Kathleen James, DVM – President
Dr. Katie James graduated from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in 2017 with a DVM. Since then, she has worked in Lincoln on overnight emergency at Nebraska Animal Medical Center for two years before pursuing her passion in shelter medicine at the Nebraska Humane Society in Omaha. There she works to ensure every animal has the care it needs and is treated with love and respect. A highlight of the shelter has always been the chance to teach veterinary students and veterinary technician students the skills they need for their career in a safe and welcoming environment. This love of education is why she got involved in the board of the Nebraska Academy of Veterinary Medicine and continues to be a driving force for her.
Shawn Finch, DVM – Secretary
Dr. Shawn Finch graduated from Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She and her husband have two grown children and a golden retriever. She is a veterinarian at Westgate Animal Clinic in Omaha. She joined the board of the Nebraska Academy of Veterinary Medicine because she has enjoyed being a member all these years and wanted to give back. It has been a very rewarding position.
Debbie Appleby, DVM – Treasurer
Dr. Debbie Appleby, a proud of alumna of the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine, is an Associate Veterinarian at the F Street outpost of Best Care Pet Hospital in Omaha. In addition to being the long-time Treasurer of the NAVM, she is the self-appointed Hostess of Continuing Education events and strives to ensure a pleasant experience for all attendees.
Ryan Anderson, DVM – Veterinarian Board Member
Dr. Ryan Anderson is originally from central Iowa and graduated from Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2019. Since graduation, he has been practicing at Ralston Vet in Omaha. He joined the NAVM board to become more involved in the Omaha area veterinary community and have the opportunity to help continue to bring great CE opportunities to the area.
Kate Rawlinson, DVM – Veterinarian Board Member
Dr. Kate Rawlinson is a graduate of the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine and received her DVM from Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Currently, she serves as the Medical Director at Nebraska Animal Medical Center in Lincoln. She joined the NAVM board because of her strong advocacy of creating quality CE opportunities for veterinary healthcare teams to improve the quality of medicine in the region.
Crissy Nelsen, LVT – Licensed Veterinary Technician Board Member
Crissy Nelsen has been a Licensed Veterinary Technician for over 20 years, earning her degree from Vatterott College before dedicating her career to Ralston Vet in Omaha. From her early days in patient care to her current role as Operations Director, she has always been passionate about providing high-quality veterinary medicine to the Omaha community. Now, her greatest fulfillment comes from developing her team, ensuring they have access to the tools and continuing education necessary to grow in their careers and deliver outstanding care. As a NAVM board member, she is committed to fostering education and collaboration in a constantly evolving field. In her free time, she enjoys reading, exploring the outdoors, and spending quality time with her family.
Christopher G. Byers, DVM, DACVECC, DACVIM (SAIM), CVJ – Specialist Board Member
Dr. Christopher G. Byers is a practicing board-certified veterinary emergency & critical care and small animal internal medicine specialist, as well as a certified veterinary journalist, based in Omaha, Nebraska. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University. Originally from New Hampshire, Dr. Byers has called Omaha home since 2011 and was Nebraska’s first board certified veterinary emergency/critical care and small animal internal medicine specialist, He has been a member of the NAVM since 2012 and enjoys helping to bring exceptional veterinary educators to Omaha to provide amazing continuing educational opportunities.
Logan Donaldson, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology) – Specialist Board Member
Dr. Logan Donaldson received his DVM from Ross University while performing his clinical rotations at The Ohio State University. He then completed a neurology residency at Dogwood Veterinary Referral Center in Farmington, Michigan. He has been with VCA MidWest Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center since 2020 where he is a board-certified neurologist and is currently the Head of Specialty Medicine. He has a love for education and joined the NAVM board to help continue their mission of providing high quality continuing education for all members of the veterinary community.
Tiffany Huerter, DVM – Immediate Past President
Dr. Tiffany Huerter is a Nebraska native hailing originally from Columbus. She earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and completed her DVM degree at Iowa State University. She is currently an Associate Veterinarian at Walnut Creek Veterinary Clinic and enjoys all aspects of this incredibly diverse career field.
Her time outside of veterinary medicine is spent enjoying family, friends, food, music, and the outdoors. Dr. Huerter’s involvement in NAVM was aided by the ability to network with other colleagues throughout the area as well as help to bring quality continuing education to veterinary medicine personnel.