Rhys Giannarelli is a dedicated Multi-Site practice owner alongside his 'smarter half', his wife who is a veterinarian. He is an active member of VetPartners and the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA), and stays connected to the veterinary community through ongoing learning and collaboration.

Like many practice owners, Giannarelli has faced his fair share of challenges. Operational inefficiencies, team disengagement, and financial pressure. You name it, he lived it. That real-world experience has shaped how he lead and how he help others do the same.

Giannarelli's goal is simple, to help other practice owners shift from being stuck in the day-to-day to becoming confident business leaders. In his talks, he share practical, story-driven insights that attendees can actually use. Whether it’s streamlining systems, building a strong culture, or improving profitability, Giannarelli focuses on honest, actionable strategies that help owners get back to doing what they love.

Described as a human golden retriever, Ryan Gallagher likes to help people with technology. Gallagher is an engineer by training, a founder by nature, and a lover of working hard for an important mission. He started Scribenote to help his sister Katie get home on time from the clinic. He is proud that he’s finally achieved this goal, and won’t stop until all veterinarians who struggle with time-consuming medical records can make it home on time for dinner.

If Jeremiah Pouncy had to describe himself in one word, it would have to be 'dreamer.' He embodies this spirit as a veterinary student at Cornell University and as an entrepreneur with a vision to revolutionize veterinary medicine and the world beyond.

His passion lies within wildlife and conservation, with the ultimate goal of never letting another species going extinct. However, to accomplish this seemingly unrealistic goal, he plans on diving into small animal emergency medicine and subsequently starting veterinary-focused real estate developments. Throughout his time pursuing these endeavors, he will also continue scaling his current businesses, such as his bottled water company & media brand.

So, in every step, he strives to weave a narrative of innovation, compassion, and leadership. He’s  not just pursuing a career; He’s on a mission to inspire and empower, to transform dreams into reality. He is Jeremiah Allen Pouncy - a dreamer at heart, a visionary in action, dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the world of veterinary medicine and beyond.

Check out Pouncy's website here.

Natalie Marks, DVM, CVJ, CCFP, Elite FFC-V,  is an award-winning small animal veterinarian with over 20 years of clinical experience, previous practice owner, industry consultant, educator, media expert, co-owner of Veterinary Ownership Advocates, and CEO of VANE (the Veterinary Angel Network for Entrepreneurs). She is committed to supporting innovation in the animal health space and mentoring and supporting young founders and practice owners.

Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD,  is an Ohio native and graduated from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. While attending Cornell, she earned numerous awards, including the Dermatology Service Award for her aptitude in clinical dermatology and her research on Malassezia otitis externa. After graduation, she completed an internship at VCA Berwyn and Aurora Animal Hospitals in Chicago where she was awarded the Intern Abstract Award for her presentation on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.  Griffin returned to Cornell University in 2007 for a residency in dermatology and, after completing her residency-training program, served one year as an instructor of dermatology teaching fourth-year clinical students as well as lecturing to underclassmen on bacterial, fungal, and immune-mediated skin diseases. Griffin became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology (ACVD) in August 2010 and joined the Animal Dermatology Group. She has a special interest in fungal and immune-mediated skin diseases as well as feline and equine dermatology. She enjoys lecturing to fellow veterinarians, mentoring residents, and teaching the veterinary students who extern with her.  Griffin also stars in the Nat Geo WILD television series, “Pop Goes the Vet with Dr. Joya,” which highlights the challenging and mysterious cases she encounters in veterinary dermatology.  Griffin always strives to care for her patients as if they are her own pets and loves building a long-lasting relationship with their pet parents. Outside of work, Griffin enjoys spending time with her family and pets. She is happily married to Forrest Cummings, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), a veterinary internal medicine specialist, and they have 3 children - Caden and boy/girl twins, Coby and Carter. They have two cats, Donut and Peach Coffee, and two dogs, Guri and Magic. She loves traveling, entertaining and working out.

Julia Miller, DVM, DACVD, is an Upstate NY native who grew up in the hallways of Cornell's vet school. She tried her hand at vocal performance (opera) in undergrad at Indiana University and in spite of having a blast singing all day long, she decided that her first true love, animals, offered a more stable and satisfying career. She graduated from Cornell's vet school in 2012 and then completed a large animal rotating internship at the University of Georgia. Mixed animal general practice kept her busy for the next few years where she also found herself falling in love with dermatology. She made her way back to Cornell and completed a dermatology residency after which she stayed on as faculty. When not ooing and aaahing over the grossest skin you can find Julia playing with her three bully-breed dogs (the squish!), singing in a rock cover band, or riding any horse that she can sit on. 

Sophia Jodka is a first year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Masters of Public Health dual degree student at Colorado State University. She recently graduated Summa Cumme Laude from North Carolina State University where she was highly involved in pre-veterinary leadership including organizing the 2024 APVMA Symposium and serving as an APVMA National Board Member. She continues to be highly involved in research and hopes to combine clinical practice and research in her future career to tackle global public health challenges. 

Elizabeth Capitano, DVM, CCFP, earned her veterinary degree from North Carolina State University and her BA in Psychology from Davidson College. After seven years in small animal practice, she transitioned to industry roles at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Virbac, and Elanco, where she specialized in veterinary education, sales training, and strategic marketing support. At Elanco, she led technical training initiatives, developed unique training strategies, and created game-changing educational programs. Capitano currently serves on the dermatology medical education team at Zoetis, where she partners with cross-functional teams to develop engaging educational content for veterinary healthcare professionals. She is also an active advocate for mental health in the veterinary profession through her work with Not One More Vet.  Capitano lives in Charlotte, NC with her family, and 2 English Bulldogs (Booger and Lola). She enjoys jewelry collecting, roller-skating, grooving to her husband’s band, and discovering new podcasts.

Ticks pose a significant health risk to companion animals, both as blood-feeding parasites and as vectors for numerous pathogens. Over the past few decades, tick populations have expanded and intensified due to factors such as increased globalization, greater movement of humans and animals, and climate change. In the United States, common tick species—including the blacklegged tick, lone star tick, American dog tick, and brown dog tick—have the potential to transmit a range of bacterial, protozoal, and viral pathogens.

Serological data indicate that tick-borne pathogens are a persistent challenge for dogs, with US canines frequently testing positive for agents of anaplasmosis, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis. Many of these same ticks and pathogens also pose a public health risk, as the tick species that commonly bite dogs can also transmit these same pathogens to humans. As a result, dogs can serve as valuable sentinels for tick-borne disease risks of their human families.

Despite awareness of the risks ticks pose to pets, ticks are often and easily overlooked. Given that ticks are a year-round threat in most regions, annual testing and the routine use of fast-acting tick control products play a critical role in protecting pet health by killing ticks and reducing pathogen transmission risk.

Indications: Credelio Quattro (lotilaner, moxidectin, praziquantel, and pyrantel chewable tablets) is indicated for the prevention of heartworm disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis and for the treatment and control of roundworm (immature adult and adult Toxocara canis and adult Toxascaris leonina), hookworm (fourth stage larvae, immature adult, and adult Ancylostoma caninum and adult Uncinaria stenocephala), and tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum, Taenia pisiformis, and Echinococcus granulosus) infections. Credelio Quattro kills adult fleas and is indicated for the treatment and prevention of flea infestations (Ctenocephalides felis) and the treatment and control of tick infestations [Amblyomma americanum (lone star tick), Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick), Ixodes scapularis (black-legged tick), and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (brown dog tick)] for one month in dogs and puppies 8 weeks of age and older and weighing 3.3 pounds or greater.

Important Safety Information: Lotilaner, an ingredient in Credelio Quattro, belongs to the isoxazoline class and has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions like tremors, ataxia, and seizures even in dogs without a history of seizures. Use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. Dogs should be tested for existing heartworm infections before Credelio Quattro administration as it is not effective against adult D. immitis. The safe use in breeding, pregnant, or lactating dogs has not been evaluated. The most frequently reported adverse reactions in clinical trials were vomiting and diarrhea. For full prescribing information see the Credelio Quattro package insert.

Credelio Quattro Label

James Bascharon, DVM, is the founder and CEO of Vetnique, a pet health company dedicated to creating vet-formulated solutions that help pets thrive for life. Since launching in 2012 with the groundbreaking supplement Glandex for anal gland health, Bascharon has led Vetnique to become a leader across multiple categories including digestive support, dermatology, ear care, and joint health. His passion for innovation has guided the company’s rapid growth—most recently marked by Vetnique’s acquisition and US launch of YuMOVE, a globally trusted, science-backed joint health supplement. Bascharon was also recently named an EY Entrepreneur of the Year award winner, a true testament to his impact on veterinary innovation and the pet health industry.

Benjamin Bergstrom, DVM, MS, DACVO, is originally from the rural, small town of Rockton, Illinois. He received his bachelor’s degree in 2009 followed by his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 2013 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He then completed a one-year Small Animal rotating internship at the University of Georgia in Athens. Immediately following his rotating internship, he traveled back to the Midwest where he completed a three-year residency in Comparative Ophthalmology at Purdue University in 2017. As a board-certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist, Bergstrom began practicing in Nashville in 2017. In 2023, Bergstrom pursued a dream of becoming an independent practice owner and opened The Eye Vets in Nashville. Through a combination of in-person consultations and telecollaboration, Bergstrom aims to provide compassionate, innovative veterinary eye care to the greater Nashville area and beyond.

Krista Halling, DVM, CCRP, DACVS, HAB-Certified, is a board-certified small animal surgeon and certified in both canine rehabilitation and the human-animal bond. With over 25 years of clinical and academic experience, she’s the founder of Dogpacking.com, a science-backed resource that helps dog owners deepen their bond through outdoor activities like hiking, biking, paddling, and camping. Drawing on veterinary research and real-world adventures with her mini goldendoodle, River, Halling focuses on the physical and emotional benefits of shared movement in nature. Her mission is to inspire people to get outside and connect with their dogs through activities in nature, enriching both lives in the process.