He occupies his remaining time writing book chapters and is an award-winning international lecturer.
He enjoys teaching and serves on many advisory boards and is a key opinion leader for multiple pharmaceutical/device companies.
He is the co-founder of the Veterinary Cannabinoid Academy and COO for the Veterinary Anesthesia Nerds. He was also a column coordinator for one of Nature’s journals and was the primary editor for a textbook on cannabis therapy published by Springer Nature.
Victoria Elam, CVT, VTS-LAM
Victoria is a Research Specialist in Ned Kalin’s Lab at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health-Psychiatry Department and has worked as a veterinary technician for over 40 years in a variety of positions such as the military, private practice, consulting, academia and research. Since 2003, she has worked with non-human primates, providing surgical/imaging anesthesia support and behavioral coding. Victoria graduated in 1978 from Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) in Washington D.C., serving 4 years in the military as an AHT where she was in charge of the military working dog program, calvary horse health, wildlife rehabilitation and also clinical duties. In 1988 she became a CVT in the state of Wisconsin where she served as the President of the Wisconsin VTA in 2001. As WVTA President, she was responsible for representing the organization to persuade the state legislature the need to institute continuing education requirements for CVT’s to maintain their licenses. Victoria traveled to China several times from 2007-2010 providing training and consultation in non-human primate anesthesia on a collaboration project for Parkinson’s desease. She is one of the founding members of The Society of Laboratory Animal Veterinary Technicians (SLAVT) where she held the office of secretary. Victoria was also part of the organizing committee for The Academy of Laboratory Animal Veterinary Technicians and Nurses (ALAVTN), where she served as a member at large, President Elect and currently is serving as the President and Webmaster.
Summer Boyd, MS, RVT, VTS-LAM, RLATG
Summer is currently the IACUC Coordinator at the University of Houston in Houston, TX. She has over 21 years in the veterinary field, with 17 of those years within laboratory animal medicine. Her experience ranges from clinical medicine, training/education, and research compliance. Summer graduated from Morehead State University with her AAS in Veterinary Technology, moved on to Purdue University, where she graduated with her BS in Veterinary Technology and her MS in Agricultural Education. She is a Midwest girl at heart, as she is from Northern Indiana. Summer is involved with AALAS, LAWTE, SLAVT and is a graduate of ILAM.
Bio/pic coming soon.
Vicki McLain, CVT, LATG, VTS-LAM
Vicki is an experienced veterinary technologist and educator, with a career spanning over two decades in both clinical and research settings. She graduated from Johnson College with a degree in Veterinary Technology.
Upon graduation, Vicki worked at a small animal and emergency clinic. There she assisted with many routine tasks within a veterinary setting. In 1998, she transitioned into the field of research, taking a position as a toxicology technician at Schering Plough Research Institute. There, she conducted GLP studies with a variety of species, including rodents, dogs, and non-human primates (NHPs). By 2001, Vicki took a position as a Veterinary Technologist within Schering Plough. Her responsibilities included overseeing anesthesia and surgical support, ensuring the health and safety of research animals, and chairing the enrichment committee.
Since 2012, Vicki has been an instructor for Penn Foster’s Veterinary Technology Program,
where she shares her knowledge and experience with students. She conducts weekly webinars on topics related to Laboratory Animal Medicine and Veterinary Nutrition, helping to shape the next generation of veterinary professionals. In addition to her teaching role, she serves as the chair of Penn Foster’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), advocating for the ethical treatment of animals in research and educational settings.
Madi Wheaton, BS, LVMT, LVT, RLATG, VTS-LAM
Madi was a Senior Veterinary Technician at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. She trained research and animal care personnel in handling techniques and sterile procedures in addition to caring for laboratory animals with a small team of technicians. She has presented at LAWTE and AALAS as a public speaker and assisted VUMC vet residents with research projects and posters. Madi worked with a wide variety of lab animal species to include small rodents, dogs, pigs, sheep, non-human primates, and even frogs. In her free time, she enjoyed positive reinforcement training of the larger species to increase their quality of care, life, and welfare.
Bio/pic coming soon.
Jodi Ternes CVT, RLATG, VTS-LAM
Jodi Ternes CVT, RLATG, VTS-LAM
Jodi graduated from Madison Area Technical College with 2 associates in Veterinary
Technology and Laboratory Animal Technology. She worked 4 years at Covance as a
Neurotoxicology Technician in Madison working with mice and rats. In 2004 Jodi began
working for Abbott as a Veterinary Technician for rodents, ferrets, rabbits, macaques,
and dogs. In 2010 the pharmaceutical business of Abbott became Abbvie where Jodi
has been there for the last 10 years. Among my many job duties she manages the
health for our pharmacokinetic, imaging, and immunology macaque colony. After a lot
of hard work, Jodi earned her VTS in Laboratory Animal Medicine. In 2022 she spoke
with other VTS-LAM technicians in a talked called “Responsibilities, Realities, and
Rollercoasters for the Veterinary Technician in a Nonhuman Primate Facility.
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