Click here for 2010 Winners

CACVT Technician of the Year This award, given at the CACVT Spring Conference, goes to a Certified Veterinary Technician who has gone above and beyond the call of duty. Give your fellow technician a boost and show him/her that you recognize and appreciate his/her enthusiasm. We have a stressful job and anyone who helps minimize the tension deserves a pat on the back.

Guidelines for Nomination:

• Do you know a CVT with EYE-CATCHING ENTHUSIASM? Or one who has MAGNIFICENT METHODS? How about someone who displays STELLAR PERFORMANCE? Then let's recognize this person!! If you know of a Certified Veterinary Technician who has gone above and beyond the call of duty, the awards committee wishes to acknowledge this individual.
• This award is not based on technical skills. It's not how well someone can place a catheter, but in the overall attitude that the person has while performing his/her job in a competent and professional manner.  It's about loving what he or she does and showing it every day. It's about people skills and animal magnetism (literally).
• The applicant must be a CACVT member in good standing.

CACVT Veterinarian of the Year This award, given at the CACVT Spring Conference, goes to an outstanding veterinarian who recognizes and utilizes technicians. The criteria for nomination is based on (1) promotion of the technician field through proper utilization, (2) encouragement of technicians through CE / memberships and (3) acknowledgement of technicians' work through incentive/bonus programs.

Guidelines for Nomination:

• If you know of an exceptional veterinarian, please send in your nomination. He/she should be a CVMA or DAVMS member. This will not be a limiting criteria, but will be highly valued.
• Please submit your nomination (in the form of an essay summarizing why your veterinarian deserves to be recognized, no more than one page in length) to the Awards Committee, CACVT, 191 Yuma, Denver, CO 80223, fax to 303-318-0651 (cover sheet not needed), or e-mail to info@cacvt.com.
• All nominations must be received in the CACVT office by the assigned deadline. The committee will choose from the best overall applicant.

CVMA Technician of the Year This individual is chosen by CVMA. Nominations are sent to all CVMA members around July or August of each year. The award is presented at the annual CVMA Convention during the CVMA general membership meeting.

CACVT Veterinary Advocate AwardStarted in September 2006, this award is presented annually during the CVMA general membership meeting at the CVMA Convention. The veterinarian is chosen by CACVT's leadership group and must be a CVMA member. Webster's definition of "advocate" is one who pleads the cause of another, or one who defends or maintains a cause This award is given to the veterinarian who demonstrates promotion of the technician profession.

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2010 Award Recipients

Holly with plaqueTechnician of the Year award goes to Holly Cathleen Aubart.

Nominated by Dr. Jason Cordeiro, Veterinary Medical Director of the Feline Fix, a program of Rocky Mountain Alley Cat Alliance, he had these words of praise.

After graduating Bel-Rea Institute in June of 2001, Holly began nearly a decade of work in the non-profit world of veterinary medicine, illustrating her devotion to animal welfare and caring for the animals that most need the help.

She worked at Denver Dumb Friends League (DDFL) for eight years and during her time there was responsible for planning, launching and operating the 'Meow Mobile,' DDFL's first and extremely successful mobile spay/neuter clinic which still operates to this day. At the same time, she became the lead technician for Divine Feline, another mobile spay/neuter clinic.

     After leaving DDFL, she took her current position as Clinic Director at Rocky Mountain Alley Cat Alliance, again focusing on feline spay/neuter but now with her efforts focused on the root of the problem: feral cat overpopulation. Once again, Holly single-handedly designed, implemented and continues to operate a second successful, high volume, low cost spay/neuter clinic, The Feline Fix. The Feline Fix has sterilized almost 3,000 cats since opening in July of 2009.
     Holly is one of only a handful of technicians experienced and adept enough to run a high volume, high quality spay neuter clinic and certainly the only one capable of launching one (or two for that matter).
     Holly is described as a hard-working, efficient technician, accomplishing the workload of three technicians. In addition, she volunteers for spay/neuter trips, twice to Mexico and once to Guam, all within the last 3 years. She also cares for over 10 feral cats and the steady stream of bottle babies and fosters she cares for and places in forever homes.
     Holly manages to maintain an infectious enthusiasm for her work. Her love for her patients is evident in the way she handles and speaks to them and tailors her management of each as if it were her own. Dr. Cordeiro refers to her as a cat whisperer as she somehow manages to placate the most fractious cats as if she made a deal with the devil.
      It is dedication such as this that makes Holly technician of the year.

Veterinarian of the Year award goes to Dr. Jed Rogers.

One of his long time technicians had these words of thanks for Dr. Rogers:
Dr. Rogers definitely recognizes the importance of the technician's role and offers technicians an environment to exercise their full potential. Continuing education classes are definitely encouraged and he has even provided free in-house CE on dentistry. Every year Firehouse pays for their technicians to addend a DAVMS lecture and CACVT dues are paid for full time employees.
Dr. Rogers is an amazing technician advocate. He treats all technicians with utmost respect and truly gets to know everyone. He is very personable and never hesitates to assure that the Firehouse technicians are educated to the fullest with any new information available. Firehouse is a great environment for technicians that strive to perform to their utmost potentials.
In addition to praise from his clinic, he has been dedicated to enhancing the profession through his diligence at CVMA. It has been a pleasure working with him through the associations and his understanding of the big picture of the veterinary profession truly makes him a wonderful candidate of this award.

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2009 Award Recipients

 

L to R Aimee, Becky, Jennifer, and Denise2009 Veterinary Advocate Award winner:  Dr. Ted Cohn

Presented September 19, 2009

Presented by Denise Mikita and Aimee Potter

This year's recipient has shown amazing dedication to the profession at both the state and national level. He embraces what is good for one part of the team is good for the entire profession.

Multiple people express that any conversations with this individual have been very supportive and have been done with the utmost kindness and sincerity. He always asks how things are going in the technician world, and leaves the conversations with "let me know how I can help you."

As a national delegate, he understands the big picture relationship between AVMA and NAVTA and is willing to work for mutual benefiting relationships.

We all are very fortunate to have this person in our corner. The veterinary technician profession certainly has a wonderful ally in this year's advocate award winner, Dr. Ted Cohn.

I know Dr. Cohn will be disappointed that he couldn't accept the award at this time. Because of his dedication, he had to leave for another meeting as part of his AVMA duties. However, his wife Becky, and his daughter, Jen (here from LA) are present and we would like to present the award to them on his behalf.

Click here for Dr. Cohn's thank you letter to CACVT. He was very appreciative of the recognition! 

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Please click here for a PDF of the press release for the following awards:

CACVT Technician of the Year: Elizabeth "Liz" Peach, CVT

Liz is a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley (www.boulderhumane.org). Liz's nominations included praise for her on-going service to under-served/developing countries helping animals, through her work with Animal Balance, a non-profit agency that organizes spay/neuter clinics in the Dominican Republic and Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. They also remarked about her exceptional skills, patience and clarity when speaking with concerned clients. She is an exceptional role model for the profession, and her dedication to making animals and people happier is evident.

CACVT Honorable Mention: Tina Bennett, CVT

Tina's co-workers at Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital stated that not only is Tina a highly skilled technician, she is an advocate for the veterinary profession on every level - always raising the standard for patient care and client service. Tina believes strongly in the certification process as well as the advancement of technicians. She promotes veterinary technicians through teaching and mentoring and does so with a positive, encouraging attitude. She also provides compassionate, humane, and comprehensive care to our patients while providing superior service to our clients.

CACVT Veterinarian of the year: Dr. Don Ostwald, Jr

In citing Dr. Oswald's contributions to the CVT's who work in his practice, one technician stated, "Dr. Ostwald places great value on his technicians and utilizes them in every capacity - from exam room assistance, client education, appointment scheduling, anesthesia, and assistance with procedures. He not only utilizes his technicians, but he believes in giving them the tools they need to succeed and become more knowledgeable, therefore making them more well-rounded and educated technicians." His caring and light-hearted personality combined with his obvious focus on the importance of the veterinary technician makes him the perfect candidate for this award.

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2008 Award Recipients Dr. Liz Whitney (R) with Aimee Potter (L)

CACVT Technician of the Year: Julie Burgess, CVT

CACVT Veterinarian of the year: Dr. Cristina Sharkey

CVMA Technician of the Year: Hilary Ward, CVT

CACVT Advocate Award: Liz Whitney, DVM 

Click here for a PDF of all the award winners and their pictures. 

2007 Award Recipients

CACVT Technician of the Year: Roxane Rocks, CVT

CACVT Veterinarian of the year: Robert Taylor, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, CCRP

Dr. Holt receives his award from Aimee Potter (left) and Rebecca Rose

 

CVMA Technician of the Year: Aimee Potter, CVT

CACVT Advocate Award: Tim Holt, DVM (see picture to the right)

 

 

 

2006 Award Recipients

CACVT Technician of the Year: Officer Samantha McPherren, CVT
CACVT Veterinarian of the year: Todd Towell, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM
CVMA Technician of the Year: Leslie Rockey, CVT Dr. Lavizzo

CACVT Advocate Award: Aubrey Lavizzo, DVM 

Past Award Recipients CACVT Technicians of the Yea

Cheryl Spencer, CVT

Laura VanDyne, CVT

Gary Gentry, CVT

CACVT Veterinarian of the Year
Steve Benscheidt, DVM

CVMA Technicians of the Year
Sara Sharp, CVT, VTS (dentistry)
Susan Brauer, CVT
Kenneth Krump
Rebecca Rose, CVT
Marci Stille
Debra Wolfe