Josephine Dornbusch, DVM, MS, DACVS-SA
Assistant Teaching Professor, Small Animal Surgery
Board-Certified Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Josie Dornbusch received her DVM degree from the University of Florida in 2018. Following this, she completed a small animal rotating internship at the University of Missouri and a surgical oncology internship at the Ohio State University. She then completed a small animal surgical residency and concurrent master’s degree at the Ohio State University before returning to Mizzou to work as a soft tissue surgeon. Her areas of interest include minimally invasive surgery and wound management. Outside of work, she enjoys Latin and ballroom dancing, reading and gardening.
Derek Fox, DVM, PhD, DACVS
Chief of Small Animal Surgery
Professor of Small Animal Orthopedic Surgery
Board-Certified Specialist in Veterinary Surgery
Derek B. Fox specializes in small animal orthopedic surgery with special interests in limb deformity correction, as well as canine sports medicine. A graduate of Indiana University, he received his veterinary training from Michigan State University. His surgical residency was completed at the University of Missouri, along with a PhD in pathobiology.
Fox is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and a member of both the Veterinary Orthopedic Society and the AO. He lectures nationally and internationally on advanced surgical techniques in the area of canine limb deformity correction. When not working, he enjoys cycling, running and hiking with his border collie, Oliver.
F.A. (Tony) Mann, DVM, MS, DACVS, DACVECC
Professor of Small Animal Surgery and Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care
Board-Certified Specialist in Veterinary Surgery
Board-Certified Specialist in Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care
F.A. (Tony) Mann specializes in soft-tissue surgery. He received his veterinary training from The Ohio State University. He completed his surgical residency and master’s degree at Texas A&M University and then served as an assistant professor in small animal surgery at Auburn University. He joined the University of Missouri in 1988. Mann is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care.
Megan Mickelson, DVM, DACVS-SA
ACVS Fellow, Surgical Oncology
Assistant Professor of Small Animal Surgical Oncology
Board-Certified Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Megan Mickelson specializes in surgical oncology. She received her bachelor of science and doctor of veterinary medicine degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She completed a rotating small animal internship at North Carolina State University and then returned to UW-Madison for her surgical residency. Following her residency, she completed a surgical oncology fellowship at Colorado State University in 2018. Prior to joining the University of Missouri in 2020, she served as an assistant professor of soft tissue surgery at Iowa State University.
Mickelson is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, a recognized ACVS fellow in Surgical Oncology, and a member of several organizations including the Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology, Veterinary Cancer Society, Society of Veterinary Soft Tissue Surgery, Association of Women Veterinary Surgeons, and Veterinary Interventional Radiology and Interventional Endoscopy Society. Mickelson’s primary clinical interests include sentinel lymph node mapping and tumor margin assessment, limb sparing surgery, microvascular surgery and interventional procedures. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers, hiking, cooking, and attending college and professional sporting events.
Lauren Reeves, DVM, DACVS-SA
Assistant Teaching Professor
Board-Certified Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Lauren Reeves specializes in soft tissues surgery. She received her veterinary training from The Ohio State University. She completed her small animal rotating internship and a surgery specialty internship at The Ohio State University. Reeves was an assistant teaching professor at The Ohio State University with the shelter medicine and surgery service prior to her small animal surgery residency at the University of Missouri. After completion of her residency, she worked as a board-certified small animal surgeon in private practice for a short time. Reeves returned to the University of Missouri in 2020 as faculty member with the small animal surgery section. She is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in addition to being a member of the Society of Veterinary Soft Tissue Surgery and VIRIES. Her clinical areas of interest include minimally invasive soft tissue surgical procedures and cardiothoracic surgery.
Owen Skinner, BVSc, DECVS, DACVS-SA, MRCVS
ACVS Fellow, Surgical Oncology
Assistant Professor of Small Animal Surgical Oncology
Board-Certified Specialist in Veterinary Surgery
Owen Skinner specializes in surgical oncology, with a particular interest in lymph node staging and management. He graduated from the University of Bristol and completed internships at Northwest Surgeons in Cheshire, England, and the University of Florida. He returned to Bristol for his surgical residency. Following completion of his residency, he completed a further 2 years fellowship training in surgical oncology at the University of Florida.
Owen is a diplomate of the European and American Colleges of Veterinary Surgeons and a member of the Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology.
James L. Tomlinson, DVM, MVSc, DACVS
Adjunct Professor Emeritus of Small Animal Orthopedic Surgery
Board-Certified Specialist in Veterinary Surgery
James L. Tomlinson specializes in small animal orthopedic surgery with special interests in minimally invasive fracture repair and limb deformities. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with bachelor of science and doctor of veterinary medicine degrees. Tomlinson completed a small animal internship at the University of Georgia and a surgery residency and master of science degree at the University of Saskatchewan.
He has developed and regularly conducts advanced surgical courses for minimally invasive fracture repair and correction of limb deformities. Tomlinson is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and a member of the AO and Veterinary Orthopedic societies.
Residents
Katt Crowdis, DVM
Katt Crowdis received her BS in biomedical sciences and her DVM from Colorado State University. She completed a small animal rotating internship at the University of Florida. She began her small animal surgical residency at the University of Missouri in 2023. She enjoys hiking, rock climbing, running, and skiing outside of the hospital.
Kate Dark, DVM
Kate Dark received her DVM from Purdue University in 2021. Following graduation, she completed a rotating internship at the University of Missouri. Dr. Dark began her Small Animal Surgical Residency in 2022. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and hiking with her fiancé and dogs.
Max Latifi, DVM
Max Latifi received his DVM at The Ohio State University. After graduating, he completed a Small Animal Rotating internship at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and a Surgical Oncology internship at the University of Missouri. He began his Small Animal Surgical Residency at the University of Missouri in 2021. Outside of work, he enjoys cooking, running, hiking, and spending time with friends.
Brooke Lee, DVM
Brooke Lee received her DVM from the University of Wisconsin in 2022. After graduating, she completed a small animal rotating internship at the University of Missouri. Outside of work she enjoys playing volleyball, hiking, and spending time with friends.
Alexandre Silva, BVM
Alexandre Silva received his BVM degree from the University of Espirito Santo ─ Brazil in 2013 and finished a two-year surgical residency program at the University of Minas Gerais ─ Brazil with an externship at Cornell University. He worked as a veterinarian in Brazil, finishing his AVMA Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates certification program in 2020. He has worked in Kansas as a veterinarian since 2020. He began his small animal surgical residency at the University of Missouri in 2022. Outside clinics, he enjoys spending time with his wife and children, and being with friends.
Veterinary Technicians
Alyssa Doner, RVT (Soft-Tissue Surgery)
Alyssa Doner is a technician for general surgery. After attending the University of Iowa and Kirkwood Community College, she came to the University of Missouri in 2009. She initially worked as an ICU and critical care technician before moving to surgery in 2013.
Malissa Hoehn, RVT (Surgical Oncology)
Malissa Hoehn earned a bachelor’s degree from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas in 2015. In 2018, she received her associate degree in veterinary technology from Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri. After working in a general practice setting, she came to the University of Missouri in 2021 as the surgical oncology veterinary technician.
Priscilla Foster, RVT (General Surgery)
Priscilla Foster attended the University of Missouri before earning an associate degree in veterinary technology from Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods in Kansas City, Missouri. She has supervised the operating room in Small Animal Surgery since 1985. She is involved in research and the student didactic lab. In her spare time, she is an active member of the National Pony Express Association.
Michelle Lancaster, RVT (General Surgery)
Michelle received an associate degree in Veterinary Technology from Northeast Missouri State University. She joined the University of Missouri in 1987 as a Small Animal Surgery operating room technician. Michelle’s hobbies include reading, walking and Missouri history
Taylor Wardrip, VT
Taylor is a veterinary assistant for the soft tissue surgery department. She will earn her associates degree in May after completing the MACC Veterinary technology program. In her free time she enjoys going on runs with her dog Dallas, photography, traveling, and trying new coffee places!