History

The Veterinary Critical Care Society (VCCS) was established as an outgrowth of the Intensive Care Committee which was formed in 1964 as a subcommittee of the American Animal Hospital Association Circulatory Disease and Cardiology Committee. Prior to the AAHA meeting that same year in Miami, Florida, the Intensive Care Committee first met with Dr. Robert Knowles serving as the chair. At this meeting, Dr. Fred Sattler, along with
Dr. William Whittick and Dr. Knowles, conducted the first wet lab with the focus on cardiac arrest and resuscitation. Approximately 15 veterinarians attended the day-long wet lab and training programs have been presented each year since that meeting. This early CPR training now over 50 years later has evolved into the development of the RECOVER initiative which is the international standard for CPR.

The VCCS formerly organized in 1978 and the Veterinary Anesthesia Society merged with the VCCS in 1983. The name of the organization was changed to the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society (VECCS) when the American Association of Veterinary Emergency Clinicians joined the Society in July 1984. Membership has grown from approximately 200 in 1985 to over 6,700 in 2022. The membership represents a variety of areas of veterinary medicine, including private general practice, specialty referral practice, emergency practice, and teaching institutions. Membership is worldwide, with representation from nearly 60 countries located on every continent.

Board of Directors
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University of Missouri - Columbia
Class of '2017
Member since 2004
Challenging the field to reimagine veterinary nursing.

Kenichiro Yagi, MS, RVT, VTS (ECC, SAIM)

President
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University of California, Davis
Class of 2004
Member since 2004
Currently lives in Davis, California.

Dr. Steven Epstein, DACVECC

President-Elect
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Michigan State University, DVM
Class of '97
Member since 1998
Currently lives in Norwalk, CT and is a Staff Criticalist at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists.

Dr. Elisa Mazzaferro, DACVECC

Past President
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University of Georgia
Class of '97
Member since 2010

Dr. Matt Booth, DABVP

Treasurer
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Cornell
Class of '93
Member since 1994
Currently lives in Pennsylvania

Dr. Lori Waddell, DACVECC

Secretary
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Member since 1995
Currently lives in Appleton, WI

Alyce D'Amato, CVT, CVPM

Member-At-Large
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The University of Queensland
Class of '98
Member since 1998
Currently lives in Queensland, Australia

Trish Farry, RVN, AVN, VTS(ECC)(A/A), GCHEd

Member-At-Large
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University of California, Davis
Class of 2000
Member since 2011
Currently lives in San Francisco, CA

Dr. Nicolette Zarday

Member-At-Large
Staff
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Dr. Chris Gray
VetMB, MA, MBA, MRCVS

Chief Executive Officer

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Sarah Kokernot
CEM, CMP

Director of Meetings & Events

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Torey Reese
MBA, CMA

Finance Manager & Controller

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Lauren San Martin

Marketing & Membership Manager

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Braley San Miguel

Membership Coordinator

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Nat Aguigui

Administrative Assistant

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