{"id":8323,"date":"2026-02-25T08:55:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T14:55:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vetmed.iastate.edu\/article\/?page_id=8323"},"modified":"2026-02-26T07:36:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T13:36:32","slug":"spotlight-on-lvmc-managers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/vetmed.iastate.edu\/article\/spotlight-on-lvmc-managers\/","title":{"rendered":"Spotlight on LVMC Managers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\t
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 <\/p>\n

\"LVMCA team of amazing managers keep the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center running, supporting their teams and ensuring exceptional patient care across every service. Their leadership, problem solving, and commitment to the broader perspective make all the difference.<\/div>\n

\nThey are the connectors.<\/b>
\nThey bridge communication between clinicians, staff, and clients \u2014 making sure everyone has what they need to do their best work.<\/div>\n

\nThey develop people, not just processes.<\/b>
\nThey mentor new staff, coach through challenges, support career growth, and help team members understand where they fit and how their work matters.<\/div>\n

\nThey hold the emotional center of the hospital.<\/b>
\nVeterinary medicine is stressful \u2014 managers help stabilize teams during tough cases and are often the first to step in when someone needs support, guidance, or simply a moment to regroup.<\/div>\n

\nThey juggle constant change.<\/b>
\nNew protocols, equipment changes, caseload surges, staffing swings, unexpected situations \u2014 often all in one day. Their flexibility keeps the hospital running smoothly.<\/div>\n

\nThey protect the hospital\u2019s mission.<\/b>
\nThey ensure that daily work reflects our commitment to Develop, Discover, Deliver<\/b>, keeping our standards high and our compassion strong.<\/div>\n

\nThey are problem\u2011solvers and calm\u2011in\u2011the\u2011storm leaders.<\/b>
\nFrom building issues to last\u2011minute schedule shifts to complex clinical cases, they are the steady hands working behind the scenes to resolve challenges before many even know they exist.<\/div>\n

\nThey are advocates \u2014 for staff, patients, and clients.<\/b>
\nThey speak up for team needs, help create a safe and supportive environment, and navigate difficult situations with empathy and professionalism.<\/div>\n

\nThey do a tremendous amount of unseen work.<\/b>
\nPlanning, troubleshooting, preventing issues, creating structure \u2014 their behind\u2011the\u2011scenes efforts are a big part of why our hospital functions as well as it does.<\/div>\n

\nClient Relations & Front\u2011of\u2011House Leadership<\/b><\/div>\n
Karen Durbin \u2013 Client Relations Manager, Day Shift<\/b><\/div>\n
\n

Karen leads medical records and serves as the hospital\u2019s primary client\u2011relations advocate, specializing in resolving complex client concerns and guiding difficult conversations. She collaborates with clinicians, staff, and referring veterinarians to navigate communication challenges and ensure accurate and timely information release. She continuously improves client\u2011facing processes by refining forms, documentation workflows, and communication systems. Known for her empathy, patience, and steady professionalism, Karen is a trusted resource who helps both clients and staff navigate emotionally charged situations and supports a positive, service\u2011oriented environment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\nAshley Vanauken \u2013 Client Relations Manager, Swing Shift<\/b><\/div>\n
Ashley oversees the hospital\u2019s front desk operations, ensuring reception workflows run smoothly across both small and large animal hospitals. She manages the Veterinary Teaching Hospital Assistant team with a focus on customer service, coverage coordination, and the unique demands of swing\u2011shift and weekend operations. Ashley maintains hospital calendars, oversees software access, and supports scheduling accuracy. She is known for her approachability, empathetic and supportive leadership, often guiding staff through challenging client interactions and improving after\u2011hours communications and financial\u2011processing workflows.<\/div>\n

\nClinical Support & Specialty Services Leadership<\/b><\/div>\n
Stephanie Canon \u2013 Manager, Radiology & Specialty Services<\/b><\/div>\n
\n

Stephanie directs operational support across Internal Medicine, Oncology, Radiology, and the Float Team. Her strengths lie in developing training resources, overseeing imaging and medical imaging storage\u2011related improvements, and creating standardized learning tools for staff. She enhances communication systems between services and faculty, manages cross\u2011service workflows, and leads specialty\u2011focused process improvements. Her leadership and project\u2011driven approach help modernize systems, strengthen onboarding, and improve consistency across highly specialized services. Stephanie is known for her professionalism, kindness and dedication, particularly in cross-department initiatives.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\nBrittany Schwasinger \u2013 Manager, Surgery & Specialty Services<\/b><\/div>\n
\n

Brittany leads a broad portfolio of specialty areas, including Surgery, Sterilization, Rehabilitation, Dermatology, Cardiology, Ophthalmology, and Primary Care\/Dentistry. She excels in technical\u2011team development, skill training, and the coordination of high\u2011volume workflows. Brittany is deeply engaged in equipment planning, creating standard operating policies, and service\u2011specific process improvements. She has strengthened structural systems within her departments\u2014particularly scheduling, onboarding, and inter\u2011service coordination\u2014and is recognized for creativity, initiative, and thoughtful leadership.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\nMichelle Pocernik \u2013 Manager, Emergency & Critical Care (ECC)<\/b><\/div>\n
\n

Michelle provides leadership in the hospital\u2019s highest\u2011acuity service, coordinating swing\u2011 and overnight\u2011shift ECC operations. She ensures real\u2011time patient\u2011flow management and addresses clinical and logistical challenges as they arise. Following major staffing losses, Michelle successfully rebuilt the ECC team, redesigned training pathways, and established new standards for technician and animal caretaker roles. Her leadership is defined by strong decision\u2011making under pressure, and a commitment to communication clarity within a service that operates continuously and unpredictably.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\nBekha Lauridsen \u2013 Manager, Anesthesia<\/b><\/div>\n
Bekha oversees anesthesia operations across all services, coordinating anesthetic case flow and ensuring optimal use of anesthesia tables and specialty resources. She supports faculty and technicians with real\u2011time clinical needs, develops anesthesia\u2011specific training programs, and advances continuing education and advanced\u2011skill pathways. Bekha plays a vital role in anesthesia\u2011related standard operating procedure development, billing and scheduling accuracy, and communication between surgery, specialty services, and clinicians. Her leadership is known for its consistency, fairness, and strong focus on culture building.<\/div>\n

\nLarge Animal & Agricultural Services Leadership<\/b><\/div>\n
Sarah Williamson \u2013 Manager, Large Animal Technical Teams<\/b><\/div>\n
Sarah leads the large\u2011animal technician teams, supporting clinical operations in multiple-specialty areas and ensuring seamless coordination between front\u2011 and back\u2011of\u2011house teams. She has advanced several high\u2011impact projects\u2014including integration of mediation dispensing systems, patient treatment flowsheets, and staff scheduling redesign\u2014and plays a major role in training interns, students, and veterinary student learners years 1\u20133. Sarah is valued for her calm communication style, strategic thinking, and ability to strengthen collaboration across large\u2011animal services.<\/div>\n

\nMegan Anderson \u2013 Manager, Agriculture<\/b><\/div>\n
\n

Megan oversees the large\u2011animal caretaker teams and barn operations, ensuring exceptional daily husbandry, biosecurity, and facility stewardship. She coordinates feed, bedding, grounds maintenance, and facility upkeep across all large\u2011animal units, working closely with campus partners. Megan plays a key role in safety initiatives, equipment\u2011handling training, and facility\u2011based projects, including major contributions to the equine expansion project and the equine hospital open house. She is recognized for her operational insight, strong vendor relationships, and commitment to animal welfare and hospital infrastructure.<\/p>\n

February 2026<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8323","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"site_sections":""},"yoast_head":"\nSpotlight on LVMC Managers - News Articles<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/vetmed.iastate.edu\/article\/spotlight-on-lvmc-managers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Spotlight on LVMC Managers - News Articles\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/vetmed.iastate.edu\/article\/spotlight-on-lvmc-managers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"News Articles\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-26T13:36:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/vetmed.iastate.edu\/article\/spotlight-on-lvmc-managers\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/vetmed.iastate.edu\/article\/spotlight-on-lvmc-managers\/\",\"name\":\"Spotlight on LVMC Managers - 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