Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabrielle/Conlee Broussard/Herrera Fry.
Hi Gabrielle/Conlee, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Given how much we love our work today, it might surprise you to learn that we both had to find our way back to Veterinary Medicine. For me (Dr. Conlee Herrera Fry), growing up on a small ranch in Hockley, Texas, surrounded by horses, cattle, dogs, and pigs, caring for animals wasn’t just a career path—it was a way of life. My wife, Dr. Gabrielle Broussard, grew up in Arnaudville, Louisiana, before moving to Houston in the sixth grade. Her mother still loves telling stories of a mischievous young girl who spent her days rescuing neighborhood strays and smuggling frogs into the house in her pockets. For both of us, a deep passion for animals has always been a part of who we are.
Our journeys began on opposite sides of Prairie View A&M University, driven by completely different dreams. Gabrielle was tackling the rigorous pre-nursing track, while I was an Agricultural Economics major, focused on owning a farm. It didn’t take long for university life to test our convictions. I found myself chasing a passion that simply wasn’t there. Across campus, Gabrielle hit a wall of her own, realizing that nursing was not the path meant for her. At her lowest point, Gabrielle opened a high school time capsule. Inside was a letter from her sophomore self, beautifully detailing her childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian. That spark changed everything. She pivoted to Biology, minored in Chemistry, and set her sights on Veterinary School, even helping to restart the campus Pre-Vet Club. My own breakthrough came through leadership. As president of MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences), I coordinated a joint event with Gabrielle’s newly revived club on the university farm. That collaboration introduced me to an incredible, driven woman. In helping her group, I didn’t just find the love of my life—I found my own missing purpose.
After graduating from Prairie View A&M University in 2014 with a degree in Biology and Chemistry. This foundation paved the way for her Gabrielle’s acceptance into Tuskegee University’s College of Veterinary Medicine (Class of 2018). Following a similar path, I graduated from Prairie View in 2015 and earned a master’s degree in small ruminant nutrition from Tuskegee University in 2017, before joining Tuskegee College of Veterinary Medicine class of 2021. Along this shared journey, we fell deeper in love and married in 2018; we have since been blessed with four wonderful children.
Professionally, Dr. Broussard began her career in private practice before transitioning to her true passion: shelter medicine. In this role, she managed complex cruelty cases, performed forensic necropsies, and specialized in high-volume spay and neuter surgeries as well as other specialty surgeries for shelter animals. She also served as a clinical mentor, overseeing fourth-year Texas A&M Veterinary students (TAMU) during their shelter rotations. As a new graduate, I also began in private small animal practice, where I benefited from the exceptional mentorship of fellow Tuskegee alumni. Driven by a desire to practice medicine on our own terms, build a lasting legacy, and integrate our faith into patient care, we ultimately joined forces to found Magneauxlia Grace Veterinary, PLLC.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Far from it. I always laugh and tell people that Veterinary school is probably the most stressful thing you will ever willingly put yourself through. It requires your attention, sacrifice, dedication, and sometimes more of you than you think you have to give.
I think when you’re chasing a dream like this, you can get caught in your own little bubble. You almost expect the outside world to freeze while you study, take exams, complete clinical rotations, and work toward becoming a doctor. Then, once you graduate, everybody can unfreeze and you can pick up life where you left off. But life doesn’t work that way and it was harsh reality for both of us.
My first year of Veterinary school, my grandfather passed away right before my anatomy midterm. My wife experienced loss during veterinary school as well. She lost an aunt who had been pivotal in her upbringing, someone whose presence, love, and prayers meant more to her than words could really explain.
Her mother was also diagnosed with breast cancer during her 3rd year of Veterinary school. So, while trying to pass exams and earn her degree, she was also trying to be a present daughter and help her mother navigate one of the scariest times of their lives with 12 hours of distance between them.
My senior year brought another loss that I will never forget. I had a younger cousin who was more like a little brother to me because we were raised together. He lived with sickle cell disease, and after being diagnosed with COVID, he passed away the same morning I was scheduled to take the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE). Here I am, riddled with immediate grief yet, I still had to get up and take that exam.
That is one of the hardest lessons our journey taught us: the world does not pause while you chase a dream. People you love still get sick. They still pass away. Families still need you. Life keeps moving, and somehow, you have to move with it. Nothing drove this reality home more than visiting my parents every four or five months, only to notice new, visible signs of aging on their excited faces. It was the same for my grandmother, who lived across the street from me my entire life. I can still hear her voice welcoming me home after school: “Well, what a pleasant surprise! Hey, Pooh! ”
There were sacrifices within our own little family, too. My wife and I married during my second year of Veterinary school. We welcomed our first child during my junior year and our daughter during my senior year. My wife had already graduated and started her career while I was still finishing school in Alabama, and she maintained a life for our family in Texas. With her mother battling breast cancer, she made the decision to return home to Houston, begin working, care for our growing family, and be close to her mom. So, for a period of time, our marriage and family existed between Alabama and Texas. Every time I came home, I knew I only had a short time with my wife and babies before I had to leave again. I had to remind myself that I wasn’t leaving because I wanted to be away from them but that I was going back to finish what I started so that one day our family could be in a better position.
Once you survive Vet school, you graduate and realize there is another mountain waiting for you. All the books in the world cannot fully prepare you for that first patient who walks through the door and the expectations that come with someone trusting you with their precious companion that they love so dearly. You may have the knowledge, but now you must execute it in real time. You must make decisions without first consulting with your attending clinician on the floor. You must communicate, lead and sometimes you must do all of that while quietly wondering to yourself, Am I ready? Can I really do this? Am I worthy of being called Doctor?
I remember one of the first times a client looked at me and said, “Doc, you’re the best vet. Thank you.” I remember feeling almost unworthy of those words. What I didn’t fully understand yet, was that I was worthy. We both were. We had earned our place not because we knew everything, but because we cared, we kept learning, and we continued showing up for our patients and the people who loved them.
So no, our journey hasn’t been smooth. There has been grief, distance, fear, anxiety, sacrifice, and plenty of moments when we questioned ourselves. But there has also been love, growth, purpose, family, and a whole lot of faith. Looking back now, I wouldn’t describe the journey as easy. I’d describe it as a blessing, nonetheless.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Magneauxlia Grace Veterinary is, first and foremost, a family-oriented and faith-filled Veterinary practice. I like to say faith-filled because our faith isn’t simply something we base our lives upon; it’s something we try to surround ourselves with. It’s incorporated into our everyday lives, our family, our habits, the way we treat people, and ultimately the way we serve. Our faith has played a major role in getting us to this point, so naturally, it became part of the foundation of the practice my wife and I are building together.
From a Veterinary standpoint, Magneauxlia Grace Veterinary is a mobile practice, meaning we bring vet care directly to you. Our focus is preventative and wellness care and helping families create a healthy game plan for their pets throughout every stage of life. We provide wellness examinations, vaccinations, puppy and kitten visits, minor sick patient appointments, and In-home end of life services. As we grow and build our clientele, we will also offer surgical services in the future.
One thing we are very intentional about is knowing what we are and what we aren’t. We are not a mobile emergency or urgent-care hospital, and we do not advertise as such. Our goal is to do what we do exceptionally well: build relationships with families, advocate for their animals, focus on prevention, recognize problems when they’re developing, and help pets live healthier lives. If there is ever a need for urgent or emergency care, we can definitely point you in the right direction in order to seek immediate care for your pet.
What sets us apart is that when you call Magneauxlia Grace Veterinary, you’re getting a husband-and-wife team of Veterinarians who genuinely enjoy connecting with people. We both pride ourselves on our bedside manner and our ability to talk with pet owners rather than “at” them. We want you to understand what’s happening with your pet, understand the options available to you, and feel comfortable asking questions. And because we come to you, we can often do that without some of the hustle, bustle, and stress that can come with a traditional veterinary clinic.
Being a small business also makes every interaction personal to us. We don’t take for granted that someone chose us to care for a member of their family. Putting our best foot forward every single time matters because our reputation isn’t being built somewhere in a corporate office it’s being built one family, one pet, and one experience at a time. We want you to call us back, not because we’re the only option, but because you remember how we treated you and how we cared for your pet.
Brand wise, one of the things we’re most proud of is simply being able to build this together as husband and wife with our children watch. We want them to see what a fulfilled life can look like when you have the courage to pursue a dream, work hard at it, use the gifts God gave you, and find a way to serve other people through it. If this business grows into everything, we pray it will become, that’s the part of the legacy I hope sticks with them.
More than anything, though, we want people to know that we truly care. We want to be the shining example of the many Veterinarians who are caring, compassionate, who will listen, and advocate for your animal. We understand the life of your furry companion means something. It’s important. It’s valued. It’s cherished. And when they’re in the care of Magneauxlia Grace Veterinary, we want our clients to know we value their life too.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I’d say compassion. While compassion matters, it means more than just caring. Our true skill is turning complex medical information into clear, useful advice for pet owners. We combine deep empathy with clear communication, that way, we cover every single option for the pet’s health and what works best for the family.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://magneauxliavet.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magneauxlia_vets/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Magneauxlia-Grace-Veterinary/61588499591675/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MagneauxliaGraceVeterinary-t8v
Image Credits
Michael “Mike” Thomas
