Starting out in college at the University of Texas (UT) in Austin, Guerra thought she wanted to be an attorney, so she didn’t give much thought to other choices or seek out career resources that might have been helpful at the time. While pursuing a degree in government, she began an internship at the Texas Attorney General’s office. Unsure about law school after graduating from UT, and enjoying her work at the AG office, she decided to continue on there – and was soon promoted from part-time secretary to a paralegal position.

Though the legal work was interesting and Guerra learned a lot while there, after a time it felt a bit rote and not what she wanted to be doing for the rest of her life. She not only sought to have greater influence and make a bigger impact in her career – but she wanted to be the best version of herself as a role model for her young daughter.

“After 10 years working in law, I literally sat down with pen and paper to figure out what I really wanted to do,” says Guerra. “I thought about my likes and passions, and at the top of the list was something I’ve had a strong love for since childhood: animals.”

To test her theory before making the leap to veterinary medicine, Guerra started volunteering at a local animal shelter in Austin. When that experience confirmed that this was more than a passing interest, the next step was to take the required science classes that she hadn’t needed as a government major. Going back to school at night reignited her love of learning and confirmed to Guerra that she was heading in the right direction. All of the pieces for a major career shift were falling into place.

“One thing I did differently this time,” explains Guerra, “I learned that most universities have someone you can go to and talk about career paths. Not just the classes you need to take, but the time and the financing and all the other commitments you have to make. I was much more mindful of these things the second time around.”

Fortunately, there are student loans you can get that will give you enough to live on so that you can go back to school full-time, which is really required of veterinary school.  Though challenging – on top of switching careers Guerra was a single mom at the time – the financial and other sacrifices are well worth it in the long run if you’re going after what you really want to do in life, no matter when you choose to do it.

Armed with the science courses she needed, Guerra left the security of a well-paying job and enrolled in Angelo State University, where she earned her second degree: a Bachelor of Science in animal science. From there, she went to Texas A&M and obtained a Degree in Veterinary Medicine (DVM).

Working in the clinic and seeing patients – from large animals to small, domestic to exotic – was very rewarding and Guerra finally felt she was starting to make a difference. Even her previous experience was coming into play; the communication skills she developed while working as a paralegal proved highly beneficial in the exam room, where she had to question people to get to the facts about their pets’ history and health.

Her previous experience may also have helped accelerate her advancement into management, where Guerra discovered another passion: helping to develop other people, from newly-graduated students to those like her who wanted to advance into leadership roles.

“That’s really where my passion lies right now,” says Guerra. “I always had a love for animals, and Banfield gave me an opportunity to fulfill that dream. But they also gave me the opportunity to reach beyond it into a leadership role where I could help develop other doctors.”

Because of her own journey, Guerra cautions others not to rush into major life chooses, especially when there is outside pressure to make a decision. At the same time, she knows that education of any kind is never for naught, something that she learned early on from her father. The maturity she developed during her early education and subsequent time as a paralegal is what now enables her to be a better leader in her second career. As do the values that her parents instilled in her by their words and by example – to always be learning, to work hard and never give up, and to make whatever sacrifices are necessary to reach your goals.

Today, as a medical director at Banfield, Guerra is responsible for ensuring top-notch medical quality at the 14 hospitals that comprise her market in the DFW Central (Dallas/Fort Worth) area. That means making sure that other doctors feel comfortable bringing their concerns about medical quality to her in their efforts to ensure patient safety at every clinic.

Her second goal, related to the first, is doctor engagement – making sure that each doctor has access to Banfield resources and is getting what they need to practice medicine the way they see fit, and at the level they want. For example, Dr. Guerra works closely with Banfield partner Royal Canin to bring continuing education (CE) to the doctors in her market. She also leverages the resources of parent company Mars, as when she traveled to Puerto Rico under their Ambassador Program to speak about preventive care for pets and conduct pet care clinics.

While most people would consider a career change the biggest shift in their journey, Guerra says that moment actually came later when she was talking to one of her veterinary assistants (VA).

“What she really wanted was to be a doctor of veterinary medicine,” relates Guerra, “but no one had ever encouraged her before. I found it heartbreaking to think no one had seen her potential or the intelligence she possessed. It shattered my perception that the support and encouragement I had always received from my parents was something everyone got.”

From that moment on, Guerra saw it as her obligation to encourage the next generation of young people who wanted to go further in their lives and careers and become doctors and leaders in their own right. She no longer assumes that everyone has the necessary encouragement and support along the way that she did to reach her goals.

This is what motivates Guerra each and every day in her role as medical director at Banfield. Even more than moving from law to veterinary medicine, the change she made within her second chosen career proved to be an even greater opportunity to have a bigger impact. She ultimately learned she could be not only a better role model for her daughter, but a mentor and leader for a whole new generation.