2009 Regional Leaders

Western Region

UC-Davis, Western, Washington State, Colorado State, Oregon State

Alex Bennett

Alexander Bennett is a 2nd year veterinary medical student at Colorado State University. He studied How-to-be-tall and Bioveterinary Science at Utah State University and is originally from Park City, UT (go Jazz!). During his undergrad at USU, he spent a year abroad in Utrecht, The Netherlands, during which he traveled all throughout Eastern and Western Europe. Throughout his undergraduate studies, he spent his summers working at Cottonwood Animal Hospital in Salt Lake City. It was during this time that he fell in love with surgery and developed a passion for business and practice management.

When he’s not traveling or working in the OR, Alexander can be found spending time with his friends, family, his terrorizing cat Murphy and his Freakish dog Matilda. He is a lifetime skiier, lover of music and photography, and a natural basketball player at a height of 6‘7”. He lives in Fort Collins with his brother Zachary, a fellow Ram, who is studying Mechanical Engineering.

E-mail Alex

North Central Region

Minnesota, Iowa State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan State

Lisa Jividen-Cottrell

I grew up on a small farm in Lebanon, AL. I received my B.S. in Animal Science from Texas A&M University-Commerce and returned to Alabama to attend veterinary school at Auburn. My future plans include entering the Army Veterinary Corps upon graduation with hopes of providing emergency care to the working dogs overseas. After a career in the military, I hope to open my own mixed animal practice somewhere in the South.

I became interested in the business aspect of veterinary medicine after
working for local veterinarians and constantly being told that the hardest part was the business aspect and they wish they had the opportunity to learn
business while in school. I jumped at the chance to get involved with VBMA and help start a chapter at Auburn. I have learned a tremendous amount about the business aspect of veterinary medicine. Thanks to VBMA, I feel that I will be better prepared for a successful career in veterinary medicine.

E-mails Currently going to VP Steve Tousignant

South Central Region

Kansas State, Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M

Alicia Webb

E-mail Alicia

Northeast Region

Cornell, Tufts, Pennsylvania, Ohio State

Amy Smagala

Amy Smagala is in the class of 2011 at the University of Pennsylvania. She received her undergraduate degree in Animal Science at the University of Delaware and then received a Master’s degree in Laboratory Animal Science from Drexel University, before starting veterinary school. Amy is currently the outgoing vice president of her VBMA chapter and is really excited about her new Regional Leader position. Amy hopes to one day own her own practice, and knows the experiences and knowledge she has gained from being a part of the VBMA will be invaluable.

E-mail Amy

Mid-East Region

North Carolina State, Virginia-Maryland, Tennessee, Georgia

Michelle Larsen

Michelle was born and raised in New York City before attending George Washington University for undergraduate studies in finance. After graduating in 2001, she worked for 3 years at a non-profit financial consulting firm, Cambridge Associates. She also adopted her first of 3 cats in 2001 and found her interest in animals outweighed her interest in the stock market. In 2007, she enrolled at Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, and has not looked back. Her current veterinary interests are small animal emergency, pathology, and lab animal medicine. After changing careers, she is happy to embrace all of the opportunities available to a DVM, and is excited to merge her business experience with this amazing profession.