Speakers
Williana Basuki
Dental Stream
Will was born and grew up in Indonesia. She earned her veterinary degree at the University of Queensland in 2010. Following veterinary school, she embarked on her journey as a small animal veterinarian before entering a year of rotating internship followed by a year of surgery internship at Queensland Veterinary Specialists. She pursued her dream to become a specialist in veterinary dentistry and undertook a 3-year residency in Dentistry and Oral Surgery along with a master’s degree at Colorado State University, USA. Following her residency, she became a Diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College by examination and worked as a full-time veterinary dentist at Tufts Veterinary Emergency and Specialties in Massachusetts (USA) where she also held an Adjunct Associate Professor position. Will recently returned to Australia in late 2020 and re-joined Queensland Veterinary Specialists as a dental specialist.
Gisela Kaplan
Behaviour Stream
Gisela Kaplan is Professor emerita in Animal Behaviour at the University of New England (UNE). She holds two PhDs, one awarded, with special Dean’s commendations, by the Veterinary School, University of Queensland; she also holds an honorary Doctor of Science awarded by UNE and is fellow of several learned societies (AOS, IOU, IPS, FRNS). Her publications include 23 books (incl. Bird Minds, Australian Magpies, Bird Bonds) and over 250 papers published. Prof Kaplan has significantly advanced knowledge of primates and Australian birds and received awards for ground-breaking research (Whitley Award) into the cognitive, social and communicative complexity of native birds.
Terry King
Small Animal Stream
Terry graduated from the University of Queensland in 1975, spent his first 20 years in general practice, predominately small animal, and then seven years in the University of Queensland Veterinary Teaching Hospital as medical clinician and director. In 2002, Terry joined Veterinary Specialist Services as a partner and referral small animal clinician in internal medicine with an emphasis on emergency and critical care where he helped establish PICU (Pet Intensive Care Unit), a recognised leader in this field of veterinary practice. Presently notching up 45+ years in general and referral practice, Terry enjoys the emergency side of veterinary practice and has a special interest in treating the critically ill. He is highly committed to family veterinary medicine and prolonging the humananimal bond.
David Neck
Unusual Pet and Avian Stream
David Neck is a general practitioner based in Perth. He has memberships to the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Small Animal Surgery, Veterinary Radiology, and Anaesthesia and Critical Care. He has been an active participant in the Australian Veterinary Association at all levels, previously holding roles as ASAV President and AVA Vice President; and is a Fellow of the AVA.
Ellie Leister
Ellie graduated from the University of Sydney in 2004, she worked in mixed practice before travelling the world during her early veterinary career. Returning to Australia and joining Veterinary Specialist Services in 2012. A short encounter with Professor Steve Haskins inspired her to her complete a residency training program (2015-2017) and achieved Fellowship of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (FANZCVS) by examination in 2019. Dr Leister became part owner of Brisbane’s Pet ICU in 2018. Which is now her primary focus, along with clinical research and continuing to develop the 24/7 critical care team.
Chris Tan
Chris is a specialist in small animal surgery, based in Sydney, Australia, where he divides his time between clinical practice, post graduate education and research. He is the head of surgery at Sydney Veterinary Emergency and Specialists and is a board member of AOVET Asia Pacific, with his role focused on the delivery of quality education. Chris holds a conjoint lecturer position within the Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, where he works with surgeons and medical researchers from a diversity of fields to combine the knowledge from both veterinary and human surgery to improve patient outcomes across species.
Rob Webster
Rob graduated from University of Queensland in 2000, went into emergency medicine, and never left. He was a founding partner of the Animal Emergency Service in 2005, then commenced residency training in emergency and critical care under the supervision of Professor Steve Haskins attaining FANZCVS qualifications in 2014.
Rob works with multiple business partners to develop Animal Emergency Service into an organisation which helps veterinary professionals fulfill their dreams.
As well as veterinary business, Rob continues to work as an emergency veterinarian, supervises a resident training program in emergency and critical care, participates in collaborative research projects, and teaches EMCC to veterinarians and veterinary students across Australia.
Rob’s dreams are to see tick paralysis eliminated as a cause of death of dogs and cats in Australia, and for Animal Emergency Service to be the place emergency vets come to save the sickest pets and build the future of emergency medicine and critical care.
Tara Cashman
Aaron Forsayeth
Aaron graduated from the University of Queensland in 1996. During his undergraduate study he attended zero dental lectures. Exposure to Veterinary Dentistry started immediately upon entering his first job at Roma Veterinary Clinic, where, like all other Veterinary clinics, dentistry was performed on a regular basis.
Aaron, under the mentorship of Dr Gary Wilson, obtained membership in Veterinary Dentistry of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in 2004, and soon after in 2006 created Advanced Animal Dentistry with his former mentor and now business partner, Gary Wilson.
Since that time Aaron has worked exclusively in Veterinary Dental referral practice.
Nicole Hoskin
Rebecca Nilsen
Ashleigh Hargreaves
Ash graduated from Adelaide University in 2015 and undertook a true mixed practice role in Warrnambool in South-West Victoria. Despite the interest and challenges of mixed practice, the area of Veterinary Behaviour interested Ash more than anything. In 2018 she completed the CVE Veterinary behaviour course, and in 2019 obtained Memberships with the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS) in Veterinary Behaviour. Ash still practices as a general small animal vet in Warrnambool, as well as travels to other clinics across rural Victoria to practice and support veterinary staff in behavioural medicine. Ash is a member of the AVBIG executive committee in the position of secretary and holds the role of secretary/ treasurer for the Behaviour chapter of the ANZCVS. At the end of 2021, Ash embarked on a residency program in Veterinary Behaviour under Dr Jacqui Ley. Ash loves behaviour because the more you learn the more you see, and as a vet you quickly realise it is all most pet owners want to talk about!
Trepheena Hunter
Sally Nixon
Kersti Seksel
Richard Seymour
Dr Richard Seymour graduated from the University of Queensland school of Veterinary Science in 2006. A keen interest in behaviour grew subsequent to the adoption of Jamu, a Mareema-cross with “all the behavioural things”. In 2018 Dr Seymour was awarded the Robert Holmes award for outstanding achievement in the Veterinary Behaviour Membership examination. In January 2020 he began a residency program with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists under the mentorship of Dr Chris Pachel DVM DACVB, owner of the Animal Behavior Clinic and Co-owner of Instinct dog training, Portland, OR. Dr Seymour sees behaviour consults and continues in his role as general practitioner and owner at The Vet Collective, on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
Grace Thurtell
Grace graduated from the University of Sydney in 2015 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science. She then worked in a small animal practice in Penrith before commencing an internship and then a residency in veterinary behaviour medicine with Dr Seksel at Sydney Animal Behaviour Service. She has also completed various Continuing Veterinary Education courses in small animal behaviour, run by Dr Jacqui Ley, Dr Seksel and Dr Heath and became a member of Australia New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (veterinary behaviour medicine chapter) last year. She looks forward to completing her residency and becoming a specialist.
Hamish Baron
Susan Beths
Luke Bradley
Dr Luke is a special interest Exotic Veterinarian who graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2018. Since graduating Dr Luke has been working for the Unusual Pet Vets in Perth. Dr Luke grew up with a menagerie of Birds and Reptiles and going down the exotic’s pathway was always going to be the only way. This is his first time presenting at a conference and he is looking forward to getting more involved in development side of the profession.
Kelsey Head
Kelsey has been a cert IV nurse at Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Services for 10 years and counting. She is a member of the Veterinary Nurse Council of Australia and a registered nurse with the Australian Veterinary Nurse and Technician (AVNAT) scheme. In her spare time she looks after her many defective animals, including a hungry horde of invertebrate pets.
Sasha Herbet
Tim Hyndman
Patrick Jones
Pat graduated from James Cook University in 2015 and worked in general mixed practice with Tropical Vet Services at their Tully clinic for 3 years. In 2018 he completed Massey University’s Avian Medicine and Surgery course. In 2019 he accepted an Avian-only position with Brisbane Bird Vet. In 2021 he gained Membership in Avian Medicine and Surgery with the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists. In October of that year, he started work with The Unusual Pet Vets on the Sunshine Coast.
Josh Llinas
A 2005 BVSc graduate from the University of Queensland and completed a Masters in Clinical Medicine and Surgery from Murdoch University in 2009. He is a reviewer for the Journal of Herpetological medicine and surgery, on the review committee for iCare and ExoticsCon conferences and has been published in a number of research projects through UQ's Venom Lab, Sunshine Coast University and Murdoch University. In 2019, he opened The Unusual Pet Vets Jindalee, an exotics only practice. He is the current representative in Australian for the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians and is currently working on his Diplomate Status in Reptile Medicine and Surgery through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.
Richmond Loh
Deborah Monks
Graduating in 1995, Deborah moved to a 50% avian practice in her second year, and hasn’t looked back. She became a recognised specialist in 2005, and set up an avian and exotic only practice in Brisbane the next year.
Joanne Sheen
Dr Joanne Sheen graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2004. She holds a Certificate in Zoological Medicine from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in the UK, and is an ABVP Diplomate in Exotic Companion Mammal Practice. She is currently only one of two veterinarians in Australia that hold this qualification. Jo has been involved in exotic animal medicine in various capacities since 2005 both in Australia and internationally. Jo’s professional interests are in hepatic diseases of rabbits and mycobacteriosis in exotic animals. She is currently the senior associate exotic animal veterinarian at Sydney Exotic and Rabbit Vets, Australia.
Tegan Stephens
Tegan is a senior exotics veterinarian and has been working at Bird & Exotics Veterinarian Green Square since graduating from Sydney University 12 years ago. She is now the hospital superintendent and takes great pleasure in seeing the hospital grow and excel, while helping to train new generations of avian and exotic vets.
Tegan has her memberships in Unusual Pet Medicine and was one of the founding members of the Unusual Pets chapter of the Australian Veterinary College. She has been heavily involved in the Unusual Pet and Avian Vets SIG of the AVA for many years. When not vetting, Tegan is usually running around after her 2 small boys and new puppy.
Kimberley Tozer
Larry Vogelnest
Larry graduated from the University of Sydney and has been employed by the Taronga Conservation Society Australia since 1990. He is a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Zoo Medicine. He was awarded a Public Service Medal for his contribution to conservation medicine and service to Taronga and is recipient of the Barry L. Munday Award, recognising significant contributions to wildlife health made by a member of the Wildlife Diseases Association, Australasia. He is principal editor, author, and co-author on several chapters in Medicine of Australian Mammals; Radiology of Australian Mammals; and Current Therapy in Medicine of Australian Mammals. He has authored several other book chapters and authored or co-authored peer reviewed journal publications.
Larry has extensive experience in conservation programs, medicine, preventative medicine programs, zoonotic disease management, chemical restraint, and reproductive management of zoo and wild animals and treatment and rehabilitation of Australian wildlife. His experience extends across mammalian, avian, reptilian and amphibian taxa.
Amanda Clews
Amanda is a registered veterinary nurse in Western Australia, graduating from Applied Vocational Training in 2006 - She started in small animal practice to build her skills and knowledge whilst also working casually in an Emergency & Critical Care clinic. Amanda joined the Unusual Pet Vets team in 2016, studying & passing the City & Guild Nursing of the Exotic Species exams in the UK in 2017. Amanda has a special interest in emergency & critical care & medical treatment of all exotic species - she will happily leave surgical nursing to her other nurses. Amanda is currently the nurse manager at The Unusual Pet Vets - Murdoch in Perth.
Gretel Cornell
Simon Ferguson
Kelsey Head
Kelsey has been a cert IV nurse at Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Services for 10 years and counting. She is a member of the Veterinary Nurse Council of Australia and a registered nurse with the Australian Veterinary Nurse and Technician (AVNAT) scheme. In her spare time she looks after her many defective animals, including a hungry horde of invertebrate pets.
Samantha Lovett
Samantha Lovett is the Senior Nurse and Practice Manager at the exotic Clinic Warranwood Veterinary Centre in Victoria, owned by Dr Brendan Carmel. Sam also works as a Nurse in both the Accident and Emergency and the Exotics Department at The Lort Smith Hospital with Dr Tristan Rich.
Sam has an extensive Nursing history, along with qualifications in Herpetology and is a knowledgeable owner past and present of many of the exotic pets we see in Clinic.
Sam is passionate about sharing her knowledge so that more animals can get appropriate care and thrive in a captive environment.
Samantha Mosley
- Working as a Veterinary Nurse since 2008 in both Victoria and New South Wales.
- DELWP Wildlife foster carer for Birds
- Wildlife Emergency Response team member and Bushfire Triage Nurse
- Has 4 cats and 6 pet birds at home along with her fiancé Aron
Alianna Munakata
Emma Jane Newton-Dinning
I have an Animal Science (Hons) degree at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and Post-graduate Certificate in Education. I worked at a wildlife sanctuary, as a falconer and as an Electron Microscope Technician in the UK.
I have received a Cert IV in Veterinary Nursing, a Diploma in General Practice and Cert IV in Training and Assessment. I have worked at Lort Smith Animal Hospital, Victoria University, Healesville Sanctuary and Melbourne Polytechnic. I currently work at Warranwood Veterinary Centre and am a wildlife carer. I am a mum of my beautiful 6 year-old son, Hamish and a trainee gymnastics coach.
Steven Tocci
I have been a vet nurse for 5 years at Lort Smith Animal Hospital. For the last 2 years I have been a wildlife carer. In that time, I have foster cared ringtails, brushtails, magpies and lorikeets. The tragic events of the black Saturday bushfires in 2009 was the catalyst for me to become a vet nurse. I felt compelled to do something more positive for the environment. Being a nurse and a carer at Lort Smith has provided me with some incredible experiences. None more satisfying than raising a young animals to adulthood and releasing back into the wild.