Meet Our Team

Meet the veterinarians and team of New River Animal Hospital! We’re pleased to provide exceptional vet care for your pets!

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Get To Know Our Team!

We are dedicated to your pet’s care! We look forward to getting to know you, and we hope you’ll take the time to scroll down and get to know us.

Dr. Connie Hyler-Both AKA “Doc”

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Dr. Sarah Koressel

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Dr. Thomas Fatora

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Dr. Amy Kennedy

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Ronielle, CVPM

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Kim

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Betty

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Connie

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Kaylee

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Elijah

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Ella

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Lizzie

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Kelly

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Emily

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Jessi & Jovi

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Elijah

RVT

Elijah is a graduate of Vet Tech Institute in Pittsburgh, PA and is a native of WV. He searched for a local hospital to begin his veterinary career where his skills would be valued so he applied to NRAH and we are glad to support his goals. Making sure your pet is comfortable at their vet visit is at the top of Elijah’s list. When not on the clock, Elijah is a fan of e-sports and is an avid card game competitor. He has a sweet spot for cats, as he has 3 of his own.

Emily

Grooming Assistant

Emily has been a part of the New River Animal Hospital grooming team for over a year. She enjoys working with animals and especially loves getting to know the unique personalities of different dog breeds. Emily is passionate about continuing to learn and grow in her role, expanding her knowledge of animal health and grooming techniques as she works toward becoming a skilled and trusted groomer.

Outside of work, Emily enjoys reading and spending time with her several dogs and cats at home. Her love for animals carries over into both her personal life and her work at NRAH, where she looks forward to continuing to develop her skills and provide caring, quality grooming services to our patients.

Kelly

Groomer

Kelly is enjoying her first year as part of the grooming team at New River Animal Hospital, where she has been fortunate to learn from our experienced groomer, Betty. While Kelly is new to pet grooming, she is certainly no stranger to scissors! As a licensed cosmetologist with many years of experience in hairstyling, she brings a unique background and a passion for learning to her new role. Kelly especially enjoys working with the wide variety of dog breeds and discovering their individual personalities. She looks forward to continuing to develop her grooming skills, building lasting relationships with clients, and becoming a confident, efficient, and trusted pet groomer.

Outside of work, Kelly enjoys kayaking, fishing, camping, spending time at the beach, soaking up the sunshine, reading, and foraging. She loves exploring new places and discovering new ideas. At home, she shares her life with her Poodle, Fred, her Pug, Thaxton, along with a cat, some fish, and a bird. Kelly is excited to continue growing in her role at NRAH and enjoys being part of a team dedicated to caring for pets and their people.

Dr. Pamela Wender

Veterinarian

Bio Coming Soon!

Dr. Connie Hyler-Both AKA “Doc”

Owner / Veterinarian

”Doc” graduated from Michigan State University in 1984 and moved to West Virginia in 1986. She then opened the very first veterinary hospital in Summers County, New River Animal Hospital, in July 1988. She was also one of the founders of our humane society in Summers County. At work, Doc loves watching puppies and kittens grow and change over the years, making a positive difference in a pet’s life – improving health and behavior through education. “Doc” has devoted much of her life to the pets in our community, and her goal is to continue to be a resource for as long as she is able. She and her husband, Dr. Dave, share their home with a Newfoundland named “Hobie”, a Pekinese named “Leo”, 2 cats, and 3 horses. When she’s not at work, she loves reading, baking, horseback riding, and swimming.

Dr. Thomas Fatora

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Fatora brings over 40 years of experience in small animal veterinary medicine to New River Animal Hospital. He began his career at Lewisburg Veterinary Hospital before moving to Colorado, where he owned and operated a veterinary practice. Throughout his career, he has gained extensive experience in wellness care, surgery, internal medicine, ultrasound, emergency medicine, and dentistry. He has also traveled throughout the country training veterinarians and technicians in veterinary dentistry. Dr. Fatora has a special interest in identifying and treating dental disease and oral pain, with a focus on improving pets’ quality of life and helping them enjoy longer, healthier lives. After many years away, he has returned to West Virginia and joined the NRAH team part-time.

Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Fatora enjoys mountain biking, trail riding, floating the Greenbrier River, cross-country skiing, wildlife photography, gardening, reading, and playing his saxophone. He especially enjoys growing and fermenting his own hot peppers! He and his wife share their home with two dogs who keep a watchful eye on delivery drivers and an ever-changing number of cats, including a few who have invited themselves to stay and foster cats who seem to have made themselves permanent residents.

Dr. Sarah Koressel

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Sarah has been working with NRAH since 2013. She has been in veterinary medicine since 2005, graduating from Purdue University. Her favorite part of the job is meeting all types of different animals and helping people and their pets live fun and healthy lives. Dr. Koressel has a calming ability about her and is sure to make your visit with us rewarding. You can also take advantage of her Fear Free Certification!

At home, she has 4 cats, 1 dog, and a snake. When she’s not at work, she loves being active with her twin boys, outdoor endeavors, swimming, reading, and traveling.

Dr. Amy Kennedy

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Amy is a graduate of Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. She has been practicing mixed animal veterinary practice for 23 years and counting. She is a previous practice owner of 20 years. Since the COVID-19 era, and with the rising need for more veterinary professionals, she has become a relief veterinarian and provides high-quality veterinary care to people and their pets. After hours, Dr. Amy is a wine connoisseur, horseback rider, and a lover of history. She shares her home with her dog, “Compadre” and her three horses. When asked what she enjoys most about this profession she says that helping animals have a better quality of life and meeting new people is at the top of her list.

Ronielle, CVPM

Practice Manager

Ronielle has been with New River Animal Hospital for over 15 years. She has a degree from WVU and several certifications but what makes her management style unique is that she has worked in every department in the hospital. She says, “Working in this industry is just as much about the people as their pets.” She aims to keep up with trends in vet-med to provide you with the best care possible for your pet. You often find Ronielle outdoors with her two sidekicks, “Jessi” (her Goldendoodle) and “Jovi” (her Poodle), or enjoying a good book.

Kim

Office Manager

Kim has been part of our team since 2000. She loves meeting new people and pets. She says she’s enjoyed seeing people and their pets grow and change over the years. Kim keeps our day-to-day front operations running seamlessly. Her welcoming smile is the first thing you’ll see when you walk through the front door. When she’s not at work, you may catch her out shopping, but most of all, she enjoys being “Mamaw” in her spare time.

Betty

Professional Groomer & Veterinary Assistant

Betty is our most senior employee.; 30 years at NRAH speaks for itself! She worked for years as a veterinary assistant but is our Lead Groomer and trainer now, showing off and teaching new staff all kinds of cool cuts! Her experience, patience, and dedication are unmatched.
Betty shares life with her husband, daughter, 2 dogs, 4 cats, and several fish. She enjoys “treasure” hunting, day trips with her husband, and cooking for family when not at work. Betty brings sunshine to all who encounter her smile.

Angie

Professional Groomer

Angie has worked at New River Animal Hospital since 1999 in our grooming department. Angie values the relationships she’s created over the years with our clients and pets, and she works hard to continue growing the practice.

When she’s not at work, she loves painting, being outdoors, and visiting the beach. Although Angie has been in this field for a very long time, she says she is always learning something new. Here’s a fun fact about Angie: She once owned a Siberian Tiger and a Black Mane Lion!

Connie

Client Service Representative

Connie is one of the newest smiling faces you will see when you enter our hospital. Working with animals has always been her career goal. She enjoys gardening and hobby farming, which includes chicks, horses, and cows. Connie has a big family. She, her husband, and 3 children share their home with 7 dogs and 6 cats. Connie says she is excited to watch our patients grow and be part of their life journey.

Kaylee

Veterinary Assistant

Kaylee has worked in the veterinary industry for almost 6 years, but her experience with animals goes beyond that. As a teen, she participated in FFA and has experience with all sorts of animals including farm animals and reptiles. She is currently in vet tech school, earning her degree, and is also fear-free certified. She enjoys being able to help pets in need and creating lifelong connections with them. Although she has downsized her farm, she still has quite a few pets of her own, including 3 dogs, 2 cats, 2 horses, and a pot belly pig. When away from work, she enjoys gardening, hunting, small hobby farming, and horseback riding.

Candice

Veterinary Assistant/Grooming Assistant

Bio coming soon!

Ella

Kennel Technician

Bio coming soon!

Felisha

Kennel Technician

Bio coming soon!

Jessi & Jovi

Our Greeters

Jessi and Jovi spend a lot of time at NRAH, and they look forward to your visit. Their sunny personalities are sure to brighten your day. When they’re not working, they both like to visit our local parks and find new adventures!

Lizzie

Greeter

Lizzie is the quiet kind; a touch-me-not. This pretty girl can be found sunbathing in the window. Her job is to keep Sprockit and Junkit in check. She says she doesn’t get paid enough for this job.

Molly Hosch

Groomer

Molly attended Academy of Careers & Technology Therapeutic Services Program for 2 years with a clinical focus on Veterinary Assistant. She received her Certificate of Completion and completed 400 hours of clinical experience as part of the requirements for the program. She also attended Penn Foster as part of her theory component for Veterinary Assistant. She has experience in veterinary assistant and grooming/bathing and aspires to become a certified Dog Groomer.

At home, she has a Golden Retriever, a diabetic Labrador Retriever and several cats ranging from 2 to 14 years old. Her interests include nature, music, spending time with her boyfriend and caring for her fur-kids.

Her favorite part of working with animals is being able to provide care for them whether it be their physical health or appearance.

Meet Our Team

Get To Know Our Team!

Dr. Connie Hyler-Both AKA “Doc”

Dr. Sarah Koressel

Dr. Thomas Fatora

Dr. Amy Kennedy

Ronielle, CVPM

Kim

Betty

Connie

Kaylee

Elijah

Ella

Lizzie

Kelly

Emily

Jessi & Jovi

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