Presenter Bios for
Midwest BunFest 2020 Virtual Education Sessions
For more information on when content will be available and how to access,
please visit the Virtual Education Sessions page.
please visit the Virtual Education Sessions page.
Susan Borders, DVM
Dr. Susan Borders is an associate veterinarian at Cryan Veterinary Hospital in Westerville, Ohio. 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 10 years.
Diana Dornbusch Cron, DVM
Diana Dornbusch Cron is a 1993 graduate of The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine and has been in small animal practice for 27 years. Vet Med is her third "career" after teaching high school science for 3 years, and working as a Clinical Chemist for the Cincinnati Health Department. While at OSU CVM, she was very interested in avian & exotic medicine and was one of the student leaders in the Raptor Rehabilitation Program. Dr. Dornbusch Cron co-owns Glenway Animal Hospital on the west side of Cincinnati with her husband Dr. Brian Cron. She began seeing more and more rabbits and other small mammals while in small animal practice in Maryland and Ohio. About 16 years ago she adopted a pair of rabbits, Clifford and Carmella, with whom, along with longtime CHRS President Karalee Curry, she credits a large majority of her early general rabbit husbandry education. She is very grateful to Dr. Barbara Oglesbee and the exotics veterinary team at MedVet Hilliard for their willingness to help and guide veterinarians in general practice with complex rabbit cases. Over the years she has worked with Columbus, Buckeye, and Indiana HRS Chapters, various rabbit rescues in the Cincinnati area, and Ohio House Rabbit Rescue. Dr. Cron believes that it is very important to share knowledge with and among other veterinarians, as well as rabbit caretakers of all experience levels because each rabbit, caretaker, disease and condition is an opportunity to learn and improve our collective understanding of all things that have to do with rabbits.
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 Ohio House Rabbit Rescue.
Joy Gioia
Joy Gioia is President and Chapter Manager of the House Rabbit Society of Missouri located in St. Louis and a longtime member of the Board of Directors of the international House Rabbit Society. She has been deeply involved in educating not only rabbit caretakers, but also veterinarians interested in rabbit medicine. Under her leadership, St. Louis HRS planned and produced two MVMA-accredited rabbit veterinary conferences, offering CE units to all attending veterinarians. After managing St. Louis HRS out of her own home for sixteen years, Joy was instrumental in the acquisition and renovation of a 5000 square foot building in St Louis County to serve as Missouri’s first free-standing, rabbit-specific shelter, as well as the St. Louis HRS new headquarters. Though most of her working career was focused on training in the corporate world, she has also worked as a veterinary assistant and regularly attends various annual veterinary conferences to continue her knowledge. In addition to rescuing and working with domestic rabbits, Joy is also a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, and she helped create the Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic in Fenton, Missouri. Through her work with the Bi-State Wildlife Hotline of MO and IL, she has received calls for advice from as far away as New Zealand. She has served on the HRS conference committee in 2014 and 2017.
Nicholas Jew, DVM
Dr. Nicholas Jew (pronounced “Joe”) is a 2013 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He is currently a veterinarian at Animal Care Unlimited in Columbus, OH. Dr. Jew practices small animal and exotic medicine and surgery with a particular interest in exotic companion mammals as well as reptiles and amphibians. 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 as the vice president of the Columbus Academy of Veterinary Medicine, and he is an active member of many professional groups (AVMA, AEMV, ARAV, AAV, AAFV).
Lauren Keller, LSW
Lauren Keller is a licensed child and adolescent therapist and has earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work through The University of Akron, Ohio in 2018. She is currently a Master of Science in Social Work student through the advanced standing program at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and is enrolled in the Organizational Leadership Track and Veterinary Social Work Certificate program. Lauren is actively studying topics in relation to
Veterinary Social Work such as the link between human and animal violence, compassion fatigue and stress assistance for veterinarians and pet owners, animal-assisted interventions, and grief from pet loss. She has facilitated multiple training courses for the community and other health professionals to emphasize and spread awareness on the human-animal bond and animal-welfare. Lauren has been actively involved with her community and has partnered with other animal-assisted agencies, such as Cataylst Farms of Medina, to develop a community
mental health fair called Painting with Pigs, where community members had the opportunity to obtain resources for mental health and participate in hands-on farm animal activities to improve overall well being. Lauren has developed a passion for studying the bond between rabbit and human, particularly with youth, and is actively planning for the development of a non-profit organization that focuses on the mutual healing of disadvantaged youth and abandoned rabbits in the community by animal-assisted activities, community education, and temporary housing for abandoned and neglected rabbits. Lauren is a previous, long time rabbit owner and understands the trauma and grief that can be created by the death and loss of a pet rabbit, and is determined to normalize and educate the community on coping with the loss of a pet, or in most cases, a family member.
Veterinary Social Work such as the link between human and animal violence, compassion fatigue and stress assistance for veterinarians and pet owners, animal-assisted interventions, and grief from pet loss. She has facilitated multiple training courses for the community and other health professionals to emphasize and spread awareness on the human-animal bond and animal-welfare. Lauren has been actively involved with her community and has partnered with other animal-assisted agencies, such as Cataylst Farms of Medina, to develop a community
mental health fair called Painting with Pigs, where community members had the opportunity to obtain resources for mental health and participate in hands-on farm animal activities to improve overall well being. Lauren has developed a passion for studying the bond between rabbit and human, particularly with youth, and is actively planning for the development of a non-profit organization that focuses on the mutual healing of disadvantaged youth and abandoned rabbits in the community by animal-assisted activities, community education, and temporary housing for abandoned and neglected rabbits. Lauren is a previous, long time rabbit owner and understands the trauma and grief that can be created by the death and loss of a pet rabbit, and is determined to normalize and educate the community on coping with the loss of a pet, or in most cases, a family member.
Micah Kohles, DVM, MPA
Dr. Micah Kohles, DVM, MPA, earned his DVM from Kansas State University in 2001 and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 2010. Dr. Kohles joined Oxbow Animal Health as VP of Technical Services and Research in 2006. Additionally, he owns and actively practices at Woodland Animal Hospital and serves as an adjunct professor appointment at the University of Nebraska School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Kohles is an active member of many professional organizations, including: AVMA, AAV, NVMA, AAZV, ARAV and the AEMV (Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians) where he is a past-president. He also currently serves on the World Pet Association Board of Directors, and as vice-chair of the Nebraska Board of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. In the past, he has served on the boards of the Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association and the Lincoln Children’s Zoo. Most importantly he enjoys spending time with his wife Ashley, daughter Taiya, and two boys, Tegan and Kai.
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. 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.com
Umeko Valentine
Terri Vrbancic
Terri Vrbrancic has been studying and practicing Reiki and Craniosacral Therapy for 10 yrs. 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.
Paula Watkins
Paula adopted her first rescue rabbit, Thumper, from Karalee Curry, Chapter Manager of the Columbus House Rabbit Society, in 1998. They became friends and Paula, with Karalee's help, bonded Thumper with another CHRS rabbit, Otis before Paula relocated to Wilmington, NC. Once in Wilmington it became apparent that the area had no options for abandoned rabbits so Paula, again with Karalee's help, became a House Rabbit Society Educator in 2003 and founded the Cape Fear House Rabbit Society, an ally of the House Rabbit Society. From its beginning in 2003 until 2015 over 300 rabbits found forever homes. In 2014 Paula became a part of a new HRS chapter in North Carolina, Triangle Rabbits, and is currently serving as a board member, lead educator and volunteer. She has written several blogs for the chapter website and has led bonding workshops at events. Her particular interest is special needs rabbits and she has taken in many difficult to adopt rabbits over the years. This includes four megacolon rabbits, which has recently become her focus. She currently shares her home with four special needs rabbits, including megacolon rabbit, Alvin.
Tracy Wiczer
Tracy Wiczer is an OHRR volunteer. She is a designated litter box cleaner, bunny chauffeur, expert stray rabbit wrangler, and bonding adoption coordinator. Tracy is a bunny mommy to more buns than she’d like to admit to and has several of the stray rabbits she caught herself (foster failures!). 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.
Kristin Woodbury & Amy Sprintman
Kristin Woodbury has always had a soft spot for pets. After adopting her first disabled bunny, Bunny, in 2012, she used the opportunity to become an advocate for bunnies that are potentially overlooked because of their disability. She has been volunteering with San Diego House Rabbit Society for 10 years, and is currently serving the Rescue as Education Director and Volunteer Coordinator.
Amy Spintman is a life-long cat lover and became a "rabbit person" also when she adopted her first rabbit, Lacey, in 1995. She has been an active volunteer with the San Diego House Rabbit Society since 1996 and is a licensed Educator with the House Rabbit Society. She has made presentations about disabled rabbits to San Diego HRS, National HRS, and Zooh Corner Rabbit Rescue. She started the Disabled Rabbits groups on Yahoo! Groups and Facebook and she is an admin for both groups.
Amy Spintman is a life-long cat lover and became a "rabbit person" also when she adopted her first rabbit, Lacey, in 1995. She has been an active volunteer with the San Diego House Rabbit Society since 1996 and is a licensed Educator with the House Rabbit Society. She has made presentations about disabled rabbits to San Diego HRS, National HRS, and Zooh Corner Rabbit Rescue. She started the Disabled Rabbits groups on Yahoo! Groups and Facebook and she is an admin for both groups.