Our People

True Ballas, DVM: Medical Director and Owner

Dr. True Ballas grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountain communities of Blacksburg, Virginia and Boone, North Carolina. Her parents fostered her love of beauty for the area by taking the family on frequent camping and hiking trips. She grew up exploring the Appalachians, on foot, bicycle and by car. When she wasn’t exploring the outdoors, she could be found playing basketball or running in track meets.

Throughout her childhood and as an adult, True has been motivated by a constant passion for animals, ethics, and science. Prior to pursuing veterinary medicine, she earned her Undergraduate Degree in Philosophy, with a concentration in Ethics, from Smith College. Her passion for science led her to a summer job in physics at Argonne National Laboratory and a few months during her college years at Skidaway Oceanography Institute near Savannah, GA.

In 1988, she and 2 friends bicycled across the United States, from Seattle to New York. Returning to southwestern Virginia/the Blue Ridge mountains for 3 years after the bicycle trip, she worked for the Humane Society (as a volunteer), and in a bookstore (as a paying job)—both at the same time!

Finally, her experience at the Humane Society Animal Shelter, combined with her passion for science and ethics, led her to veterinary medicine. She studied at Tufts University, both in the School of Veterinary Medicine and at the Center for Animals and Public Policy. She has worked as a vet in Boston, Cape Cod, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Charlotte, and Buncombe County, NC. Her personal and professional pursuits eventually led her back to the land of her youth. So inspired to be a good steward of animals, her community, and the environment Dr. Ballas created the Beacon Veterinary Hospital.

True and her family now live in Black Mountain, North Carolina. In her spare time, True enjoys bicycling, hiking, camping, reading, going to movies, watching football, and playing with her niece and nephew.

“Having grown up in the communities of Blacksburg, Virginia and Boone, North Carolina, I am happy to have returned home to the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains.”
— Dr. True Ballas

Marcia L. Coit, DVM: Direct Care

Dr. Marcia Coit graduated from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1984 after completing her Bachelor of Agriculture from the University of Arizona in Tucson. She grew up in Greenland, New Hampshire, a very small rural town near Portsmouth and served four years in the U.S. Air Force as an aircraft ground equipment mechanic.

Marcia was a 4-H leader for 9 years, developing the first 4-H llama project club in the area. She enjoys teaching children leadership skills through animal husbandry, showmanship, and veterinary care of llamas. For the last 25 years, she has practiced veterinary medicine as a member of this community including Black Mountain, Swannanoa, Asheville, and Arden.

Marcia and Doug, her husband of 25 years, have two wonderful daughters, Alanna and Lily. They share their small farm with 4 llamas, 2 horses, 2 dogs, 2 cats, and assorted chickens and guinea fowl. Marcia likes to spend her spare time horseback riding, learning dressage, hiking with the llamas, waterskiing, vegetable gardening, cooking, and occasionally sewing clothes.

Tristan Rehner, MS, CPDT: Behavior and Training Advisor

Originally from Newfoundland, Canada, Tristan Rehner earned her Master of Science in Animals and Public Policy at Tufts University. Her research focus was the interaction between genetic and environmental influences on behavior. She is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.

Tristan has been conducting private and group training classes and providing individual behavior consultations to pet owners since 2002. She is the past Behavior and Training Programs Coordinator at Animal Humane, New Mexico where she designed behavior wellness and behavior modification programs for cats and dogs, and provided pre-and post-adoption behavior consultations. Currently, she volunteers with the Asheville Humane Society (conducting cat behavior assessments), ChainFree Asheville, and the Literacy Council of Buncombe County.

Tristan works to enrich the human/animal bond by promoting behavior wellness and problem prevention whenever possible. Her training approach utilizes the sciences of learning theory and ethology to develop practical solutions for people and their pets.

In her spare time, Tristan can be found hiking in the beautiful Western NC mountains with at least one dog, or reading on the screened porch with at least one cat.

Marly Bewighouse, Client Relations / Receptionist

Laura Garland, Certified Veterinary Technician

Danielle Winkelman, Veterinary Assistant

Susie Hall, Veterinary Assistant / Receptionist

Janet Pepin Schallhorn, Registered Veterinary Technician

Melissa Oglesbee, Registered Veterinary Technician