Symposium day has come and gone!

 Dr. Felix attended the University of Arizona and graduated in May 2010 for undergrad - (Bear down Wildcats!) She went on to the University of Wisconsin - Madison for veterinary school graduating in 2015. Then completing her rotating internship at the Veterinary Specialty Hospitals of the Carolinas in Cary, Raleigh, and Durham from June 2015 - July 2016; on to her emergency & critical care residency at Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn, MA. Dr. Felix worked outside of Boston with MVRH and Boston West Veterinary Emergency and Specialty for about 1.5 years before moving here to ASEC. She authored a case report of cholecalciferol toxicity and treatment in a puppy, and professional interests include treating sepsis, trauma, and heatstroke. Dr. Felix grew up playing soccer and still loves to catch a game in her free time. She enjoys cooking, going kayaking, playing volleyball... and anything else outdoors by the ocean. She also is a fanatic about all things Arizona Wildcats!

 A graduate of Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Tovar then completed a rotating internship at Advanced Veterinary Care Center in Lawndale, CA. She went on to practice emergency medicine in Texas, Massachusetts, and Australia for several years prior to completion of an internship and residency in Emergency and Critical Care at Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center. Dr. Tovar successfully completed the ACVECC exam to become a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. 

Dr. Tovar worked in Chicago as a criticalist prior to returning to southern California. She has published on plasmapheresis in dogs and taught hands-on emergency procedures at multiple regional conferences. Professional interests include sepsis, peri-operative care, and respiratory-related illness.

 After graduating with his DVM from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Trivedi completed his internship at Veterinary Medical and Surgical Group in Ventura. After completing an internal medicine residency at UC Davis, he successfully completed the ACVIM exam and requirements to become a Diplomate (Board Certified Internist) of the ACVIM. His professional interests include endocrinology, gastrointestinal disease and pancreatic disease. 

 A graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, he then completed his internship with our surgical department. After completing a surgical residency at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine/Angell Memorial Animal Hospital he successfully completed the ACVS exam to become a Diplomate (Board Certified Surgeon) of the ACVS. He has published an article on angular limb deformities, as well as authored several chapters in the textbooks Clinical Veterinary Advisor and Ettinger’s Textbook of Internal Medicine. Additional publications include frequent articles for PULSE magazine. His professional interests include orthopedic, neurologic, and minimally invasive surgery. 

 A California born native to the South Bay, Dr. Goldberg has worked as an anesthesiologist in Los Angeles for the past two years. She received her DVM from Kansas State University, was a rotating intern at VCA ASEC, and completed a residency in anesthesia and analgesia at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Dr. Goldberg’s professional interests include critical care anesthesia, brachycephalic patients, exotic and large animal anesthesia, and locoregional techniques. 

 Dr. Margie Smith is an Indiana native with a passion for alleviating oral pain in veterinary patients. She received her DVM from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2015 followed by a small animal rotating internship in Denver, CO and a 3y residency at Colorado State University in Dentistry and Oral Surgery. Her passion lies in maxillofacial trauma and oral tumors with a special interest in porcine dentistry. She lives in Los Angeles, CA with her partner, two cats, two-legged chihuahua, and Sulcata tortoise. 

 Dr. Sandra Allweiler is a board-certified veterinary anesthesiologist and pain specialist. She is certified in traditional and veterinary medical acupuncture (Chi institute and CuraCore) and in canine massage/ rehabilitation through the Canine Rehabilitation Institute (CRI). She lectures nationally and internationally on companion animal anesthesia, pain management, acupuncture and wildlife anesthesia.

Dr. Allweiler is a member of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia & Analgesia, a member of the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists, the American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, and the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society.

Outside of work, Dr. Allweiler enjoys photography, hiking, traveling, and most important spending time with her family and their dogs: a catahoula leopard dog called Mobitz, and three Border Terriers named Momo, Martin, and Andechs.

Leah currently works in Boston, MA as the lead anesthesia technician at MSPCA-Angell. Her hometown is Santa Monica, CA and she's been in the field since graduating high school. Her first veterinary job was at SNP LA, and after a few years decided to make the jump to specialty medicine. She started at ASEC as a radiology assistant and shortly after joined the surgical team. Monitoring anesthesia and helping out in critical care is where she began to thrive, as well as unlock her love of teaching. Excited to learn more, she expanded her horizons by joining the anesthesia department at Oregon State University, where she was responsible for teaching students during their small and large animal anesthesia rotation. Eventually, Leah made her way to Angell's anesthesia department, where she trains new staff,  implements training programs in anesthesia for different specialties, as well as works on the floor managing cases. Her professional interests include critical case management of any species, local/regional blocks, TIVA, and open chest cases. Fun facts: Her favorite animal is a raccoon and favorite dog breed is a Rottweiler. She has one pet, a mischievous, fluffy cat named Obi. 

Megan graduated in 2000 with a BS in Veterinary Technology and obtained her Veterinary Technician Specialty in Emergency/Critical Care in 2004. She has enjoyed working in emergency and critical care since 2000 and is the Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing at the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital in West Lafayette, Indiana. Here, Megan truly enjoys the opportunity to work with veterinary nursing supervisors as well as teach and train technicians and students on the hospital floor. She loves to travel and lecture sharing her knowledge with veterinary technicians and nurses around the world.

 Armond is a skilled veterinary technician that has been in the specialty medicine realm since 2008. He joined the ASEC crew back in 2014, the same year he obtained his Registered Veterinary Technician and VTNE certifications. Armond received his Bachelors in Biology from Loyola Marymount University. He has been instrumental in training and leading our emergency & critical care teams. He loves teaching and helping others to gain the proper skills to care for patients in a compassionate way.