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Committees

Credential & Membership 
Victoria Vierschilling - Chair, BS, CVT

 

Email: [email protected]

Members:  Chrissy Giovannielli, CVT, VTS, (SAIM)

 

Public Relations 
Gina Caputo, Chair

  

 

Gina Caputo is a student of Penn Foster College in the Veterinary Technician Program. She has been
working in animal health care for a total of 18 years. For the past 7 years, she has been upholding her
position as Head Technician in the Internal Medicine and Interventional Radiology Departments at Red
Bank Veterinary Hospital of Tinton Falls, NJ.
Having a knack for communication, organization and planning events, the PR committee is a perfect fit.
Gina is passionate about the veterinary community and the care she gives her patients. She likes to
spend her spare time with her two amazing golden retrievers, JD and Fender. She volunteers them as
active participants for the Brookdale Community College Veterinary Assistant Program and the RBVH
new-hire restraint training program - in addition they are also helping to save lives as they are frequent
blood donors.

The purpose of the PR committe is to promote the NJVTA and the veterinary technician and assistant professions to the membership, professional organizations, and the general public. These duties include:

To create or investigate promotional materials to for board approval to represent the NJVTA at events and conferences

Plan and coordinate NJVTA events for the membership outside of the annual conference.

Coordinate a presence at NJVTA related events.

Provide information, guide and support ideas for publications and communication pathways (including social media).

Volunteer
Joe Jenik - Chair, AVA

Joe Jenik completed the Brookdale AVA program in 2015 and now works as an AVA in the Internal Medicine Department at Compassion First Hospital in Tinton Falls. He spent 20 years in home finance before getting into animal health care. He continues to be a Mentor/Educator for the Brookdale AVA program and also volunteers for the Monmouth County SPCA and Newark Community Healthy Pet Clinic. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his wife, Robin, and their 2 pets: Berlin, a Min Pin/Chiu mix, and Tzatzki, the orange kitty.

 

Education 
Karen Norton - Chair

Karen Norton is a credentialled veterinary technician in NJ. Born and raised in California, Karen decided
early on that she wanted to work with animals and has been a veterinary technician for35 years. She has
worked at several large emergency and referral practices in NJ, with 23 years at Red Bank Veterinary
Hospital in Tinton Falls, NJ. Karen has had roles as CCU supervisor, blood bank director and clinical
trainer and served on hospital committees to help provide the very best care to patients and their
owners. She spent 5 years as an instructor for a NAVTA‐Approved veterinary assistant program and
continues to contribute content. Currently the clinical training manager for Compassion‐First Pet
Hospitals, she supports the training and education of veterinary nursing team members across the
country.
Karen is a member of NJVTA, VECCS, AVTE and VHMA and has presented at NJVMA, NJVTA and AVTE
conferences. She is a RECOVER certified instructor and is FEAR FREE certified. She is passionate about
providing innovative training methods to help veterinary nursing professionals to develop their
knowledge and skills to provide the highest level of care to pets and their owners.

Responsibilities:

Develops, coordinates, promotes and supports all education events for NJVTA members

Works in conjunction with NJVTA Executive Boards for all expenses related to events, and PR
Committee for all marketing events. Events include (but are not limited to):

NJVTA Annual Conference, CE events in NJ (in‐person and virtual)

Create educational tracks

Recruit speakers

Book venue

Promote at local hospitals

Develop CE events as requested by membership

Coordinate CE tracks at NJVMA, ACVC, etc. as requested

Acts as program piaison to Veterinary Technology and Veterinary Assistant Programs

Assists with AVMA accreditation for Veterinary Technology programs as requested

Assists wit NAVTA approval for Veterinary Assistant programs as requested

Assembles advisory board for programs seeking AVA approval

Works with Membership Committee chair to facilitate student memberships for veterinary
technology and assistant students

Recruits and appoints Education Committee members relevant to institution affiliated with
delegates CE management responsibilities to Education Committee members, including:

Vendor sponsorship
Registration
Exhibit hall layout
Housekeeping
Surveys
CE certificates
Proceedings
Runs monthly virtual education committee meetings
Keeps agenda, invites members
Establishes and supports the following mentorship committees:
VTS candidates
CVT candidates
AVA candidates

Legal and Governance 
Michael Azzarello - Chair, MBA, BS, LVT

Michael is a licensed and certified veterinary technician that has been working in the
field of veterinary medicine for over two decades. As the Territory Manager for
Wedgewood Pharmacy, he is responsible for the New York Metro Area along with
Northern NJ and Connecticut. Prior to starting at Wedgewood, he was a nursing
supervisor at a multi-doctor veterinary practice in his home state of New Jersey.
Michael obtained his Master of Business degree from Capella University in 2019 and his
Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 2005 from Delaware Valley University. After
graduating from Delaware Valley University, he went on to work ten years in public
safety with the county sheriff’s office prior to returning to his passion in veterinary
medicine.
Besides his full-time position with Wedgewood, Michael has taught at various levels of
academia, specifically on topics in anatomy and physiology and business courses. He
is also the district representative for the National Association of Veterinary Technicians
in America overseeing five state representatives.

Duties include:

Oversee and guide with respect to the ethical aspects of the association

Review By Laws and any other pertinent documents

Promote and represent the interest of NJVTA members through state and federal legislation

Writing a standardized policy and procedure manual

  

Wellness 
Harriet Terodemos - Chair, MS, BS, CVT

Harriet Terodemos is a certified veterinary technician residing in New Jersey.  She holds a master’s degree in biology from Montclair State University and a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Purdue University. She received her associate’s degree in veterinary technology from San Juan College. Harriet has worked in small animal practice as well as emergency and referral practices. She loves to teach and has been an instructor with the veterinary technology program at Bergen Community College for 17 years. Harriet is currently employed at Oradell Animal Hospital and is the manager of client communication and staff development.  She is an active member of the New Jersey Veterinary Technicians and Assistants (NJVTA), and is a member of the education committee for the association. Harriet has lectured at various local and regional veterinary technician conferences on a variety of technical topics relating to veterinary technology. She has a passion for speaking about the importance of behavioral health in our culture and is a Certified Mental Health First Aid instructor. She lives with her wife, Kelly McKeand and their two cats in New Jersey.

 Duties of the Wellness Committee:

Provide well -being support and tools to NJVTA members through mental health and well being education and awareness programs

Establish wellness events throughout the year for NJVTA members

Provide regular communication to NJVTA members for self -care programs, work-life balance, compassion fatigue, improving physical health and financial fortitude.

Research and review existing tools and resources within the veterinary profession and create a database of tools for members.

 

Veterinary Nursing Initiative (VNI) 

Nicole Humphreys, Co-Chair, MBA, CVT

Nicole has been a certified Veterinary technician for over 20 years. A graduate of the SUNY Delhi Tech program and St. Petersburg Veterinary Technologist Program.  She currently serves on the educational Board of the NJVTA and is a professor and the Clinical Education Coordinator for Bergen Community College. Nicole is also a certified blood analyst and has had a fruitful career in the sales industry of veterinary medicine for companies such as Midmark and Animal Health International. 

 

Maggie Monza, Co-Chair, BS, CVT

Maggie has a Bachelor of Science degree from Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry and is a Licensed Veterinary Technician. Maggie is a true advocate for the veterinary technician field. She created mentorships for high school seniors and externships for several Veterinary Technology Programs. Maggie is a member of AVTE (Association of Veterinary Technician Educators), NJVTA (NewJersey Veterinary Technician Association) on Education Committee, NAVTA (NationalAssociation of Veterinary Technicians of America), and is certified in Mental Health First Aid. Maggie is also co-chair of the NJVTC (North Jersey Veterinary Technician Conference)developed to help further the continuing education resources for veterinary technicians. She works at Oradell Animal Hospital in Paramus, NJ and is also an adjunct professor for the Veterinary Technology Program at Bergen Community College.

 

The VNI Grassroots Committee is a working discovery committee, with the mission of advancing and
promoting recognition of credentialed veterinary technicians in the state of New Jersey. The
committee, at first, will seek the input and opinions of credentialed NJVTA veterinary technician
members on the topic of the title, education required to receive such title, and title protection for those
that have earned the title. After the initial feedback, outreach will than concentrate on other members
of the veterinary profession to gather the entire veterinary communities’ feedback.
The titles of Certified Veterinary Technician and Registered Veterinary Nurse will be explored. The
committee will collect feedback via email survey, zoom meetings, in person (if permitted) and report
findings to legal committee.
The committee shall interview any interested NJVTA members that would like to serve on the
committee. Candidates for committee membership shall consist of certified veterinary technicians from
the NJVTA with a strong desire for increased recognition of veterinary technicians in the state of NJ –
title and role.
The committee will function as a subcommittee under legal committee, and all activities will be
approved by the legal committee chair.
The committee will be chaired by two co-chairs as appointed by the NJVTA President with advice from
legal committee chair and shall exist for the duration of the effort.

NAVTA NJ State Representative
Janet McConnell, AS, CVT