WORLD CONGRESS OF VETERINARY ANAESTHESIOLOGY

Council Roster and Biography’s 2018 - 2023

The WCVA is administered by Members of a Council which is similar to a Board of Directors. The WCVA Council is comprised of chairs or organizers of each Congress. Dr. Leslie Hall chaired the 1st Congress and Dr. Mike Rex chaired the 3rd Congress. Unfortunately, both have passed. Dr. Hall‟s position on the Council was not refilled but Dr. Len Cullen was selected to replace Dr. Rex on the Council. There were co-chairs for the 2nd WCVA and as of 2012, there are 11 permanent members of the WCVA Council. In 2009, the Council created 3 new rotating positions each to be occupied by a veterinary anesthesiologist selected each by the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists (AVA), American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (ACVAA*), and European College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (ECVAA). Members on this Roster will serve until WCVA 2018 in Venice.
* The name of the ACVA was changed in 2012 and is listed as ACVAA.

Eddie Clutton

Glasgow, UK 2009

BVSc, DVA, DECVAA, MRCVS, MRCA
Professor, University of Edinburgh
Midlothian, Scotland

Dr. Clutton graduated with his BVSC [hons]) from the University of Liverpool in 1981. He worked for 3 years in the Department of Anesthesia at The Royal Liverpool Hospital. He was awarded a Cert VA (RCVS) in 1983 and the DVA in 1988. Eddie worked at the University of Virginia – Maryland, USA for 5 years as Assistant Professor in Veterinary Anesthesiology. He joined the faculty at Edinburgh and has been Head of Anaesthesia R(D)SVS since 1990. Dr. Clutton became Diplomate of the ECVAA in 1996. He is a member of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, the British Equine Veterinary Association, Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law Veterinary Association and the Veterinary History Society. He served as Editor-in-chief of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia (2000 – 2005) and is a Past President of the AVA. Research interests: neuromuscular blockade (horses and sheep) pain (horses, sheep and pigs) depth of anesthesia monitoring (horses and pigs). August 2007, Dr. Clutton was awarded Chair of Veterinary Anaesthesiology at the University of Edinburgh.

Federico Corletto

Representing ECVAA 2015 – 2018

PhD, CertVA, DECVAA, MRCVS
Dick White Referrals, Six mile Bottom, UK

Dr. Corletto graduated from the veterinary school at the University of Padova, Italy in 1997 and was Lecturer at the school in Veterinary Anaesthesia. He entered an anaesthesia residency at the Animal Health Trust, Suffolk, UK where he was awarded the CertVA RCVA in 2002. He achieved ECVAA Diplomate status in 2003. Dr. Coreletto was a Clinical Anaesthetist at the Animal Health Trust for 3 years and then started a Clinical Research Fellowship in Neuroscience supported by the Wellcome Trust at the Division of Anaesthetics of Addenbrooke‟s Hospital in Cambridge where he earned his PhD. Dr. Corletto joined Dick White Referrals in 2008 where he developed the veterinary anaesthesia service. He has been member and Chairperson of the Credentials and Education Committee of the ECVAA and is serving as its President. He is Chairperson of the 2018 WCVA Congress to be held in Venice, Italy.

Len K. Cullen

Brisbane, Australia 1988

MA, MVSc, PhD, FACVSc, DVA, DECVAA, FRCVS
Professor Emeritus Veterinary Anaesthesia
School of Veterinary and Life Sciences
Murdoch University, Murdoch. W.A. 6150. Australia.

Dr. Cullen graduated from the veterinary school at the University of Queensland in 1968 then spent a few years in private practice. In 1975 he commenced study in veterinary anesthesia at the University of Liverpool and obtained the Diploma in Veterinary Anaesthesia (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, London) in 1977. In 1978, he was awarded a MVSc degree from the veterinary school in Liverpool and had a clinical appointment at the VTH at the University of Cambridge, England. In 1979, Len joined the veterinary faculty at Murdoch University in Perth W.A. with responsibilities of teaching and clinical anesthesia. He also completed requirements for a PhD in 1986 and became Associate Professor there. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (London), a Diplomate of the ECVAA and Fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists. He retired in May 2011, became Emeritus Associate Professor and lives in Perth. In 1988 in Brisbane, Queensland, the 3rd WCVA was held and Len assisted Dr. Mike Rex with the arrangements of the running of this Congress.

Tom J. Doherty

Knoxville, TN USA 2003

MVB, MSc, DACVAA
Professor, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN

Dr. Doherty received his Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine from the University College Dublin in 1974. He did post-graduate studies in anesthesia 1982-83 at the Royal Veterinary College in London, England and received his certificate in Veterinary Anaesthesia in 1985 from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. He did graduate studies and anesthesia residency at the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada 1983 – 1986 and became a Diplomate of the ACVAA in 1986. Tom received his MS degree in Pharmacology 1989. He was an anesthesiologist in the Department of Large Animal Medicine at Tufts University 1988 – 1990 and subsequently joined the veterinary faculty at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Tom was chair of the 8th WCVA September 16 – 20, 2003 in Knoxville and was elected to the Council that same year.

Kenneth Joubert

Cape Town, S. Africa 2012

WCVA Council Secretary, 2012 - 2015
BVSc (UP) MMedVet (Anaes)
Lonehill, South Africa

Kenneth graduated with a BVSc from The University of Pretoria in 1995. After graduating, he joined a small animal practice in Johannesburg for 2 years and returned to the University of Pretoria for advanced studies. In 2000, he obtained a MMedVet (Anaes) and held the position of senior lecturer in anesthesiology at the university. He left Pretoria in 2004 to re-join private practice before starting his own referral practice in anesthesiology, pain management and critical care. Dr. Joubert currently holds an extra-ordinary lecturing post in pharmacology in the Department of Paraclinical Sciences at the University and runs a private practice dedicated to anesthesia, analgesia and critical care. He has regularly examined students in pharmacology, anesthesiology and clinical studies. Kenneth has a keen interest in total intravenous anesthesia, intensive care, ventilation and cardiology. His research interests include NSAIDs, anesthetic depth monitoring and TIVA. Kenneth was Chairman of the 11th WCVA held in Cape Town 2012.

Sabine Kaestner

Representing AVA 2015 - 2018

DrMedVet, DECVAA
European Specialist in Anaesthesia and Analgesia
Hannover, Buntenveg 9
Hannover, Germany

Dr Kästner graduated from the Justus Liebig University of Giessen (Germany). Thereafter, she completed her doctoral degree (Dr med vet) at the Institute of Veterinary Pathology of the same University. She went on to work in a busy horse clinic in Southern Germany before starting a Master of Veterinary Science in Large Animal Medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada. After her return to Europe she worked for a short time at the Equine Exercise Lab of the University of Zürich before changing over from the running to the sleeping animals at the same University. In Zürich Dr Kästner completed a residency program of the ECVAA and the research for her Habilitation thesis on alpha2 adrenergic agonists in small ruminants. She became a Diplomate of the ECVAA in 2003 and Professor of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover in 2008. Between 2008 and 2015 Dr Kästner was member of the examination committee of the ECVAA, chairing this committee for the last 2 years. Dr Kästner is chair of the anaesthesia, analgesia and intensive care group (VAINS) of the German Society of Veterinary Medicine (DVG) and is Junior Vice President of the AVA 2015.

Evert Lagerweij

Utrecht, Netherlands 1991

DVM, PhD, DVA, DECVAA.
Professor Emeritus
Utrecht, The Netherlands

Evert received his DVM from the University of Utrecht in 1959 and for the next 3 years served as Junior Assistant at the Clinic of Veterinary Surgery at Utrecht. In 1963, he joined the veterinary faculty as Senior Assistant at the University of Zürich, Switzerland. Two years later he became a Senior Scientific Co-worker at the Clinic of Veterinary Surgery at The University of Utrecht and served in this capacity until 1975. During this time, Dr Lagerweij obtained his Diploma in Veterinary Anaesthesia (DVA) from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, London in 1968 and his PhD at the University in 1973. He was promoted to the rank of Professor and served as Head of the Sub-department of Veterinary Anaesthesiology of the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences at Utrecht 1975 to 1994. Evert was Supervisor for five PhD students, was Chairman of the Centennial Committee of the Utrecht University Foundation 1985 – 1986, and Vice Chairman of the Committee of Animal Experimentation of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences 1990 – 2003. He also served as Chairman of the University Advisory Committee on the Quality of Personnel Policy from 1988 to 1995 and was a Member of the Board of Appeals of the Dutch Trotting Association in 1989. He was Vice President and then President of the AVA between 1992 – 1998. Evert is a Founder of the ECVAA established in 1993 and received Diplomate status in 2004. He served as Chair of the 4th WCVA Congress held at Utrecht. After a distinguished career at the University of Utrecht, Dr. Lagerweij retired as Professor Emeritus in 1994.

Stelio P. L. Luna

Santos, Brazil 2006

WCVA Vice President, 2012 - 2015
DrMed Vet, PhD, DECVAA, Cert IVAS
Professor, Departamento de Cirurgia e Anestesiologia Veterinária. Brazil

Dr. Luna graduated with his BVM in 1984 from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo State, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. He performed a one year residency in veterinary Anesthesia at the same institution and after two years of equine private practice, he obtained his MS degree in 1990 from U. São Paulo and received his PhD in 1993 from the Animal Health Trust, Newmarket and University of Cambridge, UK. Stelio received his DECVAA in 1995 and his International Certification of Acupuncturist in 2002, from the IVAS. He was President of the Brazilian Association of Veterinary Acupuncture (ABRAVET) 1999-2004, Executive Director of the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, 2004-2008 and President of the Brazilian College of Veterinary Surgery and Anaesthesiology 2004-2006. Stelio has been teaching at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, of the University of São Paulo State, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil, since 1987 and was awarded the title of Full Professor of Veterinary Anaesthesia in 2008. His special areas of interest are pain management and assessment, stress and acupuncture.

Wayne N. McDonell

Guelph, Ontario, Canada 1994

DVM, PhD, DACVAA
Professor Emeritus, Ontario Veterinary College
University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Dr. McDonell received his DVM from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1965 and after one year in private practice was hired by OVC as a junior faculty member to establish anesthesia as a specialization at OVC – the first in a Canadian veterinary school. His veterinary discipline training was largely „self-taught‟ but Wayne did participate in the University of Toronto medical residency program. He completed an MSc in 1969 (University of Guelph), and a PhD in 1974 (Cambridge) under Dr. Leslie Hall‟s supervision. He was granted a DVA is 1973 by examination and became a Charter Diplomate of the ACVAA in 1976, later serving as the Exam Committee Chair and then President of the ACVAA. During his academic career at Guelph, Wayne served as the Departmental Graduate Coordinator, as Area Coordinator for the small animal and then the large animal clinic, a 3 year term as Hospital Director and eventually for the final 7 years of his career as the College Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs. His passion has always been research and graduate training and has supervised or co-supervised 7 interns in veterinary anesthesia, 6 residents, 10 resident/clinical doctorate (DVSc), 5 MSc and 3 research doctorate (PhD) students. In 1994, Wayne was Chair of the organizing committee for the 5th Congress held in Guelph. He retired in 2004 after 38 years as an OVC faculty member and was granted University Professor Emeritus status.

Dimitris Raptopoulos

Thessaloniki, Greece 1997

DVM, PhD, DVA, DECVAA
WCVA President, 2012 - 2015
Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki, Greece

Dr. Raptopoulos received his DVM from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Greece in 1969. He completed requirements for his PhD from FVMT in 1976 and following postgraduate studies at Bristol University Veterinary School, the DVA, 1978 of the RCVS, UK. He has been a member of the FVMT veterinary faculty since 1972 and was promoted as Professor of Anaesthesiology in 1995. He has served as Dean of the FVMT 2003-07, Head of the Department of Clinical Sciences, Head of the Companion Animal Clinic, and Head of the Unit of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care. In addition, he has served as member of the Administrative Council of the second School of Veterinary Medicine of Greece, in Karditsa 2000-2001. Dimitris was an invited specialist and founding member of the ECVAA in 1995 and is registered by EBVS as an European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. He has served various offices and committees of the college including President 2002-2005. He was President of the AVA 2000-2002, has been Chairman of the organizing and/or scientific Committees of another two World, three European, and many National Congresses. Dimitris retired Dec 30, 2011 and in May 2012, became Professor Emeritus. He was subsequently selected to be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the European Board of Veterinary Specialisation (EBVS) in December 2012. Since 1997, Dimitris has been a member of the WCVA Council having organized the 6th WCVA in Halkidiki, Greece and is serving his 4th term as President.

Donald C. Sawyer

Sacramento, CA USA 1985

DVM, PhD, DACVAA, HDABVP
WCVA Treasurer, 2015 - 2018
Professor Emeritus, Michigan State University

Dr. Sawyer received his BS, DVM, and MS from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University in 1959, 1961, and 1962, respectively. After a year in small animal practice in South Bend, IN, he spent 2.3 years in San Antonio, TX as Captain and Support Surgeon at the US Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine. In September 1965, he entered the Advanced Degree Program headed by William (Bill) Lumb, DVM, PhD at the Surgical Laboratory, Colorado State University and received his PhD in Anesthesia and Surgery in 1969 . After spending 1.5 years of postdoctoral research and residency training under the direction of E. I. Eger II, MD in the Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, he joined the veterinary faculty at Michigan State University as Associate Professor of Anesthesia and Head Anesthesia Section, June 1970. Don was promoted to Professor in 1977 and served in a number of capacities at MSU including teaching, clinical service, Coordinator/Assistant Dean of Lifelong Education and Alumni affairs and research in anesthesia and analgesia. He retired as Professor Emeritus July 1997 and is active in the specialty with consulting and lifelong education activities nationally and internationally. He is a Founding Diplomate of the ACVA 1975, Co-founder of the ABVP 1978 and was selected by the ABVP as one of five Honorary Diplomates in 1985. He has served as President of both specialty groups. Don is an Honor Roll member of the AVMA and was selected as Veterinarian of the Year 1999. He was co-chair with Gene Steffey of the 2nd WCVA in 1985 and has served on the WCVA Council in various capacities since its inception. He is in his 8th term as Treasurer.

Urs Schatzmann

Berne, Switzerland 2000

DrMedVet, FVH, PD, DECVAA
Professor Emeritus, Division of Anaesthesiology
Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine
University of Berne, Switzerland

Urs Schatzmann graduated from the Veterinary School in Berne in 1969. Urs earned his Doctor in Veterinary Medicine in 1970 and in 1973 became a wiss specialist in Equine edicine FVH pezialtierarzt f r Pferde). In 1976, he defended his Habilitation at the University of Berne gaining the title “Privatdozent” for General and pecial Veterinary Anaesthesiology at the Veterinary Faculty, University of Berne. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1989 and gained full professorship in 1994. Dr. Schatzmann was head of the Anaesthesia Division from 1975-2006. Additionally, he was Acting Dean of the Veterinary Faculty at the University of Berne 1990–1992, Co-Director or Director of the Clinic of Ruminants and Horses 1995 – 2000 and Head of the Clinical Department 2000- 2005. Urs held many posts in Swiss governmental and cantonal offices as a member and/or president. He has also served as a veterinary expert for the Swiss Army and is still very active in the historical group of the mounted Berner Dragoner 1779. Dr. Schatzmann promoted veterinary anesthesia throughout Europe and has had official functions both in the ECVAA and the AVA for many years. He was a founding member of the ECVAA as an invited specialist and served on the Interim Board from 1990 to 1999 as Vice President. He was President of the AVA 1996-1998 and member of the AVA Trust Fund for many years. Urs became Professor Emeritus in 2006 and enjoys the Old Town life of Berne.

Lesley Smith

Representing ACVAA, 2015 - 2018

DVM, ACVAA
Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology
Department of Surgical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
Madison, Wisconsin

Dr. Smith received her Bachelor of Arts from Vassar College in 1985 and her DVM from Washington State University in 1989. After working for Boehringer-Ingelheim in clinical field trials, she began a residency in anesthesia at Washington State University. Dr. Smith became board-certified by the ACVAA in 1995. She worked as an instructor in anesthesiology at the University of Georgia and Cornell University before joining the faculty at the University of Wisconsin in 1997 where she is currently a Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology. Dr. Smith participates in clinical and didactic teaching of students, served as the Section Head for Anesthesia and Pain Management for many years, and has received research funding from the Morris Animal Foundation and the National Institute of Health. Dr. Smith served on the ACVAA Board of Directors from 2010-2014, chaired the Board from 2012-2014, and served as President-Elect of the ACVAA from 2014-2015. She is currently President of the ACVAA.

Eugene P. Steffey

Sacramento, CA USA 1985

VMD, PhD, DACVAA, DECVAA
Professor Emeritus, Department of Surgical & Radiological Sciences
School of Veterinary Medicine
University of California, Davis, CA

Dr. Steffey received his VMD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1967 and completed a general internship a year later at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis (UCD). He then joined the R.S. and R.H Detwiler Animal Hospital in Reading, Pennsylvania. In late 1969, he returned to UCD and pursued a PhD under the direction of JR Gillespie, DVM, PhD. Dr. Steffey completed post-doctoral research training at the School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco under the direction of EI Eger, II, MD and then joined the faculty of the School of Veterinary Medicine at UCD. In addition to regular activities of anesthesiology teaching, research, and providing clinical service at UCD‟s Veterinary edical Teaching Hospital, he chaired the Department of Veterinary Surgery at UCD for 14 years which included the time of the second Congress. He retired from his active faculty post at UCD in 2008, but continues anesthesia-related graduate level instruction and research both at UCD and Colorado State University. He is a Charter Diplomate ACVAA and a Founding Diplomate of the ECVAA. He served as President of the ACVAA and is currently completing his second term on its Board of Directors.

Kazuto Yamashita

Kyoto, Japan 2015

DVM, MS, PhD, Charter Dipl. JCVS
Professor, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences
School of Veterinary Medicine
Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido

Kazu graduated from Tottori University in 1987, completed his MS in Tottori University and received his DVM in 1989. He finished the whole doctoral course in 1992 and was conferred on his PhD degree from Hokkaido University in 1994. He joined the faculty at Rakuno Gakuen University (RGU) since 1992. He spent 12 months to learn veterinary anesthesia at the Ohio State University as a Visiting Scholar in 1999-2000. In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate students and participation in research and clinical service at RGU, he established and has operated the Anesthesia Section in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of RGU since 2004. He acts as the treasurer of the Asian Society of Veterinary Surgery (AiSVS), the chairperson of the Japanese Society of Study for Animal Pain (JSSAP), and part of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Global Pain Council and the editorial board of the Journal Veterinary Medical Science. He was Chairman of the 12th WCVA September 1-4, 2015 in Kyoto.