SPECIALTY ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS - 2022
Karin Beale, DVM, DACVD
Representative Dermatology & Allergy – Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists
Dr. Karin Beale received both her Bachelor of Science degree in biology and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Florida in 1985. After graduation, she was engaged in small animal private clinical practice in the Washington, D.C., area for one year. Her passion for dermatology grew during this year and the following year she returned to the University of Florida for a residency in veterinary dermatology. After residency, she attained board certification in dermatology, and remained on faculty at the University for four years as an assistant professor of veterinary dermatology before leaving to found Gulf Coast Veterinary Dermatology and Allergy. Having lectured nationally and internationally, Dr. Beale has a special interest in infectious conditions of the skin and ear and managing the allergic patient.
Martha G Cline, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition)
Representative Clinical Nutrition – Red Bank Veterinary Hospitals
Martha G. Cline, DVM, DACVN, is a clinical nutrition veterinarian at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, and the vice president of the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition. She earned her DVM from University of Tennessee, where she also completed a clinical nutrition residency, and her bachelor’s degree from Lipscomb University. Dr. Cline completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship at Oradell Animal Hospital in Paramus, New Jersey. Her interests are in obesity management, critical care nutrition, renal disease, urolithiasis, and alternative feeding practices.
Stacy Burdick, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM)
Chair of the Specialty Advisory Board Clinical Advisor – NVA Compassion First
DVM from University of Illinois in 2009; Rotating Internship at VCA Norwalk in CT 2009-2010 Residency in Internal Medicine at the Animal Medical Center (AMC) in Manhattan from 2010-2013 Fellowship in Interventional Radiology and Endoscopy (IR/IE) at the AMC 2013-2014
Upon completion of her fellowship, Stacy Burdick, DVM, joined Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, to start the IR/IE program. She joined very shortly after Red Bank became the flagship hospital for Compassion First Pet Hospitals. In 2016, she accepted the Chief of Staff Position and was in that position until 2021. In 2019, Dr. Burdick formally accepted the Clinical Advisor role with Compassion First. With the recent integration with NVA, she accepted the role of Clinical Advisor for NVA-CF and moved full time into that role as of June 2021.
Dr. Burdick lives in Fair Haven, New Jersey with her husband, daughter, two dogs and two cats. She loves to be outdoors, especially if it means enjoying any water activities. She also enjoys snowboarding, mountain biking, horseback riding, running, and gardening.
Michelle Fabiani, DVM, DACVR
Chair of the Marketing, Recruitment & Communications Committee Representative Diagnostic Imaging – Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialits
Dr. Michelle Fabiani received both her bachelor’s degree and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Texas A&M University. She practiced general and emergency small animal medicine for six years prior to pursuing a career in radiology. Dr. Fabiani completed a three-year residency at Gulf Coast Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging in 2002 and became board certified by the American College of Veterinary radiology in 2003. Since board certification, Dr. Fabiani has acted as staff radiologist at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists. Additionally, Dr.
Fabiani was an adjunct professor of Diagnostic Imaging at Saint Matthews University, College of Veterinary Medicine from 2006-2012. She has lectured extensively, providing education to veterinary students and veterinarians locally, nationally, and internationally. In 2012, Dr. Fabiani became the first veterinary radiologist to receive the Texas Academy of Veterinary Practice Clinical Referral and Consultation Award. She enjoys all aspects of diagnostic imaging, but her special interests include computed tomography,
echocardiography, exotic animals, and interventional radiology techniques.
Brooke Fowler, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology)
Chair of Clinical Studies Committee
Representative Oncology – Colorado Animal Specialty & Emergency
Dr. Brooke Fowler, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), grew up in Northbrook, a suburb of Chicago. She completed her undergraduate education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois. Dr. Fowler then completed a rotating internship at a private practice in Chicago, as well as an oncology internship and three-year residency at the University of Missouri. During her residency, she obtained a master’s degree with a special focus on the immune system as it relates to cancer.
Dr. Fowler has a daughter and two dogs: a Newfoundland named Lulu and a Golden Retriever named Oscar.
She enjoys skiing, hiking, and other outdoor activities. She also loves to travel and is a serious foodie.
Kathryn Fleetwood, LVT
Representative LVT/RVT/CVT/VTS – Summit Veterinary Referral Center
Kathryn has been in the veterinary field for over 13 years. She bbegan her career as an assistant, before attending technician school at San Diego Mesa College. She passed her boards exams in July 2011. As a technician, she has worked in emergency, surgery and ophthalmology, in San Diego. Kathryn then spent time as the hospital manager of a small general practice clinic in Littleton, CO as well as a larger practice in Southern California. Upon moving back to southern California. Kathryn returned to emergency medicine at Summit.Outside of work, dhe and her husband Nick are busy with thier sassy 2.5-year-old daughter, Millie. She enjoys hiking, kayaking, and gardening. She is a self-professed crazy cat lady, and has have three cats, Zeke, Michael Scott and David Rose. In addition, she has a nearly 18-year-old chiweenie, Penelope. In her spare time, she competes in threepday eventing with her horse, Ono.
Juliette Hart, MS, DVM, CCRT, CVA, DACVSMR
Representative Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation - AESC
Dr. Hart earned her veterinary degree from Colorado State University, while also completing certificate programs in both Canine Rehabilitation Therapy and in Large Animal and Small Animal Acupuncture. After completing an internship program, she pursued additional veterinary orthopedic and sports medicine training and then returned to Colorado State University as the first resident in Small Animal Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. She is now a board-certified Diplomate in Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (Small Animal). Dr. Hart is one of only a few Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation residency- trained specialists in the United States.
In her 3-year intensive residency program, Dr. Hart trained under leaders in the fields of sports medicine, orthopedics, regenerative medicine, musculoskeletal ultrasound, and rehabilitation. She gained invaluable knowledge of complex. She works closely with our orthopedic surgeons, neurologist, criticalists, and other specialists to ensure that every patient has the best options available.
Rachel Halpin, DVM, DACVECC
Vice Chair of the Specialty Advisory Board CARE Center
Rachel Halpin, DVM, DACVECC, is a veterinary emergency and critical care specialist at MedVet Medical &
Cancer Center for Pets in Cincinnati, Ohio. Although she is involved with all aspects of emergency and critical care, her interests center on transfusion medicine and trauma, particularly traumatic brain injuries, sepsis, and mechanical ventilation. Dr. Halpin earned her DVM from University of Missouri before completing an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Angell Animal Medical Center–Boston and a residency in emergency and critical care at University of Missouri.
Eric N. Glass, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Neurology)
Chair of Network Engagement Committee Red Bank Veterinary Hospitals
Dr. Eric N. Glass, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Neurology), is the section head of neurology and neurosurgery at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, and of Compassion-First Pet Hospitals nationwide. Dr.
Glass earned his DVM from Cornell University. He completed a rotating internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City and a residency in neurology and neurosurgery at University of Pennsylvania. Dr.
Glass has been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals and is a co-author of the textbook Veterinary Neuroanatomy and Clinical Neurology. His clinical interests include neurosurgery and correlation of neurologic signs with neuroanatomic diagnoses.
Michael Higginbotham DVM, DACVIM (Neurology)
Representative Neurology – Bush Veterinary Neurology Service
Dr. Higginbotham, an Alabama native is a graduate of Auburn University where he obtained a Bachelor’s in Wildlife Biology and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Higginbotham completed a Small Animal Medicine/Surgery internship at Mississippi State University along with Neurology Internships at both the University of Georgia and Affiliated Vet Specialists. He then went on to complete his Neurology & Neurosurgery residency at the Veterinary Neurological Center in Las Vegas, NV. He received certification in Neurology in July of 2011. Dr. Higginbotham practiced in Austin, TX prior to joining St. George’s University in Grenada as an Associate Professor of Neurology/Neurosurgery. He and his wife returned to the states in 2013 and they have loved living in Richmond. In 2018 they welcomed a beautiful baby daughter and a mini-Labradoodle named Winnie.
Emi Knafo DVM, Diplomate ACZM
Representative Avian & Exotics – Red Bank Veterinary Hospitals
Originally from New York City, Dr. Knafo obtained a BS in biology from Cornell University in 2004, and a DVM degree from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in 2008. During veterinary school, Dr. Knafo participated in an international veterinary medicine program in South Africa focused on wildlife and conservation medicine. In 2006, she spent the summer conducting original research on parasitism of Grevy’s zebra populations in northern Kenya.
After graduation, she completed a surgery and critical care internship at the University of Pennsylvania in 2009, and then a zoological medicine internship at the University of Georgia in 2010. In 2013, she completed a residency in zoological medicine at Cornell University. She then joined the faculty at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in 2014 as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Zoological Medicine. While at Tufts, Dr. Knafo started the first curriculum in honeybee veterinary medicine at a US veterinary school. In 2018, Dr. Knafo joined the Exotics Department at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, NJ. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine, which includes all exotic (non-domestic) animals from
invertebrates, fish, birds, reptiles, small mammals, and large mammals/megavertebrates. She is the only ACZM specialist in the state of NJ, and one of the first 10 ACZM specialists with the subspecialty Zoological Companion Animal (aka exotics) in the world. She has traveled internationally to work with wildlife in South Africa, zebra in Kenya, and tortoises in the Galapagos. When not practicing veterinary medicine, she is an avid equestrian, beekeeper, runner, and CrossFitter.
Nadine Koreman, DVM
Representative Canada – Animal Emergency Clinic of Fraser Valley
Dr. Nadine Koreman graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1992. She opened the clinic in 1996. Dr. Nadine Koreman graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1992. After her internship in Auburn, Alabama, she was an emergency veterinarian at Vancouver Animal Emergency Clinic. VAEC pioneered emergency medicine in the Lower Mainland. At the time, it was the only fully staffed facility available for after-hours veterinary care. Nadine and her husband, Rob, had grown up in Langley and returned to be close to family once her schooling was complete. Dr. Koreman along with many of the local veterinarians saw a need for after-hours emergency care for the pets of our community. In 1996 the doors of The Animal Emergency Clinic of the Fraser Valley finally opened.
The challenge, unpredictability, and the opportunity to make a big difference to our patients in a short amount of time is what drew Nadine to emergency medicine. She enjoys the wide variety of cases that continue to amaze her as well as the great group of staff here. When she has free time she enjoys travelling and puttering around the farm in addition to training, breeding and showing Golden Retrievers and riding, showing and breeding horses.
Dustin Lewis, DVM, MBA, MS, Diplomate ACVR (RO)
Representative Radiation Oncology – Red Bank Veterinary Hospitals
Dustin Lewis, DVM, MBA, MS, DACVR (RO) grew up in Northeast Indiana and attended to Purdue University for both undergraduate studies and veterinary school. In 2010, he graduated and began a small animal rotating internship at The Animal Medical Center in New York, NY. In July 2011, he began a joint residency in radiation oncology at both North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC and Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO.
Dr. Lewis completed his radiation oncology residency in July of 2013. Upon completion of his residency, he accepted a position as radiation oncologist at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, NJ before he began also offering his services at VRC in 2017.
Ingar Krebs DVM, Diplomate ACVS-SA
Representative Surgery – Upstate Vet Emergency & Specialty Care
Dr. Krebs is a native of Germany and moved to the United States in 1997. He spent seven years in Colorado where he completed his veterinary degree at Colorado State University in 2004. After an Internship at the University of Illinois, Dr. Krebs practiced as a general practitioner in rural Arkansas for two years before returning to the Midwest to complete his small animal surgery residency at Iowa State University. Following his residency, he stayed at Iowa State as a soft tissue faculty surgeon and also worked at Iowa Veterinary Specialties to perform soft tissue, orthopedic, and neurologic surgery. He has a special interest in oncologic surgery as well as minimally invasive surgery, including laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, and arthroscopy.
Dr. Krebs lives in Asheville with his wife and his three children, as well as an ill-mannered dog and a cat.
Kimberly Luce, DVM
Representative General Practice – Chesapeake Valley Referral Center
Dr. Luce is originally from Maine but relocated to the Charleston area five years ago after practicing veterinary medicine in Los Angeles for 11 years. She decided to become a veterinarian at four years old and never wavered from that goal.
She completed her B.S. at Duke in 1989, and then received her DVM from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1994. Although her interests were many, she was most drawn to emergency medicine and chose that path for her first job out of school. Over time, she worked in a variety of emergency medical settings, and her passion grew.
Though the majority of her employment has been in the ER, she has also spent time working in General Practice, and in Administration as Medical Director of two hospitals. Throughout her career, her goal has always been to work with the most expert veterinarians in their fields, and to learn everything she could from them along the way. These experiences allowed her to pursue a variety of interests over the years, but she has returned to her true calling of emergency medicine.
Dr. Luce is a 500hr Certified Yoga Instructor. She enjoys adventurous activities of many kinds, including jet skiing, hiking and mountain climbing, horseback riding, motor sports and more. She is happiest outdoors. Travel and exploration are top on her "favorite things to do" list, balanced by a healthy dose of sitting on the couch watching a great movie, or reading a good book- and all of it with her best friends Mark and Scout.
Diana Pate, DVM, DIPLOMATE ACVO
Representative Ophthalmology – Upstate Vet Specialty & Emergency
Dr. Diana Pate received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Tennessee. Following a small animal surgery and medicine internship at University of Georgia and an additional year as the UGA triage doctor, Dr. Pate began a three-year ophthalmology residency at North Carolina State University.
During this residency she received specialty training in the medical and surgical management of canine, feline, equine, food animal, and exotic animal eye disease. After becoming board-certified in ophthalmology, Dr. Pate worked in Charlotte, NC. She joined Upstate Vet in 2012 to establish the first veterinary
ophthalmology service in Upstate and Western North Carolina areas. Her clinical interests include cataract surgery and corneal disease. She enjoys her career because it “enhances the quality of life of our patients, by improving their vision and eliminating their eye pain.” Outside of work, Dr. Pate enjoys family life with her husband, two sons, dog, and cat. She loves spending time outdoors, staying active, and cooking for her family and friends.
Rebecca S. Salazar DVM, DACVAA
Chair of Medical Assurance Committee
Representative Anesthesia & Pain Management – Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialits
Dr. Rebecca S. Salazar is board certified in Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. She completed veterinary school at Texas A&M University and completed her residency there as well. Prior to coming to current position at Gulf Coast Veterinary Hospital, Dr. Salazar was an assistant professor at Center for Veterinary Health Sciences at Oklahoma State University. She considers teaching current anesthesia protocols one of the most enjoyable aspects of her job. Her particular clinical interests include novel approaches to providing analgesia;to include peripheral nerve blocks, epidural catheters and tailor-made analgesic plans for surgical, oncologic, trauma and internal medicine patients. An outdoor enthusiast, Dr. Salazar likes all outdoor activities as well as traveling and spending time with her husband Jose, her son Rex, and two dogs: John Wayne, her beagle, and Sinclair, her King Charles cavalier.
Brandi Mattison, DVM, DACVECC
Chair of Medical Innovation Committee
Representative Emergency/Critical Care – Arizona Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Center
Dr. Brandi Mattison graduated from the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine in 2002.
Following graduation, Dr. Mattison practiced general medicine for 4 years in a walk-in practice in Spokane, Washington where she developed an interest in emergency and critical care medicine. Dr. Mattison completed an emergency and critical care internship and residency at Michigan State University in 2011 and became board- certified the same year. She has been an enthusiastic part of the AVECCC team since 2011 and Medical Director for over 4 years.
Dr. Mattison’s special interests include immune-mediated thrombocytopenia and hemolytic anemia, disorders of coagulation, acute kidney injury, dialysis/therapeutic plasma exchange and care of the critically ill post-operative patient.
Melissa Turner, DVM, CVA
Representative Integrative Medicine – Red Bank Veterinary Hospitals
Bucknell University, Bachelor of Science—1999-2003. Cornell University—Doctor of Veterinary Medicine—2006-2010. Oradell Animal Hospital, Internship in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery—2010- 2011. Joined Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in 2011. Completed Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist Program through the Chi Institute School of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine—2012.Dean Severidt, DVM
Representative Emergency – Emergency Animal Hospital of Collin County
I have been a veterinarian since 1979. I graduated from Iowa State University. I started my career in farm animal medicine and quickly moved to small animal medicine. I have owned, operated, and sold 3 veterinary clinics over my years as a veterinarian. I was president of a marketing company that generated over $22 million in sales over a 5-year period. I traveled the country and spoke to large groups of people primarily physicians about our nutritional supplements and about leadership and what it takes to be a leader in any filed. After selling my last practice and deciding I wasn't ready for retirement. I was Chief of Staff at a Banfield hospital and the Medical Director at a VCA hospital. I am currently Chief Medical Officer at an emergency clinic in Plano Texas where I’ve been for the past 4 years. In my spare time, I enjoy exercising and watching sports.
Jennifer Tjepkema, DVM, DVADC
Representative Dentistry – Animal Dental Center
Dr. Jennifer Tjepkema is originally from Virginia Beach and recently moved from Encinitas CA. She completed her three-year residency program with Dr. Glenn Brigden at Pacific Coast Veterinary Dentistry and passed her specialty board examination in 2018. Prior to Dr. Tjepkema’s residency, she was a general practitioner in Toano, VA for 6 six years. After Dr. Tjepkema left general practice she owned her own practice limited to dentistry, which offered advanced dental services at three specialty hospitals in Virginia. Dr. Tjepkema has a passion for all aspects of dentistry but specifically oral surgery. She is also a member of the American Veterinary Society and has articles published in the Journal of America Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) and Journal of Veterinary Dentistry (JVD). In 2017 Dr. Tjepkema moved to Pennsylvania with her husband, two children, and 2 dogs. Her hobbies include playing beach volleyball, paddle boarding and camping with her family.
Carrie B. Waters, DVM, DACVIM, PhD
Chair of Training & Education Committee Representative Internal Medicine – AVIMO
Dr. Waters earned her DVM from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. She also completed her internship and small animal internal medicine residency at Purdue University, obtained board certification in small animal internal medicine, and received her PhD in physiology from the University of Missouri.
Dr. Waters enjoys all aspects of veterinary internal medicine but has a special interest in endocrinology and immune-mediated disease. She was fortunate to have the opportunity to volunteer with a veterinarian while in high school, and from there she was hooked. Dr. Waters has lived and worked in Texas for the last 23 years, and most recently as the Assistant Medical Director at a large specialty hospital in Dallas. As a native of the East Coast, she’s thrilled to be back home!
Helping pets while helping their families with sometimes difficult treatment decisions is extremely rewarding for Dr. Waters. She is also thankful to be serving the exemplary AVIM&O hospitals and their dedicated staff. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, hiking (with a little bit of camping thrown in, on occasion), reading, and cooking.
In addition to having 5 grown children, Dr. Waters and her spouse have 3 feisty cats named Coco, Bear, and Tortia, and a big, fluffy white dog named Pearl.
