Meet the RECOVER
Initiative Team

Dr. Boller graduated from veterinary school at the University of Zurich, Switzerland in 1997, followed by work in private practice, a doctoral thesis and an anesthesia residency. He then pursued a residency in veterinary ECC at the University of Pennsylvania and stayed on as a lecturer in ICU at PennVet. He then undertook a translational research fellowship at Penn’s Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT) leading to a Masters in Translational Research degree in 2010, while concurrently conducting research at the Center for Resuscitation Science of Penn’s Medical School from 2006 to 2012. He is now a Senior Lecturer in Emergency and Critical Care at the Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences of the University of Melbourne, serves as a member of the scientific committee of ACVECC and the ANZCVS ECC Chapter and is co-chair of the RECOVER Initiative and other collaborative research initiatives to advance evidence based veterinary medicine.

Jamie Burkitt graduated from the University of California, Davis, in 2000 and became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2005. Since that time, she has worked in university and private practice across the United States. She is an Associate Professor of Clinical Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care at UC Davis. Her professional interests are prevention of recurrent feline urethral obstruction, endocrine emergencies, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

Dr. Fletcher has been on the faculty of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine since 2006. After receiving a BS in Electrical Engineering from Drexel University and a PhD in Bioengineering from the University of California Berkeley/San Francisco, he obtained his DVM from the University of California at Davis. He then completed a rotating internship and emergency and critical care residency at the University of Pennsylvania. He has received multiple teaching awards, including the 2020 Zoetis Distinguished Teaching Award and is co-chair of the RECOVER Initiative, which published the first evidence-based veterinary CPR guidelines. His research interests include disorders of fibrinolysis, epilepsy, and the use of immersive simulation in teaching. He has been building simulators for veterinary education since 2009 and opened the Tetlow and Roy Park Innovation Lab, an immersive simulation center at Cornell in the fall of 2015.

Ken has dedicated his career to reimagining veterinary nursing for 24 years. He is currently the Chief Veterinary Nursing Officer for Veterinary Emergency Group, and the Program Director for the RECOVER Initiative.

Over the years, Ken has received many accolades, including the Veterinary Technician of the Year award by NAVTA and the AVECCTN Specialty Technician of the Year award. Ken co-edited the Veterinary Technician and Nurse’s Daily Reference Guide for Canine and Feline, and the Manual of Veterinary Transfusion Medicine and Blood Banking, and publishes articles and presents internationally on topics in ECC, transfusion medicine, and the veterinary nursing profession.

Ken passionately works to bring further recognition of the vital role of the veterinary nurses and technicians through work with industry leading organizations. He is also an advocate for the Open Hospital Concept, encouraging veterinary practices to invite the pet owners to “the back” as a part of the team.

Ken invites everyone to ask “Why?” to understand the “What” and “How” of our field, and to continually pursue new limits as veterinary professionals and individuals.

With over 15 years of experience in growing and scaling start-up businesses, Ruth excels in mentoring talented teams, and fostering a culture of excellence, compassion, and commitment.
Her operational expertise, innovative strategic thinking, and creative problem-solving have led to significant contributions in various leadership roles across profit and non-profit sectors, including her tenure as the COO and CEO of Fear Free.
Ruth is a graduate of the Daniels College of Business Executive MBA Program at the University of Denver, complementing her international degree in hotel management and BA in Social Science. Outside of work, she and her husband enjoy exploring the outdoors hiking, camping and cross-country skiing, spending time with their dog Noah, and traveling to explore new cultures, nature, and wildlife.

Jamie has over 20 years of experience in the veterinary field, most in emergency and critical care. In a prior life she was an animal control officer and a veterinary team manager for a 24-hour practice in California. Jamie is passionate about mental health and suicide prevention in the veterinary community and is a firm believer that education reduces stigma and increases survival. She is a certified Mental Health First Aid responder, QPR gatekeeper and certified gatekeeper instructor. Jamie thrives on a small homestead in South Carolina with a menagerie of creatures. She’s been lobbying for mini-donkeys but hasn’t been able to convince her husband.

Erick brings a wealth of experience from his background in Healthcare Compliance, Learning Management Systems, and data analysis to his role. Based in Southern California, Erick focuses on enhancing customer experiences and ensures every interaction meets the highest standards of service and support. Outside of work, he's either catching the latest horror movie or cherishing quality moments with his cat and dog, Nala and Shilo.

Shell is a Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) with two decades of experience in small animal practice, mostly in GP with some emergency and specialty sprinkled in throughout her career. She has a super strong love for anything dental-related and loves educating clients of all ages on the importance of dental care.

Having faced and triumphed over the challenge of transforming a toxic work environment into a positive and secure workplace, Shell discovered a newfound passion for leadership. She relishes the opportunity to directly engage with her team, advocating ardently for their wellbeing and empowerment. She nurtures an environment where team members are encouraged to evolve both professionally and personally.

In the early stages of the COVID era, Shell seized the opportunity to embark on an unforgettable journey across the United States in an RV, accompanied by her husband and two young boys. After 2 years of fulltime traveling, she is now rooted in the serene landscapes of Southeast Kansas, embracing rural life, and slowly expanding their family with chickens, guinea hens, and goats.

Shell's days are filled with the joys of homeschooling her boys, embarking on countless mini adventures and enriching field trips, and keeping up with the boundless energy of their spirited one-year-old Doberman, Dex. Her adventurous spirit and enthusiasm for life's simple pleasures keeps her husband on his toes. She can always be found with a hidden stash of marshmallows, enjoys late nights watching timeless Golden Girls reruns, and is a firm believer that you can never have too much glitter!