My name is Mariana Alvarez, and I was born and raised in Colombia where I gained an appreciation and passion for marine mammals that has carried me throughout adulthood. As a veterinarian I have focused on emergency medicine and small animal general practice. My philosophy in medicine is to approach pet health through the eyes of the owners, empower them with knowledge and work collaboratively to ensure our companion animals are healthy. When not working, I enjoy spending time in nature hiking, climbing, and sailing. I hope to continue a diverse education and passion into both small animal medicine and aquatic medicine fields.