Education: University of Wisconsin-Madison. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine 1992.
University of Missouri-Kansas City. BS Pharmacy 1984 Park College, BA Biology 1979.
I grew up in Kansas City, Missouri and received my undergraduate degree in biology Magna Cum Laude from Park College in Parkville, Missouri in 1979. A year later I entered the School of Pharmacy at the University of Missouri in Kansas City and received my pharmacy degree in 1984 and practiced hospital and retail pharmacy for several years. In 1988, I entered the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and graduated in 1992.
After graduation I completed an internship at the Veterinary Institute of Trauma, Emergency and Critical Care in 1993. I have been practicing companion animal medicine now for over 25 years. My special interests include medical imaging, dermatology and preventive care.
I am an active member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the Florida Veterinary Medical Association. In my spare time, I enjoy snorkeling, swimming, bicycling and hiking. I have 3 cats: Opie, Carolyn, and Casey. I also have a dog named Oliver.
After vet school I returned "home" to Georgia and started my career as a mixed animal veterinarian where I learned from one of the best mentors I could have asked for, Dr. Teal! In 2018 I had the opportunity to continue to grow as a mixed animal vet and moved to Fort Myers, FL. As much as I loved where I was at, my life long dream/goal has always been to own my own practice that had a "small town, family feel". After learning from incredible mentors and practicing for 5 years, I felt I was ready to make that jump and purchased the Animal Medical Clinic of Punta Gorda (AMCPG) in August 2022!
My goal as a hospital owner has always been to provide affordable but excellent care to you and your sweet babies. As you get to know me you will see that I have an outgoing personality mixed with a fun, dry sense of humor but also a very soft and compassionate side for those tough times. I believe in treating your pets as if they were my own. During your fur babies appointment when we are trying to come up with a treatment plan, I will always tell you all of the different options for approaching an issue so we can pick the best course of action for you and your loved ones.
As far as the "about me" goes - my family and friends mean the world to me so when I'm not in the clinic you can find me spending time with them! I have 3 brothers who I am extremely close with who have given me 2 “bonus sisters”! My parents are incredible and have always been my biggest cheerleaders. Boats and water are my happy place, whether it's creating memories down in the Everglades on the airboat or out on the ocean doing some fishing and hanging at the local sandbars. I love to travel and hope to continue to do so whether it's a quick trip down to the Keys or across the world in Africa. I love football so during the fall you can find me cheering on Auburn and the Falcons! My four legged children also love a lot of these things so it's not uncommon to see them tagging along with me!
If there are any other questions or things you'd like to know feel free to ask me! I look forward to building a bond and relationship with you and your sweet babies!