Authors
Katie Fish, DVM, received her undergraduate degree at the University of Buffalo and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University. She was a small animal general practitioner for 16 years before transitioning to becoming a full-time mentor for Monroe Veterinary Associates in the Rochester, New York area, which later became a Thrive Pet Healthcare partner. There, she was responsible for on-boarding and providing one-on-one medical, surgical and leadership coaching support to new graduates at 18 hospitals. In 2023, Fish became the Director of Mentorship Programs for Thrive, which includes “Meant to Thrive,” a one-year medical mentorship program that meets doctors where they are, offering a unique, individualized approach that positions each veterinarian for success in the profession they love.
Gianluca Bini graduated from the University of Perugia, Italy. He then moved to the United Kingdom, where he completed two internships, one in anesthesia and one rotating, at Dick White Referrals, one of the largest referral centers in Europe.
After completing his residency at North Carolina State University, he worked as an assistant professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Management at the Ohio State University and, more recently, at Oklahoma State University. Inspired by his fervent desire to extend his impact and assist as many animals as possible, he founded Safe Pet Anesthesia, a tele-consulting and training firm.
Suhair Ahmed is a fourth-year DVM student at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pakistan. He is an ambassador of dvm360 and aspires to become an excellent veterinarian, specializing in exotics and small animals. Ahmed aspires to become a certified board veterinarian for exotic mammals in the future.
Sophia Jodka is a first year dual degree student at Colorado State University pursuing her Masters in Public Health and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. She hopes to combine clinical practice and research in her future career. She is a DVM360 Ambassador and involved in public health research surrounding diabetes prevention.
Shannon Bass, DVM, grew up in a veterinary practice and spent nineteen years in clinical practice after graduating from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. She worked as a general practice doctor, emergency veterinarian, acupuncturist, and medical director of a specialty/emergency hospital. After almost two decades of practice, Bass moved into veterinary recruiting, focusing on specialty and emergency roles. She is currently the Vice President of Medical Leadership at Vets Pets, a group of veterinary hospitals in North Carolina.
Organized veterinary medicine is something Bass is passionate about. She enjoys serving as the 2024-25 President of the NCVMA and co-chairs a VECCS committee working on an Emergency Medicine Certificate for veterinary students. She is a conference speaker and podcast guest on leadership and communication topics.
Outside of work, Bass enjoys traveling with her husband, two sons, and three legged labrador mix. She is an endurance athlete, yoga instructor, and adventurous cook.
Guiot, a renowned orthopedic surgeon, graduated with a veterinary medicine degree from the University of Liege (Belgium) in 2004. Board-certified by the American and European College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2011, he has held prominent positions, including assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Michigan State University. Since his arrival at ACCESS Specialty Hospital-Los Angeles, he co-developed with Reunan Guillou the first comprehensive total joint replacement center in California, offering surgeries like total elbow, hip, knee, and ankle replacements. The ACCESS Bone and Joint Center, a part of Thrive Pet Healthcare’s community of hospitals, is the only complete orthopedic center for pet joint replacements on the West Coast.
Recognized for his expertise, Guiot is a Founding Fellow in minimally invasive orthopedic surgery and a Founding Fellow in joint replacement surgery for the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, facilitating the establishment of an official training center for such procedures. Actively engaged in national and international orthopedic programs, he serves as the past-chair of the educational commission for AO Vet North America. He also recently served as the president of the Veterinary Orthopedic Society, a group of surgeons dedicated to the advancement of veterinary orthopedics. Guiot is dedicated to advancing patient care through innovative surgical techniques, instruments, and implants, solidifying his position as a leader in the field of veterinary orthopedics.
Emmitt Nantz, MBA, cofounder of Inventory Ally, has been part of the veterinary family for nearly 2 decades and is driven by a personal mission to make the veterinary domain better. Nantz spent 12 years working at Banfield, starting out as a single-site hospital manager. Having majored in agriculture business management, he expanded his education to include an MBA, a Black Belt in Six Sigma, and a Project Management Certification.
Nantz applied these learnings at Banfield and later as a Chief Operating Officer at SmartFlow where he helped hundreds of practices improve their operations. In pursuit of his passion for workflow optimization, Nantz honed his expertise in a critical area that often plagues hospitals' bottom lines – inventory management. He co-founded Inventory Ally, an all-in-one cloud software designed to help veterinary professionals reduce inventory costs, streamline processes, and save time.
