by Leslie Wereszczak, MS, LVMT, VTS (ECC)
Veterinary state boards benefit significantly from the diverse perspectives and specialized knowledge that credentialed veterinary technicians and public members bring to state veterinary medical boards. They help ensure comprehensive representation of both technical expertise and consumer interests, creating a more balanced approach to veterinary regulation that serves all stakeholders. This session will illuminate how their inclusion strengthens transparency, accountability, and public trust in veterinary governance while enhancing the board's ability to address the evolving needs of the profession and the communities it serves.
Leslie Wereszczak, MS, LVMT, VTS (ECC) is a Licensed Veterinary Medical Technician with a veterinary technician specialty in emergency/critical care. She graduated from the State University of New York at Delhi in 1989 with her AAS degree in veterinary technology and obtained a BS in Business Management from Western Governor’s University in 2019. She is the supervisor of the small animal emergency/critical care service at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she has worked for over 25 years. She enjoys the unpredictable nature of emergency/critical care and the diverse caseload it provides. She enjoys teaching veterinary students in the clinical setting as well as being involved in the simulation laboratory. Leslie is an invited speaker at national and regional veterinary conferences and is a strong advocate for the advancement and recognition of the veterinary technician/nurse profession.
by Sam Geiling, CVT and Anne Marie McPartlin, CVT
Learn the difference between statutes (Practice Acts) and regulations (Board Rules) that control your profession, and understand the steps to change each one. Discover how to create positive change by talking to important people, meeting with lawmakers, building a plan to speak up for what you need, and helping move new laws through government committees. This session will give you the tools to understand the rules that affect your work and how you can help change them when needed.
Sam Geiling is the Vice President of Accreditation and Industry Strategies for Animal Policy Group and serves as Co-Chair of NAVTA’s Government Relations Committee (GRC). She is a
credentialed veterinary technician with over 15 years of experience and holds
an AAS in veterinary animal health technology from Central Carolina Community
College. With extensive experience in working with state legislatures to recognize veterinary technicians, Sam was also NAVTA’s 2023 Vet Tech of the Year.
In her spare time, Sam enjoys summer days on the lake in Minnesota with her husband and two sons, grilling, and discovering new restaurants.
Anne Marie McPartlin has over 30 years of experience as a credentialed veterinary technician. Her passion for emergency and critical care has taken her to various referral and teaching hospitals throughout North America where she was able to indulge a fervor for instructing veterinary and veterinary technician students. Anne Marie redirected her veterinary focus to shelter medicine and outreach after participating in a Vets Without Borders field clinic in Guatemala in 2009. As a result, she has worked at Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell University, and currently works full time with Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAVS) which is a non-profit veterinary outreach program that expands access to veterinary care through direct field clinics in underserved rural communities, clinical mentorship for students, and veterinary engagement in animal welfare. When not in the field, Anne Marie enjoys hanging out with cats, painting, and spending time outdoors.
The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America
750 Route 202
Suite 200
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
P: (888) 996-2882
F: (908) 359.7619
