Matt attended veterinary school and completed his residency at the University of California, Davis before becoming board-certified in small animal internal medicine. For nearly a decade, Dr. Vaughan worked in a large, private multi-specialty practice in Seattle before moving to Bend in 2017 to start VRCCO. Matt is one of the owners and co-founders of VRCCO and currently serves as Medical Director as well as one of the staff internists.

Matt has a special interest in endocrinology, urinary disorders, and interventional radiology, but enjoys all aspects of internal medicine; particularly the variety and complexity that these cases provide. Matt has a passion for offering ongoing opportunities for continuing education to veterinary colleagues and is excited to be a part of COVMAs mission to strengthen the local veterinary community and education opportunities.

Matt loves exploring the outdoors with his wife and two children. He is an avid amateur triathlete and can often be found on his bike or running a trail.

Janice McConnell, DVM, CCRT, cVMA is co-owner of Stride Canine Rehabilitation & Fitness Center. She obtained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University. An initial passion for emergency medicine led to an internship dedicated to emergency medicine followed by 13 years in the ER (8 of those in Bend). Sparked by a strong interest in pain management and new opportunities to improve the quality of life for pets, she transitioned her career into the field of physical rehabilitation, becoming certified in acupuncture in 2014 and canine rehabilitation in 2016.

Janice feels that COVMA can play an integral role in uniting our veterinary community and offering opportunities to learn with and from each other. To support of the revitalization of this organization, she is running for Treasurer.

Outside of work, Janice is an avid hiker, and enjoys exploring Oregon’s beautiful outdoors through backpacking, snowshoeing, and paddleboarding. She lives in Bend with her husband and two sons, two dogs, a cat, and a crested gecko.

Liz Gray received her Master’s degree in Animal Behavior (Zoology) from Colorado State University in 2002. She then received a DVM from CSU in 2006. Since then, she has practiced in general small animal practice, shelter medicine, referral behavioral medicine, and mobile diagnostic ultrasound. Dr. Gray now works for Idexx Telemedicine, fielding questions from other veterinarians about radiographs and ultrasounds.

Dr. Gray restarted the COVMA after it became inactive during the Covid-19 pandemic. Believing wholeheartedly in organized veterinary medicine, Dr. Gray is also the Deschutes county representative for the OVMA board of directors.

During the COVMA rebooting process, it has become evident that an additional officer role is needed to manage the website and membership profiles. Dr. Gray is proposing to make the new role of “secretary” official in the COVMA bylaws this year.

Dr. Warbington received his BS in Microbiology from Montana State University, and his DVM from Colorado State University. He owned Tumalo Animal Hospital for 40 years.

He has served on the Board of the American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners as well as in the AVMA Council of Public Health and Regulatory Veterinary Medicine’s Food Safety Advisory Committee.

He has given programs at several national veterinary and producer meetings and has been on the program committees also.

Dr. Warbington is “mostly retired”. He enjoys his farm filled with sheep, Friesian horses, chickens, peacocks, cats and dogs. He also loves to ski and do yoga.

Dr. Sierra Schneider received her bachelor's degree in Nursing from Ohio State University, working in emergency and critical care. She went back to school to obtain her DVM, which she felt was her true calling, also from Ohio State. She still works in both professions and has a solid understanding of OneHealth medicine and critical care. She moved to Oregon in 2000 to work at a small animal clinic in Gresham. Throughout her whole career she has given back by volunteering on innumerable spay/neuter programs throughout much of the world.

She is also on the board of the American Veterinary Historical Society. She lives in Terrebonne, and can be found climbing, trail-ultra running, birding, yoga and volunteering for many various causes. She is presently a relief veterinarian.

Dr. Tabitha Johnston is a small animal veterinarian with a passion for dentistry, advanced dental surgery, and theriogenology. Having earned her doctorate and bachelor's degrees from Oregon State University, she has been practicing in private practice and as a rescue vet in Bend for the past 10 years. Alongside her husband, who is also a veterinarian, she cares for a menagerie of pets and raises their three little boys.

Dr. Wendy Merideth grew up on a farm near Mt. Hood, Oregon. She graduated summa cum laude from Oregon State University and graduated from Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine with honors in 2006. 

Dr. Merideth has been practicing in Central Oregon for 14 years and owns Sunriver Veterinary Clinic. She enjoys taking care of the animals and people in her community. She has been in one place long enough to see her patients from their first shots to their last moments. She loves spending time with her family. She enjoys hiking, surfing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, and rock climbing.