Advanced Techniques in Neurosurgery

Amanda Taylor, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology), CVA 
Neurologist and Director of Education and Wellness
Southeast Veterinary Neurology

Dr. Amanda R. Taylor received her DVM from the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biological Sciences. She completed an internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at Colorado State University and a residency in Neurology and Neurosurgery at Texas A&M University. Dr. Taylor is certified in Neurosurgery by the ACVIM, acupuncture by the Chi Institute and canine rehabilitation by the University of Tennessee. Her research interests include MRI and neurosurgery. She is currently a neurologist and Director of Education and Wellness for Southeast Veterinary Neurology. Dr. Taylor is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology).

Fred Wininger, VMD, MS, DACVIM (Neurology) 
Owner and Operator, 3D Veterinary Printing, LLC
Charlotte Animal Referral and Emergency (CARE)

Dr. Fred Wininger earned his VMD from the University of Pennsylvania. After completing a small animal rotating internship at the University of Georgia, he finished his neurology/neurosurgery residency at Washington State University. There he developed a love for neuroimaging and the development of a novel neuronavigation device. Joining the faculty at the University of Missouri, he applied these interests in the development of therapies for both animals and children with Battens disease (neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis). Dr. Wininger moved to St. Louis where he practiced for several years and developed the first hybrid private practice/academic neurology residency program which continues today. He is the owner and operator of 3D veterinary printing LLC, where he creates models and customized surgical tools to aid veterinary surgeons and neurosurgeons around the world.  

Richard V. Chua, MD, FAANS, FACS is a Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Arizona.  He completed medical school and neurosurgery residency at Indiana University School of Medicine, and is board certified by the ABNS.  Dr. Chua’s interests include robotic-assisted, image-guided spinal fusion, outpatient lumbar fusion, minimally invasive surgical techniques, and disc arthroplasty.  He is a passionate educator, and is an annual faculty member for the AANS GOODMAN Oral Board Review Course, and the Advanced Practice Provider Neurosurgery course.  He has an interest in Global Neurosurgery and has performed spine surgery in Nepal, Maldives, Vietnam, and Thailand.  He actively teaches at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal through the Nepal Spine Foundation.

Nick Jeffery, DECVN, FRCVS, BVSc, DECVS, PhD, MSc
Professor
Texas A&M University

Dr. Nick Jeffery qualified from University of Bristol in the UK and has worked in primary care practice, private surgical / neurosurgical referral practice, basic science laboratories and university veterinary schools in the UK and USA. He specializes in neurology and neurosurgery with diplomas from ECVS and ECVN and PhD in neuroscience and recently has undergone specialist training in clinical trial design and analysis. In October 2016, following completion of two clinical trials for chronic spinal cord injury, Dr. Jeffery moved to join the neurology group at Texas A&M University where he works in both clinic and laboratory.

Sharon Kerwin, DVM, MS, DACVS, DACVIM (Neurology)
Professor
Texas A&M University 

Dr. Sharon Kerwin received her DVM from Texas A&M University. She completed a rotating small animal internship at Louisiana State University, and a small animal surgery residency at LSU.  She worked as an orthopedic surgeon at LSU until 2002, and then returned to Texas A&M University where she works as an attending clinician in orthopedics and neurology.  She completed a neurology residency in 2016 at Texas A&M. Dr. Kerwin’s clinical and research interests in small animal bone and joint disease and spinal surgery, with a special interest in feline orthopedics and neurology.

Dr. Simon Platt qualified from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1992; he was then an intern at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph and completed a residency in neurology and neurosurgery in 1998 at the University of Florida. Dr. Platt was a professor of neurology and neurosurgery at the University of Georgia until 2022 and now co-leads the teleneurology team at VetOracle as well as being the Medical Director for Hallmarq Advanced Veterinary Imaging.  Dr. Platt has authored or co-authored over 200 journal articles and 50 book chapters and is the co-editor of the BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Neurology and the Manual of Small Animal Neurological Emergencies. Dr. Platt is Past-President of the ACVIM Neurology Specialty, Past chief examiner for the ECVN and Founder member of the South Eastern Veterinary Neurology (SEVEN) group in the USA. Currently, Simon also serves as Editor in Chief of the NAVC journal Today’s Veterinary Practice. Dr. Platt was made a fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2018 for meritorious contributions to the veterinary profession.

William Thomas, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Neurology)
Professor
University of Tennessee 

Dr. William Thomas received his DVM and MS from Auburn University and completed a residency in Neurology and Neurosurgery at Auburn University. He was previously an instructor at North Carolina State University and for the past 25 years he has been at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Thomas has authored 2 textbooks, and over 50 scientific publications and book chapters.