Dr. Christie Wiles

Medical Director/Partner

Dr. Christie Wiles grew up outside of Philadelphia in the town of West Chester, Pennsylvania. She got an early start as an animal lover, knocking on her neighbors’ doors to pet their cats and pleading with her parents for riding lessons until they finally relented. This love of animals grew into a passion for veterinary medicine, and she set her sights on a veterinary degree from a very young age.

Dr. Wiles attended Virginia Tech for her undergraduate studies, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Animal & Poultry Sciences. She was awarded a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Purdue University in 2014. Her professional interests include internal medicine, dentistry, feline medicine, and dermatology.

Dr. Wiles truly believes in the human-animal bond. There is nothing like the love we share with our pets. Our pets are integral parts of our lives and families, and Dr. Wiles takes joy in fostering relationships between clients and furry family members alike. She has a passion for providing high-quality medicine to her patients and enjoys client education and working closely with families to tailor their pet’s healthcare to fit their specific needs.

Dr. Wiles and her husband Marcus met at Virginia Tech, where they cheered for the Hokies together for four years before finally deciding to date after college. They have two wonderful sons named Caleb and Brooks, and an ever-changing menagerie of animals that currently includes two playful felines named Riley and Izzy. Christie likes to keep Marcus guessing when the next furry family member might arrive home with her!

The Wiles clan moved to Johns Island from Maryland in 2021 and have been captivated by the island lifestyle. Dr. Wiles was drawn in by the siren song of marsh grasses, crashing surf, and sunny skies, and she has fallen in love with the Sea Islands. In her free time, Dr. Wiles enjoys paddleboarding, yoga, hiking, riding her Peloton, gourmet cooking, and spending time with her family on the beach or camping in the mountains. She feels privileged to be able to provide quality medical care to your furry family members as your veterinarian at Salt Marsh Animal Hospital!

Dr. Samantha Thompson

Charleston Veterinarian

Dr. Samantha “Sam” Thompson has always called South Carolina her home. She was born in Aiken but grew up in the Lowcountry in the nearby town of Bluffton. Her home was always filled with dogs and cats but it was actually her love of the ocean that piqued her interest in Veterinary Medicine. Her goal was to become a marine mammal Veterinarian and work in an Aquarium or mammal rescue. That was, until, she got her first job in a Veterinary clinic the summer before starting college. The job was tough, but the experience sparked something within her and inspired her on her path to Companion Animal Medicine.

Dr. Thompson attended the University of South Carolina and received her Bachelors degree in Biological Sciences with a minor in Marine Sciences. She then attended Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine where she was awarded her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2018. She started her career with a move to Charleston in order to stay on the coast that she loved so much.

Dr. Thompson and her husband, Logan, were married in 2023. They have two dogs, a one eared Pitbull terrier mix named Bo and a partially blind Labrador mix named Obie, who Dr.Thompson rescued from St Kitts while she was attending vet school. Dr. Thompson and her husband are avid South Carolina Gamecocks fans and attend or watch every sporting event they can! Any other free time that Dr. Thompson can get, she enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, boating on the river or “golfing” with Logan (she is better at driving the golf cart rather than actually golfing, but she’s working on it!).

Dr. Thompson takes pride in knowing she is a part of the human-animal bond and understands that our pets are our family. She looks forward to the opportunity to provide high quality medicine to the clients and pets of the Salt Marsh Animal Hospital Family!

Kate Vernon

Veterinary Technician

Kate has been a Veterinary Technician for 7 years. She has worked with animals of all sizes, including specializing in Equine Anesthesia for a year in Lexington, Kentucky. Kate’s favorite part about veterinary medicine is assisting in surgery and anesthesia. She was born in Baltimore, Maryland, but has been in the Lowcountry for 10 years, residing on Johns Island. While not at work, Kate enjoys exercising, activities on the water such as paddleboarding and kayaking, and hanging out with her two dogs Harley and Frankie. Kate joined our team in February and is excited to be working with all the dogs and cats on the island.

Mitanda Richburg

Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT)

Mitanda was born in Charleston, South Carolina. However, she moved around a lot due to her father being in the military. Much of her childhood was spent in New Jersey where her love for animals started while her family worked with an animal rescue. She eventually found herself returning to Charleston when her father retired.

It wasn’t until she was on a camping trip in North Carolina with one of her dogs in 2010 that she realized that veterinary medicine was where she wanted to be. On that trip, her dog had been attacked and hospitalized, and she had to leave him there while traveling back home to Charleston. It was an overwhelming time that pushed her in the direction she needed to go. She quickly found a veterinary program and enrolled at Trident Technical College. She graduated in 2016 with a degree in Veterinary Technology. Her main focus, besides giving all creatures the care they deserve, is anesthesia and dentistry. She is currently working on her goal of specializing in Veterinary Dentistry.

When not working, Mitanda enjoys spending time with her husband, Brian, and daughter, Madison, in Walterboro, along with their boxer Brock. Country life called to her when they bought a home in 2017. It’s not uncommon to find her playing with chickens and goats on the family farm. Besides her passion for veterinary medicine, she can also be found with a camera in her hand. She loves being on the racetrack and capturing exciting motorsport moments on film.

Mitanda has been in the veterinary field since 2014 and couldn’t be happier. She loves helping and caring for those without voices of their own and enjoys caring for everyone’s furry pet here at Salt Marsh Animal Hospital.

Nikki Efko

Veterinary Technician

Nikki was born in Baltimore, MD but has called Charleston home since 2011. Nikki graduated from East Carolina University in 2010. Go, Pirates! She has loved animals from a young age and has been a veterinary assistant since 2014. Nikki enjoys anesthesia and dentistry. She enjoys traveling, hiking, golfing, and spending time with family. She has two dogs, Mayzi and Erro.

Whitney West

Receptionist

Whitney may be amongst the newer faces at Salt Marsh Vet, but she is no stranger to veterinary medicine. She has worked in customer care and education in the veterinary field for the past 16 years. Her favorite part of veterinary medicine is getting to be a part of the human animal bond and seeing it up close and personal every day. When not caring for you and your babies, Whitney is a busy mom to her son, a dog and a cat. She enjoys quality time spent with family and friends, getting immersed in a good book, traveling, and time spent near water. She and her husband are also avid "foodies" and thoroughly enjoy exploring the Charleston food and wine scene.