Susan Arnold
DVM, DACVIM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Small Animal II-Neurology
- IVDD Case Management
- Differentials Beyond IVDD
- Neuromuscular Disease
- Chronic Seizure Management
- Vestibular Dysfunction
- The French Bulldog Popularity is in its Own Class: Neurological Diseases Observed in Highest Frequency in the Country’s Most Popular Dog Breed
Dr. Arnold is a board certified neurologist and assistant professor at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center. She obtained her doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Wisconsin. She completed a small animal medicine and surgery rotating internship at the University of Minnesota. She then completed a residency in small animal neurology and neurosurgery at the University of Georgia. In addition to practicing as a clinical neurologist and neurosurgeon, Dr. Arnold also conducts research as a member of the UMN Canine Brain Tumor Clinical Trials Program. Her main research interests involve investigation of breed-associated differences in survival in dogs with high grade gliomas and novel treatments for canine brain tumors and their potential application to human brain tumors.
Allen Balay
DVM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Veterinary Practice Plus
- Crossing the Finish Line in 2024
Al is the Chairperson of the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association’s Veterinary Technician committee. He recently retired after 28 years of teaching at Ridgewater College in Willmar. He is a member of the AVMA’s Committee for the Advancement of Veterinary Technicians and Technologists. Al and his wife Claudia co-own a twelve-horse stable with another couple in New London, Minnesota and where he is the resident veterinarian.
Signe Balch
DVM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Small Ruminant
- Alpacas on Your Own
- Raw Milk in America-Updating the Discussion
- Could James Herriot Practice in the 21st Century?
I grew up in Northeast Kansas on my great-grandfather’s homestead surrounded by sheep, cattle and the prairie. After a lengthy, but enjoyable, jaunt through higher education in three countries, and an internship in equine medicine, I settled in the Front Range of Colorado with my husband and children. Noting a need for mobile farm veterinarians in the area, I started my solo, mobile practice in 2009 emphasizing small ruminant care. My species of interest include, but are not limited to, camelids, sheep and goats. I enjoy being a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners.
Caroline Baldo
DVM, MS, PhD
Thursday, Feb. 8
Comparative Medicine
- Anesthesia and Analgesia: Refinement of Large Animal Peri-Operative Management
Dr. Baldo obtained her veterinary degree in 2002 from the Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) in Brazil, where she also completed a masters (2003) and PhD (2008) in anesthesia and vasoplegic syndrome, using canine and porcine models, respectively. In 2008, she joined a comparative anesthesia residency at MSU, where she also completed an mixed rotation internship. In 2012, Dr. Baldo became board certified in Anesthesiology and Analgesia and headed to LSU for a one year clinical instructor position. In 2014, she was hired as a clinical professor at UMN working with amazing specialists, GPs, techs and students for 7 years. At the very end of 2020, she was recruited to work as a veterinary advisor for Boston Scientific after a collaboration with their vet team on a transition ventilation model originally developed by the Anesthesia team at the College of Medicine (UMN). Working with preclinical science has amplified her passion for anesthesia and the outstanding benefits it brings to clinical and preclinical medicine.
Andrew Bean
DVM, MPH, CPH, DABVP (Exotic Companion Mammal Practice)
Thursday, Feb. 8
Small Animal III-Exotics
- No More Dr. Baytril: How to Elevate Care of Exotic Companion Mammals
- Step Away from the Iso: Updates in Exotic Companion Mammal Sedation and Anesthesia
- Triage and Treatment of the Anorexic Herbivore
- Beyond Pred: Current Approaches to Ferret Hypoglycemia and Insulinoma
- Head Tilts and Crooked Smiles: Otitis Media/Interna in Rabbits and Guinea Pigs
- Rabbit and Rodent Dentistry: Basics and Implementation
Dr. Bean graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 2011. The following year he completed an internship in small animal, companion exotic, and zoo animal medicine and surgery at Valley Animal Hospital and the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, AZ. He then moved to the Hampton Roads, VA, where he was mentored for six years by Dr. Peter Fisher, DABVP (ECM) at Pet Care Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Bean became board certified in Exotic Companion Mammal Practice in 2019, and that same year he founded the Avian & Exotic Medicine Department at Animal Emergency and Referral Center of Minnesota, the state’s first exotic animal specialty service. In 2022 he expanded the department by founding Minnesota’s first residency program in Exotic Companion Mammal Practice, and joined the faculty of the U of MN CVM as an adjunct professor. Dr. Bean is particularly passionate about guinea pigs. In his spare time, he enjoys playing jazz and classical saxophone and clarinet, and reading about naval history.
Rena Carlson
DVM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Keynote
- AVMA
Dr. Rena Carlson is a graduate of Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, Dr. Carlson’s career has spanned more than 30 years including clinical work, practice ownership, university attending veterinarian, university accreditation, and academic research. She co-owned Alpine Animal Hospital, a mixed-animal practice, for 25 years. She and her partner grew the practice from two to six doctors, and designed and built a new facility in 2009. In addition to private practice, Dr. Carlson also was the attending veterinarian at Idaho State University Animal Care facility for 28 years. Dr. Carlson currently works for National Veterinary Associates as a general practice mentor for new graduates serving in Idaho, Montana, Colorado, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska.
Rachel Coley
BVM&S
Thursday, Feb. 8
Comparative Medicine
- Cerenia and Macaques
Rachel Coley obtained her veterinary degree from the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in the U.K. Following veterinary school, she completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine at Angell Animal Medical Center and MSPCA Angell West in Boston, MA. She is currently the second-year laboratory animal medicine resident at the University of Minnesota.
Nigel Cook
BSc, BVSc, DBR, RCVS
Thursday, Feb. 8
Bovine (Dairy)
- To Overstock or Not to Overstock: That is the Question
- Designing Cow Friendly Robotic Housing
Nigel Cook is a Professor in the Food Animal Production Medicine section of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine. He qualified as a veterinarian in 1992 and worked in a large food animal clinic in Southern England for four years before moving to the Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire, where he spent three years as lecturer and head of the Large Animal Ambulatory Clinic. Since 1999 he has been in Wisconsin, teaching veterinary students, performing research and developing outreach to improve dairy cattle well-being. His particular interests include lameness prevention, cow comfort and improving facility design. He developed The Dairyland Initiative – a resource to drive the creation of welfare friendly cattle housing in 2010. He is currently Chair of the Department of Medical Sciences, Past President of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners and was awarded the WVMA Veterinarian of the Year in 2019 and the AABP Award of Excellence in 2021.
Scott Dee
DVM, MS, PhD, DACVM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Swine
- Next Generation Biosecurity for the Breeding Herd
Scott Dee earned a DVM, MS, and PhD from the University of Minnesota, is board-certified in veterinary microbiology, past President of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, past Chair of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents and currently serves on the AVMA House of Delegates. After 12 years in swine practice and another 12 years in academia, Scott joined Pipestone Veterinary Services as Director of Applied Research, currently serving as Emeritus Director of Discovery and Innovation for Pipestone. He received the AASV Practitioner of the Year, the Howard Dunne Memorial, and Leman Science in Practice awards, a Warrior Chip from the FBI, and is a Master of the US Pork Industry. He has guest-edited a Special Issue on Feed Risk in Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, been awarded the Distinguished Service to the US Pork Industry Award from the National Pork Board, and recognized as the Distinguished Research Alumnus by the UMN College of Veterinary Medicine.
Athena Diesch-Chham
MSW, LICSW
Thursday, Feb. 8
WeGIVE
Sponsored by:
- Respond or React: Why What We Choose Curing Conflict Matters
Athena earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from North Dakota State University in 2004, and her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Minnesota in 2011. It was during her time in graduate school, specifically during her Clinical Internship that her calling in Clinical Social Work presented itself. Athena had the pleasure of spending that school year as a Social Work Intern at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center. As an Intern in the University’s Veterinary Social Services program, she learned from the founder of the program, and discovered her calling and passion for veterinary social work. Working with Veterinary Professionals and Clients of the VMC during that internship solidified that this was the population that she was meant to work with. That dream came true in October 2012, when she returned to the Veterinary Medical Center and College of Veterinary Medicine. She had the absolute pleasure of spending 9 years in that role serving clients, clinicians and students. In that time her role changed and evolved, allowing her to hone her therapeutic approach with professional students, veterinary professionals and individuals and families struggling with the pain of saying goodbye to their furry family members.
Dorte Dopfer
DVM, MSc, PhD
Thursday, Feb. 8
Bovine (Dairy)
- Update on Infectious Causes of Lameness in Dairy Cattle
A veterinarian, epidemiologist and microbiologist by training, Dörte Döpfer is a professor in the Food Animal Production Medicine Section of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. She works on large data sets about infectious disease dynamics, spatial modelling, food safety, and emergence of antimicrobial resistance factors. In addition, lameness, particularly digital dermatitis, prediction models for rare events, machine learning for One Health and farm animal production medicine, computer vision models, and disease surveillance are part of her research projects.
James Drackley
PhD, MS
Thursday, Feb. 8
Bovine (Dairy)
- Weaning: The Other Transition Period
Dr. Jim Drackley is Professor of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He grew up on a small dairy farm in southwestern Minnesota, and received his B.S. in Dairy Production and M.S. in Dairy Science from South Dakota State University. Dr. Drackley joined the University of Illinois in 1989 after receiving his Ph.D. in Nutritional Physiology from Iowa State University. Drackley’s research program has centered on 1) nutrition and management during the transition period, 2) metabolism in the liver and other tissues, 3) dairy calf nutrition and management, and 4) lipid utilization and metabolism. Drackley has published extensively, trained 45 graduate students, and has been consistently on the “List of Excellent Teachers” as voted by the students at the University of Illinois. He was a member of the National Research Council committee to produce the 8th edition of the NASEM publication “Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle”.
Ron Erskine
DVM, PhD
Thursday, Feb. 8
Bovine (Dairy)
- Is Your Client's Milking Routine Costing Them Money?
Dr. Erskine completed his D.V.M. at the University of Illinois in 1981. Following private practice in Pennsylvania, he gained his Ph.D. at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Erskine served as a Professor and Dairy Extension Veterinarian in the College of Veterinary Medicine for more than 30 years. His research expertise focused on infectious disease in dairy cattle, particularly with mastitis and milk quality. He was the project director of a multi-institutional USDA-funded project that focused on improving the health of dairy cattle through improved training and education of farm employees, with an emphasis on immigrant labor. Though retired in 2020, Dr. Erskine continues to participate in teaching veterinary students and continuing education for professionals.
Caitlin Feiock
DVM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Small Animal I-Cutting Edge
- Reframing Clinical Trials from Academia to Everyday Practice
Dr. Caitlin Feiock is an Assistant Professor, and currently serves as the Clinical Trialist and Research Manager of the Clinical Investigation Center (CIC) at the University Of Minnesota College Of Veterinary Medicine. After earning her DVM from the University of Minnesota in 2020, she went on to complete a small animal rotating internship at the University of Minnesota, followed by specialty training in oncology clinical trials at the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Feiock and her team currently support over 40 clinical trials within the specialties of oncology, internal medicine, dermatology, cardiology, advanced imaging, and pain management. Her clinical and research interests include hematopoietic neoplasia, improving patient outcomes and reducing morbidity of treatments, translational medicine, and cancer pain management. Dr. Feiock is also constantly thinking about how to improve science literacy amongst her clients.
Sam Geiling
CVT
Thursday, Feb. 8
Veterinary Practice Plus
- Maximizing Veterinary Technicians Through Proper Utilization
Sam Geiling is a credentialed veterinary technician, Navy veteran, and educator. She helped build the veterinary technology program in Hawaii, where she taught for over a decade. She also established the Hawaii Vet Tech Association and worked to pass legislation to recognize registered veterinary technicians in Hawaii. Sam moved home to Minnesota in June 2023 and now serves as interim treasurer for MAVT and co-chair of NAVTA’s Government Relations Committee to support each state in their legislative goals for veterinary technicians. She is a strong advocate for vet techs and advancing veterinary medicine.
Chris Gow
DVM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Comparative Medicine
- Nontraditional Laboratory Animal Species: Meet the Spiny Mouse and the Bourbon Red Turkey
Dr. Chris Gow received his DVM in 2018 from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. He then completed a residency in laboratory animal medicine through the Oregon State Laboratory Animal Medicine Residency Consortium at Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. Gow joined the Mayo Clinic staff in 2021 as a clinical veterinarian. He is passionate about providing veterinary oversight of the aquatics program, supporting research, and coordinating the veterinary externship program.
Holly Hommerding
DVM, DABT, DABVT
Thursday, Feb. 8
Small Animal I-Cutting Edge
- Medication, Recreation, Decriminalization, and Legalization: Psychoactive and Psychedelic Trends and Effects in Companion Pets
Dr. Holly Hommerding has been with Pet Poison Helpline since 2014. Originally from central Minnesota, Holly received her BS and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Hommerding became a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology (ABT) and a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology (ABVT) in 2018 and 2022, respectively. Holly had enjoyed an early and fulfilling career working in small animal general practice in the Twin Cities metropolitan area through 2016, but her love for toxicology was impetus to continue on a professional course in clinical toxicology with Pet Poison Helpline. She now lives in the Twin Cities metro area with her comical golden retrievers Nutmeg (Meg) and Dandelion, her strong-willed cat Miriam, and her geriatric cockatiel Frankie.
Kim Horne
AAS, CVT, VTS (Dermatology)
Thursday, Feb. 8
Veterinary Practice Plus
- Crossing the Finish Line in 2024
After working in both small and mixed animal practices, Kim Horne spent most of her career at the University of Minnesota, Veterinary Medical Center where she found her passion in dermatology. She is one of the Co-Founders of the Academy of Dermatology Veterinary Technicians (ADVT) and is a co-editor of the book Small Animal Dermatology for Technicians and Nurses. Although Kim is now retired, she is still very active in her state and national vet tech associations.
Julie Jacobs
DVM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Comparative Medicine
- What’s Your Diagnosis? Lethargy and Hyporexia in a 4-Month-Old Domestic Pig
Dr. Jacobs is a second-year laboratory animal medicine resident in the Department of Comparative Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She received her DVM from Cornell University in 2022. Prior to veterinary school, she was a full-time researcher studying porcine models of cardiovascular disease.
Josephine Lawrence
DVM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Comparative Medicine
- Neuroblastoma Cell Line Engraftment in 48 Hour Post-Fertilization Zebrafish
Josephine Lawrence is the third-year veterinary resident in the Department of Comparative Medicine at Mayo Clinic. Josephine was born in California and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where her passion for veterinary medicine was evident from a young age. She attended Iowa State University where she obtained both her Bachelor’s in Animal Sciences and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. During her time at Iowa State, Josephine developed a love for rodent and swine medicine which prompted her to specialize in laboratory animal medicine. Josephine is interested in research concerning analgesia and euthanasia of rodents and aquatics and is currently working with zebrafish and mice models of neuroblastoma.
Kelly Makielski
DVM, MS, DACVIM (SAIM)
Thursday, Feb. 8
Small Animal I-Cutting Edge
- Liquid Biopsies for Cancer Detection: Are We Pawsitive We Know What We Are Doing?
Kelly Makielski is an Assistant Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Makielski’s clinical interests include endocrinology and infectious/immune-mediated disease, and her research primarily involves investigation of biomarkers in canine and human osteosarcoma.
Allison Masters
DVM, MPH, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Thursday, Feb. 8
Small Animal I-Cutting Edge
- V Clamp for Treatment of Mitral Regurgitation
Dr. Masters is a veterinary cardiologist at the University of Minnesota. She completed her undergraduate and veterinary studies at Iowa State University and her masters in public health at the University of Iowa. Dr. Masters completed a small animal medicine and surgery rotating internship at Colorado State University and received residency training in veterinary cardiology at Iowa State University. She is board certified in cardiology and is a diplomate to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Cardiology). She enjoys advancing veterinary cardiology through research and by training students, interns, and residents. Outside of work she enjoys hiking and adapting to the Minnesota winters with her Golden Retriever, Finn.
Elizabeth Martinez-Podolsky
ABD
Thursday, Feb. 8
Just in Time Lunch
- DEI in Veterinary Medicine: Where Are We Now and What's on the Horizon?
Elizabeth Martinez-Podolsky serves as the inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. In her role as director, Elizabeth supports the college by providing leadership and direction in areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion, provides professional training and discussions to promote learning, and works with faculty and staff to find new ways to embed inclusion into the college curriculum and into our clinical spaces. Elizabeth’s goals include helping the College of Veterinary Medicine understand the many intersections that diversity has within medicine and to create spaces to challenge and support people’s learning. As a scholar, Elizabeth’s educational background is in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and her research interests include veterinary education, American agriculture and Latino professionals.
Jaime Modiano
VMD, PhD
Thursday, Feb. 8
Small Animal I-Cutting Edge
- Liquid Biopsies for Cancer Detection: Are We Pawsitive We Know What We Are Doing?
Dr. Jaime Modiano holds the Alvin and June Perlman Endowed Chair of Animal Oncology and is director of the Animal Cancer Care and Research Program of the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota. He completed his training through the Veterinary Medical Scientist Training Program (VMD, PhD) at the University of Pennsylvania, and he followed it with a residency in Clinical Pathology at Colorado State University and a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine. Before joining the University of Minnesota, he served on the faculties of Texas A&M University and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Dr. Modiano has also worked in the private sector, as founder of Half Moon Bay Biotechnology, LLC, ApopLogic Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Veterinary Research Associates, LLC, and Knine Biotechnology, LLC, and as Director of Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy for the Donald Monk Cancer Research Foundation. Through his research, Dr. Modiano seeks to understand how and why cancer happens and to develop strategies for improving the health and wellbeing of companion animals and humans alike. His research has been supported without interruption by federal and private sources for over 29 years. He has co-authored several hundred scientific papers, abstracts, presentations, and book chapters focused on immunology, cancer biology/genetics, and diagnostic and therapeutic innovations for cancer and immune-mediated diseases.
Dan Montonye
DVM, MS
Thursday, Feb. 8
Comparative Medicine
- Nontraditional Laboratory Animal Species: Meet the Spiny Mouse and the Bourbon Red Turkey
Dr. Dan Montonye graduated from the University of North Dakota with an undergraduate degree in Zoology with an emphasis in pre-medicine. Following that, Dr. Montonye earned his DVM from the University of Minnesota and then went to the University of Missouri for his laboratory animal residency training where he earned a master’s degree in Comparative Medicine. Dr. Montonye has worked in a variety of positions as a laboratory animal veterinarian, including those at Washington State University and the University of Minnesota. He is currently a clinical veterinarian for Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota where he serves on both the Institutional Care and Use Committee and the Institutional Biosafety Committee.
Michael Overton
DVM, MPVM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Bovine (Dairy)
Sponsored by:
- Economic Considerations Regarding the Voluntary Waiting Period
Michael Overton is the Global Dairy Platform Lead, for Zoetis. He enjoys using his education and talents to continue to advance the level of understanding, performance, and efficiency of diary production systems to serve as a positive role model for the next generation of dairy production medicine professionals. Dr. Overton earned his MPVM from UC-Davis and his DVM at North Carolina State University.
Paula Parker
BVSc, MANCVS (ECC), MBA
Thursday, Feb. 8
Keynote
- AVMA
Dr. Paula Parker obtained her veterinary degree from the University of Queensland in 2008, and her Masters in Small Animal Clinical Practice from Murdoch University in 2013. Paula is also an MBA, graduating from the Australian Institute of Business in 2019. Paula is a Member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Emergency and Critical Care, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Paula has worked across the animal health sector in large animal, mixed animal, and referral practice, as well as in veterinary corporate management. Paula joined the AVMA in 2020, and between 2020 and 2022 worked in veterinary education accreditation, before joining the AVMA’s leadership team as the Chief of Professional Relationships and Strategic Initiatives. Paula has been involved in organized veterinary medicine throughout her career, most notably as the President and Board Chair of the Australian Veterinary Association from 2017 – 2019.
Ned Patterson
DVM, PhD, DACVIM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Small Animal I-Cutting Edge
- Update on At Home and Hospital Treatment of Status Epilepticus and Cluster Seizures
Ned Patterson D.V.M., Ph.D. is a Professor of Small Animal Medicine at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary. He is a current MVMA Board Member. He is board certified in small internal medicine and has a once a week dog and cat seizure epilepsy clinic. He is a founding member of the Canine Epilepsy Research Consortium – www.canine-epilepsy.net, and was a member of the International Veterinary Epilepsy Taskforce (IVETF). He has been funded for canine epilepsy research by NIH, Animal Foundations, and breed groups, and has published 41 manuscripts regarding canine epilepsy including as a co-author of 9 consensus statements.
Tom Roskos
DVM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Small Ruminant
- Microbiome and the Immune System
- Integrating Conventional and Science-Based Holistic Medicine in Small Ruminants
- Innovative Small Ruminant Parasite Control Programs
Doc Tom Roskos operates an independent veterinary practice in Arcadia, WI with an emphasis on beef and dairy cattle, sheep, and goats. His integrative approach to animal health incorporates organic and holistic practices with traditional medicine. He, along with his wife Sue and son Hawken, owns and operates a 280-acre farm which includes beef cows, sheep and goats. Doc Tom’s 40 years of practice combined with a life of farming experience provides him with a unique perspective to share with producers and industry professionals through his consulting work on a national level. It is his desire to create and facilitate collaboration between farmers, veterinarians, and companies to move animal healthcare forward.
Stephanie Rossow
DVM, PhD
Thursday, Feb. 8
Swine
- Lameness Diagnosis in Pigs
Dr. Rossow has been a pathologist/diagnostician at the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (MVDL) since 1998 and has over 30 years of experience with diagnosing disease of swine. Dr. Rossow has also been the faculty advisor for the MVDL PCR Lab since 1998. Professional interests include infectious disease, diseases of swine.
Cherice Roth
DVM, MS
Thursday, Feb. 8
WeGIVE/Just in Time Lunch
- The Dual Duty: Championing Animals and Ourselves in Veterinary Medicine
- DEI in Veterinary Medicine: Where Are We Now and What’s on the Horizon?
Dr. Cherice Roth is a graduate of Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. Along with her Doctorate she also holds a Master’s Degree in Biochemistry. She is currently the Chief Veterinary Officer of Digital Pet Health for Mars Veterinary Health, as well as Lead Medical Advisor for KeraVetBio and an advisory board member for Senior Bound, Board of Chief Veterinary Medical Officers (BCVMO) & Veterinary Professionals Instilling Black Excellence (VIBE). Dr. Roth is also a children’s books author twice over. She has been a fixture in the pursuit of access to veterinary care via telemedicine for nearly a decade.
Angela Rowson
DVM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Bovine Breakfast
Sponsored by:
- 4 Things You Didn’t Know About Salmonella in Dairy Cattle
Dr. Angela Rowson received both her B.S in Animal Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees from Iowa State University. After graduation, she practiced dairy medicine in the Central Valley of California. She also practiced in Florida and Iowa before transitioning to a career in industry. Dr. Rowson is currently a Senior Technical Services Veterinarian with Vaxxinova. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and is board-certified in Dairy Practice.
Stephan Schaefbauer
DVM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Just in Time Lunch
- DEI in Veterinary Medicine: Where Are We Now and What's on the Horizon?
Dr. Stephan Schaefbauer, with 16 years of dedicated federal service, currently serves as the Area Veterinarian in Charge for VS-Minnesota. Prior to this role, she held positions as an Epidemiology Officer in Des Moines, Iowa, and Raleigh, NC. She was recognized for her outstanding contributions, receiving the APHIS Women of Character, Courage, and Commitment Award in 2012 and later she was honored as a 2021 Civil Servant of the Year. Dr. Schaefbauer’s remarkable achievements were acknowledged by the University of Georgia, where she was honored with the Young Achiever Award and featured as a “40 Under 40” recipient in 2016. Before her tenure as an Epidemiology Officer, she worked as an Import Risk Analyst in the National Center for Import and Export (APHIS VS), following her completion of a Master’s in Public Health and residency at the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Schaefbauer’s career began with the attainment of her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the esteemed University of Georgia (UGA).
Julia Smachlo
DVM, MPH
Thursday, Feb. 8
Comparative Medicine
- How Effective is our Microisolator Technique?
Dr. Julia Smachlo is currently a 3rd year laboratory animal medicine resident at the University of Minnesota. She received her veterinary degree and a master’s in public health through the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine dual degree program.
Christopher Stauthammer
DVM, DACVIM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Small Animal I-Cutting Edge
- V Clamp for Treatment of Mitral Regurgitation
Dr. Stauthammer is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine under the specialty of Cardiology. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 2004 and completed a general internship and cardiology residency at the University of Minnesota in 2008. He is currently employed at the University of Minnesota as an Associate Professor in cardiology as well as the Vice Chair of Clinical Service. His research interests include interventional cardiology and radiology, congenital heart disease and arrhythmias. His clinical interests involve all aspects of heart disease within large, small and exotic animals with a heavy focus on catheter based treatment modalities. Dr. Stauthammer’s teaching interest involve the implementation of active learning within the classroom. Dr. Stauthammer has received numerous teaching awards for his work in didactic and clinical teaching
Rachel Stika Jensen
DVM
Thursday, Feb. 8
Swine
- Biosecurity: Why Is It Important in the Wean-to-Market?
Rachel grew up in Cresco, IA on her family’s cow-calf farm. There, she helped out on the farm and was involved in organizations like 4-H and FFA. It wasn’t until she attended Iowa State University for her undergraduate degree that she discovered her passion for swine production, health, and management. Rachel graduated with her DVM from Iowa State University in May of 2021.
Montserrat Torremorell
DVM, PhD
Thursday, Feb. 8
Swine
- Flu Update
Dr. Montserrat Torremorell is Professor and Chair of the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine. She earned her DVM degree from the University Autonomous of Barcelona in 1994 and her PhD from the University of Minnesota in 1999. Dr. Torremorell joined the University of Minnesota as the Leman Chair in Swine Health and Productivity in May 2009. Prior to that, she was employed at Genus/PIC, the largest swine breeding company in the world, where she led the efforts in PRRSV elimination and conducted research, technical support and served in the company management’s team. Dr. Torremorell currently conducts biosecurity and swine disease research focusing on the transmission, control and elimination of influenza and PRRS infections in pigs. She teaches in Veterinary Medicine to both, DVM and graduate students and has received teaching and research and in in 2022 she received the first Outstanding Swine Academic of the Year Award, a recognition by the American Association of Swine Veterinarians.
Dane Whitaker
DVM, MPVM
Thursday, Feb. 8
WeGIVE/Just in Time Lunch
- From Personal to Practical: Building on Experiences to Understand Allyship Through Proactive Pronoun Use
- DEI in Veterinary Medicine: Where Are We Now and What’s on the Horizon?
Dr. Dane Whitaker has been practicing veterinary medicine in the San Francisco area for over 25 years. He completed his Masters in Preventive Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis in 2017 and is currently providing small animal clinical relief services across central California. He is also a relief veterinarian at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito CA, and he provides clinical as well as field support for marine mammal research projects. Although a Bay Area native, he grew up in Florida and graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 1994. After graduation, he completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship at the Santa Cruz Veterinary Hospital. His veterinary interests include small animal medicine, clinical pathology, marine mammal medicine and One Health. Dr. Whitaker is the immediate past president of the Pride Veterinary Medical Community and takes an active role in promoting the ideas of inclusion and acceptance for all members of the community in the veterinary profession.
Paul Yeske
DVM, MS
Thursday, Feb. 8
Swine
- Disease Eradication
Dr. Paul Yeske is a swine practitioner in a 17 veterinarian practice focused on swine with particular interest in disease elimination. He earned is DVM at Iowa State University; a MS from the University of Minnesota and EVP from the University of Illinois.
Amanda Young
DVM, DACVD
Thursday, Feb. 8
Small Animal I-Cutting Edge
- More than Just Allergy Itch: Roles of Apoquel and Cytopoint in Management of Canine Cutaneous Epitheliotropic T-cell Lymphoma
Amanda Young is originally from Nebraska and earned a Bachelor of Science in pre-veterinary medicine from the University of Nebraska. She is a 2011 graduate from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She spent 4 years in a small animal general practice in a suburb of Chicago before completing a year-long internship in specialty dermatology at the University of Illinois. She completed her dermatology residency at the University of Minnesota in 2019. Her professional interests are allergic skin disease, treatment of methicillin resistant staphylococcal infections, chronic otitis and parasitic skin diseases. She most enjoys spending time with her husband, 2 cats and a dog. Some of her hobbies include camping, hiking, fishing, dancing, and Nebraska Cornhusker football.