Dr. Dodd completed her veterinary degree at Massey University in New Zealand. During the course of her studies, she developed a passion for nutrition and jumped straight into a nutrition internship and MSc immediately post grad. Her internship eventually transitioned into a residency, just as the foundations built in her MSc formed the basis for continuing PhD research. Currently, Dr. Dodd is preparing to undertake the board-certifying examination for the European College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition and is scheduled to defend her PhD thesis early in the new year.
Jason Coe
DVM, PhD, Professor
Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College
Dr. Jason Coe is a Professor at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. After graduating from the College in 2001, he returned from mixed-animal practice to complete a PhD in the area of veterinary communications in 2008. In the same year, Jason joined the Ontario Veterinary College in the Department of Population Medicine where he has established an active research program examining the human-animal bond as well as the role of interpersonal communications on the outcomes of veterinary care. In his current role at the College, he coordinates the clinical-communication curriculum across all 4 years of the veterinary program and is involved in teaching students about the relationships that exist between people and animals.
Over the past decade, Jason has established an international reputation for his leadership in veterinary communications, primary-care veterinary education and understanding the human-animal bond. He has published over 90 peer-reviewed journal articles, including co-authorship of the 2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. Jason currently holds the VCA Canada Chair in Relationship-Centred Veterinary Medicine (2021-2026), at the Ontario Veterinary College, dedicated to research and education in communication and relationship-building to improve the outcomes of veterinary care. In 2021, Jason was honoured with the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award for his notable contributions to the veterinary profession.
Marie Holowaychuk
DVM, DACVECC
Dr. Marie Holowaychuk is a board-certified small animal emergency and critical care specialist and passionate advocate for veterinary team wellbeing. She lives in Calgary where she occasionally works in private referral practice and as a teleconsultant for Vet- CT. Outside of clinical work, Marie facilitates wellness workshops and retreats for veterinary clinics and organizations and offers individual coaching and group wellbeing sessions for veterinary team members.
Marie is a certified yoga and meditation teacher and has completed a life coaching certificate program.
She also has Compassion Fatigue Training from the University of Tennessee School of Social Work, as well as Mental Health First Aid Training from the Mental Health Commission of Canada and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training from the Centre for Suicide Prevention. Marie writes a monthly blog and e-newsletter on pertinent issues related to veterinary wellness. She has authored dozens of articles and recorded a multitude of podcast interviews related to personal and professional wellbeing. Recently Marie launched her own podcast Reviving Vet Med and a YouTube channel that features monthly Wellness Wednesday videos. Marie volunteers as a member of the ACVECC (American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, as well as the CVMA (Canadian Veterinary Medical Association) Wellness Advisory Committee. Marie’s former volunteer roles include the ABVMA (Alberta Veterinary Medical Association) Wellness Advisory Committee and the WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) Wellness Committee. When she is not working, Marie enjoys listening to podcasts, reading, hiking, and strength training, as well as spending time with her family and friends.
Sarah Boston
DVM, DVSc, Dipl ACVS
Dr Sarah Boston is a veterinary surgical oncologist who is an ACVS board certified small animal surgeon and an ACVS Founding Fellow of both Surgical Oncology and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. She practices with VCA Canada in the Toronto area. Up until recently, she has spent most of her career in academia as a tenured faculty member at both the University of Guelph and the University of Florida. Dr Boston is also a best-selling author of the book, Lucky Dog: How Being a Veterinarian Saved my Life and one of the creators of The Cageliner, a satirical online newspaper for veterinary professionals. Her newest passion is stand up comedy and is currently studying comedy performance and writing at Humber College and working as a surgical oncologist. She believes veterinarians need to laugh more.