Brian Kopec, D.V.M. - Owner

Dr. Brian Kopec was born and raised in rural Sussex County, New Jersey. In 2007 he completed his undergraduate work with honors at Penn State, with a B.S. degree in Animal Bioscience. In 2011 he completed his veterinary studies at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. At Virginia Tech he focused his veterinary studies in equine medicine, surgery and reproduction. From 2011 to 2015 Dr. Kopec practiced as a staff veterinarian at Winbak Farm (Chesapeake City, MD), the largest standardbred breeding operation in the Northern Hemisphere. At this facility his patients included horses of all age ranges and multiple disciplines. He worked with the many Winbak Farm foals, weanlings, yearlings, broodmares, racehorses and stallions. In 2015 Dr. Brian and Dr. Molly Kopec purchased Kopec Veterinary Associates (formerly Henderson Veterinary Associates) and have been enjoying developing relationships with our wonderful clients and their horses ever since. In his free time, Dr. Kopec enjoys spending time with his wife (Molly), daughter (Josie Mae) and son (Moses). He likes sailing when he has a free afternoon… and there is wind! He is passionate about proper equine healthcare, nutrition, field surgery, lameness, geriatric management and everything in between. He also loves mentoring future veterinarians and veterinary technicians.

Molly C. Kopec, D.V.M. – Owner

Dr. Molly was born and raised in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania on a small farm. Tending to the family’s sheep herd and her ponies from a young age, she realized her dream to be a veterinarian. Her passion for horses and veterinary medicine were fueled by years of equine competitions, involvement in the United States Pony Clubs, and mentorship from local mixed animal veterinarians. Dr. Molly graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in Biological Science with honors, and the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, with a focus on equine medicine. As a student, she served on the veterinary team at the 2010 World Equestrian Games. She went on to complete an internship at Blue Ridge Equine Clinic in Charlottesville, Virginia, and spent several years as an associate veterinarian at Unionville Equine Associates, P.C. in Chester County, Pennsylvania before she and Dr. Brian moved to Lancaster County in 2015. Dr. Molly is certified as an FEI treating veterinarian and has served as such at Dressage at Devon, Fair Hill International, and Plantation Field International. Her professional interests include sports medicine, diagnostic imaging, and preventative medicine. Dr. Molly enjoys spending time with her family. She and Dr. Brian have a daughter, Josie Mae, and young son, Moses. They love introducing them to farm life and watching their blossoming love for animals and the outdoors. The Kopecs also enjoy giving kisses to their furry-purry cats, Little Sasquatch and Long John, 2 German Shepard’s, Chrissy and Dandy and snuzzling with their ponies, Sherlock and Little Dickey.

Heather Crather, D.V.M., cIVCA

Dr. Heather Crather was raised in Warwick, Maryland. She grew up riding and competing in local hunter/jumper circuits and continued her riding career during her undergraduate schooling by competing on the IHSA hunt seat team. In 2012 she completed her undergraduate career at Otterbein University with a B.S. in Equine Pre-Veterinary Medicine and Molecular Biology. In 2016 she completed her veterinary degree at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. At Virginia-Maryland she focused on equine medicine and podiatry. In 2019 she became certified in chiropractic care through Options for Animals and the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association. She is very excited to add this to her tool box for lameness and wellness evaluations. In her spare time Dr. Heather enjoys spending time with her dog Oscar, two cats, Slinky and Porter, outdoor activities and visiting local craft breweries.

Jess Benson, D.V.M.

Dr. Jess Benson comes to us from Arlington, Virginia. She began riding at a young age and was an active participant in the equine community teaching riding lessons and volunteering at a therapeutic riding center. She completed a Bachelor’s degree in biology at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, where she showed actively on the IHSA team. Dr. Jess received her DVM from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine with a focus on equine medicine and emergency care. After graduation, she completed a 1-year internship program at Carolina Equine Hospital near Greensboro, NC. She has a wide variety of interests within the equine field including dentistry, lameness, podiatry and geriatric care. Outside of work, Dr. Jess enjoys hiking, reading and spending time with her small menagerie including her dog Herald and cat Nike.

Camille Pinkerton, C.V.T. – Practice Manager

Camille Pinkerton is a Certified Veterinary Technician who graduated from Harcum College in 1996 after completing a practicum at University of Pennsylvania’s Veterinary Hospital and the large animal facility, New Bolton Center. After passing the veterinary technician licensing exam for the state of Pennsylvania, Camille started her career in veterinary technology in small animal practice before being able to incorporate her passion for horses into her unique field working for Henderson Veterinary Associates. She has over 20 years’ experience in the veterinary profession, is a member of the North American Veterinary Technician Association and has taught a veterinary technician lab at Harcum College. Camille has also been an avid equestrian for over 30 years. Camille enjoys spending time with her husband, Kevin, and her children Jadea and Ty. She is often seen on the sidelines of a soccer field or mountain biking trail cheering them on. She also has a cat Moonshine and an Australian Shepherd named Ariel.

Kylie Costik, C.V.T.

Kylie Costik graduated from YTI’s veterinary technician program after completing her externship with us in April 2022. Kylie completed her board exams to be a Certified Veterinary Technician, August 2022. She grew up in Dauphin County and graduated from Lower Dauphin High School in 2019. In her free time, Kylie enjoys kayaking, skiing, spending time with her assorted animals, as well as trail riding with friends and her horse Alfie.

Johnathan Zook - Veterinary Assistant

Johnathan is a recent graduate of Norwich University, the Military College of Vermont with a degree in history. As a child Johnathan would go with his father to learn from the PSP Mounted Unit and their horses, beginning his riding life and passion for horsemanship. Following that passion into College, he joined the Cavalry Unit and served as the commander while working for Dr. Sheerin at Nandi Veterinary Associates during the summers. He found his passion for the equine veterinary field in working with the foals at Nandi and wanted to grow in that field. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, working at Leg-Up Farms, and putting his history degree to work. He looks forward to working with all of the wonderful clients and the KVA team to provide the best care possible for your horses.

Carrie Long – Client Care Specialist, Social Media

Carrie is our client care specialist. She was raised in Elizabethtown, Pa. Carrie can assist you in scheduling appointments, re-ordering medications, filling out paperwork and many other miscellaneous duties. She also updates the KVA Facebook page. Carrie enjoys reading, photography and spending time with her puppy, Loretta Lynn. She has a son, Jake.

Marco Chavez – Animal Husbandry, Maintenance Extraordinaire

Marco comes to us from Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico – the winter migration destination of the beautiful Monarch butterfly, and the largest exporters of avocado in the world. Marco expertly handles our hospitalized patients of all breeds and ages. He tends to their feeding and keeps their stalls in immaculate condition. He has a careful and watchful eye for issues or concerns regarding the horses under our care. Marco also keeps our grounds impeccably maintained. Marco enjoys listening to music, bicycling, traveling, and keeping in touch with his family. When he is home, in Mexico, he loves spending time with his beloved dogs.

Long John – Vermin Patrol, Security

Long John started with Kopec Veterinary Associates in December 2015. He is very passionate about his career and is a team player. In his spare time, Long John enjoys napping, eating and pouncing.

Chrysanthemum and Dandelion – Surveillance

Chrysanthemum and Dandelion (The Girls) joined Kopec Veterinary Associates in the Fall of 2020. They take their work very seriously and can be seen roaming the property at KVA. When off duty, The Girls enjoy chasing a ball, running and playing with the Kopec’s children.