2014LAVA@gmail.com
About
About
Welcome To LAVA
London And Area Veterinary Association
LAVA’s primary goal is to bring local veterinarians and veterinary staff together to form a strong and supportive veterinary community. We want to accomplish this by having meetings that will feature continuing education as well as provide the opportunity to socialize. Having easily accessible CE is important to all members of the veterinary team to keep up with the ever changing recommendations and technologies in medicine. Having a strong knowledge base for all our team members makes us better able to provide the level of care our clients and patients expect. LAVA’s meetings will also provide a forum for all of us to share experiences, cases and business, as well as be an opportunity to network and form new connections, both professional and personal, with our colleagues in the area.
Every year we provide continuing education seminars by expert speakers covering various aspects of medicine and management to support veterinarians, veterinary technicians and managers. CE will focus on small animal medicine, but topics may expand in the future based on our patrons’ needs.
LAVA is a not-for-profit organization whose events have been facilitated by a 3 person executive since its inception in 2013. Financial records can be made available to any member upon request. Danièle, Donna and Kurt are happy to answer any questions you may have about the organization.
Feel free to email us and don’t forget to like us on Facebook! We look forward to meeting you, and reconnecting with those of you we already know!
Who We Are
Meet Our Team
Dr. Danièle Lagacé
Earned her BSc (bio) from University of New Brunswick, then graduated from the Atlantic Veterinary College in 2001. She practices small animal medicine with an interest in exotics. She has worked as an associate veterinarian in Chatham and London and has been a locum veterinarian in London since 2009. She has been on the LAVA executive since its inception in 2013. In her free time, Danièle enjoys dog agility and Rally-O, photography, hiking and camping. She shares her home with her husband, dogs, cats and birds.
Kurt Wakem
Earned his BSc. Biology from the University of Windsor and returned to Western for a specialization in physiology. He is the practice administrator of two clinics in London (Matthews Animal Clinic & Northdale Animal Hospital), and has been a part of the London Veterinary community since 1996. Kurt also worked at the London Regional Veterinary Emergency and Referral Hospital when it was known as the VEC. He has special interests in nutrition and preventive medicine.
Dr. Tracy Vink-Taylor
Dr. Tracy graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1998. She has a passion for enriched learning and feels continuing education is essential in her role as a veterinarian and tries to keep current on the ever changing world of veterinary medicine. Dr. Tracy's main passion is companion animal medicine & surgery. She has a strong work ethic and a great desire to be the best veterinarian she can be. Her special interests are Endocrinology, Neurology and she loves performing surgery. When she's not at the clinic, Dr. Tracy enjoys reading, running, spending time with her family, her dogs Jersey, Taz and Otis, Hubert the cat and the family's 2 pet mice, Mickey and Benji.
Previous Members
Cathy Cavanagh RVT, VTS (ECC)
Became an RVT in 1992 after graduating from Centralia College. After graduation, she worked in several general practices and research facilities in London, as well as at the London Veterinary Emergency Clinic. In 2000, Cathy started more specialized training while working in the Intensive Care Unit at the Ontario Veterinary College. She became a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care in 2006. Cathy returned to London Regional Veterinary Emergency and Referral Hospital in 2013, and is now an Associate Manager with the practice. She has been a member of the LAVA executive since it all began in 2013, and has a keen interest in promoting and providing continuing education for all veterinary support staff. She enjoys gardening and traveling, as well as hiking with her two mutts Jazz and Meka.
Donna Gingras
Donna is a graduate from the Veterinary Technician program at St. Clair College, Windsor, Ontario. She has worked in a variety of veterinary practices with small, large and exotic pets as head technician, practice manager and locum technician. Donna has been with LAVA since 2016 but has been in the London veterinary community since graduation many moons ago. As well as keeping up-to-date with veterinary medicine, Donna has earned her Masters of Theological Studies and the Licentiate in Theological Studies programs at Huron University College, University of Western Ontario. She loves her kitties, is an avid reader, enjoys gardening, exercising, traveling and spending "quality" time with her family.
