Meet the Veterinarian & Team of Veterinary Surgical Solutions in Austin! We’re pleased to provide exceptional vet care for your pets!
Please call us at (512) 428-6167 to speak to one of our caring veterinary staff members!
Kirk Lewis, DVM/CCRT
Owner/Surgeon
After graduating from Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Lewis began his career in emergency medicine. Upon leaving emergency medicine, Dr. Lewis dedicated his career to providing affordable surgery options with an initial focus on spay and neuter surgery. While serving as Medical Director for a local non-profit, Dr. Lewis performed over 50,000 spay/neuter surgeries greatly contributing to Austin’s efforts at controlling unwanted pets. While at Animal Trustees, Dr. Lewis expanded the affordable surgery program to include soft tissue, oncologic and orthopedic surgeries all with the goal of providing the most affordable options to clients.
With the opening of Veterinary Surgical Solutions in the summer of 2014, Dr. Lewis was able to expand that program. Our facility has one of the most advanced digital x-ray systems, an in-house lab, and most recently, the addition of a Canine Rehabilitation Department.
Since 2014, Dr. Lewis and the team at VSS have performed over 6,000 lifesaving procedures.
In his free time, Dr. Lewis enjoys rock climbing, camping, traveling, and spending time with his four children and new fluffy dog Marty McFly.
Terry Hackworth
Practice Manager
After moving to Austin from San Diego in 2009, Terry began volunteering with Animal Trustees of Austin. After several years, Dr. Lewis asked him to join the team managing the special surgery program. In 2014, Terry and Dr. Lewis opened Veterinary Surgical Solutions to expand the affordable surgery program in the hopes of helping more families and their pets in Central Texas.
Outside of the clinic, Terry enjoys exercise, traveling, gardening, and spending time with his two Pit Bulls Texas and Alley and cats Samurai Jack and Angus.
Marian Romero
Client Relations Manager
Marian is originally from Colombia and joined the VSS team in the spring of 2015. Marian manages client relations and patient recovery.
She graduated with a degree in Web Design but her love for animals drove her to complete her education as a Veterinary Assistant at ACC.
She was drawn to VSS because of our clinic’s mission, which is to provide great veterinary care at an affordable price. Her veterinary interests include surgery, client education, the human-animal bond, and working closely with owners to give their pets the happiest, longest life possible.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and her 3 Pit Bulls, trying new foods, going to the lake, dancing, and traveling to beautiful beaches around the world.
Sharon Smith
Senior Technician
Sharon grew up in the Northeast and received her degree in fine art at Rutgers University. After years of retail management and freelance painting, she sought out a career where she could feel like she was making a difference and helping someone every day. After completing the Clinical Veterinary Assistant program at ACC, she has become certified as a Veterinary Assistant at the second level and is working towards level 3. Having been with VSS since 2017, Sharon assists with surgery and loves learning and expanding her knowledge every day. In her downtime, she loves spending time with her husband and two dogs Dolly and Zac.
LeeAnn Lucero
Veterinary Technician/Patient Care Coordinator
LeeAnn was born and raised in colorful Colorado. She lived there until 2020 when she decided to move to the Austin area with her two daughters.
She graduated with a degree in Integrative Health and then went on to become certified in Holistic Nutrition and Hormone Health. In 2022, she was given the opportunity to join the VSS family and enthusiastically accepted. VSS is a place where her love for animals and her desire for the health of those around her were able to collide. She loves making a difference in the lives of both the animals and clients alike.
In her free time she enjoys traveling, hiking to beautiful places and cooking. She also loves spending time with her daughters and two dogs, a Labradoodle named Cosmo and a Pitbull Mix named Daisy.
Leny Gonzales
Veterinary Technician
Born and raised in Austin, TX Leny has always had a passion for animals since she was a little kid. Wanting to become a vet herself, she started volunteering at a vet clinic fresh out of high school and has been a veterinary technician on and off for the past 10 years. She has had experience in private and corporate clinics, and most recently in shelter medicine at the Austin Humane Society. Her love for animals and making a difference in their lives had her excited joining the VSS team.
She is a HUGE Jurassic Park fanatic and on her free time enjoys watching movies with her boyfriend, playing video games, bowling, hanging out with friends and spending time with her step kids and 3 furbabies Indominus Rex (pictured), Indoraptor and T-Rex.
She is a HUGE Jurassic Park fanatic and on her free time enjoys watching movies with her boyfriend, playing video games, bowling, hanging out with friends and spending time with her step kids and 3 furbabies Indominus Rex (pictured), Indoraptor and T-Rex.
Leonor Tavera
Veterinary Technician
I’m original from Florida and moved to Austin about 14 years ago so I consider myself an Austinite at this point. I started my career as a certified dental assistant but shortly realized that it wasn’t for me. I then had a great opportunity to work at an animal clinic where I fell in love with helping the voiceless and never looked back. I have been a veterinary technician for 12 years. I recently joined the VSS team and now get to experience the Specialty side of veterinary medicine that makes me excited every single day.
I love anything that has to do with the outdoors and spending time with my boyfriend and my pups Gia,Clutch, and Ocean. We love going to the movies on the weekend to unwind or going to virtual escape rooms that helps us stimulate our minds.
Claudia Villanueva
Veterinary Technician
My name is Claudia and I am originally from Monterrey, Mexico but I have lived most of my life here in Austin, Texas. I have been in the Veterinary field for over a decade, I have worked for both independently owned and corporate owned clinics. The field of veterinary medicine is like food to my gut. It gives me both great satisfaction and at times the occasional heartburn. Most of all, it is tremendously gratifying to me, there is nothing else I see myself doing. I’m excited to work at Veterinary Surgical Solutions and I am extremely excited for this opportunity to expand my experience in the veterinary field. In my spare time I like to spend my time outdoors and watching football and great movies with my husband. I have 4 wonderful dogs, Chalupa Batman, Nami, Emma and Cooper. One little awesome black cat, named Nala. I hope to continue my journey in vet med for a while longer and will love every opportunity that I get to help make life easier, healthier and better for our patients.
Ciara Buechner
Veterinary Technician/Patient Care Coordinator
Hailing from Wisconsin, I am a transplant on an 8-year run from the cold to the warm embrace of Austin, TX! Ever since career day in Kindergarten I had an affinity for animals and a curiosity for anything medical.
I started my Veterinary Technician journey in High School where I had the opportunity to shadow at my local clinic, and later offered a position during the summer before heading off to college! After graduating with my bachelor’s in biology, life brought me to the south where I continued my Veterinary Technician career and fell more and more in love with the role. Not only that, but this beautifully challenging career of 10 years has rewarded me with access to continuous knowledge, solidifying skill sets, and most importantly my 3 fur babies making life anything short of boring.
When I am not with my VSS team making things happen for our amazing clients and patients you can find me being a social butterfly with friends creating memories, weightlifting, running, sand volleyball, and the occasional complete veg days consisting of the world’s best cuddle pile with my 2 cats (Cece and Rae) and my pup Potato.