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Dr. Paula A. Horne, a 1984 graduate of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, has served the equine community with her expertise, compassion and dedication.  Dr. Horne resides in Purcellville with her children, Ginny and Trey.  With three horses, six dogs and a cat, it is obvious she is dedicated to the care and welfare of animals.  She is active in the local pony club, has hosted events at her farm, and has bred many nice foals through the years.

Dr. Horne has worked hard building her ambulatory equine practice.  Along with her experience in lameness, purchase exams, and reproduction, she developed a comprehensive health care plan.

Dr. Horne also teaches equine dentistry to recent veterinary graduates through the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

With the expansion of the practice, we hope to meet many new people in the small animal clinic as well as new equine clients in the Winchester area.  We encourage everyone to stop by and see our expanded facility."

Dr. Valerie Babcock graduated from Washington State University in 2003.  She completed and equine internship at Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center in New Jersey.  She joined our practice in 2004.   Her special interests are lameness and internal medicine.  She enjoys spending her free time with her Great Dane, Tucker, riding and scrap booking. 

Christina Piola, D.V.M.

Dr. Christina Piola graduated from Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008 and joined the practice as a small animal associate veterinarian.  She grew up in Connecticut and received her undergraduate degree in biology from Fairfield University.  She moved south for veterinary school and quickly became an avid Hokie fan(although she is still a New England girl at heart!)  Following vet school, she relocated to Fairfax County and has been treating the pets of Northern Virginia ever since.  She is eager to share her knowledge and compassion with the wonderful clients and patients at Hoof & Paw.  Her special interests include client education and preventative health care, internal medicine, cardiology and geriatrics.  When she's not in the hospital, she spends as much time as she can with her fiancé, Devin, their two  rescued dogs, Mozart and Summer and their cat Reeses.  In her spare time, Dr. Piola enjoys reading, cooking, exercising and an occasional shoe shopping trip!

Dr. O'Keefe has been a small animal veterinarian for 21 years.  She is a 1988 graduate of UC Davis Veterinary School, practiced in Southern California for 17 years and then relocated to Virginia in 2005.  Dr. O'Keefe enjoys working on "pocket pets" (hamsters and other rodents, rabbits and guinea pigs) as well as cats and dogs.  She has worked at emergency hospitals and enjoys the challenge of critical care work.  Her skills include internal medicine and soft tissue surgery.

Dr. O'Keefe is owned by a houseful of Abyssinian cats (which she breeds and shows), a parrot and a Flat Coated Retriever.  She loves working in Northern Virginia as she feels that people here are very committed to their pets, and is impressed with the relationship Virginians have with their animal family members.

Dr. Bergfelt is a 1997 graduate of the Sao Paulo State University in Brazil and received her DVM license from the University of Wisconsin in 1999. Dr. Bergfelt has had additional training in ultrasonography and small animal dentistry.  Her special interests are endocrinology, neurology, cardiology and surgery.  When Dr. Bergfelt is not working she enjoys spending time with her husband and new baby.  Dr. Bergfelt has a bichon named Mr. Spike and a cat named Floyd.

"I started in veterinary medicine in 1993 as a receptionist/veterinary assistant.  I joined Dr. Horne in 1996 as a Practice Manager and have enjoyed being a part of her successful, growing practice.  I grew up in Loudoun County, enjoying English riding and being a part of pony club and 4-H.  I graduated high school in Sierra Vista, AZ, where I was introduced to high school rodeo and the Quarter horse.  Missing Virginia, I moved back home and married a childhood friend and had three wonderful boys, Jeremy, Joey and Jarod.  Never forgetting my love of the Quarter horse, I became involved in team penning and am a member of USTPA, NTPC AND TSTPA.  I have enjoyed a lot of success competing both locally and nationally.  I also enjoy showing our old cars and participating in cruise ins with my husband, Dennis."

Alice Rowan Magaha joined our staff in November, 2005.  She brings her expertise in design to our web site and her twenty years experience with horses to our staff.  Alice graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1970 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Art.  After serving seven years as an officer in the Navy, she became a professional rider, showing Pyewacket for 10 years on the "A" American Horse Shows Association's  hunter/jumper circuit. She and her husband, Tommy, managed Hedgeland Stable in Waterford for twelve years.  Chelsea and Megan where added to the family in 1985 and 1987 respectively.  When Hedgeland was sold, the family relocated to Berryville at Rockin' M Acres offering boarding, lessons and training. She designs the Newsletters, updates the website, updates our Healthcare plans along with various other duties.

Meg Bennett has been working with veterinarians since 1994 and has been a Licensed Veterinary Technician since 1994.  She earned a Biology Degree from Mary Washington College and a degree in Veterinary Technology from Northern Virginia Community College.  Graduating with honors. Originally from Oakton, Virginia, Meg has lived in Montana, Dallas and Pennsylvania.  She and her family have now settled in Winchester.  She has been employed at our clinic since 2001.  Her family includes her husband, two young sons and a herd of dogs and cats.  She enjoys spending any spare time with her horse, Roanie, and is an avid football fan.  (GO STEELERS!)

"Since I was young, I've always wanted to work with animals, similar to my hero, Jane Goodall.  I received my Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Art at East Tennessee State university.  I then continued my schooling in a Master's program, studying developmental anatomy of frogs (i.e. tadpoles during metamorphosis).  I spent a year in Tennessee working at a small animal clinic that gave me "on the job training."  I moved back to where I grew up, Leesburg, and have been working at Hoof & Paw since 2002.  I have two cats:  Lily and  Henry and a three-legged dog named Roo.  More than anything, I want to educate people on animal care and help them realize that their animals unconditional love is a privilege."

Wendy Meurer McKenna is one of our Licensed Veterinary Technicians at Hoof and Paw.  She graduated from George Mason University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and then went on to graduate with honors from Northern Virginia Community College with an Applied Science degree.  This allowed her to take national boards to become an LVT.  Wendy spends half of her time in the clinic working with our small animal patients and the other half out in the trucks with the equine veterinarians, assisting with the horses.  She has a strong interest in both small animal and equine dentistry.  Wendy resides in Purcellville with her husband, Keith.  She has three dogs, five cats, and three horses and enjoys competing at local hunter shows. She is also a huge fan of Great Danes.

Emily grew up in McLean, Virginia, where her love of horses began before she was even able to walk.  When Emily was eight years old she began taking riding lessons which progressed over the years to being the captain of the local show team.  She eventually became a barn manager and riding instructor at the stable where she practically grew up.  She moved to Loudoun county in 2000.  Her educational background includes a certificate in in Equine Sciences and a certificate in Phlebotomy (drawing blood).  She is currently pursuing an Associates Degree in Veterinary Technology through Cedar Valley College.  Her love of medicine and animals brought her to Hoof and Paw in 2004.  Emily spends one day in the hospital working with small animals and she assists the equine vets in the trucks three days a week.  She is currently living in Leesburg with her fiancé, Alex, and their herd of animals which include a Chihuahua named Gremlin, four cats, and a Quarter horse named Pancake. Emily spends her spare time being a Greenie dispenser for Gremlin, a mediator to the cats' ongoing war over who is the king of the cat tree, watching football (GO REDSKINS), and hanging out with her two brothers.  She is looking forward to getting to know all the clients whether they have animals that are big or small.

Adrien-Lee Allen

Equine Scheduler

Adrien-Lee was born in the Philippines and raised in a number of countries until the age of three.  At that time discovered horses and started showing in lead line classes in Massachusetts.  Through the years, Adrien-Lee has participated in horses related activities ranging from hunter-jumper to horse racing.  She currently owns a full service boarding farm in Leesburg.  She owns 14 horses and a number of pets to include:  Solo D. Pup, a 15 year old Jack Russell; Gooch D. Pooch, a  Pomeranian; with occasional visits from Angel D. Pup and Bella Roo, two more Jack Russell terriers.

Amy Martin, LVT

My family moved to a small farm in Loudoun County in 1976. this move allowed me to own many pets including horses.  After attending the Washington Business School in Vienna, Virginia, I was a medical secretary for local doctors.  My appreciation and love for animals lead me to attending the Veterinary Technician Program at Nova Community College.  In May of 2006, I graduated Cum Laude with an Associates Degree in Veterinary Science.  Now I am combining my medical, office background and nursing skills at Hoof & Paw.  I enjoy helping horses, dogs and cats and their owners.  Sometimes helping includes a kind word or hug.  Other times monitoring anesthesia but whatever the tasks, I am rewarded in the knowledge that they are receiving the best veterinary and nursing care at Hoof & Paw.