Kara M. Burns
MS, MEd, LVT, VTS (Nutrition)
Pet Nutrition Alliance
About Me
EDUCATION
- 1986: BS, University of Maine, Orono, ME
- 1987: MS, Ithaca College, New York
- 1989: MEd, University of Maine, Orono, ME
- 1996: Licensed Veterinary Technician, ME
- 2010: Certified Veterinary Technician, MA
BOARD CERTIFICATION
- 2013: Veterinary Technician Specialist – Nutrition; Recertification 2018 & 2023
EMPLOYMENT
- 1993 - 2000: LVT, Head LVT, private practice in Maine (Gray-New Gloucester Animal Hospital and North Windham Veterinary Hospital)
- 1998 - 2014: Veterinary Technician Specialist, Hill’s Pet Nutrition
- 2011 - present: Independent Nutrition and Wellbeing Consultant
- Provide nutritional consultations for veterinary hospitals and healthcare teams.
- Promoting nutritionally balanced nutrient profiles
- Author nutritional articles, provide seminars/presentations, etc.
- Species = small animal, large animal, avian, exotic
- Provide soft skills (psychosocial) and wellbeing consultations for veterinary hospitals and healthcare teams.
- Author psychosocial articles, provide seminars/presentations, etc.
- 2012 - present: VSPN Instructor- Provide nutrition, team utilization, and leadership education internationally to veterinarians and technicians.
- 2014 - present: Boehringer Ingelheim Technician Champion - Educate veterinary teams on communicating important points to team members and clients in the medical categories
- 2018 - present: North American Veterinary Community, Editor in Chief, Today’s Veterinary Nurse
CLINICAL FOCUS
- Nutrition, Team Utilization, and Wellbeing
OTHER SIGNIFICANT CAREER ELEMENTS
- Founder, Past president – Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians
- Past President, National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America
- President, Pet Nutrition Alliance (first Veterinary Technician to be so named)
- Authored 200+ journal articles
- Textbook and Textbook chapter author
- Internationally invited speaker
- Multi Award winning Veterinary professional
