University of Minnesota SAVMA Chapter

Mission Statement:

The Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA) exists to support, empower, and inspire all veterinary students in improving their lives, education, and career, along with securing a better future for our profession through collaboration with our parent organization, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

A large group of students in white coats posing on a stage

Class of 2026 White Coat Ceremony 2022

Key Links:

What is SAVMA?

SAVMA University of Minnesota with green rod of asclepius in front of a V, the symbol of veterinary medicine

SAVMA (Student American Veterinary Medical Association) is a non-profit, student-run organization. Here at Minnesota, we are all members of the SAVMA Chapter as well as the national SAVMA organization, which includes over 10,000 student members worldwide!

The Minnesota chapter is active in community philanthropic efforts, offers student externship and travel grants, hosts informative lunch seminars, plans social events, and supports student camaraderie.

National SAVMA is the Student American Veterinary Medical Association, comprised of students from schools all over the nation and some from Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and other countries. The national SAVMA organization exists to support, empower, and inspire all veterinary students in improving their lives, education, and career. SAVMA works toward securing a better future for our profession through collaboration with our parent organization, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). More information can be found on their website: https://www.avma.org/about/SAVMA

SAVMA Overview+Benefits 2023.pptx

Meet Our Executive Board

Andrea stands wearing blue overalls, holding a piglet. She is in a barn surrounded by many piglets.

Andrea Pacheco

President, c/o 2028

Hometown: Barceloneta, Puerto Rico

Track Interest: Mixed animal/Emergency

Email: pache137@umn.edu

Fun Fact: I used to compete in chess tournaments.
Favorite Movie: Jurassic Park (1993)

Alexis is wearing a blue top and decorative gold necklace. She is smiling

Alexis Nicholas

President Elect, c/o 2029

Hometown: Chaska, Minnesota

Track Interest: SA Surgery/Specialty

Email: nich0459@umn.edu

Best piece of advice: Time will pass anyways.

Makayla is posing with a hand on her hip. She is wearing a grey blazer, grey shirt and pink pants

Makayla Hall

Senior Delegate, c/o 2028

Hometown: Fairmont, MN

Track interest: Mixed animal

Email: hall2045@umn.edu

Favorite thing to do outside of vet school: Riding horses, cooking, going to Mass

Gavin is working on the hooves of a horse. He is wearing jeans and a red shirt. The horse is brown.

Gavin Machtemes

SDSU Senior Delegate, c/o 2028

Hometown: Iroquois, SD

Track interest: Equine Orthopedics and Sports Med

Email: macht034@umn.edu

Fun Fact: I wont eat either ends of a banana

Anna Ridenour

Junior Delegate, c/o 2029

Hometown: Dodge Center, MN

Track interest: Food Animal/Mixed

Email: riden027@umn.edu

Favorite Vacation: Agricultural Tour through Greece

Allison is wearing coveralls and posing with a cow.

Allison Reeder

SDSU Junior Delegate, c/o 2029

Hometown: Logan, UT

Track interest: Mixed animal

Email: reede102@umn.edu

Fun fact: My Hogwarts House is Slytherin!

Elizabeth sits in a gymnasium holding a brown puppy.

Elizabeth "Izabelle" Lewis

Treasurer, c/o 2028

Hometown: Winona, MN

Track interest: Wildlife, Mixed

Email: lewi1906@umn.edu

Fan Fact: I own thousands of pets (the majority of them insects)

Rachel sits with her dog. Rachel is wearing a yellow shirt. Her light tan dog wears a pink collar.

Rachel McBride

Treasurer Elect, c/o 2029

Hometown: Centerville, MN

Track interest: SA Emergency/Specialty

Email: mcbri200@umn.edu

Favorite Song: That Ain't My Truck - Rhett Akins

Kendra is wearing glasses, a grey blazer and a green top, she is smiling.

Kendra Blaschko

Secretary, c/o 2029

Hometown: Le Center, MN

Track interest: Food animal

Email: blasc106@umn.edu

Favorite Vacation: Yellowstone National Park

Gabby is wearing a lime green top with a pink stethoscope draped over her shoulders.

Gabby Cattani

Information Officer, c/o 2029

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Track interest:Food Animal, Rural Practice

Email: catta027@umn.edu

Favorite Movie Legally Blonde

Alana poses in front of a tree changing colors in fall. She is smiling and wearing a brown sweater

Alana Rivera

Fundraising Chair, c/o 2028

Hometown: Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico

Track interest: Small Animal

Email: river893@umn.edu

Favorite thing to do outside of vet school: Crochet, paint, and visit coffee shops

Catherine is wearing a white lab coat. She stands behind a fence and holds a white horse

Catherine Fabel

Fundraising Elect, c/o 2029

Hometown: Eden Prairie, MN

Track Interests: Mixed/exotics, Community medicine

Email: fabel014@umn.edu

Favorite Vacation: Backpacking through southern France, northern Italy, and Switzerland

Rachel sits in front of a waterfall. She is wearing a grey sweater and holding a colorful bag

Rachel Cheung

Membership Officer, c/o 2028

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Track interest: Small Animal

Email: cheun137@umn.edu

Favorite Song: Have On On Me- Joanna Newsom

Paige is wearing a blue shirt and is smiling

Paige Pasvogel

Membership Officer Elect, c/o 2029

Hometown: La Crescent, Minnesota

Track interest: SA Specialty

Email: pasvo004@umn.edu

Favorite Movie: 10 Things I Hate About You

Olivia is wearing coveralls and is hugging a goat

Olivia Ancell

Philanthropy Officer, c/o 2028

Hometown: Southington, OH

Track interest: Mixed animal/Emergency medicine

Email: ancel013@umn.edu

Favorite Vacation: Smokey Mountains in Tenneesse

Esel is wearing a red top with a blue stethoscope around her neck. She is playing with her dog's(golden retriever) ears, who is sitting on her lap.

Esel Ro

Philanthropy Officer Elect, c/o 2029

Hometown: Tampa, FL

Track interest: SA Specialty

Email: aro000014@umn.edu

Favorite Show: Arrested Development

Anne is wearing a black top with a stethocope draped around her neck. She is holding a black and white cat.

Anne Latuska

DEI Chair, c/o 2028

Hometown: Dubois, Pennsylvania

Track interest: Small animal general practice

Email: latus012@umn.edu

Fun Fact: I am the youngest of 7 siblings

Hailey is wearing a grey top with a stethoscope draped over her shoulders

Hailey Chui

DEI Chair Elect, c/o 2029

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

Track interest: SA Emergency/Specialty

Email: chui0011@umn.edu

Favorite Song: Heroes - Alesso

Mary is standing outside holding the halter of a horse. The horse is brown.

Mary Holmes

Wellbeing Officer, c/o 2028

Hometown: Milwaukee, WI and Gazelle, CA

Track interest: Mixed Animal + Wildlife Rehab (potentially pathology)

Email: holme988@umn.edu

Fun Fact: I'm Open Water Scuba certified!

Rafael is wearing a navy suit jacket with a blue button-down. A stethoscope is draped over his shoulders.

Rafael Soria

Wellbeing Elect, c/o 2029

Hometown: Turlock, CA

Track interest: Emergency/Surgery

Email: soria069@umn.edu

Best Piece of Advice: You can either wait to opportunity to knock or build the door yourself.

Regina Kurandina

2027 Class Representative

Hometown: White Bear Lake, MN

Track Interest: Mixed animal theriogenology

Email: kuran008@umn.edu

Outside of Vet School: I love spending time with my dogs! Most of my free time is spent training for various dog competitions or taking them lure coursing.

Maddie is standing in a cow barn posing with some cows. She is wearing a hi-vis vest and a colorful headband

Maddie Mullenbach

2028 Class Representative

Hometown: Austin, MN

Track interest: Mixed Animal Rural Practice- Emphasis on bovine and small ruminants

Email: mulle753@umn.edu

Fun fact: I did gymnastics starting from the age of 5 and went onto compete at the collegiate level in undergrad.

Karuna Bharadwaj

2029 Class Representative

Hometown: Northville, MI

Track interest:SA/Exotics/Wildlife

Email: bhara114@umn.edu

Favorite Song: Softcore - the neighborhood

Dr. Erin Burton

Faculty Advisor

DACVP, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, Clinical Pathology

DVM, Ross University

MS, Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri

BS, Biology, Arizona State University

Email: burt0233@umn.edu

Favorite Vacation: We (Dr. Burton and her husband) went to Belize and Guatemala for our honeymoon. We stayed in a beautiful border town called San Ignacio for a portion of the trip. My husband and I went on this incredible 15 mile kayak and bird tour through the jungle. I have never seen so much beauty in one place.

Dr. Chris Hergenrader

Faculty Advisor

DVM, Iowa State University

EdD, Bethel University

MA, Teaching, Hamline University

BS, Animal Science, Iowa State University

Email: herg008@umn.edu

Favorite Movie: Hell or High Water

A group of students wearing grey shirts and posing in front of a brown building

GOALE Mentors 2025

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University of Minnesota SAVMA Chapter

Mission Statement:

What is SAVMA?

Meet Our Executive Board

Andrea Pacheco

President, c/o 2028

Alexis Nicholas

President Elect, c/o 2029

Makayla Hall

Senior Delegate, c/o 2028

Gavin Machtemes

SDSU Senior Delegate, c/o 2028

Anna Ridenour

Junior Delegate, c/o 2029

Allison Reeder

SDSU Junior Delegate, c/o 2029

Elizabeth "Izabelle" Lewis

Treasurer, c/o 2028

Rachel McBride

Treasurer Elect, c/o 2029

Kendra Blaschko

Secretary, c/o 2029

Gabby Cattani

Information Officer, c/o 2029

Fundraising Chair, c/o 2028

Fundraising Elect, c/o 2029

Rachel Cheung

Membership Officer, c/o 2028

Paige Pasvogel

Membership Officer Elect, c/o 2029

Olivia Ancell

Philanthropy Officer, c/o 2028

Esel Ro

Philanthropy Officer Elect, c/o 2029

Anne Latuska

DEI Chair, c/o 2028

Hailey Chui

DEI Chair Elect, c/o 2029

Mary Holmes

Wellbeing Officer, c/o 2028

Rafael Soria

Wellbeing Elect, c/o 2029

Regina Kurandina

2027 Class Representative

Maddie Mullenbach

2028 Class Representative

Karuna Bharadwaj

2029 Class Representative

Dr. Erin Burton

Faculty Advisor

Dr. Chris Hergenrader

Faculty Advisor

Sponsors

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