Lowri Davies President
BVSC MRCVS Cert Vet Acup (IVAS)

After graduating from Bristol University in 1992, Lowri spent 2 years in mixed, mainly equine practice. The next few years were spent migrating betwen an equine practice in the exotic location of Llanymynech, the plains of affrica and the rainfforest of south america. Lowri enroled on the iVAS course in 1999 and gained her certificate the following year. In October 2004 Lowri opened the SMART Clinic (sports medicine and rehabilitation therapy) in Swansea where she specialises in equine and canine rehabilitation and pain management.

Lou Newman Treasurer
B.Sc.Hons.,B.Vet.Med.,M.R.C.V.S. Cert Vet Acup (IVAS)

Lou Newman qualified from The Royal Veterinary College in 1990. She worked in mixed practice for 8 years with a year spent working for the RSPCA in Hong Kong. This started an interest in Acupuncture. In 1998 she obtained the IVAS Certification in Veterinary Acupuncture. She works part time in a conventional small animal practice in Exeter. Acupuncture cases are mostly dogs and cats, occasionally rabbits. In addition she sees clients with acupuncture cases at several veterinary practices in The South Hams area." She was elected to Council in April 2005.

Sam Lindley PR Officer
BVSc MRCVS

Samantha Lindley qualified from Bristol Vet School in 1988. She interned at Glasgow Vet School, spent four years in mixed practice In Ayrshire and in 1993 became veterinary consultant at the Animal Behaviour Centre, Surrey. Samantha has been practising acupuncture since 199, runs the ABVA Foundation courses with Dr Mike Cummings and helps to teach on the BMAS Foundation Courses. Currently she runs a Pain and Rehabilitation Clinic at Glasgow Vet School, has an acupuncture clinic at Edinburgh Vet School and a behaviour practice that operates throughout Central and Southern Scotland. She has spent a total of 9 years on the ABVA Council.

Dietrich Graf von Schweinitz
BSc DVM MRCVS Cert Vet Acupuncture (IVAS)

Dietrich is an ABVA Past President and Education Director, on ABVA council since 1997, and is also on the IVAS Board of Directors. He is a lecturer in acupuncture, pain physiology, thermography, equine poor performance and rehabilitation, and has done research in equine acupuncture and thermography with publications including:

Thermographic Evidence for the Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Equine Neuromuscular Disease, Acupuncture in Medicine, Journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society, Vol XVI, No 1, 1998.

Thermographic Diagnostics in Equine Back Pain, Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, Back Problems, Vol 15, No 1, 1999.

Acupuncture in the Horse, Guardians of the Horse II, Romney Publications, edited by P Rossdale and R Green, 2001.

Rose Alkoff Web Officer
BSc BVM&S MRCVS CertVetAcup (ABVA)

Rose qualified from the Royal(Dick)Veterinary School, Edinburgh in 2000, and became CanadianVeterinary Medical Association Liscenced in 2002. She worked for 4 years in a mixed practice in south west Wales, followed by 2 years locuming in both mixed practicies and specialist Veterinary Acupuncture referral practices in the UK. Having a lifelong interest in acupuncture, she took the Acupuncture Foundation Course in 2001 (Edinburgh), followed by the ABVA Certificate course (2003-2004). She was elected onto the ABVA Council in April 2005. She has an interest in both small animal and equine veterinary acupuncture as a welcome addition to conventional practice. She has assists with the ABVA Post Foundation Courses, presenting a short Introduction to Gold Implant acupuncture.

Siobhan Menzies
BVM&S MRCVS LFHom[Vet]

Qualified from the Dick Vet in 1990 . Spent 2 very exciting but exhausting years in 2 person large animal practice followed by 11 years in busy small animal practice in Northern Ireland . 3 years ago [and 3 children later] having studied with the faculty of homeopathy and attended the abva foundation course in Ayr I set up my own practice providing homeopathy and acupuncture . Currently the only vet in Northern Ireland practising acupuncture I work mainly with small animals , the odd horse and cow and spend most of my time dealing with musculoskeletal , skin and behavioural problems. She was elected on to the council in March 2006

Jon Coupe

ABVA Certificate holder since 2005. Council Member since 2004.

Julia Behrends
DrMedVet, MRCVS

Qualified 1994 in Hannover, Germany, and moved to England 1 week after her exams. She has done a 2 year post graduate study in animal behaviour at Silsoe Research Institute, Bedford, during which she worked in small animal practice, too. After moving to Leicestershire in 1998, she has been involved in mixed and small animal practice, before working for the pdsa pet aid hospital in Leicester. Julia did her first course in animal acupuncture in 2003, followed by the abva foundation course in 2006. She also trained to use McLaren Photonic therapy and follows a natural approach in nutrition and treatment of her clients, including aloe vera and herbal formulations. She runs veterinary acupuncture and pain management clinics in Leicestershire next to locum work.