The Veterinary Technology Program wants to recognize two recent inductees into the Academy of Outstanding Teachers for the College of Arts & Sciences at Appalachian State University, Ann Wortinger and Dr. Lori Renda-Francis. Appointees to the Academy of Outstanding Teachers and the Outstanding Teachers of the Year received a medallion and certificate presented at the CAS Awards event. The College of Arts & Sciences is the largest college on our campus, and it is a true honor to be inducted in the Academy.
Ann Wortinger
Ann has been a credentialed veterinary technician since 1983, and got her Veterinary Technician Specialty (VTS) certification in Emergency/ Critical Care in 2000, in Small Animal Internal Medicine in 2008, and Nutrition in 2013. She has worked in general, emergency, specialty practice, education, and management. Ann is active in her state, national, and specialty organizations, and served on organizing committees for the Internal Medicine and Nutrition Veterinary Technician Specialties (VTS).
For the past 4 years, Ann has fostered poorly socialized, underweight kittens with her local Humane Society. Her work-from-home position, as well as her vast experience with nutrition and feline behavior, helps to ensure these babies become happy, healthy, fat kittens who can be placed into their furrever homes. Her fur/feather/fin family consists of 4 resident cats, multiple foster kittens, chickens, guineas, and a pond full of goldfish.
Ann teaches a variety of courses including Veterinary Clinical Pathology, Introduction to Veterinary Emergency Medicine, and Advanced Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition for the Veterinary Technician/Veterinary Nurse.
Lori Renda-Francis
Dr. Lori Renda-Francis received her veterinary technician degree from Macomb Community College, her bachelor’s in business administration, her Master’s in Education, and her PhD in Organizational Management/Leadership.
Lori has published numerous articles and has written a veterinary assistant textbook for Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. In addition to teaching, Lori is very active in State, National, and specialty organizations. She believes strongly in giving back to the profession that she has been so grateful to benefit from. Lori served on the organizing committee for the Association of Veterinary Technician Specialists in Education (AVTSE).
Lori has served on the executive boards of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), the Association of Veterinary Technician Educators (AVTE), and was fortunate enough to be the first veterinary technician to serve on the American Animal Hospital Association board (AAHA).
Lori currently represents veterinary technicians on the CVTEA and is on the VTNE committee for the American Association of Veterinary State Boards. She also serves on the NAVTA AVA program review committee and is currently President-Elect of the AVTSE.
Lori lives on 10 acres in Michigan with her husband, her cow “Puddles”, 13 chickens, dog, cat and bird. She teaches a variety of classes including Animal Anatomy, and Clinical Pathology 2, as well as the Capstone classes which prepares students for professional veterinary technology/veterinary nursing careers within the context of a team-based veterinary healthcare approach. Lori also teaches VTN 2998 where students gain clinical experience in a workplace and document skills.
Academy of Outstanding Teachers
Academy of Outstanding Teachers