Leslie VanWinkle-Sukhija is the Director of Human Resources for Atlantic Animal Hospital, and has been working as such since July 2005, when Dr. Sukhija became the new owner. She loves the unique work environment that comes from working with humans and animals, and works to facilitate an enthusiastic and positive environment for everyone who walks through our doors, whether on two legs or four!

Leslie received a Bachelors of Science from the University of Central Florida, and is currently acquiring certification from the Florida Institute of Technology as a Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst (BCABA); she also plans to obtain her Ph.D. and specialize in Child Psychology. In addition to assisting at Atlantic Animal Hospital, her primary career is providing Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy to children with developmental disorders in Central Florida. Leslie definitely has a week spot for the all-too-often voiceless beings in the world, whatever species they may be.

She is originally from Newburgh, Indiana, where the rest of her family still resides. When she is not working or in school, she is usually visiting her family in Indiana and spending time with her three-year-old nephew, Colton, and twin one-year-old niece and nephew Colby and Conner. She also likes to go kayaking and horse-back riding, and loves a suspenseful mystery novel in her spare time.

She and Dr. Sukhija were married in June of 2006, and are the proud parents of three furry children! First (and oldest) comes Nicolas, an eleven-year-old domestic shorthair feline of beautiful orange, gold and white coloring. He is up for anything, as long as it does not involve other felines! He is great with children and loves to cuddle, but only if he initiates it! Secondly, there is Nelli, who was rescued on a beach in the Caribbean by Dr. Sukhija in 1998 while attending Ross University. Nicknamed "Nervous Nelli" because of her constant worries and inner thoughts of "What did I do? What did I do?" She is a schemer, but looks like a little fawn when she knows she's in trouble. Thirdly (but never lastly), there is Laila, their 3 year old mixed "puppy" (as they still refer to her) they adopted from the Miami Police Animal Rescue. She is the quintessential baby of the family, and she plays her role well. She is a victim of Distemper Virus, which she thankfully survived, as well as Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (non-functioning digestive portion of the pancreas) and severe allergies (including to human dander!); she is on several medications totaling about 14 pills a day! However, you would never know what this little girl has gone through, as she is so happy and possesses an unwavering zest for life. Her entire goal in life is to simply be loved back by everyone she greets with a wagging tail.

Leslie's mission for all who visit Atlantic Animal Hospital is that they have a pleasant, informative visit and, with Dr. Sukhija's assistance, are able to develop a healthy and beneficial life plan for their companion animals. She works diligently at creating an atmosphere that promotes a level of comfort for the companion animals, and knows that comes from surrounding them with gentle, compassionate people whose sole objective is to aid them. She is absolutely confident that is exactly what is found in the wonderful veterinary team at Atlantic Animal Hospital.