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We are celebrating our 50th episode of the VCA Voice Podcast with special guest Dr. Todd Lavender! Join Dr. Kerl and Dr. Lavender, former VCA president and current Chief Transformation Officer at Mars Veterinary Health, as they discuss his journey in veterinary medicine and his passion for the profession. In their conversation, Dr. Lavender emphasizes the importance of supporting and mentoring veterinary students and the vital role of veterinary technicians in the profession. He also talks about the entrepreneurial spirit at VCA and the ability to rapidly address unmet needs, during and after the global pandemic. Dr. Lavender encourages listening and being open to different perspectives as a way to understand and care for the future of veterinary medicine.
As the former president of VCA Animal Hospitals, a second-generation veterinarian, and now Chief Transformation Officer for Mars Veterinary Health, taking care of the future of veterinary medicine is deeply personal to Dr. Todd Lavender. His time with VCA started when he was a practice owner in Atlanta. During his 17+ years at VCA, Dr. Lavender’s leadership roles have spanned Operations, Recruiting and Medical Operations. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Eastern Hospital Operations, Regional Medical Director, Recruiting and Professional Relations Director, and Senior Group Vice President for VCA’s Eastern Division.As Chief Transformation Officer, Dr. Lavender leads programs designed to increase access to care and inspire the next generation of veterinary professionals. He is also a Board Director for VCA Charities, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to keeping pets in loving homes, while also leading VCA’s exploration of how to build a more resilient profession and bring veterinary care to new communities, together with organizations like Vet Set Go and the Atlanta Humane Society.
Committed to building a more inclusive and diverse profession, he also serves as the executive sponsor for VCA’s equity, inclusion and diversity (EI&D) initiatives. In this role, Dr. Lavender supports and advocates for Associate-led diversity resource groups, including the Black* African American Network, LatinX Network, Pride* Network, and WISE: Women Impacting Success for Everyone.
Dr. Lavender received his bachelor’s and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees from the University of Georgia, home of the 2021 College Football National Champions. He and his wife live in Los Angeles with their dog, Dooley.Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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Dr. Kerl is pleased to welcome Dr. Wendy Deal, an Area Medical Director for VCA's Midwest Region and an Associate Veterinarian at VCA Mill Run. Listen in as they discuss her journey in veterinary medicine, the role of veterinary technicians and assistants, and the importance of mentorship programs for new veterinarians. Dr. Deal emphasizes the need for support and guidance during the transition from student to doctor and highlights the value of soft skills and professional development. They also chat about the VCA Mentorship Academy Program, which provides a structured six-month program for mentees and mentors. Mentors provide guidance and support throughout the program, including weekly coaching sessions.
Dr. Deal grew up in Columbus and obtained her BS at Northwestern University. She received her DVM at Cornell University in 2003 and completed a small animal rotating internship at Ocean State Veterinary Specialists in Providence, RI. She moved home to Columbus in 2005 and joined VCA Mill Run, where she has continued to develop her interest in general practice, internal medicine and ultrasound. She has a passion for client education as well as training and educating hospital staff, veterinary students, and new doctors. Since 2019, Dr. Deal has helped coordinate the new graduate mentorship program for the central Ohio VCA hospitals, and she has been the Area Medical Director for central Ohio since 2021. She lives in Ohio with her partner Tim, enjoys outdoor sports and has three cats, Ernie, Primrose, and Junebug.Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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Dr. Kerl is pleased to welcome Dr. Danny Joffe, Vice President of Medical Operations for VCA Canada. Listen in as Dr. Joffe shares his journey in veterinary medicine, from deciding to become a veterinarian in second grade to opening his own practice. He discusses the importance of internships in shaping a veterinarian's career and the value of continuing education and certification. Dr. Joffe also highlights the initiatives and programs implemented in VCA Canada, such as the feline declaw ban and the support program for veterinarians experiencing patient safety events or board actions. He also emphasizes the importance of veterinary technicians and their vital role in providing high-quality care.
Dr. Joffe graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (with Great Distinction) in 1985. He completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship at Cornell University in 1985-86, and then entered private practice, eventually starting his own small animal practice, Landing Animal Clinic, in Calgary Alberta in 1989, practicing there until 2020. He was a founding partner in a multi-specialist referral and emergency clinic (Calgary Animal Referral and Emergency Centre—C.A.R.E. Centre) in 2006 and was the Medical Director for this 30-doctor facility until the fall of 2020. In the fall of 2012 Danny became the National Medical Director for VCA Canada, Canada’s largest group veterinary practice, and in 2018 he became VCA Canada’s Vice-President of Medical Operations. He completed his board certification by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Canine/Feline Specialty) in 1992, becoming the first practicing veterinary specialist in Alberta. He has re-certified this specialty via examination in 2000 and 2010. In 2020 Danny was granted Emeritus status by this specialty group. Danny is a Past President of both the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association and the Canadian Academy of Veterinary Dermatology. Dr. Joffe is also a Clinical Instructor at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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Dr. Kerl is pleased to welcome Dr. Anne Kimmerlein to the podcast. Listen in as Dr. Kimmerlein, a veterinary epidemiologist with VCA Medical Operations, shares her journey in veterinary medicine and her role at VCA. In their conversation, they discuss the importance of the interconnectedness between people and their pets and the growing field of veterinary epidemiology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Kimmerlein played a crucial role in providing guidance and protocols for hospitals and ensuring the safety of patients, clients, and associates. She also conducted a study on pets in households of people with COVID-19, finding that pets can get infected with the virus. Additionally, Dr. Kimmerlein discusses her work with the VCA clinical studies team, her involvement in antimicrobial stewardship, and her passion for shelter medicine.
Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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In light of the recent wildfires in Southern California, Dr. Kerl welcomes Brian Ruditsky to the podcast to share about his team's response to the emergent need to find safe places to board pets of owners displaced due to mandatory evacuation orders during the Post Fire. Brian is Regional Operations Director for the Southern California region and discusses the joys and challenges of working in this role within VCA, as well as his journey as a naval aviator to his career in veterinary medicine.
Brian grew up in Simi Valley, California and attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy. After graduation, he was commissioned into the United States Navy and spent ten years as a naval aviator, piloting F-18s. During his service, Brian earned an M.B.A. from Fresno State University and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from Villanova University. After ten years in the Navy, Brian ventured into healthcare and held several roles in performance improvement and business development. His most recent position in human healthcare was at a local community hospital, where he served as the Business Development Executive. While looking for a change in careers, Brian had the privilege of serving as the General Manager for Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital (CVVH), a 24/7 general practice and emergency veterinary hospital in Thousand Oaks, California. This role was gratifying as it introduced him to the world of veterinary health and the dedicated professionals who passionately care for animals. As he looked to continue to grow professionally, he found a fantastic opportunity at VCA as the Regional Operations Director for SC01 and SC07 regions, which encompasses his hometown.
On a personal note, he’s been happily married to his wife, Crystal, for 21 years. Together, they have three wonderful daughters: Ashley, who is currently in college; Katelyn, who is in high school; and Savanna, who is starting high school. Their family is completed by their three energetic golden retrievers, Cody, Daisy, and Paddles, who bring craziness into their home.Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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On this episode of the VCA Voice Podcast, Dr. Kerl is pleased to welcome Martha Smith, VCA's Chief Client Officer. Since joining VCA in 2014, Martha has led several key growth initiatives, including the development of VCA’s ecommerce strategy and build and launch of our online store and patient portals, the development and rollout of VCA’s recent brand refresh (which she counts as a career highlight), and more recently the integration of our brand, marketing and experience departments into a single, integrated growth team. Through her 9 years and 6 roles with us, she has developed an award-winning team, who have collectively racked up 17 Vetty Awards for their work on integrated client education campaigns on the subjects of parasite protection, osteoarthritis, dermatology, nutrition, digital tools, and more, and more recently three recognitions including one win at the recent Mars Petcare Engine 50 Awards.
A native of Montréal, Canada, Martha received her BA Honours English Literature from
Concordia University in Montréal, and her MA English and MBA degrees from California State University, Long Beach. Her early career involved various consulting and leadership roles focused on writing and editing, digital and ecommerce marketing, social media strategy and marketing, and growth strategy.
After 18 years in Los Angeles, Martha now lives in Fort Fairfield, Maine with her husband, Jason, where they – recently empty nesters with their son, Jayson, joining the United States Marine Corps – have turned their attention to forest-bathing in the North Maine Woods and spoiling silly their 18-month-old Border Collie/Azawakh mix, Bob.Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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Dr. Kerl is pleased to welcome her long time friend and colleague, Dr. Karen Kline to the podcast. Dr. Kline has been the Medical Director and associate neurologist at the Veterinary Specialty Center of Seattle and is currently an associate neurologist and past Medical Director at VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Portland, Oregon.
Dr. Kline is also an associate professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery at WSU CVM. She will be working part time at WSU and also at her home base of Northwest Veterinary Specialists. She has published multiple journal articles, has been an author in several veterinary textbooks, has spoken at local, national and international meetings and is currently serving as President of the NAVC.
Dr. Kline brings with her a passion for teaching and clinical service. When not in the clinic, Dr. Kline enjoys the treasures of the Pacific Northwest as well as spending time with her husband Karl and their terrific dog, Voodie.Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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On this episode of the VCA Voice Podcast, Dr. Kerl is pleased to welcome Aaron Frazier, the Chief Operating Officer of VCA Animal Hospitals. Listen in as he shares his career journey and the importance of collaborating with strong industry partners to improve veterinary healthcare. In their conversation, Aaron emphasizes the need for a healthy partnership between medical and business operations to drive quality medicine and ensure business success. He also highlights the importance of empowering teams to come up with innovative ideas. Aaron believes that by staying grounded in our values and supporting our Associates, VCA can weather any challenges that come our way.
Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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In this episode of the VCA Voice Podcast, Dr. Adi Oz and Dr. Negeen Najafi discuss their unique journeys in veterinary medicine and their decision to pursue internships. They share their experiences in veterinary school, their interest in different specialties, and the process of finding a small animal rotating internship program. In their conversation with Dr. Kerl, they discuss the challenges and rewards of being veterinary interns, including the transition from an academic setting to real-world practice, learning client communication skills, and building confidence as primary clinicians. They also share some of their favorite cases and the misconceptions they had about internships.
Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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April is Heartworm Awareness Month in veterinary medicine and in light of this important issue for pets and pet owners, Dr. Kerl is pleased to welcome Dr. Tom Nelson to the podcast. Dr. Nelson is the hospital director of the VCA Animal Medical Center of Northeast Alabama and has been in private practice for 45 years. Dr. Nelson is also an expert on heartworm disease and how to effectively diagnosis, treat, and prevent it in dogs and cats.
For more information on resources mentioned in the podcast, please follow the link below:
American Heartworm SocietyVisit our website: vcavoice.com
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In this episode, Dr. Kerl welcomes Rachel Turner, a credentialed veterinary technician and one of the managers of virtual care services for VCA. Rachel shares her journey in veterinary medicine, from starting as a part-time veterinary technician to joining the virtual care team at VCA. She discusses VCA Live Chat, which supports our clients through medical triage and education 24 hours every day. Rachel also highlights the qualities she looks for in team members and the resources available to virtual care technicians, such as the Knowledge Base.
Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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Dr. Kerl is pleased to welcome Dr. Lore Haug to the podcast. In their conversation, they chat about Dr. Haug's journey in Veterinary Medicine, what led to her role as an Animal Behavior Specialist, and some helpful insights for new owners of puppies and kittens.
Please check out the links below for further information on topics mentioned in the podcast:
American College of Veterinary Behaviorists https://www.dacvb.orgAmerican Association of Feline Practitioners https://catvets.com
Fear Free Happy Homes https://www.fearfreehappyhomes.com
American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior https://avsab.org
The Pet Professional Guild https://www.petprofessionalguild.com
International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants https://iaabc.org
Karen Pryor academy https://karenpryoracademy.com
Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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Dr. Kerl is pleased to welcome Dr. Sharon Mix and Dr. Sydney Stein to the podcast for an intriguing episode about a rare case of rabies in Nebraska and the public health response that has taken place as a result of this case.
Dr. Mix is the Medical Director of VCA Animal Medical Center of Omaha and Dr. Stein is an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer for the CDC. Throughout their conversation, they cover the key role of primary care veterinarians as the “first line of defense in public health” and that it takes vigilance to make a rare diagnosis. Rabies is a significant public health concern, is endemic in wild animals, has no cure, and keeping pets current on rabies vaccination is a crucial step to protect both pets and people. They discuss the differences in the wild animal reservoirs for rabies in the US and why the Omaha case was alarming.Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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Welcome to season three of the VCA Voice Podcast! February is Dental Health Month in Veterinary Medicine and in light of this, Dr. Kerl is delighted to welcome Dr. Cindy Koons. Dr. Koons is a Regional Medical Director for VCA in the Mountain Southwest Group and is passionate about promoting dental health, which contributes to overall patient health.
Listen in as they discuss Dr. Koons' lifelong journey in Veterinary Medicine, the joys and challenges in her role as an RMD, and her experience educating colleagues and clients about sustainable oral health in pets.
For more information about dental health resources mentioned in the podcast, please visit VOHC.orgVisit our website: vcavoice.com
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Listen in as Dr. Kerl welcomes Dr. Phil Padrid, Senior Regional Medical Director for Specialty Hospitals for VCA Animal Hospitals. With the beginning of a new year, it's a great time to reflect on years past and Dr. Padrid has enjoyed a meaningful and fulfilling career that began as a nurse practitioner for human critical care before becoming a veterinarian, and completing training as a fellow in pulmonology, working as a faculty member in a medical school, and owning a specialty practice prior to becoming a regional medical director with VCA. In addition to leading specialty hospitals, Dr. Padrid is a world-renowned authority on pulmonary disease and is credited with introducing into the veterinary profession the use of inhaled medications to treat pulmonary disease in dogs and cats.
Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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Dr. Kerl welcomes Ibrahim Abe Al-Murjan, VCA's Vice President of Digital Product. In this fascinating conversation, Abe recounts the start of his career journey within VCA that eventually led to his current role overseeing an incredibly talented team of associates that are leading the way in developing veterinary industry technology that seamlessly integrates communication within our hospitals and positively effects our clients, patients, and associates.
Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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On this episode of the VCA Voice Podcast, Dr. Kerl welcomes Dr. Patricia Dettlinger.
Dr. Dettlinger is the VCA North Atlantic Regional Medical Director and an adjunct professor at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. She has been instrumental in the North Atlantic region's unique partnership with Monty Tech that is helping take care of the future of Veterinary Medicine. Tune in to hear more about Trish's fascinating journey in veterinary medicine and how she is investing in the next generation of veterinary industry leaders.
Here is more information on VCA's partnership with Monty Tech, as mentioned in the episode.Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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Please join Dr. Kerl as she welcomes Dr. Diccon Westworth to the podcast. Dr. Westworth is a veterinary neurologist working in private practice in California and is leading efforts in the clinical sustainability domain to facilitate bringing people together and uniting them with a single purpose of fighting the existential problem that threatens us all - anthropogenic climate change; and most importantly highlighting methods to limit our ecological footprints, so we can all flourish sustainably.
In their conversation, they also talk about practical steps everyone can take to help diminish their carbon footprint in day to day life. For resources mentioned in the episode, please check out the links below:
Carbon Calculator- personal:https://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/calculator
Carbon calculator vet practice- UK
https://vetsustain.org/work/vet-sustain-carbon-calculator
Procurement Guide from Colorado State
https://colostate.pressbooks.pub/veterinaryprocurementguide/
Veterinary Sustainability Alliance- US/Canada
https://veterinarysustainabilityalliance.org
Vet Sustain UK - Carbon Literacy course
https://learn.vetsustain.org/pages/carbon-literacy-for-veterinary-professionals
Vets for Climate Action Australia - Climate Care course
https://www.vfca.org.au/climatecare
Books:
- https://www.kimnicholas.com/under-the-sky-we-make.html
- https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Saving-Us/Katharine-Hayhoe/9781982143848
- https://global.oup.com/academic/product/greening-health-care-9780199385836?cc=us&lang=en&
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781118342527
- https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.1201/9781003149774/climate-change-animal-health-craig-stephen-colleen-duncan
Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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Join in the conversation as Dr. Kerl welcomes Jose Limon, a hospital manager for VCA's West Coast region and an army veteran currently in active duty military service. Jose's incredible career journey started with VCA at the West Los Angeles Veterinary Medical Group in 1990 when VCA consisted of only three hospitals. Between 1990 and 1996, Jose was promoted from runner to Tech Assistant, to Veterinary Assistant, to Tech Lead, to Tech Supervisor. In 1996, Jose was offered the position of Director of Technical Services. For the next 5 years, Jose worked in support of all matters related to Tech Support team members and hospital inventory.
After the September 11th attacks, Jose joined the Army as an Active-Duty Aviator providing support through the use of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. He served two rotations through Iraq between 2004 - 2007 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2017, after 15 years away, Jose returned to the West LA Animal Hospital as the Director of Operations and later that year was offered the role of Hospital Administrator. Today, Jose can be found at the VCA West Coast Specialty Emergency Animal Hospital in Fountain Valley, CA.
Jose continues to serve our nation with the Army Reserves based out of Los Alamitos, CA. His current role is that of a MEDEVAC Aviator providing support in theater and state-side operations.Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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Listen in as Dr. Kerl welcomes Lorrie Nimsgern, Senior Regional Vice President of VCA's Heartland Group. In their conversation, Lorrie shares her exciting journey over her 37 years in veterinary medicine, from her beginnings as a receptionist, experience as a hospital manager, and her role as Regional Operations Director, leading primary care, specialty, and emergency hospitals. In addition to her many professional talents, Lorrie has published an award-winning book and in her free time enjoys gardening, quilting, American history, reading, and spending time with her husband and two dogs.
Visit our website: vcavoice.com
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