2025 Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association Winter Meeting
February 8, 2025
2025 Winter Meeting Speaker List/Schedule:
7:30-8 AM- Check In
8-8:50AM: AVTA General Board Member Meeting/ Elections/ Awards (1 hour CE Given)
9-9:50AM:
10-10:50AM:
11-11:50AM:
12-12:50PM BREAK FOR LUNCH
1-1:50PM:
2-2:50PM:
3-3:50PM:
4-4:50PM:
5-5:50PM:
6PM- FINAL REGARDS AND DISMISSAL BY AVTA BOARD.
Speakers
Andrea Harris
Andrea is the CEO & Founder of Hippie Hounds. After 10 years in the veterinary industry she knew that it was her calling to combine her two passions: cannabis and canines. She founded her full-spectrum hemp manufacturing company in 2019 and her products have been changing veterinary professionals' minds about herbal medicine. She is an international master speaker on veterinary cannabis, and she enthusiastically paves the way for other veterinary professionals within the emerging cannabis space. In 2022 Andrea became the learning program manager for Veterinary Cannabis Education & Referral Services.
Mary Gardner, DVM
There is nothing better to Dr. Gardner than a dog with a grey muzzle or skinny old cat! Her professional goal is to increase awareness and medical care for the geriatric veterinary patient and to help make the final life stage to be as peaceful as possible, surrounded with dignity and support for all involved.
A University of Florida graduate, she discovered her niche in end of life care and is the co-founder and CIO of Lap of Love which has over 300veterinarians around the country dedicated to veterinary hospice and euthanasia in the home.
Dr. Gardner published 2 books on caring for geriatric pets. "It's Never Long Enough" (dogs) and "Nine Lives Are Not Enough" (cats). She is co-author of the textbook “The Treatment and Care of the Veterinary Patient”, co-author of a children’s activity book focused on saying goodbye to a dog called “Forever Friend”.
Dr. Gardner also won VMX Small Animal Speaker of the year in 2020!
Katrina Lafferty, BFA, RLAT, CVT, VTS (anesthesia/analgesia)
Katrina Lafferty is a 2001 graduate from DePaul University in Chicago, IL with her BFA in Theatre. She returned to school and graduated with her degree in Veterinary Technology in 2005. She was accepted into the Academy of Veterinary Technician Anesthetists in 2009. She earned her registered lab animal technician certification in 2019.
Katrina has worked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison since 2005. She was a senior technician in the Anesthesia and Pain Management Department at the school of veterinary medicine until 2016; she transitioned to the National Primate Center at the University in 2016, where she was a senior technician in the anesthesia and surgery department. She moved back to the anesthesia department at the school of veterinary medicine in 2022. She is extremely involved in the education of the veterinary community and has written several articles and book sections and has presented at a number of continuing education sessions on an international level.