Whitni Abernathy

Project Manager

Whitni Abernathy serves as the Project Manager for the office of the Dean at the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine. She provides support for the accreditation reporting for the school as well as any other reviews and annual reports needed. A Texas Tech University alumnus, Whitni graduated with a Master's in Environmental Engineering in 2012.

After graduation Whitni spent time in oil and gas related roles, mostly in the technical sales and business development. After eight years in the field, she decided it was time to move back home to Amarillo. Whitni is glad to be back with her Texas Tech family and looking forward to her time at the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Kim Akins

Sr. Administrative Assistant Academic Student Affairs

Kim Akins serves as the Sr. Administrative Assistant for the Academic Student Affairs at the School of Veterinary Medicine. She comes from the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Amarillo family, working in both School of Medicine and Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy.

Kim was born and raised in Amarillo, Texas graduating from Amarillo High School. Kim is married to her best friend, Jay and they have 5 children, Bentley (and HER husband Keevan), Courtney, Landon, Danniel and LJ. They are awaiting the arrival of their first grandchild. Outside of work, she enjoys camping, attending sporting events, crafting, photography and traveling.

Emily Balke

Assistant Director of Recruitment and Scholarships

Emily Balke serves as Assistant Director of Recruitment and Scholarships for the School of Veterinary Medicine. She provides support for students working through their application process, and helps the scholarship committee in processing scholarships for students.

Emily is an Amarillo native and graduated from Amarillo High School. She then moved to Lubbock, Texas to earn her undergraduate degree in public relations at Texas Tech University. Emily comes to us from the College of Media & Communication at Texas Tech University where she was the recruitment and student engagement coordinator for almost ten years.

During her time working for the College of Media & Communication she earned her master's degree in interdisciplinary studies in August 2020 from the Texas Tech Graduate School. Emily is thrilled to return to her hometown and help grow the School of Veterinary Medicine. In her free time, she likes to spend time with family and friends, and her Australian Labradoodle, Piper.

Danelle Barber

Network Program Manager

Danelle Barber is the Network Program Manager for the Office of Clinical Programs in the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM). She serves as the primary liaison between the School's Clinical Learning Network partners and the Clinical Programs team at the SVM.

Danelle grew up on the family farm in Nazareth, Texas, with three brothers, a sister, and a plethora of cousins in her close-knit community. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from Texas Tech, she worked in the district Congressional offices of U.S. Representative Larry Combest in Lubbock for 10 1/2 years, and most recently, for U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry in Amarillo for 14 1/2 years.

Danelle's son and daughter are proud graduates of Bushland High School and Texas Tech University. A few of her favorite things are family, friends, sports and tailgating, rural America and its citizens, Texas Panhandle sunsets, and the Texas Tech community.

Gala Beals

Student Program Manager

Gala Beals serves as the Student Program Manager at the School of Veterinary Medicine. She works in the Office of Clinical Programs and provides support for fourth year student externships. She started her career with Texas Tech twelve years ago at Sim Central at the School of Medicine in Amarillo. Gala is a Colorado native hailing from Colorado Springs and she graduated from Eastern New Mexico University with a degree in Career and Technical Education.

She is a proud mom of three wonderful and talented kids and currently four amazing grandkids. Gala and her husband David enjoy traveling and her favorite quote is “Seek to understand before being understood.” – Elina Vives

Mattie Been

Assistant Vice President of External Relations

Mattie Been is the Assistant Vice President of External Relations at the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine, where she is in charge of fundraising efforts for the school. She serves in a dual role as the assistant vice president of external relations for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center as well.

Been joined the Texas Tech University System in 2013 as a director of development at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, where she led fundraising for the School of Nursing and School of Health Professions. Her efforts are focused around helping donors achieve their philanthropic goals and connecting them to their passions. Been transitioned to the Amarillo campus in 2017 where she began serving her dule role as assistant vice president for the health sciences center and the veterinary school. Been was an integral team member for the fundraising initiative that raised $90 million for the school.

Been graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University in 2011. She received her master's degree in Public Administration with a certificate in Charitable Financial Planning from Texas Tech University in 2013.

Been grew up in the Texas Panhandle and is very passionate about promoting education and healthcare that directly impacts the rural and regional areas. Been is married to Cody Been and together they have two sons, Everett and Walter.

Tanikka Bell

Administrative Assistant for Clinical and Professional Skills

Tanikka Bell serves as the Administrative Assistant to the Clinical and Professional Skills deptartment. She handles scheduling for Clinical and Professional Skills, as well as administrative assistance to the department. She has been in higher education for the last 2 years and joined Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine in April 2023. She has 7 years of experience in scheduling and logistics. She also won the Purple Promise Quality Award for creating a system to coordinate scheduling for both local and rural deliveries as far as 150-mile radius, that is now used in many service centers across the country.

Tanikka has lived in the Texas Panhandle her entire life. She currently reside in Canyon with her husband Dusty and together they have 4 children, McKenzi, Tenley, Rhett, and Wade. Her family spends most of their time involved with/or watching sports, traveling, going to concerts or hanging out, grilling in the back yard.

Weston Brooks

Director of Communications & Marketing

Weston Brooks serves as the Director of Communications and Marketing for the School of Veterinary Medicine. He develops and implements marketing, communications, media and engagement plans for the school. Weston joined the team in October 2020. He grew up on a small ranch in Eastland, Texas with a dad who is a veterinarian and part owner of a mixed animal practice. Weston along with his parents and two older siblings are all Texas Tech Alumni. Therefore, being a Red Raider has become a family tradition! He graduated in 2019 with a B.A. in Electronic Media and Communications.

He loves watching movies and filmmaking. Weston was a team member on the creation of a short film documentary called “Texas Snow”, which is about the heritage and hardships of cotton farming in West Texas. It was featured in several film festivals. He enjoys traveling and outdoor activities such as camping and snow skiing. However, he mainly loves spending time with family.

Emily Chavez

Small Animal Veterinary Technician

Emily Chavez serves as a Small Animal Veterinary Technician at the School of Veterinary Medicine. She brings organizational experience to the team from over 15 years of general practice. Professionally, Emily enjoys Emergency and Critical Care as well as Nutrition within Veterinary Medicine.

Emily is a San Antonio native and relocated to Amarillo to join the Raider family in 2022. Emily graduated from TAMU-SA with a Bachelor's in Psychology and looks forward to continuing her education moving forward.

Emily enjoys crafting and reading in her downtime. She also enjoys photography, rockhounding and spending time with her husband. They also have 2 cats and 2 dogs who are wonderful parts of their lives.

Adrián Delgadillo

Large Animal Husbandry Caretaker

Adrián Delgadillo is a large animal caretaker for the School of Veterinary Medicine. He takes care of the animals at Mariposa Station. He is happily married to his wife of 39 years. Together they have five kids and fourteen grandkids. He is originally from Durango, Mexico where he still visits his mother at least twice a year.

Delgadillo previously worked at Cargill for 35 years until retiring from there. Horses have always been a big part of his life and caring for them is what he does when he's not working so now getting paid to actually do it and learn more about horses is definitely a plus.

Ivan R. Escarcega-Marin

IT Support Technician II

Ivan R. Escarcega-Marin serves as the IT Support Technician II at the School of Veterinary Medicine. He provides technical support and assistance to departments, faculty, staff, and students with the use of software applications, customized applications, systems support.

Ivan was born in Chihuahua, Mexico and was raised in Clovis, New Mexico. After high school, he attended Universal Technical Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. He obtained a certificate in Auto, Diesel and Industrial Technology in 2005. Ivan also graduated from Clovis Community College with an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts in 2012. He will also be obtaining his second Associate Degree in Cybersecurity and Networking from Amarillo College in May 2023. Ivan likes to spend time with his family in Clovis as much as possible. He also has a passion for music and dancing, so he sometimes helps his friend DJ on the weekends.

David Favela

Outcomes Assessment Specialist

David is an Outcomes Assessment Specialist for the School of Veterinary Medicine. He is from Tulia, Texas, has two children, and graduated from West Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Arts: History, a Master of Education: Curriculum and Instruction, and a Master of Arts: History, respectively. He is currently a candidate for an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. He is a former first-generation student, and currently serves as a liaison for the veterinary school on the Hispanic Serving Institute committee. He is also a Lifetime member of Kappa Delta Pi, an International Honor Society in Education.

David has spent over ten years in higher education working as a senior academic adviser, tutor, grading assistant, research assistant, and part-time instructor. In his current position, he assists faculty on preparing students for the licensing exam, providing exam reports, data analysis, and classroom technology. He hopes that his skills and knowledge of higher education, as well as working with students, will assist future generations of veterinarians. He enjoys the collegiate setting, reading Spider-Man comics, playing tennis, spending time with his children, and watching Star Wars movies.

Cassandra Featherston, LVT

Unit Manager and Inventory Manager

Cassandra Featherston serves as the Unit Manager and Inventory Manager at Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine. She assists in the Clinical and Professional Skills Labs. Her career in veterinary medicine began in high school. She obtained her Veterinary Technician License after graduating from Penn Foster College, passing the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), and the Texas Licensed Vet Tech Exam (LVTE).

She was born and raised in the Texas Panhandle. She currently lives in Amarillo with her boyfriend and their dog, Scooby, and three cats: Cinnamon, Toast, and a three-legged boy named Picket. Her hobbies include arts and crafts, traveling, and going to concerts.

Scott Frederiksen

Anatomical Preparator

Scott Frederiksen is an Anatomical Preparator for the Anatomy Department. He is the primary anatomy technician responsible for the day-to-day operations of the laboratory and assisting the anatomists. A recent addition to the Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine he joined the team in March 2021.

Scott is an Amarillo native and West Texas A&M Alumni having graduated in 2018 with a Bachelors in Agriculture with a minor in animal science. Then worked for various horse and rodeo associations at shows then went to a trade school to learn how to build, design and repair guitars. In his spare time, he builds and repairs acoustic guitars, and plays classical guitar and attends concerts as often as possible.

Kristine Gaines

Small Animal Veterinary Technician

Kristine Gaines is a small animal veterinary technician at the School of Veterinary Medicine. She was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico and moved to Lubbock, Texas in 2013. She started school at Vista College in the Veterinary Technician program and began working in the veterinary field in 2014. Later, she graduated with her Associates in Applied Sciences in Veterinary Technology in May 2015 and also became a certified ultrasound technician. Since then, she has moved to Amarillo in 2016 and worked for a small animal practice.

She is married to Caleb and together they have a 2-year-old son, 2 dachshunds, and 1 cat. In her spare time, she enjoys boxing and swimming.

Anna Garcia

Lead Specialist

Anna Garcia serves as a Lead Specialist for the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine. She manages the budgets and accounts of the School of Veterinary Medicine faculty. Anna graduated from West Texas A&M University with a B.A. in Finance.

Anna was born and raised in Amarillo. She began her career with Texas Tech in December of 2017 and with the Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine in July 2022. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family.

Mohamed Ghonim

Chief Compliance Officer

Mohamed Ghonim (Ayman) will serve as the Chief Compliance Officer. He obtained two bachelor's degrees, one in Military Sciences and another in Business Administration, and a diploma in International Security Studies. Ayman came to Texas Tech from the University of Illinois, where he was an Equal Employment Opportunity Investigator, investigating discrimination cases. He also worked for Virginia Tech. Before that, he spent all his professional career in the military, starting as a lieutenant and ending as a colonel and the head of one Military Intelligence Agency offices. During his military service, he filled different global organizations positions, such as the United Nations as an International Military Observer in Morocco and the African Union as the Chief Personnel and Administration mission in Sudan.

Ayman spent his professional career investigating cases and ensuring compliance in one way or another. As the School's safety officer and liaise with the Department of Environmental Health & Safety, he will support teaching and research laboratory compliance. He will provide training for faculty and staff on compliance-related needs and maintain compliance with all federal, state, and University requirements. He will also help in other compliance-related activities.

Guy Gilbert

Instructional Designer

Guy Gilbert serves as an Instructional Designer for the School of Veterinary Medicine where his primary role consists of systematically designing and developing instructional materials and experiences to promote the acquisition of knowledge. He has worked within the Texas Tech System in the field of simulation and facilitation of clinical instruction since 2009. His ability to apply a remarkably diverse skill set allows him to produce value through his work and has earned him the nickname ‘MacGUYver'. As a former first-generation student, Guy completed a bachelor's degree in Multidisciplinary Studies at the University of Texas at El Paso, and two master's degrees from Colorado State University, an MS in Organizational Leadership and an MS in Management with a specialization in Instructional Design. Guy is counted among a small number of individuals world-wide to be both, a Certified Healthcare Simulation Operations Specialist - Advanced (CHSOS-A), and a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) through the Society of Simulation in Healthcare. 

Guy comes from a heritage of ranching in Northeast New Mexico where his family and the Rail A brand was known for their foundation bloodlines of American Quarter Horses, and their Remuda that would stand abreast like soldiers to accept a bridle. Guy is an ultramarathoner that appreciates the outdoors and a good challenge. He enjoys trail running, mountaineering, fly fishing and taking other outdoor excursions with his wife Rebecca and their 4 children.

Cody Greenup

Large Animal Husbandry Caretaker

Cody Greenup is a large animal husbandry caretaker at the school's Mariposa Station facility. He also helps maintain the grounds of Mariposa Station as well as operates and services the equipment on the property. When needed, he assists with the various student labs that occur at Mariposa Station. Cody was born and raised around livestock and rodeo where he judged cattle and wrestled steers and rode bulls. He started with Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine in February 2023.

Cody is originally from the mountains of Colorado where he was born and raised. He became a personal trainer where he was certified in rehabilitation therapy through the International Sports Science Association. He tries to keep himself as young as possible by doing as many hobbies from becoming a nationally ranked Highland Games athlete and weightlifter to a local volunteer firefighter with Big Elk Meadows fire department in Colorado. He also enjoy all outdoor activities from hiking and climbing to snowboarding and camping.

Robert Griffin

Director of Facilities

Robert Griffin is the Director of Facilities at the Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine. He oversees the buildings operation and maintenance, and manages staff to maintain daily operations. He started with Texas Tech Health Sciences Center in 2015 as a Tradesman Leader and in 2017 promoted to Assistant Superintendent. Then, in 2019 he was promoted to Superintendent of Facilities.

On April 1st, 2022, Robert started with Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine as Director of Facilities. He grew up in the Panhandle of Texas and moved to Amarillo in 1980. He has a son and daughter in law and three grandkids that he enjoys very much. Robert is a retired musician (drummer) after 20 years and his hobbies are sports, riding a Harley and loving life.

Kennidi Hancock

Outcomes Assessment Specialist

Kennidi Hancock serves as an Outcomes Assessment Specialist at the School of Veterinary Medicine. She provides support for both faculty and students. Kennidi is excited to work with Texas Tech.

Kennidi was born and raised in Amarillo, Texas. She graduated from West Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work. Kennidi is married to Carson Hancock and together they share a black labrador named Judge. Kennidi enjoys reading, writing, traveling, and being a "Kiki" to her nieces and nephews.

Kenzie Harris, LVT

Anesthesia Technician

Kenzie Harris serves as the Anesthesia Technician at Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine. She received her A.A.S. Degree in Veterinary Technology at Cedar Valley Community College in Dallas, TX. After passing the Veterinary Technician National Exam, she became licensed in Texas.

She is a Texas Panhandle native. Kenzie is married to Dan, and together they have two sweet dogs, Bentley and Django, and a mischievous cat, Annie. In her spare time, she enjoys crafting, fishing, hiking, and camping.

Dan Harter

Office of Clinical Programs Hospital Administrator

Dan Harter serves as the Office of Clinical Programs Hospital Administrator at the School of Veterinary Medicine. He is responsible for managing the school's Core clinical partner hospitals and ICE (Instructional Centers of Excellence) facilities, as well as the Quality Assurance platform. Dan started his career with Texas Tech and the School of Veterinary Medicine in June, after 30 years in the Animal Health industry. He is a native of Arizona and graduated in 1992 from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, along with a Certificate in Business Innovation from the University of Michigan, Ross School of Business.

Dan and his family have lived in the Amarillo area for the past 17 years, and both of his daughters are currently attending Texas Tech University as Ag Economics and Animal Science majors. His youngest daughter plans to apply to Texas Tech University's School of Veterinary Medicine next year and is currently on the Texas Tech University Rodeo Team. Dan's son manages a ranch in Cotopaxi Colorado with his fiancé. In his spare time, Dan enjoys rebuilding antique Jeeps, mountain biking in Palo Duro Canyon, volunteering and fly fishing when he can get to Colorado.

Rayanne Hartung

Clinical and Professional Skills Technician

Rayanne Hartung is a clinical and professional skills technician for the School of Veterinary Medicine. She works alongside instructors to set up labs and also helps maintain the 24/7 room for students to practice their skills and help take care of the small animals when needed.

Rayanne is originally from Wyoming and is a certified veterinary technician. She went to school and graduated from Eastern Wyoming College of Veterinary Technology in December 2012. She loves spending time with her three dogs and she also enjoys live music and hanging out with her friends and family.

Kandi Hoover

Graduate Program Coordinator

Kandi Hoover is the Graduate Program Coordinator for the School of Veterinary Medicine. She oversees a variety of tasks, including application review and selection, planning and executing graduate program events, setting up and scheduling classes, and coordinating student paperwork. Kandi is a team player and comes with more than 30 years of people and program management experience and is proud to be a member of the School of Veterinary Medicine team!

An Amarillo native, she is married to Mike Hoover. Their hobbies include entertaining their grandchildren and traveling with family and friends to places with calmer winds to fly their hot air balloon.

Shelby A. Huffman

Outcomes Assessment Specialist

Shelby A. Huffman serves as an Outcomes Assessment Specialist at the School of Veterinary Medicine. She provides support for both faculty and students. In addition, she is responsible for all things related to exams (besides taking it!) and ensures that students are Day One RaiderVet ready. She started her career with the School of Veterinary Medicine in August of 2022. She most recently worked in Histology at Amarillo Pathology Group but is happy to be back with her Red Raider family.

Shelby is from Canyon, Texas and attended Texas Tech University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Spanish. She is currently an MBA candidate at West Texas A&M University. Shelby is married to Amos. They have two cats named Ichabod and Bjorn. She enjoys working out, being outdoors, reading and being around friends and family.

Sarah Innis

Director of Admissions and Student Services

Sarah Innis serves as the Director for Student Services and Admissions. She will be working with the Dean of Student Services and Academic Affairs to build the admissions cycle and administer student support.

Sarah is an Amarillo native and graduated from Randall High School. Later, she earned her undergraduate degree from Oral Roberts University and started her career by working for the TTUHSC School of Pharmacy. She has spent seven years between the Amarillo and the Dallas campuses working in student affairs specifically in admissions, recruitment, and student success.

Sarah is also a fellow Red Raider and earned her master's degree in Higher Education Administration from Texas Tech University in 2018. She will be returning to her hometown and looks forward to being a part of this amazing program while reconnecting with family, friends, and the family dogs, Jasmine Precious, and Mr. Wiggles.

Debbie Johnson

Executive Associate to the Dean

Debbie Johnson serves as the executive associate to the Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine. She is responsible for managing the Dean's office and administrative assistants across the School of Veterinary Medicine. Debbie spent much of her career in Human Resources Executive Management. Previously, she served in a dual role of management and executive assistant to the CEO. She began working at Texas Tech Veterinary School in January 2021.

Debbie grew up in the picturesque mountain town of Ruidsoso, NM, but now considers herself a native of Amarillo. She is married to her best friend, Brad, and they have 2 daughters (Ashlee and Taylor). Their grandchildren, Grayson and Rhyan are the most fun! The newest addition to the household is a rescue dog, named Buddy. She and Brad enjoy all activities relating to the outdoors, and plan annual family vacations camping, hiking and riding off-road vehicles.

Soni Khandelwal

Research Associate

Soni Khandelwal serves as a Research Associate for the Office of the Associate Dean for Research at the School of Veterinary Medicine. She performs specialized work in planning, coordinating, conducting, and supervising School of Veterinary Medicine-wide research activities. Prior to joining the School of Veterinary Medicine in July 2022, she was a postdoctoral scholar at UC San Diego and worked as Scientist II at ThermoFisher Scientific. She graduated with a PhD degree in Nutritional Sciences from Texas Tech in May 2018.

Originally, Soni is from India and loves gardening. In her free time, she loves spending time with friends and family, watching movies, embroidery. She is also in the process to learn crochet.

Elizabeth Langwell

Veterinary Technician

Elizabeth Langwell serves as a Veterinary Technician for the School of Veterinary Medicine. She assists in the Clinical and Professional Skills Labs. She received her Certificate of Completion in Veterinary Assisting from Amarillo College and then her B.S. in Biology from the University of Texas at Arlington.

She was born and raised in Amarillo and spent 15 years living in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Her family owned and operated an independent pharmacy in Amarillo for 40 years. She has always had a heart for animals and enjoyed raising and showing Quarter Horses for many years. She shares her home with two dogs, two hamsters, two birds, and a Uromastyx named Petra.

Alyssa Loter

Business Administrative Assistant

Alyssa Loter serves as the Administrative Business Assistant at the School of Veterinary Medicine. Alyssa graduated from West Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. She provides administrative support in the Dean's office including of departmental event planning and room reservations. She is excited to work with Texas Tech.

Alyssa was born and raised in Amarillo, Texas. She is a proud dog/cat mom to Penny, Sophie, Nugget, and JD. She enjoys spending time with her boyfriend, Joshua, as well as with family and friends. They love spending their free time outside riding bikes, playing volleyball, or just lounging at home watching her favorite show, Friends or a good rom-com.

Rita Mayberry

Senior Business Assistant

Rita Mayberry serves as the Senior Business Assistant for the School of Veterinary Medicine. She manages Travel and the reconciling of the Departmental PCard reports of the School of Veterinary Medicine faculty and staff. Rita completed her Associate Degree in Office Administration at Amarillo College and later attained a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a minor in Human Resource at Wayland Baptist University. She comes to us with over seven years of experience from Texas Tech University Health Science Center, where she worked in the Office of the Regional Dean as a Lead Specialist.

She grew up in the small town of Quanah, Texas. There she discovered her love for the annual parade and rodeo. For many years she would attend the rodeo with one of the greatest cowboys of all times, her grandfather. Still today Rita LOVES parades and her greatest desire is to one day attend the Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the Tournament of Roses Parade. Growing up in a large family with seven siblings (four boys and four girls) being number five of eight children, Rita was the first of her siblings to graduate high school and the first to attend and graduate college. Through the years, she has been her family's biggest advocate for the importance of education. Her greatest joy is watching other family members walk in and/or surpass her footsteps.

Mike Mercado

IT Specialist III

Mike Mercado serves as the IT Specialist for the Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine. He provides technical support and assistance to departments, faculty, staff, and students with the use of software applications, customized applications, systems support, and websites, etc. He also manages area and unit IT software projects in support of business operations.

Mike was born and raised in Floydada, Texas. He attended and graduated from West Texas A&M University. He began his IT career while attending WTAMU and has spent more than 20 years serving in several different positions from an IT Technician to an IT Director/Coordinator for area public and private schools. Recently coming from TTUHSC's Managed Care department, he now provides all technical support for the Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine. Mike is married to his wife Priscilla, and together they have two children. They are avid fans of their two favorite softball and baseball players. Together they spend their free time chasing their daughter around the tri-state area supporting her and her softball team as well as their son that is just getting started in baseball.

For faculty and staff IT support, please contact svm.itsupport@ttu.edu.

Stephanie Miller

Project Manager for Research Development

Stephanie Miller serves as the Project Manager for Research Development at the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine. She provides support to all faculty regarding sourcing potential funding opportunities, and proposal preparation, review, and editing. She also liaises with the Office of Research Services and Office of Research Development and Communications regarding research opportunities and submissions.

Although born in Amarillo, Stephanie was raised in California's Central Valley. She graduated from California State University, Fresno with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and obtained her teaching certification in California and Texas. She spent ten years as an educator focusing on data analysis, instructional design, and content development. Stephanie enjoys spending time with her husband, Jose, two amazing daughters, Madilyn and Olivia, and sweet dog, Millie Sue. Her daughter, Madilyn, is already planning on being a future RaiderVet!

Scott Mitchell

Chief Operations Officer

Scott Mitchell serves as the Chief Operations Officer for the School of Veterinary Medicine. Scott performs executive-level operational and administrative oversight for the school. This includes organizational oversight and management of staff, implementation of projects for accreditation, facilities management, organizational build-up, and fostering the school's core values.

Scott holds a Master's degree in Range Management from the College of Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources at Texas Tech University. Scott comes to the School of Veterinary Medicine from the private wealth sector, where he managed a large portfolio of farms and ranches in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. Scott grew up on his family's farm/ranch in the small rural community of Lazbuddie, Texas.

Cheri Moore

Large Animal Veterinary Technician

Cheri serves as a veterinary technician for The Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine. Cheri is currently positioned at Mariposa Station and assists in Clinical and Professional Skills labs, as well as aids with the treatment and care of the large animals housed at Mariposa Station. She received her Certificate of Completion in Veterinary Assisting from Cedar Valley Community College, and has worked in several area vet clinics, and brings both skill and compassion to the work force.

Cheri has two small children, four horses and one blue heeler. When she is not at Texas Tech, Cheri works as a horseback riding instructor at a local boarding stable. She loves spending time with friends and family, and enjoys fine arts, cooking and outdoor activities.

Kristina Pennell

Director of Administration and Finance

Kristina Pennell serves as the Director of Administration and Finance for the School of Veterinary Medicine. She helps implement budget goals for the school as well as manage start-up funding and research accounts for SVM faculty.

Originally from Schertz, Texas, Kristina graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications in 2012. In 2013, she began her career at TTU as the lead account processor for the Department of Animal & Food Sciences, where she managed gift, grant and state funding for various professors. She also served as the Compliance Coordinator in Accounting Services, where she specialized in implementing effort regulations on sponsored projects. In her free time, Kristina enjoys spending time with her husband, Corey and their son, Cash.

Angela Peterson

Licensed Professional Counselor

Angela Peterson serves as a Licensed Professional Counselor for the students at the School of Veterinary Medicine. She provides support for students so that they are better able to work towards their educational and professional goals. Angela joined the team in January of 2023.

Angela is an Amarillo native and a West Texas A&M University Alumni. She graduated from WT with her Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology in 2011 and her Master of Art in Psychology in 2016. Angela works full time at a pediatric rehabilitation clinic providing counseling services to young children and their families. She also provides counseling services through her private practice, Peterson Child & Family Counseling, which was established in 2023. Angela has been married to her amazing husband, Joseph, for 12 years. Together, they have two beautiful children (Ava – 4, Joseph – 2), and a cute fur baby named Chevy. In their free time, they love traveling the world and exploring new places.

Sherri Powledge

Research Associate

Sherri Powledge serves as a Research Associate for the Office of the Associate Dean for Research at the School of Veterinary Medicine. She performs specialized work in planning, coordinating, conducting, and supervising SVM-wide research activities. She started her career with Texas Tech in December 2021, after graduating from West Texas A&M University in 2021 and Texas Tech in 2019 with her Master's and Bachelor's in Animal Science, respectively.

Originally from Aztec, New Mexico, Sherri enjoys camping, skiing, and all things cattle. She met her husband, Johnathon in college and together they have the most lovable dog, Jetta. They love spending their time outdoors with family and friends.

Payton Priest

Associate Director of Development

Payton Priest serves as the Associate Director of Development for the School of Veterinary Medicine. Payton is responsible for the administrative duties of planning, organizing, directing, and coordinating special development efforts. These efforts include cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of individual, foundation, and corporate support for the School and its mission. Payton began serving in this role in the fall of 2021.

Payton is a Texas Panhandle native and a third generation Red Raider. She graduated from Texas Tech University with highest honors in May 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications. Her husband, Laramie, is a fourth-generation cattleman. Laramie manages Priest Cattle Company's operations based in the Panhandle and West Texas while also owning and operating Priest Genetics, Payton and Laramie's show cattle business.

Nicole Pruitt

Business Manager

Nicole Pruitt serves as a business manager for the School of Veterinary Medicine. She manages the budgets for the accounts of the SVM faculty. Nicole received her associate's degree in Medical Management from Amarillo College. She comes to us with 24 years of experience from Texas Tech University Health Science Center-Managed Care, where she worked in the finance department.

Nicole grew up in Wellington a small rural community in the Texas panhandle, in a farming/ranching family. She now resides in Bushland with her husband Mark. Together they have 5 wonderful children and many awesome grandchildren.

Kami Ray

Lead Specialist

Kami Ray serves as a Lead Specialist for the School of Veterinary Medicine. She manages the budgets and accounts of the SVM faculty. She started her career at Texas Tech in June of 2015 and with the Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine in April of 2020.

She is originally from Ohio, but spent her elementary years between Amarillo & Spearman, TX. Her middle and high school years were spent back in Ohio with her family. At the age of 17, she moved back to Amarillo where she met and married her husband of 24 years, they have three beautiful kids together. Their family spent 13 of those years in Lubbock, TX where she first started working at Texas Tech in the Student Disability Services Department. She is excited to be back in Amarillo and be a part of this wonderful program!

Thomas Rodriguez

Shipping and Receiving Specialist

Thomas Rodriguez is the Shipping and Receiving Specialist. He is in charge of receiving all of the shipments and mail for the School of Veterinary Medicine as well as any outgoing mail and packages. Many of the packages that he receives pertain to research. He started at the school in September 2022.

Rodriguez was born in Hereford, Texas and lived there most of his early life. He graduated from Caprock in Amarillo. He and his wife, Felicia, have been married since April 2012 and have 3 children, Micah, Lilyana, and Katalina. They also have several animals one dog, Kozmo and three cats, Charlie, Tiny, and Lucy. In his free time, he enjoys camping, hiking, and swimming. He also has a few hobbies which include woodworking and gardening.

Elizabeth Rowe

Director of Outcomes Assessment

Elizabeth Rowe serves as the Director of Outcomes Assessment in the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM). She will be involved in programmatic evaluation, implementation of examination software, development of measurable outcomes, and assessment data analysis. Elizabeth started her career with Texas Tech University SVM in July of 2020.

A Tennessee native, Elizabeth completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Learning at the University of Tennessee-Martin. She then went on to the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, where she completed a Master of Science degree in Instructional Technology and a Specialist in Education (EdS) degree in Instructional Technology and Educational Studies. Elizabeth spent the first 6 years of her career in K-12 education, where she was heavily involved in instructional mentorship, data analysis, and outcomes assessment as a mentor teacher in the Teacher Advancement Program (TAP).

After moving to Kansas in 2013, she joined the College of Education at Kansas State University as an academic advisor. Most recently, she served as the Instructional Designer for Lincoln Memorial University's novel Doctor of Medical Science Program, where she played an integral role in curricular development and program design. Elizabeth is married to Josh Rowe, an Associate Professor of Anatomy here at TTUSVM. Together, they have one daughter, Jocelyn. They love to spend time exploring the local terrain and playing with their two dogs.

Maria Camila Hoyos Sanchez

Research Associate / Lab Manager

Camila serves as a Research Associate and Lab Manager for the Fon Tacer Lab at the School of Veterinary Medicine. She performs experiments in cancer biology and reproductive biology. She also performs bioinformatic analysis of sequencing data, manages specialized laboratory equipment, trains and supervises students, as well as manages a mouse colony.

She was born in Ibagué, Colombia. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, she completed two master's degrees, one in Biological Science and one in Computational Biology. In her free time, she enjoys mountain biking and hiking.

Heather Scalf

Program Manager

Heather Scalf began her career with the Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine in November 2021, serving as Program Manager for the Office of the Associate Dean of Research. She works closely with the Associate Dean of Research to manage the graduate and professional student Research programs. She also coordinates Research-related events, seminars, and communication.

Heather graduated from West Texas A&M University with a B.A. in English. She has previously managed departments and projects related to Creative, Communications, Human Resources, and Strategic Accounts.

Heather is an Amarillo native. She and her husband, Joel, stay busy with their two daughters, Avery and Liddy. Everyone knows her favorite family member, though, is the family's rescue dog, Elle. She enjoys savory snacks, walks around the neighborhood, and road trips. Heather enjoys those things too.

Kayti Smith

Large Animal Husbandry Caretaker

Kayti Smith serves as the Large Animal Husbandry Caretaker. She provides care, management, treatment, and documentation of care provided to animals used in the veterinary school program. She began her career with Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine in March 2022. Kayti has worked at several area vet clinics as a veterinary assistant. She brings to the table experience in both small and large animals.

She graduated from Olton High School in 2012. She has her certification in Equine Massage Therapy. She has also helped many students with their 4-H and FFA Animal projects. She lives in Claude, Texas with her trustworthy Aussie, BB.

Kayti enjoys all Texas Tech sports, especially basketball and baseball. She and her family raise cattle and dorper sheep, which she plays a vital role in taking care of the animals. She grew up very involved in 4-H, FFA, and basketball. She enjoys spending time with family and friends in her spare time.

Juan Solano

Research Associate

Juan Sebastian Solano serves as a research associate at the School of Veterinary Medicine. He works in the Fon Tacer laboratory, focusing to gain insight in the role of MAGE genes in pancreatic cancer. Also, he provides administrative support to the Fon Tacer lab. Juan is native to Colombia, where he graduated as a biologist and obtained a master's degree in science-biotechnology.

Juan was born in Ibague, a small town in Colombia, in the mountain zone. He lived in Colombia for 30 years and now, he is happy to have moved to Amariilo. He is passionate by sports. Watching soccer or rugby games is one of Juan's favorite activities, as well as working out and going for a run. He also loves going out to eat with his friends.

Eden Taylor

Administrative Assistant

Eden serves as an Administrative Assistant at the School of Veterinary Medicine. She provides administrative support in the finance office. Eden graduated from New Mexico State University with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics and Business. She is currently pursuing her master's degree in agribusiness at New Mexico State University.

Eden was born and raised in Amarillo and moved to Taos, New Mexico in 2008. She enjoys spending time outside with her husband and two dogs. Eden is excited for their new journey in Amarillo and to be closer to family.

Luis Torres

Clinical and Professional Skills Technician

Luis Torres is a Clinical and Professional Skills Technician at the School of Veterinary Medicine. His roles include working alongside instructors with setting up labs, maintaining the 24/7 room for students to practice their skills, and caring for small animals when needed.

Luis has lived in the Texas Panhandle his entire life, and now resides in Canyon, TX. He has two young daughters and spends free time with them making music. His family loves to get together for grilling and cookouts any time of the year.

Tyler Tubbs

Anatomic Pathology Technician

Ty serves as the Anatomic Pathology Technician. He joined the team October 2021. His main duties are to assist with the preparation and performance of necropsies and help in the anatomic pathology laboratory. He graduated from Texas Tech in 2014 with a degree in Animal Science.

Ty grew up on a small ranch in Clarendon, Texas. Since graduating from college, he has worked closely within the livestock industry. Ty enjoys silversmithing, being outdoors, cooking for people, spending time with his family and working on the family ranch. He is proud to be working for his Alma Mater, and is excited to watch the school grow.

Stephanie Wertman

Mariposa Station Manager and Large Animal Technician

Stephanie Wertman serves as the Mariposa Station Manager and Large Animal Technician at the School of Veterinary Medicine. She began her veterinary career 35 years ago in the United States Army as an Animal Care Specialist. Equine medicine and surgery has been her focus over the last 23 years. The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital was her home for the last 11 years as the Equine Internal Medicine lead technician. Then she moved up as the Equine Medicine Supervisor and Service Coordinator. She obtained her Veterinary Technician Specialist certification in Equine Nursing in 2017. Most recently, she had the privilege to be a chapter co-author (Neonatal Care of Puppies, Kittens, and Foals) in the 10th edition of the Bassert: McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses.

Stephanie has been married to her husband, John, for 33 years and have grown children, Michael and Christopher. She also has Jasmine, the best Great Dane ever. She loves to ride horses when the opportunity presents itself, read, and looks forward to the opportunity to hike and camp.

Brighton White

Student Services Program Manager

Brighton serves as the Student Services Program Manager. She works closely to assist prospective and current students with student resources, coordinating Wellness Events, coordinating the Tutoring Program, and assisting student organizations. In addition, Brighton will be helping with the student mentoring program and admissions.

Brighton graduated from Texas Tech University with a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies in August 2019. She began her career with Texas Tech in July of 2019 and with the Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine in July of 2022. She is overjoyed to be serving her Texas Tech community. Brighton loves all things Texas Tech including basketball, football, baseball, and the award-winning meat judging team.

Chris Williams

Large Animal Husbandry Caretaker

Chris Williams is a large animal caretaker at the School of Veterinary Medicine. His job is to look after the animals at Mariposa Station. When needed, he assists with the various student labs that occur at Mariposa Station as well. He is originally from a small town in southwest Kansas but moved to northern Colorado when he was eleven. When he was fifteen years old, he worked on his first ranch for a roping cow rancher. He held several construction jobs and for the last six years he managed a ranch for a local eye doctor.

Williams enjoys spending time either at the gym or smoking barbeque for friends and family. He has one son and enjoys being able to spend time with him and his wife and making them try new spice rubs that he creates.