Meet Our Talented Team in Raleigh, NC
Our team includes veterinarians, veterinary technicians, assistants, receptionists, and more who are all dedicated to serving pets of North Raleigh, NC, with compassion and expertise. Learn more about our exceptional team below, and don't forget to make an appointment soon to experience their higher level of care! Call us today at (919) 488-5300 to come in and meet our staff today.
Dr. Chris Kelly
Dr. Chris Kelly
Dr. Chris’ interest in veterinary medicine and surgery was sparked by a visit to his childhood pet’s veterinarian. He was intrigued by a display case that contained a collection of household items that had been surgically removed from pets’ intestinal tracts. That, along with his love for pets and wildlife, set his career path in motion. Dr. Chris attended the State University of New York at Delhi where he obtained an associate degree in veterinary science. He then practiced as a registered veterinary technician while he obtained his bachelor’s degree in animal science at NC State University. Finally, he obtained his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. This is also where he met his wife, Dr. Jennifer Kelly, while standing in line to purchase textbooks during orientation.
Dr. Chris has now been in the veterinary profession for over 20 years and continues to enjoy helping people give their pets longer, healthier lives. He enjoys many aspects of the profession including preventive care, internal medicine, and surgery. He has a special passion for and advanced training in dental care and oral surgery. Above all, Dr. Chris takes the most pleasure in interacting with pets and seeing the impact they have on their owners’ lives. He takes great pride in educating clients to provide their pets with exceptional care and guiding them toward a brighter future.
Dr. Kelly is fear free certified and utilizes low-stress handling techniques to help make each pet's visit a better experience.
Doctors Chris and Jennifer Kelly proudly took ownership of Companion Animal Hospital of Wakefield in June 2019. They look forward to continuing Dr. Metz’s legacy by serving the community with a family-owned veterinary hospital that puts pets and their people first.
When Dr. Chris isn’t working, you’ll likely find him mountain biking or in the garage, working on his bikes for the next ride. He also takes pleasure in hiking, camping, and watching the birds at the backyard feeders with his wife and their four tabby cats.
Dr. Jennifer Kelly
Dr. Jennifer Kelly
Since she was a young child, Dr. Jennifer has always had a passion for working with animals. Growing up, you would have found her at the library reading books about animals, secretly feeding strays, or caring for a new pet she acquired. She discovered an interest in veterinary medicine after working as a kennel technician and later a vet assistant in high school and college. Dr. Jennifer obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Averett University and graduated from the North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2009. After graduation, she completed an internship at the University of Georgia. Dr. Jennifer worked at several small animal practices in the Triangle region before finding her home at Companion Animal Hospital of Wakefield in 2016.
Dr. Jennifer’s focus is personalized medicine and formulating diagnostic and treatment plans that are right for each client and their pets. She enjoys developing relationships with clients and finds that education and communication are essential for the best patient care. Dr. Jennifer has special interests in dermatology and geriatric pet care. She has a passion for dental care and improving a patient’s quality of life by giving them a mouth free of pain and infection. Dr. Jennifer has received advanced training in veterinary oral care and surgery.
Dr. Jennifer is a Fear Free Certified veterinarian and utilizes low-stress handling techniques to help make each pet’s visit a better experience. She believes that helping nervous pets have a more positive vet visit is a part of complete patient care and better medicine.
Dr. Jennifer met her husband, Dr. Chris, on the first day of vet school orientation. They share their home with 4 brown tabby cats. When she’s not helping pets, you’ll find her backyard bird feeding, working in the yard, and enjoying the outdoors. Her favorite outdoor activities are camping, hiking, and mountain biking.
Dr. Samantha Albrecht
Dr. Samantha Albrecht
Dr. Samantha Albrecht grew up in New Jersey and has lived in the Raleigh area since 2012. She has aspired to work in veterinary medicine since childhood and has worked in the field since high school. She obtained an associate degree in animal science through Camden County College’s veterinary technology program. She worked as a registered veterinary technician through completion of her undergraduate education at Rutgers University to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in animal science with a minor in endocrine physiology and health science. She continued to work as a veterinary technician prior to pursuing her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, Dr. Albrecht completed a small animal rotating internship at Veterinary Specialty Hospital prior to joining our team.
Dr. Albrecht enjoys a variety of aspects in veterinary medicine such as preventative care, internal medicine, surgery and emergency medicine. She places particular emphasis on patient care and comfort and has acquired additional certifications including Sophia Yin’s Low Stress Handling and Fear Free Handling to provide a more positive and stress-free experience for patients. She also enjoys developing client relationships and working with clients to find the best treatment plan for each pet’s family.
Dr. Albrecht shares her home with her seven cats (Calliope Cadbury, Mathilde Moppet, Kona Pilikia, Madeline Fig, Bernadette Bandersnatch, Montgomery Ichabod, and Greta Granola), one corn snake (Hamilton Humperdink) and one husband. In her free time, she enjoys quality time with family, gardening, knitting and home improvement projects.
Janet W.
Janet W.
Team member since 2019
Janet spent 10 years working in corporate finance before deciding to pursue a career that aligned with her passion and love for animals. In 2008, she opened a dog daycare and boarding facility in Raleigh, NC, and spent the next 10 years developing it into a successful and award-winning business. After selling the business in early 2019, Janet quickly realized that she missed the animals and their humans. She found Companion Animal Hospital and instantly felt at home. The clients and fellow staff members give her the feeling of family she was missing. Janet enjoys coming to work every day and developing relationships with clients and their furry family members.
In her free time, Janet enjoys spending time with her husband, Kevin, and their fur kids: Kiki and Lana, two fluffy Chow Mixes, and Dingus (aka Dingus Khan) the cat. Kiki, Lana, and Janet are a registered therapy dog team with Pet Partners. Janet is an evaluator for new and renewing therapy teams for Pet Partners as well. She has also been involved with Second Chance Pet Adoptions for many years. At her previous business, they fostered close to 100 dogs for them and Janet recently became a member of their Board of Directors. Janet enjoys baking and frequently uses her fellow employees as taste testers for new recipes.
Janet N.
Janet N.
Team member since 2017
Janet has enjoyed a 27-year career working with dogs. She owned her own boarding and daycare facility in Washington state for 13 years. She has a passion for exceptional animal care. At Companion Animal Hospital, she gets to work with people she enjoys and who have a great work ethic and team spirit.
Janet has a history of working with dogs in the fields of law enforcement, therapy, and search and rescue. She’s been a foster for the Pacific Northwest Great Pyrenees rescue and continues to advocate for this breed.
Janet has a passion for historic buildings and music. She lives in an 1813 historic home with three cats and four dogs, most of which are rescues. You may find her there sitting at the piano or playing her violin.
Kate
Kate
Team member since 2014
Kate grew up in the Florida Panhandle and has a BS in biology/chemistry from the New College of Florida. Early on, she worked as a veterinary assistant in training to become a veterinary technician. Kate had a career change and taught high school biology for 4.5 years in Henderson, NC. She returned to the veterinary field as a veterinary technician in the Exotics Department at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. Her next move was a return to dog and cat general practice when she joined Companion Animal Hospital in 2014.
Kate most enjoys veterinary dentistry and surgical assistance as well as training new veterinary technicians and client education. She loves snuggling with the small dogs that visit (especially Shih-Tzus). Kate enjoys working with new clients to ensure they have all the information they need to make good choices for their pets.
Outside of work, you’ll find Kate practicing yoga, finding local craft beer breweries and restaurants to enjoy, and competing in trivia tournaments. She shares her home with four cats – Isis, Cooper, Mooch, and Audrey.
Fun fact: Kate has been a vegetarian since 1999.
Jannett
Jannett
Bio coming soon.
Jenna
Jenna
Team member since 2004
Jenna was born and raised in Raleigh, NC. She graduated from NCSU with a double major in biological and animal science and minor in Spanish. Jenna enjoys the daily variety of duties her job entails as well as the technical nature of the position. Every day is full of surprises and something new to learn.
Jenna’s husband, Billy, is a Raleigh Fire Department firefighter. They share their home with 2 cats – Diamond (Ragdoll) and Abby (tortie) aka the Little Vulture because she likes to snag food when no one is looking. Jenna is skilled in martial arts and has been a karate teacher for over a decade. She enjoys rock climbing, reading, traveling, and photography.
Jenna’s personal creed is to do something that scares or challenges you every day, no matter how small.
Linda
Linda
Team member since 2017
Linda’s favorite things about her job at Companion Animal Hospital are the clients and their pets. She enjoys being part of a team that truly cares about pets and their owners.
When not working, Linda enjoys cooking and relaxing with a jigsaw puzzle or two. In the summer, you can always find her working on do-it-yourself projects ranging from plumbing to room renovation. Married in 1994, Linda and her husband share their home with four cats.
Megan
Megan
Team member since 2018
Megan grew up in a house full of kitties from the young age of six. This experience sparked her love of animals. She got her first dog as an adult in 2013. That special pup was Malie, a Siberian Husky who quickly became her best friend. Megan began fostering dogs in 2015. She has helped dogs of all breeds but has a big soft spot for huskies. Megan has focused on helping hard to place huskies from shelters near and far. Her enjoyment of fostering evolved into Megan starting her own transport program where she rescues all breed from surrounding shelters and arranges transportation to rescue partners in the northern US. Megan also currently volunteers and fosters dogs for Second Chance Pet Adoptions in Raleigh, NC.
Megan has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and previously worked in chiropractics as a registered CA. Ultimately, her passion for animals was where her heart lied.
Megan enjoys working at Companion Animal Hospital for multiple reasons. Her coworkers are supportive, helpful and a joy to be around. They always work together as a team to get things accomplished. On top of that, she enjoys that our doctors have a great sense of humor, and there’s always something to laugh about. Megan enjoys seeing our regular clients and getting to know their pets.
Some of Megan’s favorite things to do outside of work are using her telescope to explore the stars, going to concerts with friends, and traveling to new places. And of course, she also enjoys going on long walks with her 4 huskies who always make every day better!
Lauren
Lauren
Team member since 2021
A North Carolina native, Lauren graduated from NC State in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. She began a career in animal care following graduation working at a dog daycare and boarding facility owned by Janet W. Here Lauren learned a great deal about practical dog behavior and general care, and was Canine CPR and First Aid certified. She had many roles during her 6 years there, landing in the role of assistant manager of the facility. Lauren loved the connection with the dogs and their people, and the coworkers from whom she learned so much.
Following her departure from her position at the dog daycare, Lauren followed Janet and her coworker Beau to Companion Animal Hospital. She describes the transition as a “family reunion”, and loves working with her coworkers, old and new. Lauren enjoys being able to bond with each of the animals and learning more about the veterinary world. Her fascination with animal behavior, specifically how animals learn and socialize, drives her focus to creating a safe and happy daycare experience for the dogs in her care. She’s also very excited to be working more closely with cats and learning about their social habits and behaviors.
Lauren and her partner belong to two fur babies: a grey short haired cat named Valara and a “so cute it hurts me” Chihuahua mix named Lea. Lea loves coming to day camp and shouting at all her favorite vet techs!
In her free time, Lauren loves to make things and play video games. She’s also an avid RPG nerd, enjoying both tabletop games and LARP (Live Action RolePlay) campaigns. Lauren enjoys spending time outdoors and listening to music.
Beau
Beau
Team member since 2021
Bio coming soon!
Dr. Chris Kelly
Dr. Chris’ interest in veterinary medicine and surgery was sparked by a visit to his childhood pet’s veterinarian. He was intrigued by a display case that contained a collection of household items that had been surgically removed from pets’ intestinal tracts. That, along with his love for pets and wildlife, set his career path in motion. Dr. Chris attended the State University of New York at Delhi where he obtained an associate degree in veterinary science. He then practiced as a registered veterinary technician while he obtained his bachelor’s degree in animal science at NC State University. Finally, he obtained his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. This is also where he met his wife, Dr. Jennifer Kelly, while standing in line to purchase textbooks during orientation.
Dr. Chris has now been in the veterinary profession for over 20 years and continues to enjoy helping people give their pets longer, healthier lives. He enjoys many aspects of the profession including preventive care, internal medicine, and surgery. He has a special passion for and advanced training in dental care and oral surgery. Above all, Dr. Chris takes the most pleasure in interacting with pets and seeing the impact they have on their owners’ lives. He takes great pride in educating clients to provide their pets with exceptional care and guiding them toward a brighter future.
Dr. Chris is currently working toward his Fear Free Certification to help provide an even more pleasant veterinary experience to his clients and their pets.
Doctors Chris and Jennifer Kelly proudly took ownership of Companion Animal Hospital of Wakefield in June 2019. They look forward to continuing Dr. Metz’s legacy by serving the community with a family-owned veterinary hospital that puts pets and their people first.
When Dr. Chris isn’t working, you’ll likely find him mountain biking or in the garage, working on his bikes for the next ride. He also takes pleasure in hiking, camping, and watching the birds at the backyard feeders with his wife and their four tabby cats.
Dr. Jennifer Kelly
Since she was a young child, Dr. Jennifer has always had a passion for working with animals. Growing up, you would have found her at the library reading books about animals, secretly feeding strays, or caring for a new pet she acquired. She discovered an interest in veterinary medicine after working as a kennel technician and later a vet assistant in high school and college. Dr. Jennifer obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Averett University and graduated from the North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2009. After graduation, she completed an internship at the University of Georgia. Dr. Jennifer worked at several small animal practices in the Triangle region before finding her home at Companion Animal Hospital of Wakefield in 2016.
Dr. Jennifer’s focus is personalized medicine and formulating diagnostic and treatment plans that are right for each client and their pets. She enjoys developing relationships with clients and finds that education and communication are essential for the best patient care. Dr. Jennifer has special interests in dermatology and geriatric pet care. She has a passion for dental care and improving a patient’s quality of life by giving them a mouth free of pain and infection. Dr. Jennifer has received advanced training in veterinary oral care and surgery.
Dr. Jennifer is a Fear Free Certified veterinarian and utilizes low-stress handling techniques to help make each pet’s visit a better experience. She believes that helping nervous pets have a more positive vet visit is a part of complete patient care and better medicine.
Dr. Samantha Albrecht
Dr. Samantha Albrecht grew up in New Jersey and has lived in the Raleigh area since 2012. She has aspired to work in veterinary medicine since childhood and has worked in the field since high school. She obtained an associate degree in animal science through Camden County College’s veterinary technology program. She worked as a registered veterinary technician through completion of her undergraduate education at Rutgers University to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in animal science with a minor in endocrine physiology and health science. She continued to work as a veterinary technician prior to pursuing her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, Dr. Albrecht completed a small animal rotating internship at Veterinary Specialty Hospital prior to joining our team.
Dr. Albrecht enjoys a variety of aspects in veterinary medicine such as preventative care, internal medicine, surgery and emergency medicine. She places particular emphasis on patient care and comfort and has acquired additional certifications including Sophia Yin’s Low Stress Handling and Fear Free Handling to provide a more positive and stress-free experience for patients. She also enjoys developing client relationships and working with clients to find the best treatment plan for each pet’s family.
Dr. Albrecht shares her home with her seven cats (Calliope Cadbury, Mathilde Moppet, Kona Pilikia, Madeline Fig, Bernadette Bandersnatch, Montgomery Ichabod, and Greta Granola), one corn snake (Hamilton Humperdink) and one husband. In her free time, she enjoys quality time with family, gardening, knitting and home improvement projects.
Janet N.
Team member since 2017
Janet has enjoyed a 27-year career working with dogs. She owned her own boarding and daycare facility in Washington state for 13 years. She has a passion for exceptional animal care. At Companion Animal Hospital, she gets to work with people she enjoys and who have a great work ethic and team spirit.
Janet has a history of working with dogs in the fields of law enforcement, therapy, and search and rescue. She’s been a foster for the Pacific Northwest Great Pyrenees rescue and continues to advocate for this breed.
Janet has a passion for historic buildings and music. She lives in an 1813 historic home with three cats and four dogs, most of which are rescues. You may find her there sitting at the piano or playing her violin.
Janet W.
Team member since 2019
Janet spent 10 years working in corporate finance before deciding to pursue a career that aligned with her passion and love for animals. In 2008, she opened a dog daycare and boarding facility in Raleigh, NC, and spent the next 10 years developing it into a successful and award-winning business. After selling the business in early 2019, Janet quickly realized that she missed the animals and their humans. She found Companion Animal Hospital and instantly felt at home. The clients and fellow staff members give her the feeling of family she was missing. Janet enjoys coming to work every day and developing relationships with clients and their furry family members.
In her free time, Janet enjoys spending time with her husband, Kevin, and their fur kids: Kiki and Lana, two fluffy Chow Mixes, and Dingus (aka Dingus Khan) the cat. Kiki, Lana, and Janet are a registered therapy dog team with Pet Partners. Janet is an evaluator for new and renewing therapy teams for Pet Partners as well. She has also been involved with Second Chance Pet Adoptions for many years. At her previous business, they fostered close to 100 dogs for them and Janet recently became a member of their Board of Directors. Janet enjoys baking and frequently uses her fellow employees as taste testers for new recipes.
Jannett
Bio coming soon.
Jenna
Team member since 2004
Jenna was born and raised in Raleigh, NC. She graduated from NCSU with a double major in biological and animal science and minor in Spanish. Jenna enjoys the daily variety of duties her job entails as well as the technical nature of the position. Every day is full of surprises and something new to learn.
Jenna’s husband, Billy, is a Raleigh Fire Department firefighter. They share their home with 2 cats – Diamond (Ragdoll) and Abby (tortie) aka the Little Vulture because she likes to snag food when no one is looking. Jenna is skilled in martial arts and has been a karate teacher for over a decade. She enjoys rock climbing, reading, traveling, and photography.
Jenna’s personal creed is to do something that scares or challenges you every day, no matter how small.
Kate
Team member since 2014
Kate grew up in the Florida Panhandle and has a BS in biology/chemistry from the New College of Florida. Early on, she worked as a veterinary assistant in training to become a veterinary technician. Kate had a career change and taught high school biology for 4.5 years in Henderson, NC. She returned to the veterinary field as a veterinary technician in the Exotics Department at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. Her next move was a return to dog and cat general practice when she joined Companion Animal Hospital in 2014.
Kate most enjoys veterinary dentistry and surgical assistance as well as training new veterinary technicians and client education. She loves snuggling with the small dogs that visit (especially Shih-Tzus). Kate enjoys working with new clients to ensure they have all the information they need to make good choices for their pets.
Outside of work, you’ll find Kate practicing yoga, finding local craft beer breweries and restaurants to enjoy, and competing in trivia tournaments. She shares her home with four cats – Isis, Cooper, Mooch, and Audrey.
Fun fact: Kate has been a vegetarian since 1999.
Linda
Team member since 2017
Linda’s favorite things about her job at Companion Animal Hospital are the clients and their pets. She enjoys being part of a team that truly cares about pets and their owners.
When not working, Linda enjoys cooking and relaxing with a jigsaw puzzle or two. In the summer, you can always find her working on do-it-yourself projects ranging from plumbing to room renovation. Married in 1994, Linda and her husband share their home with four cats.
Megan
Team member since 2018
Megan grew up in a house full of kitties from the young age of six. This experience sparked her love of animals. She got her first dog as an adult in 2013. That special pup was Malie, a Siberian Husky who quickly became her best friend. Megan began fostering dogs in 2015. She has helped dogs of all breeds but has a big soft spot for huskies. Megan has focused on helping hard to place huskies from shelters near and far. Her enjoyment of fostering evolved into Megan starting her own transport program where she rescues all breed from surrounding shelters and arranges transportation to rescue partners in the northern US. Megan also currently volunteers and fosters dogs for Second Chance Pet Adoptions in Raleigh, NC.
Megan has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and previously worked in chiropractics as a registered CA. Ultimately, her passion for animals was where her heart lied.
Megan enjoys working at Companion Animal Hospital for multiple reasons. Her coworkers are supportive, helpful and a joy to be around. They always work together as a team to get things accomplished. On top of that, she enjoys that our doctors have a great sense of humor, and there’s always something to laugh about. Megan enjoys seeing our regular clients and getting to know their pets.
Some of Megan’s favorite things to do outside of work are using her telescope to explore the stars, going to concerts with friends, and traveling to new places. And of course, she also enjoys going on long walks with her 4 huskies who always make every day better!
Lauren
Team member since 2021
A North Carolina native, Lauren graduated from NC State in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. She began a career in animal care following graduation working at a dog daycare and boarding facility owned by Janet W. Here Lauren learned a great deal about practical dog behavior and general care, and was Canine CPR and First Aid certified. She had many roles during her 6 years there, landing in the role of assistant manager of the facility. Lauren loved the connection with the dogs and their people, and the coworkers from whom she learned so much.
Following her departure from her position at the dog daycare, Lauren followed Janet and her coworker Beau to Companion Animal Hospital. She describes the transition as a “family reunion”, and loves working with her coworkers, old and new. Lauren enjoys being able to bond with each of the animals and learning more about the veterinary world. Her fascination with animal behavior, specifically how animals learn and socialize, drives her focus to creating a safe and happy daycare experience for the dogs in her care. She’s also very excited to be working more closely with cats and learning about their social habits and behaviors.
Lauren and her partner belong to two fur babies: a grey short haired cat named Valara and a “so cute it hurts me” Chihuahua mix named Lea. Lea loves coming to day camp and shouting at all her favorite vet techs!
In her free time, Lauren loves to make things and play video games. She’s also an avid RPG nerd, enjoying both tabletop games and LARP (Live Action RolePlay) campaigns. Lauren enjoys spending time outdoors and listening to music.
Beau
Team member since 2021
Bio coming soon!