Meet Our Staff

Hans Bernhard, DVM

Dr. Bernhard is a Raleigh native. He has been a member of the Holly Springs Veterinary Hospital team since completing veterinary school at North Carolina State University in 2005. In 2018, he joined forces with NC based Vets Pets veterinary management group to become a managing partner at Holly Springs Veterinary Hospital. He has a deep passion for client, employee, and patient care.

Away from the office, “Dr. B” loves spending time with his husband Mitch and their two children, Eva and Landon – often taking trips to the beach or traveling to the nearest baseball park to watch a game. During the winter, he enjoys traveling to the most majestic mountain he can find to go downhill skiing. His personal pets include dogs, Molly & Belle and cats, Myrtle & Stormy.

Aaron Tolhurst, DVM

Dr. Tolhurst is a 2012 graduate of the North Carolina State University – College of Veterinary Medicine, where he focused his studies in small animal medicine. His particular interests include preventive medicine and surgery. Prior to attending veterinary school, he received a BS degree in Biology in 2003 from Penn State Erie – The Behrend College in Erie, Pennsylvania. He moved to North Carolina in 2008 and still misses the snowy Pennsylvania winters.

When not at work, Dr. Tolhurst enjoys home improvement projects, relaxing outdoors, and spending time with his wife and their cat named Miles.

Garrett Bredar, DVM

Dr. Bredar graduated from Morehead State University with a bachelor’s degree before completing his veterinary medical degree at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Bredar has a strong interest in surgery, wound management, and dermatology. He enjoys the challenge of helping patients that can’t talk to you and loves developing a connection with clients by helping their pets.

In his spare time, he enjoys hiking with his wife Alex and their dog Chewbacca. When not at work or on the trail, you will find Dr. Bredar cooking or out playing sports.

Katie Jackson, DVM

Meet Dr. Katie Jackson, a dynamic vet who’s journeyed from the rolling hills of North Carolina to California’s Central Valley to the snowy settings of Vermont, expertly handling everything from cows, sheep, goats, llamas and alpacas to toy poodles. A Chapel Hill native and a double alumna of NCSU, Dr. Jackson completed an 8-year stint at her alma mater, earning a B.S. in Animal Science and then her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2014. She is now back in the Raleigh area, juggling life with her husband, daughter and twin boys, while fondly remembering her beloved dogs, Honey and Kailey. She loves general practice for the variety and ability to focus on preventive medicine but also has a budding interest in dermatology. Dr. Jackson likes to combine humor with heartfelt care, ensuring everyone feels welcome. She is happy to have any uninterrupted free time at the moment and hopes to continue baking her way through life!

Sandi Foley, Practice Manager

Sandi was born and raised in the Midwest. Sandi just joined our team in November of 2020. Her previous veterinary positions allowed her to transition into the hospital and team with ease.
Growing up Sandi had horses, dogs, and farm cats. She learned how to care for, respect, and appreciate animals at a young age. Her passion for animals continued to grow and she eventually became a horse trainer and instructor which allowed her a flexible schedule while raising a family.

Her goal at HSVH is to ensure that our clients’ as well as their pets’ needs are met. Sometimes situations are difficult and stressful, but she does her best to make each client feel welcome and comfortable. When not at work, she’s an outdoorsy girl at heart. You can find her on the water (skiing, tubing, or just relaxing) or in the mountains (hiking, camping, or snow skiing). You can always find her two Aussies tagging along as well, Mr. Snix and Sapphire. She feels blessed that the HSVH team has opened their arms to her and allowed her to share her love of animals and experience with them.

Ivy, RVT

Ivy was born and raised in Chapel Hill. She graduated from UNCG with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. She then went to Penn Foster to obtain her Veterinary Technician degree. She obtained her RVT licensure in May of this year. She has been working in veterinary medicine for 10 years and has always enjoyed working with animals. She just started here at Holly Springs Veterinary Hospital in July and loves it here. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, 3 dogs and 2 cats. She also enjoys reading and going to concerts.

Avery, Veterinary Assistant

Avery was raised in Southport, NC. She has always had a passion for working with all types of animals from cats and dogs to horses and exotics. Avery has two small dogs, Sasha and Rascal, two cats and two reptiles. Avery is currently attending the Veterinary Technician program at Penn Foster College and plans to become an RVT upon graduating. Outside of work Avery enjoys spending time with her animals, reading, and doing arts and crafts.

Karina, Veterinary Assistant

Karina was born and raised in Puerto Rico and moved recently to the area from Miami, Florida. She has her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Minor in Chemistry from Florida State University. She is also fluent in Spanish. In her free time, she likes to bake, travel, and go to concerts. This is her first job in veterinary medicine and hopes to continue learning and growing in the field for a long time.

Perry, Veterinary Assistant/Receptionist

Perry is a student at NC State University majoring in Animal Science with a minor in Zoology. She is currently working as both a receptionist and veterinary assistant. She aspires to become a veterinarian in the future! At home, Perry has two cats named Nahla and Bowie that keep her hands full!

Deborah, Receptionist

Deborah was born in Oxford, UK and has been in the U.S. since 1981, living in several states. Deborah has four children: Heather, Jeremy, Olivia and Miles, and five dogs: Jasper, Lucie, Oreo, Lola and Eazel. Deborah has always loved animals and has been a foster mom for dogs and horses. She enjoys walking, camping, swimming, gardening (flowers) and horse riding.

Taylor, Kennel Tech

Hi, I’m Taylor and I’m a junior in High School. My hobbies are spending time
with family and friends, watching movies, and wrestling. I am currently on the
women’s varsity wrestling team. I love all animals, big and small. Especially my
2 doodles, Sadie and Bentley!

Harper, Kennel Tech

Hello! My name is Harper Rains and I am a junior in high school. I have two dogs, a Siberian Husky and a Lab mix. I absolutely love dogs and my favorite
part of being a kennel technician is working and taking care of new furry
friends each weekend. When I get older I hope to work in the stem field for
environmental sustainability.

Caitlyn, Kennel Tech 

Born in Holly Springs NC, Caitlyn is a student with many talents; one of which
is caring for animals! In her free time, she likes to express her artistic
abilities, and travel around the world with her mother and dog Fluffy! In the
future, she plans to learn and grow more in the animal care world, and hopes to
explore more of what the earth has to offer!

Aurora, Kennel Tech 

Born and raised in Holly Springs, North Carolina, Aurora is currently a senior
in High school with big dreams of attending North Carolina State University to
pursue a major in zoology. With a deep love for animals, Aurora finds joy in
caring for and providing support to our adorable animal companions.
When she’s not busy at the kennel, you can find her unleashing her creativity
through drawing using various mediums such as pencil, gauche, and charcoal. And
her love for animals extends beyond work, as she enjoys going on bike rides and
long walks with her two dogs, Bella and Zoey.

R.”Skyler” Ford, Veterinary Assistant

Skyler was born and raised in Utah. He recently joined the team in November 2023. His experience as a Combat Medic in the US Army and Firefighter/EMT has been very helpful to our veterinary staff in areas where human medicine and veterinary medicine overlap. Skyler has a young daughter named KK and two dogs, a Silver Labrador Retriever named Dallas and a Great Dane named Jazzy. He enjoys spending his time outdoors with his family and watching his two favorite sport teams, the Utah Jazz basketball team and the Dallas Cowboys football team. 

William 

William grew up in Illinois. He has been volunteering with humane societies for six years and was awarded for his dedication to caring for animals. In his free time he enjoys creating art, jewelry, embroidery and playing board games with friends.