Our instructors are all experts in their field who share a passion for teaching. They are also practicing clinicians who understand the practical side of the clinical dilemmas we face, and this experience informs their teaching.
Our talks are designed to be applicable in your daily practice.

William Rausch DVM, Diplomate ACVIM - Cardiology

After receiving a bachelor's degree from the University of Florida, Dr. Rausch received his DVM from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine. He then completed a one year Internship in Medicine and Surgery at The Animal Medical Center in New York City. He then went on to a residency program in Small Animal Cardiology at North Carolina State University and became board-certified in Cardiology in 2003. He currently works in a referral practice in Portland, Oregon and remains active in clinical research. He has authored and co-authored clinical research in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, JAVMA, Veterinary Pharmacology and Journal of Veterinary Cardiology. He has a passion for teaching and lectures extensively at local, regional and national meetings. If you are not able to come to one of our his talks with us this year, Dr. Rausch will also be speaking at the AVMA Convention, the ACVC, DVM360 in Long Beach and in the Swiss Alps. In his spare time he enjoys cycling, playing music, eating and playing fetch.

Gia Klauss DVM, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists

Dr. Klauss graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. She completed a one-year Internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the Animal Medical Center in NYC. She returned to the University of Wisconsin for a Fellowship in Ocular Pathology. She then completed a Residency in Comparative Ophthalmology at the University of Missouri. She was an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine from 2005-2010, where she was head of the Ophthalmology service in the teaching hospital, and course coordinator of didactic and clinical teaching in Comparative Ophthalmology. Dr. Klauss is a dynamic and engaging lecturer, and has received an award for excellence in clinical teaching at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Klauss has lectured extensively in the academic setting and at national meetings. She has scientific publications in Veterinary Ophthalmology, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Journal of Veterinary Research, Veterinary Pathology, and Veterinary Clinics of North America - Small Animal Practice.

Sheila Torres, DVM, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Dermatologists

Dr. Sheila Torres completed a residency and PhD at the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Dermatology, where she is a Full Professor and Head of the Dermatology Service. In addition, she is currently the Vice Chair for Education and Training at this Institution. She has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles and lectured worldwide. Her research areas of interest are atopic dermatitis, skin microbiome and antimicrobial peptides. She is the co-author of a canine and feline dermatology drug handbook and was a co-editor of the Veterinary Dermatology journal.

Christopher Pachel DVM, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Behaviorists

Dr. Pachel received his DVM from the University of Minnesota. After working in general practice for two years, he completed one year of residency training in veterinary behavior at the University of Minnesota and then an additional 3.5 years of supervised mentorship with Dr. Jacqui Neilson DACVB in Portland, OR while operating a successful house-call behavior practice in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN. Dr. Pachel relocated to Portland in the summer of 2010 to enjoy everything the Pacific NW has to offer and completed the board certification process to become a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists later that same year. He owns and practices at the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, Oregon. In addition to seeing patients at the clinic, Dr. Pachel lectures at national veterinary conferences, teaches at veterinary schools across the country and contributes time and expertise to numerous animal organizations.

Dr. Bruce Keene DVM, MSc, DACVIM (Cardiology) 

Bruce Keene graduated from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Columbus, Ohio from the combined degree program, receiving both the MSc degree in Physiology and Pharmacology simultaneously with the DVM. He finished an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center in 1980, and a residency in cardiology at Ohio State in 1982. After spending a year as an Oberassistent at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, he returned to Ohio State as a postdoctoral research fellow of the American Heart Association in 1984. He joined the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1985, and moved to North Carolina State University in 1990. He is currently Professor of Cardiology at NCSU. He is a diplomate and past president of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialty of Cardiology. Current research interests include clinical trial design, and the pathophysiology and treatment of heart failure in companion animals. Dr. Keene is a truly gifted and engaging speaker and we are delighted to have him join us.

Kathryn A. Diehl DVM, MS Diplomate American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists

After undergrad at Cornell University, Dr. Diehl received her DVM (2000) -MS Veterinary Biosciences (1999) from The Ohio State University. She then completed a rotating small animal medicine and surgery internship at the University of Georgia, followed by residency in comparative ophthalmology and cellular biology fellowship at the University of Wisconsin (2005). She was then an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota from 2005-2007 before moving back to Madison, WI and working in private practice at Veterinary Specialty Care. In 2013 Dr. Diehl joined the University of Georgia Veterinary Teaching Hospital where she serves as an Associate Clinical Professor.  Dr. Diehl's specific ophthalmic interests include diseases and surgery of the cornea as well as canine inherited eye disease. As a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, she served a four year term (two as chair) on the ACVO genetics committee and continues to serve as the ACVO Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) liaison. Finally, she is an editorial board member for the journal Veterinary Ophthalmology. In any spare time after professional responsibilities, Katie and her husband Jeff are avid cyclists and recreational triathletes. As we go to print here, she has currently completed over 10 Ironmans.

Roberto Novo DVM, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Surgeons

Dr. Novo received his DVM from the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1993. He completed a Small Animal Medicine and Surgery internship at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center (UM-VMC), followed by a Small Animal Surgery internship at the Affiliated Veterinary Specialists in Orlando, Florida. He returned to the UM-VMC for a residency in Small Animal Surgery, and remained at the University of Minnesota as an Assistant Clinical Specialist, teaching both didactic and clinical courses. He received Diplomate status at the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2001. Dr. Novo served as Head of the Small Animal Surgery Division and as an Associate Clinical Professor in the Veterinary Clinical Sciences Department. In 2010 he moved west and joined Columbia River Veterinary Specialists in Vancouver, WA - a busy referral practice. He enjoys teaching and has a special interest in urogenital, gastrointestinal, cardiopulmonary and reconstructive surgery.

Andrew Vaughan DVM, Diplomate ACVIM - Oncology

Dr. Vaughan is a medical oncologist with a keen interest in novel targeted therapies for common canine and feline cancers. He received a bachelor's degree from St. Mary's University and a masters degree from UC-San Diego. He then attended Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island, followed by a one year rotating Internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at North Carolina State University. He enjoyed himself so much during his internship that he decided to stay three more years to complete a residency program in Small Animal Oncology and became board-certified in oncology by the ACVIM. For the past 5 years he has practiced medical oncology at the Las Vegas Veterinary Specialty Center and has also authored clinical research in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. When not seeing cases or teaching, Dr. Vaughan enjoys all manner of outdoor adventures, including mountaineering, skiing and mountain biking.

Elizabeth A. Giuliano DVM, MS, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists

Dr. Giuliano received a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University in 1991 and her DVM from the University of Wisconsin in 1996. She completed a small animal rotating internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. In 1998 she returned to the University of Wisconsin to complete a Comparative Ocular Pathology Fellowship. Since July 1, 1999, Dr. Giuliano has been a member of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of Missouri-Columbia where she completed a residency in veterinary ophthalmology and a Masters of Science degree. She is currently a tenured faculty member of the department of veterinary medicine and surgery at the University of Missouri and section head of their comparative ophthalmology service. Dr. Giuliano was elected to the ACVO Board of Regents in the Fall of 2011.

Marie Kerl DVM, MPH, Diplomate ACVIM - Internal Medicine
Diplomate Veterinary College of Emergency and Critical Care

Marie Kerl obtained her DVM from Auburn University, and completed veterinary specialty training in small animal internal medicine and small animal emergency and critical care at the Animal Medical Center in New York. She is a diplomate of the specialty colleges ACVIM and ACVECC. Dr. Kerl is a faculty member with the University of Missouri where she completed the Masters of Public Health degree in 2010. Her duties as Associate Teaching Professor include practicing emergency/ critical care and internal medicine while instructing professional degree students, interns, and residents. Dr. Kerl has received the Norden Distinguished Teaching Award. She is also active in veterinary disaster response as a member of the AVMA Veterinary Medical Assistance Team, the National Veterinary Response Team, and the Missouri Volunteer Veterinary Corps. She is also active in the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society and is currently president of the board of directors.

Ron Mandsager DVM, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists

Dr. Mandsager received his DVM from Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1984. Following graduation, he practiced for two years in a small animal practice in Moline, IL. He then completed a residency in Anesthesiology at the University of Minnesota. Following his residency, he joined the faculty at Oklahoma State University's College of Veterinary Medicine in 1989, and became board certified in Veterinary Anesthesiology in 1992. After 14 years at Oklahoma State University, he returned to the University of Minnesota in 2003. In 2009, he took a position at Oregon State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, where he currently serves as an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and as the Associate Hospital Director. He and his wife, Ruth, live in rural Philomath, Oregon with their two Borzoi, one Greyhound, and a few chickens. Spare time is spent with photography, cycling, lure coursing, and brewing beer.

Gregg Rapoport DVM, Diplomate ACVIM - Cardiology

Dr. Rapoport graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. In 2000, he completed a one-year rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. He then returned to Madison, Wisconsin to perform his cardiology residency, which he completed in 2003. He worked as a cardiologist in private practice in Michigan for one year, followed by four years at the Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston. In 2009 he took an assistant professor faculty position at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.

Megan Seekins DVM, Diplomate Veterinary College of Emergency and Critical Care

Dr. Seekins graduated from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008 and then completed a small animal internship at Fort Collins Veterinary Emergency Hospital.  She then completed a residency in emergency and critical care at the Southern Oregon Veterinary Specialty Center and became an ACVECC Diplomate. Dr. Seekins has special interests in CPR, respiratory emergencies, pain management and anesthetic management of critical trauma patients. She has a special passion for teaching and provides continuing education in emergency medicine. Dr. Seekins has slowly sojourned west from her home state of New York and currently leads a team of emergency clinicians at Columbia River Veterinary Specialists in Vancouver, WA. She enjoys spending time with her dog Beatrice and her interests outside of veterinary medicine include traveling, music, wine tasting, and exploring the outdoors.

Ben Brainard VMD, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists
Diplomate Veterinary College of Emergency and Critical Care

Dr. Brainard received his VMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2000, followed by a 1 year internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the University of Georgia. Following internship, Dr. Brainard completed dual residencies in Veterinary Anesthesiology and Emergency and Critical Care at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Brainard is currently an associate professor of critical care at the University of Georgia, and is board certified in both veterinary anesthesiology and emergency/critical care. Dr. Brainard directs the ICU and emergency service at UGA with his colleague, Dr. Amie Koenig, and also serves as an assistant editor for the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. Dr. Brainard is currently the vice president of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ACVECC) and is a recent recipient of the University of Georgia CVM clinical research award and the University of Georgia CVM service award. Dr. Brainard’s research interests include coagulation, drugs that affect platelet function, and techniques for the diagnosis of hypercoagulability in veterinary patients.

Dave Ruslander DVM, Diplomate ACVIM - Oncology
Diplomate ACVR - Radiation Oncology

Dr. Ruslander is board-certified in both oncology and radiation oncology. He completed a medical oncology residency at the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and then served as an Assistant Professor in the oncology department at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. A desire for continued learning took him to the University of Zurich in Switzerland where he worked as an oncologist and received training in radiation oncology. Dr. Ruslander then joined the faculty at Tufts University from 1997 to 2000 and returned to NCSU from 2000-2004. For the past eleven years he has worked in private practice at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital of the Carolinas. Dr. Ruslander loves teaching and is a past president of the Veterinary Cancer Society.

Lisa L. Powell, DVM, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care

Dr. Powell graduated from Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1995.  She then completed a small animal rotating internship at the Animal Medical Center in NYC, and went on to finish a residency in small animal emergency and critical care at Tufts University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999.  Dr. Powell joined the clinical faculty at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999, where she remained until 2014.  During her tenure at Minnesota, she developed an ECC residency program, trained 10 residents that eventually became diplomates of the ACVECC, and grew the ECC service to include student integration and 4 full faculty members.  Dr. Powell has many publications in journals such as JAVMA, the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, and the Journal of Small Animal Practice.  She co-authored a book about Morbidity and Mortality Rounds in 2010, and was co-editor of Vet Clinics of N. America, Emergency Medicine, in 2013.  She has been lecturing on veterinary emergency and critical care topics, both nationally and internationally, since 2000.  She enjoys running, outdoor activities, her many pets, and spending time with her family.

Robert A. Kroll DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVIM (Neurology)

Dr. Bob Kroll received his DVM from the University of Minnesota (1988). His internship was at Kansas State University (1989), followed by a residency and master’s degree in comparative neurology from the University of Missouri (1992). Following his residency, he did a post-doctoral Fellowship in Neuro-oncology (1992 – 1994) and then became an Assistant Professor of Neurology (1994 – 1998) at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. Dr. Kroll has been board certified in Neurology (ACVIM) since 1995. From 2001 to 2016, Dr. Kroll was the section head of the Neurology and Neurosurgery service at VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Clackamas, Oregon. Dr. Kroll has numerous publications in veterinary and human medical journals, and has lectured nationally and internationally.

Dr. Kroll is now happily a part-time relief neurologist and he teaches cervical disc arthroplasty, the surgical placement of an artificial disc to treat wobbler syndrome. He and his wife enjoy their pets, the Oregon coast, sea kayaking, travel, and photography.

Lynelle Graham, DVM, MS, DACVAA, CVA (IVAS), CertAVCA, CCRT

Dr. Lynelle Graham earned her DVM from the University of Minnesota CVM in 1995, and she completed a rotating internship at Mississippi State University CVM. Dr. Graham then returned to her alma mater where she completed an anesthesiology residency/graduate degree from 1996-1999, and attained board certification by the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (DACVAA).    

Dr. Graham has served as a clinical faculty member at the University of Minnesota and University of Illinois CVMs, in addition to doing locum work throughout the US and Canada. During this time, she developed interests in integrative methods of pain management, and Dr. Graham became a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist (IVAS-International Veterinary Acupuncture Society), certified by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA), received training in herbal medicine, and recently completed requirements as a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT). Originally from Pennsylvania, Dr. Graham is the guardian of a Boxer dog and 2 cats, one of whom has a rare blood type and occasionally serves as a blood donor.  In her free time, she enjoys gardening, cooking, photography, ballroom dancing and travel.

Kevin S. Stepaniuk, DVM, FAVD, Dipl. AVDC

As a Diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC), Fellow of the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry, previous faculty member and section chief of Dentistry and Oral Surgery at the University of Minnesota, he is an invited international and national renowned lecturer and instructor. He is a journal and textbook author as well as a reviewer for various dentistry and oral surgery publications. He is an Executive Board member of the AVDC, and past-president of the AVDS. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Calgary, DVM degree from Oklahoma State University and completed a small animal internship at Washington State University. His specialty training was in private practice. He owns Veterinary Dentistry Education and Consulting Services and works clinically at Columbia River Veterinary Specialists. He brings a practical, clinically relevant, and entertaining aspect to his energetic lectures filled with clinical photographs and radiographs.  

Andrew Gendler DVM, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Radiologists

Dr. Gendler earned his DVM from Washington State University and completed a radiology residency at the University of Wisconsin. Despite his youthful appearance, he has been board-certified in radiology since 2010 and works in a private multi-specialty hospital in Boise, ID. Dr. Gendler is an engaging interactive speaker and his lectures benefit from beautiful images drawn from his clinical experience in private practice. Reading images is a skill learned over a lifetime and his talks will leave you further along than they found you. In his spare time, Andrew is an avid cyclist and serves as a reviewer for JAVMA and the Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound journal.

Michael Mison DVM, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Surgeons

Dr. Mison attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL where he earned a BS degree in Microbiology and he went on to earn his DVM at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine.  Following veterinary school, Dr. Mison completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship plus a Surgery Residency at Michigan State University CVM.  Dr. Mison held professor positions at the veterinary schools of Washington State University in Pullman, WA and University of Pennsylvania where he taught and inspired countless students, interns and residents.  He is now a staff surgeon in private practice at MedVet in Salt Lake City.