At the age of five, Dr. Sarah Barker learned what a veterinarian is and what they do. Having grown up around dogs, cats, and horses, she knew instantly that it was her true calling. From that point on, Dr. Barker vowed to make a difference in the lives of animals through the power of medicine. Now, her journey has come full-circle: she’s the proud owner of Barker Animal Hospital!

Dr. Barker’s first employers included her hometown’s veterinary clinic and the local horse barn, where she worked as a stable hand throughout high school. She attended Arizona State University to earn her undergraduate degree in pre-veterinary medicine and agribusiness, continuing to expand her skill set and knowledge by working as an Assistant at nearby veterinary hospitals during her time away from classes. Next, Dr. Barker attended Ross University’s School of Veterinary Medicine in the Caribbean and completed her final clinical year at Texas A&M University to obtain her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine.

After working as a veterinarian for nine rewarding years, Dr. Barker was ready to make a change and expand her ability to help pets and their loving owners. That’s when she decided to pursue her longtime dream and open her very own clinic—that’s when Barker Animal Hospital was born. Her favorite part of her work every day is the relationship building she gets to do with her clients and patients; nothing beats providing the support they need to lead full, happy lives together.

When she’s not here at the hospital, Dr. Barker enjoys camping and spending time with her family and pets. She and her husband, Michael, have two wonderful children named Ethan and Sadie, as well as multiple animal companions: Kitty, a domestic shorthair cat who loves to steal a nap in any visitor’s lap; Phoenix the playful Boston Terrier; and a Goldendoodle puppy named Brownie who puts up with anything the kids drag him into.

Dr. Angela Oswald was only 17 years old when she first started working in a veterinary clinic. Immediately, she could see the impact the work she was doing had on not only pets, but entire families. She’s been hooked ever since! Dr. Oswald is proud to continue using her skillset and passion for the betterment of others—she’s an Associate Veterinarian with the Barker Animal Hospital family.

Dr. Oswald is from Jacksonville, Florida and studied veterinary medicine at Louisiana State University before transferring to the University of Florida to finish her degree. She moved back to Jacksonville after graduating, serving as an Associate and Relief Veterinarian in her hometown for five years, before relocating to Virginia in late 2016 for her husband’s military station. Dr. Oswald took a little time off to raise her sons, then returned to the workforce and joined the Barker Animal Hospital team in early 2018.

One of Dr. Oswald’s favorite aspects of her work is getting to see pets grow up healthy and strong over the years. She also has a soft spot for the area’s feline patients! Above all, Dr. Oswald likes building relationships with the pet owners of the area and getting to know their adorable animal companions’ quirks.

When she’s not here at the clinic, Dr. Oswald can be found running or spending quality time with her family and pets at home. She and her husband live in Chesapeake with their four sons, a loving Labradoodle named Gracie, Jackson the Yorkie mix who likes to think he’s a cat, and a mellow cat named Blue.

When she was 16 years old, Dr. Caroline Nelson stayed late one night at the pet hospital she worked for at the time. She helped the doctor there nurse a sick cat back to full health, and she’s always remembered how grateful the owners were for their hard work. That’s when Dr. Nelson decided to pursue veterinary school—she knew that she wanted to help as many pets and animal parents as she possibly could!

Dr. Nelson hails from Currituck, North Carolina and attended North Carolina State University for her undergraduate studies. Next, she headed to the Caribbean for her veterinary schooling at Ross University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, and completed her clinical training at Auburn University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Nelson has been a veterinarian ever since!

In January of 2019, Dr. Nelson joined the Barker Animal Hospital family as an Associate Veterinarian. She’s fond of internal medicine work and dermatology cases, but her favorite aspect of her job is knowing that her hard work helps someone on a daily basis.

In her spare time, Dr. Nelson enjoys backpacking, traveling, and boating with her family. She and her husband—a member of the United States Navy—share their lives with their wonderful young daughter, Violet.

Megan likes to say that her passion for animals began before she could even talk. She’s felt an indescribable connection with the earth’s creatures ever since she was a little girl, and she’s always wanted to do everything in her power to help others in need—four- and two-legged alike. For Megan, bettering the lives of not only pets, but their loving owners as well, is a dream come true!

Megan is a Virginia Beach native and attended Old Dominion University to study biology. She launched her career in the animal-care world as a Veterinary Assistant after college, and has been helping pets and animal parents ever since. Now, she’s the Office Manager here at Barker Animal Hospital and loves to keep things running smoothly day in and day out. Megan especially likes to help educate the public on the best ways to care for their pets, including with Fear-Free techniques that pet owners can use at home!

When she’s not at work, Megan likes spending time outdoors and loves to relax at the beach, go wakeboarding, and play Frisbee golf. She has one pet: Scooter, a miniature Schnauzer.

Working in the veterinary field has been a dream of Melissa’s ever since she was a little girl. Her own experiences with pets over the years made it abundantly clear that she wanted to do everything in her power to help the earth’s creatures live happy, healthy lives. Now, Melissa has been a veterinary professional for more than 20 years, and is happy to serve as Barker Animal Hospital’s Lead Veterinary Technician!

Melissa is originally from San Diego, California and launched her animal-care journey by joining a new clinic in Chesapeake in 1998, where she would work as a Veterinary Assistant for four years. After a short break from the field, she returned to Assistant work at another local hospital, then decided to take her knowledge and skill set a step further—Melissa signed on for the Veterinary Technology program at a school in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the rest is history. She’s been a Veterinary Technician ever since!

Melissa joined the Barker Animal Hospital family in February of 2016. She’s particularly fond of monitoring pets under anesthesia, reading radiograph scans, and performing dental cleanings. Most of all, Melissa loves knowing that she’s able to make a true difference in the lives of not only pets, but their loving owners as well.

When she’s not here at the clinic, Melissa enjoys staying active outdoors, attending concerts, practicing her photography skills, catching up on her favorite Netflix programs, and spending quality time with her family and pets. She has a teenaged son and also shares her life with a dog, Aniken Skywalker, as well as two cats who go by Sebastian and Sapphire.

Stephanie’s mother remembers her saying that she wanted to be a puppy during career day in kindergarten. While that dream couldn’t exactly come true, Stephanie found the next best thing: caring for animals every day as a veterinary professional! She’s proud to serve as Barker Animal Hospital’s Kennel Manager, as well as a Veterinary Assistant.

Stephanie volunteered at various animal shelters to gain more experience in the world of animal care, even enjoying a stint at the Richmond SPCA. Upon moving back home to this area, she decided to pursue her passion: working hands-on as part of a medical team in a clinical setting. That’s when Stephanie joined the Barker Animal Hospital family—she’s been here since early 2017 and couldn’t be happier to help the pets and animal owners of the area on a daily basis.

Medically, Stephanie is fond of radiology work and senior pet care. Most of all, she loves meeting the area’s pet owners one-on-one and getting to know their beloved four-legged companions!

Away from the clinic, Stephanie enjoys music and singing, motorcycles—she got her motorcycle license for her birthday, and is currently saving up for her first bike!—and caring for her own animal friends at home. She shares her life with Joey, a quirky Pointer mix, as well as four chickens and a rooster.

Sierra can’t remember a time when she didn’t adore the company of animals. For her, helping pets to stay as healthy as possible is a dream come true—she gets to do just that on a daily basis as a member of the Barker Animal Hospital family!

Sierra’s veterinary journey began when signed on for the Veterinary Assistant program at Tidewater Community College. It didn’t take her long to know that she’d made the perfect choice! After finishing her studies, Sierra was happy to accept a job here at the clinic in June of 2016. She’s been a member of the hospital family ever since.

In her free time, Sierra can be found exploring nature, relaxing on the beach, catching a yoga class, and enjoying the company of her own pets at home. She has two dogs: Stella, a Terrier/Pit Bull mix who almost always ends up in Sierra’s lap giving her kisses; and a sassy Great Dane named Vela who tends to forget she’s too big to be a lap dog.

Shaine was a client here at Barker Animal Hospital before she became an employee. The kindness, compassion, and grace demonstrated to her by the team when she brought her own beloved dog here made a permanent impression—Shaine knew that she would love to help animals in the exact same way. When an opportunity arose for her to join the clinic family, Shaine jumped at her chance!

Shaine was born in the Philippines but grew up in Virginia Beach. She attended Tidewater Community College to study science, then transferred to Old Dominion University to study pre-veterinary biology. Now, she gets to supplement her studies with real-world experience here at Barker Animal Hospital. Shaine serves the area’s pets and animal owners as a Client Service Coordinator, and finds that she’s constantly kept on her toes thanks to the clinic’s fast-paced environment—no two shifts are ever quite alike.

When time permits between her busy school schedule and her duties here at the hospital, Shaine likes relaxing on the beach, shopping, spending time with friends, and enjoying the company of the family dog, Lizzy. Lizzy is a Maltese whose favorite foods include bananas and peanut butter, and she doesn’t let her small size stop her from barking up a storm!

A few years ago, Jazzmyn’s own dog had to go to the emergency room for medical care. A few short days later, she was back to full health. Jazzmyn was so thankful to the staff for their gracious around-the-clock care that she had a realization: she wanted to do the exact same thing for others’ pets! That’s when Jazzmyn decided to become a veterinary professional herself.

Jazzmyn is originally from North Carolina and first entered the world of animal care when she signed on at a groomer’s office. A year later, she transitioned into veterinary work when she became a Kennel Tech and receptionist at another local clinic. After coming across an opening here at Barker Animal Hospital, Jazzmyn jumped at her chance to broaden her horizons—she joined the clinic family in September of 2019 as a front-desk receptionist and has enjoyed every moment since. One of her favorite parts of her work is getting to see the look on pet owners’ faces when their beloved companions are returned to them—for Jazzmyn, being able to be a part of that process is a dream come true!

Outside of the office, Jazzmyn likes reading, singing—she even used to sing competitively in her high-school days—and enjoying the company of her own pets at home. She shares her life with Lilly, a feisty Pomeranian; a Pit Bull mix named Koffie who loves playing fetch and going for long walks; Niko the American Eskimo; two cats named Peaches and Oreo who love to play with the dogs; and a ferret who loves to steal shoes.

Kristen became an animal-care professional for one simple reason: she’s always loved doing her part to give something back to the pets who have given her so much over the years. She just can’t imagine doing anything else! Kristen gets to care for animals hands-on every day as a member of Barker Animal Hospital’s talented and compassionate kennel team.

Kristen is originally from Florida, and started volunteering at animal shelters as soon as she was old enough. Next, she landed a job at a pet store, deepening her interest in hands-on pet care, and decided to pursue her passion even further. After some time spent working as a dog walker and pet sitter, Kristen decided to dive headfirst into veterinary medicine. That’s when she signed on as a Kennel Assistant here at Barker Animal Hospital!

When she’s not at work, Kristen likes drawing, painting, and relaxing with her family and pets at home. She and her husband, Caleb, share their lives with four pets. They have two Huskies, Data and Berrah, as well as a bearded dragon named Troy and a cat, Sato, who likes sleeping on Kristen’s shoulders whenever he gets the chance.

Jenn grew up in Virginia Beach and got her very first dog when she was nine years old. From then on, she was obsessed. That passion for pet care has simply never quit! Jenn has now served as a Veterinary Assistant for more than five years, and is thrilled to continue her veterinary journey as a member of the Barker Animal Hospital team.

Jenn was only 15 years old when she signed on to work at a local pet supply store. Next, she started working at a nearby no-kill shelter—it was there that she realized she wanted to devote herself to helping all of the pets she possibly could. Jenn took a job as a receptionist in another local pet hospital and worked her way up to an Assistant role in short order, and has been helping pets and animal parents in that capacity ever since. She’s had the privilege to work in both emergency care and general practice over the years, and joined the Barker Animal Hospital family in the summer of 2019 to continue her journey in veterinary medicine.

Away from work, Jenn likes hiking, quilting, sketching and sculpting, and enjoying the company of her own pets at home. She has three dogs—Aurora Jane the Cane Corso, who is a trained service dog; a Belgian Malinois/Dutch Shepherd mix named Flit; and a Jack Russell named Eugene who runs the house—as well as a vocal cat who goes by Ethan.

Faith grew up with animals of every shape and size and always felt comfortable around creatures of all sorts. She’s also enjoyed science and medicine ever since she was a little girl. What better way for Faith to combine her passion for pets and her medical interests than by working as a veterinary professional? Now, she’s a Veterinary Assistant and Kennel Assistant with the Barker Animal Hospital team!

A Virginia native, Faith currently studies biology at Old Dominion University and volunteered in an exotic animal non-profit setting before deciding to jump headfirst into the veterinary world. She signed on with the Barker Animal Hospital team in February of 2018, and she’s enjoyed every moment since. Faith’s favorite part of every shift is getting to meet new pet owners and their beloved companions—for her, nothing beats getting to watch as pets grow up over time.

Some of Faith’s interests outside of work include riding horses, all-terrain vehicles, and rollercoasters. She also loves to care for her own menagerie of pets at home. Faith has three bearded dragons, three geckos, three guinea pigs, a pair of Chihuahuas, a hamster, and a rabbit!

Ashley has owned pets her entire life, and always knew that she would adore helping them to live happy, healthy lives in whatever way she could. When she moved to Virginia for a fresh start, the choice was obvious: Ashley knew that she wanted to better the lives of animals by working in the veterinary profession! She’s a Veterinary Assistant and Client Service Coordinator with the Barker Animal Hospital team.

Ashley is originally from Massachusetts, and first dipped her toes into the world of animal care by volunteering at a cat shelter during college. After her schooling, she entered the research field, looking after the laboratory animals and assisting veterinarians and Study Directors. Ashley even passed her board examinations during her time in research and became a Certified Laboratory Animal Technician!

Upon relocating to Virginia with her husband, Ashley decided to jump headfirst into the world of veterinary medicine—she signed on here at Barker Animal Hospital in the fall of 2018 and couldn’t be happier with her choice. She’s since become certified as a Fear-Free Professional, and hopes to return to school in the near future to secure her Veterinary Technician’s license.

Outside of work, Ashely likes spending time with her husband, Tom, going on hikes and visiting the beach, and enjoying the company of her pets at home. She has an aging dog, Jax, who loves playing with his ball and swimming in the ocean, as well as two mischievous guinea pigs named Bork and Nub.