Veterinary Heroes honored at Fetch Long Beach

Photo courtesy of Brian Bombarda

Winners of the 2024 Veterinary Heroes program gather on stage at the luncheon held in their honor on Sunday, December 8, 2024, at the Fetch dvm360 Conference in Long Beach, California.

Eleven providers and industry professionals were recognized as Veterinary Heroes on the final day of the 2024 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Long Beach, California. Nominated by their colleagues, the 12 Veterinary Heroes program honorees were introduced to Fetch attendees and presented with their awards during a special luncheon at the Long Beach Convention Center.

Serving as emcee for the awards ceremony, Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, chief veterinary officer for dvm360, spoke about the hard working spirit that personifies the veterinary profession and noted that more than 200 nominations were submitted for the Veterinary Heroes awards in 12 categories. He then introduced John Hydrusko, vice president of dvm360 and Fetch, who thanked the audience for attending and acknowledged the hard work the 12 winners perform every day.

“You truly are amazing individuals,” he told the honorees. “We're humbled by you and your profession and the difference that each of you make with the animals that take care of.”

The 2024 Veterinary Heroes winners are as follows:

• Client Service Representative: Gerry Sprague — Tabernacle Animal Hospital (Tabernacle, New Jersey)
• Credentialed Veterinary Technician: Camia Tonge, MS, LVT, VTS (SAIM) — Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (New York, New York)
• Dentistry: Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP (Canine, Feline), FAVD — Hometown Animal Hospital and All Pets Dental (Weston, Florida)
• Dermatology: Meghan Solc, DVM, DACVD — Dermatology for Animals, A Thrive Pet Healthcare Partner (Catonsville, Maryland)
• Emergency Medicine: Dennis Tim Crowe Jr, DVM, Ph.D., DACVS, DACVECC, DACHM, NREMT-I, CFF — Veterinary Surgery, Emergency, and Critical Care Services and Consulting (Ventura, Thousand Oaks, California, and Bogart, Georgia)
• Feline Medicine: Susan V. Whittred, DVM — Patricia H. Ladew Foundation, Inc./The Paw Project (Oyster Bay, New York)
• General Practitioner: Patricia Kennedy Arrington, DVM, CVFP — Jefferson Animal Hospital Regional Emergency Practice and Trauma Center (Louisville, Kentucky)
• Internal Medicine: Ann E. Hohenhaus, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology, SAIM) — Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (New York, New York)
• Nutrition: Valerie J. Parker, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM and Nutrition) — The Ohio State University Medical Center (Columbus, Ohio)
• Practice Management: Adrianne Hiller, BS — CityVet – MidCities (Bedford, Texas)
• Surgery: Karl Maritato, DVM, DACVS-SA — MedVet Cincinnati (Fairfax, Ohio)
• Veterinary Paraprofessional (non-credentialed support staff): Khalfani Carr — VCA Woodbridge (Woodbridge VA), Regional Veterinary Referral Center (Springfield, Virginia)

The program annually recognizes those who have positively impacted animal care, demonstrating leadership, expertise and a commitment to improving the health and well-being of animals. These recognized individuals have excelled in their professional roles and influenced the broader veterinary community, setting new standards and inspiring others to continue evolving the practice of veterinary care. This year’s Veterinary Heroes program is supported by corporate sponsor Schwarzman Animal Medical Center and category sponsors Blue Buffalo Natural (Nutrition),MedVet (Surgery), Banfield Pet Hospital (Credential Veterinary Technician),Thrive Pet Healthcare (Veterinary Paraprofessional), andPRN Pharmacal (Dentistry).

During the ceremony, all of the winners were individually celebrated and formally introduced by an industry peer, colleague or category sponsor representative. The 11 winners in attendance also had the opportunity to speak to the crowd in accepting their awards. Although their achievements were being highlighted, many used the time to thank colleagues and family.