 |
|
Julia
Brannan is a 2000 DVM graduate of the
University of Illinois where she started the CARE Helpline, a pet
loss support helpline.
Dr. Brannan received many awards in veterinary school, including
several human-animal bond awards for her work in end-of-life issues
and animal behavior. Her most cherished award was being voted “Most
Compassionate” by her veterinary classmates at graduation. |
Dr. Brannan was on faculty at Colorado State University, working
with the Argus Institute and the Community Practice Service until
2004. At Colorado State University she was the first recipients of
the Argus Institute’s Bond-Centered Practitioner Certification and
co-authored the Argus Institute’s Guidelines for a Bond-Centered
Practice. Her love of teaching and desire to make a positive
difference in the profession has won her several awards and
acknowledgements for teaching and compassionate client and patient
care.
Dr. Brannan joined the staff of Washington State University
in 2005. With a previous history of being Wilderness Education
Association Outdoor Leadership certified, she was drawn to
Washington State University because of their groundbreaking work in
the area of leadership in the profession of veterinary medicine.
Dr. Brannan is currently the Professional Programs Specialist with
Banfield, The Pet Hospital. |
|
 |
|
Betsy Charles is a 2003
graduate of Washington State University College of
Veterinary Medicine. She developed an interest in
lameness and equine imaging while working closely with
Dr. Bob Schneider, a pioneer in equine MRI. Her senior
thesis summarized an AQHA project investigating the use
of MRI in furthering our understanding of navicular
disease.
After graduation from veterinary school, she completed a
one-year internship at San Luis Rey Equine Hospital in
Bonsall, CA, a large referral hospital specializing in
equine medicine and surgery. During this internship, she
continued to pursue her interest in equine radiology by
working with Dr. Norm Rantanen. |
After a year in the field, she was given the opportunity to
narrow her focus and became the supervising veterinarian at
Equest Diagnostic Imaging Center, a clinic solely devoted to
equine imaging and lameness. This has allowed her to combine
her love for equine imaging with leadership as it applies to
veterinary medicine.
Her passion is to make a difference in equine veterinary
medicine for both horses and the practitioners who care for
them by becoming a leader in the field. To that end, she is
currently pursuing a master’s degree in organization
leadership from Biola University. This is her second year
facilitating at the VLE.
|
 |
|
Richard M. DeBowes is the Professor of
Surgery and Chair for the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
(VCS) in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State
University (WSU). He also currently serves as special assistant to
the dean for leadership and professional development. Rick holds a
Masters Degree in Veterinary Surgery from Washington State ('82) and
a DVM from the University of Illinois ('79) as well as BS degrees
from Illinois and Massachusetts. He is a Diplomate of and Regent for
the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, a former chair of
Clinical Sciences at Kansas State University a member of the AVMA
House of Delegates, an active contributor to organized veterinary
medicine and a past president of several national veterinary
organizations including the American Association of Veterinary
Clinicians and the North American Veterinary Conference. |
Although formally trained as an equine clinician/surgeon and engaged
for most of a 27year career as a veterinary clinical educator and
academic surgeon, Dr. DeBowes has spent much of the past 6 years of
his career focusing on changes in student and program needs in
Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and specifically, how best to equip
students with the skills they need for success and continued
professional growth.
Abbie DeMeerleer
Assistant Director of Admissions and Recruitment Officer
My primary goal is to recruit students to enter the field of
veterinary medicine and to study at the Washington State University
College of Veterinary Medicine. I want to try and make the
admissions process as transparent as possible and to do so, I help
advise students on what they can do to strengthen their application,
coursework that may help prepare themselves and hold one-on-one
conferences with potential students. I travel throughout the western
U.S. visiting various colleges and universities to meet with
prospective students, explain what the details of a professional DVM
program and answer general questions. States I will generally travel
to are: Idaho, Montana, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Wyoming.
Occasionally I might make it to Oregon or maybe even California. I
also travel around Washington State to meet and recruit prospective
students, as well as talk to junior high and high school students
about careers in veterinary medicine.
When I'm not on the road, I am helping coordinate and give tours
of the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine through the Student
Ambassador practicum I lead, serve as a liaison between the
admissions committee and students who are involved in the admissions
process, as well as developing new recruitment materials and
strategies. I also am on the CVM Leadership Team which plans,
coordinates and facilitates the international
Veterinary Leadership Experience, the
Cougar Orientation and
Leadership Experience, and I also assist with the Leadership
Development curriculum series.
My position is ever-evolving and always exciting! It pairs my
passion for helping people discover and achieve their potential with
my love of travel and meeting people.
|
 |
|
Kelly Farnsworth graduated from Washington
State University in 1993. He completed an equine ambulatory
internship at The Ohio State University and completed an Equine
Surgery residency and Masters degree at the Marion duPont Scott
Equine Medical Center, which is part of the Virginia-Maryland
Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr Farnsworth is a
Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. |
Dr. Farnsworth is currently an Assistant Professor of Equine Surgery
at Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine. His
clinical and research efforts have been concentrated in minimally
invasive surgery, laparoscopy, and lower limb lameness.
|
 |
|
Suzanne M. Kurtz was Professor
of Communication, joint appointed in the Faculties of
Education and Medicine, University of Calgary from 1976
through 2005. Effective January, 2006, she joined the
faculty of Washington State University’s College of
Veterinary Medicine, where she is Clinical Professor and
Director of Clinical Communication. Focusing her career on
improving communication practices in health care and
education and on developing curricula and methods for
teaching and learning communication skills, she has worked
with a variety of groups: medical and education students,
residents, practicing physicians, nurses, allied health
professionals, patient groups, veterinarians and students of
veterinary medicine, teachers, and administrators in health
and education. |
For 27 years she directed the undergraduate communication
curriculum in Calgary’s Faculty of Medicine and has
consulted nationally and internationally at all levels of
medical education regarding the specifics of setting up
effective communication programs for medical students,
residents, faculty and staff. In 1998 she began working with
colleagues in the Ontario Veterinary College to pioneer
communication programs for veterinary medicine. Currently
she is directing development of Washington State
University’s communication program for veterinarians and
veterinary students. She has served as advisor to the Bayer
Institute for Health Care Communication, Cancer Care
Ontario’s Communication Task Force, and Health Canada’s
Canadian Breast Cancer Initiative. She was appointed to the
task force that initially developed Calgary’s innovative
inquiry-based Master of Teaching program. Currently she is a
consulting member of the Royal College of Physicians and
Surgeons of Canada’s national CanMEDS Phase IV Communicator
Working Group, the Medical Council of Canada’s Executive
Committee for the National Strategy for Physician
Communication Skills Assessment and Enhancement, and Pfizer
Animal Health’s ‘Frank’ communication project. Working
across diverse cultural and disciplinary lines, she has
collaborated on communication program development, team
building, and conflict management in education, law and
business, and has served on several international
development projects related to health and education in
Nepal, Southeast Asia and South Africa.
Along with numerous articles, her publications include two
companion books co-authored with JD Silverman and J Draper
entitled Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in
Medicine and Skills for Communicating with Patients
(Radcliffe Publishing, Oxford, England and San Francisco –
originally published in 1998, the revised 2nd editions of
both books were published in 2005). An earlier book
co-authored with VM Riccardi was entitled Communication and
Counseling in Health Care (1983, Charles C. Thomas,
Springfield, Illinois). Her interest in communication in
medicine began in 1974 when she did her doctoral thesis
research on the relationship between the nonverbal
communication of physicians and patient satisfaction. Dr.
Kurtz has also published in the areas of participatory
education and participatory development. She collaborated
with A. Chuchat, MP Carunungan, KJ Foreman, and BJ Spronk on
a volume entitled Participatory Education in Cross-Cultural
Settings that reflects on a five-year development project
based in the Philippines, Thailand, and Canada (1997, for
the Dialogues on Development Series, published by the
Division of International Development, University of
Calgary, Alberta).
Educational degrees
PhD 1975, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
MA 1972, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
BA 1967, Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania,
USA
Other interests: spending time with family and friends,
travel, music and almost any outdoor activity, especially
those that take place in the wilderness
|
 |
|
Susan J. Seaman
is the education specialist member of the WSU CVM VLE/COLE
Leadership Team, with Educational Administration Masters
and Education Specialist degrees and a Doctor of Education degree
from the University of Idaho.
As a teacher, Susan has been involved with district, state, and
regional leadership in the areas of curriculum, instruction, and
assessment development. A teaching highlight was to receive the
Presidential Award for Mathematics and Science Teaching from the
National Science Foundation.
|
As an administrator, Susan has hired, inducted and evaluated
personnel and implemented and evaluated a variety of programs,
policies, procedures and grants, has worked with state department of
education personnel and legislators, has planned professional
conferences, and has presented at state and regional conferences, in
addition to co-chairing an Idaho Achievement Standards committee. An
administrative highlight was to receive the Educator of the Decade
Award from the University of Idaho Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa.
Additional leadership training has been in Expeditionary
Learning/Outward Bound, including completing a Puget Sound Longboat
Course and a New York City Urban Expedition. Susan also has
experience with breeding and showing Arabian horses and Irish
setters. She donated a carrier mare and affected colt to the WSU
combined immunodeficiency (CID) program and successfully test bred
and registered her ISCA Top Brood Matron/Top Litter producer as one
of the first to be certified as a non-carrier of progressive retinal
atrophy (PRA).
|
 |
|
Kathleen L.
Ruby is a licensed professional clinical
counselor with more than twenty years experience in the counseling
and educational fields. She has been the head of WSU's College of
Veterinary Medicine
Counseling and Wellness
Department and on the veterinary school faculty for the past
seven years. In this capacity, she has counseled veterinary students
and faculty, served as a faculty member teaching professional
skills, and developed and conducted programs and workshops related
to professionalism, communication skills, stress management, life
balance, and leadership within the college. |
Dr. Ruby also developed and supervises WSU’s
Pet Loss Support Hotline, and
trains students in client bereavement management. The development of
an integrated method teaching and reinforcing life/professional
success/ non-technical skills in veterinary students is a central
goal of her work.
She is a frequent speaker at state veterinary associations
and practice venues. With a background and training in individual
and organizational psychology, human development and leadership, Dr.
Ruby brings a unique mix of people-skills, psychological insights,
and programmatic ideas to the profession of veterinary medicine. Her
special research interests include the psychology of high achieving
individuals and the development of emotional competence in medical
professionals.
|
 |
|
Dr. Jeff Thoren
is the founder of Gifted Leaders LLC. His personal mission
is to bring joy and fulfillment to individuals and to
transform organizations into renewed workplaces by
emphasizing effective leadership and nurturing a positive
and motivating team culture.
This passion for leadership and effective organizational
culture has developed over a 23-year professional career
including experience in both private and corporate sectors.
A member of the International Coach Federation trained at
the Adler School of Professional Coaching, Jeff has a strong
interest in liberating personal and organizational
potential, particularly through one-to-one coaching
relationships with others. His passion is to help unleash
the hidden “superhero” inside all of us. |
|
A graduate of Washington State University with a bachelor's
degree in Veterinary Science (1981) and a Doctor of
Veterinary Medicine Degree (1984), Dr. Thoren worked as an
associate veterinarian in small animal practice in western
Washington from 1984-87. In 1987, he left private practice
to serve as a Professional Service Representative with
Hill's Pet Nutrition. He stayed with Hill's until 1994 when
he joined Novartis Animal Health as the Regional Technical
Manager for the Pacific Sales Region before moving to
Greensboro, NC as Associate Manager of Professional Services
in 1995. He became Manager of Professional Services in 1998.
From October 2000 until June 2005, Jeff served as the
Director of Professional Recruitment and Development for
Pet’s Choice, Inc., a family of 46 community veterinary
hospitals and specialty practices in five U.S. States. His
primary goal there was to help transform Pet’s Choice into
an employer of choice within the veterinary profession.
|
Facilitators |
 |
John & Fay Batchelder John is the Executive
Director and Fay is the Program Director at Ross Point Camp and
Conference Center in Post Falls, Idaho. John and Fay Batchelder have
been in the camp and conference field for approximately 19 years,
and actively involved in team building and outdoor adventure for 17
years. John has a B.S. in Zoology. |
Previous to camping they toured with an International
Drama Group performing plays and leading drama and
communication workshops. John traveled with the group
for 6 years traveling through the United States, Canada,
Australia, and New Zealand, and Fay was with the group
for 3 ½ years. It was there they met and were married.
They have three children, Zachary, Rachel, and Joel.
They love camping, climbing, skiing, motorcycles, music
….life!
|
 |
Carolyn
Wyatt is a licensed psychologist who joined
the Counseling and Wellness Deparment in the summer of 2005 after
working for more than 20 years in her own private psychology
practice. Having grown up in a family of veterinarians (father,
uncle and brothers) she is familiar with some of the rewards and
challenges of the profession.
|
|
Her primary role in the veterinary college is that of counseling
students about the wide range of issues and problems they deal with
in their school and personal lives. She also conducts workshops and
presentations that address common student problems such as learning
difficulties, study skills, relationship and communication problems,
and job search strategies. |
