Kazushi Asano, DVM, PhD, Charter DJCVS, Professor
Dr. Asano graduated from Hokkaido University in 1991, and researched on canine cardiac hormones and echocardiography, and acquired a PhD in 1999. Subsequently, Dr. Asano was employed from Nihon University. Since then, Dr. Asano has continued to work in the field of small animal surgery and was a founding diplomate of the Japanese College of Veterinary Surgeons (JCVS) in 2009. Since 2015, he has been working as a professor of Veterinary Surgery in Nihon University. A total of 5 grad students and 2 residents as well as 53 clinical trainees who are working for own private animal hospitals now belong to Dr. Asano’s lab. Dr. Asano is mainly interested in not only surgical oncology, especially surgery for liver, adrenal, gastrointestinal, prostatic, and intrathoracic tumors, but also endoscopic surgery and interventional radiology. Dr. Asano is also a president of the Japanese Society of Veterinary Interventional Radiology (JSVIR).
Michael Q. Bailey, DVM, DACVR, AAAS/AVMA Fellow
Dr. Michael Q. Bailey earned his undergraduate degree from Rutgers
University and a DVM from Historic Tuskegee University in Alabama.
He completed an internship and radiology residency at Michigan State
University. Dr. Bailey has lectured globally, connecting with thousands
of veterinary and human healthcare professionals. He is an AAAS/AVMA congressional fellow and a scientific advisor in a congressional office, using his veterinary expertise to influence legislation on Capitol Hill.
He has served on the faculty at Tuskegee University and Michigan State University and was tenured at Ohio State University. He also led imaging services in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was the lead radiologist for a large national practice with over 1,000 hospitals. Dr. Bailey is the Director of Medical Innovations at IDEXX Telemedicine Consultants. An active AVMA member, Dr. Bailey is the 2024-2025 President-elect of the AVMA. Michael enjoys traveling with his wife, rebuilding cars and motorcycles, and photography in his free time.
Brian S. Beale, DVM, DACVS
Dr. Brian Beale received his DVM from the University of Florida in 1985. He completed an internship at Friendship Hospital for Animals in Washington, D.C., and a surgical residency at the University of Florida. He became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1991.
Dr. Beale was an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine prior to joining Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists in 1992. In 2018, Dr. Beale was named a Founding Fellow in Minimally Invasive Surgery – Small Animal Orthopedics (arthroscopy and fracture repair) by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. In 2020, Dr. Beale founded Beale’s Best and Bark City Veterinary Specialists.
Pedro Boscan, DVM, MSc, PhD, DACVAA
Dr. Pedro Boscan earned his DVM degree in 1996 at the veterinary school of Barquisimeto, Venezuela. After a small animal anesthesia internship at Utrecht University, Netherlands, he did a neuroscience MSc at University of Andalucia (Spain) with strong emphasis in pain processing. Dr. Boscan obtained a PhD from University of Bristol, UK working on CNS integration of pain, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. He did his veterinary anesthesia residency at UC Davis and worked for an additional year as clinical fellow. Currently, Dr. Boscan is a professor of anesthesia and service chief at CSU.
Jacob Brown, VMD, CCRP, cVMA
Dr. Jake Brown earned his Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from the College of William and Mary and his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania. After graduation, he pursued further training by completing an intensive internship at the large specialty/emergency hospital in North Carolina. Upon finishing, he stayed on as an emergency clinician for an additional year. Seeking a change in pace, Dr. Brown and his wife moved to Maui in 2014. He initially worked relief emergency shifts at Veterinary Emergency+Referral Center of Hawaii (VERC) before eventually transitioning to general practice at a progressive small animal hospital on Maui. During his varied experiences, Dr. Brown developed a strong interest in the field of veterinary pain management and canine physical therapy. To further these interests, he subsequently obtained his certification in Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians (cVMA) and Canine Rehabilitation (CCRP) through the University of Tennessee. He is currently seeking certification from the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management to become a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner. He owned and operated a pain management and rehabilitation clinic on Maui for six years before returning to VERC to begin a rehabilitation department.
Travis Bruns, CVT, VTS
Travis Bruns is a member of the Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Anesthesia & Analgesia and has been an anesthesia technician at the Animal Emergency & Referral Center of MN since 2015. His areas of interest include dental anesthesia, exotic animal anesthesia, and anesthesia in patients with heart disease. Travis also holds a Master’s Degree in Classical Music Performance from the University of Hartford and spent nine years as the principal double bass player of the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra and the Connecticut Lyric Opera.
Ariel Fagan, DVM, DACVB
Dr. Fagen graduated from Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in 2013. She went on to complete an intensive one-year rotating small animal internship at Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital. In 2017, she completed a 3-year residency in the American College of Veterinary Behavior at Behavior Vets of Colorado and Florida Veterinary Behavior Service. In 2018, Dr. Fagen became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behavior, the highest level of veterinary behavior specialty degree possible. This degree makes her one of approximately 100 of the most highly trained veterinary behavior specialists practicing on the continent. She currently owns and practices out of The Veterinary Behavior Center, based in Boulder, CO and Honolulu, HI. The Veterinary Behavior Center is the largest veterinary behavior practice in Colorado and the only veterinary behavior practice in Hawaii.
Outside of the office, Dr. Fagen has lectured in the US and internationally. She has conducted research studies in shelters, hospitals and wildlife breeding centers and has published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, AAHA Trends Magazine and NAVC Clinician’s Brief. Dr. Fagen was awarded the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior Student Excellence in Applied Animal Behavior Research Award and the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine Best Field Research Award for her work training elephants to participate in their own medical care in Sauhara, Nepal. She currently serves on the Fear Free™ Advisory Board.
Dr. Fagen plays in the mountains hiking, camping and cross-country skiing. She loves to travel, have living room dance parties with her three young kids and picnic. The four-legged love of her life, Libby, was with her through her veterinary education and taught her a great deal about living with and loving a dog with aggression problems.
Richard B. Ford, DVM, MS, DACVIM, DACVPM (hon)
Following graduation from The Ohio State University, Dr. Richard Ford practiced small animal and equine medicine for 3 years. Subsequently, he completed an internal medicine residency at Michigan State University, then joined the faculty at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine before becoming a professor of medicine at NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine, where he is an emeritus professor. He also recently retired from the Air Force Reserve as a brigadier general, where he was assigned to the Office of the Surgeon General at the Pentagon.
Dr. Ford is a coauthor of both the American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Guidelines and the American Academy of Feline Practitioners Feline Vaccine Guidelines. For almost 15 years, he has provided continuing education seminars to veterinarians on infectious diseases and immunization. He has published more than 200 papers and textbook chapters pertaining to infectious disease in companion animals.
Dean A. Hendrickson, DVM, MS, DACVS
Dr. Hendrickson received his DVM from Colorado State University in 1988, and completed an Equine Surgery and Medicine Internship at the University of Sydney, Sydney Australia in 1989. He was accepted into and completed the three year combined Large Animal Surgery Residency and Masters of Science program at Cornell University in 1992. He became a faculty member in the Department of Surgical Sciences at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in August 1992. He joined the Department of Clinical Sciences at Colorado State University in December 1994. As an Equine Surgeon at CSU he is involved in all aspects of Equine Surgery including orthopedics and soft tissue. He has spoken internationally on topics including wound care, minimally invasive surgery and orthopedics. He completed a textbook on Equine Wound Care and the 4th Edition of Turner and McIlwraith’s Large Animal Surgical Techniques.
Don A. Hulse, DVM, DACVS
Dr. Hulse graduated from Texas A&M in 1970 and completed his surgical training at Kansas State University in 1973. Commencing in1970 and continuing until his appointment as a Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Texas A&M University in 1984, Dr. Hulse served as a clinician in general practice and as a Staff Surgeon at Louisiana State University and Oklahoma State University. He successfully fulfilled the requirements for admission into the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1977. He is a recognized leader in veterinary orthopedics and is frequently an invited speaker at National and International Veterinary conferences. He has developed techniques commonly used for treatment of bone and joint disorders in dogs and is a co-author of Small Animal Arthroscopy. His clinical research interests focus on minimally invasive surgery for joint disorders and for fracture treatment.
Kumiko Ishigaki, DVM, PhD
Dr. Ishigaki graduated from Nihon University in 2004 followed by enrolled in the internship at Animal Medical Center (ANMEC) of Nihon University. After then, Dr. Ishigaki has consistently researched on veterinary minimally invasive surgery (MIS) including endoscopic surgery, interventional radiology and photodynamic therapy, so acquired a PhD in 2023. At present, Dr. Ishigaki is a senior fellow in Dr. Asano’s lab for researching on veterinary MIS, and also working for the surgical service in the ANMEC. Dr. Ishigaki is mainly interested in MIS for congenital diseases in dogs and cats, as well as for oncologic diseases. Now, Dr. Ishigaki is a vice president of the Japan Society for Veterinary Endoscopic Surgery (JSVES) and an executive board member of Japanese Society of Veterinary Interventional Radiology (JSVIR).
Yukiko Kuwahara, DVM, DRIC, CVA
Dr Yukiko Kuwahara, (also known as Dr. Youkey) received her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University. She has a vast 46 years of experience in the pet industry including a Hospital Administrator of a busy 24 Hour Emergency & Referral hospital, President of a pet toy manufacturing firm, operating a humane animal breeding facility providing pets for the pet stores, starting a non-profit charity to help the pets of the homeless, and a radio talk show host of the “The Wild & Wacky World of Pets & Animals” on two syndicated radio stations. She has also been an On-Set-Vet ensuring that the animals used on movie sets & commercial shoots are not harmed but treated humanely. Currently, she is a mobile laser acupuncturist helping patients in 7 states. She also sells over 33 lasers from 13 companies and distributes many other select veterinary equipment.
She continues to lecture worldwide teaching other vets how to select their lasers and to use them properly. She has authored 4 books and created an app that helps to use their laser to its optimum level. If you catch her at one of her live lectures, she will entertain you & you won’t be bored when you sit in one of her joyous lectures. She enjoys WATCHING others hike while she participates in the more relaxing world of books and movies.
Kari Mundschenk, DVM, DACBVP (Feline)
Dr. Mundschenk graduated from Washington State University and is certified as a diplomate by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners specializing in feline practice. Her career experience includes 16 years in mixed- and small-animal practice, followed by 10 years of feline-exclusive practice. She is a past director of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and is coauthor of the 2014 AAFP Feline Inappropriate Elimination Guidelines. She serves as a Scientific Advisor on the EveryCat Foundation grant review committee. Though she enjoys learning and teaching about all species, her special interest is feline internal medicine, particularly hyperthyroidism, renal disease, oncology, and the role stress plays in the expression of behavior and disease.
Dr. Mundschenk currently serves as the Professional Service Veterinarian for the new Mountain West region for IDEXX. In addition, she is aligned with the feline product franchise and microbiology reference lab product team, and is part of the Global PSV training curriculum.
When she is not working, you can find Dr. Mundschenk at home in Nevada with her husband, two dogs, two cats, a horse, mule and many chickens. She loves outdoor activities, gardening, scuba diving and trail running.
Becky Murray, DVM, DACVS
Dr. Becky Murray was board certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2012. Throughout her career in private practice, she has honed her passion and expertise in the removal of the cancers from nose to tail and everywhere in between as well as a variety of soft tissue surgeries. She especially enjoys head and neck tumors, chest surgery and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Murray graduated veterinary school at University of California, Davis in 2006, and after completing both general and surgical internships in California, she moved to Ohio for a rigorous surgical residency at MedVet Columbus in Worthington, Ohio. It was training at the MedVet Cancer Center, side by side with medical and radiation oncologists, that her passion for surgical oncologic cases truly developed and has continued at Bridge Animal Referral Center in Edmonds Washington when she started the Surgery Department. After moving to Tacoma Washington in 2012, this California native has fallen in love with the Pacific Northwest! The combination of water and mountains is perfect for all her outdoor adventures with her husband, daughter and their dog, Petal the Standard Poodle. She is excited to share her love of all things soft tissue surgery, with techniques that can be applied in general practice, in the beautiful state of Hawaii.
Carolyn Naun, DVM, CHVP
Dr Naun’s passion lies in fostering the human-animal bond and supporting optimal quality of life for senior and chronically ill pets, utilizing a creative problem-solving approach and a commitment to evidence-based medicine. Recognizing the critical need for end-of-life care for companion animals in Hawaii, she established Arms of Aloha, Oahu’s first palliative care and home euthanasia practice, in 2015. As a certified Animal Hospice and Palliative Care Veterinarian, she has earned a reputation as the trusted local expert in providing peace and comfort to pets in their final stage of life.
Satoko Nishimura, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Dr. Satoko Nishimura was born and raised in Osaka, Japan. She earned her DVM from Atlantic Veterinary College in Canada, completed a rotating internship in Toronto, and finished her cardiology residency at UC Davis. Currently, she works as a mobile cardiologist on Oahu, providing cardiac care at pets’ primary veterinary offices.
In her free time, Dr. Nishimura enjoys going to parks and beaches with her family, traveling, and gardening. She and her husband have two boys, two cats, and four chickens, and they love watching wildlife in their backyard.
Anthony Pilny, DVM, DABVP (Avian)
Anthony Pilny, DVM, DABVP is a graduate of the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He completed a rotating internal medicine and surgery internship at Florida Veterinary Specialists in Tampa and a residency in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine and Surgery at The Animal Medical Center in New York City. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners certified in Avian Practice since 2005 and he serves as ABVPs maintenance of certification vice-chair.
Dr. Pilny has lectured nationally about avian and exotic pet medicine and has published numerous scientific articles and book chapters on birds and other exotic species. He is a member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians, Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians, and The American Veterinary Medical Association. Also, Dr. Pilny serves as a veterinary advisor to the House Rabbit Society, serves on the advisory board of Medgene, and chairs the Association of Avian Veterinarians welfare committee.
Dr. Pilny is currently the medical director and director of education programs at Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. He shares his home with 5 birds, 2 cats, 2 rabbits, a goldfish, and 12 desert tortoises.
Judith Shoemaker, DVM
Judith M. Shoemaker, DVM, is an internationally known practitioner and educator in complementary veterinary medicine and therapy. Dr. Shoemaker is a 1980 graduate of the University of Georgia and is licensed to practice in over 14 states. She was awarded AHVMA Practitioner of the Year in 2012, and serves on the AHVMA Council of Elders. Dr. Shoemaker’s equine and companion animal veterinary practice, Aways Helpful Veterinary Services, focuses on complementary medicine and holistic therapy — integrating chiropractic, acupuncture, and other alternative modalities for treating elite athletes in canine and equine competition, service dogs, search and rescue dogs and family companions. Dr. Shoemaker has extensive post-grad professional training in orthopedics, reproduction and myriad integrative therapies. She was certified by AVCA and IVAS over 35 years ago, and has taught extensively in both Diplomate and CE Certification programs for these organizations. She originated the clinical techniques and is a co-founder of the Postural Rehabilitation professional educational programs for veterinarians and animal chiropractors.
Rachel Venable, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology)
Dr. Venable is a medical oncologist who has always been surrounded by animals growing up on a farm in the Midwest. She obtained her veterinary degree from the University of Missouri and graduated cum laude. After veterinary school, Dr. Venable pursued further training as a small animal intern at the University of Georgia. She then completed her 3-year medical oncology residency at the world-renowned Colorado State Flint Animal Cancer Center. During her residency, she achieved a master’s degree and studied new cancer therapies and clinical trials. She continues to seek out clinical trials and cutting-edge therapies for her patients. Dr. Venable has authored numerous publications and has been a speaker on local and national levels. She is the founder of Pet Cancer Care Consulting, an innovative teleconsulting service which consults with the family vet and pet owner together to give personalized responses and needed information to make an informed decision on treatments. She is also a VIN consultant, research consultant, and was an adjunct professor of veterinary oncology at Midwestern University. She is a member of many organizations and currently a director of the board of the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association. Her oncology philosophy is one of a team-based approach with the family and referring veterinarians for compassionate, individualized care, and optimal quality of life for cancer patients and their families.
Dr. Venable enjoys the outdoors and being on the trail with her wonderful husband and their young daughters. Service opportunities are important to them as they volunteer at church and abroad as her husband works for a non-profit building schools in the developing world. Together they go on projects all
over the globe with Be the Change Volunteers.
Carrie White, DVM, DACVIM
Carrie White graduated from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. This was followed by a small animal rotating internship at the Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in Norwalk, Connecticut, and an internal medicine residency at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. She became a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2009.
She stayed on as a staff internist at the AMC from 2009-2012. In 2013, she moved back to Honolulu, Hawaii, where she grew up, and she is currently an internist and co-medical director at VCA Family and Oahu Veterinary Specialty Center. Carrie’s professional interests include hematology and infectious disease.
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