Meet our Team
Get to know the people who brought SURGE to life.
Our Core Values
Freedom – Community – Platform – Support
Meet the SURGE founders.
We are dedicated to helping you build and live the life you’ve always dreamed about.
Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS
SURGE Co-founder
Being overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated was not a recipe for happiness, so he decided to explore mobile surgery.
After 6 years at traditional brick-and-mortar practices, Phil Zeltzman started his full-time mobile surgery career in 2010.
Phil and Justin got in touch through a common friend. Since they launched their mobile practice around the same time, they decided to help each other with various decisions: power equipment, autoclaves, staffing needs, business model, paperwork, creative ways to save money, etc.
They loved the interactions so much that they added Jim to the brainstorming sessions.
This is how SURGE started. You can read the rest of the story here.
As more and more practice owners heard about Phil’s service, his territory increased across Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
His territory became so large and so busy that he then decided to reduce his reach and his days on the road, from 7 days with 24/7 on-call to 6 days with 24/7 on-call, to 5 days with no on-call, to 4 days and now three days.
This led to an amazing sense of freedom (he may or may not have taken a 3-week vacation island-hopping in Hawaii once) while still providing a valuable service to his RDVMs, clients, and patients.
Phil is also the co-founder of Veterinary Equity Consulting Group, which goal is to help colleagues build a new generation of brick-and-mortar practices.
Justin Harper, DVM, DACVS-LA
SURGE Co-founder
A graduate of Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Justin completed an internship in Littleton, Colorado, and a surgical residency program at Auburn University in large animal surgery. After returning to the Texas Hill Country, Justin had the unique opportunity to undergo additional training for small animal surgery in South Texas under the direction of Dr. Andy Baker (small animal surgeon of 40 years), Dr. Don Hulse (Texas A&M University), and others. During this time, he realized the need for specialty surgical services to be offered in-house to veterinarians and their clients. In addition to being board certified in large animal surgery, Justin began completing requirements for dual certification in small animal surgery. Due to the demand for surgical services to the practices TSVS currently serves, Justin has put the dual certification process on hold. TSVS currently performs over 800 surgeries a year at veterinary practices for their pet owners, including TPLO, fracture repair, and other orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries.
Jim Ballow, DVM
SURGE Co-Founder/Director
After graduating from Texas A&M, Jim entered private small animal practice in Longview, TX.
With a year’s worth of experience under his belt, Jim returned to his hometown of Henderson, TX, and established a small animal practice, which he merged with two other veterinarians a few years later.
Noting the lack of surgical services offered in the area and the pets that didn’t get needed care because it was not readily available, Jim began training for more advanced surgeries and sold his practice to focus on surgery.
Initially doing Emergency Clinic and per diem work, Jim began offering mobile surgery services in East Texas, evolving to exclusively mobile surgery as East Texas Veterinary Services.
ETVS now offers TPLOs, fracture repair, and other orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries to East Texas. As ETVS has grown, Jim has been able to help pets and owners get the care they need without having to travel long distances for referrals while providing himself the flexibility and freedom to enjoy life to its fullest.
Jim is a co-founder of SURGE, a group of mobile veterinary surgeons comprised of members from around the world.
Jim lives in Henderson, TX, with his wife, Anna. Travel, gardening, and keeping up with three grandchildren are some of the things that give them great joy.
Danielle Schofield
Administrator
Danielle began working for SURGE in January 2024 as our Executive Director. Prior to joining us, Danielle was a general practice veterinary technician in Leesburg, VA for almost 7 years. She has always had an appreciation and interest in general surgery at the clinics and was fascinated speaking with the mobile surgeons that visited the practices she worked for and watching them work/assisting them.
Upon learning about SURGE and the chance to not only connect with mobile surgeons from across the globe but also play a role in connecting them with other mobile surgeons and partners, Danielle was eager to be a part of the team. Having a general understanding of the industry and hands-on experience in actual veterinary care on top of her passion for animals, it made SURGE the perfect fit to be able to grow and build upon this remarkable community while delivering top care to animals worldwide.
Currently, Danielle lives in Tucson, AZ with her new husband, Andre, and having grown up with dogs, cats, hamsters, fish, you name it, now has 3 cats and 3 Guinea pigs to make for a full house. Her hobbies include spending time outdoors, hiking (though staying far from the edge) and, Danielle’s favorite thing, spending time with her family, friends and fur-babies.
Tracy Nicole Frey, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
SURGE Director
Tracy was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and is a 2002 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed her surgical training in New York and New Jersey and has been practicing in Southern California since 2009 with an emphasis on soft tissue and emergency surgery. Tracy is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Tracy is the sole traveling surgeon and founder of SoftSurg, Incorporated, and has also served as a relief surgeon for numerous specialty practices throughout California. Tracy enjoys all aspects of soft tissue surgery, particularly gastrointestinal and oncologic procedures. She has a special interest in pain management and critical care and will work closely with owners and referring veterinarians to provide the utmost compassionate care for her patients.
Tracy is the only board-certified veterinary surgeon in Southern California providing concierge services; all of her clients and referring veterinarians have direct access to Tracy before, during and after their pet’s surgical procedures! This intimate relationship with pet owners and their primary veterinarians is fostered by a deep understanding of the human-animal bond as well as the need for constant communication and attention to detail.
Tracy loves anything involving unicorns, glitter, the color pink and Guns N’ Roses! When she is not in the operating room, you can find Tracy planning epic parties, dancing at rock concerts, watching horror movies, reading Stephen King fiction or enjoying the beauty of flowers in nature.
Garrett M. Levin, DVM –
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
SURGE Director
Originally from California, Garrett earned his Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from the University of California at Davis in 1994 and received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Ross University, School of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. Garrett completed a one-year small animal medicine and surgery internship in 2000 and a three-year comprehensive small animal surgery residency in small animal orthopedics, soft tissue, and neurosurgery in 2003 at The Animal Medical Center in New York.
Since his residency, Garrett has served as Staff Surgeon at small animal referral and emergency hospitals in California and New Jersey, as well as Chief of Surgery in Massachusetts and Vermont. Garrett has received board certification and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. In addition, he is recognized as an international speaker in small animal surgery. Garrett is currently owner and surgeon of Ascend Veterinary Surgery practicing in Vermont and New York.
Judith Feldsien, BVMS MVSc MANZCVS
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons – Small Animal
SURGE Director
Judy graduated from Murdoch University in Australia in 1997 and began her career in small animal primary care practice in Australia and the United Kingdom. She later pursued specialty training in anesthesia at the University of Melbourne before a Small Animal Surgery Residency at the University of Minnesota. She became board certified in Small Animal Surgery in 2010 and went on to work in multispecialty referral hospitals in New York, Minnesota, and Hawaii, as well as with the surgical oncology team at the University of Florida.
Her experience in both primary care and referral medicine led her to found Synergy Veterinary Specialists and develop a different model for specialty surgery. Synergy works closely with a smaller number of primary care hospitals, providing comprehensive surgical care within their practices, from consultation and surgery through postoperative follow-up.
While developing Synergy, Judy discovered SURGE. The organization provided valuable business education, industry relationships, and a network of surgeons pursuing similar paths. That community gave her the confidence to build a less traditional practice model while providing the support and connection that can be difficult to find when starting an independent surgical business.
Judy now serves on the SURGE board and is passionate about helping other mobile and independent surgeons develop sustainable practices and find the same sense of community and support that helped her build Synergy.
Elizabeth Arthur, DVM DACVS (SA)
Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (Small Animal)
SURGE Director
Elizabeth is a board-certified small animal surgeon and owner of Mobile Veterinary Surgery in Maryland. She grew up in Missouri and attended the University of Missouri for both undergraduate and veterinary degrees, followed by a one year rotating internship at The Animal Medical Center in New York. Her surgical training began with a specialty internship year at Gulf Coast Veterinary Surgery in Houston, and her residency in small animal surgery was done with Chesapeake Veterinary Surgical Specialists in Maryland.
Outside the OR, Elizabeth loves hiking and running and can often be found on the trails with her husband Jeff. They’re proud members of the Frederick Steeplechasers, surely the best running club ever. The Arthur-Chillemi family also includes two dogs, 13 year old diva Carolina Dog Della and 2 year old sweet Tasmanian Devil Sherpa, and three horses who believe they should have been listed first, Amity, Bijoux, and Amity’s daughter Annie.
