2015
PRACTICE OF THE YEAR
OUR TEAM
VETERINARY AGRI-HEALTH SERVICES LTD. is a dedicated team of individuals who bring a wealth of experience to beef veterinary practice and strive to deliver excellent customer service.
MIKE JELINSKI, DVM received his Bachelor of Science in Biology (B.Sc.) in 1981 from the University of Regina and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M) in 1986 from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Jelinski is the founding partner of Veterinary Agri-Health Services. In addition to management responsibilities, Dr. Jelinski takes an active interest in the field services and student teaching components of the practice and currently holds a Clinical Instructor appointment in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine’s Distributed Learning Community at the University of Calgary. He has served on numerous committees related to the profession including the Pfizer Animal Health Advisory Board, the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association Discipline and Ethics Committee and as a mentor for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association Young Leaders Mentorship Program. Dr. Jelinski is a past recipient of the Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinarian of the Year Award from the Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners (2013). His interests outside of veterinary medicine include spending time with his family and hiking, canoeing and kayaking in Canada’s Arctic wilderness.
CRAIG DORIN, DVM received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1985. His career started with 11 years in large animal practice in Kamloops, British Columbia and two additional years as Technical Services Veterinarian with Hoechst Roussel Vet. In 1998 he joined Veterinary Agri-Health Services as managing partner. Areas of interest of Dr. Dorin include growth promotants, beef cattle welfare and development of training programs for producers and staff. He also is actively involved in the mentorship of youth in the cattle industry and veterinary students at the University of Calgary. Dr. Dorin is a past president of the Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners and has served on the Cattle Industry Council for Alberta Beef Producers, Advisory Board for the Alberta Beef Chair at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and as a Director for the Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners. Dr. Dorin was recently named 2017 Veterinarian of the Year by the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association. He is currently an Adjunct Clinical Instructor with the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and a Director for Prairie Diagnostic Services, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
ELIZABETH HOMEROSKY, DVM, MSc, DABVP was born and raised in a commercial cow-calf operation in southern Ohio. Her interest in beef production led her to Ohio State where she completed a BScAg in 2008 and a DVM in 2012. Following one year in beef cattle practice in western Iowa, she attended graduate school at the University of Calgary. During the three-year program, Dr. Elizabeth completed a MSc degree and Clinical Residency in beef production medicine and was inducted into the Canadian Cattlemen’s Young Leader program. She completed several rotations for her residency at Veterinary Agri-Health Services (VAHS) and officially joined the team in 2016. In 2019, Dr. Elizabeth was awarded Food Animal Educator of the Year by Western Veterinary Conference and became a partner at VAHS. Dr. Elizabeth is a board-certified beef cattle specialist through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and recipient of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners 2021 James A. Jarrett Award for Young Leaders. She has a strong interest in cow-calf and feedlot production medicine and consulting, as well as, applied research and teaching. Dr. Elizabeth also ranches west of Crossfield and runs a herd of commercial Red SimAngus and purebred Red Simmental cattle.
TOMMY WARE, DVM is from the small town of Pontotoc, Mississippi. He comes from a cow-calf background where he raised commercial Brangus/Hereford crossbred cattle with his mother- and father-in-law. Dr. Tommy attended Mississippi State University where he completed his undergraduate degree in Animal and Dairy Sciences in 2015 and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2019. Following graduation, he and his wife, Dr. Peyton Ware who is also a veterinarian, moved to Airdrie, AB. Since joining Veterinary Agri-Health Services, he has become an integral part of the cow-calf consulting team focusing on nutrition, reproduction, and utilizing technology in the field. In 2021, Dr. Tommy received the Emerging Leader Award from the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, and will be serving as Program Chair of the organization’s 2022 Recent Graduate Conference. In his spare time, Dr. Tommy enjoys cycling and horseback riding, including roping at clients’ brandings. He and Dr. Peyton also enjoy taking their dogs on hiking adventures.
BRIAN WARR, DVM grew up in Fayetteville, Georgia: a suburban area south of Atlanta. His interest in agriculture came from his grandparents who had a small commercial herd of beef cattle when he was very young. Brian went to Berry College in Rome, Georgia, and obtained an Animal Science degree at Berry College. Berry has a very large campus that includes Beef and Dairy production units. After Berry, Brian attended the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine where he obtained a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree with food animal concentration in 2013. Brian had visited Alberta several times as a student and accepted a job at Feedlot Health Management Services in Okotoks upon graduation. He worked at Feedlot Health Management Services for 5.5 years, focusing on feedlot production medicine. While working at Feedlot Health, Brian met his wife, Jessica, and moved to the Linden area in fall of 2017. Their daughter, Addie, was born October 1, 2019. Before coming to Veterinary Agri-Health Services in March 2020, Brian worked with Zoetis Canada as a Beef Technical Services veterinarian for one year. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on trucks and tractors and spending time outdoors with his family.
MATT KUMLIN, DVM was raised on his family’s ranch in Jumping Pound, AB. He earned his Animal Science degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 2010 and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in 2014. Following graduation, Dr. Matt joined Bow Valley Livestock Health and Bow Valley Genetics in Brooks, AB where he provided advanced reproductive services to cow-calf clients. In 2017, he returned home to manage the family ranch and joined Veterinary Agri-Health Services as a part-time veterinarian. Since that time, Dr. Matt and his wife, Angela, have grown the operation to 300 head of Red Angus crossbred mother cows and 700 head of grass cattle by focusing on regenerative agriculture and management-intensive grazing practices. They enjoy family time and ranching with their children, Wade, Bennett, and Rachelle. In his spare time, Dr. Matt also enjoys roping at brandings, hunting, and fishing.
CHRIS JERMEY, DVM comes from Ashern, Manitoba, where his family raises purebred Angus cattle. He gained a love for veterinary medicine at a young age shadowing his mother, a mixed-animal veterinarian. Dr. Chris followed in her footsteps attending the University of Manitoba- Faculty of Agriculture, continuing on to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, where he graduated Spring 2022. During vet school he served as the Beef Cattle Representative for the Production Animal Club and class treasurer. He is incredibly excited to be part of the VAHS team. Dr. Chris’s primary interests include beef cattle reproduction, nutrition, and calf health. He is looking forward to the opportunity to practice a high caliber bovine medicine and learn more about our client’s operations. When not working, Dr. Chris can be found outdoors, most likely with a fishing rod in hand.
KARIN ORSEL, DVM, MSc, PhD, ECBHM completed her DVM at Utrecht University in 1996 and following locum work in several veterinary clinics in The Netherlands, returned to her alma mater in 1997 to work in the ambulatory clinic of the Department of Farm Animal Health. Her involvement in an epidemiologic study of the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in the U.K. in 2001 motivated her to enroll in graduate studies on this topic. She received an MSc in Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics (2004) and subsequently a PhD (2007). In 2008, she and her husband moved to Canada to join the University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, working with a focus on epidemiology of diseases of cattle. In 2009, she passed both the NAVLE and the board exam of the European College of Bovine Herd Management. Currently, Dr. Orsel leads the UCVM’s Cattle Health Research Group and is associated with Veterinary Agri-Health Services as part of the Distributed Veterinary Teaching Hospital. As a veterinary epidemiologist, her main interests are herd-level approaches to health, disease transmission and identifying risk factors for multifactorial diseases. Currently, her research includes both beef and dairy cattle, with a focus on lameness, digital dermatitis, Johne’s disease, bovine leukosis and other infectious diseases.
NATHAN ERICKSON, DVM, MVetSc., PhD cand. received his BSc from Augustana University College (2000), DVM and MVetSc from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) (2005, 2009). He is also board certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Beef Cattle) (2018). Currently Nathan is a clinical faculty member of the Large Animal Clinical Sciences department at the WCVM and member of the Ruminant Field Service section of the Veterinary Medical Centre (VMC). Nathan’s collaborative research efforts include investigation of novel vaccination methods for the control of BRD in beef calves, changes in antimicrobial effectiveness in beef calves over time, the effect of intranasal vaccination and disease challenge on the upper respiratory tract (nasal) bacterial population, and the effectiveness of ultrasound as a tool for diagnosis of viral pneumonia in beef calves.Nathan works with veterinary practices in western Canada through consultations on disease outbreaks, production deficiencies experienced by client herds, and provides updates on recent research outcomes. As part of his consultations, Nathan will be assisting VAHS through extension services for our expanding Saskatchewan clientele.
REGISTERED VETERINARY TECHNOLOGISTS
LAUREN STEFANIUK, RVT was born and raised in Calgary, AB, and has been involved in the veterinary industry since she was 15 years old. After graduating from the Olds College AHT program in 2017, Lauren obtained her RVT designation and returned to the Olds area to work in mixed practice. Motivated by her passion for bovine medicine and desire to pursue a Production Animal focused VTS (Veterinary Technician Specialty) in the near future, Lauren began seeking opportunities to work more exclusively with cattle and joined the VAHS team in March 2020. Presently, Lauren resides in Airdrie with her 2 cats. In her free time, she enjoys playing cards, camping, and crocheting, however, you can most often find her hiking in the mountains or visiting with family.
SUPPORT STAFF
CORISSA BOYCHUK, SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR received her diploma at Olds College for Veterinary Medical Receptionist in 2009. After graduation Corissa officially joined VAHS as the Inventory Administrator and remained in that position for 7 years. Corissa was an international trampoline competitor during most of her career at VAHS and left for a year to pursue coaching the sport she is so passionate about. She returned to the VAHS team in the fall of 2017, working in various departments of the company such as accounting, human resources, inventory, IT, and general administration. Corissa maintains her active lifestyle through working out and spending quality time outdoors with her partner, Tonella, and their two dogs, Koda & Cleo.
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ADELE BRUNNING, ACCOUNTING / OFFICE SUPPORT joined the VAHS team in March 2020. She comes with over 10 years of office management experience which will be used in the accounting and human resource departments. Adele was born and raised in Calgary and returned to the area in 2018 after being away for 30 years. Life has taken her to many different places including Ontario, the Yukon and as far away as Accra, Ghana. She now enjoys living closer to her children, grandchild and extended family. Although Adele has various artistic interests, you will mostly find her pursuing her outdoor activities like hiking, biking, kayaking and cross country skiing in the Rockies.
TRICIA WADE, OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR joined the VAHS team in July 2020, and has over 27 years of experience in office administration. Tricia was born and raised in Saskatchewan, but has called Alberta home for 25 years. Tricia, her husband Ross, and son Josh, are 4th and 5th generation farmers NW of Irricana, and she’s been involved for years as both a 4H mom and leader. She is happiest surrounded by her family, both 2 legged and 4 legged, and spending time outdoors. In the summer, you will most always find her gardening or on her mower. In her free time, she enjoys reading, doing calligraphy and jigsaw puzzles, as well as attending as many live theatre performances as she can.
DAWN ARMSTRONG, FEEDLOT FIELD SERVICES ASSISTANT was born and raised on a cow calf farm west of Cremona Alberta. Dawn, husband Kent and their two daughters Nicole and Emily purchased her grandfather’s farm in 2003 not far down the road from where she was raised. Their kids are 5th generation on the family farm. Dawn took on some of her mother’s purebred Limousin that she was raised with. With some additions since made by Kent and the girls, it’s become a colourful herd. Dawn has come to appreciate all the knowledge she has learned with the genetics in each breed. Bayler, her Border collie shepherd X , has become her right hand man in the corrals. This made her farm life a whole lot easier with her family gone. With both her kids being academic, athletic and outdoorsy they kept her very busy until graduation when she reached out to VAHS August 2022 to fill in her time. Dawn's passion for cattle, thrill in science and pride in Alberta beef has brought her to the clinic. She’s very excited to be a part of a group that specializes and prides themselves in herd health from cow calf operations to feedlot industries. When she’s not hard at work you will find her roaming through her cows with a comb, under a waterfall with a camera, creating something new in the kitchen or with her feet up laughing with family and friends
