About Us
Dr. Gina Francis was born in Bethesda, Maryland. A product of the Camp Lejeune Dependent, Onslow County Public and local Catholic schools, she is a graduate of Jacksonville Senior High School. Dr. Francis is also a graduate of Howard University where she received a B.A. in Print Journalism and the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Francis launched her journalism career at the Wilmington Journal. She also reported for the Wilmington Star News, Raleigh News and Observer and Jackson Advocate before becoming a medical writer for the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS.
Dr. Debra Maxwell was born and raised in the Swansboro, NC area. She graduated from North Carolina State University with her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2018. She also obtained an undergraduate degree in Animal Science with a minor in Nutrition from North Carolina State University in 2014. She has experience working with many different species of animals including dogs, cats, horses and ruminants. Dr. Maxwell is currently licensed within the states of North Carolina and Virginia. Dr. Maxwell is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association.
Dr. Gina Francis was born in Bethesda, Maryland. A product of the Camp Lejeune Dependent, Onslow County Public and local Catholic schools, she is a graduate of Jacksonville Senior High School. Dr. Francis is also a graduate of Howard University where she received a B.A. in Print Journalism and the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Francis launched her journalism career at the Wilmington Journal. She also reported for the Wilmington Star News, Raleigh News and Observer and Jackson Advocate before becoming a medical writer for the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS.
Dr. Francis is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association. She also is a member of the Tuskegee Veterinary Medical Alumni Association. Dr. Francis serves on the board of directors for the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, Coastal Carolina Community College and Onslo
Dr. Francis is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association. She also is a member of the Tuskegee Veterinary Medical Alumni Association. Dr. Francis serves on the board of directors for the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, Coastal Carolina Community College and Onslow County Consolidated Human Services. Dr. Francis also serves on the Supervisory Committee for Marine Federal Credit Union.
She is a member of the Swansboro Area Chamber of Commerce, Rotary International, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®️ and is a life member of Friends of Hammock
Beach. Dr. Francis formerly served as president of the Montford Point Marine
Association Camp Lejeune Chapter #10 Auxiliary, and is a past Public Relations Officer for the National MPMA Auxiliary.
Dr. Francis is the recipient of numerous awards including the 2024 Onslow County Civic Affairs’ “Fabric of Our Community” Award; the 2016 “First Citizen Small Business of the
Year” and 2014 “Minority Entrepreneur of the Year.” She is also the recipient of a New York Times Publisher’s Award; Lincoln University Unity in Media Award and two North Carolina Press Association Awards among others.
Dr. Francis has practiced veterinary medicine in eastern North Carolina and Camp Lejeune since 2003, opening Bayshore Animal Hospital in 2014 in Jacksonville and relocating to Swansboro in 2024.
A native of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Dr. Timothy Pearson is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Pearson completed an equine internal medicine and surgery internship at Tennessee Equine Hospital, the largest private equine hospital in Tennessee. He practices small animal and equine medicine with a focus on general health, medicine, surgery, lameness and dentistry. Dr. Pearson is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Equine Practitioners.
Dr. Debra Maxwell was born and raised in the Swansboro, NC area. She graduated from North Carolina State University with her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2018. She also obtained an undergraduate degree in Animal Science with a minor in Nutrition from North Carolina State University in 2014. She has experience working with many different species of animals including dogs, cats, horses and ruminants. Dr. Maxwell is currently licensed within the states of North Carolina and Virginia. Dr. Maxwell is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association.
Dr. Gina Francis was born in Bethesda, Maryland. A product of the Camp Lejeune Dependent, Onslow County Public and local Catholic schools, she is a graduate of Jacksonville Senior High School. Dr. Francis is also a graduate of Howard University where she received a B.A. in Print Journalism and the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Francis launched her journalism career at the Wilmington Journal. She also reported for the Wilmington Star News, Raleigh News and Observer and Jackson Advocate before becoming a medical writer for the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS.
