Dr. Edward Zak graduated from University of Guelph Ontario Veterinary College in Canada in 1968.  Upon graduation,  Dr. Zak worked with large animals and in the horse racing industry on the northeastern coast.  After establishing several small animal hospitals, he and his wife, Cindy, settled in the Shenandoah Valley in 1990.  Dr. Zak has enjoyed a wonderful career in the veterinary profession.  In his free time, he and his wife spend time with their 2 children, Helen and Ryan, as well as their various pets, both furry and fowl!

Dr. Eileen Whitten came to Edgewater Animal Hospital in October 2004.  She graduated from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 1996 and practiced in Virginia and North Carolina before moving to Rockbridge County.  Her husband, Jim, works at Virginia Military Institute as a physical education teacher.  Together they have a 21-year-old daughter, Mandolin, and a 20-year-old son, Luke, as well as 1 dog named LaLa.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and reading.

Growing up in Rockbridge County on a horse farm, Dr. Jefferies always wanted to become a veterinarian. She got her bachelor’s degree at Virginia Tech in Animal and Poultry Sciences and received her DVM at Virginia Tech.  Being a staunch Hokie, she attends most home football games and can be heard cheering them on.   An adventurer at heart,  Dr. Jefferies enjoys snowboarding,  hiking with her two rescue dogs, scuba diving, and she has traveled  to Europe and South America. Her plans are to travel the world.

Autumn is a 2018 graduate of Rockbridge County High School. She graduated from Blue Ridge Community College in 2021 with her Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology. Autumn received her Fear Free Certification in 2020. She enjoys hiking, kayaking, riding ATVs, and spending lots of time on the water and in the sun. She has four dogs: Bentley, Durango, MaeMae, and Marlo. She also has one cat: Samson.

Charissa graduated from Bridgewater College in 2012 with her Bachelor’s of Science in Biology. She graduated from Blue Ridge Community College and received her associate’s degree of Applied Science and Veterinary Technology in May 2016, and began working at Edgewater upon graduation. Her favorite thing to do in practice is to perform dental cleanings. She enjoys fly fishing, hiking, traveling, and spending time with her husband and their dogs: Elwood and Opie.

Mary graduated in 2008 from Blue Ridge Community College with her associate’s degree of Applied Science and Veterinary Technology and has been working in veterinary medicine for over 18 years. She especially enjoys building strong client relationships and providing individualized care for each owner and pet she meets. When she is not working, Mary enjoys spending time at home on her family’s beef cattle farm. Along with her husband, Donald, they have three young children, two German Shepherds, and three cats along with a large variety of chickens.

Lauren is originally from Fort Worth, Texas and moved to Virginia in January 2023 to be with family. She has one beautiful 15-year-old daughter and one crazy yellow lab mix: Paxton. For most of her career, she has been a special education teacher. After COVID, she left teaching to pursue her second passion: animals. She hopes to continue gaining experience at Edgewater Animal Hospital as she takes online courses to achieve her veterinary technician license. When she is not working, she enjoys hiking with her family, traveling, and cooking.