We would like to welcome our board certified Neurologist Dr. Lisa Klopp.
Team
Dr. Adam Hunt is an internal medicine specialist at New River Veterinary Specialists. He is a 2018 graduate of Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Hunt completed a small animal medicine and surgery rotating internship at Kansas State University and his small animal internal medicine residency at University of Tennessee. He received the House Officer of the Year award at Kansas State University due to his passion for teaching.
Dr. Hunt’s special areas of interest are gastroenterology, endocrinology, autoimmune diseases and infectious diseases. His area of research is in feline gastrointestinal disease and its relation to anemia and the diagnosis of commonly acquired adrenal diseases. Dr. Hunt enjoys performing all procedures in the specialty of internal medicine but particularly enjoys upper and lower GI endoscopy. He enjoys the long-term management of multifaceted cases and building relationships and bettering the health of his patients. Dr. Hunt views each case as an opportunity to educate and involve his clients in the decision making process with their beloved companions.
In his free time, Dr. Hunt enjoys spending time outdoors with friends and family. He enjoys hiking, swimming, spending time at the beach and playing soccer. He shares a home with his wife, two dogs, and a cat.
Dr. Jennifer Au is co-founder and the Chief of Surgery and Physical Rehabilitation at New River Veterinary Specialists. A 1995 graduate of Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Au graduated in the top of her class. Following an internship in medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, she pursued emergency medicine in New York followed by Virginia for several years. Knowing she wanted to pursue specialization within the veterinary field, Dr. Au completed a Surgical Internship at the Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in Norwalk, CT in 2003 followed by a 3-year Small Animal Surgical Residency at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine completed in 2006. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons – Small Animal since 2007. During her residency, she developed a strong interest in orthopedic surgery and passion for arthroscopy and physical rehabilitation.
After her residency, Dr. Au took a position as an assistant professor on the orthopedic faculty at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. During this time, she became a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT) and took over supervision of the Advanced Rehabilitation Center at MSU. By 2008, she took an assistant professor position on the orthopedic faculty at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine along with supervising the physical rehabilitation department. During her time in academia, she helped develop and advance the clinical arthroscopy program along with training surgical residents in arthroscopy. She enjoyed teaching students in their 4th year clinical rotations along with classroom and lab education. Training interns and surgical residents, while watching them develop and master new skills, was also a point of pride. In 2013, she left academia to take a position as head surgeon and director of physical rehabilitation at a specialty referral practice in Charleston, SC. During this time, while developing and growing the surgery and physical rehabilitation departments, Dr. Au became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in 2014, already a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. In 2019, she moved to Virginia to help grow and develop a full-service specialty referral practice in Fredericksburg, VA. She is excited to return to the South Carolina, again teaming with Dr. Kristin Welch, to help lead New River Veterinary Specialists to become a regional center of excellence for Beaufort and Jasper Counties.
Dr. Au really enjoys helping her patients regain mobility, comfort, and improve quality of life through surgery and physical rehabilitation. She thoroughly enjoys joint arthroscopy, fracture management, and minimally invasive surgery along with challenging and interesting soft tissue and neurosurgical cases. She strongly believes that surgery and physical rehabilitation work together to provide the best outcome for her patients. In addition, she feels there are times surgery is the appropriate course of action and times when a less invasive, more conservative, approach is indicated and her recommendations are tailored to the individual patient’s needs.
Dr. Au has published multiple articles in peer-reviewed veterinary journals along with various abstracts and posters presented at scientific meetings. She has lectured, taught, and conducted hands-on labs regionally, nationally, and internationally. She has been an assistant professor at MSU and OSU along with an adjunct on-line professor with Massey University School of Veterinary Science in New Zealand. She currently serves on the editorial review board for two prominent peer-reviewed veterinary journals and teaches arthroscopy nationally with Arthex.
Outside of work, she enjoys reading, indoor plants, gardening, Corvettes, spending time outdoors and with her pets.
Dr. Natosha Richardson is a 2015 graduate of the Royal Veterinary College in London, England. After receiving her doctorate, she traveled back to her home state of Kentucky to complete a one year rotating internship at Bluegrass Veterinary Specialists in Lexington. During her internship Dr. Richardson developed a passion for emergency medicine and went on to complete a 3-year Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care residency at Allegheny Veterinary Emergency and Trauma Specialty center. Dr. Richardson is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care.
Following her residency, Dr. Richardson relocated to Maryland where she helped grow the emergency and Critical Care service at PetER and Chesapeake Veterinary Referral Center. During this time Dr. Richardson worked closely with other specialists in Neurology, Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Surgery and Dentistry to help provide the best care for all patients. She was also actively involved in clinical training and mentoring of Emergency and Critical Care Specialty Interns. It was the opportunity to relocate to warmer weather while joining a team focused on creating positive culture and providing the best regional specialty veterinary care that led Dr. Richardson to joining the NRVS team!
Dr. Richardson’s interests include polytrauma, acute kidney injury and renal replacement therapies, managing septic patients and providing continuing education and open communication with the referring community. She is passionate about teaching technicians, interns and emergency doctors and looks forward to growing with the New River team! Outside of work Dr. Richardson enjoys spending time with her husband Jake, gardening, and traveling to spend time with family and friends. She has three ginger cats (Ralph, George and Peach) and two pups (Gryff and Spectre).
Dr. Kristin Welch is co-founder of New River Veterinary Specialists. A 2005 graduate of Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine with Honors, Dr. Welch received the top honor of the Small Animal Clinical Proficiency Award as well as the Wade O. Brinker Orthopedic Surgery Award. Following an Internship in Medicine and Surgery at University of Pennsylvania in 2006, she completed a residency in Emergency and Critical Care at Tufts University in 2010. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care.
Dr. Welch relocated after residency to Charleston, SC where she helped grow the Southeast’s first and only VECCS Level I Emergency and Critical Care certified hospital as Chief of Emergency and Critical Care. After spending a decade proudly serving the veterinarians, clients and pets of the Charleston region, Dr. Welch is excited to be leading the team at New River Veterinary Specialists to become a regional center of excellence for Beaufort and Jasper Counties.
Dr. Welch enjoys complicated anesthetic cases and patients with multiple metabolic, endocrine, cardiac, respiratory and other comorbidities. She is proficient in mechanical ventilation, dialysis and interventional procedures including tracheal stent placement. Dr. Welch is passionate about diagnostic abdominal, thoracic and cervical ultrasound and enjoys upper GI endoscopy and endoscopic foreign body retrieval. Dr. Welch has an equal love for Internal Medicine and Emergency Critical Care. Her clinical interests are trauma and fluid resuscitation, transfusion medicine, metabolic cases and respiratory emergencies.
Dr. Welch loves solving complicated cases, decoding clinical data and most of all, helping her veterinary colleagues succeed in their drive to provide the highest caliber medicine possible to their patients. Her love of teaching, passion about all things veterinary medicine and dedication to the field of emergency and critical care led her to develop DVM STAT Consulting, a platform for veterinarian education serving veterinarians across the United States. Dr. Welch has been an active lecturer since 2006 and loves teaching students, veterinarians and veterinary technicians. She has been an adjunct lecturer for the Veterinary Technology Program at TridentTechnical College. She also has taught internationally through the online platform VetScope. She has published in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society, the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery and Clinical Veterinary Advisor. Dr. Welch is on the Veterinary Professionals’ NextGen NEXTBOARD as an advisor and mentor to the new generation of veterinarians.
Outside of work, she loves paddle boarding, sunsets, photography, painting and spending time with her family.
Dr. Arnaldo Torres is an Emergency doctor at New River Veterinary Specialists. Dr. Torres received both a Bachelors of Science and Master of Science in Physiology from Purdue. He completed his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at Ross University and went on to complete a Small Animal Rotating Internship in Medicine and Surgery at Michigan State University. Dr. Torres fell in love with both internal medicine and emergency and elected to focus his career in the fast paced field of emergency and critical care medicine.
Dr. Torres worked as an emergency clinician at busy veterinary emergency and specialty hospitals in Philadelphia and Massachusetts for the next five years before relocating to South Carolina in 2011. Dr. Torres continued to practice as an emergency doctor at a busy specialty hospital over the next decade in South Carolina prior to recently relocating to the Bluffton region. Dr. Torres is excited to continue to provide the highest levels of emergency medicine to the patients and clients at New River Veterinary Specialists.
Dr. Torres’ clinical interests include ultrasound, toxicities, metabolic emergencies and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Dr. Torres also enjoys client education and believes that clear and detailed communication is one of the most important parts of his job. He is an experienced resource for the emergency critical care staff and really takes pride in mentoring and training more junior members of the ER team.
Outside of work, Dr. Torres enjoys traveling, landscape design, spending time with his family and living by the water.
Dr. Megan Cook is an Emergency doctor at New River Veterinary Specialists. Dr. Cook graduated from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Megan has nearly a decade of Emergency medicine and surgical experience and she is passionate about providing top tier emergency medical care to her patients. Dr. Cook has practiced locally for the last 6 years in the Charleston region of South Carolina and is excited to relocate to the Bluffton area to build long lasting relationships with the clients, referring veterinarians and pets of this region of the Lowcountry.
Dr. Cook enjoys the fast pace of the ER and likes to treat patients with toxicities, traumatic injuries, and surgical disease processes. Dr. Cook is also dedicated to ensuring that patients are comfortable and anxiety free while in the hospital and has a special interest in multimodal pain management and anxiety mitigation. She also takes comfort in providing peace for patients and solace for owners with end of life decisions.
Outside of work, Dr. Cook enjoys traveling with her husband and dog, hiking, and managing her Air BnB cabin in North Carolina. She is always aiming to expand her knowledge of real estate and health and wellness. She and her husband share their homes with their dog Steve and 2 cats, Fern and Niko.
Emily Belt is an Emergency veterinarian who originally hails from southern Illinois. She completed a Bachelor of Science in animal and dairy sciences at Mississippi State University, graduating number one in the college. Throughout undergraduate, she also worked as a veterinary assistant in the equine department at the College of Veterinary Medicine. Her love for the southern lifestyle kept her at Mississippi State University for veterinary school, where she initially followed her interests in equine medicine and surgery. Through clinical rotations though, she was drawn to the close-knit human animal bond as well as complexity of companion animal medicine. She completed her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2016, also being honored with an Award for Clinical Proficiency in Anesthesiology. Dr. Belt then completed a Small Animal Rotating Internship in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine.
Through her Internship, she found a calling to the controlled chaos of emergency and critical care. She moved to Tennessee in 2017 and has since continued a career in Emergency and Critical Care. She enjoys being able to provide detailed patient care in a fast-paced environment. Clinical interests include toxicities, feline urethral obstruction, trauma, pain management, diabetes ketoacidosis, and client education. Dr. Belt is very excited about the multispecialty environment found at New River which will allow for top patient care in all fields as well as continual education and progression of skills.
Outside of work, she enjoys relaxing with her five cats, Miniature Dachshund, Shiba Inu, and husband. Dr. Belt enjoys both the mountains and waterways of east Tennessee and the beaches and Spanish moss found throughout the low country. Splitting time between the two locales allows her to experience the best of both worlds, while also focusing on both work and home life wholly. Light hiking, working out, boating, and drinking craft beer occupy most time away from the hospital, though she also enjoys home repairs and craft projects.
Dr. Emily MacCrae is an Emergency Doctor with New River Veterinary Specialists. She is originally from Toronto, Ontario, Canada but has spent most of her life traveling around the United States. Prior to becoming a veterinarian, she worked for many years in veterinary emergency and critical care as an assistant. In 2021, Dr. MacCrae completed her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY before joining a small animal primary care practice outside Charleston, SC.
During her first year in practice Dr. MacCrae managed many urgent and emergent cases and developed her skills as a hospitalist. She looks forward to continuing to expand her knowledge base through working collaboratively with the team at New River. Her clinical interests include hematologic disorders, clinical pathology, anxiety management and patient comfort in the hospital care setting, and feline friendly techniques.
In her down time, Dr. MacCrae enjoys spending time with her husband Alex and their dogs Jessie, Winston, and Abe. Her interests include hockey, hiking, and wildlife photography.
Dr. Danielle Hunt is an emergency doctor at New River Veterinary Specialists. Dr. Danielle graduated from Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 2018. She has had the opportunity to practice emergency medicine in several different regions of the country since graduation and is thrilled to finally call Bluffton home.
Dr. Danielle’s areas of particular interest include feline medicine, endocrinology and toxicities. She loves working with clients to involve them in the decision making process regarding their family members in order to create a treatment plan they are comfortable with. Dr. Danielle enjoys the collaborative approach of New River focused on continual growth to provide the best patient care possible.
In her free time, Dr. Danielle loves to be outdoors hiking in the mountains and relaxing at the beach. She spends a large amount of her time with her two Labradors doing a variety of dog sports (agility, dock diving, scent work). Her hobbies include all things craft related, reading and exploring new areas.
Dr. Steven Costello is originally from Marietta, Georgia. For undergraduate, he attended Georgia Tech prior to transferring to the University of Georgia to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. He is a 2013 graduate of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. He completed a one-year rotating internship at VCA Aurora and Berwyn Animal Hospitals in Chicago, Illinois. It was there that he fell in love with emergency medicine as well as the colder and snowy weather of the north.
Following his internship, Dr. Costello stayed north and relocated to Pittsburgh, PA. He spent the following 8 years as an emergency doctor at Allegheny Veterinary Emergency and Trauma Specialty center (AVETS), a multispecialty and VECCS level one facility.
A desire to be closer to home, a return to warmer weather, and the opportunity to be a part of a team that builds a hospital from the ground up brought Dr. Costello to NRVS. He is excited to continue to work in a multispecialty hospital that emphasizes a collaborative and positive work environment.
Dr. Costello takes pride in trying to help pet owners feel as comfortable as possible in an often stressful and difficult emergency situation. He enjoys client education and believes it is important to include clients in the decision making process for their pet. He loves the fast-paced environment of emergency medicine as well as the ability to work alongside so many brilliant doctors and technicians. He has a special interest in urethral obstructions, trauma, wounds, and acutely critical patients.
In his free time, Dr. Costello enjoys landscaping, doing projects around the house, cheering on his Atlanta teams, attending performing arts, and going on outdoor adventures. He is looking forward to exploring all that his new hometown has to offer. He loves spending time with his geriatric dog, Miles, who has been with him every step of the way since veterinary school.
Dr. Matthew Nathan is co-founder of New River Veterinary Specialists. Dr. Nathan was born and raised on Long Island, and received his Bachelors of Science in Psychology at C.W. Post University. Dr. Nathan then obtained his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and completed veterinary school with his clinical year of veterinary training at University of Florida during which he discovered his passion for emergency medicine and oncology.
Dr. Nathan went on to complete a Small Animal Surgery and Medicine Internship at Carolina Veterinary Specialists in North Carolina where he was able to concentrate on emergency and critical care in their high volume ER. Concurrently, he pursued several oncology externships to further broaden his knowledge base in medical and surgical oncology. After veterinary school, the appeal of southern living lured him to South Carolina. During his 4 years in the Lowcountry, Dr. Nathan has practiced in a busy emergency and referral practice as well as in general practice gaining extensive emergency, medical and surgical experience.
Dr. Nathan always felt that the work-life balance in veterinary medicine, especially emergency medicine, was strained. Dr. Nathan’s long term vision has always been to invoke change in the veterinary field. His vision for change is multifaceted: to decrease burn out, improve work-life balance, train employees to be the best in their field, improve community relations and last, but not least, to set a new, higher, standard for veterinary medicine.
While practicing emergency medicine, Dr. Nathan quickly realized the Beaufort/Bluffton area was underserved for emergency and specialty care. Unfortunately, many clients were forced to make the long (not to mention stressful) trek to seek 24/7 specialized and emergency care. Dr. Nathan has sought out a like minded partnership team with the ever-present goal of providing the highest quality medicine and personalized client care. Dr. Nathan remains committed to providing not only the best medicine for your pet but also compassionate care during traumatic situations.
Dr. Nathan has many interests but above all, he values his time with family and friends. Exercise and personal fitness (especially if outdoors) is important to him and he tries to make time to enjoy hiking, skiing, and paddle boarding. Living in the south also comes with a vast array of amazing cuisine, and Dr. Nathan loves trying new restaurants as well as attempting new recipes himself. He is a voracious reader and book collector and loves all aspects of world history. He has made several trips abroad and hopes someday to be able to do so again. During veterinary school, Dr. Nathan traveled abroad to contribute to provide veterinary services in underserved communities. He worked with SAWorldVets in an intensive Rhino conservation program in South Africa. The following year he traveled to Costa Rica and Nicaragua to provide veterinary medical and surgical care for the local communities. Dr. Nathan hopes to continue improving the level of veterinary care both locally and internationally. Dr. Nathan’s only current pet is his extremely vocal and assertive black cat (Toothless).
Dr. Jeff Davis is co-founder of New River Veterinary Specialists (NRVS). His business acumen and passion for veterinary medicine intertwine the many aspects of the financial, operational and business development activities at New River.
Dr. Davis was born and raised in northwest Missouri and graduated from the University of Missouri-College of Veterinary Medicine in 2009. He practiced in Missouri for 2 years after graduation but knew his heart belonged in the South. In 2011, Dr. Davis moved to South Carolina and immediately knew he was going to be here forever. After spending 4 years as an associate veterinarian, he knew he wanted the opportunity to build and create something special on his own – to take steps toward changing the veterinary profession for the better. His equal enthusiasm for veterinary medicine and business has guided him to become owner of multiple clinics throughout Greater Charleston and his next endeavor, New River Veterinary Specialists.
Dr. Davis is passionate about bringing a state-of-the-art referral facility to the Greater Bluffton area and can’t speak highly enough about the amazing team NRVS has brought together. “Soon, mid-2022, the Greater Bluffton area will be able to access truly life changing (and lifesaving!) veterinary care at their doorstep, and the culture and camaraderie forged with the local veterinarians will promote relationships that will last a lifetime. I’m beyond excited to bring something incredibly special to the entire Southeast.”
Dr. Davis believes that no two patients are the same and excellent medical care is individualized and requires a cohesive relationship between the primary care veterinarian, our emergency and specialty teams and a loving family on the other side of the leash. This triad of care is what New River Veterinary Specialists is all about.
Besides being a veterinarian, Dr. Davis proudly serves in the United States Air National Guard as a public health officer for the state of Missouri. He has served our nation’s military for over 20 years.Dr. Davis is blessed to share his life with his wife, Kerry, their daughter Moorea (“Mo”) and their (very rotten) beagle, Bernard. In their free time, they enjoy trying new cuisine, traveling, and doing home improvement projects.
Dr. Lisa Klopp earned her veterinary degree from Colorado State College of Veterinary Medicine in 1992. She completed a 1-year rotating internship in small animal medicine at North Carolina State University in 1993 and 1 year of anatomical pathology at University of Arizona in 1994. She completed a residency in Neurology and Neurosurgery in 1997 and was board-certified by the College of Veterinary Internal Medicine the same year. She is a life-long, avid fan of the Dallas Cowboys which makes the months between January through September very boring for her. Her family consists of her mom (also known as Mumby) and her very orange Maine Coon cat, Dak Prescott (QB2). When she is not watching football, she likes to porch sit with Dak, read, binge watch TV shows, and have fun with her mom and friends.
Rachel is excited to be leading the New River Veterinary Specialists Rehabilitation Service. Rachel is a Licensed Veterinary Technician and a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner (2016). She has extensive experience as a Rehabilitation Therapist at The Animal Medical Center in New York City where she utilized underwater therapy, class 3b and class IV laser therapy, TENS/NMES, therapeutic ultrasound, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, compressive cryotherapy and heat therapy.
Rachel additionally worked as an Anesthesia and Surgery Technician prior to her years in Rehabilitation, and she holds a certification in the Human-Animal Bond. She is passionate about client communication and education to maximize the effectiveness of outpatient rehabilitation. She especially loves working with senior pets to help improve their comfort, mobility, and mental stimulation.
Outside of work, Rachel enjoys spending time with family and friends. After years of living in NYC, she has embraced South Carolina porch life and loves watching the flourishing wild bird and squirrel populations at her feeders. She strives to become a better cook and gardener, and to keep up with the boundless energy of her eccentric terrier mix, Homer.
Jessica is our Clinical Practice Manager at New River Veterinary Specialists. Jessica is a Licensed Veterinary Technician and holds an advanced certification as a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care (VTS – ECC). Jessica graduated from the Vet Tech Institute in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After completing her externship at a multispecialty hospital – Allegheny Veterinary Emergency and Trauma Specialty Center, in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. Jessica became a licensed veterinary technician (LVT) in 2008. It was there she discovered her love for the ER and decided to continue her career there leading the team and working in the Emergency and Specialty Hospital. Working alongside criticalists and other Board Certified Specialists, as well as some of the best doctors and nurses in the area, Jessica was encouraged to further her training. She obtained her advanced specialty certification (VTS – ECC) in September 2019 after a very thorough 3 year application and national exam process. Jessica moved to South Carolina in 2020 where she continued her love for emergency medicine, leading a team in a high-volume ER/ICU in the western part of the state.
Jessica is passionate about patient care, technician education, and positive workplace culture. She has a special clinical interest in trauma cases, toxicities and critical care patients. She strives to encourage all members of the team to work together to ensure we give the best possible care to each patient and is dedicated to helping the team provide the best specialty veterinary care at New River Veterinary Specialists.
Jessica has always enjoyed training fellow technicians and throughout her career and has held a multitude of different leadership and supervisory positions. Jessica uses her passion for teaching to train technicians, support and provide guidance to her teammates. Teamwork, morale and a positive culture are essential qualities that Jessica is excited to bring to the team at New River. She is thrilled to continue the next phase of her career as New River Veterinary Specialists Clinical Practice Manager as well as a vital member of the Emergency and Critical Care technician team. In her downtime, Jessica enjoys spending time outdoors, at the beach, hiking and spending time with her super handsome black lab, Rhett.
Kaitlyn is our Business Practice Manager at New River Veterinary Specialists. Kaitlyn holds a Bachelors of Science in Biology from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, where she realized her passion for veterinary medicine. Kaitlyn worked in the Surgery Department at two Emergency and Specialty Hospitals in Chattanooga, Tennessee where she became the Department Lead. Kaitlyn also has experience in the Non-Profit Sector, where she worked as a Supervisor and Transport Coordinator for a large Animal Shelter in their Canine and Behavior Department. Kaitlyn then moved to Savannah, Georgia in 2021 where she continued her career in leadership as a Practice Manager.
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. Kaitlyn’s multi-faceted experience within a veterinary hospital gives her the drive and excitement to make New River Veterinary Specialists the premier veterinary hospital in the Southeast.
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.
