Meet the Team at Freed Veterinary Hospital
Our Veterinarians
Dr. Kutzer
Dr. Kutzer came to Freed Veterinary Hospital in 1993 after graduating from Ohio State University and has been the owner of Freed Veterinary Hospital since 2002. Dr. Kutzer has a special interest in the areas of surgery, rehabilitation, pain management, and endocrinology.
When Dr. Kutzer is not at the clinic, she enjoys spending time with her daughter. She enjoys gardening, dog sports, crafting, and repurposing, as well as reading.
Dr. Kutzer is an apprentice-level beekeeper through the Virginia State Beekeepers Association. She has quite a zoo at home. She has 2 dogs: Stella and Tofu. There are also 3 cats: Winnie, Bunny, and Jaspurr. Dr. Kutzer enjoys training with Stella, and they are currently working on agility.
Our Staff
Debbie Houpt
Licensed veterinary technician
Emma Hall
Veterinary Assistant
Grace Vecchio
Kennel Attendant
Tonya Marafka
Office Manager
Mikala Barnhart
Client Service Representative
Sean Brady
Kennel Attendant
Debbie Houpt
Debbie has been part of the Freed Veterinary Hospital team since January 2010, but she’s been working with animals for as long as she can remember—whether it had fur, feathers, scales, or a suspicious glint in its eye. She graduated from Blue Ridge Community College in 2003 with an Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology and has been wrangling creatures (and coworkers) ever since.
At home, Debbie is proudly owned by four Shelties:
🐾 Skye – her no-nonsense service dog
🐾 Willow – a psychiatric service dog who takes her job very seriously
🐾 Holly – a therapy dog with a herding obsession (everything is herdable if you try hard enough)
🐾 Raven – the baby of the group who’s convinced that literally everyone is a sheep
All four dogs hold Canine Good Citizen titles, which is a polite way of saying they behave better than most people in public. They spend their weekends walking on the beach, frolicking in the park, attending training classes, and showing off their moves in agility and nose work basically, they have a fuller social calendar than most humans.
Her dream vacation spot? Somewhere not too hot, not too cold, with lots of trees, a babbling brook, and all-you-can-eat everything—except salad or anything green pretending to be food.
When she’s not out with her dogs, Debbie enjoys movie marathons, quiet music, and handing out world-class belly rubs—to Skye, Willow, Holly, and Raven, who all firmly believe they are royalty and Debbie is their full-time, unpaid massage therapist.
Speaking of massages—Debbie’s professional interests include surgery, dentistry, ultrasound, laser therapy, animal massage therapy, and rehabilitation exercises. Whether she’s assisting in surgery, working on those pearly canine whites, or guiding a dog through its post-op rehab like a tiny, fuzzy athlete, she’s in her element. If it helps an animal feel better, recover faster, or wag harder—she’s all in. Just don’t hand her the kale chips while she’s doing it.
What keeps Debbie motivated? Making a real difference. There’s nothing better than helping a sick pet recover and seeing the tail wags (or purrs, or happy squeals) when they’re reunited with their family. She also loves that no two days are ever the same—and sometimes, no two hours. The controlled chaos of veterinary medicine suits her perfectly, and she thrives in an environment full of teamwork, quick thinking, and caffeine.
Over the years, Debbie’s worked with just about every animal you can name: dogs, cats, tigers, otters, badgers, bobcats, antelope, llamas, goats, and sheep. And yes, she has stories. Lots of them.
Her biggest lesson after all these years? Take a deep breath, step back, and think. And if that doesn’t work, hug a dog… or four.
Emma Hall
Emma joined our team in November of 2023 and has been thriving on caffeine, dog hair, and pure chaos ever since. She’s married to her incredibly patient husband Ashton (who deserves hazard pay), and together they’re raising one future legend and three fur-covered agents of mayhem who may or may not be plotting world domination.
First, there’s Augmund, a 55-pound Belgian Malinois with the intensity of a tactical SWAT officer and the work ethic of someone who definitely thinks he’s employed. He doesn’t just play fetch—he demands it like it’s a hostage negotiation. Augmund is a tightly packed bundle of muscle, mission, and mild paranoia, and if you’ve ever thought “that dog looks like he could operate heavy machinery,” it was probably him.
Then there’s Koldis, a Great Pyrenees/Aussie mix who moves through life like a mystical carpet with opinions. She’s soft, stubborn, and built like a sentient throw pillow with a deeply ingrained suspicion of joggers. She gives off the energy of someone who would ghost you mid-conversation and then act like you disappeared.
Overseeing them both with velvet paws and nuclear judgment is Skylar, a long-haired domestic cat who doesn’t walk—she glides. She’s not a pet; she’s a lifestyle. She has her own schedule, her own throne (formerly known as “the kitchen table”), and a level of sass that makes middle schoolers look shy. Skylar doesn’t knock things off the counter by accident. It’s a message.
On weekends, Emma says she likes hiking or going to the beach with the dogs. What actually happens is a live-action adventure movie: Koldis wanders off like a philosophical sheep, Augmund tries to arrest the tide, and someone (usually Emma) ends up wet, sandy, and re-evaluating their life choices.
Her dream vacation? Scuba diving between tectonic plates in Iceland, because after managing a Belgian Malinois, she figured chilling underwater, where the Earth is literally cracking, is the only way to find peace without someone demanding a snack.
After a long day, Emma relaxes with a good book, a fuzzy blanket, and the mild threat of being stared at by Skylar until she shifts 2 inches to the left so Her Majesty can sit down.
Emma loves working here because of the amazing bonds she builds with clients and their wonderfully quirky fur companions—especially the frequent fliers who walk in like they pay rent and request their usual exam room. The most rewarding part of her job? That glorious moment when something finally works after multiple failures, a whispered curse, and at least one dramatic sigh that echoes through the building.
Her most useful career advice came from a coworker and should probably be printed on a stress ball:
“Stop. Take a deep breath. Spin like a confused ballerina. Stomp like you just stepped on a Lego. Curse silently (preferably in multiple languages). Then try again—because somehow, it always works.”
Final thoughts from Emma’s fur children:
Skylar says: “Emma thinks she’s in charge. Cute. I’m the real boss. Bow down and maybe—just maybe—I won’t launch an ankle attack at 3am.”
Augmund adds:
“I protect the house, demand snacks like a boss, and yes—I will chase every ball until further notice. Emma? She’s my loyal human servant.“
Koldis concludes:
“I’m mostly here for the cuddles and occasional squirrel patrol. If you see me staring off into space, don’t worry—I’m just philosophizing about snacks.”
Grace Vecchio
Grace joined our team in June of 2025, and ever since then, the clinic’s energy has hovered somewhere between “excited puppy” and “cat on catnip.” She’s married to Jake, a man bold enough to rule a household where three feisty kittens reign supreme. Together, they share their home with three bottle-baby rescue kittens who quickly claimed their forever spot:
🐾 Skye – her no-nonsense service dog
🐾 Willow – a psychiatric service dog who takes her job very seriously
🐾 Holly – a therapy dog with a herding obsession (everything is herdable if you try hard enough)
🐾 Raven – the baby of the group, who’s convinced that literally everyone is a sheep
Grace’s weekends are typically spent participating in Olympic-level napping with her cats, who kindly allow her to share the bed if she doesn’t move too much. When not snoozing, she’s either binge-watching TV or channeling her inner chef (with a smoke alarm standing by, just in case).
Her dream vacations? She’s torn between stuffing her face with pasta across Italy like a carb-fueled travel blogger or becoming one with the wilderness in Alaska—ideally with a sled dog team, a cozy cabin, and zero Wi-Fi so no one can ask her to do anything.
Grace’s favorite part of working here? The never-ending fashion show of dogs drooly, fluffy, wiggly, grumpy, majestic, and mildly confused. Helping them strut out the door like four-legged superstars is what makes her day.
One of the top lessons she’s picked up from her coworkers is how to maintain her zen, which is especially impressive when you’re being serenaded by a howling husky and a stressed-out chihuahua in stereo.
Grace shows up every day, genuinely excited to meet new pets and their people… though let’s be honest, mostly the pets.
According to her cats, “She leaves us every day to pet other animals. We’re filing a formal complaint.”
Mikala Barnhart
Mikala joined our team in April of 2025 with a smile on her face and a dog named Murphy, who is absolutely convinced he’s her firstborn child (and honestly, he’s not wrong). He’s a mixed-breed mystery with the charm of a toddler on a sugar rush and a personal mission to leave fur on every surface known to man.
When Mikala’s not helping pets and their people, she’s either beachside pretending she’s in a travel ad or camping like a wilderness pro — with snacks, obviously. Her ultimate relaxation recipe? Blanket burrito + good book + more snacks = peace.
Her favorite part of working here? Getting to meet all the adorable floofs, wigglebutts, and their humans. Most rewarding part? That superhero moment when she makes a same-day appointment happen like it’s NBD. (Spoiler: it’s always a big deal. She just makes it look easy.)
Mikala came to us with little vet-world experience, but she picked things up faster than a Lab chasing a tennis ball. Thanks to her awesome teammates, she now runs the front desk like it’s mission control at NASA — but with more barking.
Just don’t ask her to choose a favorite coworker. That spot’s already taken by Murphy, and he’s not sharing.
Sean Brady
Born and raised in Hampton, Virginia, Sean is the youngest of five kids, which basically means he mastered the art of patience, negotiation, and finding the last slice of pizza. In June 2025, Sean officially joined the Freed Veterinary Hospital team, bringing his lifelong love for animals—especially the kind that show up with big eyes, bigger personalities, and energy levels that could power a small city.
At home, Sean is outnumbered by his own personal zoo. There’s Oscar, a genius-level Havanese who may or may not be plotting to take over the world; Misha, a chihuahua mix with enough sass to start her own reality show; and two cats—Ozzy, a full-grown tabby the size of a carry-on suitcase, and Pumpkin, a tiny tabby who was supposed to be “just visiting” and then never left.
Over the last two years, Sean and his family have heroically trapped, tamed, and rehomed 17 kittens from the local cat colony. (Technically 18, but Pumpkin used her cuteness as a hostage negotiation tactic.) The mother cats were also safely spayed and returned to their neighborhood turf like the fuzzy little warriors they are.
When he’s not at the hospital, Sean enjoys hanging out with family, friends, and his four-legged freeloaders. He also values something called sleep, though his pets have filed several formal complaints about that. Dream vacation? Australia’s Great Barrier Reef—where he hopes to swim with the fish, not be eaten by one.
Tonya Marafka
Tonya joined us in January 2019 and has been rocking the vet world ever since. She recently graduated Magna Cum Laude in November 2024 with her Associate’s Degree for Veterinary Technician—because apparently saving animals was not enough, she had to add “honor student” to her résumé too.
At home, Tonya juggles a wild and wonderful mix of humans and animals. There’s her husband Greg (brave soul), her two grown daughters Alyssa and Hannah, one adorable grandson named Rhyatt, and a four-legged squad that could easily qualify as its own reality show. Odin, the lovable Great Dane, thinks he’s a lap dog despite his size. Cujo the Chiweenie, who thinks he runs the place. Calypso and Diablo, her tiny-but-mighty Chihuahuas, bring the drama and the volume. And then there’s Eclipse and Brooke—the cats who silently judge your life choices from across the room.
On weekends, Tonya prefers peace, quiet, and absolutely no alarm clocks. She’s a fan of naps, movies, and pretending she’s on top of a remote mountain with no cell service. After a long day of saving pets and solving problems, she crashes on the couch—well, technically, she claims a sliver of cushion while Odin, her 140-pound Great Dane, stretches out like he pays rent. In one hand: a cold Mountain Dew. In the other: a Stephen King novel full of haunted hotel hallways, demonic clowns, and characters who make such terrible choices she feels instantly better about hers. It’s her version of self-care—equal parts caffeine, canine, and creepy fiction.
Her favorite thing about working here? “I get to be myself!” she says—thankfully, because we wouldn’t want her any other way. She’s constantly learning, trying new things, and making a real difference in the lives of the pets we care for. The most rewarding part of her job is knowing she’s helped give an animal the care it deserves—bonus points if they wag, purr, or headbutt her after.
Top lesson from Dr. Kutzer? Take a breath and pause—you can’t control what other people do or think, but you can decide how much you let it bother you. And that it’s perfectly acceptable to walk away, regroup, and come back with your crown straight and your sarcasm calibrated.
Spoox
Spoox is our resident troublemaker and self-appointed therapy cat! Most of the day, he can be found wandering around the hospital looking for mischievous activities to do. When not running around with toys in his mouth, laying on charts, or rearranging syringes, he spends his free time giving therapy sessions to all those he believes could use it.
Spedward
Spedward is our newest resident and a special needs boy due to a very rough start in life. Most of the day, you can find him under our feet and in our way, playing with anything that catches his eye, and learning how to be the greatest troublemaker from his older brother Spoox. Spedward is the definition of “living in the moment” and reminds us daily to appreciate the small things.
Artemis
If you have ever found yourself in our lobby, you have probably met our resident flirt, Artemis. When she is not lounging on her throne in Tonya’s office or screaming at her for food, she can be found seeking the loving attention of any and all available humans or dilegently waiting on her orange cat boyfriend, Fabio, to visit her.
