Emergency and Critical Care Faculty Veterinarians
F. A. (Tony) Mann, DVM, MS, DACVS, DACVECC
Professor and Director of Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Services
Board-Certified Specialist in Veterinary Surgery
Board-Certified Specialist in Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care
F. A. (Tony) Mann is a native of Kentucky where he obtained an AAS (1977) in veterinary technology and completed pre-veterinary requirements at Morehead State University in 1978. Mann received his DVM degree from the Ohio State University in 1982, completed a 13-month small animal medicine and surgery rotating internship at the University of Missouri in 1983, and completed a small animal surgical residency and MS degree in veterinary medicine and surgery at Texas A&M University in 1986.
He served as an assistant professor in small animal surgery at Auburn University from 1986 to 1988. He joined MU in 1988 as an assistant professor, passed the board certification examination of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1989, was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 1994, passed the board certification examination of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 1995, and was promoted to full professor in 2006. Mann held the position of adjunct associate professor of surgery in the cardiothoracic surgery division at the MU School of Medicine from 1997 to 2007. In 2007 he was appointed adjunct professor in the Department of Surgery at the MU School of Medicine. Currently, he serves as director of the Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Service at the MU Veterinary Health Center. He served as president of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care from 2005 to 2007 and was the ombudsman for the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care from 2009 to 2017. He received the Ira M. Zaslow Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society Distinguished Service Award in 2017.
Amy Molitoris, DVM, DACVECC
Clinical Instructor
Board-Certified Specialist in Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care
Amy Molitoris was born and raised in northeastern Pennsylvania and completed her undergraduate education at the University of Pittsburgh. She earned her DVM from Cornell University in 2018, completed a small animal rotating internship at Oradell Animal Hospital in northern New Jersey in 2019, and finished her three-year Emergency and Critical Care Residency at Tufts University in 2022. She joined the team at MU in the fall of 2022. Outside of work she enjoys exploring Columbia and the surrounding areas, reading, and playing the cello.
Faculty Emergency Veterinarians
Matthew Allen, DVM
Clinical Instructor
Matthew Allen was born and raised in Jefferson City, Missouri. He attended the University of Missouri for both his undergraduate and veterinary schooling, graduating from the MU College of Veterinary Medicine in 2017. Upon graduation, he moved to Las Vegas where he remained for three years working as a small animal general practitioner. In 2020 he moved back to Jefferson City to continue work as a general practitioner while concurrently working in a St. Louis animal emergency clinic where he developed a passion for emergency medicine. This prompted a career shift to work full time at the Veterinary Health Center ER, which also allows him to pursue his second passion ─ teaching. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his girlfriend, Lily, and son, Maddox, woodworking, and following MU athletics.
Elizabeth Easley, DVM
Clinical Instructor of Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care
Elizabeth Easley was born and raised in Joplin, Missouri. She attended Mizzou for undergraduate and veterinary school, graduating from the CVM in 2003. She then completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery in Mesa, Arizona. Following her internship, she stayed in Arizona as an emergency clinician at VCA Animal Referral and Emergency Center of Arizona. She returned to join the Mizzou SAECC service as a faculty emergency clinician in 2015. Outside of work, Easley enjoys spending time with her family (including a three-legged rescue dog and two cats), hiking, reading and listening to music.
Laurie Frasher, DVM
Clinical Instructor
Laurie Frasher was raised on a beef farm in Leeton, Missouri. She received her bachelor of arts degree in 2003 at Central Missouri State University where her dual majors were in biology and music. She worked as a wildlife technician participating in field research on forest bats for three years, then explored another career path as a choral music teacher in a public school in Arkansas for two years.
Her desire to explore medicine and work with animals led her to veterinary school and she completed her DVM degree with honors at the University of Missouri in May 2012. She completed her small animal rotating internship at VCA Veterinary Specialty Center of Seattle in June 2013 and an emergency and critical care specialty internship at the University of Georgia in July 2014. At that time, she returned to the Seattle area as an emergency and critical care veterinarian at the Veterinary Specialty Center of Seattle, serving as ER/CC department lead for five years. Feeling a desire to revisit her passion for teaching, she returned to her alma mater to join the MU Veterinary Health Center’s Emergency and Critical Care Service. Her professional interests include feline medicine, specifically urinary obstruction and constipation, shock, sepsis, and internal medicine critical care cases. In her spare time, Frasher enjoys exploring local culture and scenery with her partner, Jim, spending time with her rescue cats and dogs, reading, swimming, scuba diving, and playing video and board games.
Dana Jarigese, DVM
Clinical Instructor
Dr. Dana Jarigese was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science from Colorado State University in 2015 and her Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science from the University of Northern Colorado in 2017. She attended Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, went to the University of Missouri for her 4th year clinical rotations, and was awarded her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2022. Dr. Jarigese’s professional interests include veterinary ophthalmology and feline medicine.
Outside of work, Dana enjoys baking, hiking and camping, reading, and playing video games. She and her fiancé have three dogs and a cat, all of whom are spoiled rotten!
Mel Mosley, DVM
Clinical Instructor
Mel Mosley grew up in the North Georgia Mountains and graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Wildlife Biology in 2018. After undergrad, he moved out west to attend veterinary school at Colorado State University. There, he balanced his coursework with a job as a fly fishing guide and participated in wildlife disease research working with bats, black-footed ferrets, and prairie dogs. During his clinical year he discovered a love for emergency and critical care medicine, and upon graduation in 2022 he accepted a position at a small animal emergency hospital in Colorado Springs to participate in a training program for new ER doctors. He then found his way back to the Southeast, working at an emergency and surgery speciality hospital outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. He accepted a position at MU due to his love of teaching and his desire to continue learning through collaboration with experienced specialists.
Mel’s clinical interests include trauma, shock, and fluid resuscitation. He maintains an academic interest in wildlife biology and disease ecology. In his free time, he enjoys fly fishing, snow skiing, playing music, and spending time with his wife and three dogs.
Bryan K. Shedd, DVM
Clinical Instructor
Bryan Shedd was born and raised in Holly Pond, Alabama. He attended Auburn University for both his undergraduate education and veterinary school, graduating with his DVM in 2003. He completed an internship at 6666 Ranch before settling in San Antonio, Texas, to practice equine medicine. In 2005 he welcomed triplets, and another son in 2006, which led him to begin practicing small animal medicine to balance family and work life. In 2007 he began teaching ultrasonography to other veterinarians for Sound-Eklin in Arlington, Texas, and later joined an emergency practice in San Antonio. Shedd has practiced emergency and critical care medicine since 2009. In 2015 he moved to Birmingham, Alabama, to be closer to family. He joined the MU Veterinary Health Center faculty in 2022 as a clinical instructor in the Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Service. He has a passion for teaching and learning which is why he pursued a position in academia. He lives with his wife and four children, as well as his corgi, Sully, who can be found at work with him each day. When not working he enjoys gardening, hiking, fishing, and cycling.
Belinda R. Tedder, DVM
Clinical Instructor
Belinda Tedder, DVM, is from Mena, Arkansas. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology in 1996. She studied at Louisiana State University in the Epidemiology and Community Health Program, where her research was on Bartonella henselae transmission and antibody protection. Tedder graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2004, spending her clinical year at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Following graduation from veterinary school, she completed a small animal rotating internship in southern California. Tedder has practiced emergency and critical care medicine at private practice specialty hospitals in southern California since 2006. She has also served as the medical director for specialty hospitals. Tedder joined the MU Veterinary Health Center faculty in 2021 as a clinical instructor in the Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Service. She enjoys teaching and continuing to learn in the field of veterinary emergency and critical care medicine. She is excited to be back home working and close to her family. She enjoys spending her free time on the family farm and hanging out with family, fur babies and friends.
Jerry Toporis, DVM
Jerry Toporis, DVM, was born and raised in the Chicago area. He attended the University of Missouri for both his undergraduate degree and professional veterinary education. He was a Veterinary Health Center employee throughout his time at Mizzou, first as an animal caretaker and then during his clinical years as a veterinary assistant in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. His clinical interests include point-of-care ultrasonography and trauma cases.
Veterinary Technicians
Rachel Jeffries, Relief Technician
Rachel Jeffries earned an associate degree in veterinary technology at Moberly Area Community College in 2023 and plans to pursue a bachelor of science in veterinary technology at the University of Missouri.
Hope Larson, RVT, Relief Technician
Hope Larson started in veterinary medicine in 2011 and graduated from McLennan Community College Veterinary Technology Program of Waco, Texas, in 2013. She acquired her lifetime love of animals and veterinary medicine from her parents, both MU VHC faculty, Richard Meadows, DVM, and Jackie Kleypas, DVM (retired). Larson has worked at several different general practice clinics and ultimately found her love in emergency and critical care when she started in the ICU at Kansas State University. She decided to return home and continue her love of Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care at the MU VHC in 2017, where she worked full time in ICU for a year until she welcomed her first son, Liam, in 2018. She currently resides in Warrensburg, Missouri, with her husband, Cody, a proud Air Force service member, their son, Liam, dog, Avery, and two cats, Lenny, and Kenny. She continues to work at a busy small animal general practice in Lee’s Summit and comes back to continue her love of SAECC at the MU VHC as a relief technician. She most enjoys patient care and has a special interest in internal medicine and toxicology.
Monica Mayoral
Monica Mayoral was born in Mexico City, Mexico. For as long as she can remember, she wanted to work with animals. She graduated from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in 2014 with a degree in veterinary medicine and zootechnics. She moved to the United States in 2017 and took a job on a farm in Iowa working with pigs. She relocated to Missouri in 2018 and joined the MU Veterinary Health Center in 2024. When she’s not working, she loves spending time with her friends and two cats. She also loves to travel whenever she gets a chance.
Chandra Nicole Rivera, RVT
Chandra Nicole graduated from the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus with a bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology. Her passion is providing quality care for patients and working in an environment that provides the most modern tools, techniques, equipment and professional guidance, allowing her to offer the best possible medical response for the quick and safe recovery of critical patients. Nicole enjoys spending her free time with her family, friends and especially her dog, Kyro. She enjoys exercise and is an avid bike rider and hiker. She is also a professional dog groomer and maintains her skills practicing with Kyro, who is a poodle.
Mariangely Torres Rodriguez, RVT
Mariangely Torres Rodríguez was born and raised in Puerto Rico. In 2019 she received her bachelor’s degree as a veterinary technologist from the University of Puerto Rico Medical Science Campus. While studying, she worked with laboratory animals and volunteered on multiple events providing high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinics around Puerto Rico. She also completed her clinical practice in Veterinary Specialty Hospital and was staff member of Animal Emergency Clinic. In July of 2019 after graduating, she moved to Missouri and joined the MU VHC as part of the Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care team. Her goal is to keep growing within the profession and help provide veterinary specialty services to her island at some point in the future. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, cooking, crafting, exploring nature, traveling, and spending time with her family, friends, and pets.
Leah Sabath, RVT
Leah Sabath was raised in Columbia, Missouri. She has always been fascinated with the MU Veterinary Health Center since her first time attending Open House events. As a young child, she hoped that one day she could be a part of the hospital’s fantastic team. She graduated from the Moberly Area Community College Veterinary Technician Program in 2023 with an associate degree and started working at the VHC. She plans to further her education by earning a bachelor’s degree and work toward becoming a veterinary technician specialist. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, cooking, hiking, and being with her four cats.
Hannah Sisco, RVT
Hannah Sisco is a registered veterinary technician in the Small Animal and Critical Care Service. She graduated from the Crowder College Veterinary Technology Program in 2023 and received her Associate of Applied Science degree. She spent the summer of 2022 attending MU’s summer externship program, and decided the university was the place for her after graduation. She is currently working on obtaining her Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Technology degree. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, taking care of her many plants and loving her two animals, Delilah and Penelope.
Alyson Zawisza, RVT
Alyson Zawisza grew up in Moodus, Connecticut, before attending Becker College in Massachusetts. While there, she played on the women’s soccer team and was an active member of the Pre-Veterinary Club and the Marine Wildlife Conservation Club. She graduated with a bachelor of science degree with a pre-veterinary concentration. After being accepted to the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, she moved to Missouri to begin her career in the veterinary field. In her free time, Zawisza enjoys spending time with friends and her cat, Sebastian.
Veterinary Assistants
Christina Emfinger
Christina Emfinger is an assistant in the Veterinary Health Center ICU, a position she has held since graduating high school. Along with her family, she relocated to Columbia, Missouri, from Monroe, Louisiana. She began taking veterinary classes during her sophomore year of high school with plans to attend a veterinary technician program. She is particularly interested in neurology and cardiology. She currently lives in Boonville with her German shepherd named Adonis.
Shea Dailey
Shea Dailey is originally from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. After graduating high school, she started at the University of Missouri-Columbia in the fall of 2022. She is currently majoring in Animal Sciences and pursuing the Equine Science and Management Certificate. During her undergraduate years, she has studied abroad in both Belize and Scotland. These programs have helped navigate interests and provided unique experiences. She plans to attend veterinary school at the University of Missouri next year and is interested in equine neonatal care and reproduction. She is actively involved at the MU Equine Teaching Facility, and it has become a large influence on pursuing equine medicine. In her free time, Shea likes to watch new tv shows, go hiking, and exploring new places around Columbia.
Maya Harris
Maya Harris is from Chesapeake, Virginia, and graduated in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture with a concentration in pre-veterinary medicine. Prior to relocating to Missouri, she worked in a small animal general practice. She joined the University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center in the Equine Hospital ICU and now works as a veterinary assistant in the small animal ICU while continuing her studies at Mizzou.
Logan Johnson
Logan Johnson was born and raised in Kansas City and is now a senior at Columbia College, majoring in biology. He has wanted to work with animals his entire life, and after graduation he hopes to go on to veterinary school at Mizzou. During his time in high school and during school breaks, he worked as a kennel attendant at a veterinary clinic in Kearny, Missouri. He recently moved to Columbia permanently with his girlfriend, Lilly. Johnson has a cat named Casper, a white and orange flame point. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, exercising, baking, and reading.
Louis Luttrell
Ever since Louis Luttrell was a young child, he dreamed of working with animals. He grew up in an animal-loving family whose members rescued animals of all shapes and sizes. While working part time as a kennel technician, he rediscovered his passion for animals and the veterinary medicine industry. During high school Luttrell was part of a robotics team and learned about the veterinary technician career path through a friend who was also involved in robotics. He plans to attend Moberly Area Community College’s Veterinary Technology Program, earn his associate of applied science degree, and continue his career in emergency veterinary services.
Outside of work, he enjoys painting, crocheting, robotics, and spending time with his two dogs and cat, Frost, Chilli, and Feather.
Victoria Riedy
Victoria Riedy is from Lisle, Illinois. She received her bachelor’s degree in animal science and certificate in equine science and management from the University of Missouri in May 2024. She knew from a young age that she wanted to care for animals as a career and plans to apply to veterinary school in the future. She previously worked in a small animal general practice clinic in Illinois before moving to Missouri for college, where she was involved with Mizzou’s equine program and pre-veterinary club. Outside of work she enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with her family, friends, two dogs (Annabeth and Ace), and cat (Cosmo).
Lauren Sanner
Lauren Sanner was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and moved to Columbia in 2004. She has been working as a veterinary assistant for almost four years. She transferred to the University of Missouri in 2020 and began working in the Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Service in 2021. She plans to attend veterinary school to obtain her DVM degree, and one day hopes to return to Wisconsin and open a clinic. She has four cats at home, Evie, Katie, Chip and Charlie. Outside of work she enjoys being with friends and family, hiking, lake trips and relaxing.
Taylor Tynes
Taylor Tynes grew up in Jefferson City, Missouri, and moved to Columbia in 2019. She is currently pursuing studies to become a veterinary technician through Ashworth College. She has had a love for animals since she was little and looks forward to helping them through her work at the Veterinary Health Center. In her free time she enjoys being with family at their farm in Eldon, Missouri, hunting and fishing.
Taylor Watts
Taylor Watts was born and raised in Elsberry, Missouri. She moved to Columbia and began attending the University of Missouri in 2022. She plans to apply to vet school this year. She grew up on a farm with her parents and grandparents, where she started her herd of sheep and goats. She was heavily involved in FFA in high school, to which she attributes her decision to attend vet school. She hopes to become a large animal veterinarian and return home to practice in the rural community where she was raised. In her free time, she enjoys floral design and spending time with her goats and dog, Pepper.
