Bret has been in the veterinary industry for over 15 years and has worked with in practice management since the beginning. Being through the industry in multiple different roles, Bret has broadened his acumen to help practice owners and key staff members make crucial decisions to help impact the patients, clients, colleagues, and practice. Given his extensive background in change and practice management, Bret has the knowledge to assist practice owners with increasing their profitability while preparing to sell their practice in their preferred timeframe.

Laura Gaylord is a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist® and Diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (subspecialty Nutrition). She is an independent consultant and the owner/founder of Whole Pet Provisions, PLLC, a nutrition consulting company established in 2016. Through her company, she offers homemade diet recipe formulation and commercial diet consultations for pet parents and their veterinary team, as well as consulting services for pet food and pet supplement companies.

Andrew Michaelis is the CTO of Otto, the AI platform powering modern veterinary practices. He led the company's org-wide push to make AI a practical, everyday part of how the business builds and operates as well as how we can deliver AI in our products for our clinics — from the Claude deployment that now sits in every employee's workflow, to OttoPilot, that generates clinic-specific ROI and marketing analyses for thousands of veterinary practices to AI Scribe saving countless manual note taking for clinics.

Zeynep Young is the CEO of Otto, a veterinary technology company focused on improving team productivity, reducing burnout, and enhancing the client experience. She brings 30 years of leadership experience across technology, venture investing, and high-growth companies, including roles as CEO of Calytera and founder of Double Line Partners, which she scaled to a successful exit. Zeynep is known for driving growth, operational excellence, and innovation in technology-enabled businesses.

Colleen Lambo, DVM, PhD, MS, is a veterinarian and reproductive physiologist dedicated to animal care and global service. She works as a relief vet with Roo and volunteers worldwide, including multiple missions in Ukraine with Worldwide Vets, as well as in wildfire zones, shelters, and underserved communities. She collaborates with zoos and the Save Wild Cats foundation to protect endangered felines. Previously, she provided in-home euthanasia and was twice voted Best Vet in her county for her compassionate care. She is now building a platform to support privately owned veterinary practices and expand access to quality care.

Dr. Michael Jaffe has been a Professor of Small Animal Surgery at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine since 2019. He graduated from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, he worked as a primary care veterinarian in St. Joseph, MO, and Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Dr. Jaffe then completed a one-year internship in companion animal medicine and surgery, followed by a three-year small animal surgery residency at LSU, where he also earned his Master’s degree. Dr. Jaffe practiced in specialty surgical hospitals in Bloomfield Hills, MI; Mesa, AZ; and Glendale, AZ. He joined academia as part of the founding faculty at Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine, where he remained for four years. He became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2002 and a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner in 2017.

Aaron Massecar, PhD, MBA, is Head of Partnerships at CoVet, where he leads strategic initiatives advancing AI-powered tools in veterinary medicine. A former Executive Director of the Veterinary Innovation Council, Aaron has spent over a decade at the intersection of technology, education, and animal health, advising startups, speaking at 50+ veterinary conferences globally, and writing extensively on AI's role in reshaping veterinary practice. He holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Guelph and an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology. His work focuses on translating emerging technology into practical, accessible solutions for veterinary teams.

Dr. Susan Bohrer is an integrative veterinarian in Southern California with over 15 years of experience using whole-food nutrition and home cooking in clinical practice. Certified in acupuncture and food therapy, she applies principles of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine to support balance through thoughtfully selected ingredients. After observing consistent benefits in her patients, she founded Chi Dog, a company offering gently cooked, balanced whole-food meals for dogs. Her approach emphasizes simple, real ingredients, microbiome support, and hydration while avoiding heavily processed foods. Dr. Bohrer continues to educate pet owners and veterinarians on practical, integrative nutrition strategies for long-term health and vitality.

Dr. John Younker, DVM, is the Founder and Principal Consultant of VetLaunch, a firm dedicated to helping veterinary clinics thrive. He previously founded and led Common Companion Vet Co., growing it from a complete startup, to two thriving locations with 18,000 patients and a team of eleven veterinarians. Dr. Younker’s commitment to veterinary well-being earned him the ‘Wellness in Practice Award’ from UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and he was recognized in UGA’s ‘40 Under 40’ for leadership and professional excellence. An MBA graduate of Emory University class of 2026, he is passionate about guiding clinics nationwide to build stronger, more resilient practices.

Dr Cooney has been practicing advanced end-of-life care since 2006. In 2017, she founded the Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA) and is now their Senior Director of Medical Education. Dr. Cooney is well-known for her work in companion animal euthanasia and has authored two books on the subject along with numerous articles and book chapters. She has collaborated in end-of-life training for the AVMA, AAHA, NAVC, IAAHPC, and the Fear Free Program, plus is a past-president and board member of the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care. Dr. Cooney is a strong advocate for best practices in all aspects of end-of-life care and speaks nationally and internationally on such topics. She is Board Certified in animal welfare, and is Affiliate Faculty at Colorado State University where she teaches end-of-life topics and animal welfare. She loves all things old and gray.