Our Practice Owner

Dr. Sheffield

Dr. Sheffield earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Florida in 1984. Her ethic and dedication placed her in the Phi Zeta Honorary Society. Dr. Sheffield has owned and worked at several practices in Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia. She served as a relief veterinarian throughout Hampton Roads since 2007, networking and building her strong reputation throughout the area. Along with her love for small animal medicine, Dr. Sheffield is also an avid equestrian breeder and trainer. She and her horses have been awarded multiple International Hunter Futurity and National Championships. She, her husband, David, and her three children live in the Pungo area of Virginia Beach.

Our Associate Doctors

Dr. Celec-Holt

Dr. Celec-Holt joined our team in March 2024. She graduated from Mississippi State University in 2021
and has a BS in Biology from Roanoke College. She is originally from Virginia Beach and is happy
to be back in the area to take care of your beloved pets. Outside of work she enjoys playing
soccer, hiking, going to the beach, and spending time with her family. She and her husband have
a tripod boxer-pit mix named Hazel, an orange domestic long hair named Simba, and recently
added two dachshunds named Slim Jim and Corn Dog.

Our Relief Doctors

Dr. Giles

Dr. Giles joined our team in January of 2022. She graduated from Ohio State University in 1983 and has a BS in Biology from Virginia Tech. Her hobbies include kayaking, paddle boarding, going to the beach, hiking, and hanging out with friends and family. You can find Dr. Giles here at Salem most days of the week, working hard to provide the best patient care possible. We love having her as a relief vet, and our clients do, too. 

Dr. Rif

Dr. Achmetov ‘Dr. Rif’ received his bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Virginia Tech. In 2008 he obtained his Veterinary degree from Saint Georges University.  He has over 10 years of experience working in specialty/referral hospitals as well as primary care. He has performed emergency and elective surgeries. Handled traumas, toxicities/poisoning, allergies, diabetes and other endocrine/hormone abnormalities. In his free time, he loves to travel and volunteer his services. He has dedicated many hours in Europe, Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia, and South America. He is an avid thrill seeker and enjoys SCUBA diving, mountain climbing, cycling, white water rafting, backpacking, camping. He can almost always be found with his yellow lab ‘Freda’ who has accompanied him on some of his adventures. 

Our Practice Manager
Taylor

Taylor, a native New Yorker, moved to Virginia Beach in 2014. She has has a life-long love for all animals and has been with us since 2017. She and her husband welcomed a daughter in August 2023. When she returned from maternity leave she took on a new role as our practice manager. When not at work, she can be found toting their oldest daughter around the commonwealth to TIDE swim meets. Taylor and her family have traveled most of the country together and have visited several National Parks. They of course have 4 legged babies as well - 2 cats, Jovie, Sasha and a Maltipoo named Moira. ​

​Our Licensed Veterinary Technicians
Brooke, LVT

Brooke is our full-time, lead veterinary technician and team supervisor. She is a graduate from Blue Ridge, but also has a bachelors degree in Psychology from JMU. She loves snuggling up with her Boxer-Pit mix, Toby, and her long-haired, black cat, Nala, while reading a good book or researching the latest in veterinary news. She has a certification in animal nutrition and is currently working on her practice management certification. Her favorite part of working at Salem is client education. Her latest endeavor is getting engaged to her fiancé, Vinny, and they are currently looking to become first-time home buyers!

Amanda, LVT

​Amanda started at Salem Veterinary Hospital on June 1st 2021. Her favorite hobbies include baking, drawing, and reading.  She graduated from the TCC vet tech program in Aug 2022.  She loves working with animals and always has. She grew up with lots of pets and enjoyed getting to work with them everyday. At home, she has 2 black cats named Bluey and Pinky. Her biggest accomplishment is becoming a licensed vet tech and getting to learn exciting new things.

Our Assistants

Sam

Sam began working at Salem in February of 2023. When she is not at work, she enjoys playing video games, cooking, and hanging out with her pets. At home, she lives with her girlfriend of 1 year, 3 cats, and their 9 year old pitbull, Bagyo. Her long term goals are to continue helping animals whenever she can. At some point, she'd like to work for or, better yet, own her own pet sanctuary or hospice care. 

Ryan

Ryan began working here in February 2024 after graduating from William and Mary with her B.S. in Biology. When she is not at work she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and watching movies. She has two cats, one dog, and two guinea pigs (named Teddy and Paddington). She is excited to learn more about veterinary medicine as a whole and work with such an amazing team!

Chris

Chris started here in March of 2024. Some of his hobbies are hiking, gaming, and spending time with his wife. He has always loved working with animals. He started working with large domestic and farm animals, through that job he found joy in helping animals as much as possible. He does not currently have any pets, but his wife and he are looking to adopt soon! His long term goals are to help as much as he can while furthering his education.

Kim

Kim began her assistant role here at SVH in June of 2024. In her spare time, she enjoys fostering dogs and cats, landscaping, and jiu jitsu. She chose veterinary medicine because of her love of helping pets heal. At home she has two dogs and two guinea pigs. Her most current goal is to become a Licensed Veterinary Technician. 

Kayte

Kayte began working here in February of 2024. When she is not at work, she enjoys riding horses, flying planes, and doing Fast CAT with her dog (that's a timed 100-yard dash!). Kayte graduated from Fresno State in California and has a Bachelors in Business and a minor in Communication. At home, she has a horse named Easy and a Border Collie named Kricket. In the future, Kayte plans to pursue further credentials in Veterinary Medicine. In the short term, her goals are to avoid cat bites and receive all the puppy kisses she can get! 

Bethanie

Bethanie has been an assistant at Salem since July 2022, but has been a part of veterinary medicine since 2018. She is also currently working part time at an emergency veterinary hospital in Yorktown.  She is currently enrolled an online program to become a Vet Technician. When she's not at work, she likes playing video games, drawing, and watching horror movies. She lives at home with her fiancé, 3 year old son, and 3 cats - Sam, Dean, and Castiel. ​

Our Receptionists

Jaelynn

Jaelynn began at SVH in May of 2024. When she is not here, she enjoys going to the gym, playing video games, and reading. At home she has two dogs, a Shih-Poo named Oakley and a Cavapoo named Lyla. Veterinary medicine is her current career of choice due to her love of animals. Jaelynn is currently enrolled in a bachelor's program in Marketing and her long-term goal is to pursue a career in marketing veterinary products. 

Aniya

Aniya began working here in April of 2024. ​At home she has a 4 year old cat, Dexter, who is named after the 2006 TV show. In her spare time, she enjoys playing Sims, painting, art, and jewelry making. Aniya chose veterinary medicine because of her love for animals. Since she didn't have any pets growing up, she feels she is making up for lost time. Her short-term goals are to expand her education in vet med. She loves learning in general, but the knowledge will help keep her cat safe and healthy. It will give her the knowledge she need to prepare for her first dog. While she's here, she would love to build strong relationships with her coworkers and contribute to a positive work environment. In the future, she may look into interior design.

Amanda

Amanda is a VB native. She graduated from Ocean Lakes High School's Math and Science academy. She is currently enrolled in the Vet Tech program at TCC and hopes to graduate in August 2024. Amanda has previous experience at Petsmart and Banfield.  In her spare time, she loves music and reading, and she follows more animals than people on Instagram.

Our Current Clinic Cat
​Buttercup aka "CC"

Buttercup (or CC for clinic cat) is a new addition to our hospital. She was relinquished to us when her older owner unfortunately passed away. She wasn't very used to being around a whole lot of people, so it took her awhile to warm up to us and get comfortable. She typically hangs out in the back of the hospital, but occasionally will make her way up to our pharmacy area. She hasn't yet ventured into the lobby, but we're sure as time goes by, she will become more in tune with her surroundings. Buttercup likes to play with catnip toys, and she will happily meow with toys dangling from her mouth. She loves wet food, scratches along her neck, and her comfy bed. She isn't a huge fan of being held, but is slowing letting us hold and pet her. Feel free to ask about her, and we can bring her up for a quick glance before she scampers away! 

Forever Our Clinic Cat

George

It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announced the passing of our much beloved clinic cat, George, on June 2nd, 2023 from GI Lymphoma. He was an essential member of our family at Salem, and we know he touched many of our clients' hearts as well. George was surrendered to us in October of 2021. Since then, he had found his home amongst many people who loved him unconditionally. George loved to greet all of our clients with a friendly meow. He loved to watch YouTube videos, especially when they consisted of mice, fish, or birds. George was not afraid of other cats or dogs, in fact, he loved to make friends. You would sometimes see him consoling a crying cat in the lobby or keeping an eye on patients back in the treatment area. We were so blessed to have this special kitty in our lives. RIP George. We will see you on the other side.