Presenter Bios for
Midwest BunFest Education Sessions
For more information on when content will be available and how to access,
please visit the Education Sessions and/or Special Interest Session pages.
please visit the Education Sessions and/or Special Interest Session pages.
Susan Borders, DVM
Dr. Susan Borders is an associate veterinarian at the Animal Hospital of Pataskala. Dr. Borders grew up in Medina, Ohio and graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1998. Prior to graduation from vet school, Dr Borders spent four years working with exotic animals at the Columbus Zoo as an educational presenter. Her special areas of interest include surgery and exotic companion animal medicine. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association, the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians and the House Rabbit Society. Dr. Borders has been involved with Ohio House Rabbit Rescue and Midwest BunFest for over a decade.
Terri Cook
Terri is Board president of the Columbus House Rabbit Society. She is a licensed educator and fosterer for HRS and has been an active volunteer with the Columbus HRS since 1997. She assists with chapter management, directs programs and coordinates activities, as well as runs the chapter’s social media campaigns. Terri lives in Worthington, Ohio (a Columbus suburb) with her husband, Jeremy and a mix of resident, sanctuary, and foster rabbits including Drogo of the “Southside Buns,” as well as a part-time neighbor cat, known on Instagram as #patiocat.
Emily Fagundo, DVM
Dr. Emily Fagundo is an Emergency Medicine Veterinarian at MedVet Hilliard where she has been part of the MedVet team since 2001. Dr. Fagundo joined MedVet Columbus as a veterinary technician while earning her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Following her graduation from veterinary school, Dr. Fagundo worked as an associate in a busy small animal practice. She also worked as a relief emergency veterinarian before joining the MedVet Hilliard team.
She enjoys being able to help treat animals with critical illnesses or injuries at all hours when family veterinarians are closed. In her free time, Dr. Fagundo visits local schools to educate children about becoming a veterinarian, and to encourage rescue and adoption. She is also an active advocate and volunteer for the Ohio House Rabbit Rescue.
She enjoys being able to help treat animals with critical illnesses or injuries at all hours when family veterinarians are closed. In her free time, Dr. Fagundo visits local schools to educate children about becoming a veterinarian, and to encourage rescue and adoption. She is also an active advocate and volunteer for the Ohio House Rabbit Rescue.
Nicholas Jew, DVM
Dr. Nicholas Jew (pronounced “Joe”) is a 2013 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He is a veterinarian in the Avian & Exotics service at MedVet in Hilliard. Dr. Jew’s practice focuses on exotic companion mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. He feels strongly that vets need to advocate for exotics to receive the same level of veterinary care that is given to dogs and cats. Dr. Jew is also the founder of Exotics Veterinary Consulting, an exotic animal herd health consulting firm working with breeders of exotic mammals and reptiles to promote better husbandry and assist with herd level medical challenges. Dr. Jew serves on the Public Relations committee for the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians, and he is an active member of many professional groups (AVMA, AEMV, ARAV, AAV, AAFV).
Laurie Millward, DVM
Dr. Laurie Millward is a 2006 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine (OSU CVM). She completed a combined clinical pathology residency-MS graduate program in the Department of Veterinary Biosciences at OSU in 2010. Her previous jobs include work in private practice as a small animal and exotic animal general practitioner, nearly nine years as a professor in the Community Practice, Outreach, and Shelter Medicine Department at the OSU CVM, and as Chief Veterinarian at Columbus Humane (formerly Capital Area Humane Society). She is currently employed by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) as Senior Director, Veterinary Services at the Cruelty Recovery Center. In this role, she coordinates and participates in the provision of animal rescue and veterinary care to animal victims of natural disasters and large scale cruelty cases in the United States. Her areas of special interest are: feline medicine and surgery, exotic animal medicine and surgery (especially domestic bunnies), shelter medicine, and clinical pathology.
Mikki Nienhueser
As the Education Manager for Oxbow Animal Health, Mikki Nienhueser is fortunate to be able to work with dedicated pet parents and partner rescue organizations across the globe every day. She graduated in 2010 from Kansas State University with a Master’s Degree in Animal Science and has worked at Oxbow for 8 years. In her role, she helps develop and deliver education to pet parents as well as manages several Oxbow programs, including Oxbow’s scholarship program, Educational Partnership Program, Rescue Program, and youth Veterinary Camp programs. She lives in Nebraska on a small acreage with her husband and three young boys and is passionate about animals and lifelong learning.
Barbara Oglesbee, DVM, DABVP (Avian)
Dr. Barbara Oglesbee has been an expert in exotic pet medicine for over 25 years. She is currently in private practice at Medvet Hillard, treating exclusively exotic pets and pet birds. Over 70% of her patients have been pet rabbits. In addition to private practice, she is an Associate Professor of Avian and Exotic Animal Medicine at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. At OSU, she served as head of the Companion Avian and Exotic Animal clinical services and has taught courses in avian, rabbit and ferret medicine for the past 29 years. She is board-certified in Avian Medicine and Surgery (Diplomate ABVP- Avian Practice). Dr. Oglesbee wrote the clinical textbook, The 5-Minute Veterinary Consult: Ferret and Rabbit; a reference book used by practicing veterinarians world-wide. She has also authored many book chapters in veterinary textbooks and clinical papers on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of birds, rabbits, ferrets and other small mammals. She has been an invited lecturer at veterinary conferences locally, nationally, and internationally.
Gary Riggs, DVM, ABVP
Dr. Gary Riggs has spent the last 35 years involved in the veterinary care of pet exotic animals, wildlife, and zoo animals. His veterinary practice, working with three other vets, serves domestic and exotic animals at several different locations 7 days a week. The locations he serves include: Barberton Veterinary Clinic-Animal Clinic; Wadsworth Bird & Exotic Specialty Hospital www.exoticpetvets.com; Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital: 24 hour exotic animal emergency and referral practice; Stark Parks/Summit Parks: consulting wildlife veterinarian; Greater Cleveland Aquarium: veterinarian; Noah’s Lost Ark: Exotic Animal Rescue/Sanctuary consulting veterinarian. He is the co-founder and director of Wild4Ever: Wildlife Conservation Foundation, www.wild4ever.co
Umeko Valentine
Umeko Valentine is an OHRR volunteer. As a volunteer, she helps with general care, bunny taxi rides, adoption coordination, and bunny spa events. While Umeko has over 10 years of rabbit experience, she is always looking to expand her knowledge. She loves sharing that knowledge and her experiences with other bunny parents. Umeko shares her home with three buns: Cow, Chicken, and Princess Anna (all foster failures!).
Terri Vrbancic
Terri Vrbrancic has been studying and practicing Reiki and Craniosacral Therapy for 11 years. She is a master level reiki practitioner and a Craniosacral Therapist trained in Craniosacral Therapy 1 & 2 and Somato Emotional Release 1 through the Upledger Institute. Terri is capable of sensing areas of emotional and physical pain within an animal's body which is a great help in determining specific areas of focus. She currently has an active practice of Reiki and Craniosacral Therapy for People & Animals in Ohio.
Tracy Wiczer
Tracy Wiczer is an OHRR volunteer. She is a designated litter box cleaner, bunny chauffeur, expert stray rabbit wrangler, and bunny bonding coordinator. Tracy’s world revolves around rabbits and she has a dozen of her own and 1-2 fosters at any given time. She has learned a lot taking care of rabbits for over 10 years and loves to share her passion for all things bunny with others.
Karen Winstead & Ryan Terebesi
Karen Winstead is a House Rabbit Society Educator. She and Ryan Terebesi are senior volunteers for Rabbit Care at the Columbus Humane, who have done numerous bondings for the "bunny dating service" at the humane society. Ryan and Karen both have bonded rabbits.