Veterinary Technology Faculty

Joseph E. Savarese, D.V.M.

Professor and Chair, Veterinary Technology Department

Dr. Joseph E. Savarese has taught at Medaille since 1986. He earned his doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Parma, Italy, and had previous experience as a secondary school Spanish teacher, school administrator and in adult education. Savarese is licensed to practice veterinary medicine in New York and Florida, and is an active member of several local, state and national veterinary organizations. As a volunteer, Savarese performs surgery and consults for the SPCA of Erie County, servers as an advisor to a Boy Scout Explorer Post in veterinary medicine, and is on the scientific staff of the Erie County Sheriff's Office. He has published and spoken locally and nationwide on the role of the veterinary technician in veterinary practice.

Renee Bugenhagen, D.V.M.

Associate Professor

Dr. Renee Bugenhagen has taught in the Veterinary Technology program since 1994. She is a graduate of the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and has twenty-three years of clinical veterinary experience in small animal, exotic and emergency medicine. She currently practices in a small animal clinic in Hamburg, New York, allowing her to keep current with changes in veterinary medicine, and to offer clinical cases to her students. She is currently working towards a master's degree in education (curriculum and instruction), with a lifelong goal of improving the lives of human beings through their association with animals. Her passions include her children and her pets, with a combined total of 22.

Allison DeLang, A.S.

Visiting Instructor

Allison Delang is a licensed veterinary technician with extensive experience in laboratories and veterinary clinics. She is a member of NAVTA, the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America, and has attended seminars and conferences throughout the country for continuing education. She began teaching at Medaille in 1999 and became a full time clinical instructor in 2007.

Valerie Macer, Ed.M.

Associate Professor

Valerie J. Macer has taught in the Veterinary Technology department since 1995, after previously working as a veterinary technician at Medaille. She is the only full-time faculty Veterinary Technician in the Medaille program (the other full-time faculty members are Veterinarians). Macer graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. degree in Natural Resources and worked for several years for a consulting forester in the Southern Tier of New York. She returned to school and earned her A.A.S. in veterinary science technology at the State University of New York at Delhi in 1982, worked in a small animal practice, and taught veterinary technology at an AVMA-accredited school in Pittsburgh.

Macer currently does relief work at a medical research facility, keeping current in the field of laboratory animal science. She is a certified laboratory animal technician (American Association for Laboratory Animal Science) and a licensed New York State veterinary technician. Macer has taught VET 204, Veterinary Clinical Laboratory Techniques since the first class was offered in 1988, and taught VET 126 Animal Parasitology for several years. She substantially revised and now teaches VET 120 Introduction to Laboratory Animal Science and VET 320 Advanced Laboratory Animal Science. Val maintains a collection of reptiles for use in the Veterinary Technology and Biology programs, has presented numerous programs on reptile care and rehabilitation, and is a consultant for the New York State Department of Conservation and the SPCA Serving Erie County. She is a past president and current board member for the Veterinary Technician Continuing Education Program of Western New York, a founding member of the Western New York Herpetological Society and member of many national and state Veterinary Technician and Technician Education organizations. Macer has earned her master’s of education in science education and it is her mission to provide the best possible education that she can to the students in the Medaille Veterinary Technology program, starting them on the path to the life long learning experience in caring for animals and the people who love them.

Nancy Pugh, D.V.M.

Associate Professor

Dr. Nancy Pugh has been teaching in Medaille's Veterinary Technology program since 2003. After graduating from SUNY ESF with a degree in forest biology, she worked on a dairy farm while attaining her teaching certification. She taught high school science (biology, chemistry and math) at a very small school for four years before applying to veterinary school. She completed her graduate degree at Cornell University, and during that time conducted grant-supported research in Uganda on Trypanosomiasis. After graduating, Dr. Pugh accepted a position at Springville Veterinary Services where she was a large animal vet for 10 years. She co-owns a farm of 80 sheep and 3 goats, and trains Belgian Tervurens dogs to herd. She decided to return to teaching, mostly due to a torn ACL compliments of a beef cow and then a sheep.

Dr. Ilze Stankevics

Clinical Assistant Professor

Stephanie Westerman, D.V.M.

Assistant Professor

Dr. Stephanie Westerman is the Program Director for the A.S. veterinary technology Degree program. She began teaching veterinary technology in 2000. She created a popular course in feline medicine for the bachelor's degree program, and and has taught a variety of courses including small animal nutrition and disease, diagnostic imaging and pathology. Dr. Westerman earned her DVM from the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. She worked with farm animals for a year after graduating from veterinary college, then moved to Buffalo and has worked at the Summer Street Cat Clinic for over 15 years. She is past president of the Western New York Veterinary Medical Association, and a board member of the Buffalo Academy of Veterinary Continuing Education. Dr. Westerman has given guest lectures at the University at Buffalo and for the Erie County Board of Health. Her goal is to empower students to live a life they love in a career they deeply enjoy.