University of Minnesota SAVMA Chapter

Mission Statement:

The Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA) exists to support, empower, and inspire all veterinary students in improving their lives, education, and career, along with securing a better future for our profession through collaboration with our parent organization, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). 

Class of 2026 White Coat Ceremony 2022


What is SAVMA? 

SAVMA (Student American Veterinary Medical Association) is a non-profit, student-run organization. Here at Minnesota, we are all members of the SAVMA Chapter as well as the national SAVMA organization, which includes over 10,000 student members worldwide! 

The Minnesota chapter is active in community philanthropic efforts, offers student externship and travel grants, hosts informative lunch seminars, plans social events, and supports student camaraderie. 

National SAVMA is the Student American Veterinary Medical Association, comprised of students from schools all over the nation and some from Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and other countries. The national SAVMA organization exists to support, empower, and inspire all veterinary students in improving their lives, education, and career. SAVMA works toward securing a better future for our profession through collaboration with our parent organization, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).  More information can be found on their website: https://www.avma.org/about/SAVMA 

SAVMA Overview+Benefits 2023.pptx

Meet Our Executive Board

Bella Kappenman

President, c/o 2026

Hometown: Brookings, SD

Track interest: Small animal

Email: kappe149@umn.edu 

Best Piece of Advice: "Everything is hard until it is easy! When something becomes easy, notice how far you've come."

Regina Kurandina

President Elect, c/o 2027

Hometown: White Bear Lake, MN

Track Interest: Mixed animal theriogenology

Email: kuran008@umn.edu

Outside of Vet School: I love spending time with my dogs! Most of my free time is spent training for various dog competitions or taking them lure coursing.


Alexandria Yu

Senior Delegate, c/o 2026

Hometown: Walnut, CA

Track interest: Small animal emergency

Email: yu0154400@umn.edu 

Favorite TV show: Gilmore Girls once it hits October!

Jennifer Johnson

SDSU Senior Delegate, c/o 2026

Hometown: Gravity, IA

Track interest: Mixed-predominantly large animal

Email: joh22089@umn.edu 

Favorite vacation: A family vacation to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. It was beautiful and quickly became one of my favorite places. I can't wait to go back. 

Mikayla Schlosser

Junior Delegate, c/o 2027

Hometown: Maple Plain, MN

Track interest: Poultry Production

Email: schlo315@umn.edu

Fun fact: I was the Minnesota State Poultry Princess (2017-2018). 

Aidan Freisen

SDSU Junior Delegate, c/o 2027

Hometown: Olivet, SD

Track interest: Large animal

Email: fries322@umn.edu

Fun fact: I play the guitar!

Divya Wagle

Treasurer, c/o 2026

Hometown: Piscatway, NJ

Track interest: Small animal

Email: wagle027@umn.edu

Best advice that you ever received: Give yourself the advice that you would give your best friend.  

Hannah Peterson

Treasurer Elect, c/o 2027

Hometown: St. Michael, Minnesota

Track interest: Small animal

Email: Pet01117@umn.edu 

Favorite Vacation: Snorkeling between two tectonic plates in Iceland!

Sejla Pujagic

Secretary, c/o 2026

Hometown: Urbandale, IA

Track interest: Mixed

Email: pujag001@umn.edu 

Fun fact: I used to be a horseback trail guide in the Rocky Mountains over the summertime. 

Abby Veath

Information Officer, c/o 2027

Hometown: The Woodlands, TX

Track interest: Small animal Rehabilitation and General Practice

Email: veath003@umn.edu 

Fun Fact: I competed at the world class level for color guard in highschool. 

Heather Kim

Fundraising Commitee Chair, c/o 2026

Hometown: Rocklin, CA

Track interest: Small animal

Email: kim01849@umn.edu 

Best advice that you ever received: Get busy with life's purpose, toss aside empty hopes, get active in your own rescue—if you care for yourself at all—and do it while you can.

Haley Rubia

Membership Officer, c/o 2026

Hometown: La Mirada, CA

Track interest: Small Animal and Exotics

Email: rubia010@umn.edu 

Favorite Vacation: Snorkeling on a bangka in the Philippines in 2016

Lynn Willems

Membership Officer Elect, c/o 2027

Hometown: St. Paul, MN

Track interest: Small Animal General Practice or Neurology

Email: wille589@umn.edu 

Favorite Vacation: Hiking Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu in Peru

Jena Hauch

Philanthropy Officer, c/o 2026

Hometown: Maple Grove, MN

Track interest: Small Animal with interest in general practice or community medicine

Email: hauch046@umn.edu 

Favorite vacation: Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru

Lauren Loughlin

Philanthropy Officer Elect, c/o 2027

Hometown: Lewis Center, OH 

Track interest: Mixed animal with a focus in small animal. I am also exploring several specialties including radiology, ophthalmology, and surgery. 

Email: lough106@umn.edu

Outside of Vet School: Enjoy exploring different coffee shops in the cities

Gwyn Knott-Byars

IVSA Chair, c/o 2026

Hometown: Smithtown, NY

Track interest: Small animal surgery/non-profit

Email: knott115@umn.edu 

Favorite Vacation: My honeymoon, we did a cruise through northern Europe. 

Lucia Meester

IVSA Chair Elect, c/o 2027

Hometown: Marco Island 

Track interest: Small animal 

Email: meest019@umn.edu 

Favorite Vacation: I went to Scotland for a summer and visited Inverness, which is the town near where Nessie lives.

Divya Ghosh

DEI Chair, c/o 2026

Hometown: Rochester, MN

Track interest: Small animal

Email: ghosh094@umn.edu 

Outside of Vet School: Spending time with friends!

Emma Banks

DEI Chair Elect, c/o 2027

Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada)

Track interest: Mixed - equine focused

Email: knott115@umn.edu 

Outside of Vet School: Bouldering!

Doug Chamroeun

Wellness Chair, c/o 2026

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Track interest: Dermatology 

Email: mart3592@umn.edu 

Outside of Vet School: Spend time with my handsome son, wife and bunnies!

Caitlyn Thompson

Wellness Chair Elect, c/o 2027

Hometown: Woodbury, MN

Track interest: Small animal or Mixed

Email: thom6424@umn.edu

Fun Fact: I use to be Head Coach for a middle school volleyball program from 2016-2018! 

Alaina Frank

2025 Class Representative

Hometown: Northfield, MN

Track interest: Small animal

Email: falck028@umn.edu

Outside of Vet School: Trying out new recipes

Ella Lee

2026 Class Representative

Hometown: Seoul, Korea 

Track interest: Small animal

Email: lee01360@umn.edu 

Favorite Movie: Zootopia

Casondra Snow

2027 Class Representative

Hometown: Mayer, MN

Track interest: Large animal primarily swine

Email: snow0078@umn.edu 

Favorite vacation: Caye Caulker, Belize

Dr. Erin Burton

Faculty Advisor

DACVP, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, Clinical Pathology

DVM, Ross University

MS, Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri

BS, Biology, Arizona State University

Email: burt0233@umn.edu 

Favorite Vacation: We (Dr. Burton and her husband) went to Belize and Guatemala for our honeymoon. We stayed in a beautiful border town called San Ignacio for a portion of the trip. My husband and I went on this incredible 15 mile kayak and bird tour through the jungle. I have never seen so much beauty in one place. 

Dr. Emily Barrell

Faculty Advisor

DACVIM, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Large Animal Internal Medicine (LAIM)

DVM, Colorado State University

MS, Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University

BS, Equine Science, Colorado State University

Email: ebarrell@umn.edu 

Most used emoji: 🙄 The eyeroll. Obviously. 

Sponsors 

External Links

GOALE Mentors 2022