Meet Our Talented, Compassionate Veterinary Staff
The best veterinary staff in Asheville.
Meet our East Asheville Family Vet vets and hospital staff.
CLICK TO READ BIO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR TEAM.
VETERINARY PHILOSOPHY
We work hard to be Asheville’s leading animal care provider. That means outfitting our clinic with cutting-edge technology and hiring smart, caring people to bring the furry members of your family the best care possible.
Local, loving care for your dog or cat in Asheville.
At East Asheville Family Vet, you and your pet are our top priority. From same-day appointments to unhurried face time with your veterinarian, we care for the details of your pet. We thrive on wagging tails and smiling faces and treat every pet like one of our own. After all, your family is part of our family. Our clients love our convenient location, making us the best vet nearby. Find the service your pet needs; please call for pricing.
“We absolutely LOVE the staff at East Asheville Family Vet. Very nice, they take time and answer questions. Very affordable. Highly recommend!”
—GEORGINA H.
Dr. Hawkins
Chief of Staff
Dr. Hawkins is excited to meet you and your pets! Her love of pets and all animals drew her to veterinary medicine at an early age. She has been in the veterinary field since 1998, and graduated from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. (Go Green!)
Dr. Hawkins has a passion for caring for pets and their families. She finds it important to foster a relationship of respect, caring, and compassion with her clients and patients. She strives to practice high quality companion animal medicine, while providing you the proper education and tools to make the best decisions for your pets and your family.
In her off time, Dr. Hawkins loves to explore all that the world, and Western North Carolina in particular, have to offer! You can usually find her on a mountain trail somewhere, either on foot or her mountain bike with her husband Nate and her Border Terrier Mac. On a rainy day she loves teaching Mac new tricks! They are even working on his Expert Trick Dog Title together!
Dr. Hawkins looks forward to meeting you, and hopes you will schedule a visit soon!
Julie
Practice Manager
Julie was born in Massachusetts and raised just outside Tampa, FL. She moved to the Asheville area and joined the team at East Asheville Family Vet as the Practice Manager in June of 2023. Julie started her career in Veterinary Medicine in October of 1997 and has held various positions from receptionist to Practice Manager at general practices as well as emergency veterinary practices in Florida. Julie is working towards becoming a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager and a Registered Veterinary Technician in North Carolina.
Julie shares her home with her husband Scottie and is owned by five cats (Jacoby Ellsbury, Fenway Park, Nikola Tesla, Kylo Ren, & Chandra Nalaar) and her dog Tedy Bruschi. When she is not working, she enjoys hiking, sewing, watching all things true crime, playing Magic the Gathering, cheering for the Red Sox & New England Patriots, and exploring all Western North Carolina has to offer!
Bobbye
Client Services Representative
Bio Coming Soon
Dr. Melissa Hawkins
Chief of Staff
Dr. Melissa Hawkins is a 2005 Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine graduate. Her love of animals was apparent as a child when she started training dogs with 4H. Her interest grew, and after going with her father to visit the vet with one of their injured dogs, she knew she wanted to be a veterinarian.
In 1998, she began volunteering at a veterinary hospital close to home in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She completed her prerequisite studies at MSU in 3 years and started veterinary school immediately.
Since graduation, her career has taken her to practice in Pennsylvania, Texas, Indiana, and now Asheville, North Carolina. She has experience in both small animal general and emergency medicine. She loves being a veterinarian and enjoys fostering the bond between pets and their people.
When she’s not at work, you can usually find Dr. Hawkins enjoying the Blue Ridge Mountains on foot or by bike with her husband, Nate, and their border terrier, Mac. The 3 of them are supervised at home by their two cats, Spooky and Stitch.
Dr. Amy Bertelli
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Bertelli has always wanted to be a veterinarian. She has a love of medicine and has always wanted to help others. After graduating with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, she pursued a one-year internship and began practicing veterinary medicine.
Dr. Bertelli had been looking for a place with a cooler climate and great outdoor activities. Asheville perfectly met her criteria! She packed up and moved to the area and has been loving it since!
Dr. Bertelli’s passions include geriatric medicine, internal medicine, preventative medicine, strengthening the human-animal bond, and client education. You can count on Dr. Bertelli to take her time with you and your pet. Her priority is ensuring you understand a diagnosis/treatment and have the tools to make educated decisions. Dr. Bertelli makes an effort with every single patient to address fear and help them feel comfortable during the visit to the hospital. Dr. Bertelli will always advocate for your pet and help you to give your pet a great quality of life.
Nikki
Client Service Representative & Social Media Coordinator
Nikki has been part of the team since 2021. She started as a Customer Service Representative and advanced to a Veterinary Assistant position. Nikki is earning her Associates Degree through Penn Foster College to become a Registered Veterinary Technician. Starting from childhood, she has always devoted her time to helping animals of a variety of species and sizes. Her goal with her career is to make a difference in the lives of pets. Nikki and her family are owned and operated by their chihuahua named Tito, and their two cats named Ryder and Oliver Fluffles. When away from the clinic, Nikki, her husband, and two kids can be found enjoying little adventures like hiking, parks, road trips, and having weekly movie nights. Born and raised in Black Mountain, North Carolina, she enjoys what the mountains of Western North Carolina have to offer.
Whitney
Assistant
My name is Whitney Swaney, I have held the position of Veterinarian Technician Assistant at East Asheville Family Vet for the past year. I started this field before I graduated high school, it is part of my life. Animals hold a big part in my heart, it doesn’t matter if they are big or small, I take pride in being the voice of the unspeakable. My dream has always been to become a veterinary technician and I plan on continuing the pursuit of this dream. In my spare time, you can find me outdoors or camping with my family and my five little rescues plus a pet rabbit. Bullet, Rockey, Bullwinkle, Pretty Boy Floyd, and DD (Devil Dog) live in Burnsville, north of Asheville. I have now started taking babies to our second home and have two cats (River and Lulu) at my grandmother’s that now have a happy home too. I am very fortunate that my entire family supports me, and my goal is to give happy homes to all in need.