Who's Who At OVMA

Dr. Dale Scott, President

A 1976 graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College, Dr. Dale Scott has spent his entire career on Manitoulin Island in northern Ontario. He has owned Scott Veterinary Services, a mixed animal practice, since 1991.

Dr. Scott has always been a very active member of the veterinary community, and has held a number of leadership roles, including; executive member and President of the Designated Area Veterinary Association, executive member and President of the Northern Ontario Veterinary Association (NOVA), Chair of the Discipline and Registration Committee of the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, and Chair of OVMA’s Large Animal Issues Committee.

Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Scott is an active member of his local community, where he is currently Chair of the Executive Board of the Mindemoya Church. A wilderness canoer and hockey player, Dr. Scott is also an avid cyclist who can be often spotted cycling through Northern Ontario. He has raised money and awareness for charities such as the DogGuide program, the local healthcare system and the Farley Foundation. Each year, Dr. Scott participates in a 4-day cycling event called Tour for Kids in support of children with cancer. Dr. Scott also helps organize an annual hockey tournament on behalf of the Grey Bruce Veterinary Association.

Dr. Katrin Schmidt, President-Elect

After graduating from OVC in 1993, Dr. Schmidt worked in equine and mixed practice for 5 years, before turning to small animal emergency medicine and surgery.  Since then Dr. Schmidt and her husband have purchased two practices in the Barrie-Orillia area and participated in the co-founding of the local emergency veterinary cooperative. 
Dr. Schmidt has been an AVImark software trainer for over ten years and consults with private practitioners and industry, helping veterinarians get the most from their business and veterinary software.  An avid learner, she received her Certified Veterinary Practice Manager designation in 2004 and completed her Master of Business Administration in 2012.

Dr. Schmidt has been an active member of her local veterinary community, and has served as past president of her local constituency group, Georgian Bay Veterinary Association.  She continues to serve on the Technician Advisory committee for Georgian College.  Dr. Schmidt has served on the OVMA Board of Directors since 2003, the Economics Committee and is currently President-Elect of the association.

Dr. Schmidt lives with her husband Mark, their two children, horses and Dobermen in Horseshoe Valley, north of Barrie.  She enjoys a variety of outdoor activities including boating, snowmobiling and skiing.

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Dr. Ted Kilpatrick, Past President

After graduating with Honours from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1979, Dr. Kilpatrick joined a mixed animal practice in St. Paul, Alberta where he practiced until 1980. He then moved to Ontario, where he worked in a number of small animal practices and an emergency hospital, including the Ottawa Veterinary Hospital and Bells Corners Animal Hospital. In 1991, Dr. Kilpatrick purchased the Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic, where he worked until he sold his share of the practice in July 2009. Dr. Kilpatrick now lives on Manitoulin Island and works occasionally as a locum.

In 1996, Dr. Kilpatrick joined the OVMA Board of Directors as the South Durham Veterinary Association representative. Since then, he has held a number of different positions with OVMA, including Chair of the Small Animal Issues Committee, the Small Animal Program and Conference Committee, and a Member of the Nominations Committee.

When he manages to get some time for himself, Dr. Kilpatrick enjoys wilderness and white water canoeing, cross country skiing, mountain biking, cycling, travel and keeping an eye on environmental issues. Dr. Kilpatrick is currently building a straw bale house on Manitoulin Island.

Doug Raven, Chief Executive Officer

Doug Raven joined OVMA in 1998. Reporting to the Board of Directors, Doug oversees all aspects of the Association’s work, manages major initiatives undertaken by the Association, and serves as the Association’s primary spokesperson and liaison. After completing an undergraduate degree from Queen’s University in 1979, Doug furthered his education at the University of Toronto, earning an MSc in 1981. He began his career with the City of Burlington, moving to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing in 1985 where he was responsible for developing the organization’s strategic plan, and coordinating the Minister’s Cabinet briefings. Drawing on his experience in both municipal and provincial government, Doug became Director of Policy for the Association of Municipalities of Ontario in 1991. Two years later, he assumed the role of Executive Director with that organization.

Darren Osborne, Director of Economic Research

OVMA is a North American leader in veterinary economic research. Darren oversees OVMA’s economic research and the development of the OVMA Suggested Fee Guide. He also conducts financial and customer service reviews of veterinary clinics and serves as staff liaison to the Economics Committee.

After completing a Master's Degree in Economics at York University in 1992, Darren went on to consult for various veterinary associations across North America developing financial benchmarking reports and client satisfaction surveys. In 2001, Darren was recruited by the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues to lead the design team in building a fee calculator for individual veterinary practices. Working with various veterinary associations, Darren has developed a practice benchmark tool that includes a client survey alongside a production and financial comparison. Showing the relationship between satisfied clients and a healthy veterinary practice has helped to bring veterinary earnings in line with professional income levels.

When he is not bean-counting, Darren enjoys playing his guitar, competitive fencing, golf and endurance sports. Darren also cycles to raise money for the Farley Foundation, a charity that helps disabled individuals and seniors on limited incomes to access to emergency veterinary care for their pets.