PVMA Welcomes New President and 2025 Board of Directors!

This year, the Portland Veterinary Medical Association celebrated the passing of the gavel from the previous President Dr. Matt Dowling to the new President, Dr. Kazuki Ueki. Dr. Dowling has guided the non-profit organization for the past two years and we are grateful for his thorough and thoughtful leadership. The PVMA is looking forward to a continuation of growth and evolution under Dr. Ueki’s guidance.

The PVMA would also like to congratulate Drs. Lindsey McGuire, Megan Seekins, Lindsay Thurwachter, and Carl Winch on their election to the PVMA Board of Directors.

Dr. Lindsey McGuire is an emergency and critical care veterinarian who looks for opportunities that allow her to expand her role within the veterinary profession. She graduated from Michigan State University in 2013 and subsequently completed a rotating internship at North Carolina State University. She promptly moved out to the West Coast and has never looked back! After over a decade in the profession (8+ of those years in Portland), she is eager to be a part of something greater and to give back to the community. She is inspired by the work of the PVMA and would like to bring her ideas to the table. Working alongside interns and mentees daily, she is passionate about supporting early-career veterinarians and wants to help make this profession sustainable for all. She is also interested in the role of veterinarians in disasters, the spectrum of care, and the art client communication. In her time outside the clinic she can be found trail running, reading, and doting on my senior dog.

Dr. Megan Seekins received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University followed by a small animal emergency focused internship and a private practice residency in Emergency and Critical Care before receiving her Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2012. Her special interests include respiratory emergencies, CPR and pain and anesthetic management of critical trauma patients. Dr. Seekins has a special passion for teaching and providing continuing education in emergency and critical care medicine for both veterinarians and veterinary technicians. She is a strong advocate for mental health and well-being in the workplace, as well as building an environment of excellent medical quality, inclusivity, and diversity, and a just culture. She believes that we work best when we are our authentic selves and encourages team members to remember why we found our way to veterinary medicine-to help pets and as a result, help people.

Outside of veterinary medicine, she enjoys traveling, art, wine tasting and all things music, particularly her eclectic vinyl collection. She is also known to love laughing and is often heard doing this throughout the hospital.

Dr. Lindsay Thurwachter moved to Portland after graduating vet school in 2010. She has been practicing in the area since and has worked in corporate, private, relief, and specialty practices prior to moving to practice ownership for the past 9 years. Currently she co-owns Kenton and Cathedral Animal Hospitals where she developed a passion for creating an environment that supports sustainability and collaboration with the idea of having a career that isn’t all consuming. She has been an active participant in the PVMA private practice start up group to help foster partnerships and community. In her free time she is an avid birder and volunteers with Bird Alliance of Oregon.

Dr. Carl Winch completed his bachelor in Animal Science with a minor in Spanish from the University of Illinois in 2002. He then went on to study veterinary medicine at University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine where he graduated in 2008. Following graduation he worked in small and large private practices in the UK before moving to Portland, Oregon in 2014 where he joined Banfield Pet Hospital. He worked as a Chief of Staff, overseeing medical quality in two clinics. In 2019 he joined the Veterinary Affairs team at Banfield’s Central Team Support in Vancouver, WA. One key area of his work is exploring how Banfield can apply data to challenges within veterinary medicine by partnering with universities and other organizations and then share our findings with students and the profession. He also co-leads Banfield’s Pride Network and is passionate about equity, inclusion and diversity, and health and well-being. Carl participated in the inaugural PVMA Power of 10 group as well as the P10 2.0 cohort during the pandemic. He co-facilitated the P10 group one year and has presented to the group on health and well-being. In his free time, he can often be found either in his garden, at Home Depot or playing with his border terrier, Archie.