2023-24 OVTAA Board of Directors

Sarah Harris CVT, VTS (ECC)

(she/her)

President

Sarah graduated with her degree in Veterinary Technology in 2011. Since graduation she has been gaining experience as a licensed technician with a focus on emergency and critical care. Prior to her graduation, Sarah spent three years as the Shelter Director for Fort Defiance Humane Society in Defiance, Ohio. Sarah has been a part of the DoveLewis team since 2014 as a certified veterinary technician whom maintains a leadership position with a focus on technician education while being an active contributor to atDove.org. Additionally, she gained advanced certification by becoming a Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in emergency and critical care in 2018. She is a board member for Oregon Veterinary Technician and Assistant Association, as well as a current member of Nation Association of Veterinary Technicians in America and the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society. Sarah has been a volunteer and donor for the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) and in 2015, she was able to spend time volunteering at the CCF headquarters in Otjiwarongo, Namibia. Sarah has a passion for education, training and providing excellent nursing care for critical patients.

Tiah Schwartz CVT

(she/her)

Treasurer

Tiah graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, a Marine Option and a Chemistry Minor. After graduating college Tiah took a position at the Humane Society for Seattle/King Co. Tiah soon realized that she wanted to pursue a career in Veterinary Medicine and applied to the Veterinary Technology Program at Portland Community College. After pursuing her technician license, Tiah began a 10 year career as a lead CVT and manager at Laurelhurst Veterinary Hospital in Portland, OR. During this time Tiah was a founding member of the Oregon Veterinary Technician and Assistant Association (OVTAA) and currently serves as the state representative to the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA). After the events of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, Tiah began to pursue a strong interest in disaster medicine. Tiah is currently a member of the Oregon Veterinary Emergency Response Team (OVERT), the National Animal Health Emergency Response Corp (NAHERC), and an intermittent federal employee on the National Veterinary Response Team (NVRT). Tiah is also a licensed EMT and a Rehab/Support volunteer with Clackamas County Fire District 1. Tiah is currently working at the Oregon National Primate Research Center as a veterinary surgical technician. Tiah is a registered laboratory animal technologist (RLATG), a Surgical Research Specialist (SRS) through the Academy of Surgical Research, a member of the Oregon Branch of the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (OAALAS) and a member of the Society of Laboratory Animal Veterinary Technicians (SLAVT).

Interests include the human animal bond, disaster preparedness, outdoor activities such as hiking and trail running and spending time with her dog, “Archie”.

Chantal Faraudo, CVT, CVPP

(she/her)

Chantal Faraudo is a Certified Veterinary Technician with a specialty in pain management as a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner. She worked in general practice for nine years at Laurelhurst Veterinary Hospital and then worked in emergency/critical care as the Technician Manager at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital for two years and worked as an ICU CVT at VCA NWVS. Chantal has a background in human medicine as a Registered Nurse in Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Postpartum, Medical/Surgical nursing as well as community education in Pediatric First Aid and Childbirth classes. She also played trumpet professionally in Los Angeles and taught High School Band in previous careers. She has a Bachelor and Masters Degree in Music in Trumpet performance, and an Associate of Science in Nursing and Veterinary Technology. Chantal’s passions and interest in veterinary medicine are in Pain Management, Anesthesia, Surgery and Emergency/Critical Care medicine. She has received many hours of additional training and advanced skills in Pain Management, Dentistry and Anesthesia and is a life long learner. She has had a special interest in Pain Management since she was a Registered Nurse working in the human medicine field of post surgical/medical care and then in Labor and Delivery, Recovery and Postpartum caring for the mother baby couplet. In the veterinary field she has had a passion and interest in anesthesia and surgery and out of that has grown her interest in pain management.

Chantal also enjoys working with animals and strengthening the human animal bond by building long and lasing relationships with clients.

Chantal has 2 grown children, a daughter who plays French Horn in the music studios of LA and a son who works in the high technology field of thermal imaging. She shares her home with her husband Jim, along with Captain, a soft coated wheaten terrier and Batman, a rescued springer poodle chihuahua mix, and four rescued cats, Puck, Mimsy, Bibs and Misu. Chantal enjoys doing fused glass and all kinds of glass work, swimming, gardening, the outdoors and spending time with her family and being a Grandma (Nonni).

Rachel Beck, CVT, PMP

(she/her)

Rachel Beck is a certified veterinary technician and credentialed project manager on the Veterinary Affairs team at Banfield Pet Hospital’s central team support. She has spent two decades in the veterinary industry, working in every veterinary hospital role apart from veterinarian as well as several roles at Banfield Pet Hospital’s central team support.

Her current position at Banfield is leading a team of veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and project managers in creating and executing programs such as veterinary technician appointments, driving development & retention of veterinary technicians, and equipping our hospitals for high quality care through equipment and formulary programs. She is also part of Banfield’s Veterinary Leadership Team, providing input and guidance on strategy impacting 1000+ hospitals and 18,000+ associates and represents Banfield on the Mars Veterinary Health Veterinary Technician and Nursing Council. Apart from clinical and leadership skills, she is also a credentialed project manager (PMP) and experienced change management practitioner. She has authored several articles in multiple publications such as Today’s Veterinary Nurse and the NAVTA Journal.

Daniel Rost, CVT

(He/him/his)

Daniel started in veterinary medicine in 2008 working as a veterinary assistant for Cat Adoption Team. He then transitioned to the Oregon Humane Society in 2010 where he held numerous roles including serving on the shelter medicine leadership team, over seeing the foster department, and pioneering a new role as the Humane Law Enforcement forensic veterinary technician. In 2015, Daniel passed the VTNE and became a licensed technician.

After 8 years at O.H.S. Daniel went on to work in wildlife rehabilitation and is currently working for Buckman Veterinary Clinic as a small animal certified veterinary technician and assistant practice manager.

Daniel currently volunteers as a foster home for  differently abled and neonatal animals through several local rescues. Daniel has a passion for reptiles and amphibians and currently cares  for chameleons, tortoises, frogs, and geckos. He also shares his home with his husband and child, two a Persian cat, a cavalier King Charles, and two French bulldogs.

Sara Anderson, CVT

(she/her)

My name is Sara and I’ve been a CVT since 2005. I’ve worked in private practice in the past and am currently working in the non-profit sector as the clinic manager of the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon. I served as the OVTAA president in 2008-2009 and am excited to be at a place in my life again and I am excited to have the opportunity to advocate for and help strengthen our profession. In my free time I enjoy gardening with native plants, hunting for odd things at thrift stores and spending time with my family. I currently live in Portland with my husband, 2 children and our menagerie of pets; 2 dogs, 3 cats, backyard chickens and a 3-legged box turtle.

Gabe Sasse, CVPM

(she/her)

Your typical “crazy horse girl” who grew up in Wisconsin, I really went for it and obtain a BS in Equine Business Management and Western Equine Studies from the University of Findlay in Ohio. My kindergarten self would be disappointed we didn’t go to vet school, but I fell into veterinary medicine through assisting my own horses’ vet for the summer. I then continued down the rabbit hole into companion animal medicine when we moved to Oregon in 2015. I have been working at Bethany Family Pet Clinic since October of 2015 where I started as a CCR, Lead CCR, and now as a Practice Manager since 2021. I’ve really enjoyed being able to see all parts that vet med has to offer, and want to be able to give back to that community that has been so patient and kind with my questions and own animals’ care, and helping me to answer the question “what do you want to be when you grow up”. I want to not only draw people into this industry, but keep them here. I love hiking and backpacking with my husband and rescue mutt, Leopold, and snuggling our two cats.

Katie Wice and Brittany Simler

PCC Veterinary Technology Program Representatives

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