Our History
The beginning of the Arizona Veterinary Technician Association was a very happy accident. The right people crossed paths at the right time. Stefanie Perry, Jennifer Serling, and Katie Foust began meeting virtually (in the middle of the pandemic) and began the long process of starting a not-for-profit organization and finding like-minded people willing to donate their time.
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Our vision for the VTA was to create a community among us, as veterinary technicians, that would lead to inciting positive change in our profession. Vet Techs, although hard working and dedicated to our patients, are struggling to make a living and thrive in veterinary medicine. There is more momentum than ever to make progress and organizations are mobilizing across the country to unify and enrich our profession. Students leaving veterinary technician school need mentorship and support to grow as a professional and protect themselves from the rigors of the job market. Any profession has it's pitfalls but vet med is even more vulnerable to mental health issues and suicide. The most important component to prevention is planning and resources. The AzVTA hopes to eventually provide that with the support of our members. Consider joining us because we are so much stronger together.
Meet The Board of Directors
![IMG_0565[6203].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/99b92b_3e937d0304b74853beaaf49b5aac1ca0~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_0,w_2015,h_2017/fill/w_54,h_54,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/IMG_0565%5B6203%5D.jpg)
Stefanie Perry, CVT, VTS (Dentistry)
President
president.azvta@gmail.com
Stefanie has been in the veterinary filed for 18 years, starting in reception and following the job training path through assistant duties, technician duties, lead technician, and practice manager. She has worked in small animal clinical practice in Arizona since 2006 after moving from Chicago. She received her CVT in 2010 and an Associate's of Science in Business Management in 2017. She began the process of pursuing her VTS (Dentistry) in 2018 and passed the board exam in 2020. She is currently working at Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine in the dental suite, helping to teach technical and dentistry skills to the next generation of DVMs. She also operates her own business, VetNerd Dentistry Training LLC, teaching, lecturing, and providing wet labs in veterinary dentistry. She has served as a speaker and co-instructor of wet labs at national conferences and continues to seek opportunities to elevate general practice dentistry skills nationwide. She has been married for 17 years and has a 13 year old son as well as two scruffy little dogs at home.
![jennifer2[5499].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/99b92b_bd8249222e4a4b92818bf2e5775fd4d8~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_33,w_2400,h_2411/fill/w_54,h_54,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/jennifer2%5B5499%5D.jpg)
Jennifer Serling, CVT, RVT, VTES, AAS, BVSc
President Elect
presidentelect..azvta@gmail.com
Jennifer has been a credentialed veterinary technician since 1992. Her specialty is in large animal nursing however her vast experience encompasses all facets of veterinary medicine. She has been a veterinary technician educator since 2007. Jennifer has a bachelor’s in veterinary science from the University of Arizona and an associate of science from Penn Foster College’s Veterinary Technician Program. She was the program director for a veterinary technician school in Tucson Arizona for 11 years prior to joining the Appalachian State University Veterinary Technology program as it’s Assistant Director. Jennifer has written two veterinary technician textbooks for Bluedoor Publishing on pharmacology and large animal medicine and nursing and contributed to several others. Jennifer is the current President for the Association of Veterinary Technician Educators (AVTE). She is also a founding member of the Academy of Veterinary Technician Specialists in Education (AVTSE) and holds the advanced certification of VTES (Veterinary Technician Education Specialist). Jennifer currently resides in Tucson Arizona with her dog and cat as well as two grown human boys.
Katie Foust, CVT
Vice President
vicepresident.azvta@gmail.com
Katie is a CVT in the state of Arizona and has been working in the veterinary field since 2001. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Science from the University of Arizona and an Associate’s degree in Applied Science from Penn Foster College’s Veterinary Technician Program. She has over 20 years of experience working in various types of practices including general practice clinics, emergency hospitals, shelters, and specialty centers. She enjoys working with all species but is especially fond of working with dogs, cats, and livestock.
Katie has a passion for veterinary education and has worked as a veterinary technician educator since 2011. Currently, she is the director of Pima Medical Institute’s Veterinary Technician & Assistant programs in Tucson. She has presented at the Association of Veterinary Technician Educator’s symposium and has also been published in peer-reviewed veterinary journals and veterinary technology text books. In her free time she enjoys volunteering with local animal welfare events and organizations in addition to serving on the Board of Directors for the Animal Welfare Alliance of Southern Arizona and the Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter & Sanctuary.
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Katie’s favorite motto is: “Be the kind of vet tech you would want your pet to have.”
![IMG_0578[6204].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/99b92b_1e311d1fdce04175b97e9dddddd0f30b~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_19,w_1049,h_1054/fill/w_54,h_54,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/IMG_0578%5B6204%5D.jpg)
Ashton Sands, CVT, BS
Treasurer
treasurer.azvta@gmail.com
Ashton has over 4 years of experience in veterinary medicine, starting as a Veterinary Assistant. While working, she studied at and graduated from Penn Foster College with an Associates of Science in Veterinary Technology and is currently continuing to achieve a Bachelor of Applied Science. She transitioned to a Certified Veterinary Technician roll in February of 2020. She has learned valuable professional skills in a mixed animal (small animal, large animal, and exotic) general practice and has been responsible for training the new Vet Assistants that join her practice as well as supervising and evaluating veterinary assistant and technician student interns.
Joseph Miranda, CVT, RVT, LVT
Secretary
secretary.azvta@gmail.com
Joseph moved to Arizona in 2015 after graduating from Eastern Wyoming College, where he studied Veterinary Technology. He has a passion for client education, preventative care, and educating his fellow team members. Joseph is a Fear Free Certified Professional and is currently working on his Cat Friendly Veterinary Professional Certification with the American Association of Feline Practitioners.
Joseph wanted to be a part of the new Vet Tech association because he understands the important role of the veterinary technician and wants to be a part of the advocacy for the profession in our state.
![_AWL6044-Edit Smaller[6208].png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/99b92b_8cb3b4504f0f4870a9d7e6e8422eacd6~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_53,h_39,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/_AWL6044-Edit%20Smaller%5B6208%5D.png)
Benita is a Licensed Veterinary Technician as well as a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Dentistry. She began her career in veterinary technology in 1988 and has worked in small animal general medicine, ophthalmology, equine and llama neonatal care, canine reproduction and dental specialty.
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Benita is the current President-Elect for the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians, the Secretary for the Washington State Association of Veterinary Technicians and a Member at Large for the Arizona Veterinary Technician Association. She has co-authored two text books on veterinary dentistry for technicians as well as published several articles on the subject in professional journals. Through her business, Pawsitive Dental Education LLC, she has provided professional dental instruction and consultation to veterinary hospitals and conferences across the US, Canada and China since 2008. Giving back to the profession and helping veterinary technicians grow their careers in ways they never thought were possible is something she is very passionate about.
Sasha Willis, MSML, CVT
Member-at-Large
mal1.azvta@gmail.com
Sasha Willis is a Certified Veterinary Technician, and has worked in the veterinary field since 1998. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University in 1998 in Liberal Arts and Sciences, and took a job as a veterinary office assistant after moving to the east coast. She immediately fell in love with veterinary medicine and went back to school at Northwestern Connecticut College and received her degree in veterinary science. Sasha moved back to Arizona in 2002 and obtained her CVT. She works as the Veterinary Technician Supervisor and congruently as an Internal Medicine and Diagnostic Technician at the Midwestern University’s College of Veterinary Medicine’s Companion Animal Clinic and she LOVES her job! She has the privilege of teaching veterinary technical and nursing skills to Arizona’s future veterinarians!
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Sasha serves the veterinary community as chair of the Veterinary Health Care Team of Arizona’s Technician Committee and is extremely excited to be currently serving as a Member at Large for the Arizona Veterinary Technician Association as a founding member! She enjoys assisting the Association and the Committee in their endeavors to provide resources and leadership to the Arizona Veterinary community.
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Nikki Frost, CVT
Member-at-Large
mal3.azvta@gmail.com
Bio coming soon
Meet The Committee Chairs
![Briana-Donkey Photo[8144].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/99b92b_01c625c2f49345e6aecc7167c08ea6e2~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_0,w_1512,h_1519/fill/w_54,h_54,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Briana-Donkey%20Photo%5B8144%5D.jpg)
Briana Fraley, AAS, CVT, VMLSO
Website/Public Relations
azvtawebsite@gmail.com
Briana is a Certified Veterinary Technician as well as a Veterinary Medical Laser Safety Officer. She has worked in large animal general practice with extensive knowledge in small ruminants, as well as small animal emergency, and as a veterinary technician educator at Pima Community College. Briana is also actively involved in the American Association of Equine Veterinary Technicians (AAEVT) and National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA). Education of technicians and technician students is something she has become quite passionate about. Briana currently resides in Tucson, Arizona with her cat and 3 dogs.
![IMG_0578[6204].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/99b92b_1e311d1fdce04175b97e9dddddd0f30b~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_53,w_1049,h_1054/fill/w_54,h_54,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/IMG_0578%5B6204%5D.jpg)
Ashton Sands, CVT, BS
Financial Affairs
See bio above
![jennifer2[5499].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/99b92b_bd8249222e4a4b92818bf2e5775fd4d8~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_91,w_2400,h_2475/fill/w_53,h_54,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/jennifer2%5B5499%5D.jpg)
Jennifer Serling, CVT, RVT, VTES, AAS, BVSc
Government Affairs
presidentelect..azvta@gmail.com
See bio above
Joseph Miranda, CVT
Membership
secretary.azvta@gmail.com
See bio above
Jessie Laguna, CVT,
VTS (SAIM)
Awards/Nominations
Jessie has been a certified veterinary technician since 2011. She attended Madison Area College in Wisconsin, where she obtained her CVT and worked in general practice for the first 5 years of her career. In 2016 Jessie and her husband moved to Arizona and decided to try her hand in specialty medicine. After interviewing at a variety of specialty departments she fell in love with internal medicine. Jessie started the application process for obtaining her VTS in small animal internal medicine in October 2020 and passed the board exam in 2022. She is currently working in the internal medicine department at VCA Animal Referral and Emergency Center of Arizona. Jessie currently lives in Queen Creek with her husband, 3 beagles (Shelby, Thomas, and Lily) and her cat Biggie Smalls.
Kim Van Doren, CVT
Programs (CE)
Bio coming soon