R.E.A.C.H. Veterinarians

Dr. Randy Wetzel

From Pittsburgh, PA, and a family of six, Randy graduated from Northland College in Ashland, WI. After receiving a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry, he went on to study at the University of TN College of Veterinary Medicine. His first year as a graduate was spent in small animal general practice. He has since focused on emergency medicine and has been one of the overnight doctors at R.E.A.C.H. since 2000. His interests include biking, backpacking, and environmental issues. A compassionate and skilled doctor, Randy is an asset to the R.E.A.C.H. team and a mentor for technical staff members. His motto is "Work hard, play hard, and never, never, never, never give up." (Winston Churchill)

Dr. Michael Jackson

Dr. Jackson & Brett

I am a 1973 graduate of Michigan State University. The past 27 years of my career were spent operating a small animal practice in central Michigan. With the last of my two children finishing school and out of the house this year, my wife and I decided it was time to make a lifestyle change so the practice was sold, the summer was spent traveling throughout the country, and we settled into the Asheville area. Emergency medicine is not entirely new for me in that for many years all the after hour calls in my local area were covered by a rotation system among the five clinics in town. However, my first love for an after hour emergency medical facility came with the opening of an after hour clinic in a nearby town. I fell in love with that facility – SOMEONE ELSE WAS STAYING UP ALL NIGHT DOING IT! We picked Asheville to live because of many things – the outdoor recreation opportunities, the climate, the mountains, and the culture to list the obvious. I sold my practice, house, and yes even the snow blower and here I am looking forward to staying up all night performing emergency medicine as well.

Dr. Gibson and Megan

Dr. Katie Gibson

I am a 2006 graduate of the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University. After graduating from vet school, I spent a year doing a rotating small animal internship at Carolina Veterinary Specialists in Greensboro, NC. This is where I developed my love of emergency medicine and surgery. After my internship I went into general practice where I saw both small animals and exotics. My husband and I were both eager to return to the mountains where we first met while I attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville for my undergraduate degree. This is how I found myself back in beautiful Asheville, NC working at R.E.A.C.H. R.E.A.C.H. is exactly the kind of hospital I was looking for! I have 3 dogs, 3 cats, a reef tank, and about 50 dart frogs (which are non-toxic) that keep me entertained while I'm not working. I also enjoy running with my dogs, kayaking, hiking, swimming, and eating good food.

Dr. Jeff Johansson

Dr. Jeff Johansson

I am a graduate of the University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine.  After my veterinary degree, I completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Washington State University.  I enjoyed life in the northwest, but found myself longing for family, friends, and the natural beauty of the southeast.   In 2001, I took a position as an associate veterinarian at an emergency hospital in Columbia, South Carolina, and have since been focused on emergency medicine and critical care.  In 2007, my wife and I relocated to Asheville, and I have been part of the R.E.A.C.H. of Asheville team since January 2007.

In my spare time, I enjoy writing and playing music, reading, traveling, and being outdoors.  I am an avid enthusiast of blues music and how the music of the South has had such a profound influence on world music and history.  I have traveled extensively in the U.S. and Europe and spent two years in southern Sweden, studying Swedish language and culture.

Emergency medicine is many things – it can be fast-paced or slow on any given night, some cases can challenge every bit of knowledge gained over the years and still end in frustration, others can be more straightforward and ‘by the book,’ but no two animals are ever the same, and every night is a different set of challenges.  I never tire of the ability to serve animals and owners in a time of great need, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with so many talented and compassionate people.   

Dr. Judi Krauskopf

Dr. Judi Krauskopf

Dr. Judi Krauskopf graduated in 1990 from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatchewan, Canada. She has worked in various locales over the years. She discovered her passion in emergency medicine while working in Boulder, Colorado then Tacoma, Washington. Her other passions are the outdoors, exploring, and traveling. She loves the Appalachian mountain trails, the climate of Western North Carolina, and the many friends she has found here.