Serving on the NTS Executive Board while navigating the rigorous demands of veterinary school is no small feat. Balancing coursework, clinical rotations, jobs, and personal responsibilities—alongside leadership duties—requires commitment, time management, and a genuine passion for non-traditional species and their care. While the workload can be intense, the experience offers unmatched opportunities for growth, connection, and impact. Our board members exemplify resilience and dedication, proving that even in the busiest seasons of life, it's possible to lead with purpose and make a difference.
2025-2026 Exec. Board
President: Toni Kim (2027)
My interests in veterinary medicine are vast and continue to expand with every experience I have, with the only limit being that I know I want to serve non-traditional species! While rabbit rescue and wildlife rehab have been a central focus for me, I am also developing strong interests in surgery, zoo med, & aquatics, and I am excited to see where these paths may lead. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my husband and two daughters, tending to my orchids, and birding. I currently have one polish rabbit named Lottie, one halfmoon betta, a leopard gecko named Lilo and two RES named Poopy and Poppy.
President-Elect: Alex Wiese (2028)
My vet med interests include zoological companion animals / exotics, and wildlife rehab. Outside of vet med, I enjoy birding, reading/writing speculative fiction, and rock climbing. I have two pets; Scruffy (cat), and Maple (ball python).
Treasurer: Kat Raper (2028)
In veterinary medicine, I’m interested in wildlife and zoo medicine, with hopes of someday working in conservation. I also have a new and growing interest in pathology! Outside of school, I love to read (specifically fantasy or historical fiction), watch movies, and play my guitar. I also love to go on walks and go out to dinner with friends. If I’m not studying (and even sometimes when I am), you can usually find me parked in front of a TV watching football or softball. While I don’t currently have any pets, I do plan on adopting one in the near future!
Secretary: Maddy Kasbaum (2027)
I am interested in zoo & wildlife animals, mainly aquatic mammals & reptiles. I have been researching aquatic turtles in Chicagoland marshes for the past two summers for pathogen monitoring in spotted turtles! I have worked with elephants, marine mammals, monkeys, and good ol’ dogs & cats. I have an adorable 2yr Shiba Inu, Kaiser, that I take study break naps with. Outside of the vet program, I enjoy going hiking, playing outdoor sports, painting, and reading anything not vet related.
Webmaster: Kayla Baskiewicz (2027)
I am a long-time lover of non-traditional species, growing up with my own menagerie of exotic pets and binge-watching Animal Planet TV shows. My current Vet Med passions include companion exotics, zoological medicine, aquatic medicine, and nutrition. I hope to combine these interests in my future career! Outside of vet med, I’m an avid art enthusiast, reader, theater-lover, houseplant hobbyist, and a mom to two chihuahua/terrier mixes, a gargoyle gecko, a bearded dragon, two snakes, hissing and giant cave cockroaches, giant desert millipedes, spiny leaf insects, two parakeets, a red-eared slider, and freshwater fish.
AAV Chair: Robin Banasek (2027)
My future goal is to pursue international and domestic wildlife medicine. I also train service dogs and enjoy all things animal behavior. Beyond vet med, I love to travel and learn and experience different cultures. I have a sassy rabbit named Luna and a goofy corn snake named Brick.
AAZV Chair: Javelis Marin Castro (2027)
I’m from Puerto Rico! I’m passionate about public health, wildlife and aquatics, forensics, and lab animal medicine. Upon graduation, I’ll be working as a Public Health Veterinarian for the USDA. In the far future, I would love to travel and practice veterinary medicine in different countries, and possibly even own a clinic with my wife. Outside of school, I love to do CrossFit, hike, play tennis, host paint & sip nights, play board games, and try new restaurants. Yum!
AEMV Chair: Olivia Boncosky (2027)
I’m interested in small animal medicine and cardiology. I have an 8 year old Boston Terrier Mix named Floyd, adopted at 5 years old. My hobbies include cooking, scuba diving, and running with Floyd!
ARAV Chair: Dana Williams (2027)
My interests in school are ever evolving, but the core focus I have is non-traditional companion animals and communicating with clients about the best care we can provide as a team! I have set up multiple externships focusing on those passions! I have the most handsome 2-year-old beardie named Saros! I am very passionate about our herp patients and actively seek out continuing education and network with veterinarians in the field about these unique patients and their owners.
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Sam Sander
2024-2025 Exec. Board
President: Trey Grossman (2026)
Career Interests: Small animal GP with Companion Exotics
Favorite Animal: Snow Leopard!
President-Elect: Toni Kim (2027)
Career Interests: Companion Exotics ER, Wildlife, Shelter Medicine & Surgery
Favorite Animal: Rabbits, echidnas, & all sorts of birds
Treasurer: Sarah Hollander (2026)
Career Interests: Zoo medicine
Favorite Animal: Okapi
Secretary: Maddy Kasbaum (2027)
Career Interests: Zoo/Wildlife Vet – Aquatic/Marine
Favorite Animal: Spotted Turtles
Webmaster: Jacob Dalen (2026)
Career Interests: Zoo-Med or Wildlife
Favorite Animal: Ostrich
AAV Chair: Marg Bednarek (2026)
Career Interests: Wildlife, ZCA, & Small animal
Favorite Animal: Snakes and cranes
AAZV Chair: Javelis Marin Castro (2027)
Career Interests: Wildlife conservation, Aquatics, Lab animal medicine, & Forensics
Favorite Animal: Manta Rays
AEMV Chair: Olivia Boncosky (2027)
Career Interests: Cardiology +/- Academia
Favorite Animal: Sun Bears
ARAV Chair: Sam Johnson (2026)
Career Interests: Oncology or Street Medicine
Favorite Animal: Flat-tailed horned lizard
Aquatics Chair: Tabitha Keever (2026)
Career Interests: Small Animal GP/ER & Companion Exotics
Favorite Animal: Green Sea Turtle
Class Representatives: Grant Nickolson (2026)
Career Interests: SA GP & Companion Exotics
Favorite Animal(s): Koala
Class Representatives: Kayla Baskiewicz (2027)
Career Interests: Small Animal, Zoo & Companion Exotics
Favorite Animal(s): Cheetahs, clouded leopards, & African wild dogs
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Sam Sander
2023-2024 Exec. Board
President & Class of 2025 Representative: Haley Kenyon (2025)
Career Interests: Zoo & Aquaria Vet
Favorite Animal: Giant Panda
President-Elect: Trey Grossman (2026)
Career Interests: Private Practice SA and Exotics
Favorite Animal: Snow Leopard
Treasurer: Qian-Qian Huang (2025)
Career Interests: Exotic Companion Animal Veterinarian and Surgeon
Favorite Animal: Wolverine
Secretary: Maris Daleo (DVM/PhD)
Career Interests: Wildlife conservationist
Favorite Animal: Bears
Webmaster: Raegan Hetrick (2025)
Career Interests: Traveling reptile (maybe SA) vanlife vet
Favorite Animal: Dexter (pictured)
AAV Chair: Marg Bednarek (2026)
Career Interests: Wildlife, SA, Zoo Med, and Zoo Companion Animal Veterinarian
Favorite Animal: Cranes
AAZV Chair: Javelis Marin Castro (2026)
Career Interests: Wildlife conservation, Aquatics, & Research
Favorite Animal: Hummingbird
AEMV Chair: Alli Yates (2025)
Career Interests: Zoo Med/Zoo Companion Animal Veterinarian (especially bunnies)
Favorite Animal: Jellyfish
ARAV Chair: Sam Johnson (2026)
Career Interests: State Wildlife Veterinarian or Veterinarian for Underserved Communities
Favorite Animal: Lizards
Aquatics Chair: Marisa Pico (2025)
Career Interests: Aquarium Vet
Favorite Animal: Green Sea Turtle
Class Representatives: Grant Nickolson (2026)
Career Interests: SA GP & Companion Exotics
Favorite Animal(s): Koala
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Sam Sander
2022-2023 Exec. Board
President: Fayth Kim (2024)
Originally from Vernon Hills, IL but did my undergrad and gap year in Rochester, NY. I really enjoy working with reptiles *insert “I like turtles” meme*. Interested in a zoo med or companion zoo med career. My roommates include my cat (Chalupa), leopard tortoise (Tortilla), and leopard gecko (Tangerine).Fun fact: I’m 5′ tall on my good days!
President-Elect: Haley Kenyon (2025)
Career Interests: Zoo & Aquaria Vet
Favorite Animal: Giant Panda
Treasurer: Qian-Qian Huang (2025)
Career Interests: Exotic Companion Animal Veterinarian and Surgeon
Favorite Animal: Wolverine
Secretary: Maris Daleo (DVM/PhD)
Career Interests: Wildlife conservationist
Favorite Animal: Bears
AAZV Chair: Carly Clark (2024)
I am from White Lake, MI. I want to work with zoo and/or wildlife as a future career. I have worked at a small animal/exotics private practice for the last 4 years and this summer I had the opportunity to participate in Turtle Team with the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab in Illinois and Tennessee this summer. Fun fact: I am a dual citizen of the US and Australia.
AEMV Chair: Alli Yates (2025)
Career Interests: Zoo Med/Zoo Companion Animal Veterinarian (especially bunnies)
Favorite Animal: Jellyfish
AAV Chair: Vacant
ARAV Chair: Caroline Terry (2024)
Webmaster: Raegan Hetrick (2025)
Career Interests: Traveling reptile (maybe SA) vanlife vet
Favorite Animal: Dexter (pictured)
Aquatics Chair & President: Maural Sowlat (2024)
Aquatics VP: Danny Raya Pantoja (2024)
Aquatics Secretary: Marisa Pico (2025)
Aquatics Treasurer: Varun Seth (2025)
Aquatics Fundraiser Chair: Hassan Hanna (2025)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Kenneth Welle
2021-2022 Exec. Board
President: Emily Grzeda (2023)
President-Elect: Fayth Kim (2024)
Originally from Vernon Hills, IL but did my undergrad and gap year in Rochester, NY. I really enjoy working with reptiles *insert “I like turtles” meme*. Interested in a zoo med or companion zoo med career. My roommates include my cat (Chalupa), leopard tortoise (Tortilla), and leopard gecko (Tangerine).Fun fact: I’m 5′ tall on my good days!
Treasurer: Drew Cadwell (2023)
Hi I’m Drew. I’ve lived in a few different countries but I graduated from high school in Williamsburg, VA. Then, I graduated from the University of Virginia in 2018. I’m interested in small animal and companion exotic animal medicine. I’m especially interested in feline and reptile medicine as well as anesthesia/analgesia. I loved volunteering at both the Hope Zoo in Jamaica, and working at the Wildlife Medical Clinic at University of Illinois.Fun fact: I have a black cat named Sabrina
Secretary: Rachel Angles (2023)
I am a third year veterinary student from Bloomington, IL with an interest in zoo and aquatic animal medicine. I am a team leader in the Wildlife Medical Clinic and also work in the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab at the University of Illinois.Fun fact: I have never traveled by airplane!
AAZV Chair: Carly Clark (2024)
I am from White Lake, MI. I want to work with zoo and/or wildlife as a future career. I have worked at a small animal/exotics private practice for the last 4 years and this summer I had the opportunity to participate in Turtle Team with the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab in Illinois and Tennessee this summer.Fun fact: I am a dual citizen of the US and Australia.
AEMV Chair: Kate Vanderslice (2023)
Hi, I’m Kate! I’m a third year interested in Zoo Companion Animal medicine and Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarian chair of NTS. I’m originally from northern California and was a field biology technician and Volunteer Coordinator for a non-profit wildlife rehabilitation organization in a previous life. These experiences made me fall in love with wildlife and started me down the vet med path. I’m excited to be part of NTS and look forward to bringing great learning experiences to everyone!Fun fact: Virginia Opossums are the only marsupial native to North America!
AAV Chair: Kayla LaDez (2023)
I’m from Tampa, Florida. My dream job is owning a small animal and zoo companion animal practice where I can always be surrounded by birds, reptiles, and exotic mammals. In vet school, I’ve spent my time learning about medicine and business, working with zoo companion animal veterinarians, volunteering at the Wildlife Medical Clinic, and conducting research as a member of the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab. My favorite part of being involved in the WEL was spending the last two summers performing health assessments on the Illinois state endangered Blanding’s turtle.Fun fact: My favorite animal is the green sea turtle and I want to become scuba certified
ARAV Chair: Brooke Dugan (2023)
I’m from a small town south of Chicago and changed my major to General Biology my second year of undergrad. My favorite species to work with are reptiles, especially snakes, but I’d like to work with all sorts of zoo animals. I’ve had the opportunity to work in a small private practice that sees the occasional exotic pet and wild turtle, but one of my favorite case I worked on before coming to U of I was a hit by car common snapping turtle that had mandibular, maxilla, and shell fractures. I work at the Vet Med South Clinic now with Primary Care and Zoo Med, so I’ve had a lot of opportunities to work with the Zoo Med House Officers and faculty. My favorite patients we see regularly are ferrets, and I’ve also been able to assist with parrots, guinea pigs, and rabbits. I’m a team leader for the Wildlife Medical Clinic where I’ve been able to handle and treat snapping turtles, bald eagles, and other birds of prey.Fun fact: I have 6 snakes, a leopard gecko, and a dog at home, and I recently started collecting animal bones. I have coyote, bobcat, and beaver skulls, turtle shells, and almost an entire raccoon and cow skeleton so far.
Webmaster: Elle Donnelly (2023)
Originally from Long Island, NY, I’m still getting used to the freezing winds of the Midwest! As a child, you could always find me glued to the tv watching every program Animal Planet had to offer, with my favorites being “The Jeff Corwin Experience” and “Animal ER.” It is wild to me that I’ll soon be able to perform procedures on the same types of animals that my childhood idols did! I love all species, and am hoping to work in an all exotics practice after graduation. I enjoy the challenge and the different day-to-day offerings of this type of practice, and look forward to honing my skills!Fun fact: A giraffe’s tongue can grow up to 21 inches long!!
Aquatics Co-Chair: Alec Colosi (2022)
Aquatics Co-Chair: Colleen Elzinga (2022)
Aquatics Co-Chair: Siobhan Meadows (2023)
Aquatics Co-Chair: Ryan Patterson (2023)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Kenneth Welle