BROOKHOLLOW - Key Persons
Dr. James Morton was born and raised in Athens, Texas. After graduating from Athens High School in 1999, he attended Texas A&M University. He received his bachelors degree in 2003 and graduated with his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008.
After graduation, Dr. Morton practiced for 3 years at Wharton Veterinary Clinic, a mixed animal practice in Wharton, TX. In 2011, he returned to Athens to practice with his father, Dr. John Morton, at Morton Small Animal Clinic.
In 2014, he purchased Brookhollow Veterinary Clinic and began practicing in Palestine and Athens, at both clinic locations. Today, Dr. Morton continues to care for patients at Brookhollow on a part-time basis, while leading the practice at Morton Small Animal Clinic in Athens. His greatest reward is having the opportunity to practice veterinary medicine with his father, Dr. John Morton.
Currently, Dr. Morton is president of the East Texas Veterinary Medical Association, serves on the Board of Directors for the Texas Veterinary Medical Association, and volunteers his time providing care at StrayDog, a local animal shelter.
When he's not providing care for his patients, Dr. Morton enjoys spending time with his wife, daughter, and son, and watching sports.
Dr. John Morton has served the East Texas region as a large and small animal veterinarian for 45 years. He received his bachelors degree from Texas A&M University in 1968 and graduated with his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1969. After graduation, Dr. Morton took an associate veterinarian position with a mixed animal clinic in Mount Pleasant, TX.
In 1972, Dr. Morton moved to Athens, TX to establish his veterinary practice as a mixed animal clinic. He converted the clinic to an exclusively small animal practice in 1985. Under his trusted guidance, Morton Small Animal Clinic has grown from its humble beginnings in 1972 to a state of the art practice and facility. In 2014, Dr. Morton began practicing at Brookhollow Veterinary Clinic, pledging to continue the legacy started by Dr. Don Scarborough, the clinic's founder.
Dr. Morton has served in many notable leadership roles during his career. In addition to serving as president of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA) in 2011, Dr. Morton has held leadership roles in the East Texas Veterinary Medical Association, United Methodist Church, Henderson County Fair Board, the County Extension Service's equine subcommittee and Athens Public School's Renaissance Leadership Committee. He currently serves on the Board of Managers for the Southwest Veterinary Symposium and is a charter member of Texas Group One.
In 2006, Dr. Morton was named a Mark Francis Fellow by the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine, and the school recognized him as an Outstanding Alumnus in 2010. In 2015, Dr. Morton received the Distinguished Career Achievement Award awarded by the Texas Veterinary Medical Association in recognition of his outstanding professional performance across a full career in veterinary practice.
Dr. Morton and his wife Ginger have four children - Janet, Michael, James, and Jesse, and two grandchildren. In his spare time, Dr. Morton enjoys ranching, gardening, canning vegetables, and supporting Texas A&M sports.
Dr. Kayla Swanberg graduated, with honors, from St. George's University of Veterinary Medicine in January 2019. She then moved to Texas to join the Brookhollow Veterinary Clinic as an associate veterinarian. Kayla grew up in southern Minnesota showing quarter horses and has always been passionate about caring for animals. Kayla and her husband, Josh, live in Elkhart (Redtown) on a small ranch with many cats, dogs, horses, and a few long horns. When she's not working at the clinic she enjoys training and competing in dog agility with her two German Shorthaired Pointers. She is also looking forward to returning to showing horses in the next few years. She has a special interest in canine sports medicine and feline medicine.