Dean's Advisory Council
K. T. Archer
Rappahannock, Virginia
A 1974 graduate of Mount Vernon College/GWU Campus in Washington D.C.. She worked at the American Mining Congress as an executive assistant, and later served as executive director for the Association of the Dredging Contractors of America — at the time, one of the few women representing that field.
Married in 1985 and joined her husband in developing a consulting company in the security field. Later, participated in national-level initiatives, including working on President H.W. Bush’s Houston Global Economic Summit, as well as volunteering with the Kennedy Center and National Wildlife Federation, Washington, D.C.
In 2011, received the Elizabeth J. Somers Women’s Leadership Award from Mount Vernon College. A main reason for recognition, was for philanthropic efforts, which included her efforts in animal welfare. KT lives on her farm in Rappahannock, Virginia, with her husband, Jerry, their dogs, horses, galloway cattle and trumpeter swans.
Jason Bollenbeck, DVM
Partner, Towne Animal Clinic
Purcellville, Virginia
Dr. Jason Bollenbeck graduated from the University Of Illinois College Of Veterinary Medicine in 1998. After graduation, he practiced at Pender Veterinary Centre in Fairfax for seven years. Dr. Bollenbeck and Dr. Len Rice purchased Towne Animal Clinic in Leesburg Virginia in January 2006. In April 2021, Dr Bollenbeck partnered Towne Animal Clinic with Southern Veterinary Partners.
Dr. Bollenbeck is a Past President of the Loudoun County Veterinary Medical Association and the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association. In 2013, Dr. Bollenbeck received the "Virginia Veterinary Service Award" for his dedication and commitment to the Veterinary profession, and in 2022 he received the "Paul F. Landis Virginia Veterinarian of the Year" award in recognition of his leadership, inspiration, and contributions to the veterinary profession.
Dr. Bollenbeck and his wife, Anne-Elizabeth, live on a farm outside of Middleburg Virginia with their three children Ainsley, Carter and Caroline, and a slew of animals. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, skiing, traveling, community service, and working on the farm. Dr. Bollenbeck is an active member of the Virginia Hamilton Ruritans.
John R Brooks, DVM
Practitioner, Churchville Veterinary Clinic
Kingsville, Maryland
John Brooks received his DVM in 1974 from the University of the Philippines. He graduated with his Bachelor of Science Degree, majoring in Animal Science from the University of Maryland in 1966. He grew up on a farm in Baltimore County raising grain, beef and swine. After 44 years in practice, Brooks is continuing to live his boyhood dream as a companion animal and large animal practitioner. He has received numerous awards at the local, state and national level for his work in veterinary associations.
Brooks, along with his wife of 37 years, and two grown sons tries to enjoy their home outside of Jackson Hole whenever possible and all the outdoor activities that Wyoming has to offer.
Dottie Cimino Brown, DVM '92
Vice President of Science and Healthcare Innovation, Mars Veterinary Health
Media, Pennsylvania
Dottie received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. After completing her internship and surgical residency at the University of Pennsylvania, she became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and remained on the faculty as a Professor of Surgery.
While at Penn, Dottie led a translational research program focused on the measurement and management of chronic pain in companion animals. She founded and directed the Veterinary Clinical Investigation Center for over a decade, building the expertise and infrastructure needed to support high-quality clinical trials in academic veterinary hospitals. Her 25-year academic career includes more than 130 scientific publications and book chapters.
In 2017, Dottie joined Elanco Animal Health to lead the Translational Comparative Medical Research program within Eli Lilly. In this role, she worked across both the human and animal health portfolios to identify shared opportunities that could benefit both fields. After Elanco’s IPO from Lilly, she directed several global teams in Research & Development, driving innovation in disease prevention and treatment.
In 2023, Dottie joined Mars Veterinary Health (MVH) as Vice President of Science and Healthcare Innovation. She provides strategic leadership to build the science function across the world’s largest provider of veterinary care. With a focus on outcomes-based healthcare and clinical studies, her team leverages strategic partnerships to transform MVH’s knowledge, reach, and data-driven insights into impactful advancements that empower veterinary professionals to deliver high-quality pet healthcare.
Bernie Cosell
Retired
Staffordsvile, Virginia
Bernie worked as a computer programmer for 26 years and retired to his farm near Staffordsville.
Chip Godine , DVM '87
Retired
Charlottesville, Virginia
Chip Godine is a retired small animal veterinarian and former practice owner, having served communities across Virginia through The Animal Hospital in Lynchburg, Franklin County Animal Hospital in Rocky Mount, and Ruckersville Animal Hospital in Ruckersville. Prior to his veterinary career, he worked in banking.
He has been a dedicated leader within the veterinary profession, serving as President of the Piedmont Veterinary Medical Association in 1991, President of the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association in 2003, and Virginia Delegate to the American Veterinary Medical Association from 2010 to 2017. From 2013 to 2015, he also served as President of the North American Association for Laser Therapy. Since 2020, he has been an active member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at the VMCVM.
His contributions have been recognized with the VVMA Veterinary Service Award in 2014 and the VMCVM Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
He is married to Caroline K. Godine '82, DVM ' 87 and is the proud parent of four grown children, including Lina Godine DVM '19.
Susan Hansen, Ph.D.
Retired
Christiansburg, Virginia
Susan Hansen is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University.Now retired, she previously served as a hospital executive and philanthropic foundation administrator.
A passionate equestrian, Susanne is also a pony breeder and the founder of the Pennsylvania Hunter Pony Breeders Association.
Susanne Heartsill DVM, DABVP
Director of US Companion Animal Veterinary Services, Ceva Animal Health
Auburn, Alabama
Susanne Heartsill is a proud graduate of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine and the founder of Downtown Animal Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
Dr. Heartsill currently serves as the Director of US Companion Animal Veterinary Services at Ceva Animal Health. She joined Ceva in 2018 as a Veterinary Services Manager and a Level 3, Fear Free Certified Veterinarian. Promoted to U.S. Cardiology Technical Marketing Manager in 2020, she developed and implemented cardiology education for the U.S. commercial team, created valuable resources for practicing veterinarians, and played a vital role in the launch of CARDALIS™ in the U.S. In recognition of her contributions, she was honored with the Ceva Circle of Excellence Award in 2020. Dr. Heartsill has authored and co-authored numerous publications and became a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Canine and Feline Practice in 2021. By early 2022, she had advanced to her current role which functions as the chief medical officer for companion animal in Ceva.
From 2004 to 2016, while managing her bustling small animal practice, Dr. Heartsill served as a key opinion leader for various veterinary advisory councils, including Virbac, Q-biotics, and Novartis Animal Health. She also acted as a Regional Field Advocate for IDEXX Laboratories, sharing her expertise through national lectures on diverse veterinary topics.
Recognized by the Memphis Business Journal as one of Memphis' Top 40 Under 40, she also received a community beautification award from the Memphis Blue Suede Brigade for her contributions to local revitalization efforts.
Always passionate about the environment, pollinators, native plant species and her community, Dr. Heartsill is a Master Gardener for the state of Alabama. Her gardening skills are an ever-evolving, work-in-progress on her hobby farm near Auburn, Alabama where she enjoys embracing farm life and exploring the great outdoors with her family.
Mark Helfat, DVM
Retired
Lumberton, New Jersey
Dr. Mark Helfat (Lumberton, N.J.), Cornell '77, recently retired after 47 years in general mixed practice (small animal/dairy). He served in leadership positions in the NJVMA and the AVMA for 35 years.
He founded the nonprofit Veterinary Practice Transition which serves to preserve the independent, solo owned practice. He and his wife Mendy donated the statue of “Shilo” which stands in the veterinary college grove.
Christine Jenkins
Bio coming soon.
Tom Massie '91, DVM '95
Practitioner, Rose Hill Veterinary Practice
Washington, Virginia
Dr. Massie is a full-time large animal veterinarian that received his BS in Animal Science from Virginia Tech in 1991 and his DVM from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM) at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA in 1995.
Dr. Massie began his practice career serving for three years as an associate veterinarian at Loudoun Veterinary Service in Purcellville, Virginia. In 1998, he returned to his home in Washington, Virginia to found what has become Rose Hill Veterinary Practice, P.C. The practice is divided into a small animal and a large animal division. Dr. Massie has served as President of the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association, Virginia Academy of Food Animal Practice, and served two terms on the Board of Directors for The American Association of Bovine Practitioners representing VA, MD, Washington D.C., NJ, and DE. He presently is serving on the Board of Veterinary Medicine for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
In his spare time, he works with his family in the management of their commercial beef cattle operation. He is also passionate about working with local families through the 4-H program, local schools, FamilyFutures, and is an active member of professional mentor programs. He and his wife, Loretta, have three adult children. When not practicing or farming, he enjoys fishing, camping, bicycling, travelling, and other outdoor activities.
Lauren Maxey '08, DVM '13
Practitioner, Caring Hands Animal Hospital
Arlington, Virginia
Graduated from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 2013 and currently works as a small animal general practitioner at Caring Hands Animal Hospital in Arlington, VA. Proponent of preventive care and enjoys establishing lifelong bonds with patients and clients to provide the best care throughout all life-stages.
Professionally, the Virginia Delegate to the American Veterinary Medical Association and currently completing the role of Immediate Past President of the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association. Passionate about representing the veterinary profession on both the state and national level.
Julia Murphy, DVM '92
State Public Health Veterinarian, Virginia Department of Health
Richmond, Virginia
Julia Murphy received her DVM from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM) in 1992. After three years in large animal private practice, she returned to VMCVM to pursue a residency in production medicine, earning an MS in 1998.
She became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Preventative Medicine in 1999 and began working for the Virginia Department of Health in 2002 where she currently serves as the state public health veterinarian.
Brian Neumann, DVM '14
Partner, Caring Hands Animal Hospital
Alexandria, VA
Dr. Brian Neumann is a partner and associate at Caring Hands Animal Hospital in Alexandria, VA. He is a graduate of Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, VA. Brian is a native of Bethesda, MD, and attended Virginia Tech as an undergraduate.
His veterinary interests include emergency medicine, geriatric care, dentistry, and ultrasound. In addition to his work with the VVMA, he is the president of the Northern Virginia Veterinary Medical Association (NVVMA), and sits on the boards for Caring Hands Animal Support and Education (CHASE) and the Chris Griffey Memorial Feline Foundation.
In his free time, he is very interested in international travel, scuba diving, fishing, Washington Commanders and Virginia Tech Hokies football, running, hiking, and cooking. You can find him at a local craft brewery or winery with friends and family on weekends when not working. He is currently living in North Alexandria.
Skip Schuelke '69
Retired
Southport, North Carolina
With over 40 years of experience in the human biosciences field, Skip Schuelke has served as CEO of multiple corporations, leading the clinical introduction of biomedical devices for minimally invasive surgery and soft tissue tumor ablation. A founding member and the inaugural CEO of Virginia Bio (VaBio), Schuelke led the organization for six years, helping to shape the state's biotechnology ecosystem.
Schuelke also played a key leadership role at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, serving as Chair of the "Invent the Future" fundraising campaign, which successfully raised over $54 million to support veterinary medical education and research. His professional interests focus on the commercialization of translational research.
Maria Shank '98, '99,'03, DVM '06
Anatomic Pathologist, IDEXX
Ruckersville, Virginia
Dr. Shank is an anatomic pathologist and joined IDEXX in February 2012. She works remotely from her homestead in Ruckersville, Virginia where she lives with her husband, three kids, three cats, two dobermans, bees, and “about a million” chickens, ducks, and quail.
She earned her undergraduate degrees from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, and a Master’s and DVM at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed an anatomic pathology residency program at the University of Kentucky in 2009, was a clinical instructor for one year, and became board certified in anatomic pathology in 2011. Her top areas of interest are ocular pathology and reproductive pathology.
In her spare time she likes to garden, hike, read, play with her family, and earn her reputation as a crazy chicken lady! She recently started a 5013c company focused on teaching and preservation of homesteading skills.
Michael Stanton
Captain U.S. Navy (Retired) PE, NE, MBA, DAWP
Blue & Gold Officer, United States Naval Academy
Michael B. Stanton served 30 years in the U.S. Navy, achieving rank of Captain. He specialized in the operation, acquisition, design, construction, maintenance & disposal of Navy ships. He had responsibility over 140 ship projects encompassing $20 billion in Navy shipbuilding and maintenance contracts. He held positions as a Commanding Officer and as a Major Program Manager.
After retiring from the Navy, Mr. Stanton worked nine years for BAE Systems Ship Repair as the Director of Strategic Planning and Operational Excellence. His achievements included winning several hundred million dollars in Navy contracts, the acquisition of a $100 million drydock, and an organizational champion for business transformation. Throughout his careers, Mr. Stanton earned a reputation as a leader in organizational change, team-building, business performance improvement and mentoring.
During his career in industry, Mr. Stanton also served on the Board of Directors of The Shipbuilder’s Council of America, where he chaired the Committee on Workforce Development, advising the Assistant Secretary of the Navy on challenges & strategies for strengthening America’s marine workforce.
Mr. Stanton is a 1983 distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy (B.S. in Mechanical Engineering). In 1989 he graduated from MIT where he earned the advanced degree of Naval Systems Engineer, and an M.S. in Mechanical engineering. He earned his professional engineering license in 1993. Mr. Stanton earned an MBA at ODU and served as a highly-regarded adjunct faculty instructor in the Strome School of Business since 2011. He has completed executive leadership and business training at Harvard Business School, Kenan-Flagler School of Business (UNC) and Babson College.
Capatain Stanton serves multiple volunteer and philanthropic causes, notably as a Blue & Gold Officer for the U.S. Naval Academy, Isle of Wight County Citizen’s Audit Committee, and as a certified Virginia Master Naturalist. He and his wife Jennifer reside in Smitfield Virginia. They have owned and rescued six dogs together.
Bill Tyrell, DVM ' 92
Co-chief Medical Officer, CVCA Cardiac Care for Pets
Leesburg, Virginia
Dr. Bill Tyrrell is a 1992 graduate of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM) and a board-certified cardiologist in veterinary medicine. After spending four years in private practice, he began his cardiology residency at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital. He completed his ACVIM credentials at CVCA Cardiac Care for Pets (formerly Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates) and became board-certified in veterinary cardiology in 1999.
A co-founder of CVCA, Dr. Tyrrell now serves as the co-chief medical officer, overseeing the operations of 27 locations across the United States and managing a team of over 60 cardiologists and cardiology residents.
Dr. Tyrrell has been actively involved in organized veterinary medicine throughout his career. He is a past president of the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association (VVMA) and has served as the Alternate Delegate for Virginia to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) House of Delegates. Additionally, he was the past president of the VMCVM Alumni Society. He remains an engaged member of his alma mater, serving as chair of the Dean’s Advisory Council and participating in the mentor/mentee program.
Currently, Bill is the Treasurer of the ACVIM Board of Regents and has chaired numerous ACVIM committees. His contributions to the veterinary community were recognized in 2015 with the VVMA Virginia Distinguished Veterinarian Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award from VMCVM in 2019.
Dr. Tyrrell has published several studies, primarily focused on giant breed cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation, degenerative mitral valve disease, and cardiac biomarkers. He serves his local community as a past chair of the Loudoun Impact Fund and was just appointed to the Inova Loudoun Hospital Foundation Board.
Outside of his professional life, Bill resides in Leesburg, Virginia, with his wife, Jen, and their two daughters, both currently in college. In his rare moments of leisure, he enjoys golfing, cheering on the Hokies, collecting wine, and restoring vintage sports cars with his brother.