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Saturday Speakers
Minneapolis, MN
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Jan. 29 - Feb. 1, 2025
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150+ CE Hours
As the leader of the Employee Benefits Practice at Dyste Williams, Andy Ahlberg brings extensive expertise in employee benefits consulting to over 300 small employers in Minnesota, including veterinary, dental, and other healthcare practices. With a solid foundation from his years at BlueCross BlueShield of Minnesota, Andy joined Dyste Williams in 2016, where he has continued to drive innovative solutions tailored to the unique needs of his clients. Known for his deep understanding of the complexities of employee benefits, Andy is dedicated to helping businesses enhance their offerings while navigating the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare.
Al is the Chairperson of the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association’s Veterinary Technician committee. He retired after 28 years of teaching at Ridgewater College in Willmar. Dr. Balay is a member of the AVMA’s Committee for the Advancement of Veterinary Technicians and Technologists. He and his wife Claudia co-own a twelve-horse stable with another couple in New London, Minnesota and where he is the resident veterinarian.
Kelly Baltzell, M.A. is President and CEO of Beyond Indigo Pets marketing agency (www.BeyondIndigoPets.com). She founded Beyond Indigo in 1997 to meet the specific and under-served needs of funeral homes, and in 2004 moved into the veterinary industry. Under her leadership, Beyond Indigo Pets has remained at the forefront of the veterinary marketing community, providing data-driven marketing services, custom website design, and results-focused product innovations for 25 years. Kelly’s depth of experience has enabled her to lead dialogue on key marketing trends and challenges specific to the needs of veterinary practices, hospitals, and associations. She is a featured columnist for the Fountain Report, Patterson Veterinary, and MWI. She has also spoken and been published across the United States and in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the UK. Kelly is dedicated to sharing marketing strategy expertise and building connections between veterinary industry professionals across the country. She is a true relationship builder who works to promote her clients and broadcast their stories to the world. Kelly graduated from George Washington University with a degree in international affairs and economics and received her master’s degree in counseling and psychology from St. Mary’s University. Her first website, Grieving.com, remains under her guiding hand. Kelly is also a co-creator and host of the Unfiltered Vet Discussions podcast.
Sarah became a CVT in 2010 while working at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center. In 2011, Sarah began work in a 10+ doctor private practice where she became Fear Free Certified. In 2019 Sarah began working full-time for Veterinary Behavior Specialties of MN. Since 2019 Sarah has achieved additional credentials as a Certified Behavior Canine Consultant, certified Family Dog Mediator, and Low Stress Handling- Silver Certified. Sarah sat for her VTS-Behavior exam in October 2022. Animal Behavior has been a passion for as long as she can remember. Working in a private practice solidified this passion when she saw how the human-animal bond can be strengthened with a better understanding of species-specific body language and clearer communication on the human side.
Dr. Missy Carpentier, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology) has been practicing in the Twin Cities for 8 years. Her love of neurology has led her down the path of practice ownership as she has recently opened Minnesota Veterinary Neurology in Columbus, MN, a specialty hospital specifically designed for the neurologic patient. Dr. Missy Carpentier graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2011. Following veterinary school, she completed a rotating internship in Connecticut at VCA Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center. As her interest in neurology peaked during the internship, she then completed a one-year post doctoral fellowship in the Comparative Neurology Program at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Carpentier stayed in Missouri to pursue a three-year neurology/neurosurgery residency that was jointly performed at The University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Specialty Services in St. Louis. Outside of neurology, Dr. Carpentier enjoys spending her time with her husband, her two children, their Alaskan Husky kennel of competitive sled dogs, their numerous house dogs (Aidni is by far the best), and her two off the track thoroughbred mares.
Dr. Kathleen Cooney has been practicing advanced end-of-life care since 2006. She is the founder and Senior Director of Medical Education for the Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA). Dr. Cooney is well-known for her work in companion animal euthanasia and is an author, researcher, and international speaker on the subject. She is a strong advocate for best practices in end-of-life care and loves all things old and gray. Learn more about Dr. Cooney’s accomplishments at caetainternational.com
Chandler Custer has worked in the group ancillary benefits space as a sales rep for Principal Financial Group for the past 8 years. Originally from Kansas, she moved to Minnesota back in 2021 with Principal. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time exploring her neighborhood, The North Loop, in Minneapolis.
Dr. Robyn Corcoran is Minnesota’s Emergency Program Coordinator for USDA APHIS Veterinary Services, working with state officials and industry partners in emergency preparedness and response planning for Foreign Animal Disease events. She earned her DVM at the University of Minnesota in 1996 and after 19 years in companion animal and equine clinical practice, she joined APHIS VS in 2015 as a Field Veterinary Medical Officer before moving into her current position in 2018. Dr. Corcoran is Operations Section Chief on an APHIS National Incident Management Team and has extensive deployment experience responding to transboundary animal disease emergencies nation-wide. She serves as USDA representative on the Federal Advisory Team for Environment, Food, and Health as agricultural Subject Matter Expert on emergency response during radiological incidents, and has been an active member of the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps since 2009.
Meet Tristyn Gies, Bank of America Practice Solutions’ Midwest veterinary specialist. Practice Solutions has been focused on providing lending solutions exclusively in the healthcare space for the last 25 years and has funded over $1 billion in the veterinary space alone. Tristyn solely focuses on a portion of the Midwest veterinary community and seeks to provide education, meaningful connections while encouraging and empowering her clients to pursue their dreams of practice ownership and beyond.
Dr. Nikko Grossapoulos (aka Dr. G) is a Senior Professional Services Veterinarian for Zoetis and the recipient of the MVMA’s 2023 Outstanding Industry Representative award. He brings to Zoetis a wealth of experience in leadership and a passion to create exceptional client service, experiences, and loyalty. Dr. G started his professional education with a dual undergraduate degree in Theater Arts & Biology Sciences before pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. Before becoming a veterinarian, he created his own pet-care company, growing it into a thriving business with 20 employees and well over 1500 clients in the Chicagoland area. He sold his successful company upon acceptance into the veterinary school of medicine at the University of Minnesota. Dr. G practices within the Twin Cities region with a concentration in small animal medicine. His clinical passions include dermatology, leptospirosis/Lyme disease prevention and improving compliance around heartworm disease. He continues to practice several days a month, sits on the MVMF’s scholarship committee and is involved in mentoring students at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Hayes is originally from upstate New York and has lived all over the world, most recently relocating from Kentucky to Minnesota. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Cornell University, then attended two years of veterinary school at the University of London’s Royal Veterinary College. Dr. Hayes transferred to North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 2005. Dr. Hayes practiced as a primary care veterinarian from 2005 until 2022, and began seeing behavior cases in general practice in 2010. In 2021, Dr. Hayes began a non-conforming residency with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists under the guidance of Dr. Amy Pike and Dr. Amanda Rigterink. Dr. Hayes moved to Minnesota in 2022 to join the Veterinary Specialities of Minnesota practice as a full-time behavior clinician. Dr. Hayes is certified in veterinary acupuncture through the Chi Institute, Fear Free Certified- Elite, and Low-Stress Handling and Restraint certified. Dr. Hayes currently practices at Veterinary Behavior Specialties of Minnesota.
Maggie Holl is a compassionate CVT who manages MN Pets, a local in-home euthanasia service. She graduated from Argosy in 2013 and completed her externship in an exotic animal practice. In 2017 she joined MN Pets and DVM center as a Support and Aftercare Specialist guiding families through their end-of-life decisions and pets final days. Her role has evolved and changed into leadership and she’s been in management since 2019. She joined MN Pets after being a client firsthand and firmly believes she’s been in the right seat since then, helping as many people and pets as possible as they plan their final moments together.
Dr. Stacy Holzbauer is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Career Epidemiology Field Officer assigned to the Minnesota Department of Health and newly serves as the State Public Health Veterinarian. She leads the Zoonotic Diseases Unit whose members are responsible for zoonotic disease surveillance and outbreak investigation, and zoonotic disease prevention activities at the human animal interface. She is a graduate from South Dakota State University and Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. After a short stint as a large animal veterinarian, she received her MPH from the University of Iowa College of Public Health and completed the Association of Teachers of Preventative Medicine fellowship at the CDC. She is a graduate of CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventative Medicine.
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.
Dr Kate An Hunter graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. After working as an associate in small animal primary care, she built Carver Lake Veterinary Center, a multi-doctor small animal clinic in Woodbury Minnesota. Twenty years later, she sold the practice and worked for Trupanion, educating veterinarians and their staff on the advantages of medical insurance for pets; how it not only improves the care that pet owners can choose for their pets, but makes medical practice more satisfying and profitable. Dr Hunter is mostly retired now, spending her time horseback riding, carriage driving and training in a variety of dog sports with Keegan, her constant companion.
Dr. Ireland is the Deputy State Public Health Veterinarian and a senior epidemiologist in the Zoonotic Diseases Unit at the Minnesota Department of Health. She coordinates human and animal surveillance for fungal infections such as blastomycosis and histoplasmosis. Additionally, she investigates outbreaks of enteric infections from animal contact and advises health care providers and the public on animal bites and the need for rabies prevention. Prior to her career in public health, she practiced small animal medicine in the Twin Cities for 10 years.
Coming Soon.
David Kelling has his masters degree in business taxation from the University of Minnesota. David specializes in helping small business and veterinary practices navigate accounting and tax issues for over 30 years.
As the Managing Director for Retirement Plan Services, Allyson is responsible for overseeing the Trust Point account management team. Under her direction, the team is an advocate and partner for our business clients and their 401 (k) plans, which includes ongoing education, technology, and efficient investment options to help attract and retain employees. Allyson and her team take great pride in providing businesses retirement plan solutions that enhance their employees’ financial well-being and prepare them for their financial future. Allyson is a Certified Retirement Plan Professional™ (CRPP™). The process included a demanding educational track and comprehensive exam. This designation further strengthens her retirement plan knowledge and industry understanding. Her dedication to this process further exemplifies Allyson’s commitment to Trust Point’s clients.
Amanda Kriesel has been a Certified Veterinary Technician in Minnesota since 2008 when she graduated from Argosy University with her Associates degree in Veterinary Technology. She spent most of her technical career working in internal medicine and oncology. Over the years she flexed into people leadership, becoming a supervisor and then technician manager for her hospital. It was in that role that she developed her passion for empowering technicians, teaching, and training, which led her to pursue her Bachelors degree in Psychology and then her Masters degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology where her thesis work centered around on-the-job veterinary technician training. In 2019 she become BluePearl’s Regional Training Partner supporting 30+ BluePearl locations across the middle of the US, and in 2022 became the Regional Nursing Partner for that same region, expanding her support beyond just learning and training to medical quality, associate career pathing, nursing efficiency support, and more! This role allows her to live out her passion for elevating the veterinary technician role and working to ensure that there are career pathing opportunities available for technicians that are sustainable across the life of their career. She has been with BluePearl since 2010 when her home hospital in Minnesota joined the BluePearl family. She also serves on the Minnesota Association of Veterinary Technicians Board of Directors and volunteers as a mentor with Mentor Vet Tech. She lives with her animal family in Minnesota which includes a poodle/bichon mix, four siamese cats, and a menagerie of aquatic pets including axolotls, frogs, urchins, and fish. She can often be found curled up with a good book or relaxing on her kayak in the land of 10,000 lakes.
Sharon earned her RVT certification in 2001 with specialization certification in Emergency Critical Care in 2016 and certified veterinary practice management certificate in 2022. She has worked in emergency, specialty, general, large animal ambulatory, and equine practice throughout her career. She has designed and implemented many training courses in veterinary technology, having served as a program director for an AVMA VT program in her hometown, where she designed and instructed the curriculum. She currently serves on the CVTEA as a site accreditation committee member. Sharon currently works for 2 equine veterinary practices in her Summit Point, VA performing general equine anesthesia. She is a “speaker resource” for Zoetis and has lectured at numerous veterinary continuing education meetings including IVECCS, HIVE, and state conferences.
Ian Leonard has been Chief Meteorologist at FOX 9 in Minneapolis since 2006. His science is the great outdoors and his passion is forecasting the weather. His passion has taken him from Alberta, Canada to Mississippi, Iowa and finally Minnesota. For over 20 years he has used the phrase “stay sky aware” to help viewers stay ahead of the storm. He calls his work at FOX 9 a dream job because of the 4 incredibly diverse and always entertaining seasons of the Upper Midwest. Ian graduated from the Broadcast Meteorology Program at Mississippi State University and is a member of the American Meteorological Society, The National Weather Association and The Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society. Ian is an extremely active supporter of persons with intellectual disabilities. He is on the road every month supporting the incredible athletes of Special Olympics Minnesota. You can find him “freezin’ for a reason” on most late winter weekends taking the Polar Plunge into lakes across Minnesota. In the past 8 years he has plunged 103 times and helped raise over 15 million dollars. Ian has had his share of personal storms – making it through a traumatic brain injury in 2013 and adding the line “cancer survivor” to his resume in 2016. Ian has helped raise over 20 million dollars locally in the past 15 years all while saying just one simple phrase; “what will I do for someone today?” Never stop, find your passion and purpose and triumph over the storms that we all face in our lives.
As a Retirement Plan Consultant, Jon Marquet counsels’ clients and prospective clients concerning a variety of personal wealth management issues, including the intricacies and benefits of employer-based retirement plans and the steps and preparations necessary to sell or otherwise transition a business. He advocates within the community for Trust Point’s full suite of wealth management services, while also developing essential, sustainable relationships with business owners and other community members. Jon is a passionate believer in the realistic and achievable opportunity that proper wealth management offers for achieving long-term financial independence. He infuses his passion into his work. Jon holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University and a Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School. Before joining Trust Point, Jon practiced law for more than twenty years in Minnesota, Iowa, New York, and New Jersey. He maintains his licenses to practice law in all four states, as well as his admissions to various federal bars. Jon applies the same skills and client-centered approach as a retirement plan consultant that served him well as a lawyer. His motto is: the client always comes first. Jon is a cancer survivor who values community involvement and believes that serving others is vital.
Rachael Schulte graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2019 with her doctorate of veterinary medicine and master’s in public health. After graduation, she worked as an associate emergency veterinarian in Washington state for two and a half years, before transitioning to general practice as a relief doctor for another two and a half years. She is now a Veterinary Public Health and Preventative Medicine resident at CAHFS. Her areas of interest are teaching and disease surveillance.
Dr. Schultze graduated from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2016 and went to work in a small animal practice. In 2022, she finished her Master’s of Public Health from the University of Minnesota where she worked on different projects dealing with Chronic Wasting Disease in farmed cervids. Presently she is a Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine Resident at the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety.
Jordin Tillison LVT, CVT, VTS (ECC), CWR, CCFP, FFCP has been in the field for 29 years. She has been an LVT since 2003, and received her Veterinary Technician Specialty in Emergency and Critical Care in 2011. She is a Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator, a Certified Compassion Fatigue Professional, and has completed QPR Suicide Prevention Training. She is Fear Free Level 2 Certified as well as RECOVER Rescuer Certified. She has experience in general practice, animal health distribution, learning and development, referral specialty/emergency critical care, Certified Level 1 Trauma Center, VetCot Certified Emergency/Critical Care Facility, ICU Coordinator, Emergency Critical Care Technician, Student Internship Coordinator, Infection Control Board Member, and Blood Bank Coordinator. Her interests include blood banking and transfusion medicine, as well as peritoneal dialysis and critical care medicine. Since education is her passion, she speaks nationally, locally, and at colleges to veterinary technician students. She has been published in MAVT, RVT, local publications, and continues to perform speaking engagements and written publications. She is currently on the board to establish the Academy of Transfusion Medicine and Blood Bank Technicians as a technician specialty. She has also been on AVECCTs’ Nursing Care Standards Committee. She is a member of NAVTA (National Association of Veterinary Technicians of America), MAVT (Michigan Association of Veterinary Technicians), AVECCT (Academy of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technicians), VECCS (Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society), ISDVMA (International Sled Dog Veterinary Medical Association), AVHTM (Academy of Veterinary Hematology and Transfusion Medicine), IAVBB (International Association of Veterinary Blood Banks), NAVEMS (National Association of Veterinary Emergency Medical Services), IAVPM (International Association of Veterinary Pain Management), and AVTE (Association of Veterinary Technician Educators). She is a part of the veterinary medical team at CanAm Crown Dog Sled Race annually and in her free time, she enjoys camping, backpacking, hiking, knitting, and spending time with her family.
Originally from Puerto Rico, a graduate of Tuskegee University (DVM), Dr. Aida Vientós-Plotts completed a rotating internship at Auburn University followed by a small animal internal medicine residency, post-doctoral fellowship and PhD at the University of Missouri. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine at the University of Missouri. In 2022, she co-founded The BREATHE Clinic, a subspecialty clinic that operates under the umbrella of the Internal Medicine Service. BREATHE is an acronym for Bringing REspiration & Aerodigestion Toward Health. The BREATHE Clinic aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of dogs and cats with respiratory and swallowing disorders to allow individualized management and conducting clinical research. Dr. Vientós-Plotts is one of the co-founders and currently serves on the board of directors of a non-profit organization – Veterinarians for Puerto Rico. While she wears many hats her favorites are wife and mama to three little ones.
Courtney Wheeler currently serves as the Assistant Director, Minnesota Board of Animal Health. Courtney has spent the entirety of her veterinary career working in federal and state public service and is proud to be involved in oversight of the Board of Animal Health’s Mission to protect the health of our state’s domestic animals. Courtney enjoys spending her free time bringing vintage and antique items back to life and trying to keep up with her energetic and rambunctious daughters.
Dr. Wilkins is an Associate Professor in the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota. Her primary roles include instruction and leading the Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine Residency Program. Current research interests include Honey bee diseases, PFAS and other infectious disease epidemiology and surveillance. She received her DVM from Michigan State University MSU), her MPH from University of Illinois-Springfield, and her PhD in Large Animal Clinical Sciences (focus in Epidemiology) from MSU. Dr. Wilkins worked for USDA – VS, the CDC, and Michigan Department of Community Health prior to starting her academic career at MSU (2011) and UMN in 2022.
Dr. Valeriia Yustyniuk, PhD, DVM, is a Post-Doctoral Associate and second-year Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine resident at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS). Originally from Ukraine, she earned her DVM (2013) and PhD (2017) in Parasitology and served as an assistant professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine before joining the CAHF’s team. With nearly a decade of teaching and research experience, Dr. Yustyniuk is skilled in veterinary curriculum development, addressing WOAH Day-1 Competencies, and collaborating with public and private veterinary sectors. Her work focuses on building veterinary service capacity, controlling transboundary animal diseases, and promoting global food safety. Her interests center on the One Health approach, and she is actively involved in projects related to infection prevention and control, disease surveillance, and stakeholder outreach.