Continuing Education

Danielle has worked for almost 20 years in veterinary medicine, with the last 14 in emergency and specialty practice. Her areas of special interest are oncologic pharmacology, specifically chemotherapy, and paraneoplastic syndromes. Her other passion is the people in veterinary medicine. She currently works as a regional training partner for BluePearl Veterinary Partners and focuses on training and career development for technicians and assistants. She is the current director-at-large for oncology in AIMVT and lectures nationally on various topics, including chemotherapy, grief, compassion fatigue, burnout, and communication. 

Wendy has been a veterinary technician for more than 25 years. She began her career in a private practice setting before moving to the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine as an anesthesia technician. She was lucky enough to move around the veterinary college in different capacities, including research, orthopedics, and shelter medicine, and finally found her niche in rehabilitation. She helped develop the rehabilitation department at the university and has seen it grow and expand tremendously. Wendy is a charter member and the current president of the Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Veterinary Technicians.

Rebecca obtained her associate degree in veterinary technology in 1999 and her VTS in emergency and critical care in 2005. While working in ECC, she discovered her passion for transfusion medicine and veterinary blood banking. She was instrumental in starting HemoSolutions animal blood bank in 2004, and in 2014, she purchased the business. Rebecca has always been a strong advocate for the advancement of veterinary transfusion medicine and blood banking by supporting research, development, and education and raising standards in all areas of transfusion medicine. She wrote the chapter on donor program management in the Manual of Veterinary Transfusion Medicine and Blood Banking and has lectured and helped provide hands-on learning workshops. 

Pam graduated from Purdue University’s veterinary technology program in 1997. She has been employed at Purdue University ever since, first in the small animal intensive care unit and then in the veterinary ophthalmology department. Pam’s special interests include large animal ophthalmology, ocular imaging, and surgery. She also enjoys teaching veterinary and veterinary nursing students on the clinic floor, in the classroom, in labs, and online. Pam has served on the executive board of the Veterinary Ophthalmic Technician Society as vice president and unseated board member. She is a charter member and current secretary of the Academy of Veterinary Ophthalmic Technicians. She enjoys continuing to learn as much as she can about veterinary ophthalmic nursing.

Kara Burns is an LVT with master’s degrees in physiology and counseling psychology. She began her career in human medicine working as an emergency psychologist and a poison specialist for humans and animals. Kara is the founder and president of the Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians and has attained her VTS (Nutrition). She is the editor in chief of Today’s Veterinary Nurse. She also works as an independent nutritional consultant, and is the immediate past president of NAVTA. She has authored many articles, textbooks, and textbook chapters and is an internationally invited speaker, focusing on topics of nutrition, leadership, and technician utilization.

Laura attended the veterinary technology program at Hillsborough Community College and attained her CVT in 2013. She has been with the UF College of Veterinary Medicine since 2011. After working in the anesthesia and pain management department for several years, she found her calling in shelter medicine. Currently, she is the manager of the Veterinary Community Outreach Program.

Kali attended the veterinary technology program at St. Petersburg College and attained her CVT in 2019. She immediately began working at the University of Florida, where she is currently involved in the Veterinary Community Outreach Program. She has a passion for shelter work and caring for the animals that go through the system to make a better, happier life for all involved.

Heidi Reuss-Lamky graduated from Michigan State University’s Veterinary Technology Program in 1984. She has extensive experience in general practice, and since 1993 has devoted her technical expertise to the surgical department of specialty hospitals. She has been affiliated with Oakland Veterinary Referral Services in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, since 2006.

Heidi became certified through the Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Anesthesia and Analgesia in 2003, and sat on the credentials committee from 2005 to 2009. She served in the president’s role on the Executive Board of the Michigan Association of Veterinary Technicians from 2007 to 2009. She was a charter member of the Academy of Veterinary Surgical Technicians and currently sits on the executive board. She has a special interest in veterinary behavior medicine and earned her Fear Free Certification in November 2017.

Heidi is an ardent advocate for the veterinary technology profession, and serves as a consultant for many allied veterinary industries. She is on the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties, and also serves on the editorial review board for Today’s Veterinary Nurse Journal.

Heidi is a prolific author and lecturer, presenting anesthesia, surgical nursing, and Fear Free-related topics at veterinary meetings worldwide. She most recently published Chapter 8, “Waste Anesthetic Gas Collection and Consequences,” in Veterinary Anesthetic and Monitoring Equipment, edited by Kristen Cooley and Rebecca Johnson. She was also honored to receive the 2013 NAVC Dr. Jack L. Mara Memorial Lecturer award.

Heidi currently shares her home with her husband, Bryan, and 3 dogs, 2 cats, an African grey parrot and pond koi. In her spare time she enjoys horseback riding, gardening, travel, lecturing, and quenching her never-ending thirst for knowledge.

Courtney has worked in emergency and specialty veterinary practice for almost 15 years. Her areas of special interest include CPR, mechanical ventilation, one-on-one case management, critical care nursing, critical thinking, and technician/nurse training. She currently works as an instructor for Purdue University’s Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning Program and in the veterinary teaching hospital’s intensive care unit. She lectures nationally and internationally on topics relating to emergency and critical care and has been published in several veterinary technician/nursing journals. In 2019, Courtney was awarded New Educator of the Year by the Association of Veterinary Technician Educators.

Tasha became a VTS in anesthesia in 2015 and is a certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner who works closely with the IVAPM to educate the public about animal pain awareness. She loves to lecture on various anesthesia and pain management topics around the globe. In her spare time, Tasha enjoys reading and spending time with her son.

Kara Burns is an LVT with master’s degrees in physiology and counseling psychology. She began her career in human medicine working as an emergency psychologist and a poison specialist for humans and animals. Kara is the founder and president of the Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians and has attained her VTS (Nutrition). She is the editor in chief of Today’s Veterinary Nurse. She also works as an independent nutritional consultant, and is the immediate past president of NAVTA. She has authored many articles, textbooks, and textbook chapters and is an internationally invited speaker, focusing on topics of nutrition, leadership, and technician utilization.

Ashley attended the veterinary technology program at the College of Southern Nevada and received her registered veterinary technician license in 2009. In 2016, she earned her veterinary technician specialty certification in small animal internal medicine. In 2019, she co-founded Internal Medicine for Pet Parents. She is currently the internal medicine department lead and the technician training supervisor at IronHorse VetCare in Dublin, California, as well as serving as president of the Academy of Internal Medicine for Veterinary Technicians in 2019. In her time off, Ashley enjoys kickboxing and wine tasting at local wineries. She is owned by 2 extraordinary kitties, Tito Bandito DiPrete-Ortiz and Vincenzo Stefano.