VMX Find an Expert

cropped vmx press conference

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

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.

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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.

Carrie Britt
Naomi Hoyer

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.

angela lennox

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.

Adesola Odunayo

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.

Christopher Pachel

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.

Michael Pesato

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.

Renee-Schmid

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.

Robert Silver

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.

Joe Shlag

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.

Bonnie Wright

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. 

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