Meet Our Doctors

Deborah “Debbie” Sigler Deans, DVM

Associate Veterinarian

Deborah “Debbie” Sigler Deans, DVM, received her BS in Biology at UNC-Chapel Hill in 1991 and then attended NCSU-CVM to receive her DVM degree in 1995. She continued her education with an internship at the University of Pennsylvania from 1995-1996. She has practiced in Annapolis, Baltimore, Abingdon, and Brookeville, MD. Dr. Deans’ special interest is in exotic pets (birds, small mammals, and reptiles). She has been working with exotic pets for 30 years and stays up-to-date on the latest medical advancements. She also greatly enjoys caring for dogs and cats, in particular internal medicine, behavior, and pain management.

Dr. Deans and her husband, David, have 2 adult children and 2 grandchildren. David is a home inspector, they enjoy outdoor activities, such as camping, hiking, kayaking, and canoeing, as well as a good movie. Dr. Deans enjoys exercising and she brings compassion, energy, and knowledge to Bennett Creek Animal Hospital. She spends most of her free time with family and doing church activities.

Jeff Walcoff, DVM

Owner

Dr. Walcoff grew up in Montgomery County and began working toward opening a new animal hospital in Clarksburg in 2003. He and his family are pleased to offer the greater Clarksburg area the same high-quality veterinary medicine and pet care he has been providing his clients for over 30 years.

Dr. Walcoff is a graduate of Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda and Washington University in St. Louis. He earned his doctor of veterinary medicine with honors from the prestigious Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine in New York.

Dr. Walcoff began his career in Miami, Florida at a 24-hour multi-doctor practice where he obtained extensive emergency training as well as quality medical and surgical skills. Dr. Walcoff relocated back to his roots in Maryland to a large multi-doctor hospital in Annapolis where he practiced for 4 years. In September of 2000, he and his wife, Sheila, built and opened Old Farm Veterinary Hospital, a full-service veterinary hospital in Frederick, Maryland. He practiced full time at Old Farm until February 2008 when they sold the hospital. Dr. and Mrs. Walcoff have two young sons, and share their home with a black Labrador named Rosie, and a Maltese named Nola.

Mrs. Walcoff is a health and science lawyer and the Founding Principal of Goldbug Strategies LLC. She is a recognized regulatory policy expert in personalized medicine and genomics.

Kelly Hinkle, DVM

Dr. Kelly Hinkle was born and raised in Montgomery County. She attended the University of Delaware and received her Bachelor of Science in animal science. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from St. George’s University in Grenada and got to complete her clinical year at the University of Tennessee.

Dr. Hinkle then started working right away at a busy mixed animal emergency practice in Central Pennsylvania. She saw everything from horses, cows, pigs, dogs, cats, goats, chickens, and even a bobcat. She then moved back to Maryland and worked strictly with companion animals and small mammals for about 2 years. After that she was able to pursue her passion for emergency medicine at a large local hospital. She hopes to continue to pursue that passion with Bennett Creek.

In her off time, Dr. Hinkle loves travelling, skiing, and hiking. She also enjoys hanging out with her two dogs (Maizie and Addie).

Matthew Felrice, DVM

Dr. Matthew Felrice grew up in Montgomery Village and graduated from Watkins Mill High School. He attended Northwestern University in Evanston, IL and graduated with honors in 1998 with a degree in Neurobiology. Dr. Felrice is a 2003 graduate of Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine and has worked in Montgomery County as a veterinarian since he graduated veterinary school.

His veterinary interests include medicine and surgery with dogs, cats, small mammals, bird, and reptiles. Other areas of specialty include emergency medicine, dentistry, and ultrasound.

Dr. Felrice lives nearby in Boyds, MD with his wife Erin and their two boys, Leo and Dylan. He has one dog, a Shorkie Poo named Sophia, and two cats named Rayne and Sage. He enjoys bowling, all word games, local team sports (Orioles, Commanders, Capitals, and Wizards), going on bike rides and hikes with his family, and playing softball.

Noel Pena, DVM

Dr. Noël Peña grew up in Long Island, NY, and then lived in Concord, NC, before undergrad. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Zoology and earned dual minors in Chemistry and Spanish. Afterwards, she earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from North Carolina State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, where she was awarded for her dedication to learning exotic veterinary medicine. Dr. Peña moved to Maryland almost two years ago to begin working with the amazing team here at Bennett Creek. Her special interests include exotic pets (birds, small mammals, and reptiles), ultrasonography, and surgery. She is also passionate about both mental health and diversity in the veterinary field.

Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Peña enjoys strategy board games, weightlifting, hiking, reading, and finding new local cafes to enjoy. She currently lives with her three guinea pigs (Tater, Boba, and Pancake).