Meet Our Team

Jennifer Shults

Emergency Veterinarian

• Dr. Jennifer Shults graduated from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2009 after earning undergraduate degrees in biochemistry and chemistry from the same university. She completed a 1 year rotating small animal internship at Southpaws Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Center in June 2010.  After completing her internship, Dr. Shults practiced emergency medicine in Cary, NC, but continued to have a love of imaging and lameness. She completed her Canine Rehabilitation Therapist Certification in July 2013 from Canine Rehab Institute, and then opened her own rehabilitation practice in October, sharing a building with emergency and surgical practices. She purchased the emergency practice in May 2014, moved with the surgical practice to a new facility in October 2016.
• Dr. Shults is currently completing an alternative track residency in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation.  Dr. Shults also serves as the Immediate Past President and Legislative Chair for the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association and enjoys networking with other veterinarians across the state.
• Dr. Shults enjoys working with a wide variety of cases in rehabilitation practice, from senior dogs to young working dogs, whether they need management of degenerative joint disease, are recovering from surgery or an injury, or need a program to keep them healthy and minimize injury. She continues to work in emergency, particularly focusing on ultrasound and endoscopy and helping the other doctors improve their skills in these modalities.

Stefanie Batts

Emergency Veterinarian

• BS in Animal Science at NC State University
• DVM from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine
• Completed Small Animal Rotation Internship with focus in Emergency Medicine at the Center for Veterinary Specialty Care in Dallas, TX
• Dr. Batts has a special interest in Management of critically ill patients; emergency soft tissue surgeries; management of endocrine diseases like diabetes mellitus, Addison’s disease, and Cushing’s disease.
• She loves gardening, traveling, and walking on the greenway with her rescue Plott hound, Dixie. Dr. Batts is also an avid Carolina Panthers fan.

Emily Yunker

Emergency Veterinarian, Veterinary Herbalist

• DVM from Auburn University
• Veterinary Herbal Medicine training with Purple Moon Herbs and Studies
• Emily lives in Pittsboro with her husband, three children, and two cats. They all love to spend long afternoons in the woods near their home. She loves cats and tea.

Jennifer Oldson

Emergency Veterinarian

Rachel Kakas

Emergency Veterinarian

Lauren Whitley

Rehabilitation Veterinarian

• Dr. Lauren Whitley received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) in 2006 from North Carolina State University after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology in 2003.
• She pursued further training as a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner (CCRP) through the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine shortly after graduation, completing the program in 2010. Dr. Whitley also obtained certification in Veterinary Medical Acupuncture (cVMA) in 2013 through Colorado State University. She has returned to the program (now known as Curacore Integrative Medicine and Education Center) several times to assist in teaching students as a clinical preceptor.
• She has a particular interest in orthopedics, neurology, and geriatric care. In her free time, Dr Whitley enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, baking, running, and learning to play the piano.

Kerry Quinn

Practice Manager

• Emergency room nurse who made the switch to emergency veterinary medicine in 2019.
• Loves spending time with her family and her 2 Boston Terriers Jack & Gin. Enjoys traveling to St. Marteen and watching reality TV shows like Survivor and Big Brother.

Curtis Miller

Client Experience Manager

• Mr. Miller was born in Chicago and grew up in South Florida, Curtis started his career in veterinary medicine in 1987 with Simmons Veterinary Clinic.
• After 10 years there, he moved to NC and continued managing a practice in Conover NC.
• He’s worked in a wide variety of veterinary practices up and down the East Coast including large Emergency, General practice hospitals and Mixed animal practices. Curtis is focused on spending time with his close friends and talking to his family in Germany and Colorado.

Martha Payne

Rehabilitation Staff Supervisor

• Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Science and Master’s of Animal Science from NC State University.
• Competes in dock diving, agility, and disc with her pack of Australian Cattle Dogs and has a particular
  interest in fitness and sports conditioning for active and working dogs. Also thoroughly enjoys working
  with senior patients and patients recovering from injury.
• Spends her free time training and conditioning her dogs and spends most of her weekends competing in
  dog sports along the east coast.