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In this episode of the VCA Voice Podcast, Dr. Kerl is pleased to welcome Dyanna Durr CVT, Regional Technician Director for VCA's South Atlantic Group. Listen in as she shares her inspiring journey in veterinary medicine, detailing her early fascination with animals, her career progression, and the challenges she has faced along the way. She discusses her role as a regional technician director, the importance of veterinary technicians and assistants and her insights into feline practice.

Dyanna also emphasizes the need for regular veterinary care for cats and offers advice on making veterinary visits easier for both cats and their owners. She provides valuable training resources for veterinary associates and concludes with encouraging words for those considering a career in veterinary medicine.

For more information about the resources mentioned in this episode, we invite you to check out the following sites:

CatFriendly.com

Feline Veterinary Medical Association

Dyanna is a Florida native who has actively pursued a career in veterinary medicine from a very young age. Her first opportunity to step into the veterinary world was enrolling in the Veterinary Academy at Tarpon Springs High School. At the age of 16, she got her first job with a small private practice in her hometown. Dyanna’s next milestone was pursuing an AS in veterinary medicine from St. Petersburg College and earning her credentials in Florida from the FVMA. Eventually her hometown practice was sold to an aspiring doctor who accomplished two renovations of the original facility and constructed two additional locations in a 10-year period. Dyanna was involved in the development of the facilities, team training, and standardization of policies within those practices. She divided her time as a Lead Technician between all three
locations for five years. Eventually, the opportunity for growth into a supervisor role brought her to VCA Carrollwood Cat hospital in 2017. This was an invaluable experience which helped to support her continued leadership goals. In 2022 Dyanna became the RTD for the Southeast working to support teams in Florida and Georgia. She loves spending quality time with her family which includes husband (and high school sweetheart) Joshua, daughter Fayth, and son Andrew and four purrfect kitties: Vincent Van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Turtle, and Princess.

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In this episode of the VCA Voice Podcast, Dr. Justin Allen and Dr. Maureen Mueller discuss their journeys in veterinary medicine, the common cardiac conditions they encounter, and the innovative interventional cardiology procedures they offer at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital. They emphasize the importance of teamwork, the role of veterinary technicians, and the advancements in treating mitral valve disease. Their conversation with Dr. Kerl also highlights the significance of training the next generation of specialists and the need for continuous learning in the field.

Dr. Mueller received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Purdue University in 1997. This was followed by a one year rotating internship at Washington State University, School of Veterinary Medicine. She then completed her surgical residency in 2001 at the Animal Medical Center, New York, and was awarded her Diplomate status in 2002. Dr. Mueller performs both soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries. She has a strong interest in Surgical Oncology which involves the removal of cancerous masses in pets. In challenging cases, this requires her
to employ reconstruction techniques. She continues to strive to learn new techniques that enable her to remove these masses in challenging cases.
When Dr. Mueller is not at work she enjoys many activities with her husband and daughter, including hiking, biking, museums and movies. She also enjoys running with her rescued Australian Shepard dog, yoga, crafts and gardening.

Dr. Justin Allen grew up on a farm in central Illinois. After graduating from the University of Illinois, he traveled to Los Angeles, California for an internship program at Advanced Veterinary Care Center; he then moved to California Animal Hospital in Los Angeles for a 3-year private practice residency program
in Cardiology. He received board-certification in 2010 and after practicing in Chicago and Northern California, he and his family moved to Los Angeles to join VCA West Los Angeles in 2016. His particular interests in cardiology include interventional therapy of structural heart diseases and emergency therapy of heart failure/arrhythmias. He and his wife Kimberly share a love of food, and have been enjoying the wide variety of incredible food in the LA area. They currently live in an extremely busy household in Rancho Palos Verdes with a doodle puppy (Curry), two boys (Nathan, 10 y, and Evan, 7 y), and one girl (Audrey, 4 y).

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In this conversation, Dr. Kerl interviews VCA's former Vice President of People and Organization, Paola Perez Loaiza. Listen in as she shares her unique journey from engineering to HR leadership in the veterinary field. She discusses the vital role of overseeing People and Organization at VCA Animal Hospitals, emphasizing the importance of culture, associate well-being, and professional development. Paola highlights the significant investments made in associate support, including health resources and internship programs. She also reflects on the Mars Associate Survey's findings and its impact on employee engagement and client experience. As she transitions to a new role at Royal Canin, Paola expresses her excitement for the future of veterinary medicine and the ongoing commitment to world-class care.

Paola has held several leadership roles within the Mars Petcare ecosystem, including AniCura P&O head, Vice President for Mars Vet Health International and Diagnostics, and various P&O leadership roles with Mars Global Pet Nutrition and U.S. Pet Nutrition. Before joining Mars, Paola was at Procter & Gamble for 17 years, where she held multiple roles in supply and procurement in Latin America, Europe and North America.

Eighteen months ago, Paola’s family adopted Zula, a mixed-breed dog from a shelter. She has brought much joy to Paola and her family. This adoption was one of the first success stories of VCA Charities' "Dog Day Out" program. Paola is passionate about finding and nurturing the leaders of tomorrow. She believes that every person needs to find their own definition of happiness and, from there, work hard and persevere in pursuing their dreams. She loves traveling, learning about different cultures and experiencing their gastronomy. Paola, her husband and two children have lived in different countries and cities across Latin America, the US and Europe. She loves spending time with family and friends and doing CrossFit.

Paola has accepted the position of Vice President, P&O, Royal Canin European Region and joined the Royal Canin team on June 1, 2025. In this enhanced role, Paola will serve as the P&O Business Partner for the Regional President and the leadership team supporting a multi-year transformation of Royal Canin Europe, the home of 2,700 talented Royal Canin Associates across 28 countries and 10
business units. She will also own the strategic direction for global Royal Canin Talent, Leadership and OE agenda.

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