Annual Conference Technician Track Speakers

After a successful career in private practice, Dr. Danny Walker served as a professor of animal science at the University of Tennessee at Martin (UT-M). Dr. Martin owned two private practices in Jackson, Tenn., for 32 years, specializing in feline medicine and heartworm disease. In 2010, he joined the design team for UT-M’s Veterinary Technology Program and managed the development of 10 clinical courses and more than 100 externship sites. During his career at UT-M, Dr. Martin participated in a variety of scholarly activities, co-authored published articles and made numerous community and professional presentations focusing on animal care and motivational topics in veterinary medicine. Dr. Walker earned his bachelor’s degree in animal science from UT-M before completing his DVM at Auburn University in 1979.

Courtney Burbage is an LVT and has been part of the Auburn University Emergency and Critical Care team since 2013 as well as supervisor of the Small Animal ECC since 2023. Her interests include geriatric and hospice care, emergency and critical care and teaching technical nursing skills.

Dr. Pete Christopherson is a former Professor of Pathobiology at Auburn University. He earned his DVM from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed a combined clinical pathology residency and graduate training program at Auburn. Board certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, he later earned a PhD in veterinary hemostasis. He subsequently joined the Auburn CVM faculty and served as director of the clinical pathology and hemostasis laboratories until 2024.

Dr. Sue Duran is a consultant for Gates Healthcare Associates, Inc., in Veterinary Pharmaceutics and a former 43-year member of the Auburn CVM faculty, where she retired as Professor and Director of the Large Animal Pharmacy in the Department of Clinical Sciences. She has taught more than 2,200 continuing education programs on pharmacology, pharmacy law, the opioid crisis, compounding and the development of sustained release medications.

Thea Partin is an LVT and CNMT working in diagnostic imaging at the Auburn University CVM. Her career experience includes work in both animal and human hospitals. In addition to her technician credentials, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and an associate’s degree in Nuclear Medicine. She is preparing to take the imaging specialty boards in the near future.

Katie Ray is an LVT working in large animal anesthesia at the Auburn University CVM. She earned an Associate of Science in Veterinary Technician degree in 2022. She has worked with a wide variety of animals including primates, lions, giraffes, tigers, hogs, horses, zebras, camels, pigs, kangaroos and goats.

Missy Streicher has been a veterinary technician for over 30 years with the last 25 dedicated to dermatology, first in a private practice setting and then at Auburn University. She has served on the organizing committee for the Academy of Veterinary Dermatology Technicians and has held a VTS in Dermatology since 2015, when the ADVT was recognized as a technician specialty by NAVTA (North American Veterinary Technician Association).