Instructors

Sonya Gordon | DVM, DVSC, DACVIM Cardiology

Dr. Sonya Gordon received her DVM from the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Canada in 1994. She then completed a small animal internship at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Canada, and returned to the Ontario Veterinary College where she completed an advanced degree in cardiology (DVSc) and her cardiology residency training.

Dr. Gordon is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in Cardiology and has been on faculty at Texas A&M University since 1998. She teaches in all years of the DVM program and is the coordinator for a team-taught case-based critical thinking course. She is the cardiology residency program director and has participated in training 10 cardiology residents who are now board certified.

Dr. Gordon practices medicine 30%-50% of the time, which facilitates her research interests that are realized in large part through involvement in multicenter collaborative clinical trials and collaborative translational research. She was a lead investigator in the EPIC Clinical Trial, for which she received a 2017 CVM Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award. She has published original manuscripts, book chapters and a textbook.

Her interests and expertise in teaching have led to many invitations to organize and take part in continuing education events for veterinarians and veterinary cardiologists around the world. These opportunities, coupled with her involvement in multicenter international studies, have provided her with a global perspective with respect to veterinary cardiology. Dr. Gordon considers her home College Station, Texas where she shares her life with her husband, 4 dogs and 2 cats.

Matthew W. Miller | DVM, MS, DACVIM Cardiology

Dr. Matthew Miller is currently Senior Cardiologist at VETMED in Phoenix Arizona. Additionally, he holds positions as an Adjunct Professor of Cardiology at Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine and a Senior Professor of Cardiology in the Department of Small Animal Veterinary Clinical Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University.

He received his DVM degree from The Ohio State University in 1984 and his Master of Science degree from the same University in 1993. He became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Subspecialty Cardiology in 1988.

June Boon | BA, MS

June was introduced to veterinary ultrasound in 1979 when she was looking for work at Colorado State University. She was given the opportunity to help a radiology resident develop scanning techniques in animals using a Bscan that had been donated to CSU by a human hospital.

After about 6 months an m-mode machine was donated to CSU and she was asked to try obtaining m-mode images in animals. At the time there were only a handful of veterinary references in the literature, all very general or all m-mode only regarding the potential of diagnostic ultrasound. Eventually given the choice of developing either the abdominal or the cardiac ultrasound program, the choice was easy, the dynamic field of echocardiography won! Since 1980, she has continued to be challenged with new modalities and diagnostic information about two-dimensional imaging, spectral Doppler, color flow Doppler, tissue Doppler, etc. She developed normal reference ranges for the dog, the cat and llamas. She has helped hundreds of veterinarians learn the skill of echocardiography and its interpretation. Her published Veterinary Echocardiography – 2nd edition remains the only book dedicated completely to echocardiography and is an acclaimed resource used by both generalists and specialists. Echocardiography remains a passion of hers and she loves to teach others to learn and enjoy this diagnostic modality.

Marc Seitz | DVM, ABVP (Canine/Feline)

Dr. Seitz earned both his B.S. in biochemistry (‘03) and his DVM (‘07) from Mississippi State University (Hail STATE). After graduation, he spent three years in general practice (Atlanta, GA) followed by five years in private practice emergency and referral medicine (Cherry Hill, NJ).

In 2014, he earned Diplomate status with the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Canine and Feline). Soon after, Dr. Seitz returned to Mississippi State University, where he currently works as an assistant clinical professor. In addition to clinical practice, he thoroughly enjoys teaching, with the ultimate goal of translating sound medical practices and current veterinary literature into useful clinical skills. His passion for teaching was recognized by the students at Mississippi State through the Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teaching Award (2016). Dr. Seitz has been teaching at the Academy of Veterinary Imagine since 2014. Professional interests include ultrasonography, feline urethral obstruction, fluid therapy, and intravenous lipid therapy. Marc is happily married with one child and one Chocolate Labrador. Outside of veterinary medicine, he is an avid triathlete and reader.

Martha Larson | DVM, MS, DACVR

Dr. Martha Moon Larson received her DVM from Ohio State University. Dr. Moon Larson then completed an internship at Animal Medical Center, in addition to completing her MS and Radiology residency, also at Ohio State University.

She has been ACVR board certified since 1987. She has been a practicing Radiologist at Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech since 1986; where she is currently a Professor. Her interests include: abdominal ultrasound, especially feline biliary and pancreatic disease; thoracic radiology and ultrasound.

Linda Luther | DVM, MVSc, DACVIM (SAIM)

Dr. Linda Luther received her DVM degree from the University of Minnesota in 1988. She worked in private practice for five years before completing a residency in small animal internal medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

She became board-certified in small animal internal medicine in 1996. She has been a consultant for Sound since 2001 in many different capacities, including ultrasound telemedicine consulting and teaching at ultrasound education courses. She is also an internal medicine consultant for Antech Diagnostics. She lives in NH with her husband and best friend, Tom, as well as several brackish and fresh water aquarium fish, and an albino African Clawed frog. Outside of work, she is an avid road bicyclist, and also enjoys weight training, yoga and traveling.

Michael R. Soltero | DVM

Dr. Soltero started veterinary school in 1997 at CSU but took a hiatus to pursue other careers including fitness director/personal trainer and insurance planning for high net worth individuals. In 2003 he started learning veterinary ultrasound with Sound Technologies and took a full time position as an applications specialist/instructor in 2004.

He has been a part time educational instructor for The Academy of Veterinary Imaging, formerly Sound Technologies, in 2005 when he decided to return to veterinary school. He graduated from Kansas State University in 2009 with his DVM. While in veterinary school he elected to take multiple rotations in radiology and cardiology to help him further his skills in veterinary ultrasound. Since graduating school he has been a private practitioner in the Phoenix area and continuing as an instructor for The Academy of Veterinary Imaging. In 2017 he started a mobile ultrasound company, Infinity Mobile Veterinary Ultrasound, providing advanced diagnostic ultrasound in Mesa, Arizona to local practitioners. Dr. Soltero is a member of ACVR, AHAA, AVMA and the AVMA. His philosophy on most things is to have fun and enjoy while trying to get those around him to do the same.

Ken Waller | DVM, ACVR

As an instructor for the Academy of Veterinary Imaging, Dr. Ken Waller provides didactic instruction for various ultrasound courses. Ken obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Master’s of Science in Comparative Biosciences and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

He completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Kansas State University and diagnostic imaging residency at Iowa State University. Ken is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and serves at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Diagnostic Imaging and Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs. His ultrasound experience spans just over two decades of clinical research, clinical diagnostic ultrasound, resident, student and continuing education instruction in many species.

Dana Neelis | DVM, DACVR

Dr. Neelis received her DVM from Michigan State University in 2006. After completing her radiology residency at Washington State University in 2011, she took a position as assistant professor at Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia.

She performed an equine ultrasound and cardiology fellowship with Dr. Virginia Reef at the University of Pennsylvania, New Bolton Center, prior to her radiology training. She currently works for Dr. Neelis enjoys imaging all species and has extensive experience with the equine.

Jeff Pearce | DVM, DAVBP

Dr. Jeff Pearce graduated from Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1987. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners specializing in Canine and Feline Practice.

He and his wife Dr. Sue Pearce have been owners of a three-doctor small animal veterinary clinic in Memphis, TN since 1990. Dr. Pearce became interested in diagnostic ultrasound in 2000 and started a mobile veterinary service in 2009. He now dedicates his time exclusively to veterinary ultrasound. He was chosen as the 2010 Alumni Fellow for the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Pearce has four children and in his free time he enjoys playing guitar, astronomy and all things tech.

Herb Leary | DVM

As a laboratory instructor, Herb Leary VMD enjoys helping people climb the learning curve of ultrasound. A graduate of the Academy of Veterinary Imaging’s Small Animal Veterinarian Ultrasound Imaging Program, he knows the challenges and rewards of learning ultrasound and adding it into clinical practice. Herb attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and is the Medical Director of Arlington Dog and Cat Hospital in Kearny New Jersey.

Jordan Vitt | DVM, DAVCIM Cardiology

An Ohio native, Dr. Jordan Vitt was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and went on to complete both his undergraduate and veterinary degrees at The Ohio State University. After graduation, he completed a Small Animal Rotating Internship in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and then worked as an emergency clinician in private practice for one year in Columbus, Ohio.

He completed his three-year Cardiology Residency at Texas A&M University in College Station and then obtained his Diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in Cardiology in 2016. He is currently a clinical assistant professor at University of Illiniois in Urbana-Champaign. His research interests include imaging and clinical trials. In his spare time, Dr. Vitt enjoys traveling, going to the beach, developing his yoga practice and spending time with his Siberian Husky.

Cassie Beck Murvay | BS, RDMS, RDCS, RVT

Cassie graduated from Seattle University in 1994 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography and worked as a human sonographer specializing in obstetrics/gynecology, abdomen, cardiac and vascular. She has been an instructor with Sound since 2000. Cassie is registered by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).

Taeva Beck Schuller | BS, RDMS, RVT

Taeva graduated from Seattle University in 1994 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography and worked as a human sonographer specializing in obstetrics/gynecology, abdomen, and vascular. Taeva has been with Sound since 2000 and continues to teach veterinary ultrasound with Sound® Academy of Veterinary Imaging. Taeva is registered by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).

Jennifer Drabo | BS, RDMS

Jennifer has been working in veterinary ultrasound since 2004. She teaches at the Academy of Veterinary Imaging and is also an Applications Specialist with Sound. Jennifer is a 1999 graduate of Towson University with a degree in Health Science. She is a registered sonographer with the American Registry of Diagnostic Sonographers and has experience on the human side specializing in Abdominal and OB/GYN studies.

Leah Rose | RDMS

Leah graduated from the University of Tennessee. She has been with Sound since 2015, and joined the teaching staff at the Academy in 2018. Leah loves outdoor sports and traveling.