Our small team is committed to providing the best care for your beloved pet and impeccable service to you and your family! Having a small team allows us to deliver excellent, personalized care while keeping costs down. That is our goal!
Our Team
Nate Swegman, BSVN, RVT, FFCP
Nate is a Registered Veterinary Technologist who lives in Indianapolis. Nate is from Greensburg, Indiana where he grew up working on large animal farms. Nate always knew that he wanted to do something that involved helping animals. In 2013 he graduated from Harrison College with an Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology. From there he worked in general small animal practice until 2014, when he moved to Miami Florida and started working in specialty practice. Nate moved back to Indiana in 2017 to be closer to his family. In 2019 he decided to further his education and applied to Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. At Purdue he obtained his Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Nursing. During his studies at Purdue, he also obtained his Fear Free Certified Elite Professional as well as becoming a Certified C.E.T. Dental Ambassador.
Nate’s number one commitment would be patient care and making sure that each pet is taken care of as if it were his own. Nate has a special interest in anesthesia and analgesia as well as surgery. He takes pride in continuing to learn and evolve with modern times to make sure that his patient care is gold standard. Nate has 3 dogs, 3 cats and a ferret and loves to spend time with family outside of being a RVT. His favorite is having cook outs and pool parties in the summer months.
Dr. Lauren Ball
Dr. Lauren Ball is originally from the Sunshine State but got a dose of the Midwest while attending the University of Notre Dame for undergrad. She returned home to Florida and graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. Dr. Ball then completed internships in small animal medicine and surgery in Colorado prior to moving to Indianapolis.
While Dr. Ball has always had a strong interest in surgery, she has also worked in various positions within the veterinary field including emergency medicine, general practice, medical director of a 24-hour hospital, and shelter medicine. It was during her time as a medical director that Dr. Ball came to realize the need for owners to have alternative options for their pets when they were unable to pursue specialty referral for surgeries. She has completed numerous continuing education classes in soft tissue surgery, tibial tuberosity advancement, and fracture repair. Her goal in starting Indy Animal Surgery Center is to provide personalized surgical care as well as therapeutic options for pets and their families.
Dr. Ball’s family consists of five humans, three dogs and a cat. She and her husband Patrick enjoy watching Andy compete in marching band and indoor percussion, Molly play softball, and their new addition, Noah, grow and explore the world around him. The family has one crazy Boxer and two strong-willed French Bulldogs, which helped fuel Dr. Ball’s strong interest in brachycephalic dogs and the medical complications they can face. She competed in eventing with throughout high school and college with her horse. Then there is a spirited Bengal cat to round out the family.
Heather Tracey
Heather brings her 20 years of corporate operational leadership experience along with her passionate care of animals to our center. She is dedicated to offering the best experience for our clients and patients, especially the well-deserved feeling of comfort, calm and care with every visit to the center. Heather resides with her six person family in Avon IN, which also includes four dogs ranging in age from 12 years old to one year old. She is an avid dog show exhibitor and other dog sports with her Barbet (French Water Dogs), of which she owns two. She was inspired to change careers when one of her dogs was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma, an aggressive form of cancer, and came to understand just how important the experience is for pet owners who must deal with unfortunate circumstances regarding their beloved pets. She often volunteers at a local animal rescue to give back to the community and continue her learning of animal care. In Heather’s free time, she enjoys watching all sports, golfing, camping, and grooming/training/showing her fur babies.
Melissa Hawkins
Mel Hawkins is a Veterinary Assistant at Indy Animal Surgery Center. Mel is originally from the greater Phoenix area in Arizona but moved to Indianapolis in 2013. She wanted to work in veterinary medicine since she was a young child. Her family did wildlife rehabilitation, and Mel helped with the animals’ basic needs at home and at the wildlife center. They even took some of the animals to the local elementary schools to teach kids about birds of prey and local reptiles. After graduating from high school, Mel attended Pima Medical Institute to become a certified veterinary assistant and has been working in the field since 2008.
Mel has worked in multiple areas of the veterinary clinic. She has been a veterinary assistant and has also worked in different areas of management throughout her career. Her passion has always been working in surgery and giving her patients the best care they can receive. She knows that every patient is different and needs their own personalized care when they visit the surgery center.
When Mel is not at work, she gets to spend time with her husband Travis and her daughter Cecilia. Travis is a supervisor in the insurance industry and has an interest in IT. Travis also has a love for muscle cars and owns a plum crazy purple Challenger. Cecilia is a fun loving little girl that loves animals, art, singing and dancing, taekwondo and new experiences. Cecilia loves coming to the clinic to see the animals and learn about how we care for the patients.
Mel and her family have multiple pets in their house. Sally and Hala are 14 and 13 year old cats that have two very different personalities. Sally does not enjoy affection, but Hala loves every minute of her time getting affection. Bernie is a 4 year old Beagle Mix, Bruce is a 1 year old Beagle, and Betty is a 4 month old Beagle. They are all your classic Beagles; they love their family, can have a loud mouth, and will play all day. Randy is a bearded dragon that is the most recent member of the family. His age is unknown since he is a rescue. Randy was brought in after being neglected and malnourished but is getting better every day.
Mel really loves spending time with her family and trying new experiences with them. She also enjoys concerts, learning new things, and going to as many summer events as she can. She loves to get out and enjoy the world around her.
Women-Owned Business
