Our Team

Molly Pearson

DVM

Dr. Molly Pearson has been caring for Gainesville area pets since graduating from the University of Florida School of Veterinary Medicine in 1988. During that time, she worked at Gainesville Animal Hospital for 4 years and Magnolia Animal Hospital in Ocala for 8 years. In 2000, she opened her own practice in scenic Micanopy, FL, and has been enjoying the clientele and their animals ever since. Dr. Pearson has a special interest in rabbits, reptiles, and other exotics. At home, she lives with 3 dogs, 3 cats, and several tortoises. With ties to both Alachua and Marion counties, she feels strongly about supporting local businesses and looks forward to furthering that relationship with the community and their pets for many years to come.

Kelly Berisha

DVM

Dr. Kelly Berisha moved from Sarasota, FL to Gainesville in 2001 to attend the University of Florida. She earned her undergraduate degree in Animal Sciences with honors in 2004 and graduated from UF veterinary school with honors in 2008. She has practiced in the Gainesville area since that time. Dr. Berisha enjoys all aspects of private practice, but her areas of special interest include dentistry and feline medicine.

She lives in Gainesville with her husband Mark, her two young children, Kol and Kira, as well a pair of sweet kitties- Dart and Raja. Her favorite things about living in this area are the wide open spaces, the friendly local culture, and being at the heart of the Gator Nation. In her free time she enjoys gardening, traveling to historic cities, local festivals, and doing anything outdoors.

Marcia Aufmuth

DVM

Dr. Marcia Aufmuth, a resident of Micanopy for over 30 years, graduated with honors from the UF Veterinary School in 1994. She then returned to her home state of Illinois for a yearlong internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Illinois’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Returning to Micanopy, she practiced in Ocala where she and Dr. Pearson were associate colleagues. Dr. Marcia happily joined the Micanopy Animal Hospital staff in 2019. She has a special interest in oncology, cytology, and internal medicine. Marcia and her husband of >35 years, Joe who was formerly the Mayor of Micanopy, have had many pets that included boa constrictors, ferrets, cats, and dogs (many of them at the same time!). Currently they 2 kitties- Leo and Trixie. In their free time they enjoy trips to Disney World, gardening, cooking, and spending time in their pool.

Isis Sánchez

DVM, MS, DACVS, cVMA, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Surgeons

Dr. Sanchez is pleased to perform specialty surgery at Micanopy Animal Hospital. She enjoys all aspects of surgery. Her chief areas of interest are plastics and reconstruction, oncologic surgery, wound management, urologic surgery, and cardio-thoracic surgery. Dr. Sánchez is certified in Veterinary Medical Acupuncture and has extensive training in rehabilitation therapy and therapeutic massage.

Dr. Sánchez enjoys hiking, backpacking, reading, fencing, swimming, and rowing. She has hiked on all the major mountains along the Cascade Range.

Patti Gordon

DVM, Feline Consultations

Dr. Gordon is a 1984 graduate of The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. She has lived in Gainesville since 1975 and has a special interest in feline medicine, bringing over 28 years of experience practicing in the area at a feline exclusive hospital. She and her husband share their love and their lives with six wonderful children, lots of cats, dogs, and various other pets that found them along the way!

She is a member of AVMA, AAFP, Alachua VMA, AAHA, FVMA, AAZV, and UF Alumni Association. She is also a member of a variety of other community and national organizations.

In her spare time, Dr. Gordon’s activities involve sports, fitness, animals, reading, and community service.

Ginny

Practice Manager

Growing up as a local in Jonesville, Ginny has always had an interest in the wellbeing of animals. She grew up caring for dogs, cats, chickens, parrots, and even had a squirrel to take care of. She came to MAH after a long history of being in law enforcement as a dispatch supervisor. During that time, she volunteered as a rescue foster and was a coordinator for local rescues.

Currently, she has quite the variety of pets at home; mini goats, mini donkeys, chickens, three dogs, 4 inside cats, and she tends to a colony of feral cats. Needless to say, Ginny loves spending time with her pets during her spare time, but you will also catch her traveling or lounging by the pool.

Candice

Hospital Manager

Originally from Florida, Candice moved into the area to be closer to the University of Florida to attend school. She now resides in Hawthorne with her shepherd mix Skillet, two cats (Roran and David), and a map turtle named Amarillo. Although she does not currently own a horse, she greatly enjoys working with them. Her interests include reading and working with animals, large and small, whether they slither or crawl. In the future, she hopes to pursue a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine with a specialization in mixed animal practice.

Tiffany

Lead Client Care Representative

Born and raised in Connecticut, Tiffany came to us with a background in human healthcare. Growing up, her family took in rescues, which gave her the passion for animal care that she has today! At home she has a cat named Wasabi and a dog named Bea. In her spare time she enjoys reading, watching ‘The Good Doctor,’ and a warm mug of tea. Tiffany is Fear Free Certified and certified “Feline Friendly” by the American Association of Feline Practitioners. 

Laura

Client Care Representative

Laura has a background studying in Psychology and Zoo Animal Technology. Before working with us at MAH, she worked with exotic animals. She has a special recreational interest in birding and has participated with the Audubon Society and other clubs tracking/monitoring native and migratory species, documenting their behaviors and locations. At home she has a Mini Rex rabbit named Margo, along with 3 cats- Momma, Parker, and Zeke. She also has a rescue bearded dragon named Rex. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with friends and family, hiking, biking, or painting.

Alidia

Client Care Representative

Alidia, originally from Harrisburg, PA, spent her early years spending time with her many childhood dogs. As an adult, Alidia has 4 dogs- Lt Dan, Forrest Gump, Percy, & Opal, and 1 cat named Beans. Before working as a Client Care Representative at MAH, Alidia worked as a kennel tech, playtime coordinator, and front end supervisor at Pet Paradise, and before that she worked as a kennel tech at Plantation Animal Hospital. When Alidia isn’t answering questions and educating clients, she’s likely at home reading or gardening.

Lori

Lead Surgery Technician

Lori is a certified veterinary technician, a certified canine rehabilitation practitioner, and certified “Feline Friendly” by the American Association of Feline Practitioners. Her background is in surgical nursing, anesthesia, and rehabilitation. She has become one of our expert Surgery and Laser Technicians, connecting and caring for our patients as she has done throughout her life with other animals. She has a farm at home with 6 horses and 9 cats. She enjoys volunteering at horse shows while watching her daughter compete, and you will also catch her riding horses to relax when she is not at MAH comforting patients out of surgery.

Ruthie

Veterinary Technician

Originally from Puerto Rico, Ruthie’s first language is Spanish and being bilingual, Ruthie provides an invaluable service being able to communicate with our spanish speaking clients and provide them with excellent care for their pets. Ruthie started her career working with animals at Gainesvilles Pet Paradise as a resort associate for 6 years before coming to MAH, working as a veterinary technician. Ruthie has a German Shepherd who is a blood donor named Mia, 2 cats- Sable and Sunny, and 2 crested geckos- Draco and Miso of her own. From a young age, her father instilled the value of loving and caring for animals, which she continues to do at home and in her professional career. In her spare time Ruthie enjoys spending time at Disney as a passholder, going to the beach, reading a good book, or playing video games.

Laramie

Veterinary Technician

Updated bio coming soon!

Elsa

Veterinary Technician

Bio coming soon!

Paige

Veterinary Technician

Paige, originally from Jacksonville, Fl, began her career by volunteering at a low cost general practice clinic. A year later, she was hired on full time and was there for 9 years before coming to MAH. Paige loves helping ill pets get back to their healthy selves and enjoys building a connection with their owner along the way. Paige has a dog named Copper and 3 kitties- Forest, Snowball, and Zena. When Paige is not at the clinic giving our patients the utmost best care, she is at home playing games, watching movies, and enjoys trying new foods- lifes too short not to try new things!

Olivia

Veterinary Technician

Olivia moved to Gainesville from Melbourne, FL in order to further her career working with animals by studying Animal Sciences at the University of Florida. Before moving to Gainesville, Olivia began her career by working at a facility that did a little bit of everything- daycare, boarding, training, grooming, you name it! She has been a vet tech for many years and enjoys all aspects of animal care. Olivia loves animals because of their unconditional love, as she says, “animals deserve the world,” and that’s one of the many reasons we love Olivia. She has a kitty herself, Ham N’Cheese, AKA Ham. She is a loving & rambunctious tuxedo kitty. When Olivia is not taking care of the animals that come into MAH, you can find her roller skating, baking, enjoying the outdoors in Gainesville, or escaping to the mountains for a hike. Fun fact about Olivia, she can touch her tongue to her nose!

Kayla

Veterinary Technician

Originally from West Palm Beach, Kayla has a special interest in horses and plans to become an equine vet in the future. From daily husbandry, to riding, to equine medicine, Kayla has always had an inclination towards horses, so much so that at her very first show, she won Grand Champion! This grand champion also enjoys drawing/doing art, repairing her car, and playing video games. Kayla provides great care to the animals that come into MAH, and feels a deep sense of purpose everyday to help animals feel their best. Kayla has 2 pets of her owner, a ball python named Godiva, and a cat named Bibi.

Ash

Veterinary Technician

Born and raised in Gainesville, Florida, Ash grew up on a quaint farm with many animals. From a young age, she knew that she was meant to work with animals. Ash began her career at 16 years old as a farm hand at an equine farm. A year later, she started as a kennel technician at Gainesville’s Pet Paradise Resort, and eventually cross-trained as a receptionist and playtime coordinator. After leaving Pet Paradise, Ash worked for a private snake breeder before making her way to Micanopy Animal Hospital in early 2023. She has four dogs named Appa, Bianca, Kobe, and Kong, three cats named Bruno, Lila, and Momo, and one tortoise named Tracey. Ash practices art in her free time, primarily painting and ceramics, and has a special interest in animal portraiture. Additionally, Ash enjoys spending time with her pets, traveling with friends and family, and going to the beach and theme parks.

Daniel

Veterinary Technician

Bio coming soon

Sarah

Veterinary Technician

Bio coming soon

Bri

Kennel Technician

Born and raised in Cape Coral, Bri pursued a Certification in Veterinary Assistance I through her highschool, and began her career working with animals by volunteering at shelters and spay/neuter clinics before moving to Gainesville in 2023. Since then, she has obtained her Class 3 license for reptile buying and selling and owns a large variety of snakes and lizards and has plans to start breeding in 2024. Bri hopes to someday work with reptiles, big cats, and raptors in a zoological setting. In her spare time Bri enjoys reading, caring for her reptiles, and listening to K-pop.

Diego

Kennel Technician

Originally from Venezuela, Diego comes from a veterinary family and grew up on a farm. Diego’s uncle practiced vetmed and instilled the passion he has for animals. He moved to the US in 2018 and spent some time working as an electrician before jumping back into the animal field. Since then, he has been studying animal sciences and plans to become a veterinarian himself in the future. When Diego is not at the clinic caring for our patients, he is at home with his dog Jack, and enjoys playing tennis and soccer. You may also find Diego at the gym or at the lake fishing or racing cars.

Holly

Kennel Technician

Meet Holly, an undergrad student at UF studying Marine Science & Chemistry, who helps care for the animals boarding in our clinic. Originally from Winter Haven, Fl, Holly enjoys spending her days outside by going SCUBA diving. She also enjoys sewing in her free time and baking for her friends and family. Holly provides a valuable service to our clinic because she is very passionate about the interconnection between animals and people- helping people by helping their animals and vice versa. When Holly is not at our clinic taking care of the pets here, she is spending time with her Labradoodle, Lilly. Interesting facts about Holly, she comes from a big family with 7 siblings, and her favorite animal is a Whale Shark. Next time you’re in, ask Holly what her favorite things about Whale Sharks are.