DR. BRETT MCCASKILL
Owner/Founder and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Brett founded Ascent Vet Health after seeing the need in Western North Carolina for a large animal centric vet practice. A graduate of NC State, Dr. Brett then went onto work in Wisconsin for four years with dairy and beef cattle and became one of the practices primary calls when it came to equine medicine. Having grown up in North Carolina and marrying into a Western North Carolina family, it became apparent that it was time to come back home and to build the type of practice that would benefit and fit the needs of the area.
AMBER IZDEPSKI
Staff Lead and Veterinary Assistant
As Ascent Vet Health continued to grow, it was time to add another member to the team to assist in that growth and that's where Amber came in. Willing to not only assist in all appointments, she also took on scheduling, social media, billing, and answering calls to help streamline the processes that keeps us going and on track. Amber is from South Louisiana and has lived across the US and Europe working and assisting in various fields such as cattle ranching, horse training, event coordination, office management, and also extensively in the theatre arts. Her husband, Christian Martin, is a farrier and they spend their time traveling, hiking, or fishing with their two dogs, Moose & Cricket. They have one daughter, Darcy, who they welcomed in the spring of 2025.
JAIME SMITH
Veterinary Assistant
Jaime was born and raised in North Carolina. She has an associates in Animal Science and Bachelors in Agriculture from NC A&T University. Jaime has previously worked as a barn manager for 8 years at a local equine facility as well as taught both animal science and horticulture at Wilkes Community College. Jaime and her husband Reuben live on a small farm with their donkey named Prince, 5 miniature goats, a Great Pyrenees named Joy, and 2 cats, Sweet Pea and Peaches. Jaime and her husband Reuben welcomed a baby boy named Julian in the spring of 2025. In their spare time they enjoy kayaking and fishing together.
ERIN VALCARCEL
Veterinary Assistant
Erin is originally from Houston, Texas. She moved with her family to southwestern Pennsylvania where her passion for horses began at a very young age. Her journey with them grew from basic dressage lessons all the way to FEI level training.
She earned her degree in Business Management from LaRoche University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Since then she has pursued her love of horses across several different states by working as a working student eventually moving into training positions encompassing dressage, versatility, and other disciplines with a foundation in natural horsemanship.
Erin and her husband Anthony recently landed in North Carolina to be closer to family. They enjoy time with their three equines, Willem, King Julian, and Maurice; and their two dogs, Siggi and Astrid.
