Meet the Team

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

• Debbie White, DVM, BS

  President

  

  Dr. Debbie White received both her BS in animal science and her DVM from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. After graduation, she relocated to Las Vegas with her husband and fellow Purdue veterinary graduate, Dr. Kurt Mychajlonka. She has been in practice for over 20 years as a small animal and exotic animal veterinarian. She owns two veterinary practices and is a partner in several other veterinary practices in the Las Vegas area. Since 2008 she serves as “Dr. Debbie” on the weekly national radio program, Animal Radio, where she fields pet owner health questions from around the country. Dr. White has been involved with WVC throughout her career in many capacities and shares WVC’s passion for continuing education and career development. She is especially interested in mentorship roles and the promotion of personal and professional wellness.

• Gary D. Weddle, DVM

  President-Elect

  

  Dr. Weddle hails from Missouri and is a 1978 graduate from the University of Missouri, College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, he practiced small animal and exotic medicine in private practice until 1993. He then went on to practice exotic animal medicine exclusively until 2000 and also established the Veterinary Technology Program at the College of Southern Nevada where he was an adjunct professor. From 2000 until retirement in 2011, he practiced shelter medicine. During retirement, Dr. Weddle has been serving on the IACUC Committee of WVC for the past ten years, is a surgical examiner for the AVMA ECSVG program, is the USDA veterinarian of record for the Oquendo Center, and was elected to the Board of WVC in 2015. Since graduation, Dr. Weddle has been to every WVC Annual Conference. He has served as a session moderator several times for WVC during Conference. His strong appreciation for providing quality continuing education is the driving factor for his deepening involvement with WVC. Dr. Weddle’s hobbies include falconry, land sailing, fishing, and photography.

• Heather Prendergast, RVT, CVPM, SPHR

  Vice President

  

  Heather Prendergast has spent over 25 years in the veterinary industry, with 20 years in small animal practice. She has taught several years for both veterinary technology and assistance programs and has authored the book “Front Office Management for the Veterinary Team,” now in its second edition. Heather is well known and lectures nationally and internationally, authoring several articles and participating in published roundtable discussions with the goal of increasing team communication and client compliance within the veterinary practice. Currently, Heather is an education development specialist for Patterson Veterinary University. Heather serves on several advisory boards, including the WVC Board of Directors, the Pet Nutrition Alliance, and the Fear Free Advisory Board. Heather also serves as co-chair for the NAVTA Veterinary Nurse Initiative and is the editor in chief of NAVTA Journal. In addition, Heather was named the 2014 Veterinary Technician of the Year and the WVC 2016 and 2017 Speaker of the Year. Most recently, Heather obtained her SHPR (Senior Professional Human Resources) certification.

• E. David Stearns, RVT

  Secretary/Treasurer - Parliamentarian

  

  Mr. David Stearns is currently the general manager for VitalRads, a Houston-based teleradiology company. Mr. Stearns’s experience includes many years of sales and marketing leadership for industry-leading companies in diagnostics and animal health, as well as teaching in an AVMA-accredited veterinary technology program. He worked as an RVT in a mixed animal practice and as the hospital administrator of a small animal practice. Mr. Stearns was part of the founding group of NAVTA and is the past-president of the Oklahoma and Kansas Veterinary Technician Associations. He has lectured and authored several articles including a chapter in the Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians. He has served on the AVMA’s CVTEA and chaired the National Board Exam Committee. Mr. Stearns served as the veterinary technician director on the Board of Directors for a five-year term and is currently serving as the secretary-treasurer for WVC.

• William Wright, DVM

  Director

  

  Dr. Wright is the owner of Wright Veterinary Services in Spring Creek, Nevada. The practice deals primarily in beef cattle with some equine and involves traveling to ranches, large and small, throughout Northeast Nevada. As the chief surgeon for the Dumke-Weeks Spay/Neuter Clinic of the Elko Animal Shelter in Elko, Nevada, he has not completely forsaken the small animal side of things and has an ongoing interest in shelter medicine. He spent nine years as an examiner in the food animal, equine, and anesthesia sections of the ECFVG’s Clinical Proficiency Exam given monthly at the Oquendo Center, until elected to the WVC Board of Directors in 2016. Dr. Wright graduated cum laude from the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1982. A native of Northeast Nevada’s "Buckaroo Country," he credits his mentor, the late Dr. Jack O Walther, for inspiring him to pursue a career as a veterinarian. He has been a WVC attendee since 1977 and met his wife, Vivian, in the conference Exhibit Hall when it was still at the Las Vegas Hilton. Other interests include shooting and cycling.

• Travis McDermott, DVM

  Director

  

  Dr. Travis McDermott was born in Galveston, Texas and grew up in a small rural town called La Grange, Texas.  He obtained both his undergraduate and veterinary degrees from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. After receiving his veterinary degree in 2006, Dr. McDermott moved to Las Vegas and has been practicing small animal medicine since that time. He is married to his lovely wife Nasim and has 2 two-legged children (Owen and Aiden) and 2 four-legged children (Cooper and Timon).

• Thomas N. Tully, Jr., DVM, MS, DABVP (Avian), DECZM (Avian)

  Director

  

  Dr. Thomas N. Tully, Jr. is a professor of zoological medicine in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and also serves as the service chief of the Zoological Medicine Service, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University. Dr. Tully’s academic degrees include BS (Animal Science); DVM and MS (Epidemiology and Community Health) all from LSU. He is also a diplomate for the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Avian) and a diplomate for the European College Zoological Medicine (Avian). Following graduation from veterinary medical school, Dr. Tully practiced as an associate veterinarian in veterinary hospitals located in southeast Florida and Louisiana before becoming an instructor at the LSU – School of Veterinary Medicine where he participated in a Master of Science program in the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health. While an instructor and graduate student Dr. Tully would regularly perform relief veterinary duties at private veterinary clinics/hospitals in south Louisiana. Upon completion of his Master of Science degree, he was hired as an associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at the LSU – School of Veterinary Medicine. He has remained on faculty at the LSU-SVM, attaining the rank of full professor.

• Mrs. Linda Markland, RVT

  Director

  

  Linda Markland, RVT, has been a member of the veterinary community for more than 40 years. Her work includes a diverse range of experience, from small animal clinical practice and teaching, to corporate management. She has a special interest in engaging, educating, and empowering veterinary nurses and technicians. She is an active member of veterinary nurse/technician related organizations and has served in many leadership roles including NAVTA, as the Global Outreach Chair and on the CE Committee. Linda has received many awards from the organizations she supports.