2025 SPEAKERS

Dr. Lori Teller is a graduate of Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine, and she is a board-certified diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) in Canine and Feline Practice. She is a Clinical Professor at TAMU and is passionate about her teaching role in...

Alan Robinson has been a veterinary surgeon in practice for over 20 years, a successful business consultant to over 1200 practices worldwide and a director of Vet Dynamics. His mission is re-igniting Purpose, Passion, People and Performance in Independent Veterinary Practices His company, Vet...

Emma graduated from Glasgow University vet school in 2001, with commendation. Moving to Australia she pursued her interest in small animal practice working across several clinics, where she could focus on client relationships and a problem solving approach to patient care. Emma joined OurVet in...

Dr Bronwyn is passionate about improving the health and welfare of animals, and has more than a decade of experience as a veterinarian. As well as her clinical work, she also actively advocates on behalf of the wider veterinary profession in the media. Qualifications: BVSc, MSc (IAWEL), MANZCVS...

Dr. Catherine Chan BVSc (Hons I) FANZCVS (Veterinary Oncology) Diplomate ACVIM (Oncology)Veterinary Oncologist | Founding Director of The Pet OncologistI am a board-certified veterinary oncologist with credentials from both the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS)...

Dr. Maureen Cooper Oncologist, DVM, MANZCVS small animal medicine, FANZCVS veterinary oncology Melbourne Animal Cancer Care

Ben is a distinguished Specialist who combines academic excellence with years of experience and a spectrum of specialised skills including soft tissue surgeries Ben completed his undergraduate degree in Veterinary Science at Melbourne University, before going on to complete a Masters in Veterinary ...

Dr. Crystal Loh is a board certified veterinary dentist and the owner-operator of New Zealand Veterinary Dentistry Ltd., a mobile specialty dental referral service in the Waikato region of New Zealand. Dr. Loh graduated in 2007 from the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, and...

Dr Kayoko Kuroda graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science in 2006.  Since completing her degree, she has pursued her twin passions of teaching and clinical practice while working in small animal general practice around Queensland.  She obtained Membership in ...

Laura qualified from Napier University in Edinburgh with an honours degree in veterinary nursing in 2010 and subsequently became an registered vet nurse with the RCVS in the UK. In 2015 she moved to Australia and started her journey into emergency and critical care, working in a variety of clinical ...

Susan is a senior lecturer in exotics animals and wildlife at the University of Melbourne. She works clinically within the Greencross Veterinary Hospital for the University of Melbourne, at Geelong Animal Emergency and is a casual vet for Zoos Victoria working at both Melbourne Zoo and Werribee...

Rachel graduated from the University of Sydney in 2009 and worked in general practice at various clinics in Sydney. She then started an internship at UVTHS before beginning a surgical residency. Rachel completed her memberships in small animal surgery in 2014 and finished her surgical residency at...

Carol Bradley has had a long 42-year career at the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Veterinary Science, Teaching Hospital in Werribee.  She served as the Small and Large Animal Operating Suite Supervisor and was Head of the Central Sterilising Services Department (CSSD) for 28 years. ...

Dr Jackie Campbell is one of Australia’s leading voices in the field of veterinary palliative care. As the owner of Sunset Vets, the country’s largest network of veterinarians focused exclusively on palliative and end-of-life care, Jackie spends much of her time helping families to effectively...

Dr. Nellie Choi completed her undergraduate veterinary degree at Murdoch University, Western Australia in 2009. After graduation, she worked in various general practices in Australia for 5 years before starting a veterinary dermatology residency in California with the Animal Dermatology...

Dr Anthony Caiafa BVSc BDSc MANZCVSAnthony graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree in 1978. He worked in companion animal practice for 17 years and obtained his membership level in Small Animal Surgery (1992) and Veterinary Dentistry (1993). He then...

I am a Radiation Therapist with Brisbane Veterinary Specialists Centre, I work closely with a team of Veterinary Radiation Oncologists, Vet Surgeons and Medical Physicists in preparing the computed radiation treatment plans and delivering the treatments on our new TrueBeam Linear Accelerator. I...

Emma has a global network and much experience in assisting veterinarians in their careers. Emma uses her unique talents in seeing the connections and synergies between a veterinary professionals' interests, skill set and her knowledge of what the job marketplace wants and has on offer. Emma is...

Emily De Mather RVN A qualified nurse of twenty years, I discovered a love of anaesthesia eight years ago when I took a chance on a job in the anaesthesia department at The University of Melbourne Vet School. Under the guidance of three inspiring anaesthesia specialists and a team of uniquely...

Geoffrey Golovsky BVSc(hons) MANZCVS (SAS) SUMMARY Motivated, Determined and Influential Entrepreneur, Family man, Veterinarian, Lifesaver, Community Focused    PROFESSIOINAL EXPERIENCE Vet HQ Veterinary Hospitals Double Bay Established 2006 from scratch and is now one of the largest GP...

Tasmiya Hussein graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science in 1995. Since then she has worked in busy 24 hour veterinary hospitals in a variety of roles including emergency, consultation and hospital shifts. Her love for veterinary ultrasound initially started more out of necessity than...

Wendy is a Registered Veterinary Nurse Specialist (NZ) and Veterinary Technician Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine. Since 2008, Wendy has held various roles in veterinary practices across New Zealand and was awarded NZ Vet Nurse of the Year in 2015. Wendy holds numerous...

Lauren is an Australian Veterinary Nurse with over 15 years of experience specialising in emergency and critical care medicine. She is AVNAT registered and completed her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2010. Initially focused on veterinary ophthalmology for seven years, Lauren transitioned...

Melissa graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (First class honours) from the University of Sydney in 2012. Currently, Melissa is the hospital director of a busy small animal GP clinic on the Central Coast, NSW Australia, and works relief in emergency and critical care. Melissa has...

Dr. Kate Mornement holds a Ph.D. in animal behaviour and is a Board Certified Applied Animal Behaviourist (CAAB) through the Animal Behavior Society. She has devoted the past 17 years sharing her expertise through her consulting business Pets Behaving Badly and recently founded Pet Behaviour...

Michelle is a commercial and property lawyer who specialises in assisting the healthcare industry, including vets. She is also a member of the Australian Veterinary Palliative Care Advisory Council and voluntarily assists the Council with legal research. Law is Michelle’s second career, inspired...

Mel’s business, Cooper and Kids specialises in creating safe, happy and positive relationships between babies, kids and dogs. She is a busy mum of three human babies and two beautiful golden retrievers, Cooper and Scout. She absolutely understands the chaos and the juggle that comes with running a...

Charleyne has been working as a veterinary nurse in general, specialist, university & research practices for over 15years. She has a Certificate IV in Trainer and Assessor, a diploma in Emergency and Critical Care, and is a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Anaesthesia and Analgesia. In 2023...

Dr Joanne Sheen graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2004. She holds a Certificate in Zoological Medicine from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in the UK, and in 2017, became a Diplomate in the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Exotic Companion Mammal Practice. She is...

Dr Vanessa Rohlf is a research fellow at La Trobe University. In additional to her academic role, she is a registered clinical counsellor with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA). Through the provision of counselling, group debriefs, tailored workshops and consultation ...

Camilla Whishaw BHSc (Nat) Equine Naturopath, Nutritionist & Herbalist Optim Equine   Camilla Whishaw BHSc (Nat) is a highly respected and sought after Equine Naturopath, Nutritionist and Herbalist. Based in Australia, Camilla consults both nationally and globally to leading...

Angela Willemsen is a veterinarian based in Brisbane, Australia, with a strong focus on infection prevention and control (IPC) in veterinary practice. She originally worked as a (human) registered nurse, which shaped her understanding of infection control principles and developed her interest in...

Originally from Guelph, Ontario, Nicole embarked on her journey into veterinary nursing as a kennel hand in 2009 and subsequently graduated from Seneca College with a diploma in Veterinary Technology in 2013, earning the title of Veterinary Technician (dip)VT. She is a registered member of the...

Asha is a registered and accredited veterinary nurse from Melbourne, with over 17 years of industry experience. Holding a Diploma of Veterinary Nursing to specialise in Emergency & Critical Care, Asha spent 16 years at the University of Melbourne Veterinary Hospital where she developed her...

Sarah Stoddart is the founder and sole director of Vitality Law Australia, an award winning boutique law firm which specialises in advising healthcare business owners across Australia on commercial, property, regulatory and employment law matters.  A leader in her field, she has extensive...

Dr. Sarah Webb is a passionate veterinarian dedicated to fostering a healthier and more sustainable future for the veterinary profession. Graduating from Charles Sturt University in 2022, she is committed to raising awareness about the unique challenges faced by veterinarians often leading to...

Sara qualified as a registered veterinary nurse with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2011. After working in clinical practice for several years, Sara returned to study in 2018 and completed the Certificate in Veterinary Nursing for Emergency and Critical Care (CertVNECC). In 2022 Sara...

Dr Jeannet Kessels is a creative entrepreneur and climate advocate: owner of Greater Springfield Veterinary, founding chair of Vets for Climate Action (VFCA) and creator of Groodles Australia, an incredible community enterprise which has so far raised over $700,000 for charity. Jeannet has a...

Angela is originally from the UK and qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2003. She spent seven years working in a large 24-hour clinic just North of London and completed her RCVS Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing before moving to Australia in 2010. Since then, she has worked in a...

Jocelyn Birch Baker BVSc (Hons), Founder, practice owner, veterinarian, mother.  Jocelyn is dedicated to inspiring and enabling veterinary women to achieve whatever they desire in their careers while balancing it with their families and their lives.  Since graduating in 1983, Jocelyn has...

Dr Joshua King is a specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine.  He graduated in 2004 from the University of Queensland with first class honours.  He worked for 10 years in general, university and emergency practice.  His passion, however, has always been internal medicine!  This led to him...

Dr Mia Cobb leads canine welfare science research at the University of Melbourne's Animal Welfare Science Centre as the inaugural Chaser Innovation Research Fellow. With experience spanning RSPCA Victoria's shelter and nearly a decade as Training Kennels & Veterinary Clinic Manager at...

Skye MacKenzieI am a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne within the Melbourne Veterinary School, specialising in endocrinopathic and metabolic disorders in equids (with a focus on equine laminitis). My research combines both laboratory and fieldwork to enhance the understanding and...

Michelle McArthur is a dedicated professional with a passion for fostering innovation, driving performance, and promoting excellence in the veterinary community. As a Professor in the School of Animal and Veterinary Science and Deputy Dean (People and Culture) in the Faculty of...

Professor Shokoofeh Shamsi is a leading expert in fish health, parasitology, and aquatic animal biosecurity. She is a professor at Charles Sturt University, where she specialises in fish diseases, parasite ecology, and their impacts on aquaculture, fisheries, and conservation.Professor Shamsi has...

Benji graduated from The University of Sydney as a Bachelor of Veterinary Science in 2016. Following this, he worked in pet sales for some time before completing an MBA. Due to his keen interest in nutraceuticals and research, Benji joined ADM Protexin in 2019 when Pro-Kolin first launched in...

I'm Jack Levitt, the founder and president of Flynn's Walk - a mental health and suicide prevention charity started in memory of Dr Flynn Hargreaves, a veterinarian, who sadly passed away by suicide in 2018.  Since then, we've held annual community events to bring people together to...

Dr Karina GrahamSpecialist in Small Animal MedicineBVSc (Hons), FANZCVS (Small Animal Medicine)Dr. Karina Graham is a highly respected Specialist in Small Animal Medicine with a profound dedication to advancing veterinary care. Karina achieved a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Hons) from Sydney...

I have been in the vet industry for 18 years which included time in general practice and ECC and have been General Manager of Petstock Vet for the last 8 years.I completed my Bachelor of Veterinary Science at the University of Melbourne, Graduate Certificate in Business at Monash University and am...

Jessica Dawson is a PhD candidate at La Trobe University in the School of Psychology and Public Health, specializing in anthrozoology—the study of human-animal relationships. Her research interests encompass a wide range of topics related to how humans and animals coexist. Specifically, her PhD...

Sam Bowden is a seasoned business leader with a passion for driving innovation and excellence in the veterinary industry. As the CEO of Accelerate Practice Academy, Sam brings a wealth of experience in business development, strategic planning, and leadership training. With a background in both...

Michael Bambacas is the founder and director of Create Learning. He brings over sixteen years experience in building greater employee engagement, productivity and return on learning and development investment. He designs and facilitates evidence-based learning programs and enjoys creating a space...

Alex, successfully completed the Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing (BVN) degree in 2019 when it was first introduced. Since then, her professional journey extends to teaching, as she has been a faculty member at Melbourne Polytechnic since 2022 and has obtained a Graduate Certificate in Higher...

With a deep-rooted expertise in finance, strategy, and operations, Shelin has carved a niche for herself in the startup and scale-up advisory landscape. Her work at CFOWorx, especially within the realm of SaaS business models, has seen her play a pivotal role in capital raising initiatives, having...

Over the past 15 years, Danii has enjoyed a rewarding career in veterinary nursing, including almost 10 years in emergency and critical care. Now, as the dedicated practice manager for a leading end-of-life care service, she ensures that every pet's final journey is guided with love and...

I have been a part of the Our Vet team since 2017 working in clinic with the team before stepping into a Regional Managers Role with Pet stock for NSW, QLD & NZ. I started in the Veterinary Industry in 2001, working in a very busy privately owned GP Clinic with a variety of wildlife and...

Rhonda Ponder RVN, AVN, DipVN(GP), DipVN(Surgery) With over 20 years of experience in the veterinary industry, Rhonda’s career encompasses general practice, specialty surgery and anaesthesia, emergency and critical care, management and professional development. She holds Diplomas in Veterinary...

Nikki Catley is the owner of Paws for Talk, a grief facilitation service to support pet guardians with end of life and quality of life assessment. Nikki  has worked in the animal industry all her life and is passionate about helping pet parents and families navigate end of life decisions of pet...

Thulasi graduated from Murdoch University in 2008 and is a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (Veterinary Behaviour). With a background in consulting veterinary practice, she is passionate about improving patient welfare through effective anxiety management...

Irina graduated from Justus-Liebig University in Giessen, Germany, in 2010. She undertook her doctoral thesis on molecular genetics in canine cancer patients. Irina completed an oncology internship at VRCC in the United Kingdom, followed by an oncology residency at the University of Liverpool. She...

Dr Anupam Sharma, founder, was born and raised in the Middle East and in India. Her somewhat tumultuous upbringing lead her to gravitate towards animals. From victim to survivor, and now a warrior, her life experiences allow her a deeper insight into the human condition. Dr Anupam Sharma graduated ...

Dr James Ramsden is a vet with over 15 years of mass media and online marketing experience. James founded Petpack - Australasia's only digital marketing agency run by vets, for vets, after recognising the need for effective and regular communication to pet owners to increase animal health...

Dr Claire JenkinsVetChat founder & CEO, BVSc (Hons), MANZCVS (SAM)Dr Claire Jenkins is a Queensland-trained veterinarian with nearly 20 years of experience caring for animals across Australia and the UK. A passionate advocate for accessible, preventative care, Claire believes that...

Ron started out as a service engineer and worked for many years with various medical manufacturers, including monitoring and ultrasound.   Although technically minded, there was a transition from technical to customer training and sales, leading to several roles as sales and service support to...

Dr Jess Moore-Jones is an occasional vet, a low-key business owner, a no BS-consultant, and a constantly-late mum. Having led teams large and small, from animal shelters to zoo departments to specialist hospitals, Jess is slightly annoyingly obsessed with keeping vets engaged, fulfilled and...

Pauline is an Organisational & Coaching Psychologist creating and sustaining psychologically healthy workplaces. She has pioneered an innovative approach to supporting veterinary practices. In partnership with Blackwater Vets in the UK since 2019 she works in concert with the practice owner and ...

Mick KirwanCorporate Equipment Manager, VetTechMick Kirwan began his career with a foundation in electronics, receiving specialized training through the Department of Defence Navy. He then transitioned into the biomedical field at Westmead Hospital, where he was responsible for the...

Dr. Laura McGuffog is the lead Victorian veterinarian for Rest Your Paws - Australia’s leading in-home palliative care and euthanasia service for beloved pets. She graduated from the University of Sydney in 2019, after completing undergraduate studies at the Australian National University. Laura’s ...

Dr. Willana Basuki is a Board-Certified Veterinary Dentist (Diplomate American Veterinary Dental College) and she is the first and only registered specialist (small animal) in veterinary dentistry in QLD. She graduated with honours from the University of Queensland in 2010. She worked as a small...

I'm Dr. Jesse Burgess, a Melbourne-based veterinarian passionate about improving emotional intelligence in the veterinary industry. I graduated from The University of Melbourne already planning my exit from the industry. But as I began to understand how my brain—and the brains of others—...

Veterinary practice owner and veterinarian for 32 years. I developed and sold 3 practices on the Gold Coast to Greencross in 2005. Then restarted a year later and developed The Vet Lounge group of 3 clinics with my business partner - again on the Gold Coast for 13 years. I then relocated to the...

Alexander is a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Anaesthesia and Analgesia and is currently undertaking his Masters in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia through Edinburgh University. Working as a Clinical Educator in anaesthesia at UVTHS, Alexander provides educational support to students of...

Maria Littles, DVM, DAVDC Dr. Littles received her veterinary degree from Purdue University in 2009. She moved to New Mexico several years ago where she practiced as a mixed animal veterinarian. Knowing that oral health is important in both large and small animals, she pursued extra courses to...

Dr Charles Kuntz DVM, MS, MACVSc, Diplomate ACVS, ACVS Founding Fellow of Surgical Oncology, Registered Specialist of Small Animal Surgery, Senior Staff Surgeon Charles graduated from the University of Florida and did an internship at the Animal Medicine Center in New York City. He then did a...