Barb Lewis, MA, CVT, 

President

Barb Lewis, MA, CVT received a Bachelor's Degree in Biology from SUNY College at Buffalo, an Associate's Degree in Animal Health Technology from Colorado Mountain College and a Master's Degree in Adult and Higher Education from Morehead State University in KY. After becoming a Certified Veterinary Technician, Barb worked for 2 years as a Clinical Pathology Laboratory Technician at the Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, MA where she performed manual and automated laboratory procedures. She and three other full-time technicians processed laboratory samples for the large veterinary staff, the residents and interns. As Angell is a large specialty and referral hospital, Barb got to see many unusual cases, and learned a great deal from the doctors and the veterinary clinical pathologist who oversaw the lab. It was her time at Angell that inspired her love of clinical pathology.

Barb joined the faculty at Morehead State University in 1981, where she is currently an Associate Professor of Veterinary Technology, and thoroughly enjoys teaching. She is the sole instructor of the Clinical Pathology courses at MSU and teaches content in hematology, parasitology, urinalysis, clinical chemistry, serology and immunology and has taught microbiology in the past. She also teaches Veterinary Clinical Anatomy to the Veterinary Technology students, maintains the Clinical Pathology Laboratory, and is the faculty advisor of Alpha Tau Sigma, the Veterinary Technology student chapter of NAVTA. Barb has mentored many students over the years, and takes pleasure in the graduates’ accomplishments in the veterinary profession, especially those that enter the fields of clinical pathology or education. She loves hearing from the graduates of the program, and visiting with them at meetings or social events. Barb’s passion for Clinical Pathology led her to chair the organizing committee of the Academy of Veterinary Clinical Pathology Technicians (AVCPT) and is now serving as its first President. Following a portfolio review and classroom observation by her colleagues, Barb was awarded the 2012 Distinguished Teacher Award from Morehead State University and named the 2012 Technician of the Year by the Kentucky Veterinary Technician Association. 

A native New Yorker, Barb grew up in NYC, and lived in Buffalo, NY, Glenwood Springs, CO, Boston, MA, and Ft. Collins, CO before moving to Kentucky where she met her husband, Darrell. She has a daughter, Darah (and husband Shaun), step-son, Chad, and two grandchildren, Cody and Dorie. Her interests include spending time with family and friends, boating, swimming, gardening, cooking and traveling. She especially loves the desert southwest, Colorado, the ocean and Cape Cod. An avid Kentucky Wildcats Basketball fan, Barb ‘bleeds blue’, and enjoys NCAA basketball and football. 

Sue Kolkka, AAS, LVT,

President-elect

Sue Kolkka, AAS, LVT, received her Associates Degree in Applied Science from SUNY Delhi in Delhi, New York in 1988, and is a Licensed Veterinary Technician in New York State. She began working for the Oradell Animal Hospital in New Jersey immediately after graduation, and after a total of 21 years, has moved up to the position of practice manager. Oradell Animal Hospital is one of the largest private animal hospitals on the East Coast, with over 60 veterinarians including interns, residents, and 20 board certified specialists, in areas including emergency medicine, critical care, internal medicine, oncology, and cardiology. Oradell employs over 200 support staff, including veterinary technicians, and also has 2 satellite clinics.

After 3 years in general practice Sue had the opportunity to become the laboratory/clinical pathology supervisor.  She spent many years organizing and managing the laboratory department as the hospital grew in size. After taking a few years off to raise a family she returned and once again had the opportunity to help manage the laboratory department. She also was appointed Blood Bank Coordinator, and developed the hospital’s blood banking program. Training and continuing education are an important part of Sue’s job. She has presented many continuing education lectures to the support staff on a variety of topics; including blood smear basics, crossmatching, and other laboratory procedures. A skilled phlebotomist, Sue trains all support staff in phlebotomy.

Sue currently lives in Mahwah, New Jersey.  She has been married for 22 years to her husband Keith, and they have 2 children, Brian and Sarah. She has a rescued Golden Retriever named Honey and a cat named Cocoa. Disneyworld in Florida is her family’s favorite vacation place. Sue enjoys reading, baking, gardening, and spending time with her family. 


Barbie Papajeski, MS, LVT, RLATG,

Secretary

Barbie M. Papajeski, MS, LVT, RLATG, received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with an emphasis in Veterinary Technology and a Master of Science in Agriculture from Murray State University in Kentucky.  She was employed at the Calloway County, KY, Animal Shelter for two years and Breathitt Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Hopkinsville, KY, for three and a half years before being hired as a full lecturer in the Veterinary Technology Program at Murray State University.  While at Breathitt Veterinary Center, she worked in necropsy, histology and clinical pathology sections as a technician.  She also managed the laboratory animal colony, performed basic husbandry, collected blood samples and performed botulism inoculations as needed for diagnostic purposes.  In her current duties, Ms. Papajeski instructs veterinary technology students in the basic hematology laboratory course, advanced veterinary hematology lecture and laboratory course, parasitology laboratory, clinical chemistry laboratory, small animal science, and laboratory animal course. She also manages the teaching animals, supervises the animal care workers and coordinates activities with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and USDA-APHIS.

In addition to her role as AVCPT secretary, Ms. Papajeski also serves as the secretary for the Kentucky Veterinary Technician Association (KVTA).  She is a member of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS), and Association of Veterinary Technician Educators (AVTE).  She is licensed as a technician in Kentucky and is also a registered laboratory animal technologist (RLATG) through AALAS.  She serves on the faculty senate of Murray State University. She is a volunteer and member of the Calloway County Humane Society and a member of Hurricane Baptist Church where she serves as Sunday School and Bible School teacher.  She also volunteers as the den leader for a local cub scout pack. 

Her passions in the field of veterinary medicine are laboratory work, laboratory animals, and the excitement of experiencing new things daily.  She enjoys teaching and especially enjoys getting feedback from students that have gone out into the workplace. 

Ms. Papajeski currently resides in Cadiz, KY and commutes to Murray, KY each day.  She is happily married with two sons, Gavin and Grady.  Her critters include four dogs, three of which were shelter rescues, five cats, two chinchillas, two rabbits, a bearded dragon, a red-eared slider, fire-bellied toads and a large assortment of fish. Ms. Papajeski enjoys gardening, fishing, hiking, and camping in her free time.


Sharon Richardson, BS, LVT,

Treasurer

Born in Louisville, KY, the daughter of a minister, Sharon grew up in several central and Southeastern Kentucky towns.  She attended the University of Kentucky community college in Somerset KY.

Upon completion of an AA degree, Sharon married a member of the United States Air Force and began working as a federal employee in family programing and recreation for the Air Force. Assignments took the couple to many states which included Colorado, California, Ohio, Alabama, and Louisiana.  While stationed in California, their son, Chris was born at Hamilton AFB, near San Francisco.  During their assignment to the United Kingdom at RAF Lakenheath Suffolk, England, the couple divorced.  Sharon remained in England for 16 years, continuing her employment in family and recreation programing for  RAF Lakenheath.  One of the benefits of being stationed in England was the opportunity for Sharon to travel to many European countries, including Berlin, before the wall separating East and West Germany came down.  While employed by the Air Force, as well as other awards for her work, she received a commendation for her family support programing during the first Gulf War.

After twenty years with the Air Force, Sharon called it quits, returned to the United States, and decided to take a completely new career path.  She enrolled in the Morehead State University Veterinary Technology program, in Morehead, KY, receiving an AAS and a BS degree from the University.  She has now enjoyed her new veterinary technology career for ten years.  Sharon is licensed in the state of Kentucky.

Sharon was employed at the Nicholasville Road Animal Hospital in Lexington, KY, where she performed Veterinary Technician duties for a three doctor practice.  In 2003, she became a clinical pathology laboratory technician for the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital (RREH) in Lexington, KY. Sitting on 24 acres, the hospital offers a full range of services including surgery, internal medicine, advanced diagnostic imaging, a focused podiatry center and specialized reproductive center. The practice also provides ambulatory services for emergencies, preventative care, general reproduction and medical care. RREH employs 50 veterinarians and 150 support staff. All of the surgeons and most clinicians are board certified specialists in their field and are highly esteemed in the veterinary community in the US and abroad. The clinical pathology laboratory serves the 50 staff veterinarians, residents and interns, over 75 referring veterinarians and over 300 other veterinarians who use the laboratory services. They are one of only two private veterinary hospitals/laboratories offering stem cell service. Sharon not only performs routine laboratory testing in hematology, serum chemistries, bacteriology, parasitology, serology and urinalysis, she also performs specialized testing utilizing state-of-the-art equipment. Examples include testing in immunophoresis, blood gas analysis, clotting profiles, determining anitiobiotic levels, neonatal isoerythrolysis screening, blood and colostum crossmatching and Coombs testing. She is also certified to perform EIA Coggin’s Testing which requires national certification. New to the lab is regenerative cell therapy which includes a stem cell laboratory, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein (IRAP). As well as her duties in clinical pathology, Sharon attends all the major veterinary conference trade shows, representing the Rood and Riddle equine hospital, laboratory, and pharmacy.

Until recently, Sharon lived for five years on a small farm that included a mule, a miniature donkey, 8 Jersey cows, 6 geese, and 100 chickens.  Her hobbies include photography, container gardening, and piano.  Sharon currently has a grandcat, Chitlin.  After a much needed vacation from the farm animal care, Sharon will be looking to adopt/be adopted by a new pet.

Oreta Samples, DHSc, MPH, CVT,

Member-at-Large

Oreta Samples, DHSc, MPH, RVT received a Bachelor's Degree and Associate’s Degree in Veterinary Technology at Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia, as well as a Master's Degree in Public Health also at Fort Valley State University before completing her Doctorate in Health Sciences at Nova Southeastern University. She has worked for the past 17 years as a Veterinary Technologist at Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, GA and has served as an adjunct instructor since 2008. She also is an adjunct faculty member at Kaplan University where she teaches Undergraduate Epidemiology/Biostatistics and at St. Francis University in Loretto, PA where she is an adjunct professor in the School of Health Sciences teaching Research Methodologies to physician assistant students. Oreta has taught the following areas of veterinary technology: medical terminology, laboratory classes in parasitology, microbiology, clinical pathology and chemistry and laboratory animal medicine.  She is currently the advisor to the University’s student chapter of NAVTA. Her passion for Clinical Pathology has allowed her to be a founding member of the organizing committee of the Academy of Veterinary Clinical Pathology Technicians (AVCPT).

Oreta first became fascinated with parasitology and the pathological implications of such biological intruders when approached by a researcher friend involved in the study of the efficacy of various anthelmintics on gastrointestinal nematodes of small ruminants (namely goats). After her first 12-hour marathon of fecal collection and analysis on goat feces for Haemonchus contortus, she was forever hooked on the intricacies of veterinary laboratory analysis. She loves the challenge of grant writing, having secured two small grants for departmental support as well as recently winning a professional development scholarship courtesy of Bayer Animal Health and NAVTA for her paper on Baylisascaris procyonis, a parasitic roundworm of zoonotic importance that infects raccoons. Currently she is involved in editing three chapters for the upcoming 2nd edition of Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant and possible future publication of two lab manuals addressing…what else - clinical pathology testing for veterinary technicians and a manual on parasitology for veterinary technicians. Both books are being developed for use in veterinary technology educational programs.

A lifetime resident of Georgia, Oreta shares her life with several dogs, cats and friends and loves to travel. She spends her spare time pursuing her hobbies of freelance writing and painting in the watercolor medium as well as reading and listening to audiobooks.

Pam Schendel, BS, RVT,

Member-at-Large

Dan Walsh, MPS, RVT, 

Member-at-Large