As a large animal veterinarian and private practice owner, Dr. Christine Staten combines her passion for veterinary medicine with business acumen to help fellow practice owners thrive in this rewarding profession. She is dedicated to nurturing the next generation through mentorship programs for veterinary students and new graduates, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the veterinary field. Dr. Staten earned her DVM degree from Colorado State University and a Master of Business Administration from Louisiana State University.
Christpina
Jennifer Bennett DVM, MS, CAWA
Dr. Jennifer Bennett is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine and a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator. She has worked as a shelter veterinarian in a wide variety of municipal and private organizations, developing shelter medicine and surgery programs, consulting with humane organizations, leading community outreach and HQHVSN clinics, and working with large-scale humane law enforcement cases.
Jennifer Scarlett, DVM
As chief executive officer of the San Francisco SPCA, Dr. Jennifer Scarlett is responsible for a number of visionary programs, including a coalition that transformed partner shelters in California’s Central Valley, veterinary outreach to under-resourced neighborhoods, and Shelter PALS, the first no-cost legal service designed to resolve structural, policy-based barriers to improved welfare and outcomes for shelter animals.
Brianna Armstrong, DVM
Dr. Brianna Armstrong is a veterinarian, entrepreneur, and podcast host passionate about transforming the veterinary profession from the inside out. As medical director and co-owner of Firehouse Animal Health Center 183 in Austin, Texas, she helped grow a de novo hospital from $0 to $1 million in its first year and 70% growth the next
Emily McCobb, DVM, MS, DACVAA
Dr. Emily McCobb is a professor of clinical accessible veterinary care, and the PetSmart Charities endowed chair in accessible veterinary care at UC Davis. Prior to joining the faculty at UC Davis, Dr. McCobb was an associate clinical professor of anesthesiology and community medicine at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, where she directed the shelter medicine program and on-campus spay/neuter clinic and assisted in opening a low-cost student training clinic, Tufts at Tech.
Jena Valdez, DVM
Dr. Jena Valdez serves as chief medical officer at the San Francisco SPCA, where she oversees innovative programs designed to deliver affordable, non-judgmental veterinary care.
Stephen Jones, MVB, MS, DACVS (Small Animal), DECVS
Dr. Stephen Jones, a native of Ireland, graduated with honors from University College Dublin. He completed internships in Florida, followed by a combined small animal surgery residency and MS at the University of Florida. After serving as an assistant professor of small animal orthopedics at The Ohio State University, Dr. Jones worked in Park City, Utah before joining Omega Veterinary Group in San Mateo, California.
Bruce Wagman, JD
Since 1992, Bruce Wagman has been using his legal degree to protect and save animals and assist those who care for them—from individuals to the largest international animal welfare groups. His experience in animal law is unparalleled. Bruce runs the San Francisco SPCA’s Shelter Policy and Legal Services program, which provides pro bono legal services to over 100 shelters and rescues in California and engages in policy work and projects aimed at increasing access to veterinary care around the state.
Cynthia Karsten, DVM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice)
Dr. Cynthia Karsten serves as an outreach veterinarian with the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program, where she mentors students, interns, and residents while supporting shelter medical staff and leadership. Dr. Karsten graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine and completed both a shelter medicine internship at Colorado State University and residency at UC Davis.
Caleb Hudson, DVM, MS, DACVS (Small Animal)
Dr. Caleb Hudson attended veterinary school at the University of Missouri. After graduation, he completed an internship and a small animal surgery residency at the University of Florida. In 2013, Dr. Hudson moved to Houston, Texas and spent the next 12 years working at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists and Nexus Veterinary Specialists. In 2025, Dr. Hudson joined Omega Veterinary Group in San Mateo, California, where he is currently employed as an orthopedic surgeon.