North Carolina Association of Veterinary Technicians
Meet the NCAVT Executive Board
The Executive Board oversees all activities of the Association and manages its business and financial affairs.
President: Maureen Susi, RVT
Maureen earned her Associates Degree in Veterinary Medical Technology from Central Carolina Community College in 2014. She is currently working a small animal practice in Greensboro as one of 2 RVT’s within the practice. Prior to a career change in 2011, Maureen used her financial background to hold various positions within Volvo Financial Services. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, husband Chris and daughter Emma, while kayaking, golfing and hiking.
Her four-legged family members include; Biscuit who is a 14-year-old lab/beagle mix, Rascal who is an 11-year-old Beagle (alumni from the CCCC program!), Sophie, an 8-year-old Malti-poo, Jiffy, an 18-month-old orange tabby, Ari a 9 month old Medium Haired Calico, and finally, Doodles, a grey tabby cat whom she rescued approximately 12 years ago.
Contact by Email: susirvt33@gmail.com
Vice President: Kim Lewis, RVT
Kim graduated from Central Community College in 1997 and became a registered technician that same year. She began her career in private practice in Wilmington, NC where she worked for 7 years. While in private practice she began working part-time with Wilmington Animal Emergency Clinic and soon developed a larger interest in specialty medicine and turned her obligations to emergency medicine. In 2004, Kim began working for Eastern Carolina Veterinary Referral (a surgical practice) that soon after bought Wilmington Animal Emergency Clinic. She has helped both practices grow in many areas like management, quality control, education, and training. Kim currently is still with Eastern Carolina Veterinary Referral where her passion for anesthesia and analgesia keeps her striving to better herself and the practice.
Kim is very active with her two children; a daughter and son. She loves spending time on her property with her horses, geese, and chickens. In addition, her four-legged family includes two tortoises, a cat, 5 dogs and a guinea pig.
Kim is excited to become more active with the NCAVT, continuing to strive to improve acknowledgment and advancement of Registered Veterinary Technicians.
Secretary: Shannon Nowak, BS, LVT, RVT
Shannon is a native of Michigan who calls North Carolina home. Since becoming credentialed over 15 years ago, she has worked exclusively in specialty practices in services such as: emergency, critical care, internal medicine, surgery, and anesthesia (among others). Shannon thrives on learning and teaching others, and she has held several positions professionally which have allowed her to do so.
She is currently working to complete her Fear Free and Human Animal Bond Certifications, and she is a member of many veterinary organizations. Shannon is currently the Director of Technical Education for The Bridge Club. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Veterinary Technology from Michigan State University, and she is currently credentialed in both Michigan (LVT) and North Carolina (RVT).
In her spare time she can be found volunteering for several pet rescue organizations, hiking with her dog, reading, crafting, or practicing yoga. She lives in High Point with her husband and all their fur- and scaly-kids: Biggby (5yr Lab Mix), Mally (15yr female orange tabby), Basil (turtle), four goldfish (Blanche, Dorothy, Rose, and Sophia), and a plecostomus .
Treasurer: Nicolette McNeely, RVT
Nicolette McNeely graduated from Central Carolina Community College with an Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Medical Technology in 2001 and later earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from NCSU.
She began her career as a RVT in exotic animal medicine, then worked for many years in small animal emergency and specialty medicine. This lead to a teaching opportunity in a veterinary technology program where she eventually became the program director. Currently, she is the Training and Operations Specialist for Emergency and Referral Services at Vets Pets.
Nicolette has been working with the NCAVT Board since 2018 and enjoys contributing to the advancement of the profession and to the growth of fellow veterinary technicians. Nicolette was born in Montreal, Canada and is married to a Raleigh native. She has 2 children, 1 beagle, 1 special needs Quaker Parrot, and 6 chickens. In her free time, she enjoys gardening and spending time with her family and pets.
Public Relations Coordinator: Kori Skylar Bullock, RVT
Kori earned her Associates Degree in Veterinary Medical Technology from Central Carolina Community College in 2019 and became a Registered Veterinary Technician. While in school, Kori served as the President for CCCC’s Student Chapter of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. She has experience in General Practice, Emergency Medicine and Critical Care, and has also served as the Shelter Manager for a municipal animal shelter. She is currently an ICU Veterinary Technician as well as the Continuing Education Coordinator for Triangle Veterinary Referral Hospitals.
As an RVT, one of Kori’s passions is supporting team development and educating the public. Prior to becoming an RVT, Kori’s passion was in zoology. She was a volunteer at the NC Zoo and staff at the Conservator’s Center. She hopes to bridge her two passions of Veterinary Technology and Conservation and work with wildlife conservation groups in Africa.
Contact by Email: koriskylar.rvt@gmail.com
NCVMB Representative: Robin Lazaro, RVT, VTS (ECC)
Robin is a 1987 graduate from SUNY Delhi, she then completed an externship at Cornell University where her love of ICU developed. She and her husband made the big jump to move south when she accepted a position at NCSU as an ICU Technician in 1990. She has been with ICU ever since, over 20 years as a tech and currently supervising the ICU for the past 6 years. She obtained her VTS in ECC in 2006 and speaks nationally at veterinary conferences.
She is married with one daughter in grad school and engaged to be wed later this year. In her spare time, she is also a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and enjoys the challenge of raising free range chickens and maintaining a functional garden in the same space. She also has a cat, Dinah, a dog Sadie and a koi pond and yes the fish and chickens all have names.
Newsletter Coordinator: Kasey Henry, RVT
Kasey graduated with a zoology degree from NC State in 2013, followed by her AAS in Veterinary Technology from Gaston College in 2015. After spending six years at a general practice in Charlotte, she returned to Raleigh and is currently an RVT with the Small Animal Primary Care service at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine.
Kasey enjoys running, hiking, and exploring the local greenways. She also loves horses and formerly competed on the equestrian team during her time in undergrad at NC State. She currently has 3 dogs (Minnie, Xena, and Finn) who keep her very busy!
Education Coordinator: Nathan Moyer, RVT
Nathan completed his Associates Degree in Veterinary Medical Technology from Cape Fear Community College in 2019, and became a registered technician that same year. He gained experience working in a variety of small animal practices, where he was exposed to many veterinary subfields, including rehabilitation and integrative medicine. He is currently working for a mobile practice serving Brunswick County in southeastern NC. His interests include dentistry, surgical assisting and client education. Nathan is continuing his education and is currently enrolled in Appalachian State University to complete his Bachelor's degree in Veterinary Medical Technology.
Nathan enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and 4 dogs. He enjoys fishing, bird watching, disc golf and pickleball.
With Nathan's passion for client education, and the education of the next generation of registered veterinary technicians, he is excited to become an integral part of the NCAVT.
Fundraising Coordinator: Susan Bray, RVT
Susan had a long career in corporate life with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations from the University of a Florida and a Master’s Degree in Communications Management and challenging work with consumer and biotech companies. In her mid-life years, she sought a change to follow her passion and enrolled in tech school becoming “the world’s oldest new tech.”
She has found a fantastic team with Mobile Laser Veterinary Services, doing dentals and surgeries and the gamut of wellness and sick animal visits. She is particularly interested in client education. In her spare time she fosters for the Wake County Animal Shelter, volunteers with Operation Catnip surgeries each month, and answers her neighbor’s endless questions about their pets.
NAVTA Representative: Stephanie Cook, RVT
Stephanie is a graduate of CCCC's VMT class of 2013. She has worked in small animal practice and large animal emergency. She is a current VMT instructor at CCCC, where she has been an adjunct since 2015.
With her husband, she owns a small 40 acre ranch, where they are raising their 7 year old grandson they adopted when he was a baby. Their farm has cattle, horses, pigs, goats, chickens, dogs, cats, and a llama. She is a transplant from Idaho, but calls North Carolina home now! She is a US Army veteran and a life member of the VFW and the American Legion.
Members At Large
The Members at Large serve as a liaison between the members and the Board of Directors. They are our eyes and ears throughout the state, keeping us informed on our member's overall issues, needs, and interests.
Member at Large Central Region: Stefanie LaJuett, RVT
Stefanie earned her AAS in veterinary technology from Medaille College in 2006 and has been employed at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine for over 15 years where she has served in the intensive care unit. Affectionately known around the hospital as “Bubbles”, she has been the lead ICU technician since 2012 and has served as an interim supervisor and is currently serving as the hospitals’ small animal technician trainer.
She earned her veterinary technician specialist in emergency and critical care in 2013. She has served as the co-chair of the North Carolina Veterinary Conference technician program since 2016. Stefanie became a certified RECOVER instructor in 2018 for both basic and advanced life support. She has also been a supporter and instructor for K9 Down for over 8 years, a hands-on course teaching military personnel and first responders how to treat working canine emergencies in the field. She has continued to pursue Human Animal Bond Certification and fear free certification in an effort to always connect to her patients and their owners. She is also the co-host of Vet Tech-tastic, a podcast for veterinary technicians. She has been nominated for the NC State Awards for excellence in 2015 and more recently awarded best small animal wards technician by the class of 2021. She has spoken at several conferences and loves sharing her knowledge and love of veterinary medicine through lectures, labs, and publications.
Stefanie’s particular interests include technician training and education, wildlife rehabilitation, ventilator patient management, and advanced catheterization. She has several dogs, a Goffin cockatoo, and a crazy palomino Tennessee walking horse. On weekends you can find her herding sheep with her border collie ‘Roo’ or singing karaoke.