Dr. Roy Barnes has always loved problem solving, thinking on his feet, and animals—a combination that led him to a career in veterinary medicine. Passionate about helping people and their companion animals in crisis, Dr. Barnes prides himself on offering solutions for difficult situations. He believes firmly in continuity of care and partners with the client and their family veterinarian to bring about the best options for the animal in need. Dr. Barnes’ passion extends beyond himself as he inspires his staff and routinely offers his services to non-profit organizations in the Richmond community. When not working, he can be found reading medical journals and enjoying time with his wife, their two sons, and a houseful of pets: Fenway, a 14-year-old yellow lab; Rigley, a 7-year-old black lab; Camden, a 3-year-old yellow lab; Oakley, a 7-month-old black lab; Milo a 6-year-old domestic shorthaired tabby cat; a guinea pig named Snickers; and two hermit crabs.

Born with a compassion to help others, Rachel Barnes studied Psychology at Virginia Tech and then went on to get her Masters of Social Work at Radford University. For 10 years, she focused on geriatric care in nursing homes and Hospice. As a bereavement counselor, Rachel helped the family members of her patients cope with the loss of their loved one, providing grief counseling, pet therapy, and leading grief support groups.

After living in Illinois for a time, Rachel and her husband and child, Dr. Roy Barnes, moved back to the Richmond area where Roy worked for a veterinary surgical clinic and Rachel took a break to stay home with their new family. Once their youngest went off to kindergarten, Rachel was eager to get back to work and became an inventory manager at the same clinic alongside her husband. Today, she serves JRVS in the same capacity, working with key vendors to supply the surgery with all the essentials needed.

A devoted animal lover, Rachel also has the ability to use her experience as a social worker to help people move through the worry of seeing their pet undergo difficult situations. She is also devoted to her faith, her music—she plays piano and sings with her church choir, and her family. She and Roy spend many hours in the outdoors, hiking with their children and dogs.

In 2001, Katie became a veterinary assistant while attending college. But after graduating in 2003 from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BS in Biomedical Engineering, she recognized that her true passion was working with animals. That’s when she turned her focus to veterinary technology and got her degree from Penn Foster College. While her main professional interest is anesthesia, she also has experience in general practice, surgical nursing, emergency medicine, diagnostic imaging, pain management, and surgery. As practice manager for JRVS, Katie prides herself on fostering healthy veterinary professionals and client relationships.

In addition to role with JRVS, Katie owns Pinner Hill Farm where she operates a small Connemara sport-horse breeding program. She and her husband enjoy their small farm, which is also home to a couple barn cats, a flock of chickens, and seven dogs—three labs, two chihuahuas, one mini pitbull mix, and one cane corso mastiff.

Jessica always loved animals, but she didn’t set out to be in veterinary medicine. But after working as a kennel assistant for her local animal hospital, she knew where her path would lead. After assisting her local veterinarian for four years, Jessica headed to Blue Ridge Community College to become a licensed veterinary technician. She graduated in 2012 and practiced for another year in general medicine before turning to surgery and her following her true passion for anesthesia. This is where she finds the greatest joy—in helping animals come through surgery and get back to a healthy life.

When not busy working, Jessica and her husband, Cliff, enjoy the outdoors and baseball with their two young boys—Rhett, 5 and Ryder, 2. Making their family complete are their three four-legged children—a 2-year-old yellow lab named Flex, a 13-year-old black lab named Bella, and a 13-year-old Pekingese named Skye.