Meet Our Team
Ballston Quarter
Lydia Hoeppner Center Director
Lydia comes to Heart + Paw Ballston Quarter with more than a decade of veterinary experience. She initially started work at a wildlife veterinary hospital specializing in avian and small mammal patients located in Southwest Virginia. She helped rescue and rehabilitate patients as small as Ruby Throated Hummingbirds up to as large as Bald Eagles and Black Bear cubs. Branching out to work into small animal veterinary practice, she began working with dogs, cats, pocket pets, and reptiles while attending Virginia Tech to study Biology. As Center Director, Lydia has focused on facilitating the high standards of care and fostering a culture of treating pets like family. At home, she has two wonderful and occasionally wild cats, Ophelia and Daffodil.
Jessica Stylist
Hello! My name is Jessica, I’ve been a groomer for more than 16 years and have worked for Heart + Paw for more than 2 years. I went into the grooming industry at 18 after working at PetSmart and watching the groomers and the work they did. I’ve always loved dogs and realized that grooming was what I wanted to do! I moved to Washington state in 2009 where I received a grooming certificate at Petco and lived and groomed there for almost 5 years before moving back to my hometown of Culpeper, VA. My favorite part of my job is getting to meet everyone’s pets! I’m knowledgeable in all breeds and I also groom cats! I have continued my grooming education through the years focusing on groomer-client relationships as it’s very important to me that both pet parent and pet are comfortable and happy when they come in and leave. At home, I have a 10-year-old daughter, a 6-year-old cat named George, and a 3-year-old bunny named Bun. I enjoy hanging out with my daughter and husband - we all like to play videos games and watch anime and movies. If you’d like to check out my work, my Instagram is @theeverydaygroomer and you can find me on Facebook here.
Ruth Stylist
Ruth Vann has 14 years of professional grooming experience. She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to ensure your pet’s grooming experience is both safe and enjoyable. She is Fear Free Certified and takes pride in being able to minimize stress and anxiety for pets during their grooming sessions. Additionally, she is advancing her skills through education in Animal Behavior to better understand and cater to each pet’s unique needs. Ruth's specialty lies in crafting a grooming experience that prioritizes the safety, comfort, and well-being of your pet while adhering to the highest standards of best practices in the industry.
Danah Veterinary Assistant
Danah has always had a passion for animals since she was young; from rescuing lost pets or bringing strays home without permission. Her favorite breed is the Mastiff. The bigger the better! This passion drove her to study Animal Behavior with a minor in Psychology. She now has a career as a veterinary assistant and has absolutely loved it for 3 years. In her free time, she loves to play wrestle with her giant French Mastiff named Lord Hamm.
Stephen Veterinary Technician
Stephen grew up in Delaware and was born with a love for animals. Always wanting to visit wildlife parks and trying to adopt every pet he sees, Stephen moved to the DMV 5 years ago to begin pursuing a career that matched his passions. After becoming an LVT, Stephen began pursuing additional schooling in pet behavior and chronic pain. When not working, Stephen enjoys spending time with his chinchilla, JoJoRo and cat, Goose as well as spending time playing video games, exploring local cideries and vineyards and spending as much time as possible at the Smithsonian zoo/museums.
Charity Care Coordinator
Charity was born in raised in Arlington, VA and has been in the Veterinary Field since 2016. Starting off in a daycare facility to be able to play with the pets, soon turned into a mission to learn more about animal health and wellness. As a child she always had some sort of furry animal, ranging from hamsters and guinea pigs, to rabbits and then dogs once her mom allowed them! Charity currently has two amazing cats by the name of Azure and Scar, who she found outside of her brother's home in 2019 as kittens. In her free time, she loves to go to the creek to unwind, visit botanical gardens if the weather allows, or watch re runs of her favorite shows/movies.