Board Members

Ryan Frazier, BS, LVT - President

Ryan Frazier has been a Veterinary Technician since 2004. He graduated from Madison Area Technician College in Madison, Wisconsin. He has worked in emergency and specialty medicine since 2007 and made the move to Washington in September of 2014. His true passions include interventional radiology, internal medicine (love fecal transplants & laser therapy) & unpredictable trauma medicine. He has previously held the President position.. In his free time, he loves traveling far and wide and his dogs Bucky and Juniper. He also loves chilling at home with his fish and tortoise, Elsinore. 

Ashley Byrne, LVT - President-Elect

Ashley Byrne is a Licensed Veterinary Technician in Washington State. She started at PIMA Medical Institute and obtained her Veterinary Assistant Certificate in 2005. She began working at VCA Animal Medical Center of Marysville and returned to PIMA Medical Institute in 2007 to be a part of the Seattle Campus’s first Veterinary Technician class. She was part of the first VCA Technician Development Team and is currently the Regional Technician Director for VCA’s Northwest & Hawaii Group. Ashley has worked in several private practices, and enjoys meeting technicians and seeing new practices. She joined the WSAVT in 2019 as the Communications Chair, spent a year in the President-Elect role, and will step into the President position in July of 2021. Moving into her term, she hopes to expand the executive board, bolster board volunteers, and increase member benefits. When she is not working on empowering veterinary teams, she can be found gardening or enjoying time with her family on Camano Island, Washington. 

Amie Fisher, LVT - Vice President & Newsletter Editor

Amie received her bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Washington State University, Tri-Cities before deciding to pursue a degree in Veterinary Technology. She received her licensure in 2020 and is excited to begin a career as a Licensed Veterinary Technician. Amie thoroughly enjoys anesthesia, dentistry, and behavior, and is currently employed at a general practice. She has some work experience in shelter medicine as well. She is working toward her Certified Professional Dog Trainer Certification (CPDT-KA). Outside of work, Amie’s hobbies include gardening, reading, and backpacking with her husband and two dogs. She is very excited to join the WSAVT to learn more about the organization and help continue to empower and educate veterinary technicians and assistants!

Justin Goodrich, LVT - Secretary

Justin has been a veterinary technician since graduating from the PCC technician program in 2017. He has a passion for all things anesthesia and analgesia-related. In fact, he plans to specialize and become a member of the anesthesia and analgesia academy in the near future. When Justin's not in the O.R., he likes to hit the water in his kayak with his fiance and four chihuahuas. 

Mary DenBoer, LVT - Treasurer

Mary has been the treasurer of the WSAVT for the last year.  She has been working in veterinary medicine since 1968 and earned her BS degree in Zoology from Colorado State University and her Washington State Veterinary Technician license in 2001.  Mary worked at small animal clinics in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Colorado, and for the last 42 years, she has worked at the same emergency/small animal clinic in Bellevue and enjoys dentistry and emergency medicine.  She and her husband reside in Snoqualmie with their cat Kahma.

Lori Lutskas, LVT CCRP - Finance Chair

Lori Lutskas is the treasurer for WSAVT.  She started this position around 2012, before this time she was on the executive board as finance chairperson and bylaws chairperson.  She has been a veterinary technician in the state of Washington since 1983 and a member of WSAVT since that time.  She has enjoyed a variety of practice types in her career; mix-animal, small animal, and lastly academia.   Since joining WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, she has been in small animal surgery, neurology, and integrative medicine.  She got her certification in Canine Rehabilitation in 2006; she has realized that this is what she really enjoys to help patients that need veterinary physical therapy.  She gets really excited to take a neurological patient and be able to re-train them to walk again.

Shari Hultberg, LVT - Membership Chair

Shari Hultberg began in this industry in 2004 as a receptionist and instantly knew she wanted to become a licensed veterinary technician. Shari graduated from the online program, AAHA’s DEVTP, through Cedar Valley Community College in 2008 with Phi Theta Kappa honors. She has 1 dog (Olive),  and 1 cat (Spare Kitty). Born and raised in Washington State, Shari is currently located in beautiful Poulsbo.

During her first year as vice-president for WSAVT, Shari helped organize a very successful CE in Silverdale, WA. Now this CE has become an annual event on the peninsula during the fall.  She has served as Membership Chair for the last four years. She is focused on establishing easily accessible and informative CE’s. Shari’s long-term goal is to promote the recognition of tasks provided by licensed technicians and the importance these duties have in the veterinary community. Technicians are hard-working, passionate, and dedicated to the care of all species of animals. Veterinarians and their clientele should be aware of the vital role the veterinary technician plays in the veterinary team dynamic.

Ryan Frazier, LVT - Program Chair

Ryan Frazier has been a Veterinary Technician since 2004. He graduated from Madison Area Technician College in Madison, Wisconsin. He has worked in emergency and specialty medicine since 2007 and made the move to Washington in September of 2014. His true passions include interventional radiology, internal medicine (love fecal transplants & laser therapy) & unpredictable trauma medicine. He has previously held the President position.. In his free time, he loves traveling far and wide and his dogs Bucky and Juniper. He also loves chilling at home with his fish and tortoise, Elsinore. 

Nikki Windon, LVT - Communication Chair

Nikki Windon is a Licensed Veterinary Technician in Washington State and Specialty Technician Manager for a specialty/emergency hospital in Kirkland. She was born and raised in Ohio and obtained her Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology in 2008 from Morehead State University in Kentucky. Following graduation, she gained experience in small animal, mixed animal, and emergency medicine. Nikki also obtained a certificate for Canine Sports Massage Therapy and ran her own business. She moved from Ohio to Phoenix, Arizona in 2019, where she had the pleasure of working in internal medicine/nutrition, critical care, and emergency. At the end of 2021, Nikki moved to the beautiful state of Washington with her boyfriend and cat, Sonya. Nikki really enjoys gaining knowledge in the many areas of veterinary medicine and has many interests. If she had to pick a top 3, her favorites would be performing dental prophylaxes, internal medicine, and emergency/critical care. When not at work, her main hobbies include tending to and expanding her indoor garden, traveling, hiking, off-roading, camping, and photography. 

Stacey Dow, LVT - Nominations Chair

Stacey has been an LVT since 2009. She has volunteered with the WSAVT for many projects in the past. She is currently working relief work and does at-home visits for medication administration and hospice care. She has a special interest in behavior and loves client communication. She live on Orcas Island with her two dogs and five orange cats. When not working she loves to go to concerts and travel.

Annie Lane - By-Laws Chair

Annie Lane is a Licensed Veterinary Technician living on Whidbey Island, WA. She is a level 3 Fear Free certified professional and Fear Free speaker. She started her veterinary career in 2005 in Santa Rosa, CA, beginning in reception and quickly pursuing school to obtain her RVT. She found a passion for leadership within a hybrid specialty/GP practice, where she worked first as a technician supervisor between two locations, followed by the hospital manager for the GP location. She helped to implement training protocols for her teams, with a particular focus on behavior and restraint utilizing Fear Free techniques.

In 2019 she moved to Whidbey Island, WA, and started a family. After the birth of her son and the beginning of the pandemic, she shifted away from full-time clinical work and transitioned to support staff recruiting with Western Veterinary Partners. Annie still works part-time at a local, privately-owned clinic, focusing her time there primarily on dentistry. Annie is passionate about training and team development, mentorship of those seeking to enter the field or grow in their career, and contributing to the industry in a way that helps veterinary professionals find a viable career path that is both financially and emotionally sustainable.

Teresa Stefan, LVT - Student Liaison

Teresa Stefan is VCA's new Talent Acquisitions Manager in the Northwest Region.   She has 27 years experience in the veterinary industry with 25 years as an LVT.  During her career, she has worked in various roles in both general practice and specialty medicine, including being a Technician Manager at a large specialty and referral practice for 7 years. She is active in our states veterinary technician programs as a guest speaker, an advisory board member, mental health advocate and on the AVMA committee for Veterinary Technician Education and Activites.  She has a strong desire to educate the community to bring awareness of the important role veterinary technicians play in our industry. She would also like to empower our technicians to find their voice and take action for positive change for our profession. She enjoys mentoring students to prepare them for their externships, and their first job as an LVT.  

This could be YOU! - Government Affairs Liasion

If you are interested please reach out to info@wsavt.org.