OUR DOCTORS
Jeff Walcoff, DVM
Owner
Dr. Walcoff grew up in Montgomery County and began working toward opening a new animal hospital in Clarksburg in 2003. He and his family are pleased to offer the greater Clarksburg area the same high-quality veterinary medicine and pet care he has been providing his clients for nearly 20 years.
Dr. Walcoff is a graduate of Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda and Washington University in St. Louis. He earned his doctor of veterinary medicine with honors from the prestigious Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine in New York.
Dr. Walcoff began his career in Miami, Florida at a 24-hour multi-doctor practice where he obtained extensive emergency training as well as quality medical and surgical skills. Dr. Walcoff relocated back to his roots in Maryland to a large multi-doctor hospital in Annapolis where he practiced for 4 years. In September of 2000, he and his wife, Sheila, built and opened Old Farm Veterinary Hospital, a full-service veterinary hospital in Frederick, Maryland. He practiced full time at Old Farm until February 2008 when they sold the hospital. Dr. and Mrs. Walcoff have two young sons, and share their home with a black Labrador “puppy” named Rosie, a Maltese named Nola, and a chocolate Labrador named Biscayne.
Mrs. Walcoff is a health and science lawyer and the Founding Principal of Goldbug Strategies LLC. She is a recognized regulatory policy expert in personalized medicine and genomics. Mrs. Walcoff is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) in Washington DC and encourages friends of Bennett Creek Animal Hospital to support our national zoo and join FONZ.
Rachel Duncan, DVM
Managing Urgent Care Veterinarian
Dr. Duncan grew up all along the East Coast living everywhere from New England to South Carolina. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Hampshire then attended Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine for her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. Upon graduation in 2009, Dr. Duncan participated in a rigorous year-long, small animal internship at a private referral hospital to further her education and experience. It was during this time that she developed a love for emergency medicine.
She has since practiced in multiple hospitals in different states focusing on emergency management and critical care. Dr. Duncan enjoys all aspects of emergency medicine from urgent medical treatment to emergency surgery. When not working, Dr. Duncan enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, yoga, and drawing. She has 2 wonderful dog-like cats and 1 perfectly spoiled little dog.
Kelly Hinkle, DVM
Dr. Kelly Hinkle was born and raised in Montgomery County. She attended the University of Delaware and received her Bachelor of Science in animal science. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from St. George’s University in Grenada and got to complete her clinical year at the University of Tennessee.
Dr. Hinkle then started working right away at a busy mixed animal emergency practice in Central Pennsylvania. She saw everything from horses, cows, pigs, dogs, cats, goats, chickens, and even a bobcat. She then moved back to Maryland and worked strictly with companion animals and small mammals for about 2 years. After that she was able to pursue her passion for emergency medicine at a large local hospital. She hopes to continue to pursue that passion with Bennett Creek.
In her off time, Dr. Hinkle loves travelling, skiing, and hiking. She also enjoys hanging out with her two dogs (Maizie and Addie).
Matthew Felrice, DVM
Dr. Matthew Felrice grew up in Montgomery Village and graduated from Watkins Mill High School. He attended Northwestern University in Evanston, IL and graduated with honors in 1998 with a degree in Neurobiology. Dr. Felrice is a 2003 graduate of Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine and has worked in Montgomery County as a veterinarian since he graduated veterinary school.
His veterinary interests include medicine and surgery with dogs, cats, small mammals, bird and reptiles. Other areas of specialty include emergency medicine, dentistry and ultrasound.
Dr. Felrice lives nearby in Boyds, MD with his wife Erin and their two boys, Leo and Dylan. He has two dogs, an Australian Cattle Dog/Beagle Mix named Raven and a Shorkie Poo named Sophia. He also has a Uromastyx (African spiny tailed lizard) named Stanley. He enjoys bowling, all word games (words with friends, crossword puzzles, etc.), local team sports (Orioles, Commanders, Capitals and Wizards), going on bike rides and hikes with his family, and playing softball.
PRACTICE MANAGER
Tiffany B.
Tiffany attended UNC-Charlotte and moved to MD in 1994. She worked many years in the financial and medical fields for companies such as Chase Bank and JPMorgan Chase. Tiffany previously worked for Industrial Distribution Group in Accounts Receivable, then transitioned to Wellspan Medical Group in York, PA.
After relocating back to MD with her husband James, a Diagnostic Specialist and Master Technician for Lexus since 1994, 2 daughters and Boxer “Roman”, she became, as she so passionately puts it, the CEO of Bazel enterprises! Four years later she and her family moved from Urbana to Clarksburg. It was then that Tiffany decided that since both of her girls had graduated it was time to get back into the workforce. Her daughter Taylor is the Kennel staff manager here and has often spoken to her about how much she loves Bennett Creek. Seeing how much her daughter loves her job, Tiffany wanted to join the team. She brings her knowledge of customer service, friendly smile, love of animals, and eagerness to learn new things to work every day! Tiffany and her husband James have been married since 1996 and have 2 daughters Maiya 24 and Taylor 21, grand dogs Bodhi and Willow and grand turtle Shelby.
ADMIN MANAGER
Joanna W.
Joanna graduated from the University of California, Davis with a Bachelors’s degree in Bacteriology. Upon graduation, she spent the next 17 years working full time in the Biotech and Pharmaceutical Industry. When her husband’s job moved the family to Liverpool, England, she decided to become a full-time mother. Upon repatriating into the US, she continued to be a stay-home mom and chauffer her two daughters to their various school and sports activities.
Joanna began working at Bennett Creek in June 2017 as a part-time receptionist. She continues to keep busy at home taking care of her daughters’ dogs while they are working or away at college.
In her spare, she enjoys traveling, cooking, binge-watching, and playing games on her iPad.
OUR STAFF
Ashley H.
Ashley was born and raised in Maryland and has lived in Montgomery and Frederick Counties (with a short stint in Colorado). She knew she wanted to pursue a career that would allow her to be with animals every day since she was five years old. Upon high school graduation, she went to Colorado State University – Pueblo for three semesters to prepare for a career as a Veterinarian. Life events detoured her plans, but NOT her desire to work with animals. Ashley is a certified dog trainer which is where she started her career, but she found herself with a desire to help animals in a more personal way. She discovered her passion to be a veterinary technician, and has been doing it for over ten years!
When she is not caring for animals, you will find her enjoying her time with my family – her husband, Mike, and their children, Daphne and Hudson; their dogs, Sheldon and Freya; and cat, Bruce.
Blair F.
Blair was born and raised in Maryland. She has worked with animals for 8 years now doing an internship at Frederick County animal control during her senior year of high school. She has also enjoyed babysitting/ walking dogs/ and working as a kennel tech + groomer.
While obtaining her degree in veterinary technology to become a licensed veterinary technician she worked as a vet tech for several years. Blair has always had a love and passion for animals since being a toddler in diapers. She was going to pursue becoming a veterinarian until she had her daughter in college. She has two beautiful children, and a Pitbull named Lola.
In her spare time, she is spending time with her family, working on cars or going to meets/ car shows, at the horse barn, binge watching anime, or at the gym.
Brittany G.
Brittany went through a veterinary technician program in Pittsburgh, where she found Colbi, her first cat. She then returned to Maryland where she worked at a local ER vet clinic, becoming ER department lead. Along the way, she met her heart dog, Oogie Boogie, a Siberian husky, then Bearbo baggins or “Bear”, a loveable black lab, and her first bottle fed kitten, Tigger. Always keeping a love for guinea pigs (and other rodents) since college, she also has guinea pigs; Tater Tot, Swiffer Sweeper, Hot Fudge Sundae, and Jonah (aka Boston creme pie), as well as rats, Basil and Dawson. In her free time, Brittany also enjoys riding her horse, Corona, named after the beer of course!
Carli E.
Carli Ellenwood grew up in Howard County on a little farmette. She always had a love for animals of all kinds. She started as a Veterinary Technician in 2005 in a general practice and merged to emergency vet care in 2010. She has a daughter Aurora who is 9 and keeps her on her toes along with 2 pit bulls and 5 snakes. In her spare time, she like to ride her horse that she has raised from a baby and her motorcycles.
Cody S.
Cody has been working in veterinary medicine for 8 years and has primarily worked in emergency and critical care. Cody joined the BCAH team in May of 2021 as a technician on the PET Urgent Care Team. He is currently working toward his degree in Clinical Laboratory Science at CCBC in Baltimore, MD. Cody loves all animals but has a special place in his heart for exotic pets, especially birds. He currently lives in Frederick, MD with his two Cockatiels, and one Indian Ringneck Parrot. Cody is very happy to be a part of the BCAH team and is proud to be part of a team that is here for you and your pet whether they are furry, feathered, scaled, or anything in between.
Elizabeth C.
Elizabeth grew up in Peru in a farm like environment which is where her love for animals began. She moved to Maryland at age 10 and graduated from Watkins Mill high school in 2012. She worked as a kennel tech for 7 years until an opportunity to work as a veterinary technician became available. Elizabeth has been working as a tech for over a year now and there’s no other job she would rather be doing!
Jenna G.
Urgent Care Client Services Manager
Jenna is one of our receptionists. She just recently joined the team but is loving being surrounded by animals every day. She has lived in Montgomery county her whole life and just recently moved to Clarksburg with her partner Matt. She has 2 wonderful dogs, a Goldendoodle named Jake and a German Shepard mix named Nala. Her love of animals lead her to a career change from property management and she is loving every minute and being part of the Bennett Creek team. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family especially her two nieces and nephew.
Jennifer B.
Born in Maryland and raised in Olney, Jen has been in the Veterinary field for over 18 years. She is a mom to 3 amazing kids and several fur babies to also include one shell baby, a red eared slider turtle. She is a huge advocate for Pit Bulls, and tries to stress the importance of spay and neuter, rescue, foster, and adoption to help fight the overwhelming number of homeless pets stuck in shelters every day. Jen loves spending time with family, going to the beach, eating crabs, and playing with her pit bulls. She loves all aspects of being in the Veterinary field, but most of all, being an advocate for those who don’t have a voice and hopefully making whatever they are going through a little easier.
Laura S.
Laura was born and raised in Montgomery County where she graduated from Clarksburg high school in 2020. She has loved animals her whole life and is interested in pursuing a career with animals in the future. She is currently attending Montgomery College and is planning on transferring to UMGC in fall of 2022. In her spare time, she enjoys pottery, gardening and music.
Leah F.
Leah has been working at Bennett Creek since September 2021, working as both an urgent care and general practice technician. Leah grew up in Montgomery County and graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in May 2021. She plans to start veterinary school in Fall 2022 and hopes to be a zoo veterinarian.
Ligia F.
Gia was born in El Salvador but has been a Maryland resident since 2 years of age. You know she’s a true Marylander because she can’t live without Maryland crabs and Old Bay! Gia obtained her bachelor’s in Biological Sciences in 2010 and acquired her master’s in Public Health Practice & Policy in December 2019. Gia has 15 years of prior veterinary practice experience and she was a federal contractor in a Microbiology laboratory for 8 years. She’s always loved animals and taking care of them has always been second nature to her. Gia also owns her own pet care company and has been pet sitting since 2002. Gia currently also works full-time as an Allstate insurance agent and servicer. Gia has no kids of her own but has 3 nieces, one which was just born in December 2020. She definitely has her hands full! As far as furry critters Gia has 3 cats: PJ (16), Oliver (10), and Bruno (9).
Simrin G.
Sim is a Maryland-native, has a bachelor’s in Communication from UMD-CP and has been working as a vet tech since 2017. She has 2 orange tabby cats and a yellow lab at home. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and exploring the area’s many parks. She also likes to travel when she can and has had the opportunity to visit over 21 different countries.
Stephanie M.
I started as a vet tech, driven by my passion for animals. I’ve now been a tech for almost 10 years and I couldn’t imagine a better suited job for myself, I honestly love what I do! In my free time I enjoy hanging out with my 2-year-old, spending time with family, reading, swimming, and hanging out with my dogs & cat at home.
Tatiana S.
Hi, I’m Tatiana! I graduated from Watkins Mill High School in 2018, and am now pursuing Diagnostic Medical Sonography at Montgomery College. I love to dance and am currently on a DC Salsa team. Frankly, I’m not home enough to have any pets of my own so because of that, I am grateful to be able to see all of the cute animals at work!