DR. ROB TRIMBLE, DVM

Keynote: "Stop Bossing, Start Coaching!"
Category 3

Dr. Rob Trimble is a future-focused veterinarian and entrepreneur with a passion for innovating at the intersection of medicine, technology, and organizational design. He’s a 2013 graduate from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine and worked as a general practitioner on the central coast of California after vet school. Later, he moved to the Bay Area, where he worked in the animal health technology space, delivering veterinary housecalls for VetPronto, a pet tech startup based in San Francisco. In 2016, he co-founded Fuzzy Pet Health, a subscription-based, veterinary house call company that was built upon a virtual care and telemedicine platform. From 2018 through 2021, he served as the Executive Director for the Veterinary Entrepreneurship Academy, a nonprofit organization that’s on a mission to accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship from within the veterinary profession, starting with veterinary students. Most recently, he joined Suveto as the VP of Harbor, where he continues to build positive, healthy communities and educational pathways that attract and inspire veterinarians to take ownership of their futures.

He likes small towns, big waves, authentic conversation, and working with business leaders to prepare their organizations for a future of rapid change.

DR. KRISTI YEE, DVM

"Rx For Patient Care: Effective Communication"
Category 3

Dr. Kristina Yee graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. Within her first year as a veterinarian, Dr. Yee began practicing full-time at a six-doctor small animal hospital, lecturing at national conferences, speaking on behalf of and supporting Nationwide at veterinary schools across the country and providing professional development consulting services for veterinary schools and practitioners nationwide. Her passions include advancing her veterinary medical/business competencies and assisting members of the profession in reaping the benefits of their dedication. Growing up in a suburb outside of Detroit, Dr. Yee takes great pride in her family, work ethic, and her ability to serve as a community role model. In 2020, Dr. Yee took the leap into practice ownership, opening  the Hometown Veterinary Hospital in Rochester Hills, Michigan. 

DR. ANNIE CHAVENT, DVM

"Early Career Contract Negotiation"
Category 2

Dr. Annie Chavent is an Assistant Director for the AVMA Student Initiatives team and serves as a regional SAVMA Chapter advisor as well as a co-host of the My Veterinary Life podcast. She is passionate about supporting students as they become the best versions of themselves both professionally and personally. To further this mission, she is also pursuing her executive MBA at the University of Virginia’s Darden School and loves to speak on the financial aspects of veterinary medicine. When not working, she is sure to be found outdoors somewhere, either running, horseback riding, or just enjoying the sunshine.

DR. GINGER TEMPLETON, DVM

"Tact and Influence: An Emotionally Intelligent Approach to Fostering Innovation in the Early Veterinary Career" Workshop
Category 2

Dr. Ginger Templeton is the founder of Vet to Vet Coaching, which provides leadership development and wellbeing coaching to veterinary professionals. She also serves as Director of Learning and Development for MentorVet, and serves on the Board of Directors of MOVES, Mobile Veterinary Specialists. After earning her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she spent fifteen years in the trenches of small animal general practice, including five as a mobile practice owner. In 2021, she completed the Veterinary Human Support Certification through the Department of Social Work at the University of Tennessee and she earned her executive coach certification through the post-graduate training program at The College of Executive Coaching. In role as an executive and leadership coach for veterinary professionals, she supports veterinary leaders as they discover innovative solutions. She also helps leaders learn to employ emotional intelligence to blend confidence and compassion in leadership. Dr. Templeton believes the key to culture change and greater wellbeing in veterinary medicine is through a combination of individual responsibility and organizational initiatives and thus finds value in working both one-on-one with leaders as well as teaching groups of veterinarians and team members. 

DR. KIMBERLEY POPE- ROBINSON, DVM

"Tele-health, One Veterinarian’s Journey Into The Virtual Exam Room"

Category 2

" Bouncing into Our Resiliency" Workshop
Category 4

Dr. Pope has been in veterinary medicine for over 20 years, practicing in both the large and small animal sectors. Her broad career experience has provided her a unique understanding of the stresses involved with maintaining a career in this industry. She now dedicates her time to providing wellbeing support for the profession in developing the 1 Life Connected movement and shares this message through 1 on 1 coaching, customized team events, author to “The Unspoken Life” and supplemental coloring book, and as a sought after dynamic international speaker. In the end, Dr. Pope truly believes that we are all 1 Life Connected.

Dr. Pope lives in Maryland where she enjoys spending time outside exploring with her husband Jeff. They share their home with multiple furry and feathered friends including Dempsey (French Bulldog), Graciebird and Rainier (both tuxedo DSH cats), and Maui (Greater Sulphur Cockatoo) often showcased in the 1 Life Connected movement. In addition, she is active as an athlete and has completed 10 Tough Mudders and was working towards running a 1/2 marathon in every state prior to COVID 19 entering the stage. She is an avid gardener and enjoys spending time in nature especially if it involves bird watching.

DR. DIANE LEVITAN, VMD, DIP, ACVIM

"From Ideas to Impact: Don’t be afraid to take the plunge"
Category 2

Dr. Diane Levitan is a veterinary internal medicine specialist who has been practicing veterinary medicine since 1991.  She has built several businesses and 5 veterinary practices, and is always pursuing more challenges.  She is a ground breaking entrepreneur and has introduced many new concepts into the field of veterinary medicine, such as creating the first hospital in the world where families could stay overnight with their pets, pioneering the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for animals, and creating a traveling CT scan company.  She is currently an internal medicine specialist at Peace Love Pets Veterinary Care on Long Island, NY and a full time associate professor of small animal medicine and veterinary skills at Long Island University College of Veterinary Medicine.

 Dr. Levitan has many interests in her field but making a lasting difference in veterinary medicine is her biggest wish. She loves to teach, mentor and promote excellent veterinary care and humane treatment of animals.  In 2009, she founded and runs Helping Promote Animal Welfare (Helping-PAW) a non-for-profit high quality, high volume, spay/neuter/vaccination clinic, as a means to give back to the community and is one of the many surgeons there.  Her most current business, Chirp Vet Mentors is a peer-to-peer mentoring program for early career veterinarians who need help “on the spot”.  For immediate case assistance, call Chirp! (CHIRP.VET)

 Some of her many skills are medical diagnoses of the most difficult medical problems in pets using reasoning, deduction, radiography, ultrasonography and diagnostic laboratory testing. She is a consultant for many veterinarians, veterinary businesses as well as for television, radio and print. She sits on several boards as Director and or advisor. She lectures around the world on veterinary hyperbaric oxygen therapy, as it is one of her greatest passions.

 When not working, Diane enjoys spending time with her 3 children, husband and 4 dogs as well as scuba diving, photography, bird watching, traveling and relaxing on the water anywhere!

DR. DAVID HAWORTH, DVM, PHD

Keynote: "Innovation in Career Planning for Veterinary Professionals"
Category 4

David Haworth, DVM, PhD is president and co-founder of Vidium Animal Health, a start-up genomic diagnostics company founded inside the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) in Phoenix. He also serves as a strategic consultant to companies and investors in the animal health and wellness space. He is the former President of PetSmart Charities in the US and Canada, the largest funder of animal welfare in North America and former President & CEO of Morris Animal Foundation, the largest non-profit funder of veterinary medical research in the world. Prior to those roles he spent 11 years at Pfizer Animal Health (now Zoetis, Inc) in various roles including Director of Global Alliances within the Business Development group and Director of Clinical Development within R&D. Before starting his corporate journey, he was an associate veterinarian at a small animal and emergency clinic in Washington State.

Dr. Haworth received his bachelor of science in biology from the College of William & Mary and his doctor of veterinary medicine and doctor of philosophy degrees from Colorado State University. He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Colorado State University's Flint Animal Cancer Center. David, his wife Claudia and their Golden Retrievers Bridger & Breck split their time between Denver, Phoenix and Bozeman and occasionally get to see their two grown children.

Dr. JEFF ROTHSTEIN, DVM, MBA

"Practice Ownership in The Next Decade; Dead or Alive?"
Category 1

Dr. Jeff Rothstein, MBA, bought his first veterinary practice within one year of graduating veterinary school. From that, he built it into a multi-hospital network, The Progressive Pet Animal Hospitals (PPAH), which he merged into Mission Veterinary Partners (MVP) in 2017. Dr. Rothstein is a long-time contributor to a number of practice management journals and other publications. He has over 100 articles to his credit. He has served on the Advisory Boards of Veterinary Economics and Veterinary Practice News. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of MVP and the Professional Animal Wellness Group (PAW) and is on the advisory board of Snout, Inc.

Dr. Rothstein enjoys working with veterinary students and new and recent graduates with a focus on how to succeed in practice and the overall veterinary profession. He is a VBMA-approved speaker. Additionally, he has a particular interest in veterinary hospital real estate and design and has participated as a judge in the dvm360 Hospital of The Year design contest. He is a partner in the DJV Equities Real Estate Holding Group.

Dr. Rothstein lives with his family (including two dogs and three cats) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he has resided since graduating from Colorado State University, where he received a joint DVM/ MBA degree.

On a personal note, he is a long-term avid runner who frequently competes in running and triathlon events. In addition, he is a big Michigan Wolverines fan, making him unpopular with most of his local veterinary colleagues, who attended Michigan State’s veterinary college.

DR. GINNY RENTKO, MS, VMD, ACVIM

"Open to Outcome, Clinical Medicine and a Startup Company"
Category 4

Ginny Rentko VMD DACVIM is a continuous learner, risk-assessor and taker, clinician, mom and gardener. She is curious about what we can learn from different species and seeks to observe animals in their natural habitats on every continent. Ginny’s day job is in the field of longevity where she is chief veterinary medical officer at Animal Bioscience, Inc. She oversees the development of products to slow aging and address the problems associated with aging in companion animals. She is the former medical director of the Foster Hospital and Hospital for Large Animals at the Cummings School at Tufts University. She had previous roles as medical director at TuftsVETS, a specialty and emergency practice and as vice president for preclinical research at Biopure Corporation, a biotech firm which developed the world’s first blood substitute for dogs in the US and Europe.