Advisory Board

Kathleen Ruby

EVT Editor-in-Chief

Kathleen L. Ruby, PhD, a licensed professional clinical counselor with more than 20 years experience in counseling and education, has been head of the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine Counseling and Wellness Department and on faculty for the past 13 years. She counsels veterinary students and faculty, teaches classes on life skills, and developed and conducts programs and workshops related to professionalism, communication skills, stress management, life balance, and leadership within the college. Dr. Ruby cofounded the Veterinary Leadership Experience, a program offered to students and faculty at all North American schools and now extending internationally to academic and industry settings.

Dr. Ruby developed and supervises WSU's Pet Loss Support Hotline, and trains students in client bereavement management. Developing an integrated method for teaching and reinforcing life/professional success/nontechnical skills of veterinary students is central to her work. A frequent speaker with a background and training in individual and organizational psychology, human development, and leadership, Dr. Ruby offers a unique mix of people-skills, psychological insights, and programmatic ideas. Her special research interests include the psychology of high-achieving individuals and development of emotional competence in medical professionals.

editor@myevt.com

Richard DeBowes

EVT Editor-in-Chief

Richard DeBowes, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVS, is professor of surgery, associate dean for Veterinary Development and External Relations, and director of the Professional Life Skills Program at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. DeBowes has oversight responsibility for coordination and delivery of Veterinary Leadership Experience (VLE), an international program intended to expand the professional vision, communication skills, and servant leadership competencies of veterinary students, faculty, and health care team members.

Dr. DeBowes serves as a member of the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians (AAVC) Executive Committee. He is past president of the AAVC and currently is its representative in the AVMA House of Delegates. An active contributor to professional continuing education, Dr. DeBowes was a member of the Board of Directors for the North American Veterinary Conference for over a decade, serving as the education director and twice as president. He obtained his DVM from University of Illinois and completed a Washington State University internship, residency, and master's degree.

Dr. DeBowes' veterinary interests include equine general and orthopedic surgery, lameness diagnosis, and joint biology. His other interests include faculty and program development, professional relationships, and personal leadership.

editor@myevt.com

Jane Shaw

Jane R. Shaw, DVM, PhD, is a recognized expert in veterinarian-client-patient interactions. Her dissertation was the first scientific study of veterinarian-client-patient communication and her publications focus on the analysis of videotaped conversations between veterinarians and their clients and animal patients. Of interest is studying the relationship between communication and clinical outcomes for veterinarians, clients and patients, including satisfaction, adherence and patient health.

Dr. Shaw is an Assistant Professor of Veterinary Communication and the Director of the Argus Institute at Colorado State University. Dr. Shaw received her veterinary degree from Michigan State University in 1994 and received her PhD in Epidemiology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada in 2004. Dr. Shaw was selected as the recipient of the 2008 Bustad Award, recognizing her contributions to enhancing the relationship between people and their pets.

Dr. Shaw implements the communication curriculum at Colorado State University, focusing on clinical interviewing skills to enhance professional performance through partnership with colleagues and clients. She serves on the advisory committee for the International Conference on Communication in Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Shaw is called upon internationally and nationally to conduct skills-based communication workshops at veterinary conferences and symposia. She consults with veterinary practices to enhance teamwork, continuity of care and client service.
 

Cindy Adams

Cindy Adams, BSW, MSW, PhD (Veterinary Epidemiology), is chair of Professional Skills and associate professor at the University of Calgary, Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Adams has focused her career on developing a communication curriculum in veterinary education, helping to improve communication and educational practices in practice settings and academia. She designed and directed the first communication curriculum at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Ontario, from 1989-1996. During this time she also established a ground-breaking research program that studies observed and applied communication research, human–animal interactions, animal welfare, and critical reflection as a core competency for effective practice.

Dr. Adams now oversees the design, development, and implementation of the Professional Skills curriculum at UCVM and coordinates the communication curriculum across all 4 years of the veterinary education program. She consults nationally and internationally in veterinary medicine on applications of communication concepts and communication research methods in veterinary medicine. She is chair of the International Conference on Communication in Veterinary Medicine and a director of the International Veterinary Communication Institute.

 

Kathleen Bonvicini

Kathleen Bonvicini, EdD (Educational Leadership), MPH, BS (Social Work), is chief executive officer of the Institute for Healthcare Communication, New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. Bonvicini has conducted communication workshops and faculty training courses throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe; has overseen the Institute's national accreditations for continuing education; managed many of the core training programs; and has led IHC's veterinary communication training program, which has been provided for faculty in every school of veterinary medicine in North America and has recently expanded to Australia and Europe.

Among Dr. Bonvicini's achievements are 15 years of research at the Yale University - Veterans Administration Laboratory of Psychiatric Genetics, faculty appointments with Southern Connecticut State University and with the Department of Psychology at Albertus Magnus College, and social work in the areas of adolescent pregnancy prevention, law enforcement, and women's health. As a researcher, she has authored and co-authored a variety of articles in clinician communication in both veterinary and human medicine and has recently led the Institute's research initiative and collaboration with the University of California, Riverside, which assessed the impact of communication training interventions on physicians' expression of empathy with patients.

Elizabeth Charles

Elizabeth "Betsy" Charles, DVM, is a private equine practitioner in southern California and is an adjunct assistant professor at both Washington State University and Western University of Health Sciences. In addition, she and has just completed a master's degree in organizational leadership (May 2009).

She developed the extern program at San Dieguito Equine Group where she formerly practiced and supervised third- and fourth-year veterinary students from Western Veterinary College as they rotated through SDEG as part of their core equine rotations. Dr. Charles is also involved with the Veterinary Leadership Experience as a speaker and facilitator and serves on the AVMA Council on Communication, and the Student Relations Committee for the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

Her master's thesis has led her into the world of generational differences and their impact on veterinary practice and she often lectures to students and veterinarians on this subject. After graduating from Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and completing an internship with an equine referral hospital, she joined San Dieguito Equine Group as an associate veterinarian and then served Clinic Director for 3 years. The position has allowed her to combine her passion for equine veterinary medicine, leadership development, teaching, and communication into one role.

Kathy Hennen

Kathy Hennen, a 15-year seasoned veterinary practice manager, attributes her effectiveness in that role to her focus on leadership and communication. As practice manager at River Valley Veterinary Service, where she is now affiliated, she helped establish a Head Council, a group of team leaders, practice managers, and other individuals in management that meets monthly to synergistically improve processes at the hospital.

Ms. Hennen is also one of a small group of practice managers who formed the Veterinary Practice Manager Network of Minnesota (VPMN), which now operates statewide, comprising 8 chapters. Chapters meet every other month to share and learn from one another in a confidential setting. She has hosted the VPMN annual fall conference for the last 2 years and has brought in nationally recognized speakers.

Jeff Thoren

Jeff Thoren, DVM, ACC is an International Coach Federation (ICF) certified coach, trained at the Adler School of Professional Coaching. Dr. Thoren founded Gifted Leaders, LLC, in 2005, which provides individual and group coaching services dedicated to personal empowerment, leadership, and development of an effective, nurturing team culture. He serves the veterinary community in both in-clinic consultation and through online resources and services.

Dr. Thoren is a founding group facilitator and organizer of the Veterinary Leadership Experience (VLE), a program offered to students and faculty at all North American schools and now extending internationally to academic and industry settings.

His professional career includes private practice and a variety of technical services, management, and sales roles in veterinary industry, including companies such as Hill's Pet Nutrition and Novartis Animal Health. From October 2000 through June 2005, Dr. Thoren served as director of professional recruitment and development for Pet's Choice, Inc., a family of 46 community veterinary hospitals and specialty practices in five States. His primary goal there was to help transform Pet's Choice into an employer of choice within the veterinary profession. Dr. Thoren attained his DVM from Washington State University.