational excellence. While Stephen brings extensive experience in both established practices and groups, he has a particular interest in startups and early-stage organizations. His passion lies in building successful teams that provide both clients and patients with the best care possible.

Stephen’s role at EVG is to provide essential and innovative resources to our practice teams, to ensure they are the very best version of themselves. This includes making sure that our veterinary teams work in a happy and healthy environment so they can deliver on that vision.

Together with his wife Deena, their 4 children and 2 dogs, Stephen lives in Manasquan NJ. In his spare time, when not coaching wrestling/Jiu Jitsu, he can be found enjoying the waves at the beach or fishing on the water.

Throughout her career, Jennifer has held executive leadership roles with organizations including Lakefield Veterinary Group, Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists, Compassion-First Pet Hospitals, and Patterson Veterinary. She has overseen multi-site hospital networks, led complex specialty and emergency hospitals, supported acquisition integrations, and helped organizations improve operational performance, and financial results. Whether leading multi-hospital operations, mentoring emerging leaders, or teaching leadership principles, her focus has always remained the same: helping people reach their full potential and creating cultures where operational excellence and compassion go hand in hand.

Jennifer’s passion for leadership extends beyond veterinary medicine. She served for several years as an online adjunct professor in the Graduate Leadership Program at the University of Charleston (WV), where she taught active-duty military students and future leaders. She also developed and taught executive leadership programs for veterinary professionals across the country through Patterson Veterinary University. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership, a Master of Science in Strategic Leadership, and a Doctorate in Executive Leadership.

Jennifer believes the most effective leaders invest in others, lead with authenticity, and never stop learning. When she’s not working, you’ll likely find her exploring a new destination or being thoroughly managed by her beloved Maine Coon, Willow.

After completing her Communication & Public Relations Bachelor’s degree from Central Connecticut State University, Allie went on to work for several years with Veterinary Practice Partners as a Marketing Business Partner. Here she supported a portfolio of over 75 hospitals with their strategic marketing planning to increase client retention, drive new clients, and increase revenue!

Outside of the digital sphere, Allie enjoys spending time with her husband, Nick, and new baby, Joanna. She also shares her home with her rescue pup, Lacie, and two rescue kitties, informally known as Big Cat and Baby Cat.

She shares a beach bungalow in Florida, with her wife, Angelina, a pug named Mayonnaise, a scruffy hound mix named Birdie, and two cats who like to get into mischief. Outside of work, Danielle enjoys traveling, beach days, hockey, live music, and accumulating far too many plants.

Magen began her career in specialty veterinary medicine in 2010 and has since developed a robust background in leadership, specialized patient care, and team management. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga in 2014 and became a credentialed veterinary technician in 2019. In 2020, she joined Veterinary Care & Specialty Group in Chattanooga, TN, as the lead technician of their neurology department, where she played a key role in building the department from the ground up.

A native of Chattanooga, Magen enjoys outdoor adventures, reading, baking, and caring for her plants. She lives with her partner, Jason, their two hound dogs, Harlan and Olsen, and their senior Shih Tzu, Benson.

Brian’s path into veterinary medicine began on the hospital floor as a veterinary assistant in specialty and emergency medicine, a foundation that continues to shape how he leads today. He earned dual undergraduate degrees in Actuarial Science and Spanish from the University of Illinois, graduated with honors from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, and completed a small animal rotating internship at The Ohio State University.

From there, Brian built a career in senior clinical and operational leadership across some of the largest veterinary corporations in North America, leading teams spanning hundreds of hospitals and developing the people and systems that help veterinary professionals perform at their best. He continues to work locum emergency shifts at a local specialty and emergency hospital, keeping him grounded in the day-to-day realities of veterinary medicine.

Brian lives in North Carolina with his wife, Tiffany, their two children, three cats, one dog, and four chickens. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling with his family and staying active.

Francesca specializes in veterinary social work, organizational strategy, and clinician wellbeing, with expertise spanning program development, leadership training, and continuing education within complex healthcare systems. She is known for fostering psychologically safe cultures and translating clinical insight into sustainable, people-centered organizational strategy. Francesca is dedicated to nurturing teams that keep culture strong, enabling the mission and vision to flourish through growth.

She earned her MSW from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with an emphasis in Interpersonal Practice and Health and a minor in Management of Human Services, and is a licensed clinical social worker. Outside of work, Francesca enjoys time in nature with her pack, practicing yoga (with a sense of humor), reading, and embracing the sense of adventure that comes with travel.

Janine Calabro, DVM, DACVECC, brings over a decade of experience at Friendship Hospital for Animals, one of the largest and most progressive veterinary hospitals in the US, to her role as Director of Clinical Foundations for EVG Specialty. Prior to her veterinary career, she worked in breast cancer and environmental toxicology research before matriculating at Tufts-Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and completing her DVM with a Certificate in International Veterinary Medicine. Janine then moved to New York City and completed a rotating internship at Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital of the ASPCA and a residency in Emergency & Critical Care Medicine at The Animal Medical Center. She earned Diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care and moved South to DC after completing her residency. At Friendship, Janine cultivated a passion for training new veterinarians while overseeing Friendship’s rotating internship and running their busy ER and ICU.

In her role as Director of Clinical Foundations in Encore’s Medical Advancement division, Janine supports multiple programs, including house officer training programs (rotating internship, specialty internship, and residency programs) and externships for veterinary students. She also coordinates continuing education programs for technicians and doctors throughout the Encore network. She splits her time between Encore and Friendship, where she also serves as the Medical Director for Emergency & Critical care and the Intern Director.

Janine and her husband, Peter, live in the DC Metro area with their son, four cats (Gozer, Voltron, Eowyn, and Aragorn), lots of plants, and two tanks filled with a variety of fish, snails, shrimp, and other plants. In her spare time, Janine loves to hike with her family, spend time outdoors, knit, practice yoga, and putter in her yard and garden.

Before joining EVG Specialty Network, Sara served as Director of Specialty Marketing at Encore, overseeing an elite portfolio of specialty and emergency hospitals. In her current role, Sara partners with senior leadership to align initiatives with EVG’s mission and vision, while leading the development and execution of comprehensive marketing strategies designed to support hospital growth, strengthen referral relationships, and elevate patient care across our network.

Originally from the Philadelphia suburbs, Sara has lived in Maryland since 2009. In her spare time, you’ll find her poking around her native plant gardens, birding, and chauffeuring her kids to various activities. She shares her home with her husband and two sons, along with a sweet lady kitty named George.

Bio coming soon.

Earlier in his career, Kieran held senior leadership positions within large retail pharmacy organizations, developing a strong operational and organizational foundation that continues to influence his leadership style today.

At EVG Specialty Network, Kieran focuses on building exceptional hospital partnerships, supporting collaborative veterinary teams, and creating an organization where veterinary professionals can thrive while delivering outstanding patient care.

Kieran and his wife, Caitie, live in Maryland with their three children, three dogs, two cats, and pet toad. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with family at Deep Creek Lake and tackling escape rooms together.

Kristen Moore graduated from UNC Greensboro with a degree in Business Admin. She has over sixteen years of experience in the veterinary field as a vet tech and manager and spent the last ten years working as an account manager for Insect Shield.

In her current role as Senior Accounting Business Partner, Kristen will use her years of veterinary experience and customer service skills to help hospitals continue to grow and thrive.

Kristen and her husband, Rob, live in Asheboro, NC, on sixty-six acres. They have two children, two horses, five dogs, and three cats that live with them on the farm. On weekends and holidays, Kristen and her family enjoy taking their camper out to explore new places.

Rich Moorfoot has spent the past twelve years in the accounting field. He spent the first seven of those years in public accounting at a Big 4 Accounting firm while earning his CPA. The past five years were spent in the veterinary industry in roles ranging from senior accountant to controller.

Rich helps run the day-to-day financial operations of the specialty network, performing period-end reviews and financial analyses.

In his spare time, Rich enjoys running. He and his wife, Sarah, have two sons, Charlie and Jack. They also have one cat, Teddy.

Bio coming soon.

Kyle VanCoutren, SHRM-CP, has been in the veterinary industry for over twelve years and has a passion for leadership. His career in the veterinary field started as a small part-time position that blossomed into a lifelong career. Specializing in leadership development, he has a background in HR consulting, practice management, and operational excellence. Helping businesses decode the ever-changing puzzle of employment relations is where he finds fulfillment; helping build leaders is his passion!

In his role as Director of Operations for the Specialty Network, Kyle takes a consultative approach to operational leadership. He works closely with each practice to help them achieve their goals, both financial and operational. Kyle thrives in helping teams tackle roadblocks and focuses on equipping them with the tools to succeed.

Kyle is a Maryland native currently living in Annapolis, MD, with his wife, Laura. They plan on adopting two dogs soon to complete their pack! Kyle spends his days walking around the city, asking people if he can pet their dogs, which is the best job he’s ever had.

Stacie Ward joins the EVG finance team from her prior role at Friendship Hospital for Animals where she was the Accounting and Benefits Manager. She began that role in 2004 and, at the time, took on other endeavors in conjunction with those duties and even managed HR for a few years.

Prior to entering the veterinary world, Stacie spent a dozen or so years in restaurant management as well as accounting.

Stacie was born in D.C. and is a forever Washington Football fan, as well as the Maryland Terrapins, of course. She lives in Ellicott City, MD, with her son and daughter, their two dogs, and three cats. When possible they all love to travel to the beach or lake or take a cruise to a faraway adventure. Their favorite so far is Alaska.

Chris Wheat is the Director of IT at EVG Specialty. Coming from an IT Admin role with Encore, Chris has been working in the veterinary field for the past ten years. Before then, he had worked in multiple IT roles for various corporations, including commercial real estate, medicine, banking, and consulting, with approximately twenty-five years of experience.

In his role as Director, Chris is working to expand the current core IT team to provide superior support and service to our partner veterinarians.

Chris and his wife, Katie, have moved back and forth in the past few years. Coming from Virginia and traveling all the way to Washington state in 2019, they are headed back to Virginia in early 2024. Currently without pets, they plan to have dogs, cats, and mini donkeys soon. In his spare time, he and his wife are avid hikers traveling all over the Pacific Northwest as well as kayaking, grilling, and just anything that is outdoors.