Kelly Bremken is the Veterinary Social Worker with Oregon Humane Society. Originally a Midwest native, with a BA in Organizational Communication, Kelly’s experiences have crisscrossed the entire country. She has worked in animal welfare for more than 20 years at Arizona Humane Society, Humane Society of the Treasure Coast, Seattle Animal Shelter, and Oregon Humane Society. 

Kelly graduated in Spring 2021 with a Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a certification in Veterinary Social Work (VSW), focused on Compassion Fatigue & Conflict Management, the Link Between Human & Animal Violence, Animal Assisted Interventions, and Animal-Related Grief & Bereavement. 

At Oregon Humane Society, Kelly is on the forefront of utilizing social work practice to attend to the human needs that arise at the intersection of veterinary medicine & animal welfare, and social work practice. She serves as Oregon Humane Society’s first veterinary social worker and is paving the way in the field for greater workplace wellbeing and community partnership.

The importance of self-talk and our inner critic

Access to Care: What are we doing about it in Portland? 

Nicole has been working as a licensed veterinary technician for over 16 years. Her clinical experience ranges from working in a small general practice, to working in a university setting with multiple anesthesiologists, and multi-specialty/emergency hospitals. She obtained her VTS in anesthesia and analgesia in 2018, shortly after moving to Portland. She is an active academy member of the AVTAA, NAVAS, and OVTAA and is currently serving as Chair of the AVTAA Exam Committee and President-Elect of the AVTAA. She graduated with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing in May 2024. She has always had a special interest in teaching other technicians and students and is currently working on providing CE to members of the veterinary community on a local and national level through lecturing and publications. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, running, backpacking, camping, and other outdoor sports with her husband, Chris. She is a dedicated and slightly obsessed cat mom to her one and only, Bennie.

Not Just a Dental: Navigating Patient Comorbidities During Dental Anesthesia

Let the Beat Drop: Perioperative Arrhythmia Management

Dr. Pankratz graduated with her veterinary degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2014 and pursued a small animal rotating internship in New York. She completed her behavioral medicine residency program at North Carolina State University and became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists in 2018. She stayed on at NC State for her fellowship and as a clinical instructor before joining the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, OR in 2019.

While striving to understand inter-pet conflict within her home, Dr. Pankratz became passionate about veterinary behavior. She aspires to help others rebuild their human-animal bonds. She is most interested in educating others to better understand and communicate with their beloved pets for harmony in the home.

teaches veterinary behavior to the public, veterinary students, and fellow veterinarians through conferences hosted throughout the US and Canada. Her research projects have involved confirming the use of several anti-anxiety medications for cats and a novel non-medication device for the treatment of dog separation anxiety. For her research on the use of behavioral medication to improve the welfare of cats, she was awarded the RK Anderson ACVB Resident Award and JFMS Resident Best Paper Award.

"Make Fluffy stop doing this!" Addressing cat behavior concerns in the clinic

Stacy Montgomerie DVM, CHPV

Hannah Marshall DVM, DACVECC

Kate Earl DVM, CVA, CVPP

Debrah Lee LCSW

Contextualized Care and Family Quality of Life: Moving beyond a “gold standard 

Nicole Froelich, DVM (Fear Free Certified Elite, Low Stress Handling Certified, Cat Friendly Veterinarian) has the unique perspective of working both 'in the trenches' as a relief veterinarian as well as providing behavior-specific care at Synergy Veterinary Behavior. Combining these experiences allows her to provide engaging, in depth and practical presentations. She is especially passionate about helping vet-phobic pets and provides educational programming at universities and veterinary clinics as a member of the Fear Free Speakers Bureau.

At Synergy, she led the development of the veterinary care recovery program to provide a pathway for fearful and aggressive animals to receive wellness care while prioritizing emotional health and physical safety. As veterinary student, Dr. Nicole learned about cooperative care while collecting blood samples from grizzly bears at the WSU Bear Center. These 400 pound animals were trained to hold out a paw for a blood draw and were rewarded with apples and honey water. She now works with the amazing team at Synergy to apply the same principles help our veterinary patients receive the care they need.

Learning Lasts Forever: Why You Should Include Proactive Pet Training Concepts Into Your Daily Practice- and How to Do It

Lorenzo Fox (CCUI, FDM, SAPT, Fear Free Trainer) is the Lead Trainer at Synergy Veterinary Behavior in Portland, OR. Lorenzo specializes in resolving challenging and complex behavior struggles- including aggressive behaviors and fears and phobias, particularly in the context of veterinary care and husbandry. He grew up on a petting zoo/cattle farm in Kentucky surrounded by a variety of animals- everything from camels and coatimundis, to arctic foxes and water buffalo. After obtaining his BA from Portland State University, Lorenzo spent nearly a decade working with kids, teens, and young adults in wilderness guiding, wilderness therapy, juvenile incarceration, residential treatment, and crisis centers, then pivoted to applying that same trauma-informed and relational approach toward animal behavior. He utilizes play, consent, choice, clear communication, and the building of predictable patterns so that both humans and animals can thrive.

Learning Lasts Forever: Why You Should Include Proactive Pet Training Concepts Into Your Daily Practice- and How to Do It 

Dr. Kelly Flaminio is a 2009 graduate from Western University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed an emergency and critical care internship at DoveLewis Animal Emergency and Specialty Hospital followed by a wildlife internship at the Wildlife Center of Virginia. She returned to Portland and worked in mixed exotic animal practice, as a wildlife veterinarian at the Bird Alliance of Oregon, and as a zoo veterinarian at the Oregon Zoo. Dr. Flaminio returned to DoveLewis in 2021 to start an exotic animal exclusive urgent care service. She provides daily mentorship to Dovelewis’ staff ER doctors and interns in exotic animal medicine to better serve these patients in the emergency room and when hospitalized in the ICU. 

Rabbit Gastrointestinal Syndrome

Hi, my name is Jamie Michaelis! I graduated from the Veterinary Technician program at PCC back in 2008, and then have also received my bachelor’s degree in biology from WA State University back in 2019. My history as a CVT is vast but includes working in a mixed general practice (dog/cat/exotic) for 13 years, working in Ophthalmology for 2 years, a relief technician at the Oregon Zoo for 4 years, volunteering my time as a CVT at Bird Alliance of Oregon for almost 2 years, and you can find me currently employed at DoveLewis!  I have a love for all exotic animals but have a special place in my heart for all turtles/tortoises. Whenever I am not working, you can find me working out in my garden or working on a new cross stitch project, quilting, or streaming some online gaming! 

Avian Venipuncture 

Exotics Radiography

Dr. Valli Parthasarathy is a board-certified veterinary behaviorist and owner of Synergy Veterinary Behavior in Portland, OR. She helps people whose dogs, cats, bird, horses, and other species showing unwanted behaviors. Her passion is to help support positive behavioral change and problem behavior prevention through education, greater mutual understanding and improved relationships between people and their animals. She does this though a collaboration between the client, primary veterinarian, other specialists, and her on-staff behavior team. She has been invited to speak at national and international conferences on topics in veterinary behavior ranging from early recognition of problem behavior and treating behavior problems in various species, to making veterinary care less stressful for patients.

Initial management and treatment for human-directed feline aggression 

I received my DVM degree from the University of Florida, then completed a rotating internship at VCA NWVS before returning to “The Swamp” for a surgery residency. Following residency, I stayed at UF as a Clinical Professor of Small Animal Orthopedics while completing the ACVS Joint Replacement Surgery Fellowship prior to moving back to the Pacific Northwest to join the team at VCA NWVS.

I enjoy all aspects of orthopedic surgery, with special interest and expertise in total joint replacement surgery, custom 3-D printed limb deformity correction surgery, and minimally invasive fracture repair and arthroscopic surgery. I opened a 3-D printing lab at NWVS, which we use to create custom 3-D printed guides for complex joint replacement surgeries and deformity corrections. My professional goals are to build a Joint Replacement Surgery fellowship program and residency program in the Portland area.

Outside of the OR, I enjoy spending time with my wife (the other, much prettier and smarter Dr. Carvajal in the PDX area), mountain biking, learning to kite surf, and exploring the great PNW.

Canine Hip Dysplasia- Exam and radiographic tips

Dr. Wu graduated from Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2015 followed by a comparative theriogenology internship at Iowa State University. Following completion of her internship in 2016, she began her theriogenology residency training at Oregon State University, completing her training, Masters of Science degree and obtaining board certification in 2019. Dr. Wu worked as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Theriogenology (focus on equine and small animal reproduction) at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine for over three years before returning to Oregon.

Outside of work, Dr. Wu enjoys spending time exploring the PNW with her husband, two children, and their four dogs. She also enjoys reading and fishing/crabbing on the Oregon coast.

Dystocia Management

Yvonne Brandenburg, CVT, RVT, VTS (Internal Medicine - Small Animal) has her Veterinary Technician licenses in the states of Oregon and California and obtained her Veterinary Technician Specialist designation in 2016. She was the 2021 President of the Academy of Internal Medicine for Veterinary Technicians and currently works as a Clinical Learning and Development Specialist for Ethos Veterinary Health.

Yvonne is an author and a speaker at both local and international conferences, as well as a co-host of the Internal Medicine For Vet Techs Podcast. She has presented on subjects related to small animal internal medicine at various conferences and continuing education providers.

Yvonne is also the Founder and Head of Education for Internal Medicine For Vet Techs and its Membership where she provides RACE-approved continuing education and a community for technicians around the world. To find out more about her, visit the Internal Medicine For Vet Techs website.

FIP- It’s not a death sentence

Dr. Kochis has served for over 25 years in various positions in veterinary medicine, including general practice, Northwest Veterinary Specialists and Zoetis. His veterinary interests include infectious diseases, emergency medicine and access to care.  As Chief Medical Officer at OHS, Dr. Kochis oversees a team of more than 100 veterinary professionals who serve pets and people at the Community Veterinary Hospital, and care for shelter pets in the medical centers at the Portland and Salem Campuses.  Dr. Kochis received his Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences and DVM from Cornell University. He served on the OHS Board of Directors for three years until he joined the staff. He has served as President and board member of the Portland Veterinary Medical Association.  In his free time he enjoys time with family and friends, traveling, gardening, LEGOs, and adventures with his husband and two Border Terriers.  

Access to Care: What are we doing about it in Portland? 

Dr. Sonja Olson is a passionate veterinary wellness coach, educator, and emergency room veterinarian with over 25 years of experience. She specializes in helping individuals and teams within the veterinary field navigate stress, find balance, and cultivate emotional well-being. Combining evidence-based coaching, mindfulness, and her clinical expertise, Dr. Olson creates compassionate, transformative spaces that empower her clients to thrive both personally and professionally.

Through her innovative 1:1 'heartstorming sessions,' keynote presentations, and resilience-focused writings, she shares practical tools to manage change, enhance self-awareness, and foster meaningful connections. As a certified mindfulness meditation teacher and Mental Health First Aid instructor, she is dedicated to inspiring calmer, kinder, and more resilient communities. Dr. Olson’s mission is to harness the innate potential for healing and growth, guiding veterinary professionals toward a healthier and more balanced way of living.

Access to Care in Veterinary Medicine: Current understanding and important impacts on veterinary practices and caregiving teams

Sustainable Professional Satisfaction Using Job Crafting & Understanding "Bore-Out" vs "Burnout"

Dr. Katie Kuehl is a veterinarian and associate professor for Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She is the director of the WSU Shelter Medicine program based at Seattle Humane where she guides 4th year veterinary students through hands-on training in shelter medicine, surgery and community outreach.  She also leads the One Health Clinic veterinary team, a partnership with the University of Washington that provides integrated medical care to people and their pets.  She has also served in several leadership roles for the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association (WSVMA), including spearheading their Foundation's creation of an access to care resource for WA veterinarians called the Vets Helping Pets Fund.  In 2020 she was honored with the WSVMA's WSU Faculty Member of the Year Award and in 2021 the University of Wisconsin’s School of Veterinary Medicine Young Alumni Award. Dr. Kuehl's passion is improving access to veterinary care through education on the practice of contextualized care for veterinary students and veterinarians alike.

Access to Care in Veterinary Medicine: Current understanding and important impacts on veterinary practices and caregiving teams

Kevin S. Stepaniuk is a Diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC®) and is Co-owner of Pet Dental Specialists. An AVDC® Diplomate is the only recognized AVMA specialist approved Board-Certified Veterinary Dentists™. 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 is a 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. Dr. Stepaniuk is a journal and textbook author as well as a reviewer for various dentistry and oral surgery publications. He is past-Executive Board member of the AVDC, and past-president of the AVDS. Dr. Stepaniuk works clinically full-time and provides continuing education to veterinarians, veterinary students, and technicians throughout the world.

Pandoras Box or Paradigm Shift- Staging Dentistry

Dr. Kathi Berman is a 2003 graduate from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine who practiced in Chicago for 10 years before returning to her home state of Idaho. Her ability to connect with people made veterinary medicine a natural fit and she wants to change its future with openness, connection, and vulnerability. She is currently the Director of Mission Leadership Groups (small group leadership development) at Mission Veterinary Partners. 

Outside of veterinary medicine, Kathi is a single mom to an amazing boy named Leo who lights her world and makes her strive to be a better person. The mountains of central Idaho are her cathedral where she mushrooms in the spring, camps all summer (huckleberries!) and hikes with her bow in the fall. Her house is a cat paradise (thanks to the aforementioned kid) and a realm of hand-dyed yarn thanks to her obsession with all things fiber art.

Closing Generational Gaps: Client Communications and Training the Team

Healthy Practice Culture - Breaking the Cycle of Bystander Behavior and Toxicity in Veterinary Medicine

The Portland Animal Welfare Team is a grassroots, volunteer-powered nonprofit that provides vital veterinary services for over 1,000 Portland-area families per year, aiding individuals living on the streets, in transitional shelters or government housing, as well as those facing temporary financial hardship that restricts their access to medical care for their pets. 

For many of our clients, home is where their beloved companion animal is. 

PAW Team provides veterinary care through a robust medical program including essential wellness, vaccinations, parasite prevention, medication, management of some chronic conditions, food, pet supplies, and so much more. We have no veterinarians on staff and rely on the generous time and energy of a network of volunteers to help power our clinics. 

These essential services keep pets happy and healthy and with the people that love them the most.

For the Benefit to Society: Increasing Access to Veterinary Care as a Social Justice Movement 

Dr. Sonja Zabel was born and raised in Germany.  She discovered her passion for veterinary dermatology while attending the School of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover.  After graduating in 1998, her drive for excellence and love of traveling took her to Colorado State University, where she completed a residency in veterinary dermatology and a master’s degree.

Sonja spent many years in academia as a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology.  She was on the faculty at Colorado State University until 2010 and then at the University of Georgia in Athens until 2015, where she built an otology service as she continued to grow their established dermatology service.

Sonja relocated to Portland in July 2015 with the goal of establishing a veterinary dermatologist service in a private practice setting as well as enjoying the beautiful Portland area and its surroundings.  She established successful dermatology services in two area specialty clinics, prior to opening Peak to Coast, her own dermatology-focused clinic. Her special clinical interest is otology (ears), which fills a unique and important need for the region.  She has established ties to general practitioner and specialty veterinarians all across the Portland Metropolitan area and loves to work with them in partnership to solve challenging and rewarding cases.

Oh no, alien in my cat's ear canal- what to do?

Tubes are for Techs

Dr. Poncelow received her DVM from Colorado State University in 2009. She has practiced in emergency and specialty hospitals in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Washington and Oregon. She thought Portland was so nice, she moved here twice, the last time being in 2014.  Since then she has been practicing emergency medicine, volunteering at Portland Animal Welfare Team, and sampling local beers. Dr. Poncelow has discharged many patients from the hospital with a great deal of trepidation, wondering if they will get the continued medical care they need to retain a good quality of life. To this end, she is now offering in-home hospice and palliative care to the pets of the greater Portland area.

Hospice Care for Companion Animals: What it Isn’t

Erin Glover (she/they), or simply “Glover,” is a Certified Veterinary Technician and  is a class of 2028 DVM student at Oregon State University’s Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine. She is also the first unofficially-official member of our local community to belong to both OVTAA and PVMA. In addition to being an OVTAA Board Director, she actively contributes to PVMA’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion working group.

Glover is passionate about merging her expertise in mathematics teaching and education research with veterinary-specific medical math education. She created a warm and supportive learning environment at last year’s highly praised OVTAA Medical Math CE events and is currently developing a self-paced online medical math preparatory course for incoming CCVM DVM students. A long-term goal of Glover’s is to author a research-informed veterinary-specific medical math textbook. 

In her very little spare time, Glover enjoys indoor spin classes and looking out for new adventures or simply being around her partner, backyard goats, and beloved indoor pets, including Jalapeño (her heart dog), a giant house rabbit, a grumpy 27-year-old pink cockatoo, and three feline friends.

CRIs? No need to Cry!

Josiah Moses is a lifelong nerd who loves solving problems. What better career than veterinary medicine, where challenges abound? With a passion for Excel and a strong aversion to repeating tasks, he is deeply committed to increasing efficiency. Although legally licensed to practice medicine after graduating from Ross University in 2013, his greatest passion is improving the lives of those around him. This drive has inspired him to explore technology both in and out of the exam room. When he's not nerding out at work, he enjoys spending time at home with his wife, their 3- and 5-year-old children, and his first-ever indoor cat.

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Veterinary Medicine

Danny Rost is a seasoned Certified Veterinary Technician with over 15 years of leadership and management experience across diverse areas of veterinary practice, including emergency and critical care, wildlife rehabilitation, private practice management, shelter medicine, and forensics. Passionate about advancing the role of veterinary technicians, Danny strives to foster sustainable, fulfilling careers in the profession.

As a board director of the Oregon Veterinary Technician and Assistant Association for the past four years, Danny developed the Veterinary Industry Training and Leadership (VITAL) program. This six-month, in-depth training course empowers both emerging and experienced veterinary leaders to excel in their careers.

Outside of work, Danny enjoys life with his vibrant collection of animals, including his quarter horse, four dogs, three hedgehogs, a cat, and several amphibians. When he finds free time, Danny can be found exploring nature through photography, baking elaborate desserts, or enjoying quality time with his husband and children.

Healthy Practice Culture - Breaking the Cycle of Bystander Behavior and Toxicity in Veterinary Medicine

Keri has dedicated over 20 years to the veterinary profession, with the last 10 years focused on leadership, management, and relationship building. With a deep understanding of both clinical practice and business operations, their expertise lies in balancing innovation with the practical realities of the profession, ensuring that advancements serve both medical teams and the bottom line. In this session, Keri will explore how AI and emerging technologies can optimize workflows, improve patient outcomes, and drive sustainable growth in veterinary medicine.

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Reeder received his DVM from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2003 and

completed a rotating internship in medicine and surgery at the University of Minnesota in 2004. He returned to Portland and worked as a staff veterinarian at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital for two years before pursuing a 3-year residency in small animal internal medicine at North Carolina State University. Thereafter he achieved board certification with the ACVIM.  After two years practicing as the sole internist at Cape Cod Veterinary Specialists in Massachusetts, Dr. Reeder returned to Portland once again to join the Internal Medicine team at VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists. He formed a professional collaborative association with Dr. Kuchenmeister in interventional radiology and interventional endoscopy.  Drs. Reeder and Kuchenmeister co-founded The Minimally Invasive Specialty Center for Animals in September of 2021.  At MISCA, Dr. Reeder has rediscovered a passion for inspired, thorough, collaborative medicine. 

Maybe I shunt have ignored that high ALT:  Diagnosis and Treatment of Portovascular Anomalies

Dr. Kuchenmeister earned her DVM degree from the University of Wisconsin and then attended a rotating internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. She finished a fellowship in veterinary surgery before completing a three year residency in small animal surgery, both at the University of Wisconsin.  After practicing for a year at a private specialty clinic in Wisconsin, she became an Associate Professor in Soft Tissue Surgery at Kansas State University.  When Dr. Kuchenmeister moved to Portland  in 2004, she performed surgeries at the Emergency Veterinary Clinic of Tualatin, Northwest Veterinary Specialists, and DoveLewis while starting a family and awaiting the opening of Cascade Veterinary Referral Center.  She eventually settled into a 12 year career at Northwest Veterinary Specialists where she developed an Interventional Radiology Service.  During this time, she attended numerous advanced courses in endourologic, respiratory and vascular interventional radiology as well as thoracoscopic and laparoscopic surgery.  The service expanded when Dr. Reeder joined the practice, and both doctors have cultivated a team-based approach to minimally invasive procedures. Drs. Kuchenmeister and Reeder co-founded The Minimally Invasive Specialty Center for Animals in September of 2021.  At MISCA, Dr. Kuchenmeister has been able to hone her skills as an interventionist while broadening her scope of laparoscopic and thoracoscopic procedures.

Maybe I shunt have ignored that high ALT:  Diagnosis and Treatment of Portovascular Anomalies