Valerie Garuccio BS, CVT, VTS (ECC), has over 25 years of experience in veterinary medicine and a passion for making complex topics practical and relatable. She serves as the Learning & Development Manager at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, where she fosters psychologically safe learning environments and supports veterinary teams through education and leadership development. She is also the founder of Sunnyval24, LLC, providing lectures and hands-on workshops for the veterinary community. Valerie is dedicated to advancing the nursing team through credentialing pathways, leveraging distance-learning models that support professional growth and VTS advancement. Known for her engaging teaching style, she brings energy, clarity, and a love of learning to every lecture.

Eva is an RVT in California with 14 years of experience in the field of veterinary medicine, and has worked in a variety of hospitals and roles around the country. Her favorite specialties are exotics, anesthesia, and emergency medicine. She also greatly enjoys mentoring and supporting new vet techs and assistants, and teaching them how to advocate for themselves and their patients. Eva is striving to elevate the vet tech field by advocating for high standards of medical care, greater technician utilization and title protection, and healthy/inclusive/professional workplace cultures. Outside of her career, Eva enjoys reading, crafting, music, and camping.

Julie Antonellis received her bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Technology from Quinnipiac University. Since then she has been working in the field of emergency and critical care and pursuing her love of teaching. She became a Veterinary Technician Specialist in emergency and critical care in 2001. Julie is grateful to be able to give back to the veterinary community through teaching, training and lecturing. She is devoted to helping veterinary technicians recognize their potential and elevate the level of nursing care they provide. Julie is currently the Program Director for the VCA Vet Tech Academy.

Dr. Jordana Eisenstein is the CEO and Founder of EVS Pet Urgent Care and a passionate advocate for reshaping veterinary medicine. A 2005 graduate of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, she served as an associate and later a partner at a small animal hospital before selling her practice in 2016. Motivated to address burnout and improve work-life balance across the profession, Dr. Eisenstein created a model that bridges the gap between general practice and emergency medicine. Her mission is to restore fulfillment, trust, and sustainability to veterinary careers—empowering veterinary professionals to thrive while ensuring pets receive timely, compassionate care.

Suzanne Thomas, BA, BS, LVT, CVT, CCFP, CVBL, is a veterinary operations leader and the founder of Leading Veterinary Teams. With a background in both veterinary medicine and business, Suzanne specializes in helping hospitals strengthen technician utilization, improve workflows, and build healthy, high-performing teams. She is known for her direct, values-driven leadership and her commitment to advancing equity, inclusion, and sustainability in veterinary practices.

As CVO of Empowering Veterinary Teams® (EVT), Alyssa leads content development, clinical training, and the overall strategic direction. With a BS in Marine Biology and an AS in Veterinary Technology, she is a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) who has spent over 20 years in the veterinary profession. She is an inaugural Fellow of the Association of Veterinary Technician Educators (AVTE), underscoring her dedication to education in the field. Alyssa also serves as the Director of MentorVet Tech, co-founder of both nûrtûr and the nonprofit Project Sticker, and as an advisor for BlendVet and several veterinary technology programs. As a Key Opinion Leader and speaker, she collaborates with industry providers and has presented internationally, co-authored a book, and contributed to various publications and podcasts. Alyssa is passionate about inclusivity and empowering all voices within veterinary medicine to help strengthen the profession.

Dr. Reif is an associate professor and the inaugural holder of the Bailey-Goodwin Endowed Professorship in Parasitology in the Department of Pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University. Her research interests broadly revolve around vectors and vector-borne diseases of veterinary, medical, and agricultural importance, with a primary focus on ticks and tick-borne pathogens of public health and veterinary concern. Dr. Reif speaks internationally on the importance of ticks and tick-borne pathogens.

A well-connected and respected veterinarian with an exceptional grasp of the profession thanks to experience in almost all aspects of small animal practice. The last sixteen years have been spent in arguably the most challenging part of the profession: recruiting and retaining top talent. He developed the Recruiting & Professional Relations Director role for VCA and has been recruiting every type of veterinary professional since then. He often presents, both retrospectively and prospectively, about the nature of veterinary recruiting.

Dr. Angela Everett is a Scientific Services Veterinarian at Royal Canin in the Northeast, serving as a key nutritional resource for the veterinary community. Her passion lies in educating & empowering the veterinary community to maximize the use of nutrition to improve patient outcomes. Dr Everett is a graduate of UC Davis and spent 7 years in general practice in Denver, CO, before relocating to Philadelphia where she currently resides with her two cats, Gravy and Mango.

Dr. Daidone is from New Jersey and was born and raised in Monmouth County. She went to veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania and completed a rotating internship at the Animal Medical Center in NYC. Afterwards, she returned to the University of Pennsylvania to complete her residency in neurology and neurosurgery. She joined Garden State Veterinary Specialists last year. Her interest include auto-immune meningoencephalitis, brain tumor management and neurosurgery. On her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, checking out local restaurants and reading.