Our speakers

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  Name

  Dr Daniel McDonald

  Job title

  Resident in Small Animal Surgery

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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 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