Editor-in-Chief
Kara M. Burns
MS, MEd, LVT, VTS (Nutrition), VTS Hon (Internal Medicine, Dentistry)
Kara Burns is a licensed veterinary technician with a master’s degree in physiology and a master’s degree in counseling psychology. She began her career in human medicine working as an emergency psychologist before attaining her veterinary technician license and worked in small animal and avian practices.
Kara is the Founder and Past President of the Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians. She teaches nutrition courses around the world and is an independent nutritional consultant as well as a well-being consultant. Kara is the Editor in Chief of Today’s Veterinary Nurse.
She is a member of many national, international, and state associations and holds positions on many boards in the profession: NAVTA Past President; EveryCat Health Foundation Chair-elect; Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics board member; and the Pet Nutrition Alliance Immediate Past President, to name a few.
She has authored many articles, textbooks, and textbook chapters and is an internationally invited speaker, focusing on topics of nutrition, leadership, and technician utilization. Kara and her wife Dr. Ellen Lowery developed the Pet Nutrition Coach Certification course through NAVC. Kara also co-authored veterinary microbiome course certification through NAVC with Robin Saar and Brandon Burch.
Burns was named the Bridge Club 2024 Industry ICON Award recipient – the first veterinary technician to be recognized as The Bridge Club ICON. She was also recognized by Today’s Veterinary Business Article Nine Lives – Plus 3, as a feline-focused woman charting the course for extraordinary veterinary care. Ms. Burns has been featured on the cover of the Veterinary Technician Journal and the NAVTA Journal and most recently has been featured in PetVet Magazine. She was named the North American Veterinary Conference Technician Speaker of the Year in 2013, 2016, and in 2021. She was granted an honorary VTS (Internal Medicine) in 2011. She was also granted an honorary VTS (Dentistry) in 2012. She was the Inaugural 2010 NAVTA Veterinary Technician of the Year. Kara was the 2011 Dr. Franklin Loew Lecturer and the 2024 Dr. Roger L. Lukens Lecturer.
Editor Emeritus
Lynne Johnson-Harris
RVT
Ms. Johnson-Harris has been involved with the NAVC as a speaker and moderator since 1990. She was the first veterinary technician to serve as an elected Board member of the NAVC, serving the Board from 2003 to 2015. Ms Johnson-Harris was also the first veterinary technician to serve as the President of the NAVC (2013-2014).
Along with being the Editor in Chief of the Today’s Veterinary Nurse journal, Ms. Johnson-Harris is the NAVC Specialty Programs manager and the practice manager at Hinckley Animal Hospital.
Editorial Advisory Board
Ashley Byrne, LVT, CVT
General Practice Member
VCA Animal Hospitals, Greater Seattle Area, Washington
Ashley is the current president of the Washington State Association of Veterinary Technicians (WSAVT) and regional technician director for VCA Animal Hospitals. Ashley has over 20 years of experience in veterinary medicine, starting at PIMA Medical Institute where she achieved a veterinary assistant certificate and later returned to be a graduate from PIMA Medical Institute’s first veterinary technician AAS program. Ashley has worked for VCA Animal Hospitals as well as in private practices in the Pacific Northwest area. In her role with the WSAVT, Ashley regularly works with the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association and Washington State Veterinary Board of Governors.
Hanna Copley, BS, LVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia)
Specialist Board Member – Anesthesia/Analgesia
Hanna has been a licensed veterinary technician since 2012. In 2021, she attained her VTS specialization from the Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Anesthesia and Analgesia. With a diverse clinical background spanning general practice, specialty, and academia, Hanna has developed a passion for bridging the gap between high-quality veterinary medicine and practical anesthesia application. She currently travels throughout the southeast U.S., providing hands-on anesthesia training as an anesthesia consultant. In her free time, Hanna moderates the unofficial AVTAA Facebook study group and serves as an editorial board member for the veterinary publication, Today’s Veterinary Nurse.
Theresa Cosper-Roberts, RVT, CVPM, ACVE (DE)
General Practice Member
Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette, Indiana
Theresa is a certified veterinary practice manager and registered veterinary technician. A distinguished expert of the Academy of Veterinary Educators, she has over ten years of experience educating veterinary professionals. Mrs. Cosper-Roberts serves as an instructor of veterinary technology for a renowned college of veterinary medicine, where she teaches veterinary practice management. She is also the senior practice management and veterinary education consultant for an organization providing consultations and training services tailored to veterinary technicians, students, and assistants.
Sheena Davis, LVT, VTS (Dentistry), Veterinary Cannabis Counselor
Specialist Board Member – Dentistry
Big Apple LVT Consulting, New York, New York
Sheena is the owner of Big Apple LVT Consulting and has worked in private practice for over 16 years. In 2020, she achieved VTS certification in dentistry and certification as a veterinary cannabis counselor. She curates the library for the Veterinary Cannabis Society. In her personal time, Sheena can be found gardening and enjoying a movie at home with her husband and 2 cats.
Amanda Eick Schwarzwalder, RVT, KPA CTP, VTS (Behavior), CVPM
Pawsitively Pets, LLC, Wooster, Ohio
Specialist Board Member – Behavior
For well over 20 years, Amanda has worked as a veterinary technician in various capacities. Her interest in behavior led her to joining The Behavior Clinic (TBC) in 2009. She is a graduate of the AAHA Distance Education Veterinary Technology Program (Cedar Valley College) and attended Ashland University majoring in history and geology, completing an additional degree in business in 2021. She is also a veterinary technician specialist in behavior, Karen Pyror Academy certified training partner, certified veterinary practice manager, and registered yoga teacher.
After more than 15 years with TBC, Amanda moved back to her hometown to be closer to family and reopen her own behavior and personal training business, Pawsitively Pets. A nationally recognized speaker in veterinary behavior and Fear Free approved speaker, Amanda enjoys teaching veterinary team members how to implement and develop behavior care as a team and mentoring VTS (Behavior) candidates. When not at work, she enjoys traveling with her husband Scott, reading, yoga, entertaining their German shorthaired pointer Moose, and spending weekends as a crazy cat show lady with their Minuet cats.
Jennifer L. Lyons, CVT, LVT, MS, VTS (ECC)
Specialist Board Member – Emergency/Critical Care
MedVet, Salt Lake City, Utah
Jennifer is an emergency and critical care veterinary technician specialist and clinical supervisor at MedVet Salt Lake City. She acquired her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UC Davis in animal biology with a focus in genetics and reproduction. After some time in research, including working in laboratories that pioneered the research for feline infectious peritonitis treatment and feline genome mapping, she transitioned to veterinary medicine and achieved her VTS credential in 2021. She is a published author and experienced speaker. Outside of veterinary medicine, she spends her free time adventuring with her husband and being a doting mom to her 4 cats.
Julie Nettifee, RVT, MS, VTS (Neurology)
North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina
Julie is currently employed at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine supporting clinical research in neurology and nutrition, as well as teaching and outreach support. She has been employed with the NCSU CVM for more than 25 years. Ms. Nettifee received her AAS in animal health technology from the University of Minnesota-Waseca, her bachelor’s degree in science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her master’s degree in liberal studies from NCSU.
Ms. Nettifee has extensive experience as a licensed veterinary technician and a veterinary technician specialist in neurology. She was one of the founding members for the neurology VTS specialty under the Academy of Internal Medicine for Veterinary Technicians. Ms. Nettifee has special depth in all aspects of companion animal health, especially veterinary neurology, including patient rehabilitation, canine epilepsy, veterinary communications, nutrition, career development, public speaking, and technical and feature writing. She has presented locally, nationally, and internationally and has authored many articles related to several aspects of veterinary nursing. Special interests also include study of the human-animal bond, humane education, and pet-facilitated therapies and nonprofits. Ms. Nettifee was recently honored as the American Humane Veterinary Nurse Hero in 2020. She was also chosen as an NAVC Earl Rippie Scholar in the past as well. Ms. Nettifee is originally from Fairmont, Minnesota; has one son; and currently resides in Apex, North Carolina, along with her dog Phoenix, cat Paradox, and many other foster pets.
Jennie Tait, AHT, RVT, VTS (Dermatology)
Specialist Board Member – Dermatology
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Jennie graduated as an animal health technician in 1986. She worked in general practice for 3 years, at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) for 25 years, and found her niche when she joined the OVC dermatology service in 2000. She eventually retired, but her passion for dermatology brought her back to referral work part-time at the V.A.D.E.R. Clinic in Morriston, Ontario. She was the fourth person to achieve RVT certification in Canada, is a charter member of the Academy of Dermatology Veterinary Technicians, and is currently the only VTS (Dermatology) in Canada. Jennie is also the only veterinary technician on the Executive Committee for the Canadian Academy of Veterinary Dermatology and is an author and international speaker in her area of expertise.