Wed & Fri: 8:30AM – 5:00PM
Sat: 8:30AM – 1:30PM
Sun: Closed
Wed & Fri: 8:30AM – 5:00PM
Sat: 8:30AM – 1:30PM
Sun: Closed
Our Team
Compassion Animal Hospital Doctors & Staff
Julia Gibson
D.V.M.
Dr. Julia Gibson Beaver grew up in Catlett, VA with her parents, Don Gibson and Dr. Lisa Gibson D.V.M. She attended Virginia Tech for her undergraduate degree and majored in Agriculture and Applied Economics. She continued her career at Virginia Tech at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduating with her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, she worked at a busy mixed animal practice in West Virginia where she met her husband. She joined our practices in May of 2015.
She enjoys working on all species including dogs, cats, sheep, goats, cows, horses, and the occasional chicken. Her interests include hiking, reading, traveling, and working out.
Lisa Gibson
D.V.M.
Gerbils, dogs, cats, horses, chickens, and a pig…caring for all of these during her childhood inspired Dr. Lisa Gibson to become a veterinarian.
Growing up on seven acres in Manassas, Virginia gave Dr. Gibson the opportunity to act on her love of animals at an early age. During middle school, she decided to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, and upon graduation from high school, she began working on a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science. After graduating with honors from Virginia Tech in 1982, she was accepted into the Virginia Maryland Regional School of Veterinary Medicine at Blacksburg, Virginia. In 1986 she graduated with a doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and married two weeks later.
Dr. Gibson worked for a little over three years as an associate in a small animal practice before opening Bealeton Veterinary House Call Service in 1989. After working as a house call and associate veterinarian for approximately 18 months, she and her husband Don – a business/finance major – opened Compassion Animal Hospital.
Dr. Gibson has a particular interest in surgery cases and currently does all the orthopedic surgery. She also has a strong interest in ultrasound and enjoys the advantages it gives in diagnostic information without invasive procedures.
Along the way, she and her husband have been blessed with four beautiful children. They live in Catlett with two frogs and two wonderfully friendly cats.
Virginia Stillwell
D.V.M.
Dr. Stilwell’s large animal interests include equine, small ruminants (goats, sheep, llamas, and alpacas), and bovine heard health/obstetrics. Her small animal interests include canine and feline medicine and surgery. Outside of work she enjoys traveling, hiking, spending time with her family, and hanging out with her two dogs and one cat.
Rachel Harris
D.V.M.
Dr. Rachel Harris grew up in Blythewood, South Carolina. She completed a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina. Dr. Harris continued her education at Lincoln Memorial University obtaining a Master’s Degree in Veterinary Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Harris graduated from Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Her professional interests are small and large animal medicine, dentalcare/education, and surgery. Dr. Harris enjoys spending time with her fiance, Ethan, their Australian Shepherd (Calypso), and cat (Percy). She loves painting, hiking, and board games.
Kathleen Connor
D.V.M.
Dr. Connor graduated from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science in 1987 and from the Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1991. She has lived in the Shenandoah Valley for 14 years. She grew up horse-obsessed and planned to become an equine veterinarian, but after becoming involved with a canine Search and Rescue (SAR) team in Harrisonburg in 1996, that quickly faded.
Currently, Dr. Connor is involved with Blue and Gray SAR Dogs, where she is the training director. She has also served as the president of the team and has had the opportunity to travel both nationally and internationally. She and her SAR dog, Finn, have gone to New Orleans after Katrina and to the jungles of Guyana, South America to search for a missing plane. Her extreme interest in SAR has caused her to become a more canine sports-oriented veterinarian.
Dr. Connor has been trained in Veterinary Acupuncture and plans to pursue training in Veterinary Chiropractics. At this time, she is owned by her five Labrador retrievers, two horses, and five cats.
Stacia Drape
D.V.M.
Dr. Drape specializes in small animals and lives on a small farm with her husband and children. Dr. Drape enjoys spending time with her family and loves to spend time outdoors, especially with her horses.
Erin Iames
L.V.T.
Erin has had a variety of pets growing up. When she was six years old, she asked Santa for a snake. Much to her delight, Monty-the-snake was waiting there for her under the tree! She has been a client of Compassion Animal Hospital since 1990, after moving to Virginia from New Jersey. In 2005, Erin graduated from Liberty High School. Before attending BRCC, she initially went to school to become a Medical Transcriptionist However, during her internship at Compassion Animal Hospital, she quickly discovered her true calling. In 2009, Erin began working at Compassion Animal Hospital as a Veterinary Assistant, and continued throughout her schooling.
Erin is currently living in Bealeton with her nine cats (Groucho, Big Boy, Princess, Runt, Rolly, Rascal, Tigger, Salem, Patches) and Monty. In her free time, Erin enjoys painting pottery, playing sports, reading books, and most of all relaxing on the beach!
Nicole Letson
L.V.T.
She grew up in Warrenton, Virginia graduating from Kettle Run High School. Nicole has grown up with a variety of pets including cats, dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, hermit crabs, turtles, and fish. She was inspired at a very young age to pursue a career in veterinary medicine by her next door neighbor who worked at a local humane society and helped rehabilitate injured animals.
Nicole is currently living in Opal with her nine cats (Stars, Sweetie, Buttons, Moo, Ollie, Stinky, and Pip). She loves hiking, reading books, and watching scary movies in her free time.
Hope Stoops
L.V.T.
Hope graduated from Northern Virginia community college in 2022 with an A.A.S. in Veterinary Technology.
Hope wanted to work in the veterinary field ever since she was a child. She grew up amongst a multitude of animals including cats, dogs, ferrets, ducks, birds, and rabbits. In 2014, Hope graduated from Liberty High School and started at Compassion Animal hospital as a volunteer before becoming a veterinary assistant.
Hope is currently living in Bealeton with her three cats (Castiel, Luxanna, and Ember), two dogs (Nyx and Sammie), and two ferrets (Alistar and Penelope). In her free time, Hope enjoys writing stories, reading books, and spending time with her sisters.”
