Board Of Examiners
Our Team
Claire Cannon
President
Claire Cannon
Dr Claire Cannon graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2003 and worked in mixed general practice for several years before completing an emergency and internal medicine internship at the Animal Referral Hospital. It was during her internship that she first worked with board certified oncologists and decided that this was the field for her. She completed her oncology residency at the University of Minnesota in 2012, followed by a research fellowship in collaboration with researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Claire was on the faculty of the veterinary schools at the University of Tennessee and then the University of Minnesota before returning to Australia and the University of Melbourne in 2017. From 2021 she was in private referral practice at VRH in Melbourne before returning to academia at the University of Melbourne in mid-2024. She has authored multiple journal articles and textbook chapters, has presented her research at international conferences as well as being an invited speaker at many CPD events in Australia and internationally. She has an ongoing interest in clinical research, having coordinated and participated in several clinical trials, and a strong interest in teaching in both the veterinary student and postgraduate areas.
David Tabrett
President
David Tabrett
David is a University of Queensland graduate from 1989 and has practised in the Newcastle-Hunter region since 1990.
David founded the Newcastle Animal Emergency Centre in 2004, growing to a team of 125 staff offering 24/7 ER service. David has completed Membership of the College in Small Animal Medicine in 2000, and Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2005. David is currently the President of the College.
David is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Master of Business Psychology, and currently enrolled in a Master of Business Law.
Elizabeth Shiao Yuen Tee
Elizabeth Shiao Yuen Tee
Liz grew up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and graduated from University Putra Malaysia in 2000. She subsequently completed her Graduate Diploma in equine medicine and surgery at the University of Sydney in 2002. Liz practiced as a Thoroughbred racetrack veterinarian for 3 years prior to commencing her residency in equine internal medicine at the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital Camden (UVTHC) in 2008. In 2013, Liz was admitted as a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Equine Medicine.
Liz continued her position at the UVTHC as a medical consultant and is extremely passionate about equine ophthalmology. She is also heavily involved in teaching and learning activities of the DVM undergraduates and is the unit of study coordinator for the DVM 4 equine clinical placement. Liz completed her Graduate Certificate in Higher Education in 2020 and was awarded a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2021. She is currently enrolled in the Masters of Education program and will hopefully complete her Masters in 2022. Apart from equine ophthalmology, Liz is passionate about innovations in teaching and learning, with an emphasis on cognitive load of multimedia learning and encouraging students to be metacognitive learners.
Jana Leshinsky
Assistant Chief Examiner - Training and Credentials
Jana Leshinsky
Jana graduated from the University of Sydney in 2008. She spent a few years in general practice in Melbourne and Sydney, before commencing a rotating internship at the University of Sydney. She completed Membership in Small Animal Medicine in 2013 and then pursued residency training in small animal internal medicine at the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Sydney. Jana became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal Internal Medicine) in 2021. She has also completed a research paper on the pharmacokinetics of caspofungin in cats (a novel treatment for fungal disease), as well as published a paper on a cat with an adrenal adenocarcinoma and concurrent meningioma. Jana currently works in private practice at the Small Animal Specialist Hospital and is passionate about mentoring students, new graduates, interns, and residents. Jana taught veterinary students during her training program and is continuing her passion for education as the rotating intern co-ordinator at SASH and regularly participating post graduate education. Jana has examined for the College at membership level for several years. Jana is excited to join the Board of Examiners in 2021.
Jennifer Carter
Chief Examiner
Jennifer Carter
Jen is a graduate of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitts and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (ACVAA). She is employed as an Associate Professor and the Director of Veterinary Education at the University of Melbourne. Jen joined the College Board of Examiners in 2016 and served as the Assistant Chief Examiner- Examinations during the 2021-2022 exam cycle.
Jen has completed teaching and learning post-graduate certificate and degree work that sparked her interest in assessment and completed a Master of Clinical Education degree in 2019. She is involved in mentoring and teaching DVM students as well as providing pedagogical leadership and mentorship to her colleagues within her roles at the University of Melbourne and with the College. Although Jen is not actively in anaesthesia clinical practice these days, she enjoys remaining current and engaged and is a highly sought-after speaker for continuing professional development in anaesthesia and analgesia.
Jennifer Manyweathers
Jennifer Manyweathers
Jennifer graduated from the University of Sydney on 1999 and spent a few years on the far south coast of New South Wales in a mixed dairy practice. She then moved across into teaching and joined the Questacon Science Circus, travelling Australia and sharing amazing science with rural and remote communities. Jennifer moved, with her partner and daughter, to Japan in 2006, and taught Science Communication at Tsukuba University. Four years and two more children later, she returned and started her PhD, looking at the discourse amongst vets and horse owners about the Hendra Virus vaccine, graduating in 2017. Jennifer took up a postdoctoral fellow position at Charles Sturt University in the same year, completing her epidemiology memberships in 2019. She started in a teaching research position at Charles Sturt in 2021, and is now a senior lecturer in veterinary epidemiology. She has examined for the College at membership level for several years.
Linda Abraham
Linda Abraham
Linda worked and qualified as a veterinary nurse in mixed practice in Cambridge prior to graduating from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 1994. After a short period working in general practice, Linda returned to the Royal Veterinary College to undertake a PhD in bone biology. Having completed the latter part of the thesis in Melbourne, Linda returned to pursue clinical training in Australia at the University of Melbourne. After her residency, Linda continued to work at the University of Melbourne, initially as a registrar and then as a member of the faculty of veterinary science. She obtained her membership in small animal medicine in 2000 and her fellowship in canine medicine in 2006. Linda has taught and examined undergraduate veterinary students during her university employment and is now involved with post graduate education from private practice. She has examined for the college at both membership and fellowship levels.
Lydia Hambrook
Lydia Hambrook
Lydia graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2002. She completed a fellowship training program at Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre and became a fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Small Animal Medicine in 2012. Lydia has published internationally on the use of pimobendan in feline dilated cardiomyopathy, canine insulinoma, feline neisidioblastosis (hyperinsulinaemic, hypoglycaemic syndrome) and feline lung lobe torsion. She is passionate about all facets of internal medicine. Lydia has been actively involved in the ANZCVS Small Animal Medicine Chapter since 2012, acting as a fellowship examiner, Head Subject Examiner (at both membership and fellowship level), Head of the Chapter Examination Committee, CEC liaison officer, Chair of the Subject Standards Committee and Science Week Convenor. Since 2012, Lydia has worked in private referral practice at Advanced Vetcare. In 2016, she also began teaching third and final year veterinary students part-time at the University of Melbourne. Lydia joined the Board of Examiners in 2019.
Rachael-Kate Llewellyn
Rachael-Kate Llewellyn
Dr Rachael Llewellyn completed an honours degree in Animal and Veterinary Bioscience at The University of Sydney in 2008, before returning shortly after to complete the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at The University of Melbourne. On graduation, she undertook a rotating and specialised internship before commencing work within Emergency and Critical Care. Since 2017, she has been employed by The University of Melbourne, and is currently a Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Studies (Emergency and Critical Care), with a strong focus on the clinical education of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students. She completed a Graduate Certificate in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care in 2017 and became a member of the ECC chapter in 2018. Rachael has also completed a post-graduate diploma in Clinical Education, and completed her Masters in Clinical Education in 2023 – with a research focus on assessment and feedback.
Within the University, she teaches into the emergency and critical care discipline, and is also passionate about evidence-based communications training of veterinary students. Broadly, Rachael has a strong focus on the development and delivery of meaningful assessment. Rachael has contributed to veterinary education texts, is member of the Academy of Veterinary Education and is committed to competency based veterinary education. Rachael joined the Board of Examiners in 2023.
Rena MacFarlane
Rena MacFarlane
Rena was born in Las Vegas, Nevada and attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Utah State University prior to completing her veterinary studies at Murdoch University in 2005. Following graduation, Rena completed a Preceptorship in Emergency Medicine and Critical Care at Murdoch Pet Emergency Centre, prior to working in country mixed animal practice. Rena has a keen interest in small animal medicine and surgery, and in particular exotic animals, and completed Membership examinations in Medicine and Surgery of Unusual Pets through the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in 2011 and Avian Health (Caged and Aviary Birds) in 2018, and has participated as both Assistant and Head Subject Examiner for the College since attaining qualification. Rena has worked at Larkhill Veterinary Hospital since 2011 as a small animal clinician, focused mainly on Unusual and Exotic animals, as well as having an interest in small farm health and general surgery. Outside if the Veterinary profession, Rena is an avid participant in horse sports and is attaining further Coaching qualifications through Equestrian Australia.
Ruth Sutcliffe
Assistant Chief Examiner - Examinations
Ruth Sutcliffe
Dr Ruth Sutcliffe graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1982 and after a year in mixed dairy practice pursued an interest in small animal work. She obtained Membership in Small Animal Medicine in 2003 and a Master of Veterinary Studies through Murdoch University in 2007. In 2009 she commenced as a senior lecturer in Companion Animal Medicine at James Cook University Townsville, where she teaches in the clinical years of the BVSc program and supervises students in the university’s veterinary hospital medicine service. She also coordinated the final year program for ten years and has been heavily involved in all aspects of assessment. In 2012 she was awarded a Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching. Ruth has been a member of the College Council and served as examiner and head subject examiner for membership in Small Animal Medicine, Medicine of Cats and Veterinary Practice.
Susan Beths
Susan Beths
Dr. Susan Beths (Sooze) graduated from Glasgow University School of Veterinary Medicine and has an honours degree in Psychology from Dundee University. She started her veterinary career as a mixed animal vet in Yorkshire, before moving to the Caribbean. There she worked as an Assistant Professor at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitts. Teaching DVM students and working clinically in emergency, exotics, wildlife, and equine. Sooze has worked at the University of Melbourne since 2013 and is a Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Studies (Exotics and Wildlife). She also works for Zoos Victoria at Werribee and Melbourne Zoo and as an emergency clinician at Geelong Animal Emergency. Sooze has completed postgraduate courses and qualifications in teaching and assessment, from the USA and Australia. She teaches DVM students in both clinical and pre-clinical years, mentors students and new graduates around the world, and supports residents in training. Sooze is involved in the continued development of the DVM course and is passionate about supporting all styles of learning within the profession.
Sooze has passed membership examinations in medicine and Surgery of Unusual Pets and was the examination chair for the Unusual Pets membership exams in 2022 and 2023. She has spoken at a variety of conferences and events around Australia on the topic of exotics and wildlife. Sooze joined the Board of Examiners in 2023.
Yenny Indrawirawan
Yenny Indrawirawan
Yenny graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2004. She spent a few years in Emergency practices around Melbourne. She completed Membership in Small Animal Medicine followed by attaining her Fellowship in Emergency and Critical Care in 2016. She is passionate about mentoring students, new graduates, interns, membership study groups and residents. In addition to her full time job, she is a tutor for emergency and critical care continuing educations and has examined for the College at membership and fellowship level. She is excited to join the Board of Examiners in 2021.