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Meet our team of heroes at Avondale
Meet The Avondale Tribe!
Dr. Griggs
Medical Director
Dr. Griggs was Born in Louisiana but found herself growing up in many places (military brat). However, she calls AZ home since it is where she has lived most of her life. She obtained her undergraduate degree in 2007 from the University of Arizona (yup, Bear Down!) and graduated from the Cornell University Veterinary College.
Dr. Griggs has a passion for helping those most vulnerable in our world such as our pets but also those predisposed to disease (children, elderly, etc.) and those living in impoverished conditions. Thus prior to joining us, much of her background was in infectious disease research.
Outside of work, Dr. Griggs enjoys attending church at Faith Christian Center, participating in various small group Bible studies, and engaging in short-term mission trips in the Navajo and abroad. She also enjoys cooking, playing board and video games with friends/family, and exploring new cities and trails.
Dr. Balsino
Veterinarian
Dr. Balsino joined the Desert Ark family in June of 2021. Originally from Tucson, AZ, and received his Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Arizona State University. He then went on to veterinary school in Glendale, AZ at Midwestern University where he obtained his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Dr. Balsino has always grown up with dogs as members of his family but truly found a love for healing animals when he volunteered at the Wildlife Rehabilitation in Northwest Tucson and Arizona Animal Welfare League.
With special interests in preventative medicine, surgery, and urgent care, this means he will come to your pet’s aid through all walks of their life. Giving advice and setting a foundation during the new puppy phase, as well as providing comfort and care in the unexpected and toughest moments. Being a veterinarian is not only about healing and maintaining healthy animals but also about strengthening the human-animal bond.
When he’s not at work, Dr. Balsino spends most of his free time raising two beautiful baby girls with his wife and enjoying the Arizona sun by the pool. Along with the toddler and infant, resides his dogs “Zeus” and “Bruno”. He loves being a “Girl Dad” and has truly embraced the role.
Dr. Prayson
Veterinarian
Dr. Prayson (or “Dr. Shelly”) has midwestern roots, growing up in Dayton, Ohio, after being born in Kansas City, Missouri.Dr. Shelly spent more time in the water than on land growing up, and her time spent as a competitive swimmer led her to earn a swimming scholarship to attend Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina. While at Queens she became a 4-time NCAA Division II National Champion. While earning her Bachelor of Science in biology, she gained some of her veterinary experiences by working as a veterinary assistant, volunteering at a local shelter’s kitten nursery, and completing an internship abroad at a cheetah and wildlife center in South Africa and an additional internship at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand.
After completing the international veterinary internships, Dr. Shelly found herself heading west to Arizona to pursue her veterinary degree at Midwestern University in Glendale, AZ. While at Midwestern, she was able to explore a wide variety of areas in veterinary medicine and developed interests in the areas of surgery, preventative medicine, and urgent care.
Outside of work, you can probably find Dr. Shelly spending time with her two cats, Steel and Misty, trying out a new recipe, reading a book, on a trail hiking at a national park, or training for or racing in a triathlon.
What our clients are saying
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