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Veterinary Nutrition Ambassador Program

Increase the strength and breadth of your clinical knowledge as you journey through the Veterinary Nutritional Ambassador Program.

Program Introduction

2 Tiers
16 hr 55 min
17.5 h RACE

About

The Veterinary Nutrition Ambassador Program is a multi-level series of highly-focused courses designed to advance the global understanding of the vital role nutrition plays in management of many diseases as well as maintenance of overall health. Progress through the levels in sequence, starting with Level 1. Additional modules will become available to you as you work through the courses in each Level. If a module has two parts, it is strongly recommended that these be taken together, as they are parts of the same lecture. Level 1 must be completed before advancing to Level 2. Continuing education (CE) credit will be awarded for completed modules where CE is available. A certificate of completion will be added to your profile page within Hill’s Veterinary Academy after each Level is completed. An additional Veterinary Nutritional Ambassador certificate is awarded for completion of all Levels.

Program Benefits

Recent graduates and long-term veterinarians can learn something new from this series of engaging video lectures. Easy to complete on your own pace.

Covering clinically relevant information that you can quickly absorb and apply in your regular practice. Refer back to covered topics whenever needed.

Obtain two certificates and CE credits by completing this program. Level 1 will earn you the Veterinary Nutrition Ambassador - Basic and Level 2 provides the Veterinary Nutrition Ambassador - Advanced.

Levels (2)

All Incomplete Complete

Veterinary Nutrition Ambassador - Level 1
Veterinary Nutrition Ambassador - Level 1
8 Module(s)
7 h RACE
6 hr 10 min
Comprised of eight modules, Level 1 updates and reinforces nutritional basic understanding. Topics range from Protein, Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism, to understanding Energy and Energy systems, and what to focus on when feeding healthy dogs and cats at any stage of life. Complete all to earn the Level 1 Ambassador certificate.
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Veterinary Nutrition Ambassador - Level 2
Veterinary Nutrition Ambassador - Level 2
14 Module(s)
10.5 h RACE
10 hr 45 min
The 14 modules in this level focus on a number of common health situations. Learn how nutrition can be used to manage kidney, gastrointestinal, liver disease, as well as to support cancer/critically ill patients. Alternative diets, treating the obese patient, and conditions like Osteoarthritis and Periodontal Disease are covered as well. A Level 2 Ambassador certificate will be awarded at the completion of all modules.
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Program Speakers

Iveta Becvarova

DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVN
Iveta Becvarova, DVM, MS, is a Diplomate ACVIM (Nutrition). She is Director of Global Academic and Professional Affairs at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, USA and she is an Adjunct Faculty member in the Dept. of Clinical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State Univ. Past positions include Director of Academic Affairs at Hill’s Pet Nutrition Europe and Clinical Instructor and Clinical Assistant Professor – Veterinary Nutrition at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM). Dr. Becvarova completed her Master of Science degree in Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences and Nutrition Residency program at the VMCVM and earned her DVM degree from the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Czech Republic. She is a past president of the board of the ACVN, and a member of the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition (AAVN). Dr. Becvarova conducted studies in obesity, body composition and oxidative stress.

Mark Brady

Dr. Brady received a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Biology from LaSalle University, Philadelphia, PA in 1991. He obtained his DVM from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, in 1995. He went on to complete an internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at Michigan Veterinary Specialists, Southfield, MI, from 1995- 1996. From 1996 to 2007 he worked at the Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center in Overland Park, KS. During that time he completed a residency in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Medicine at Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center of Kansas City in conjunction with the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, from 1998- 2002. In 2003 he became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Medicine. His current role is Director, Global Professional Education & Engagement at Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. where he has overseen the digital expansion of Hill's Global symposium and Hill's Veterinary Academy.

Caitlyn Getty

Caitlyn is a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist® who joined the Hill's family in July 2023. She spent 13 years at the University of Illinois completing her BS, DVM, and PhD in Nutritional Sciences. During veterinary school and her PhD, she became very interested in nutrition education of veterinary students and the power of nutrition in health and disease. She then completed a rotating small animal medicine and surgery internship at Premier Veterinary Group on the north side of Chicago. Caitlyn next moved to Raleigh, NC to complete her Small Animal Clinical Nutrition residency at North Carolina State University. Here, she developed a love of critical care nutrition and was fortunate to be very involved in the education of 3rd and 4th year veterinary students. She started her career in the fresh pet food space and is now enjoying her career at Hill's where she continues to share nutrition education to the veterinary world! In Caitlyn's free time, she enjoys patio gardening, cooking, and country line dancing!

Jill Zigomanis

Dr. Jill Zigomanis studied Animal Biology at the University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada), before entering the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at the Ontario Veterinary College. She received her DVM degree in 2008. Upon graduation, she entered small animal general practice in rural Ontario, where she gained invaluable experience in a wide variety of clinical areas, including medicine, surgery, nutrition and client communication. Dr. Zigomanis has spent the past decade working in industry, first in veterinary pharmaceuticals and then in veterinary nutrition. During this time, she completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a specialty in Global Leadership. In her current role as Director, Professional Veterinary Affairs for Hill’s Pet Nutrition Canada Inc., she oversees engagement and education for the Canadian veterinary community, with the goal of leveraging the power of nutrition to enrich and lengthen the special relationships between people and their pets.

Becky Mullis

Dr. Becky Mullis is a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. She received her BS in Animal Science from the University of Maryland and her DVM from the University of Tennessee. After graduation, she completed a 1 year rotating internship and worked as an emergency veterinarian for a few years. She then returned to the University of Tennessee where she completed a residency in clinical nutrition. Dr. Mullis is currently the Corporate Veterinary Affairs Senior Manager with Hill’s Pet Nutrition

Catherine Ruggiero

Dr. Catherine Ruggiero is a board certified veterinary nutritionist® and manager of Scientific Communications at Hill's US. She completed her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine training at the University of Missouri in 2014. Prior to that, she received a Bachelor of Science at St. Lawrence University and a Master of Science in Biological Sciences at Fordham University. She was an associate veterinarian at a small animal veterinary practice in Upstate New York for just over three years before returning to the University of Missouri to pursue residency training in small animal clinical nutrition. Upon completion of an ACVN residency program in 2019, Dr. Ruggiero joined Hill's Pet Nutrition. She currently lives in Kansas City with two perfect dogs, a black cat, and a wonderful human partner.

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