Veterinarians
Support Team
Head Licensed Veterinary Technician
Brittany grew up in Lorton, Virginia and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a minor in Communications from Christopher Newport University. She was originally in school to become a teacher, but after taking a volunteer position at The Virginia Living Museum, she realized her true passion was working with animals. She has three years of experience working at a dog and cat boarding facility. There she really developed her skills in animal care and furthered her love for the furry four-legged community, especially those of the English Bulldog variety. Brittany also has experience working with animal rescue organizations such as the Norfolk SPCA and SPCA NoVA. In her free time, Brittany enjoys playing Disney Princesses with her young nieces and spending time with her family and friends. You can often find her shopping for Vera Bradley bags, eating lots of Pho soup or relaxing at home with her husband and two dogs.
Nicole has been a Licensed Veterinary Technician since 2014. She has a passion for making the veterinary experience enjoyable for all pets and owners. Nicole has extensive experience in high volume surgery centers where a regular day for her was getting 40-60 pets prepped and ready for surgery and recovered post-op. In her spare time, Nicole loves running, hiking, gardening and spending time with her furry friends.
Kaylee was born in Woodbridge, Virginia and started her animal career as a summer teen volunteer at the Prince William County Animal Shelter when she was 15. A year later she was old enough to start working as a Kennel assistant at her local animal hospital and the rest is history. Kaylee enjoys every part of the veterinary field and looks forward to taking classes to get her Veterinary Technician License! She is now living in Fairfax and enjoys coming to work with the MVP team. Outside of the clinic she shares her two dogs, Blueberry and Kisses, with her mom and loves superhero movies and tv shows.
Savannah, a skilled veterinary assistant, is always eager to lend a helping hand to our furry friends. She is currently juggling her passion for animals while pursuing a nursing degree. When she's not busy at work or school, you can find her enjoying quality time with her beloved Chihuahua, Belle, who brings endless joy to her life. In her downtime, Savannah loves to unwind and relax, whether it's through watching TV, napping, or trying out new hobbies.
Grace was born in the Philippines and raised in Northern Virginia. She has loved animals her whole life, especially dogs, but since joining MVP she has a new found love for cats that is growing drastically and catching up! Grace’s favorite things to do outside of the practice include trying new food, watching scary movies, and shopping!
Savannah grew up in Arlington, VA but lived overseas in England for 4 years before moving back to Fairfax, VA for high school. Ever since she was little she wanted to work with animals, and entered the animal field after her freshman year of college, where she interned at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Clarke County, VA! Savannah officially joined the veterinary field in 2019 as an assistant and graduated from Christopher Newport University in 2021 with a Bachelors in Biology with a minor in environmental studies. Her favorite thing about working in this field is spending her day with animals and constantly learning. In her free time, Savannah can be found either cuddling with her pets, Molli and Pearl, attending a boxing class, or enjoying the outdoors!
Maddie was born and raised in Northern Virginia and has been in the veterinary field since 2016 when she started work at the front desk in general practice. It was her beloved family dog, Cooper, that inspired her start in veterinary medicine back in 2016. In his last year and a half of life, he taught her more than a few things about senior dog care and the dedication it takes to manage a chronically ill pet-through medications, laser therapy, acupuncture, and hydrotherapy – he was a perfect patient!
Maddie enjoys spending time with her family and navigating the ups and downs of training their sweet and stubborn new rescue puppy named Ellie. Outside of work, she enjoys watching a good documentary, catching a local theatre production, gardening, and if it’s a race weekend- watching a Formula One race.
Megan, a native of Northern Virginia, developed a deep affection for animals early on, inspired by her grandmother's nurturing of the wildlife that frequented her garden. Unfazed by creatures great and small, Megan naturally gravitated towards large breed dogs, fostering a profound love for them. Two years ago, she embarked on a career transition from Fashion Marketing to the Veterinary field, a decision that ultimately led her to discover her true passion. Megan cherishes her two dogs, Koda Bear and Boba Tea, along with her feline companion, Tofu Bean. During her leisure time, she indulges in cozy moments with her beloved pets and eagerly explores new culinary experiences at various eateries. Joining MVP has filled Megan with overwhelming excitement as she anticipates the opportunity to learn and grow alongside the exceptional team.
Josie is a recent graduate from Virginia Tech, where she earned her degree in Animal Science in May. With a strong passion for animals and a desire to make a positive impact, she is currently in the process of exploring her career options, including the possibility of pursuing vet school or graduate studies, after taking a year off to gain valuable experience.
Josie's dedication to animal welfare shines through her volunteer work with Wolf Trap Animal Rescue, where she has made a remarkable difference by fostering over 80 puppies. She even played a pivotal role in her own dog's story, as Cherry, her loyal companion, was born as part of a litter of nine right in Josie's own home.
In her free time, Josie enjoys the simple pleasures of life, including leisurely walks with her furry friend Cherry, exploring the great outdoors through hiking adventures, savoring delicious food, and cherishing moments spent with family and friends. Her nurturing spirit, dedication to animals, coupled with her academic background, makes her a valuable addition to the Mainstay team.
Josie joined MVP full-time after she graduated MVP's First Inaugural MVP Institute Internship Program.
Katie, an experienced veterinary assistant, was born in Chicago, IL and raised in Richmond, Virginia. In 2021, Katie left the human nursing world and decided to take a chance on veterinary medicine. Shortly after, she realized her passion in life was to care and advocate for our furry friends without a voice. With 3 cats of her own, she quickly earned the title of "crazy cat lady," although she has a love for all animals no matter the size, breed, or species. Outside of work, Katie is working on classes, napping or reading her favorite books. Katie is currently studying hard to get her license as a veterinary technician and looks forward to a very bright future in veterinary medicine and with MVP.
Ingrid has been passionate about animals for as long as she can remember. Combining her love for animals with a desire to work in the medical field, she pursued veterinary science by taking specialized courses in high school and officially entered the animal care field in 2020. Her journey began with no pets of her own, but by 2021, her family grew to include Luffa, a rescued dog, and Poupie (short for Grey Poupon), a spirited gray cat she found wandering Arlington as a 7-week-old kitten. In her free time, Ingrid enjoys relaxing with video games or TV, exploring cafes with a good manga, and discovering new outdoor spots to explore with her dog.
Emma is originally from the scenic Shenandoah Valley, where she grew up surrounded by farmland. Her early years were spent caring for sheep, cows, and her own family pets, which sparked her lifelong passion for animal care.
With nearly four years of experience in the veterinary field, Emma is currently pursuing her license as a Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT). Outside of work and school, she enjoys reading, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, and creating landscape art in her free time.
Management
Blaine, a resident of Arlington, Virginia, shares her life with her husband, daughter, and their chocolate lab named Mato. She was born and raised in Arlington and remains connected to her roots. Blaine holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from James Madison University, and she further pursued her education at Georgetown University, earning a Master's in Business Administration. Growing up with a veterinarian mother, Dr. Hitt, Blaine has always been immersed in the world of veterinary medicine. The two of them were constantly found nursing injured wildlife back to health. Together, they established Mainstay Veterinary Practice, a testament to their passion for animals.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Blaine finds solace in outdoor activities such as hiking and traveling. She has set herself the ambitious goal of visiting all the National Parks during her lifetime. Among her cherished travel memories, two experiences stand out: hiking Half Dome in Yosemite National Park and conquering Angel's Landing in Zion National Park. These adventures have left a lasting impression on Blaine, fueling her passion for exploration and nature.
Receptionists
Carina was born and raised in Salinas, California and moved to Virginia with her husband Robert 9 years ago. She has her associates in business administration and is currently working towards her bachelors. She’s been in the veterinary industry for the past 8 years, but has been an animal lover since birth. While Carina loves your pets and enjoys helping take care of them on a daily basis, she has two cats of her own, Hambone and Chedda, along with three dogs, Max, Gus, and Preci. In her spare time, Carina enjoys pet sitting, reading, baking, watching movies, and spending time with her husband exploring the DC area. Carina looks forward to going to work and making a difference in your pet’s lives every day.
Rachel is an experienced veterinary receptionist. Born in Maryland and raised in Northern Virginia, Rachel has always had a passion for animals since she grew up with dogs. She is currently looking to adopt a cat with her partner. Her love for pets led her to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, and she has been working in the field since 2019.
In addition to her work in the veterinary field, Rachel has a background in yoga instruction. She used to teach yoga classes in her spare time and still enjoys practicing yoga and hiking as a way to stay active and maintain her mental and physical well-being.
Rachel’s passion for animal welfare and her commitment to providing the best possible care make her an invaluable member of our veterinary team.
Hope is a passionate member of our veterinary team, having joined us in 2023. She started her veterinary career in 2019. With a deep love for animals, Hope finds great joy in being around them every day. If you ask her, she'll say she is more of a dog person, but that doesn't mean she would give any less love to the cats that come into our practice. She embraces every opportunity to expand her knowledge in this field. At MVP, she eagerly looks forward to meeting and caring for all of our patients.
Chloe is a Fairfax native with a lifelong passion for animals. She grew up spending time on her grandparents' farm, where she developed a deep love for the outdoors and animals of all kinds. Now a proud cat mom to Cody and Flora, Chloe enjoys attending concerts, spending time with friends, and exploring astrology in her free time. She’s thrilled to play a part in keeping your pets happy and healthy!
Practice Mascots
Dinky is a small French bulldog with a huge personality. She’s convinced she runs Dr. Hitt’s household, though Dr. Hitt’s three other dogs don’t seem to take her seriously. If she throws a little attitude, they just ignore her—which only makes her try harder to act like the biggest dog in the room.
Dinky’s completely attached to her mom, Dr. Hitt, and never lets her out of sight. Car rides are her favorite, and she travels in style with her very own front-seat car seat because, of course, she deserves the best spot.
When she’s not busy following Dr. Hitt around, Dinky spends her days getting spoiled, bossing the other dogs (or trying to), and soaking up as much attention as possible. Life may be big for this little dog, but she’s determined to take up all the space she can—one bark and nap at a time.
Laz, also known as jumping bean, was turned over to Dr. C when a couple opted to euthanize him at only a couple weeks old as he was comatose from Parvo. Asking if she could try to save him, Dr. C spent days nursing him around the clock until he finally pulled through! You would never know his rough start to life by his cheerful attitude, happy demeanor and wiggling body. Laz loves all dogs and people and is a little energizer bunny. He runs frantically around the practice with his own jumping-like gait and all you see is flowing hair darting by! We appreciate the extra “mopping” he does for us as he covers a lot of ground quickly!
Reese is Brittany’s 5 year-old Pekingese/Basset Hound mix. She basically looks like a Pekingese head attached to a miniature Basset-shaped body. She has a silly personality to go with her silly shape. Reese loves running sprints up and down the practice hallway and wrestling with her best friend, Laz. Reese is a ham when it comes to wanting attention and will try to be as cute as possible so someone will come say “Hello”. Her go to position is usually on her back so she can get a belly rub. Reese puts a smile on everybody’s face and is a dog who can cheer you up when you’re having a bad day.
Mato is Blaine’s 7-year-old chocolate lab whose name means “little bear” in Sioux—but let’s be honest, he’s more like a walking stomach with fur. He’s a regular around the practice, often found parked on the scale, locking eyes with the receptionist as if to say, “More treats, please. I’m wasting away.”
When he’s not perfecting the art of begging, Mato spends his time on hold with the ASPCA animal poison hotline. Why? Because he has a bad habit of eating things he absolutely should not—especially when he feels his parents aren’t giving him the attention he deserves (which is always). So far, the highlight reel includes glass Christmas ornaments, pepper spray, and an impressive 25 citronella tea candles.
Outside of his questionable diet, Mato enjoys life on the farm, swimming, and attending “Grandma Daycare” with his best buddy, Dibs (another chocolate lab and likely Mato’s partner-in-crime).
Mato may keep his parents on their toes, but he keeps everyone else entertained—and slightly worried about what he’ll eat next.
Roo is Brittany’s Husky mix. She has the voice and mannerisms of a husky and the hunting instinct of a hound. She is always on squirrel patrol, but we think she really just wants to be friends with them. Being part husky, she always has a lot to say. She is very talkative and can be demanding when she wants something. She loves to give handshakes and high fives. Roo is Reese’s younger sister and they are best friends. You can often find them playing tug of war, cuddling or grooming each other. She always keeps us laughing. She loves to run and play but is also happy to cuddle on the bed at night. There is never a dull moment when Roo is around. She keeps life entertaining.
Emmy was Dr. Hitt's 13-year-old French Bulldog that passed away peacefully in 2020 after being diagnosed with a very large brain tumor. She was a part of Mainstay Veterinary Practice since it's very beginning, accompanying Dr. Hitt to the construction site and then to work in the office once the practice opened. Emmy was famous among the original MVP clients. She enjoyed nestling in her bed as well as sleeping on her heating pad. Emmy grew up with a chocolate lab brother, Dibs, and a shepherd mix sister, Moxie. Emmy could frequently be found stealing the other dogs' beds. When not sunbathing, she could easily be located by listening for her unique snorting noises. Frequently breaking the rules, Emmy became an angel at the sight of Twizzlers. She loved little kids that were "her size" although deep down Emmy thought that she was a giant dog. She wasn't even afraid to greet horses! Her big personality made up for her small size.
