Dr. Therese McCarthy has loved animals all her life and turned this passion into a career. She enjoys small animal general medicine and soft tissue surgery. She is also certified in veterinary acupuncture. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and their rambunctious terriers.
At Georgia Aquarium, Clauss oversees the veterinary, water quality and commissary teams. She is an active participant in veterinary education through the Animal Health Veterinary Student Preceptorship program.
1. Dr. Therese McCarthy
Dr. McCarthy has always loved animals and decided to make that passion into a career. She has been working in veterinary medicine for 30 years and enjoys all aspects of her work. She lives with her husband, 2 dogs, and a cat.
She loves small animal general medicine and soft-tissue surgery. She also practices acupuncture. She has a love for learning and enjoys mentoring students, interns, and new employees.
She has a special interest in exotic pets. She currently resides in Atlanta with her family. She is a big fan of Ohio State sports and enjoys hiking, gardening, and board games.
2. Dr. Vivian Wen
Dr. Vivian Wen is a recent addition to the Vernon Woods Animal Hospital team. She has a strong passion for animals and decided to turn her hobby into a career. After receiving her undergraduate degree, she completed a small animal rotating internship at Blue Pearl Georgia Veterinary Specialists. In her free time, she enjoys camping, hiking, and playing board games. She lives with her rambunctious cat, Macaroon, and dog, Marlo.
Dr. Empel was inspired to become a veterinarian at a very young age. He was born and raised in Atlanta, and joined his father at Vernon Woods Animal Hospital in July of 2000.
3. Dr. Juliana Lee
Dr. Juliana Lee is a veterinarian who loves small animal general medicine and soft-tissue surgery. She recently moved to Georgia from Alabama and is enjoying all that the city has to offer. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, camping, and playing board games. She lives with her kitty Macaroon and rambunctious dog Marlo.
Taylor was born and raised in Atlanta and is a graduate of the University of Florida. He joined his father at Vernon Woods Animal Hospital in 2000. He has a special interest in dentistry, dermatology, and soft tissue surgery.
4. Dr. Tonya Clauss
In addition to her role at the Aquarium, Clauss teaches veterinary students through the Animal Health Veterinary Student Preceptorship program. She also lectures on a variety of aquatic animal health topics at universities and institutions worldwide.
Clauss is a member of the International Association of Zoological Veterinarians in Atlanta GA and the American Veterinary Medical Association. She and her husband live in Sarasota, Florida. Their son attends the University of Florida, where he is studying engineering. The couple has two dogs and a cat. They are involved with a number of animal rehabilitation groups.
5. Dr. Sharomi
Dr. Sharomi was born in Guyana, South America and received her elementary and high school education there. She went to Davidson college on a volleyball scholarship and graduated cum laude with a BS in Biology and a Pre-Veterinary Minor.
She opened Kennesaw Mountain Animal Hospital in 2010. KMAH was her dream clinic that she had saved architecture designs, clinic pictures, and design tips from when she graduated from veterinary school. She lives in Marietta with her husband, a daughter, and several fur babies. She enjoys photography and hiking in her free time.
6. Dr. Empel
Alisan is a Georgia native, graduating from the University of Georgia with both her Bachelor’s and Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. She has a special interest in senior pet preventive care, and she loves to help pets live long happy lives with regular veterinary visits.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and rambunctious son. They enjoy camping, hiking and playing board games. She is also passionate about trying cuisine from all over the world. She currently resides in the area with her dog, Sunday.
7. Dr. Moorehead
Dr. Moorehead is a 1988 graduate of Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine. He has been practicing Medicine in Atlanta since graduating. His current practice focuses on both traditional and alternative healing therapies such as Nutrition Response Testing. He is also one of only three Veterinarians in Atlanta GA, and in the Southeast trained to perform VOM Technology or veterinary chiropractic.
He lives with his wife, son Brayden and English Cream Retriever Finley. Outside of work, he enjoys camping, cricket and long distance running. He enjoys rescuing abandoned and abused animals as well.
8. Dr. Sharomi Sharomi
Sharomi developed a passion for animals at an early age and grew up to be a well-rounded individual with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, a BA in Psychology and Pre-Veterinary minors from Davidson College. She graduated cum laude and attended the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.
She has a one-year small animal rotating internship from Blue Pearl Georgia Veterinary Specialists. She has a passion for all aspects of medicine and veterinary acupuncture. She currently resides in Marietta with her husband and their three dogs and two cats.
9. Dr. Tonya Clauss
Dr. Tonya Clauss is a veterinary medicine expert with a focus on marine animals and aquatic health. She currently oversees the veterinary and water quality teams at Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.
She also serves on the Animal Welfare Committee. She is a member of the International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
She has a dual bachelor’s degree in animal science and wildlife ecology & conservation from the University of Florida. She currently lives in a suburb of Atlanta with her two rambunctious dogs and cat.
10. Dr. Therese McCarthy
She has been a veterinarian for 28 years and is especially interested in senior pet health. She enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine, but has particular interests in ophthalmology and ultrasonography. She lives with her husband and their rambunctious dog.
Dr. Jones graduated from the University of Maryland College Park with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Zoology. She then went on to complete her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at Ohio State University. She joined Vernon Woods Animal Hospital in July of 2011. She currently resides in Atlanta with her two cats.
