Meet Our Team

Dr. Alexis de Gale

DVM/Owner

Dr. Alexis de Gale graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008. Following graduation, she moved to New York City where she completed an internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at BluePearl Veterinary Partners. After completion of the internship, she returned to Florida and worked at a small animal hospital in Orlando for 4 years. She then moved to Chicago in 2013 and worked as an emergency veterinarian for 2 ½ years. While she loved living in a big city again, she was eager to return home to Florida.

She practiced in Wesley Chapel, FL for many years and is excited to have a hospital of her own in her very own community in South Tampa! Dr. de Gale looks forward to meeting new people and their pets and building lifelong bonds with them. Her special interests include dentistry, internal medicine, soft tissue surgery, and emergency/critical care. She is passionate about teaching and often has students shadowing her at the hospital. She is an assistant professor with the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and has served on the Admissions Committee for UF’s vet school for several years. Dr. de Gale received AAHA’s prestigious Changemaker Award in 2020 for her contributions towards changing the lives of future and current veterinarians.

In her free time, she can be found spending time with her husband Alex, and sons Leo, Henry, and Everett. She enjoys reading, bike riding on Bayshore Blvd, kayaking, and playing volleyball. She loves all things Florida Gators and Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tampa Bay Lightning! Her pets include a pug mix dog named Kiki, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog named Kevin, and two Diamondback Terrapin turtles.

Dr. Keara Walsh

DVM

Dr. Keara Walsh is a true Floridian, born and raised in South Tampa. She has always been an animal lover and has known she wanted to be a veterinarian from a young age. After attending veterinary school, she knew she wanted to come back to the Tampa area to live and work! 

Dr. Walsh attended Florida State University where she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. She then went on to attend Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts and spent her final clinical year at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Walsh graduated from vet school with high honors and was inducted into the veterinary honor society.

Dr. Walsh has grown up with all sorts of  animals and currently has her own pack at home including 5 dogs (Moose, Nova, Freya, Sunny and Cali) as well as 3 cats (Harry, Kimber and Wally). In her free time she loves going on hikes with the dogs, roller skating around Tampa, reading, plant shopping, trips to Disney and thrifting. Dr. Walsh can’t wait to take care of your pets as if they were her own! 

Dr. Arizona Spencer

DVM

Dr. Arizona Spencer is a proud “Double Gator,” earning both her Bachelor’s degree and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the University of Florida. With a foundation in Animal Science, shelter medicine, and years of experience as a technician in UF’s renowned cardiology department, Dr. Spencer brings a unique blend of compassion, skill, and expertise to every patient.

Now a valued member of the team at Westshore Animal Hospital, Dr. Spencer applies her surgical and clinical expertise alongside a personable approach to provide exceptional care to pets and their families. Her journey includes a successful tenure at Mermaid Vet Hospital, in Vero Beach. Her success stems from UF’s rigorous training, hands-on shelter medicine experience including years of TNVR volunteer work, graduating vet school with a Shelter Medicine Professional Certificate, and an unwavering dedication to patient well-being, further striving for owners to feel seen, heard, and included in their furry family members’ care.

Back in her Tampa roots, Dr. Spencer is thrilled to contribute to the growing success of Westshore Animal Hospital, fostering a sense of comfort and belonging for both her team and the community.

In her free time, Dr. Spencer enjoys spending time at home with her fiancé Sebastian, two dogs (Mocha and Chorizo), two cats (Samuel and Oliver), and musk turtle (Reggie), watching “trash love documentaries” on her streaming services. She can also be found at any event including food or breweries, or plant shopping/swapping to add to her extensive, yet necessary, houseplant collection.

Dr. Lauren Pierce

DVM

Dr. Lauren Pierce is a summa cum laude graduate of St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine. She completed her clinical training at North Carolina State University before returning to Florida to begin her career in small animal general practice.

Before joining our team, Dr. Pierce practiced at a small animal hospital in Bradenton, FL — the same clinic where she got her start in veterinary medicine as a technician years earlier. Returning there as a doctor after graduation was a full-circle moment that shaped her collaborative, team-based approach to care.

Dr. Pierce has a strong interest in internal medicine and diagnostic imaging, particularly ultrasound, and is committed to ongoing continuing education to advance her clinical skills. She is also Fear-Free Certified and prioritizes creating a low-stress, supportive environment for both pets and their families.

With a thoughtful, team-based approach and excellent communication skills, Dr. Pierce strives to build long-term relationships with her clients while ensuring their pets receive the highest standard of veterinary care. She has a special soft spot for French Bulldogs and is always happy to see one on her schedule!

Alex de Gale

Hospital Manager/Owner

Alex is our fearless leader and hospital manager. He is originally from the Caribbean island of Grenada but grew up in Miami after moving there just before his first birthday. Alex had dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, rabbits, lizards, fish, turtles, and just about any other animal he could get his hands on as a pet throughout his childhood.

After attending Florida International University in Miami and the University of South Florida in Tampa, Alex worked behind the scenes on concert tours, TV specials, and large public events around North America and Europe. He eventually settled down in Florida and became the staff planner for an aviation company that provided airlift support for the US government in austere environments.

In 2014, Alex made it full circle back to his love for the care and treatment of animals, when he took a manager position with a group of specialty and emergency veterinary hospitals in the Chicago area. Alex moved back to Tampa in 2015 to be closer to family. He has been a veterinary hospital manager in the Tampa area since 2015 and he is excited to call Westshore Animal Hospital home. His own family includes his wife Alexis, three sons, Leo, Henry and Everett, a pug-mix dog named Kiki Supermodel, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog named Kevin, and several Diamondback Terrapin turtles.

Holly

CVT, Lead Technician

Born and raised in sunny Tampa, Holly has been surrounded by animals for as long as she can remember. She got her start in veterinary medicine at just 18 and never looked back — combining her love of animals with a deep interest in medical care.
A proud graduate of Hillsborough Community College’s Veterinary Technician program (and scholarship recipient for academic excellence!), Holly became a credentialed technician in 2020. She’s especially passionate about the human-animal bond and loves helping clients feel confident and informed about their pet’s health.

Outside the clinic, Holly enjoys sewing, kayaking, curling up with a good book, and discovering the joys of parenthood alongside her husband and baby girl. Life at home is full of laughter, little adventures, and the happy chaos that comes with Toast the Pembroke Welsh Corgi.

Emma

Technician

Emma attended the University of Central Florida and graduated with her Bachelor’s in Biology in 2021. She volunteered at a wildlife rehabilitation center during that time and cared for a variety of Florida native animals, including raccoons, opossums, squirrels, tortoises, and foxes. After graduating, she worked as a small animal surgery and ER Assistant for 2 years before joining the Westshore Animal Hospital team. Emma loves rabbits; she used to raise and show her own at the Florida State Fair. During her free time she enjoys reading a book with her two cats, Miso and Saki and spending time with her husband.

Chloe

Technician

Chloe attended the University of Portland in Portland, Oregon and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She completed two wildlife rehabilitation internships in Oregon, one of which allowed her to meet the Irwin Family (Terri Irwin is friends with the owner)! Chloe’s goals include returning to school to become a certified veterinary technician (CVT) and expanding her family. In her free time, she enjoys attending music festivals/concerts, going on hikes, camping, and playing sports like tennis and pickleball. Chloe and her husband share their life with two dogs – Jonah, an 11 (almost 12) year old Goldendoodle and Koda, a 7 year old Mixed Breed.

Sarah

Technician

Sarah has been a veterinary technician since 2020 yet her journey with animals began long before that. At just 11 years old she spent summers helping her dad at his aquarium store learning to care for a variety of saltwater and freshwater animals, reptiles and amphibians. She then continued that effort with volunteering at the Humane society until she got her first position in 2020 as a veterinary technician. She has a strong focus on client education with her own personal goal to become a certified veterinary technician. Sarah treats any pet as her own. She has a pet rabbit, Moose, who is a spoiled rotten Netherland Dwarf! In her free time she enjoys skateboarding, gardening, beach days and is a local humanitarian volunteer.

Megan

Technician

Originally from South Carolina, Megan is one of our resident cat whisperers — especially when it comes to the tiniest, sneeziest, most high-maintenance foster kittens (her favorite kind). With a background in shelter medicine and a heart set on vet school, she brings compassion, quick thinking, and a soft spot for underdogs (and undercats) to the team.

At home, she shares life with her husband Grant and a lively crew of animals. When she’s not at the clinic, you’ll find Megan on the water — kayaking, boating, or out on her annual scalloping adventure, which she looks forward to all year. Fun fact: she also has a degree in marine science… which doesn’t help much in the exam room, but it does make her excellent at fish facts.

Madi

Technician

Madi first came to us as a client with her hilariously needy dog, August — and we liked her so much, we kind of recruited her. (Okay, Dr. de Gale may have made a shameless plug or two.) Fast forward, and now Madi’s a vital part of our team, bringing a perfect mix of goofy charm and serious technical skills to every shift.

With her signature red hair and infectious energy, Madi keeps the clinic lively — but don’t let the silliness fool you. She’s detail-oriented, quick on her feet, and has a real talent for connecting with both pets and people. At home, she’s surrounded by a small pack of furry companions (including the one and only August), and she’s gearing up to start veterinary technician school to become a certified CVT.

Outside of work, you can usually find her playing video games with her fiancé Kevin, going on walks with her dog August, spending time with her two cats Biscuit and Mochi, dancing at music festivals, or getting lost in a good book.

Racine

Technician

Racine is our adventure-loving animal whisperer who’s just as comfortable zipping down a mountain bike trail as she is snuggling a kitten. The youngest of five (with a twin brother, no less), she brings warmth, energy, and a big-sister heart to every pet she cares for.

At home, she has two cats of her own and a rotating cast of foster kittens — the fluffier and needier, the better. When she’s not at the clinic, Racine is often pet-sitting, so if your furry friend needs some company while you’re away, she’s your gal.

She truly loves what she does and feels grateful every day to work where her passion meets purpose.

Brooke

 CVT (Certified Veterinary Technician) 

Brooke is one of those people who can juggle everything — and still make you laugh while she’s doing it. A proud CVT and current nursing student, she brings clinical skill, quick wit, and just the right amount of sass to every shift. Whether she’s monitoring anesthesia, wrangling a wiggly pup, or helping a nervous pet parent feel at ease, Brooke is all in, every time.

Originally from Leesburg, FL (yep — same small hometown as Dr. de Gale!), Brooke has always had a soft spot for animals and the people who love them. She shares her home with two awesome dogs, Georgia and Missy, and spends her free time pet sitting, hitting the beach, and soaking up every moment with her close-knit family.

Preston

CVT, CVPM

Preston brings years of experience, a calm presence, and just the right amount of dry humor to the front desk. A Certified Veterinary Technician since 2004 and a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM), she began her career in cat-exclusive practices and later earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Veterinary Technology in 2015.

Though she’s worked in nearly every role within a veterinary clinic, Preston now enjoys being the welcoming face that helps clients and their pets feel at ease from the moment they walk through the door. Her attention to detail, deep love for animals big and small, and warm smile make her a perfect fit for the front lines of client care.

Jenesis

 Lead Client Service Representative 

If you’ve called or walked through our doors, chances are you’ve already met Jenesis — and probably left smiling. With years of experience in fast-paced, high-pressure environments (think vet clinics, airports, and even roller coasters), she brings a calm, capable energy to our front desk and keeps everything running smoothly with style.

Jenesis is bilingual in English and Spanish, endlessly organized, and has a natural talent for making clients feel heard, helped, and at home. Whether she’s training new team members, managing a packed schedule, or juggling a multi-line phone system without breaking a sweat, she does it all with positivity and professionalism.

She’s the heartbeat of our front desk — and a big part of what makes the clinic feel warm and welcoming from the moment you arrive.

Em

Client Service Representative

A proud University of Tampa grad with a degree in Public Health, Em brings a big heart and even bigger love for animals to the clinic every day. Whether she’s assisting with checkups or sneaking extra cuddles with a pet, her passion for healthcare shines through.

At home, she’s kept on her toes by her sweet and curious cat Nora and her two spirited guinea pigs, Gus and Tito. Next up? Nursing school! Until then, she’s loving every moment helping pets (and their people) stay happy and healthy.

Riann

 Client Service Representative 

Riann is one of the friendly voices (and faces) helping you and your pet feel at ease the moment you walk through our doors — or give us a call. With years of experience in animal hospitals, call centers, and even remote virtual care, she’s a master at staying cool under pressure while juggling schedules, messages, and the occasional curious kitten at the front desk.

She’s worked in nearly every corner of veterinary medicine — from front desk to treatment room — and brings strong communication skills, attention to detail, and a deep love for animals to her role every day. Whether she’s answering phones, scheduling appointments, or helping clients navigate their pet’s care, Riann does it all with calm confidence and a caring touch.