Our Speakers
Laurie McCauley, DVM, DAVCSMR, CCRT, CVA,CVC
Dr. McCauley has had a lifelong passion to help as many pets as possible live an Optimum Quality of Life. After graduating from Colorado State School of Veterinary Medicine she spent six years in general practice, and quickly became a pioneer in the field of Veterinary Rehabilitation. She went on to open the first Veterinary Rehabilitation Clinic in 1998 and designed the first underwater treadmill for dogs.
Dr. McCauley was on faculty at Canine Rehabilitation Institute for 14 years and has taught thousands of veterinarians, physical therapists and veterinary technicians the art of Canine Rehabilitation. She is certified in Acupuncture and Chiropractic therapy and Board Certified in Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Dr. McCauley is an International lecturer and contributing author in many textbooks and journals. She was awarded the 2011 Iams AARV Award of Excellence in the Field of
Rehabilitation and the 2015 AHVMA Holistic Practitioner of the Year Award. She does locum work at the Louisiana School of Veterinary Medicine, stepping in as head of the Integrative Medicine Department several times a year.
Dr. McCauley owns Red Tail Rehab, a mobile canine rehabilitation practice in North Carolina. She began Optimum Pet Vitality in 2020 to teach professionals and pet parents different ways to help their clients and pets achieve Optimum health. With this online teaching platform, Dr. Laurie is empowering people all over the world to help pets have an Optimum Quality of Life.
Laura Garrett
DVM, DACVIM (Onco)
Dr. Laura Garrett is a Clinical Professor in Oncology, Coordinator of Communication
Training, and head of Specialty Medicine at the University of Illinois College of
Veterinary Medicine.
Topics of publications include lymphoma, mast cell tumors, cytology, and communication skills. She has served as the President of the Veterinary
Cancer Society and the Chair of the Board of Regents for the American College of
Veterinary Internal Medicine.
She has five times received the student-nominated Mell Faculty Award for empathy and honoring the bond between owners and pets.
Heidi Hulon
DVM
Dr. Heidi Hulon graduated from Auburn University with both her undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s of Science, Zoology) and with her D.V.M. She has practiced in in a variety of areas during her career, including small animal practice (associate and owner), relief vet, shelter medicine, Department Chair for a Veterinary Technology Program, and as a Technical Veterinarian for Hill’s Pet Nutrition.
Since 2011, Dr. Hulon has been a Regional Consulting Veterinarian for Elanco Animal Health. Her current role is as the Wellbeing Consulting Veterinarian where her personal and professional passion and experience are shared in the delivery of education on wellbeing topics to our veterinary customers across the country.
Subjects in which Dr. Hulon has certifications
include Insights Discovery, Compassion Fatigue, Positive Psychology, QPR Suicide Training, Fear Free, the Human Animal Bond and Mental Health First Aid and FRANK Communication Training.
Sara Waltz Johnston
DVM
Today I wrestled emus and am currently undergoing therapy for TMJ induced by a kick to the face by one.
I have all the credentials. Hokie grad! Master of Physiology from NCSU. Internship in Cary and stayed on as ER. Then I had babies and realized that ER is a hard life. I moved to a house in the woods with no internet. I did GP then moved into a role as area MD that I loved. Leading was almost as good as ER. In Dec 2022, I took a leap of faith and joined a friend to open a privately owned urgent care in Cary (Truss). I am the medical director and teach to my heart's content while still tapping a pericardium now and then. I am loving life, my job, and seeing what happens next.
As a hobby, I like to collect misfit animals in large numbers though they contribute nothing...other than draining our wallets. This includes emus, of which my husband is terrified, and a ram that rams the kids. We have 2 ginger boys.
Core values: empathy, loyalty, determination, and caring for others.
Stacy Santoro Binstock, DVM, DACVIM-Onco
Dr. Stacy Santoro Binstock is a board-certified medical oncologist with over 15 years of experience in clinical practice. She was born and raised in New Jersey and graduated from Rutgers University in New Jersey.
After college, Dr. Binstock attended veterinary school at Iowa State University and graduated in 2002. Dr. Binstock’s medical oncology residency began at Kansas State University and was completed at the University of Wisconsin in 2006.
She is the owner and founder of Lotus Pet Oncology, a virtual oncology consulting service for pet owners and general practice veterinarians. Dr. Binstock sees patients in person at two veterinary specialty hospitals in the Philadelphia metro area.
Dr. Binstock’s special interests include oral tumors, minimal invasive diagnostics, advanced imaging for cancer patients, and customized care for individual patients based on their specific situation. She approaches each case with honesty, care, compassion, and is committed to providing excellent quality of life for her patients. She provides an individualized, personal approach her patients, with the ultimate goal being to help pets live their best life despite a cancer diagnosis.
Dr. Binstock welcomes collaboration with primary care veterinarians forming a comprehensive, unified care team for every patient and client.
In her spare time, Dr. Binstock enjoys riding horses, mixing cocktails, baking, and spending time with her husband and two children. She has a dog who is a sweet, snuggly couch potato and 2 cats who plot to steal food every waking minute of the day.
Kevin Pflaum
DVM, Behavior-Residency
Dr. Kevin Pflaum was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, and received his undergraduate degree in Biology from Grinnell College, in Iowa. He developed a passion for veterinary medicine through volunteer work with the local animal shelter in Iowa and is inspired by the remarkable quality of cats and dogs to forgive humans and love, to help them every day. He graduated from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2017, and after spending a year in Portland, Oregon, was drawn to the mountains of Asheville.
Through his veterinary practice, he has developed a passion for practicing high-quality medicine, behavior, and animal welfare concerns. He is currently completing residency training to become a Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorist under the mentorship and supervision of Dr. Julie Albright, a Veterinary Behaviorist at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine.
He moved to Asheville with 1 dog and 1 cat and enjoys hiking, reading, film, sports, and eating local food. He is sincerely passionate about providing the highest quality care and strengthening the human-animal bond.
Daniela Mauler
DVM, DACVIM (Neuro)
Dr Daniela Mauler is originally from Germany and graduated from JLU Giessen with a degree in veterinary medicine in 2007. Afterwards, she worked in general practice for 2.5 years and then decided to pursue a small animal rotating internship at Vienna University in Austria. She afterwords moved to Ghent in Belgium to train as a neurologist. She became a diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Neurology in 2014.
From 2013-2019, she worked at the University of Missouri as a clinical track neurologist. During that time, she also became a certified canine rehab practitioner through the University of Tennessee.
Since 2019, she has worked as a neurologist at Carolina Veterinary Specialists in Matthews.
She enjoys spending time with her husband Scott, their 3 daughters, 3 dogs, 3 cats, and their tortoise, Flash. She also loves Legos, photography, and baking.
Maria Killos
DVM, DACVAA
Maria Killos is a a board-certified anesthesiologist (Diplomate of the American College of
Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia), with a special love of dogs, and a special hatred of pain for any animal. She was a math and engineering nerd in college, and had a whole career in
strategy consulting prior to returning to veterinary school at the University of Minnesota. She
feels incredibly grateful to have spent a lot of her career in fantastic teaching hospitals (Tufts, University of Minnesota, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State University), working with veterinary students and educators. She recently started working in a private practice in Minnesota, with a team of technicians who constantly amaze her with their skill and patient
advocacy. She also gets to lecture occasionally with the amazing Donnell Hansen (veterinary
dentist extraordinaire).
Amber Gunstra
DVM, DAVCS
Dr. Amber Gunstra is a surgeon at Charlotte Animal Referral & Emergency (CARE). She is originally from Southern Indiana and is a graduate of Purdue University. She practiced small animal primary and emergency care in Indianapolis, IN prior to completing internship and residency in Phoenix, AZ. Following residency, she moved to North Carolina and has been with CARE since 2019. She lives in Charlotte with her husband and one year old son, Bishop.
Rebecca Linot
DVM
Dr Rebecca Linot graduated from Kansas State University, College of Veterinary Medicine in 2007. Following graduation, she practiced small animal general medicine for 10 years, as well performed high volume sterilization surgeries, managed a busy and successful practice, and eventually provided relief work in her area. I
n 2018, she founded Tenderheart Vet, her in-home euthanasia service, and found her true passion in providing peaceful and comforting end-of-life care at home. She has helped thousands of families through one of the most tender and difficult moments of pet ownership.
When not working, Dr Linot enjoys time with her husband and family. She homeschools her older 2 kids, currently in 2nd and 4th grade, while wrangling the toddler as well. Her family enjoys sports, travel, and the great outdoors. She is also a huge fan of the Kansas City Chiefs!
