An award-winning coach, prominent educator, and accomplished leader, Dr. Ivan Joseph has spent his career leading cultural transformation and building cohesive teams. His research has focused on understanding how self-confidence drives performance and now, as an internationally renowned speaker, he shares this knowledge to help leaders cultivate inclusive, high-performing workplace cultures. Dynamic and engaging, Joseph always leaves audiences with a memorable experience that adds value long after the presentation ends.

Throughout his 25-year career in academia, Joseph has served as vice-president and director at four North American universities. While serving as a professor and coach at Graceland University, Joseph developed the soccer program from the ground up, leading both the men’s and women’s teams to #1 national rankings. He also guided the men’s team to win their first national championship in Graceland’s history — in just five years. In recognition, he was named the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ National Coach of the Year.

Joseph then spent a decade as Director of Athletics at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), where he helped lead his department — and the university — to national prominence. Among his many accomplishments at TMU, Joseph spearheaded the landmark $100M renovation of the historic Maple Leaf Gardens; created a culture of belonging, spirit, and pride across the university’s diverse urban campus; and inspired student-athletes to break records in their athletic, academic, and community service accomplishments. Under his leadership, TMU teams won the first provincial and national championships in the university’s history.

In addition to student athletes, Joseph has coached World Champions and Olympians. His TEDx Talk “The Skill of Self-Confidence” has more than 28 million views and Forbes named it one of the “10 Best TED Talks About the Meaning of Life”. Joseph is also the bestselling author of You Got This: Mastering the Skill of Self-Confidence.

Joseph has a BA in physical education and health, a masters in higher education administration, and a PhD in sports psychology.

Maureen Anderson is a graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College and is ACVIM board-certified in large animal internal medicine. Her graduate and post-graduate work had a strong focus on infectious disease control and zoonotic diseases in particular. She is currently Lead Veterinarian - Animal Health and Welfare at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, where she continues to work in areas bridging animal and public health, including rabies and antimicrobial stewardship, and co-leads the companion animal Ontario Animal Health Network (OAHN).

Dr. Weese is a veterinary internist and Professor at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Director of the University of Guelph Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, Chief of Infection Control at the Ontario Veterinary College Health Sciences Centre, and is Chair of the WHO Advisory Group for Critically Important Antimicrobials in Human Medicine. He runs the infectious disease website WormsAndGermsBlog (http://www.wormsandgermsblog.com)

Dr. Dave Nicol is the founder of the Veterinary Leadership Academy and is a veterinarian with over 25 years of experience. He specialises in building sustainable veterinary practices and helping other owners do the same thing! He has owned no fewer than four independent clinics and twice been CVO at larger independent group practices.

He is the author of the best-selling “So You’re A Vet…Now What?” and hosts the popular podcasts “Blunt Dissection” and “The Veterinary Leadership Success Show.” Dr. Nicol has been voted VMX’s Practice Management Speaker of the Year in both 2019 and 2024.

Outside of veterinary work, Dr. Nicol is a competitive triathlete, representing Great Britain in the 2024, 2025 and 2026 European Triathlon Championships.

Dr. Acutt obtained her veterinary degree from the University of Bristol, United Kingdom. She then traveled to the University of California, Davis to undergo additional training in her areas of interest, equine orthopedics and sports medicine. She was the first person to complete a residency specifically in equine diagnostic imaging, based at Colorado State University and became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Radiologists (EDI) in 2022. Dr. Acutt’s clinical and research interests focus on comparative imaging in the equine athlete. She joined the faculty at Penn Vet in May 2023

Mary received her VTS (Dentistry) in 2006, recertifying in 2025. Her background includes veterinary dental research, practice management and dental technician in general practice. She’s currently an adjunct at two veterinary technology programs and the president and founder of Beyond the Crown Veterinary Education; teaching dentistry to veterinary teams, using practical and easy to master methods. Mary was named the VMX Speaker of the Year in 2024, NAVTA Veterinary Technician of the Year by NAVTA in 2020, won the AVDT’s Excellence in Dentistry Education in 2019. Mary is a textbook author, speaker, and wet lab instructor at numerous state and national conferences.

Dr. Chalhoub graduated from the DVM program at the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire (FMV) of the Université de Montréal in 2004. Serge followed this with a one-year rotating small animal clinical internship at the same institution. After working for two years as a general practitioner and emergency veterinarian in Montreal, Serge pursued a residency in small animal internal medicine at the Animal Medical Center (AMC) in New York City. Once his residency completed in 2009 he stayed on at the AMC as their first renal/hemodialysis fellow and then as a staff doctor.

Dr. Chalhoub has been a faculty member at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) since 2012 and currently holds the rank of Professor (Teaching). He was the recipient of the 2021 and 2013 Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s Teacher of the Year Award, the 2015 University of Calgary Team Teacher of the Year Award, the 2017 Carl J. Norden Distinguished Teacher Award, and is a 2024 3M National Teaching Fellowship recipient recognizing Canada’s outstanding teachers. Serge is the coordinator of a community outreach-service learning program (UCVM-CUPS Pet Health Clinic) for disadvantaged Calgarians. He has authored and co-authored numerous scientific articles and book chapters on veterinary point of care ultrasound, renal and urinary medicine, and lectures around the world on these topics. He was a member of the National Issues Committee (NIC) of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) (2016-2024) and also the President of Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA) from 2024-2025.

When it comes to helping veterinary practices streamline their technology and attract and retain clients, Eric Garcia has a proven track record of educating the industry and producing results. Eric is an internationally recognized IT and Digital Strategist working exclusively within the field of veterinary medicine. Garcia’s work has been recognized throughout the industry. Eric was voted VMX 2020 & 2026 Speaker of the Year by conference attendees. He speaks regularly at conferences all throughout the world.

Dr. DeStefano is a boarded criticalist at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University. He has particular clinical and research interests in the fields of infectious disease and hemostasis. He is particularly interested in antimicrobial stewardship, infection prevention and control, and disorders of coagulation and fibrinolysis.

Katie Duarte spent a decade in the veterinary industry in sales and sales leadership, working with companies such as Boehringer Ingelheim and Purina, before turning her focus to the organizational process she saw teams struggling with everywhere: feedback.

The Founder of Action Potential Solutions and an international speaker, Katie holds a Master's degree in Organizational Psychology and has conducted original research in feedback dynamics. She also holds professional designations in training and development (CTDP) and organization development (ODCP), reflecting her belief that lasting change requires attention to the organizational, team, and interpersonal levels together.

Through workshops, speaking engagements, and one on one development, Katie helps to move feedback beyond a top down managerial burden toward Feedback Fluency, where every person, from the CEO to the newest team member, shares a common language for giving and receiving feedback that flows in all directions and builds trust, drives accountability, and makes hard conversations easier.

Janet Beeler-Marfisi, DACVP, is a professor at OVC whose trifecta of teaching, research, and diagnostic service drives her passion for helping students conquer the Mount Everest of a veterinary medical education.

In addition to Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, interests within the field include feline medicine and coagulopathies. 

Masters in Mathematics  from Wilfred Laurier University, Waterloo (2011)
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Ontario Veterinary College (2018)
3 year residency in Emergency Medicine and Critical Care at Veterinary Specialty Services, St. Louis MO (2022-2025)
Diplomate of the American College of Emergency and Critical Care (DACVECC) (2025)

Dr. Mulder graduated from OVD in 1990 and is a "dental enthusiast" whose 36 years experience in private practice has given him a keen interest in veterinary dentistry. This experience and ongoing continuing education have equipped him with the knowledge base and competency to assess potential extractions and to perform a wide range of dental surgery. His observations of thousands of cases have given him a passion to recognize dental disease at its earliest stages and prevent a lifetime of pain and infection. He currently accepts dental referrals in Kingston as well as travelling to select hospitals across Ontario performing dental surgeries.

Andrew Barker grew up in Toronto and attended the University of Guelph, followed by the Ontario Veterinary College.  

After completing a rotating internship at the Atlantic Veterinary College in PEI, a specialty neurology internship at Canada West Veterinary Specialists in Vancouver and a Neurology residency at Iowa State University, he returned to Canada to work at the Ontario Veterinary College and later the Toronto Veterinary Emergency Hospital, and Burlington Veterinary Emergency and Referral Hospital.

Dr. Bartel earned her BScH in Biology from Queen’s University in 2002 and then went on to graduate BVM&S with Distinction from the University of Edinburgh in 2008. After working in small animal general practice and emergency medicine in Ontario and Florida until 2011, she completed specialty training in Anaesthesia and Analgesia at Cornell University, receiving board certification in 2016.

Dr. Bartel has served as the President of the North American Veterinary Anaesthesia Society, as an examination committee member of the American College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, and as a councillor for the College of Veterinarians of Ontario. She was also a staff instructor at the University of California, Head of Surgery and Anaesthesia at the Toronto Veterinary Emergency Hospital, and most recently, Head of Anaesthesia and Analgesia at Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital in Singapore.

Dr. Bartel is currently enjoying her position as the Chief Medical Officer of Small Animal Medicine at King Animal Hospital and spends her free time SCUBA diving, reading, and serving her cats.

Megan Brashear, BS, RVT, VTS (ECC) graduated in 2000 with a BS in Veterinary Technology and obtained her Veterinary Technician Specialty in Emergency/Critical Care in 2004. She has enjoyed working in emergency and critical care since 2000 and is the Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing at the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital in West Lafayette, Indiana. Here, Megan truly enjoys the opportunity to work with veterinary nursing supervisors as well as teach and train technicians and students in the hospital. She loves to travel and lecture sharing her knowledge with veterinary technicians and veterinary nurses around the world.

Dr. Caitlin Grant is a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and Assistant Professor of Small Animal Clinical Nutrition at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM). She completed her DVM, DVSc, and residency training in veterinary nutrition at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), earning board certification through the European College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (ECVCN). Prior to joining UCVM, Dr. Grant served as an Assistant Professor at OVC, where she taught nutrition throughout all four years of the veterinary curriculum. Her clinical and research interests include companion animal nutrition, nutritional management of disease, and evidence-based dietary recommendations for dogs and cats.

Dr. Meredyth Jones Cook received her veterinary degree from Oklahoma State University in 2002. She entered private mixed-animal practice in Brandenburg, Kentucky, later completing a residency in Large Animal Internal Medicine-Emphasis Food Animal and received a MS degree in Veterinary Biomedical Sciences at Oklahoma State University. She has taught food animal field services and internal medicine at Kansas State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State. She owns Large Animal Consulting & Education, teaches part time for Texas Tech, and operates a ranch with her husband and 2 girls, raising beef and pork.

Dr. Amy Lack is an Assistant Professor and board‑certified Large Animal Internal Medicine specialist at the Ontario Veterinary College. Dr. Lack completed her residency and Master of Science at Mississippi State University She received her DVM from the University of Missouri. Since joining OVC in 2020, she has become a national and international CE speaker. Her clinical interests include neurology, neonatology and critical care.

At OVC, Dr. Lack serves as the Large Animal Rotating Internship Co-coordinator, the Large Animal Internal Medicine Residency Director, and the Large Animal Internal Medicine Service Chief. She also co‑coordinates the Foal Watch Team, overseeing the training of more than 80 undergraduate volunteers annually.

Dr. Lack is actively involved in professional service, contributing to task forces and committees for the American Veterinary Medical Association and American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Dr. Rasa Levstein graduated with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the Lithuanian Veterinary Academy in 1994. She then pursued advanced studies in Theriogenology, earning a Doctor of Veterinary Science (DVSc) from the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) in 2008, along with a board certification from the American College of Theriogenologists in 2009.

Currently, Dr. Levstein is the owner and reproductive specialist at Graham Animal Hospital in Hillsburgh, Ontario, a position she has held since 2011. Together with her team, the focus is on providing Theriogenology services to breeders and accepting referrals from local practitioners. Additionally, Graham Animal Hospital operates a free theriogenology advice line, which assists practitioners and veterinary students with reproductive cases.

Dr. Jenna Manacki attended Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine on the beautiful island of St. Kitts and completed her clinical training at the University of Saskatchewan. After graduating, Dr. Manacki practiced companion animal medicine in both Phoenix, Arizona and Burlington, Ontario. In 2020, Dr. Manacki left Canada to pursue a two-year clinical nutrition residency at the University of Missouri. Dr. Manacki currently runs a clinical nutrition service at the Veterinary Emergency Clinic (VEC) in Toronto. Dr. Manacki is currently the secretary of the Canadian Academy of Veterinary Nutrition (CAVN).

Chris Mariani is a Professor of Neurology & Neurosurgery in the Department of Clinical Sciences at North Carolina State University.

He was born in Toronto and graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph in 1996. He completed a rotating small animal internship at Michigan Veterinary Specialists, followed by one year as an associate veterinarian in Beverly Hills, Michigan. After this he began a residency in neurology and neurosurgery at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. This was followed by graduate work in brain tumor immunotherapy, leading to a PhD in Neuroscience from the College of Medicine, also at the University of Florida.

Chris’ professional interests include neuroimmunology, inflammatory brain disease, brain tumors, epilepsy and the use of biomarkers to improve the diagnosis and therapy of these conditions. He currently directs the Comparative Neuroimmunology and Neuro-oncology Laboratory at NC State.

Dr. Pegg is a Board-Certified Veterinary dentist™. She owns and operates Ascentra Vet Dentistry and Oral Surgery to help pets and families clinically and Transcend Vet CE help empower vets to feel more confident in dentistry procedures through hands-on training.

Andrew Peregrine obtained his DVM and PhD from the University of Glasgow. He then worked for 9 years in Kenya. Since 1997 he has been an Associate Professor in Clinical Parasitology at the Ontario Veterinary College. His research interests currently include emerging zoonotic parasite infections of companion animals.

Dr. Seim graduated from Washington State University, completed an internship in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada, a surgical residency at the Animal Medical Center in New York City and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. He is currently on the surgical staff at Colorado State University. He was recipient of the Merck AGVET Award for Creative Teaching, the CSU Award for Instructional Innovation and selected as the North American Veterinary Conference’s Small Animal Speaker of the Year in 2009. Dr. Seim is founder of VideoVet a Veterinary Surgery Continuing Education video series. 

Alex Sigmund is a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist, “The Vet Eye Guy” on Instagram, and co-founder of The Veterinary Eye Team in Atlanta, GA that provides small, large, and exotic animal ophthalmic care. Alex enjoys combining his passion for ophthalmology by engaging owners and veterinarians via social media, continuing education events, and one-on-ones. Alex wants every veterinarian to be comfortable with the basics of ophthalmology to improve patient care and client understanding.

Canada's only Veterinary Technician Specialist in Dermatology, Jennie is an international speaker, author, and educator with 40 years of experience in veterinary medicine, advancing dermatology and veterinary care team education. Her passion for dermatology is contagious.

Becky refers to herself in 3 ways: Vintage RVT, Communication Nerd and Avid Horsewoman! She has been active in the veterinary profession as a Registered Veterinary Technologist for over 32 years working in mixed animal practice, in post secondary education and in corporate business. Becky has participated in leading the profession through roles within provincial, national and international veterinary associations and is a strong advocate for RVTs and team centered veterinary care. She is a lifelong learner having attended hundreds of professional development events and proudly accomplished a MA in Professional Communication in 2016 (while working full time and raising 2 kids!). This propelled her to unleash her entrepreneurial spirit and start BS Communication Strategies in 2020 and incorporate in 2021. Her business mantra remains steadfast, “Coaching people to communicate better.” with an evidence and skills based, interactive approach. She is the founder of Mobilizing RVTs® and is often referred to as a “disrupter” for her innovative approaches to leading change. With confidence, Becky believes the best investment any business can make is in the development of their people and its culture through skilled communication.

Through her business, she has developed Signature Programs and a bespoke Communication Summit, Curiosity in Conversation.

She lives near Olds, AB with her husband, Colin, their horses, dogs and cats and when she is not spending time with her family, or nerding out about communication, she can be found with her horses!

Dr. Amy Thomson, known as “Toothy Thomson” is a diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College since 2021, she graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2012 and practiced as a GP veterinarian for 4 years before doing a residency in dentistry at the University of Maddison-Wisconsin. She understands the need for dentistry education training and is passionate about teaching dentistry skills and knowledge with veterinary teams. She currently runs a mobile practice in Toronto bringing specialty care to GP clinics and loves the daily opportunities to share her expertise with the teams she visits. While she loves all aspects of dentistry she is especially fond of horizontal elevation, maxillo-facial tumour excisions and client education.