Ria Acciani received her Masters in Physical Therapy degree from University of St.Augustine, Florida. She has over 25 years of experience in both human and Canine Physical Therapy. She received her CCRP from UTN and was the first Physical Therapist, along with her husband, in New Jersey to practice on dogs. Ria owns and operates the Advanced Canine Rehabilitation Center, a practice that focuses on orthopedic and sports rehabilitation and specializes in performance and sporting dogs. She travels extensively to national and international dog competitions and works with top level competitors. She is the OLicial Therapist for the AKC US World Team, IFCS US Agility Team, WAO US Agility Team, and has travelled with these teams since 2010. Ria conducts instructional seminars on a variety of topics for dog handlers and educates them on how to prevent injury and enhance performance within their sport. Ria worked closely with Dr. Sherman Canapp and VOSM to establish the rehabilitation protocol for various shoulder elbow and pelvic limb conditions. She has published works in Veterinary Surgery, Veterinary Clinics of North America, and articles in Clean Run. She has presented at STAAR (since 2010), IAVRPT, ARSIG/APTA, and SCIVAC. She is a former Board Member for ARSIG/APTA and a member of AARV. When not working Ria is active with swimming, pilates and yoga. She loves to spend time with her 3 Border Collies, hiking and playing. Ria and David have 3 children, 2 in college and a junior in high school, and all 3 are very active in sports.

Dr. Kara Amstutz is presenting on behalf of the Canine Rehab Institute (CRI) and in cooperation with STAAR Conference.

Dr. Kara Amstutz was born and raised in Springfield, Missouri. After completing a Biology degree at Missouri State University, she earned her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Missouri in 2000. She started Hometown Veterinary Hospital in 2002, growing quickly over the following years. In 2013, Dr. Amstutz became a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist through Canine Rehabilitation Institute. The following year, Dr. Amstutz became a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner through the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management. Then, in 2019 she became a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. These advanced certifications allowed Dr. Amstutz to found River Canine Rehabilitation and transition her daily practice to rehabilitation and pain management cases only.

In 2022, Dr. Amstutz became the new owner and CEO of Canine Rehabilitation Institute (CRI), a postgraduate rehabilitation and acupuncture certification program for veterinarians, physical therapists, and veterinary nurses. Dr. Amstutz is a lead instructor for multiple courses offered through CRI. Dr. Amstutz is also the CEO of Canine Arthritis Resources and Education (CARE), an online platform for veterinary health professionals and pet owners that helps care for dogs with osteoarthritis.

Dr. Amstutz became a Diplomate of The American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in 2023.

Dr. Amstutz lectures nationally and internationally about osteoarthritis, the business of canine rehabilitation, and rehabilitation therapy. Looking into the future, Dr. Amstutz will continue her education and veterinary practice efforts focusing on sports medicine, pain management, and mobility. She loves to travel with her husband and four children in her free time.

Laurie Edge-Hughes obtained her Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Alberta in 1993 and has since focused her post-graduate training on orthopedics, osteopathy, acupuncture, and animal rehabilitation. Additionally, she completed her Master of Animal Studies in Animal Physiotherapy through the University of Queensland (Australia)in 2006. Laurie taught the first canine physiotherapy/physical therapy courses in Canada (1999), the USA(1999), and Australia (2001). She has been involved in the Animal RehabDivision since its inception in 1994 and teaches canine physiotherapy and rehabilitation courses for the Animal Rehab Division (ARD) of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA). Additionally, she holds the position of Advocacy Lead for the ARD and is chair of the Registry of Allied Animal Health Practitioners of Canada. www.FourLeg.com, an online educational platform for continuing education in canine rehabilitation / physiotherapy. Laurie co-owns and practices out of the Canine Fitness Centre Ltd (www.caninefitness.com) in Calgary, Alberta.

Dr. Leslie Eide graduated from Colorado State University’s Veterinary School in 2006. She completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine in Albuquerque, NM from 2006-2007, and worked in general small animal practice for 5 years. In 2012, she became certified in canine rehabilitation with a focus in sports medicine. She completed 3 years of residency training in Rehab/Sports Medicine, but ultimately stopped due to Covid. She currently owns her practice, The Total Canine in Marysville, WA.

Leslie regularly teaches online classes and webinars for both the pet parent and rehab/sports medicine professional. Previously, she taught for Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, Camddwr Canine, and NES. She also helped create the Certified Canine Fitness Trainer (CCFT) program through the University of Tennessee's NorthEast Seminars.

Leslie has competed in agility since 2002 with multiple dogs. She competes at the national level in both AKC and UKI with her Border Collies and Australian Shepherd. She recently competed in Poland at the annual Border Collie Classic. Leslie's love for exercise physiology and fitness comes from her swimming background. She started swimming competitively at age 5 and rounded out her career at the University of New Mexico where she held the school record for the 400 Individual Medley for 4 years.

Kirsty Oliver is presenting on behalf of NC State/NES and in cooperation with STAAR Conference.

Kirsty Oliver is an English trained Veterinary Nurse who holds an Advanced Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (surgical). Having dedicated the first half of her career to nursing surgical and orthopaedic patients, Kirsty qualified in veterinary rehabilitation (CCRP) in 2005. In 2010, she added CVPP (Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner) through the IVAPM. Kirsty joined VSC/VSCR in 2016 after spending 14 years at a large veterinary hospital in New Jersey.

In 2018, she obtained her VTS in Physical Rehabilitation with the APRVT (Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Veterinary Technicians). In 2022, Kirsty was invited to become an instructor for the new CCAT Rehabilitation Program through NE Seminars and NC State.

Kirsty has a passion for manual therapy and myofascial treatment to help patients move better after injury. When she isn't working, Kirsty lives with her hubby, 3 cats, 4 chickens, and 2 bee hives in the mountains of West Virgina.

Elena Saltis received her undergraduate degree in Physical Therapy at Ohio State University. She started PhysiotherapyNZ Limited, a prominent, successful, multi-clinic human Physio business in the South Island of New Zealand. She went on to obtain her certificate in canine rehabilitation (CCRT) from the Canine Rehabilitation Institute (CRI). After graduating she continued to hone her skills, attending post graduate courses at CRI, further study through the Australian Physiotherapy Association - Special Interest Group, and multiple internships at various facilities. Elena went on to become an instructor for CRI in both the US and Australia, and presented at numerous international conferences.

Elena is passionate about giving back and imparting her therapy skills on animals most in need. She established a rehabilitation clinic in Spain in partnership with the Galgo Rescue sanctuary. She started Street Tails, a charity providing veterinary and physical therapy services to the pets of people who are homeless. Also, she developed Canine NeuroPark Charity Trust, a private rehabilitation and enrichment park in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Dr. Debbie Torraca began her career in human physical therapy (PT) and specialized in orthopedics, sports medicine, and pain management. With a solid foundation in human PT, she has adapted her skills (including her expertise in the Mulligan Technique) to her work with animals. Dr. Torraca is a pioneer in the field of canine physical rehabilitation and is a core faculty member of the NC State Veterinary School’s Certified Companion Animal Therapy (CCAT) program. She also founded and heads the Certified Canine Manual Therapy (CCMT) program at UTN.

Following her doctorate in Physical Therapy from UTN-Chattanooga, she transitioned to her work with animals and has been practicing canine rehabilitation for more than 25 years. Dr. Torraca has authored many chapters in veterinary textbooks and writes for professional journals and magazines dedicated to the dog enthusiast. She has been a speaker and instructor at many veterinary conferences including the International Association of Veterinary Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy (IAVRPT), American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS), North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC), Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference (ACVC), and Western States Veterinary Conference (WSVC). She sits on the advisory board for Companion Animal Health and has been a key speaker at the American International Medical Laser Association.

Dr. Torraca is a longtime member of American Physical Therapy Association Special Interest Group (APTA-SIG) and has held the office of President. She is also a member of the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM). She is an active member of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, the American Bullmastiff Association, the Clumber Spaniel Club of America, and various other local dog clubs and organizations including the Connecticut Police Canine Unit.

Dr. Samantha Wong was born and raised in New York City. She received her BSc. in Animal biology at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, followed by her DVM at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island, Canada. She returned to the Tri-State area to complete a rotating internship at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, NJ, and a surgical internship at the Veterinary Medical Center in Long Island, NY.

Dr. Wong then completed a three-year residency in Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Animal Medical Center in New York City training under Dr. Leilani Alvarez. Her advanced special training in Integrative Medicine allows her to utilize veterinary acupuncture, nutrition focused on weight management, nutraceuticals, assistive devices (orthotic braces, prosthetics, and assistive carts) with formal physical rehabilitation. Her special interests include geriatric and palliative care, soft tissue and sports injuries, and neurologic rehabilitation.