Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Maddy grew up surrounded by a wide variety of animals, including fish, frogs, budgies, rabbits, a guinea pig, and a dog. Her love for animals and the natural world initially drew her toward studying paleontology and ecology, but over time she realized that her true passion was using that knowledge to make a direct impact on the lives of animals. Today, she shares her home with Lily, a domestic shorthair cat, Joey, a dachshund mix, and Cozy, a leopard gecko.
Maddy discovered her passion for veterinary medicine in 2020 after her planned fossil dig was canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic. While volunteering at a local wildlife rescue, she realized that helping animals in real time was far more fulfilling than studying them from the past. That experience inspired her to pursue veterinary medicine and combine her love of science with hands-on patient care.
She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia before continuing her veterinary education at Colorado State University.
Maddy is currently a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student at Colorado State University and anticipates graduating in May 2027.
This is Maddy’s first time visiting Las Vegas, Nevada, and she is excited to gain hands-on experience at Lone Mountain Animal Hospital. Encouraged by Dr. Taylor Parker, who highly recommended the program, Maddy chose the externship because of its strong reputation in exotic animal medicine and the opportunity to learn from a team with extensive knowledge and experience treating exotic species.
During this externship, Maddy is focused on advancing her surgical and anesthesia skills, particularly in exotic patients, while developing standardized physical examination techniques and strengthening clinical skills such as venipuncture. She has a particular interest in exotic animal medicine and soft tissue surgery and plans to complete a small animal rotating internship followed by an exotics specialty internship after graduation. Her long-term goal is to become a board-certified zoological companion animal veterinarian.
Outside of the hospital, Maddy enjoys embroidery, playing the ukulele, piano, and flute, reading fantasy novels, and spending time hiking and camping with her dog, Joey.
