VMX Find an Expert

VMX is an exceptional opportunity for the media to engage with world-renowned subject matter experts on
some of the latest trends and advancements in veterinary medicine. The VMX PR team has assembled the following team of experts who are available for interviews.
For a full list of VMX speakers, click HERE. To schedule interviews with one of our experts or another speaker, please email [email protected] or [email protected].

Dana Varble, DVM, CAE
Chief Veterinary Officer for the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC)
Areas of Expertise: Veterinary Industry Trends and Issues, Continuing Education, Exotic, Small Animal
Chicago
Dr. Varble has practiced clinical medicine in exotic pet, small animal general practice, and emergency medicine, and serves as an associate veterinarian for Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital.
Dr. Dana Varble received her veterinary degree from the University of Illinois in 2003 and earned her Certified Association Executive designation from ASAE in 2021. She has practiced clinical medicine in exotic pet, small animal general practice and emergency medicine and serves as an associate veterinarian for Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital. She has spoken locally, nationally and internationally on herpetological and exotic animal medicine and the state of the veterinary profession. She served as the president of the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians in 2013 and presently works as the managing editor of the Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery for ARAV.
In 2015, Dr. Varble joined NAVC and in January 2020, she was named Chief Veterinary Officer. As an NAVC spokesperson and a veterinary industry expert, she promotes animal health and the veterinary profession through media interviews and appearances including CNN, NBC News, local media outlets and others including regular appearances on WGN radio on the Lisa Dent Show. She is the author of Today’s Veterinary Practice column, The Secret Life of Vets.
She shares her home with a Leonberger named Kodi, a Mastiff mix named Denali, a tank of cichlids, four ball pythons, a New Caledonian Giant Gecko and her human family.
Dr. Carrie Britt
Sports Medicine Specialist, Care First Animal Hospitals
Areas of Expertise: Sports Medicine, Small Animal, Canine, Rehabilitation, Geriatric Pet Care
New York
Dr. Britt’s background includes both private practice and academic roles, where she has made meaningful contributions as a sports medicine specialist. She has a special interest in conditioning and fitness, and their roles in optimizing performance, preventing injury, and improving outcomes in the event of injury in canine athletes.


Dr. Naomi Hoyer
Board Certified Veterinary Dentist™, Associate Professor of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, and Dentistry Service Leader at Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital
Areas of Expertise: Dentistry, Oral Surgery, Small Animal, Canine, Feline
Colorado
Dr. Hoyer teaches veterinary dentistry and oral surgery with a focus on improving preventive care and practitioner confidence. Her work focuses on enhancing communication between veterinarians and pet owners to prioritize dental health in companion animal care.

Dr. Angela Lennox
Owner, Avian and Exotic Animal Clinic of Indianapolis; Adjunct Professor, Purdue University
Areas of Expertise: Exotic, Avian, Small Animal
Indiana
Dr. Lennox focuses on clinical care, ethics, and owner education for non-traditional species. Her work bridges medical innovation with advocacy for responsible ownership and access to specialized care.

Dr. Adesola Odunayo
Professor of Emergency and Critical Care, University of Florida
Areas of Expertise: Emergency and Critical Care, Small Animal
Florida
Dr. Odunayo specializes in emergency and critical care medicine, advancing both clinical practice and client communication in high-stress environments. Her research focuses on fluid therapy, transfusion medicine, and cultural competency in veterinary care.

Dr. Christopher Pachel
Owner and Lead Clinician, Animal Behavior Clinic
Areas of Expertise: Behavior, Small Animal, Canine
Oregon
Dr. Pachel is known internationally for his clinical work, teaching, and publications on animal behavior. He provides customized animal behavior therapy and aims to provide practical tools for front-line veterinary care while maintaining accessibility for new graduates.

Dr. Michael Pesato
Owner/Veterinarian, Four State Veterinary Services
Areas of Expertise: Agriculture, Food Animal, Small Ruminant
Delaware, eastern Maryland, southern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey
Dr. Pesato focuses on advancing care for food animals and backyard flocks while helping veterinarians adapt to increasingly diverse mixed practices. His work blends practical herd health management with emerging technology and an emphasis on owner education as backyard farming trends grow nationwide.

Dr. Renee Schmid
Director, Veterinary medicine, pet poison helpline and senior veterinary toxicologist for pet poison helpline/safetycall INTERNATIONAL
Areas of Expertise: Toxicology, Agriculture, Small Animal
Minnesota
Dr. Schmid brings more than a decade of experience managing complex poisoning cases and leading education in veterinary toxicology. Through her work at Pet Poison Helpline, she aims to bridge the gap between veterinary science and public understanding of pet safety.

Dr. Robert Silver
Chief Veterinary Officer, Real Mushrooms
Areas of Expertise: Small Animal, Alternative Medicine, Herbal Remedies
Colorado
Dr. Silver is dedicated to advancing awareness and understanding of natural remedies among both pet parents and veterinary professionals. His work centers on integrating holistic options into the management of conditions such as epilepsy, allergies, pain and inflammation, cancer, and anxiety. Through education and advocacy, he strives to elevate veterinarians’ knowledge of complementary therapies and demonstrate how these approaches can enhance and support traditional medical treatments.

Dr. Joe Wakshlag
Professor, Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Areas of Expertise: Small Animal, Nutrition, Herbal Remedies
New York
Dr. Wakshlag has taught veterinary nutrition in the curriculum for nearly 20 years and continues to foster productive research in multiple areas, including cancer cell biology, sporting dog physiology, and nutraceutical use. His latest interest has been the use of cannabinoids in companion animal medicine, with 20 manuscripts published on this new and exciting topic.

Dr. Bonnie Wright
Veterinary Anesthesiologist and Pain Specialist; Lead Faculty for the Evidence-Based Veterinary Acupuncture program
Areas of Expertise: Acupuncture, Anesthesia, Pain Management, Geriatric Pet Care
Colorado and Hawaii
Dr. Wright practices and teaches in the areas of anesthesia, pain medicine, the science of non-pharmaceutical pain medicine, evidence-based acupuncture, regenerative medicine, and rehabilitation. Balancing love of both teaching and practice, she constantly learns from both her patients and her students. She is the lead faculty for the Evidence-Based Veterinary Acupuncture program.


