USU VBMA Vice President
Jake Van Dyke
USU VBMA President
Nicole Elbert
USU VBMA Secretary
Kris Sakurai
USU VBMA Treasurer
Tanisha Ford
USU VBMA Board Members
I am a second year student in the USU Veterinary Medicine Program and serve as the USU VBMA Treasurer. As the VBMA treasurer I am in charge of collecting membership dues from students and maintaining and balancing the club account. The treasurer tracks all spending and expenses of the VBMA club and works with the other officers to organize meetings and assist in club activities.
I was raised in St. George, Utah and grew up riding horses with my father and younger sister. I have always been very family oriented and love spending time with my family on “family vacations” where we load up our horses and head to as many rodeos as we can cram into one weekend. I graduated from Southern Utah University receiving a Biology BS degree and Chemistry minor. While attending SUU, I participated in the ROTC club and competed on the rodeo team for 4 years. My strong passion for horses is what encouraged me at an early age to want to become a veterinarian. I am exceptionally motivated to become a veterinarian; not only to help animals in need, but also to help their owners understand and better care for their animals. After receiving my DVM degree I hope to work in a large animal or mixed animal practice and focus my skills in the equine industry, specializing in equine surgery/lameness and chiropractic work.
USU VBMA Liaison
Mark Robison
As the chapter liaison, I work with the WSU officers to help coordinate shared meetings and broadcast lectures. I came back to school to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, and see myself going into private practice and eventually owning or partnering in a mixed animal clinic. I want to make a contribution to any community to which I am a part, and I believe that staying up to date and involved in local, state and federal activities is essential. My wife and I have a very happy toddler, and we are expecting our second boy this spring.
My name is Nicole Elbert and I am the 2014-2015 President of the USU VBMA Chapter. I am so glad that USU School of Vet Medicine has a VBMA Chapter- over the past year I have grown to appreciate the VBMA and all that it has to offer. Business education is a vital part of veterinary education and the VBMA provides exceptional opportunities to broaden your business education. Besides being pumped up about the USU VBMA Chapter, I am interested in food animal and equine practice as well as regulatory vet medicine. Go Aggies!
USU VBMA Events Coordinator
Abney Brown
As secretary of the USU VBMA, I manage this website and keep it updated as well as help maintain membership lists, help the other officers coordinate meetings, and answer any questions regarding our chapter here at USU.
I grew up in both California and Arizona, but I tend to call Chino Valley, AZ home. I spent my time riding horses and participated in Junior Rodeo for a few years. I graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Veterinary science and a minor in Chemistry. I spent a year working in the Aquaculture Pathology Lab at the U of A working on diseases in shrimp. I am interested in many aspects of veterinary medicine, including mixed animal practice, aquaculture research, anatomic pathology, and alternative and complementary medicine.
My name is Abney Brown and I am the elected Sunshine Committee Chair for the class of 2017 and the Event Coordinator of the USU chapter of the VBMA.
I grew up in Carson City, Nevada, where I began my first job in the veterinary field at Quail Ridge Animal Hospital when I was 21 years old. It was there I realized that the only thing I wanted to be when I grew up was a veterinarian While working at Quail Ridge, I had the opportunity to work with not only small animals, but also wildlife and zoo animals including tigers and lions. I moved to Reno, Nevada a few years later where I attended the University of Nevada, Reno. I graduated with a BS in Veterinary Science while I continued to work as a Veterinary Technician. While completing my undergraduate degree I was a Teaching Assistant for classes like Introduction to Livestock Production, Reproduction, and Anatomy. In addition, I managed the University of Nevada’s Sheep herd. I want to own a mixed animal practice where I can put all of my many years of experience to good use. Currently, I am in my first year here at Utah State University School of Veterinary Medicine and loving every second of it. I have my two rescue-dachshunds, Namie and Ben, and my Maine Coon mix kitty, Goose, here to support me.
This is me and my son Konrad. My family is the center of my life with my wonderful wife Casi, our two kids: Paityn and Konrad. We enjoy riding horses, atv's, camping, and hiking. Riding bikes is our new hobby. We are happiest when we spend as much time in the outdoors as possible.
As vice president I keep track of member attendance to meetings and record their hours for working towards getting the business certificate.