SPEAKERS

Dr. Love graduated from the Glasgow Veterinary School and completed a residency in veterinary anesthesia at the University of Bristol. She became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia in 2005 and holds the RCVS Diploma in Veterinary Anesthesia. Emma has been an academic member of staff at the University of Bristol since 2004 and completed a PhD, “Advances in the Objective Evaluation of Pain and Analgesic Efficacy in Horses”, in 2009. Her clinical and research interests include pain assessment and analgesia, and she is the Program Director for the BVSc Accelerated Graduate Entry Program.

Dr Eric Monnet graduated from veterinary school in Maisons Alfort, France in 1985. He worked for four years in a Paris private practice performing small animal medicine and surgery. In 1994, he completed a small animal surgery residency at Colorado State University and concurrently finished a Master of Sciences degree. In 1997, Dr. Monnet received his PhD in Clinical Sciences studying cardiac efficiency in dogs. In 2003, he became a fellow of the American Heart Association. Dr Monnet is currently a professor in small animal surgery (soft tissue) at CSU. He is a Diplomate of both the American and European College of Veterinary Surgeons. Also he was the founding president of the Society for Soft Tissue Surgery and the Veterinary Endoscopy Society. He is the editor of the first edition of Textbook ”Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery” and a co-editor of the  second edition of  “Mechanism of Diseases in Small Animal Surgery” and the second edition of “Small Animal Thoracic Surgery”.

Dr. Erin Epperly is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine. She received her DVM from Colorado State University in 2007. After eight years in rural, mixed animal practice, she returned to academia to complete a diagnostic imaging residency at Cornell University. She was board certified as a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Radiologists in 2018.

Dr. Frederic Gaschen is a graduate of the University of Bern, Switzerland. After a few years in mixed practice, he trained as a veterinary internist in North America (Ontario Veterinary College, Canada, and University of Florida, USA). He is a specialist in small animal internal medicine and a Diplomate of both the American and the European Colleges of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVM and ECVIM-CA). After teaching for 15 years at his alma mater, he moved to Louisiana in 2006 where he is currently a professor and chief of small animal medicine at Louisiana State University. Frederic has a passion for the canine and feline gastroenterology. He has directed research and published on chronic enteropathies of the dog and digestive motility of dogs and cats. He loves to share his passion with his students at LSU and with colleagues at congresses worldwide. He has been involved in professional associations for many years. Currently, he is the Chair of the Scientific Program Committee for the annual Congresses of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA).

Freya Mowat received her veterinary degree from the University of Bristol School of Veterinary Medicine in the UK. She received her PhD. in Molecular Genetics from University College London in 2009, and was board certified in both the European and American Colleges of Veterinary Ophthalmologists in 2015 following residency  and post-doctoral training at Michigan State University. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, splitting her time between research into animal and human retinal blindness, clinical ophthalmology and teaching in the DVM and graduate curricula. She has authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications and 3 book chapters, including Veterinary Ophthalmology, 6th edition

Gerardo completed his Bachelor of Veterinary Science at the University of Queensland in 2008, graduating with first-class honours and being awarded year valedictorian. He moved on to spend 3 years in small animal practice, transitioning into emergency and critical care with the Animal Emergency Service, where he is now an AES veterinary director.

In 2012 Gerardo achieved Membership with the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Emergency and Critical Care and for 3 years held position of head Membership examiner for ECC. He also completed his Masters of Veterinary Studies in Small Animal Practice through Murdoch University.

Gerado’s interest in teaching saw him move into a clinical training role with AES, so he could help vets transition into emergency practice. He became the coordinator of the AES Internship Program and in collaboration with the clinical training team, the AES Accelerated Emergency Program was developed.

Gerardo continues to have a strong interest in the management of critically ill patients, diagnostic imaging and emergency surgery and he works with Improve International Australia as the AEP curriculum developer and advisor.

Guillaume graduated from the Veterinary School of Toulouse; France where he attained his DEDV degree (with Thesis) in 1998. Guillaume is a Specialist Soft tissue Surgeon with extensive experience in under- and postgraduate teaching and assessment. He leads and participates to numerous surgery courses internationally. In a teaching environment, Guillaume really enjoys the pleasure of sharing information and confronting ideas to maximize engagement. He has received many accolades for his work as a teacher, researcher and clinician. Guillaume also serves as an Associate Editor (soft tissue surgery) for the journal Veterinary Surgery.

Hannes graduated from the UVM Vienna in 2001 and completed an internship at the Small Animal Hospital of the School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Following research in perioperative pain therapy he achieved his Doctorate degree in 2003. After one year in small animal practice he started a three year residency in Small Animal Surgery at the University of Berne. Hannes has worked in multidisciplinary referral hospitals in the UK since 2007 and became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2008 and is also an RCVS recognised Specialist in Small Animal Surgery. He has established his independent "Oxford Veterinary Specialists" referral service in 2016. Hannes is surgery course director for Improve International and the editor of the Improve Surgery Textbook.

Dr. Heather M. Wilson-Robles received her DVM from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Wilson-Robles then completed a small animal rotating internship at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center and a residency in medical oncology at the University of Wisconsin. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in the specialty of oncology. Her research and clinical interests include cancer stem cells, osteosarcoma, and clinical trials.

Dr. Heidi Radke is a European and Royal College Specialist in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopedics)

Dr. Radke has studied and worked at a variety of universities in Munich, Zurich, Georgia, Texas and Bern before joining Cambridge University in 2006, where she is currently a Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Surgery.
She runs a busy referral, resident and student teaching clinic in small animal orthopedics at the University’s Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital.

Her clinical responsibilities include all aspects of orthopedics in dogs and cats. She is particularly interested in joint surgery including minimally invasive techniques like arthroscopy and management of complicated trauma and angular limb deformity cases.

Her research interests include decision making in canine elbow dysplasia and assessment of outcomes after small animal orthopedic procedures.

Dr. Heidi Radke is a European and Royal College Specialist in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopedics)

Dr. Radke has studied and worked at a variety of universities in Munich, Zurich, Georgia, Texas and Bern before joining Cambridge University in 2006, where she is currently a Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Surgery.
She runs a busy referral, resident and student teaching clinic in small animal orthopedics at the University’s Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital.

Her clinical responsibilities include all aspects of orthopedics in dogs and cats. She is particularly interested in joint surgery including minimally invasive techniques like arthroscopy and management of complicated trauma and angular limb deformity cases.

Her research interests include decision making in canine elbow dysplasia and assessment of outcomes after small animal orthopedic procedures.

Dr. Seim is a Professor of Small Animal Surgery, Colorado State University. He is a graduate of Washington State University. He did his internship at Saskatoon, Canada, residency at the Animal Medical Center in New York City and has been teaching small animal surgery at Colorado State University for 30 years. He was Chief of the Small Animal Surgery section at Colorado State University from 1992 to 2002.

Graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1992 and spent one year working in feedlot medicine near Dodge City Kansas (loved the cows and the people but not the hours or the reconstructive surgery).  Joined Army in 1993 and spent the next 5 years in clinical Army practices in both Missouri and Germany.  In 1998 selected for a 3 year residency in Veterinary Pathology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington DC.  Spent 4 additional years in Maryland serving at the Institute of Chemical Defense, moved to San Antonio in 2005 and served 6 years at the Institute of Surgical Research and continued to serve in San Antonio at the Tri Service Research Laboratory until retirement in 2013.  In 2007 started Texas Veterinary Pathology as a local San Antonio alternative for histology, cytology and necropsy services.

Dr. Grierson graduated from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and spent a few years in general practice before completing an internship and then a three-year residency in Small Animal Surgery at the Queen Mother Hospital, RVC. During this time he obtained the RCVS Certificates in Veterinary Radiology and Small Animal Surgery. James was a lecturer in Orthopaedic Surgery at the RVC before moving to Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists as an Orthopaedic Surgeon in 2010. James is an ECVS Diplomate and Recognised European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery as well as being recognized by the RCVS as a Specialist in Small Animal Surgery. In 2010 James obtained the Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education from the University of Bedfordshire and he is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. In 2019 James was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons for meritorious contributions to clinical practice. Fellowship is the highest status of membership of the College and is awarded for outstanding contributions to the veterinary profession.

James is interested in the full range of musculo­skeletal and rheumatological conditions from acute trauma to elective surgery as well as the investigation and treatment of joint conditions. He has more specific interests in the role of physiotherapy in patient care, infection control and canine elbow disease (including elbow joint replacement) and feline orthopedics. James is one of only a few specialist surgeons certified to perform canine total elbow replacement in the UK.

James continues to contribute to the profession through the provision of CPD courses, lectures, research projects and papers. James is an active member and course Chair for AOVET, an independent nonprofit organization that represents a global network of surgeons, scientists, and other professionals highly specialized in veterinary surgery of the musculoskeletal system.

James graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2010 with degrees in pathology and veterinary medicine.  Over the last four years, completed advanced clinical training at the Royal Veterinary College (University of London), receiving the diplomas of the American and European Colleges of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2016.  During this time, Dr.Swann also investigated the autoimmune response of dogs with immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia (IMHA); He received an International Canine Health Award from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust for this work in 2015.

Jane graduated from the University of Cambridge and completed a residency at the Royal Veterinary College after working in a busy general practice in London. She became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgery in 2002. She moved to the University of Cambridge in 2006 and was a Senior Lecturer in Soft Tissue Surgery until 2019 when she moved to the Animal Health Trust as Head of surgery. Jane’s main area of clinical research is brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, the objective assessment of airway function in these dogs and the development of effective surgical strategies for them. In February 2019 the Kennel Club and University of Cambridge launched a Respiratory Grading Scheme to improve the assessment of brachycephalic dogs in the UK and to provide some breeding guidelines.

Dr. Jeanne Budgin recently joined the staff of Riverdale Veterinary Dermatology in 2016. Prior to this, she established and directed the Dermatology and Allergy Service at the Animal Specialty Center in Yonkers, NY.

Dr. Budgin received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Iowa State University in 1999 and spent two years in private general practice in New Jersey. In 2002, she completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship in immunodermatology through the school of medicine, where she pursued research in human and animal skin cancer. Dr. Budgin completed her residency training in veterinary dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania and received Diplomate status in 2005.

Her primary areas of interest include feline dermatology, diet and nutrition in the management of allergic skin disease, treatment of drug resistant infections and immune-mediated skin diseases. Dr. Budgin has published articles pertaining to veterinary dermatology in various journals and has presented at conferences throughout the world.

She is the former treasurer, vice president and president of the American Academy of Veterinary Dermatology (AAVD). She is the current chair of the organizing committee of the North American Veterinary Dermatology Forum and was recently appointed as the AAVD representative to the World Association of Veterinary Dermatology (WAVD) and contributes to the education and website committees of the WAVD. Dr. Budgin also recently joined the Ethics and Professional Development board of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology. In addition, she is actively involved with the Global Veterinary Dermatology Education Group, which provides education in veterinary dermatology to underserved areas of the world.

Dr. Budgin’s hobbies include photography, gardening, cooking, yoga and spending time outdoors.

Dr. Jenelle Sharpley received her DVM degree from Colorado State University in 2006.  She completed a small animal rotating internship at the University of Illinois, worked as an emergency veterinarian in Denver for a year, and then competed a diagnostic imaging internship in Los Angeles.  She then returned to Colorado State University for a combined residency and master’s degree program in Diagnostic Imaging.  She became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Radiology in 2012.  Since that time, Dr. Sharpley has been a mobile radiologist in Colorado, radiologist in a private specialty hospital in Seattle and is currently working in teleradiology.  Ultrasound is her passion and is excited to have the opportunity to teach.

Jennifer is a graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph.  She completed an internship and an emergency and critical care residency at the Animal Emergency Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 1996. She completed a surgical residency in 2004 studying at several private practices in the USA. Jennifer has been director of emergency and intensive care services at a number of large private referral practices in Canada and the United States. She is currently working as an independent consultant and emergency and critical care specialist. She has published over 50 articles and book chapters, is actively involved in research, and is a member of seven professional veterinary organizations around the world. Jennifer enjoys teaching and is actively involved in training residents as well as lecturing and teaching workshops to nurses and doctors.

Dr. Jessica Vallone received both her DVM and MS degrees from Mississippi State University, pursued a small animal rotating internship at VCA Veterinary Referral Associates, and spent 3 years as an emergency veterinarian before completing her diagnostic imaging residency at Texas A&M University.  She is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor in the diagnostic imaging service at Texas A&M University.  

Dr. Jessica Ward  obtained her DVM degree from North Carolina State University in 2011.  After a small animal rotating internship at the Ohio State University, she returned to NC State for her residency in Cardiology. Dr. Ward completed her residency and became ACVIM board-certified in Cardiology in 2015. She was subsequently hired as an Assistant Professor of Cardiology at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Ward has authored a number of manuscripts and scientific proceedings, and is an editor of the Cardiovascular Diseases section of the 6th edition of Nelson & Couto's "Small Animal Internal Medicine."  Her research interests include the use of lung ultrasound for the emergency diagnosis of congestive heart failure, the cardiovascular effects of glucocorticoids, and the scholarship of teaching and learning.  Dr. Ward has also given invited lectures in the United States and China, and recently received the Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine Award for Early Achievement in Teaching. 

Joana qualified from Porto University in 2009. Following a year in clinical practice she joined the Queen's Veterinary School Hospital, Cambridge as Junior Clinical Training Scholar. After a few years working at Stone Lion Veterinary Hospital in London she underwent her residency training in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College. Here she gained her Master of Veterinary Medicine in 2017 and obtained specialist recognition from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and from the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ECVIM) in Small Animal Internal Medicine. She is currently studying for her PhD at the Royal Veterinary College. 

Dr. Westropp is the director of the G. V. Ling Urinary Stone Analysis Laboratory. She did her undergraduate work at The Ohio State University and stayed at Ohio State to complete her veterinary degree in 1997. She then moved NYC for a one year internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center and returned to Ohio for her internal medicine residency and PhD. She was board certified in veterinary medicine in 2001 and completed her PhD in 2004. She is currently an associate professor in the Department of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Her primary research focus is lower urinary tract disorders in dogs and cats. 

Dr. John Ciribassi is a native of Jersey City, NJ. He attended Southern Illinois University and received his undergraduate degree and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the University of Illinois in 1984. He works for the Chicagoland Veterinary Behavior Consultants (CVBC) and Dr. Fiia Jokela. He received his board specialization from the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists in 2006. When not working he enjoys off road motorcycle riding, camping and seeing as much of the world that he can.

Dr. Bell graduated from the University of Edinburgh R(D)SVS in 1997. After four years in small animal first opinion practice he went to work at Croft Veterinary Referrals in the northeast of England. While there he obtained his Certificate in Small Animal Surgery in 2003 and completed his ECVS residency in 2007. He became an ECVS diplomate in 2009.

Johnathan currently works at Swift Referrals and accepts referrals in soft tissue, orthopedic and spinal surgery.

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Julie Byron received her DVM from The Ohio State University in 1998, then completed a rotating internship at VCA West LA Animal Hospital.  She completed her residency at The Ohio State University and has been a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine since 2004.  She was a faculty member at University of Illinois Colege of Veterinary Medicine from 2005 – 2011 before returning to OSU.  She is a Professor – Clinical of Internal Medicine with research and clinical interests in lower urinary tract disorders of dogs and cats and kidney disease.

Dr. Karen Tobias is a professor and ACVS board-certified surgeon at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She received her DVM from University of Illinois and completed an internship at Purdue University and surgery residency and Master’s Degree at Ohio State University. Dr. Tobias has published over 100 scientific articles and book chapters.  She is the author of the Manual of Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery (Wiley/Blackwell, 2010; 2017); co-editor of Veterinary Surgery: Small Animal (Elsevier/Saunders, 2012; 2017); and co-author of Atlas of Ear Diseases of the Dog and Cat (Wiley/Blackwell, 2013).

Dr. Skorupski is a native of southern California, but she attended Texas A&M University for both her undergraduate and veterinary education.  She completed two rotating internships; one in private practice in southern California and one at the Ohio State University. She completed her medical oncology residency at the University of Pennsylvania and became board certified in 2005.  Dr. Skorupski has been a faculty member at the University of California, Davis since 2006, when she happily moved closer to home, family, and warm weather.  She is passionate about providing excellent student and resident teaching and utilizing clinical cases to broaden our understanding of cancer biology and treatment. Some of her many research interests include histiocytic sarcoma, feline oral squamous cell carcinoma, and canine osteosarcoma.

Kelly graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2005 and after 18 months in small animal general practice, completed a rotating internship at the Royal Veterinary College and a three-year ECVS approved residency programme in Small Animal Surgery at the University of Bristol. Kelly joined the Animal Health Trust in 2011 and completed a PhD on the genetics of canine cancer metastasis in collaboration with the University of Liverpool. She joined the University of Edinburgh as a senior lecturer in soft tissue surgery in 2019 and is currently researching into canine oral melanoma and its translational applications. She is a member of the Association of Veterinary Soft Tissue Surgeons (AVSTS), and an EBVS and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery. Her particular interests include minimally invasive surgery, trauma management and reconstructive/oncological surgery.

Dr. Waller is the department head for diagnostic imaging at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Under his direction, the university’s radiology program has helped UW to become the 5th best Veterinary Science program in the U.S., according to the U.S. News and World Report. He also acts as a diplomate for the ACVR in addition to publishing regularly in academic journals such as The Bovine Practitioner and Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound.

Dr. Rolph graduated from Edinburgh University and worked in small animal practice for two years before returning to Edinburgh. She gained her certificate in Veterinary Cardiology and PhD in 2004 and in 2010, passed her Feline Medicine Australian College of Veterinary Scientists Fellowship examinations. Gaining this diploma level qualification made her eligible to apply for Specialist status with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. In 2014 Kerry gained her European diploma in Companion Animal Medicine and became a European Specialist. She then worked at a private referral hospital in Bristol for 3 years before joining Ross University in January 2019.  

After graduating from the University of Sydney in 2005 Dr. Doolin worked for the first year in a small animal general practice in Sydney Australia. The following six years she worked as an out of hours vet at a referral hospital in Sydney. Kerry furthered her training via a specialty emergency and critical care internship at UC Davis, Califonia, then a three-year residency in Emergency and Critical Care at the Royal Veterinary College in London. In 2019, Kerry achieved the ‘Specialist’ status in ECC by becoming board certified as a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. She has been working in a private practice emergency and specialty hospital for the last few years. Kerry currently lives in Glasgow with her cat Chickpea that has traveled along with her on this journey.

Kerry Simpson is a Fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Feline Medicine and a RCVS recognised specialist in Feline Medicine.  She runs the Feline Expert, a feline consultancy service specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of complex feline medical diseases.

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Dr. Kevin Stepaniuk graduated from Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1998. He completed a Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine (1999). After several years in general and emergency practice in Western Washington, Dr. Stepaniuk completed his Dentistry and Oral Surgery specialty training in private practice. He received his Fellow in the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry (2007) and Diplomate Status in the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) in 2008. He provided referral Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery services from 2005-2009 on the Kitsap Peninsula before moving east to become an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine from 2009-2014. He served as section chief in Dentistry and Oral Surgery, created and served as course coordinator for the small animal Dentistry and Oral Surgery Course, introduced and integrated intraoral radiology into the curriculum, led didactic and clinical teaching in addition to spending the majority of his effort on expanding and growing the clinical service for patients and referring veterinarians. In 2013, he received the Veterinary Clinical Science teaching award for his efforts. He has authored textbook chapters (i.e. Periodontology, Oral Trauma), scientific publications and journal articles (i.e. Dentistry and Anesthesia, Guided Tissue Regeneration, Oral Surgery), lectured and instructed nationally and internationally, and serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry as well as various other journals. He has served as a Director and is a Past-President of the American Veterinary Dental Society. Currently he is an officer on the board of directors for the AVDC.

Dr. Borgeat is an American and European Diplomate and RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology. He worked for 6 years in first opinion practice, during which time he completed a Certificate in cardiology, then undertook a residency and Masters degree at the Royal Veterinary College in London. Kieran has given CPD to vets all over the world on cardiology, from Bulgaria to Singapore, and enjoys nothing more than chatting about cardiology to other vets. He is an experienced interventional surgeon, treating not only cardiovascular disease but also respiratory, urinary and oncological problems using minimally invasive, image-guided techniques.