Meet the Board
Please click on a board member below to learn more.
Krystal Burrell, LVT, CVPM
President
Krystal Burrell, LVT, CVPM, President
Credentials/Awards/Accolades:
Years in the Industry:Since 1999, LVT in 2003, CVPM in 2016
Current Position:Director of Field Operations, with Blue River PetCare
Favorite Part of Practice Management:100% helping practice managers feel like they are as awesome as they are, which comes with building their skills, communication techniques, efficiencies, and self-esteem.
Areas of Expertise:PhD in problem solving and firefighting! I love to teach practice managers how to have meaningful, engaging, positive, motivating team meetings. My team says that I excel in difficult conversations and crisis management and communication, emotional intelligence and organization. I also love the technology stuff and AVIMARK is my jam. My favorite pastime is building confidence in others, recognizing a job well done and collecting awesome pens.
Favorite Work Quote:“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. [S]he is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” – Ronald Reagan
Pets:Three dogs small in stature but big in attitude. Georgia Grace, the matriarch, a 9 year old Dachshund, Riley the 7 year old Maltipoo rescue and Teddy the baby who has officially stolen the show!
What She’d Be Doing if She Wasn’t in VetMed: I would like to think I would be a YouTube star but more than likely I would be an elementary school teacher.
Meghan Bingham, CVPM
Vice President
Meghan Bingham, CVPM, Vice President
Credentials/Awards/Accolades:
Years in the Industry: 25+ years
Current Position: Veterinary Advisor with Granite Peak Associates
Favorite Part of Practice Management: I believe it’s my job to set my team up for success, so I love the power of a good SOP! I’m also super passionate about KPIs and heartworm compliance.
Areas of Expertise: I’m pretty proficient with the Cornerstone. And I LOVE creating documents like marketing materials and signage for the clinic.
Favorite Work Quote: “Your value does not decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth.” Zig Ziglar
Pets: Trooper, some kind of hound dog and Rosie a sassy terrier mix, Freddie a rescue bearded dragon, Shelly a rescue box turtle and Crabby, a hermit crab that may very well be immortal.
What She’d Be Doing if She Wasn’t in VetMed: I looked into being a Funeral Director a few years back, but I’d have to go back to school. However, my husband is opening a LEGO store, so in reality, I feel like my safety net will be managing a LEGO store.
Susan Driever, CVPM
Treasurer
Susan Driever, CVPM, Treasurer
Credentials/Awards/Accolades: B.S. in Recreation, Park & Tourism Science from Texas A&M University, Class of ’97, Recipient of a 2020 VMG/VHMA CVPM Scholarship, CVPM 2021
Years in the Industry: 9 years as practice manager
Current Position: Practice Manager at Animal Hospital Highway 6, VHMA Test Prep Course Facilitator
Favorite Part of Practice Management: Seeing the results of clear, understandable and enforceable HR policies and procedures in the positive attitude and behaviors of the team. Handbooks work!
Areas of Expertise: Technology, Quickbooks, Human Resources
Favorite Work Quote: “You can never go wrong doing the right thing.” — Kevin Brown
Pets: A distemper survivor rescued Pitbull with bad elbows named Ruby
What She’d Be Doing if She Wasn’t in VetMed: I was in the software training industry prior to having kids and being a stay-at-home mom for seven years and could see myself returning to training adults in some capacity.
Kristen Norris, BS, CVPM, CPACO
Secretary
Kristen Norris, BS, CVPM, CPACO Secretary
Credentials/Awards/Accolades: BS in Wildlife and Fisheries Science Texas A&M, CVPM 2019, CPACO 2024
Years in the Industry: 14 years
Current Position: Practice Manager at West Brazos Animal Center
Favorite Part of Practice Management: Caring for the clients and our employees. Puppies are a plus, but I truly enjoy the relationships that I have built with our clients and the family I’m lucky to work with.
Areas of Expertise: EzyVet PMS, Leveraging staff, KPI tracking and evaluation…anything in an excel document
Favorite Work Quote: “The number one limiting factor to your success is the quality of your employees” Mack Opperman
Pets: Kona, a Chocolate Goober lab in addition to several other dogs, cats, reptiles, assorted farm animals, other peoples assorted animals. Let’s just say it’s a zoo.
What She’d Be Doing if She Wasn’t in VetMed: Motivational Speaker?…Chicken farmer?…Hiking guide? Professional organizer? Probably a greeter at Bucees, have you seen their benefits!?!
Karen Garza
Membership Director
Karen Garza, Membership Director
Years in the Industry: since 1996; but fairly new as a PM so still have lots to learn.
Current Position: Hospital Manager at Watermark Veterinary Hospital
Favorite Part of Practice Management: I enjoy helping motivate staff and maintaining a fun and healthy work environment. I also love to help clients and their pets in any aspect that I can. I kind of miss being in the trenches on a busy day.
Areas of Expertise: Technical skills, customer service
Favorite Work Quote: Let’s circle back around to that!
Pets: I breed and raise Golden & Labrador Retrievers. They tend to take up all of my extra time. I have most recently started dabbling in training for hunt tests & field trials.
What She’d Be Doing if She Wasn’t in VetMed: I would definitely still be involved in the dog world. More so on the training side. Dogs truly are my passion.
Christina Hayden
Sponsorship Director
Christina Hayden, Sponsorship Director
Current Position: Hospital Manager at Animal Medical Center of the Village
Favorite Part of Practice Management: Seeing the growth and development of employees that are given the tools to thrive.
Areas of Expertise: HR, communication, and compliance.
Favorite Work Quote: “The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.” – Ray Kroc
Pets: Izzy-puppymill survivor “schnauzer,” Axel-hound mix, Patches- shihtzu mix, 2 baby tortoises- Joey & Chandler.
What She’d Be Doing if She Wasn’t in VetMed: wildlife photography & conservation
Morgan Oliva
Marketing Director
Morgan Oliva, Marketing Director
Credentials/Awards/Accolades: Degree in Drafting Petro-Industrial, Currently enrolled in PennFoster to obtain my CVPM.
Years in the Industry: Management Since 2014, Veterinary Medicine Since 2017
Current Position: Hospital Manager at Abshier-Meuth Animal Hospital
Favorite Part of Practice Management: Being able to lead and motivate my team to be the best versions of themselves.
Areas of Expertise: Customer Service! I started my role in vet med as a receptionist. I’ve always been a people person, and being able to talk to clients one on one is my favorite. With that being said, I’m also able to de-escalate moments of heightened feelings. Social Media is also my jam! I love doing outreach programs and getting involved with the community. Being able to share those experiences with our clientele is something that I believe our clients like to see.
Favorite Work Quote: “Perception is reality”
Pets: Two Dogs, Luke and Lexus. Both are pitties, and are in their golden ages! Three cats, Myers, Penny, and Samara (yes, there is a theme with the cat names if you can’t tell).
What She’d Be Doing if She Wasn’t in VetMed: I would probably be working for an oil & gas company doing drafting work. That or out in the wild watching sharks!
Kimberly McKenzie
Event Director
Kimberly McKenzie, Event Director
Credentials/Awards/Accolades: Associates in Business Management
Years in the Industry: 27 years, was a kennel tech for the first three years and then moved up from CSR to Practice Manager
Current Position: Practice Manager at Heights Veterinary Clinic – Northwest
Favorite Part of Practice Management: tough question…I really enjoy leading.
Areas of Expertise: I’m not sure that I have an area of expertise, honestly. I feel like I know some things about a lot of things.
Least Favorite Work Quote: “It is what it is.”– Everyone
Pets: Sophie, a 10 year old terrier mix, Joe Dirt a 13 year old DSH, Bruce Sprinklesteen an 8 year old DLH, Doctor Colosso an 8 year old bunny (the kids named her years ago, we just call her “bun bun”)
What She’d Be Doing if She Wasn’t in VetMed: I think emergency medicine. My dad was a fire fighter and I always loved the paramedic side of things.
Yvette Carnot, CVPM
Social Director
Yvette Carnot, CVPM Social Director
Years in industry: 20 years, at my current practice since 2014.
Current Position: CVPM at Bayou City Veterinary Hospital
Favorite Part of Practice Management: My passion in this field started with the idea that I would help all pets in any way I could and be their voice while education clients and the community on the importance of pet health and needs. That has since morphed into wanting to help the people that make the veterinary field possible.
Favorite Work Quote: Be quick to listen and slow to speak
Past time: lifting weights
What She’d be Doing if She Wasn’t in Vet Med: Hairstylist, educator, Professional roller-skater