Dr. Crystal Berarducci, Medical Director and Owner
Dr. Berarducci was first introduced to our clients over 13 years ago when she worked at Braden River Animal Hospital dually as a front office receptionist and veterinary technician. At the time, Dr. Berarducci was preparing for her studies to one day enter the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Upon graduating from veterinary school in 2011, Dr. Berarducci first worked at a local practice in the Bradenton area. Soon thereafter, we were incredibly fortunate to have her return to Braden River Animal Hospital as one of our Associate Veterinarians.
Originally from Walnut Creek, California, Dr. Berarducci and her family have developed strong ties to the Bradenton community which also parallels the strong relationships she formulated with our Braden River clientele and patients. Having a strong interest in developing her career as a veterinarian, Dr. Berarducci has continuously fortified these bonds by practicing quality companion animal medicine and surgery while educating clients on the well-being of their pets. Over the years, she has also been driven to develop her business acumen in veterinary practice management also working on the development of North River Animal Hospital. With both sister practices now strongly embedded in the Bradenton, Parrish, Palmetto, Ft. Hamer and surrounding communities, Dr. Berarducci also met another huge milestone when she became co-owner of both Braden River Animal Hospital and North River Animal Hospital with Dr. Terry Clekis in 2017.
Looking into the future, Dr. Berarducci is dedicated to helping develop our two practices with a continued emphasis placed on superior patient care, excellent customer service and community involvement. Her own professional goals are to stay current on the latest advancements in medicine and surgery and to continually foster great teamwork as a managing veterinarian. For leisure, Dr. Berarducci participates in mud runs both locally and around the state, enjoys weight training, reading, going to movies and to the beach. She is also a parent to Blaze and Torch, two beautiful German Shepherds she has been raising since 2016.
Dr. Barbara Lewis
Dr. Barbara Lewis is a well-seasoned and highly respected veterinarian in the Bradenton area. Known as being incredibly warm-hearted and compassionate, Dr. Lewis is a wonderful “people person” and phenomenal clinician. With over 18 years of veterinary experience, we were thrilled to have her join our teams at both North River Animal Hospital and Braden River Animal Hospital in 2017.
Originally from Miami, FL, Dr. Lewis earned her doctorate from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 2000. Shortly thereafter, she made Bradenton her permanent home in 2004 where she has been practicing small animal companion medicine. She is also active with the local veterinary medical associations and member of the FVMA (Florida Veterinary Medical Association and AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association).
Dr. Lewis has special interests in primary and geriatric care as well as dermatology. She truly enjoys spending time with pet parents discussing the best, individualized preventative care plan for pets including proper nutrition for all life stages. Discussing aspects of primary care that can keep pets happy and healthy well into a pet’s senior years is also an important part of her relationships with clients.
In love with everything, “Florida”, Dr. Lewis enjoys our sunny weather and all outdoor nature activities. She has two amazing daughters, Cinder her black poodle, three Siamese-mix cats and a tank full of freshwater fish. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach and traveling to see new places and meeting new faces.
Dr. Ana Maria Cepeda
We are proud to have Dr. Ana Maria Cepeda join our veterinary team where she will be seeing clients at both Braden River Animal and North River Animal Hospital. Originally from Port St. Lucia, Florida, Dr. Cepeda is a resident of the Parrish area where she has been practicing companion medicine as an Associate Veterinarian in our local area for many years. She is well-versed in small animal medicine and surgery with special interests in Dermatology, Internal Medicine and Animal Behavior.
An alumna of the University of Florida, in Gainesville, FL, Dr. Cepeda received her Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences as the recipient of the Bright Futures Scholarship. Next, Dr. Cepeda pursued herprofessional studies at St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine in Grand Cayman where she matriculated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2014. In conjunction with her graduate studies, she also completed a year of clinical training at the highly-regarded Purdue University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Dr. Cepeda brings a wide-range of experience to our veterinary team. Her many, very interesting positions of leadership and volunteer experience include being the team leader for the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) while at St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine. She also completed an Emergency and Critical Care Externship at Eastern Carolina Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service and a Spay/neuter Externship at the Humane Society of St. Lucie County in Port St. Lucie. Additional accomplishments include completing a Veterinary Forensics Workshop at the University of Florida College of Medicine, a Marine Veterinary Medicine Workshop in the Cayman Islands as well as a wildlife research internship at the White Oak Conservation Center in Yule, FL. Dr. Cepeda also has published work in the Journal of Theriogenology related to veterinary imaging of the feline reproductive system.
Also a huge advocate of volunteer work, Dr. Cepeda has been heavily involved in dog fostering for Canine Friends Rescue Group and the Cayman Islands Humane Society Foster Program. Dr. Cepeda’s long-standing desire to care for the health needs of animals also equally parallels with the connection she shares with pet owners. She states, “I really enjoy being a part of the veterinary team here. My true passion as a veterinarian is connecting with pet owners in the exam room where I can provide education and information that will help improve and/or extend the quality of life for their pet. Having these relationships with our clients is truly satisfying for me.”
Her love of animals also extends to her own family of pets including her dogs Maggie and Newman and cat Ichi. In her spare time, she enjoys photography and playing the piano. Dr. Cepeda is also fluent in both English and Spanish.