Meet Our Veterinarians

Mission Statement

It is our desire to provide the highest quality medical care for our patients and the best possible service to our clients.

We also strive to create a harmonious and safe environment for our staff. We are proud of our staff’s ability to deliver quality care for our patients and outstanding service to our clients. We strive to develop long term relationships with our staff, clients and their pets.

“High quality medical care with exceptional client service is what you and your pets can expect.”

Today, VMC is considered one of the top veterinary clinics in the country, with a dedicated pet health care team of over 40 employees, including 9 outstanding, caring veterinarians.

Eddie Garcia, Founder, DVM

Dr. Garcia was born in Tampa, Florida. He graduated from the University of Florida in 1963, with an Animal Science and Nutrition Degree. He taught school in Hillsborough County for one year. In 1968, he graduated from the University of Auburn Veterinary College. Then, in 1970 he established the Veterinary Medical Clinic. Among his many special interest, he loves teaching and lecturing to Veterinarians and their staffs on client relations. His lectures have taken him all over the United States and abroad. Dr. Garcia is the proud father of two sons, one a medical doctor and the other an attorney. He has a poodle, Ziggy. Some of his hobbies are traveling, lecturing, golfing and reading. Dr. Garcia is always involved in community projects. He was awarded the first ever Hillsborough County Animal Health Foundation Community Service Award. In 1995, Dr. Garcia was designated “Veterinarian of the Year” in the Southeastern United States by his peers and AAHA. In 1997, he was chosen “Veterinarian of the Year” in the State of Florida. In 1999, he was awarded the “Distinguished Alumnus Award” from Auburn University. He served four terms as a member of Florida Board Veterinary Medicine and was the Governor’s appointee to the 13th Judicial Circuit Court Nominating Commission.

Laurie Gray, DVM

Dr. Gray was born in Tampa, Florida. She graduated from the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1989. Her special interests include: surgery and exotic animal medicine. She completed an externship in an exclusive Avian Veterinary practice and also in wildlife medicine. Dr. Gray started working in the veterinary field when she was 16 years old. Dr. Gray is married and has three daughters, Lauren, Jenna, and Emily. Her hobbies include: being a mom, horses, music, literature, bike riding, camping, hiking, gardening, and pottery (when she can find the time!).

Heather Mozingo, DVM

Dr. Mozingo was born in Summit, NJ. She moved to Gainesville to attend the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 1995. She has since been a practicing Veterinarian in Tampa. Her area of special interest is senior pet health. She spends her off time chasing after her two children and three dogs. her hobbies include skiing, reading, scuba diving and travel.

Monica Suarez, DVM

Dr. Suarez was born and raised in Tampa, graduating from Berkley Preparatory School and then from Florida State University with a B.S. in Biological Sciences. She received her veterinary training from the University of Florida Veterinary Teaching Hospital and graduated with Honors from St. George University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2005.

Dr. Suarez has been practicing general and emergency medicine in the Tampa bay area for close to 10 years. Her special interest lies in emergency medicine and integrative veterinary medical care. She practices acupuncture and has completed her acupuncture certification at the Chi Institute. Tampa is where she still calls home with her husband, two children and a few four legged furry friends. She enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, camping, and traveling in her spare time.

She is a wonderful addition to our practice.

Allison Swank, DVM

Dr. Swank was born in Palo Alto, California and grew up here in Tampa. In 1990, she received her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and then graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine in 1994. In 1994-95 she attended LSU for an internship in small animal medicine and surgery. Her hobbies are: photography, movies, books, skiing, travel, etc. However, she has many pets, three cats and two dogs, three guinea pigs, and one fish tank. She is happily married with two children and two step children.

Susan Vaughn, DVM

Dr. Susan Vaughn is is an associate veterinarian at our practice. Her favorite part of her job involves connecting with the people she works with and building genuine relationships with her clients. She views her role as a veterinarian as a partnership in caring for someone’s furry family member and aims to always offer the highest care that she would give to her own pets.

Susan grew up in Plant City, Florida until her family moved to Tampa when she was 16 years old. She graduated high school at South Tampa’s own H.B. Plant High School, earned her undergraduate B.A. degree in Psychology from the University of Tampa, and earned her doctorate of veterinary medicine (DVM) from the University of Florida. After graduating from veterinary school, Susan moved to the Northern Virginia/D.C. area for several years, prior to returning to her father and friends in Tampa. She considers Tampa Bay and Hillsborough County to be her “hometown.”

Susan has been involved in team sports her entire life and began playing soccer at age five on a boys team. She was a member of high school, club select, indoor, district all star teams, and a four-year starter for the University of Tampa women’s soccer team. She played multiple other sports growing up through high school including softball, swimming, and basketball. Though Susan does not compete in team sports anymore, she still loves to watch almost all sports and especially loves attending Tampa Bay Lightning hockey games (go Bolts!). Her additional personal interests include reading, Jeeps, traveling and exploring, local microbreweries, any time spent on the water whether it be relaxing, boating, or fishing. She currently has two Pembroke welsh corgis named Fennec and Oyster, an English bulldog, and two Bengal kitties (the “princesses” as she often refers to them), Stevie and Billie.