CAAHTT Committees

Barbara Donaldson, RVT
CVMA Professional Development Committee (PDC)

Home Province:
Ontario

Barb received the following education: Bachelor of Arts in Biology and English, Bachelor of Education, Master of Education, and Registered Veterinary Technician. She has retired as Professor of Veterinary Technology, St. Lawrence College, Kingston, Ontario. She is presently the Coordinator of the Canadian Veterinary Dental Technician Program (CVDT), St. Lawrence College, Kingston, Ontario. Barb has served as liaison to OAVT from St. Lawrence College, is currently sitting on a task force to develop a Professionalism and Ethics Course for the OAVT, and is an advisor to the American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians (ASVDT).

Barb has over 30 years experience in the teaching of veterinary technologists. She has been part of and witnessed the evolvement of the profession and the associations that represent veterinary technicians. Her background enables her to represent CAAHTT at many levels.

Barb and her husband own and operate a beef cow/calf operation. They have 2 horses, 2 dogs and 4 cats. She has one son who has now joined the farming ranks on his own farm, as well as, operating a small business. Barb enjoys boating on the St. Lawrence River in her spare time. Retirement will allow her to pursue other interests and to travel.

Charity Fancy, VT, RVT
Alternate Rep for the Veterinary Technician Testing Committee (VTTC)

Home Province:
New Brunswick

Charity received her Veterinary Technician from the Progressive Learning Centre (school no longer in existence). She is a Certified Avian Specialist, Certified Reptilian Specialist, Certified Small Animal Specialist, and Veterinary Nutritional Advocate. She worked at a small animal practice in Rothesay, NB for 10 years. Her last position in practice was that of Veterinary Technician Supervisor. Charity is currently teaching at Oulton College, Moncton, NB in the Veterinary Technology Program. She trained and performed TCM (acupuncture, homeopathy, physical rehabilitation) in practice, and trained in Compassion Fatigue. She also sits on the Animal Advisory Committee for Oulton College.

Charity is currently working toward CVMA accreditation of the Veterinary Technology Program at Oulton College in Moncton, NB. She has recently prepared the clinic for NBVMA licensing and is currently awaiting inspection. She is also devising Veterinary Technology curriculum as per the CVMA as well as teaching it. Charity sits on the Animal Advisory Committee at Oulton College and will also be sitting on the Board of the Magnetic Hill Zoo in Moncton, NB starting the first of April.

Charity has a variety of pets including 2 rats, 1 African Grey Parrot, 1 Greyhound (ex-racer), 2 Miniature Long Haired Dachshunds, and 1 Black Labrador Retriever. Her hobbies include outdoor activities such as hiking, ATV’ing, off-roading, and driving her street bike.

Lucille Landals, AHT
CVMA Animal Health Technology/Veterinary Technician Program Accreditation Committee (AHTVT PAC)

Home Province:
Alberta

Lucille received her Diploma at NAIT, Edmonton in Biological Sciences in 1971. She also attended Veterinary Management Institute - Purdue University 1996-1997. Lucille has worked at the General Veterinary Hospital, Department of Animal Science Research in Nutritional studies, Spruce Grove Veterinary Clinic and since 1985 at Landals Veterinary Services. She performs all aspects of AHT duties and practice management.

Lucille has held the following positions: CE Director AAAHT, Advisory Council Director AAAHT, and CAAHTT Director representing AAAHT 6 years. She is currently appointed by CAAHTT to the CVMA as representative to the voting position on the CVMA AHTVTPAC committee. Lucille has served on: AAAHT Bylaw revision; Mandatory Continuing Education; Continuing education; public relations; executive director recruitment; accreditations at AHT colleges; CAAHTT national survey; and Alberta VMA advanced training for AHTs.

Lucille enjoys her present appointment to AHTVTPAC that allows her to review AHT/VT programs provincially and nationally. She is increasingly aware of the USA CVTEA processes, goals, and definitions of accreditation of their AHT/VT programs. Lucille was directly involved in promoting mutual recognition of CVMA/AVMA accreditation processes of AHT/VT programs. This joint recognition was a long time goal of CAAHTT and she was proud to be part of the process.

Lucille is married to Duane and they have 3 daughters, 5 grandchildren (and more to come!). Her pets include Irish (red) Setter dogs and horses (her personal favorites). Her hobbies include yard gardening; working with horses - riding on trails in the mountains; being NANA!

Roberta Rouse, AHT
CVMA Professional Development Committee (PDC)

Home Province:
Alberta

Roberta graduated with Distinction from the Animal Health Technology Program, Lakeland College in 1989. She is currently a Contract Instructor at Olds College (Anatomy, Medical Terminology and Equine Dentistry). Her past work experience includes: Instructional Assistant At Olds College in AHT Program, Moore and Co. Veterinary Clinic, Hinton Veterinary Clinic, and Pioneer Veterinary Services.

Roberta has held several positions within the AAAHT including: Provincial – Industry Liaison, CE Committee and CE Director. She hopes to bring ideas that are informative and interesting for RVTs and AHTs across Canada so that they can remain up to date on the ever-changing Veterinary profession. The AAAHT CE committee is working to provide more technical and management CE opportunities to their members to make them aware of the cutting edge services that practices in Alberta are providing (i.e. Scintigraphy, MRI, Oncology, Tablet computers, etc.)

Roberta is married and has 2 children (17 years and 1 year old). She lives on a grain and cattle farm with husband Darren. They breed and raise Quarter horses (8 horses total). They also have a German Shepherd cattle dog and 2 Jack Russell Terrier females and several cats. Her other passion aside from horses and work is playing volleyball.

Gillian Smith, RVT
CVMA Animal Health Technology/Veterinary Technician Program Accreditation Committee (AHTVT PAC)

Home Province:
Ontario

Gillian graduated from the AHT Program at Seneca College in 1981. She wrote the RVT Exam in 1990 and received RVT Status. Since 1981 she has been working at Bayview Animal Hospital in Toronto.

Gillian served on the OAVT Board of Directors for 6 years, as well as OAVT Legislative and Conference Committee. She feels because she has been in the field for a long time she is able to see several sides of the issues, and is able to offer many experiences and solutions. She works well with others and is not afraid to voice her opinion.

Gillian has been married to Harold for 21 years. They have a 12-year-old son named Graeme.
Their pets include 2 dogs (Cajun and Cameo), 4 Cats (Cinders, Shadow, Slate and Steel), and assorted birds/fish. Gillian is past PTA President for her son's school (3 years), on 2 School Councils, and School Monitor. She likes to travel, and visit her cottage in Kincardine, as well as volunteering for Scout Canada.

Susan Thiessen, RVT
Member of Veterinary Technician Testing Committee (VTTC)

Home Province:
Saskatchewan

Susan graduated from Kelsey, SIAST in Saskatchewan with a dual diploma in Veterinary Technology and Biotechnology. She obtained her B.Sc. in Biology at the University of Saskatchewan in 2004.

Susan worked at the University of Saskatchewan, Veterinary Teaching Hospital in reception and then moved to the Radiography Department where she worked for 5 years, before accepting an Instructor position in the Veterinary Technology/Biotechnology program at Kelsey, SIAST.

Susan holds an active membership with the Saskatchewan Association of Veterinary Technologists, presently serving on the Advisory Committee and a mentor to the Executive and Coordinator of the registration exam. Her previous commitments for CAAHTT include representing Saskatchewan on the Executive Board; CAAHTT Treasurer; member of a CVMA task force to review Accreditation of AHT/VT Programs in Canada; and just recently Canadian representative on the AAVSB Task Force on standardized credentialing of Veterinary Technologists across Canada and the U.S. Susan presently is the CAAHTT representative for the Western provinces on the Veterinary Technician Testing Committee, which includes serving a three-year term as an item writer for the Veterinary Technicians National Exam.

As a VTTC member and an exam item writer Susan’s goal is to strengthen the VTNE ensuring that successful candidates have proven they possess the knowledge base required to be a competent and contributing member of the veterinary medical team

Susan lives in a small town in Saskatchewan with her husband, three children and 2 cats.