MMPC Learniverse - Shelter Med LIVE - Triaging Trauma: Stabilization Strategies from Field to Shelter (On Demand)

Jennifer Bennett joined the Koret Shelter Medicine Program as the new Director of Shelter Medicine Access to Care in late 2024. She is a 2008 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine and soon after she began practicing in her hometown regions of rural Northern California. She spent 5 years in small animal, emergency and farm animal medicine before joining Lake County Animal Care & Control as its first Medical Director in 2013. After realizing the life-saving impact that a shelter veterinarian can have on a community, she has remained dedicated to the field of shelter medicine. She has worked with a wide variety of municipal and private organizations, developing shelter medicine and surgery programs, consulting with humane organizations, participating in community outreach clinics, and working with large-scale humane law enforcement seizures and legal cases. Dr. Bennett most recently served as the Medical Director for the City of Seattle from 2017-2022 and the Chief Veterinary Officer for the Humane Society of Tacoma & Pierce County from 2022-2024. She served on the California HOD, the Washington State VMA, and was WSVMA President from 2021-2022, and has been serving on the AVMA Animal Welfare Committee since 2023. Dr. Bennett is passionate about supporting and mentoring shelter veterinarians and students, creating low barrier access to care programs, and identifying and removing bottlenecks in shelter programs to improve capacity for care.

Dr. Maria Pyrdek is the Chief Veterinarian and Animal Care Officer at Pasadena Humane, where she oversees the veterinary health department operations which includes shelter medicine, surgery, animal behavior, husbandry and wildlife rehabilitation clinic. With extensive experience in the shelter medicine world, she is dedicated to advancing evidence-based practices that improve outcomes for animals in care. Dr. Pyrdek has led initiatives focused on animal health, operational excellence, and community impact, and regularly collaborates with sheltering professionals to address emerging challenges in animal welfare. She is passionate about developing innovative, practical solutions that support both animals and the people who care for them.

Ashley Patterson is the Associate Director of Operations for the UC Davis California Veterinary Emergency Team (CVET). She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Washington State University and her Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota in 2019. Prior to veterinary school, Ashley earned a bachelor's degree in emergency administration and planning and worked as an emergency management and planning consultant for Witt O’Brien’s starting in 2010. Following graduation from veterinary school, Ashley worked as an emergency veterinarian in a variety of hospitals and volunteered as a disaster responder. She brings a unique combination of veterinary medicine and emergency management background and is focused on enhancing the veterinary preparedness and response capabilities for the State of California.