Our speakers

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  Name

  Dr Daniel McDonald

  Job title

  Resident in Small Animal Surgery

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  Name

  Dr Graham Lauridsen

  Biography

  Dr Graham Lauridsen graduated from UQ in 1995. He has worked in mixed practice throughout Northern Queensland ever since. He has been an active member of the AVA, being an ex-Qld Division president and still sits on one AVA committee that is driving changes around medicines and prescribing guidelines. He is the father of 2 adult children and the husband of just the one wife. He is committed to continuing to find ways to improve the working lives of Veterinarians in regional Australia. He has been on the QVSB since 2022 and has found it to be a most interesting thing to be a part of.

  Job title

  Director

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  Name

  Dr Jenna Rickards

  Biography

  Jenna graduated from James Cook University in 2015, followed by working 2 years in a rural mixed practice in Rockhampton. During this time she compled a graduate certificate in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care through University of Melbourne.
  She then took her skills to the next level with a rotating small animal internship at James Cook University, followed by a residency in Small Animal Medicine, where she split her time between James Cook and North Coast Veterinary Specialists on the Sunshine Coast (now known as SASH).

  Since finishing her residency in 2022, Jenna has further refined her skills at a large multi-disciplinary hospital in Sydney (VSOS). She has authored several research papers and case reports and has presented her work at both local and international conferences. In 2025 she successfully passed her boards and became a specialist in Internal Medicine with the European College (ECVIM-CA).

  Jenna the moved back to Townsville, and helped co-found the new private specialist and emergency hospital, NQ Care, which opened in January 2025.

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  Name

  Dr Jun-Yan Sek

  Biography

  Jun-Yan grew up in Singapore and developed an early fascination with animals, biology, and the natural world. After completing a Bachelor of Science in 2006, he worked in developmental biology and conservation research before pursuing his veterinary degree at James Cook University, graduating in 2016.
  Following graduation, Jun-Yan completed rotating and surgical internships in Brisbane and Sydney before undertaking postgraduate training at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. He later returned to Australia to complete a residency in Small Animal Surgery across specialist referral hospitals in Sydney and Melbourne and is working towards completing his specialist board examinations with the European College of Veterinary Surgeons (ECVS).
  Jun-Yan has authored and presented research at both national and international conferences, with clinical interests in wound management, soft tissue reconstruction, brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), and neurosurgery. Alongside his clinical work, he is passionate about veterinary education and contributing to the growth of veterinary services in regional Queensland. He has returned to his alma mater, James Cook University, where he serves as an Adjunct Senior Lecturer, teaching and mentoring fourth- and final-year veterinary students in small animal surgery.
  Outside of the operating theatre, Jun-Yan enjoys travelling to remote destinations in search of pelagic fishing, exploring the outdoors, and occasionally baking—usually at the encouragement of his nursing team.

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  Name

  Dr Regan Lynch

  Biography

  Dr Regan Lynch graduated from James Cook University in 2015 and began her career in mixed animal practice in Victoria, with a strong focus on dairy production. She later returned to northwest Queensland, where she gained extensive experience in livestock production before travelling throughout the region as a relief veterinarian while completing her Nuffield Scholarship, which focused on biosecurity in northern Australia.
  Regan has undertaken further training in beef medicine and advanced biosecurity protocols, including participating in a Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak investigation in Nepal. In 2025, she joined the Tropical Vets team at the Gener8 Reproduction centre, where she has a strong focus on livestock production and reproductive management. Regan is also the current President of the Australian Veterinary Association Queensland Division, where she advocates for the veterinary profession and animal health across Queensland.

  Job title

  Veterinarian