Prior to his role at BHC, Stith was the founder and CEO of My Veterinary Career (MVC) which he sold to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) in 2011 and managed until 2016. His industry experience includes facilitating workshops at national and state veterinary conferences as well as writing for Today’s Veterinary Business, AAHA’s Trends Magazine, Veterinary Team Brief, and Veterinarian’s Money Digest. Stith also conducts professional skills workshops for student clubs and organizations at veterinary schools across the country. Stith currently collaborates on the development and delivery of professional development curriculum at several veterinary schools where he serves as an Adjunct Faculty Member. He is also part of a team through Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences working under a federal grant to explore and design strategies for successful rural veterinary practice ownership.

Stith’s volunteer experience includes serving as President of VetCAN (Veterinary Career Advisory Network), terms as President of VetPartner’s Career Development and Practice Management Special Interest Groups, participation in Washington State University’s CVM “Diagnostic Challenge” and a seat on the AVMA’s Economics Advisory Research Council Financial Literacy task force.

His passion for our profession extends into his role as managing partner in a handful of privately owned veterinary practices. In partnering with veterinarians hungering for successful practice ownership and wishing to build a legacy, Stith enables them to achieve their goals through his role overseeing team development and leverage, operations and financial management.

In his free time, Stith enjoys adventuring in the outdoors with his wife, a small animal veterinarian, their daughter and their dogs and horses.

While attending college at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Business, Dusty Bonner joined the United States Marine Corps. During this time, he gravitated toward three things – leadership, management, and finance. He has been blessed with the privilege to lead some of the toughest Marines through some of the most unique situations throughout his nearly ten years as a leader while serving his country. While in charge of groups that have included over 500 Marines, he has fine-tuned his skills in teaching others how to lead and develop their staff with the necessary skills to meet any challenge. Dusty was also assigned as the Financial Officer managing over 120 million dollars in assets and the expenditure of over 50 million dollars annually. Developing responsible and realistic financial goals while managing day to day operations has been his key to success.

His interest in the veterinary community, along with his friendship with business partner Stith Keiser, led him to jump into the veterinary community. Joining Blue Heron Consulting has allowed him the opportunity to tie his experience in finance and management from the Marines with his interest in the business of veterinary medicine. His love for animals and the joy of developing successful leaders makes this an ideal team for Dusty to be a part of.

Prior to his role at BHC, Stith was the founder and CEO of My Veterinary Career (MVC) which he sold to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) in 2011 and managed until 2016. His industry experience includes facilitating workshops at national and state veterinary conferences as well as writing for Today’s Veterinary Business, AAHA’s Trends Magazine, Veterinary Team Brief, and Veterinarian’s Money Digest. Stith also conducts professional skills workshops for student clubs and organizations at veterinary schools across the country. Stith currently collaborates on the development and delivery of professional development curriculum at several veterinary schools where he serves as an Adjunct Faculty Member. He is also part of a team through Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences working under a federal grant to explore and design strategies for successful rural veterinary practice ownership.

Stith’s volunteer experience includes serving as President of VetCAN (Veterinary Career Advisory Network), terms as President of VetPartner’s Career Development and Practice Management Special Interest Groups, participation in Washington State University’s CVM “Diagnostic Challenge” and a seat on the AVMA’s Economics Advisory Research Council Financial Literacy task force.

His passion for our profession extends into his role as managing partner in a handful of privately owned veterinary practices. In partnering with veterinarians hungering for successful practice ownership and wishing to build a legacy, Stith enables them to achieve their goals through his role overseeing team development and leverage, operations and financial management.

In his free time, Stith enjoys adventuring in the outdoors with his wife, a small animal veterinarian, their daughter and their dogs and horses.

Dr. Chuck Keiser is a graduate of Centre College and Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

His career in veterinary medicine started with a truck and the desire to serve rural Kentuckians. That soon morphed into a brick and mortar hospital, which grew to ownership of three mixed animal practices and ended with the sale of several million dollar plus, small animal, AAHA accredited practices. The sale was to three young doctors that had been mentored and coached by him and who then retained him to continue as a consultant to them and to actively find and assist with the purchase of additional hospitals. While practicing in and running, with the help of a phenomenal team, his own core hospitals, he had the opportunity to buy, sell and manage several other hospitals.

Beyond the practice and management of veterinary hospitals, Dr. Keiser has been involved in other aspects of veterinary medicine and business in general. He chaired the large animal advisory council that raised over 33 million dollars for the new Auburn University Large Animal Teaching Hospital, has been a member of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) since 1988, and served as a chair on the Practice Management Advisory Committee for AAHA. He is one of the founders of the North American Business Association, a group of hospital owners and their practice administrators, and helped grow it to the point where it was gifted to the Veterinary Study Groups (parent organization of VMG).

Dr. Keiser’s community involvement includes serving as an elder in his local Presbyterian church and on mission trips. He has served AAHA as a past board member, and past chair of LINC (Leadership Identification Nominating Committee). Dr. Keiser has also been past chair of the local chamber of commerce, Rotary Club, and United Way campaign. He has been a board member of the health department board, multiple foundations, and several banks. He currently serves on the business development board of First Southern National Bank.

For fun, Dr. Keiser enjoys horseback riding, fishing, camping, and traveling with his wife, kids and grandkids.

Jeannie Bellsmith comes to Blue Heron Consulting with over 20 years of ownership, management, customer service, business and veterinary experience. She has owned and operated her own business and worked as a practice manager for over 10 years in an AAHA accredited veterinary hospital where she was one of three founding practice managers of the original North American Business Association (NABA). Following her career in veterinary medicine, she served in a financial advising office focused on comprehensive financial planning and asset management.

Jeannie enjoys being involved in her community and was commissioned a Kentucky Colonel for her efforts in providing local K-9 officers with bullet proof vests in 2008.

In Jeannie’s spare time she enjoys gardening, traveling, exercising, hiking, “facetiming” her children, porch time with her husband and morning walks with her German Shepherd, Fiona.

Cassidy Matano developed a passion for animals and an appreciation of the behind-the-scenes contributions to their care at a young age. A local AAHA accredited veterinary hospital doubled as her school bus stop and her weekday afternoons were spent playing with animals, actively avoiding kennel duty, and observing hospital procedures and client interactions whenever she could.

Her professional career briefly took her away from the industry following her graduation from Centre College and The Pennsylvania State University. Upon graduation, she pursued a career in higher education where she could leverage her expertise in organizational leadership, customer service, project management, marketing and creative design. Fortunately for Blue Heron Consulting, Cassidy is returning to our profession as the Director of Marketing and looks forward to serving our team and clients.

Cassidy resides on the East Coast with her husband, John and their cat, Wrigley. In her free time she enjoys baseball games, thunderstorms, and trying new recipes.

Katey Keeton joins the Blue Heron Consulting team with several years of industry experience. In addition to possessing a vast understanding of customer service, Katey has a legal and insurance background making her a great addition to the BHC team.

Katey was born and raised in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a minor in sociology. Katey played two years of collegiate basketball which instilled in her the importance of teamwork. Her interests include photography, being outdoors, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Katey and her husband, Noah, now reside in Stanford, Kentucky with their children, Knox and Quinn, and their two dogs, Rupp and Cali.

Shelby Johnson was born and raised in the small town of Thorndale, Texas. Growing up in a rural area, she was raised with a love for cattle, horses, and dogs. Upon graduation from Texas A&M University, Shelby gained professional experience in a spectrum of areas including higher education, event planning, marketing, and real estate.

Shelby currently lives in Devine, Texas with her husband Dillon, and their two dogs, Delilah, and Moe. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, and traveling.

Nick was introduced to veterinary medicine as his wife, Taylor, was going through veterinary school and using the family’s dining room for study sessions with her classmates. Nick cooked for the study group, and listened to more conversations about pathology, anatomy and too many other “ologies” to count. Nick’s first ‘official’ foray into veterinary medicine occurred through a company he and his wife started, Checkpoint Veterinary (CPV). CPV was designed as traveling veterinary exam trailer providing a heated, clean area for veterinary care at sled dog races across the Midwest. Experience working closely with veterinarians during races, coupled with watching his wife navigate the rewards and challenges of her career, helped him realize the impact of a practice’s quality of medicine, client service, culture and profitability.

Nick began his BHC quest, working alongside CEO Stith Keiser, helping facilitate the company’s “Wilderness CE Series” in the mountains of Idaho. Since that time, Nick fully immersed himself in the profession becoming a private practice owner himself as well as joining BHC fulltime. During the last few years, Nick has been blessed to serve hospitals of all sizes across the country as an Operational Coach. In addition to operational coaching, he has helped develop the company’s Start-Up Division, helping aspiring owners navigate the challenges of launching their own hospital. One of Nick’s greatest professional accomplishments is his role in helping design and lead strategic planning retreats for hospitals seeking to grow with a purpose and plan.

In his spare time Nick loves spending time on his hobby farm with his wife and son, Jack, surrounded by their menagerie of pets – 2 steer calves, 2 pygmy goats, 30 chickens, 2 garage cats, 1 indoor cat, and a 3-year old springer spaniel named Evie. They also love spending time in the outdoors with their families pursuing a range of activities.

Dr. Missy Tasky obtained her undergraduate degree in Animal Science at Virginia Tech. She graduated from Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1991. She moved to Denver, Colorado after graduation and worked as an emergency doctor for 4 years, and then managed a single doctor practice for 5 years. She opened Gentle Touch Animal Hospital in 2000. Her passions include dentistry, client education and business management. Dr. Tasky has taken numerous courses on conflict resolution and emotional intelligence, and has implemented much of what she has learned within her own practice. Her practice is AAHA accredited, and she is a member of the AAHA Accredited VMG Groups. Dr. Tasky’s experiences growing and managing her own business as well as her experience as a Blue Heron client, offer great insight into how she can help practice owners and managers achieve their “why”.

In her “free time”, Dr Tasky enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, scuba diving, and skiing. She also jokes that her next career will be as a travel photographer.

Dr. Kate Crumley brings decades of experience to the Blue Heron Consulting team as a veterinarian, practice owner, and mentor. She serves as Lead of our Startup & Acquisitions division, advising and inspiring veterinarians who want to own their own practices.

Dr. Crumley holds a DVM from North Carolina State and also holds a Masters degree in Biochemistry.  Her veterinary career path includes 7 years of mixed practice experience, companion animal medicine and surgery, and practice ownership in the roles of partner and as a sole owner. She has been active with AAHA beginning in veterinary school and was honored to serve as AAHA President from 2014-2015.

She is passionate about top-notch veterinary medical care and developing people into leaders who can make their practices thrive. She loves working with other veterinarians to help them achieve their best while building a practice that provides financial security, a fun work environment, and excellent service and care. Her goal as a part of the Blue Heron Consulting team is to inspire veterinarians to feel fantastic about their legacy.

In fact, her most rewarding accomplishments stem from mentoring.  Her veterinary practice, Heartwood Animal Hospital, serves the rural North Carolina community of Youngsville, just north of Raleigh. Dr. Crumley built the hospital from the ground up; when she sold the practice, the legacy of the hospital was paramount. She sought out an aspiring owner as an associate, who joined the practice immediately after graduation and became a partner in the practice a year later. Three years later, Dr Crumley sold her shares and is proud to see the success of Heartwood continues in good hands.

Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Crumley enjoys recreational road biking, gardening, travel, and listening to audiobooks. She and her husband, Steve, live in the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina. Of course their dogs, Spock (Papillon) and Bucky (Bernese Mt Dog), and the cat, Neko (camera shy) all get their fair share of attention, too.

Mary LeMay’s passion for leading teams started many years ago. After obtaining her Associates Degree in Management, her journey into veterinary medicine started with an externship at Animal Hospital, Inc (AHI). Halfway through the externship program, Mary realized she had found her new home and joined AHI’s reception team. This new adventure began just as Blue Heron Consulting started their coaching journey with the practice. Over the next several years, and while receiving Blue Heron coaching, Mary accepted a variety of positions within AHI, working to tackle some of the most challenging aspects of the clinic such as inventory, management, and human resources.

After years at AHI, Mary realized she wanted to make a larger impact on the veterinary community. She found herself inspired to study the processes behind coaching and the pillars to achieving work-life balance and well-being. Mary is currently pursuing a certificate in Health and Wellness coaching. She aims to aide clinics in identifying future goals, developing systems to streamline day-to-day operations, and generate a culture that fosters growth and well-being. She is excited to combine her veterinary knowledge and love for coaching to support veterinary practice owners in creating profitable practices with high functioning teams.

When she is not working or studying, Mary likes to go boxing and spend time outdoors hiking, running, or paddle boarding. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Mike, riding their Harley and taking vacations to Florida. Their six children and American Bulldog, Zoey, fill their home with an incredible amount of love…and laundry!

Kelli Kerwin’s early experience in medicine and management originated in human healthcare, at the world renown Cleveland Clinic Foundation. She began her career in veterinary medicine in 1998 when she joined Animal Hospital Inc., a small privately-owned practice in Ohio. The practice grew quickly and, in 2004, she managed the remodel and expansion of their state-of-the-art 14,500 sq. ft. facility. In 2005, Kelli earned her Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) distinction and continued to later receive a certificate in Veterinary Practice Management from Purdue University in 2009.

In 2016, Kelli’s practice hired Blue Heron Consulting for a fresh perspective on their practice. They worked with the Blue Heron Consulting team for over three years, achieving unimaginable success and adding a second location. With this expansion, Kelli became the CEO of Animal Hospital Inc. and realized her dream of becoming a practice owner. In 2019, with skillful leadership in place, Kelli embraced her desire to help more industry professionals and joined the Blue Heron Consulting team. She is a former Board President of Lake Humane Society and a current member of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, American Animal Hospital Association, and The Society of Human Resource Managers, as well as Fear Free Certified.

Kelli and their family recently moved to Kentucky. Together, they enjoy being in the outdoors and working on their classic cars and trucks. They remain passionate fans of the Cleveland Browns and THE Ohio State Buckeyes.

Devin has had a lifelong love for education and learning, graduating from high school at just twelve years old before continuing his education in religious studies until the age of sixteen. Later, Devin received a degree in Business Process Management through Capital One via Harvard University before starting his professional career. 

Devin comes to our team most recently from serving as Practice Manager for a privately owned veterinary hospital. Prior to that, Devin worked for several large corporations such as Netflix, Capital One, and Banfield Pet Hospital. From business development and process improvement to client retention and practice management, he brings a wide range of experiences and expertise to the Blue Heron Consulting team, including management of different teams ranging in size, personalities, and backgrounds.  

Devin recalls advice from a previous mentor encouraging him to “Find something that you can really ‘get behind.’ When you do, you will work with a passion that you may not even know you had.” His love of business and pets (and lack of desire to be a veterinarian!) led him to our team where he is able to use his skillset and passion to help businesses thrive. 

On a more personal level, Devin is husband to his beautiful wife, Kala, and father to their daughter, Olivia. They have two fur babies, Cooper and Tucker. In his free time, Devin loves to go camping in the mountains of Wyoming during the summer travel with his wife to new places, fish, and play the guitar. When he’s at home, he has been known to play some video games from time to time, too. 

Stacy Gentry joins the Blue Heron Consulting team as an Operational Coach, bringing over twenty years of veterinary experience to our clients. She started as a Client Service Representative at Wellington Veterinary Hospital (WVH) in 2001. From the beginning, she has grown there, moving into new positions as opportunities arose, always focusing on her Why ­– connecting with and caring for animals.  In 2016, Stacy become the practice manager and, through this position, was able to make valuable changes to both the hospital and culture. These changes propelled WVH into a four-doctor hospital. In 2018, she became a practice owner, fulfilling a lifelong dream. Along the way, Stacy attended Veterinary Management Institute and coached communications to third-year veterinary students at Colorado State University.

WVH was purchased in 2020 and Stacy found a new opportunity coaching other practice managers. This eye-opening experience allowed her to help cultivate an environment that allowed leadership teams and hospitals to shine.  Stacy knew this was her new path – her new Why.

When Stacy is not coaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Vince, her children, and their numerous pets. She is an avid hiker and loves kayaking and camping in the beautiful Rocky Mountains; and she is always on the hunt for the next great beer at the many breweries in Colorado!

Carissa Welsh joins the Blue Heron Consulting team as Director of Hiring Services. Carissa is originally from Las Vegas, NV and received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Utah State University. She brings over 8 years of administrative experience in both veterinary and human medicine to our team.

Carissa loves creating connections with others to ensure that clients feel heard and cared for throughout the hiring process. She enjoys the challenge of thinking strategically to help clients achieve their goals for their practice while building meaningful relationships. Her husband is a veterinarian and together they have enjoyed sharing a passion and love for animals and the care that they receive.

Carissa and her husband, Peter, welcomed their first baby boy, Revan, this past year and love doing anything that involves getting outdoors as a family. You can find them mountain biking, trail running, or cross-country skiing during the year and they look forward to having Revan join in on these adventures soon. In her free time, Carissa also teaches indoor spin group fitness classes as a fun hobby in the early mornings.

Bobbie Stout joins the Hiring Services department of Blue Heron Consulting with over a decade of veterinary experience.

Bobbie’s passion for veterinary medicine started as a kid when she would beg her mom to go along to the family dog’s veterinary appointments. She started her first job in the veterinary industry over 15 years ago as a kennel attendant by driving around to every clinic in town and offering to do any job available. Eventually, she moved on to other clinic roles and most recently was the practice manager of a privately owned clinic in Washington.

After 8 years in that role, she is excited to bring her love of veterinary medicine and her hiring skills to BHC. Bobbie loves the challenge of finding the right candidate for each role and is looking forward to helping hospitals add the perfect new member to their teams. Her main goal is to help clinics as much as possible so that they can focus on providing the best care to their patients.

Bobbie lives in Southern California with her black lab (June) and her ginger cat (Pickle). When not working, she spends time volunteering for the local animal shelter. She also enjoys going camping and exploring with June (June’s favorite would be the Huntington dog beach!).

Leslie Riley, a dedicated Talent Acquisition Specialist at Blue Heron Consulting, has crafted a career marked by a unique blend of expertise in both the veterinary and recruiting industries. Leslie’s journey began with the pursuit of her Associates in Veterinary Technology at Brown Mackie College, where she honed her skills and gained valuable insights into the world of animal care.

However, Leslie’s professional trajectory took an exciting turn when she discovered her true passion for recruiting. Fueled by her innate ability to connect with people and a genuine desire to help others achieve their career aspirations, Leslie found her calling in Talent Acquisition. At Blue Heron Consulting, Leslie excels in identifying and securing top-tier talent, leveraging her extensive industry knowledge to match skilled professionals with rewarding opportunities.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Leslie leads a fulfilling personal life in St. Louis, MO. In addition to sharing her home with her husband Bryan, dog Maggie, and four cats, Leslie is the proud owner of a horse named Merida. Leslie and her husband can often be found exploring the beauty of nature by camping, floating, and visiting National Parks, creating cherished memories together. This connection with the majestic animal world adds another layer to Leslie’s love for nature. Outside of her outdoor adventures with Bryan, Leslie finds solace in the pages of books, showcasing her avid love for reading.

Aida Raslawsky joins the Blue Heron Consulting team with extensive experience in marketing, business, and strategy. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing, which has equipped her with a strong foundation in strategic marketing, consumer behavior, and market analysis. Her educational background, coupled with her dedication to the veterinary industry, positions her as an asset to our hiring services team.

With over four years of experience in recruiting and sourcing, she’s had the privilege of connecting talented individuals with their dream careers. Her passion for this work stems from a genuine desire to help people achieve their professional goals and find fulfillment in their roles. She believes that the right talent can truly drive an organization’s success and is committed to making meaningful contributions in this field.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Aida has a creative side that finds expression through crafting hobbies. She often spends her free time immersed in various DIY projects, such as painting and sculpting. She shares her home with three beloved dogs, Lucy, Scarlett, and Isabelle, who bring endless joy and laughter. Alongside them, her husband, Jesse, is a constant source of support and adventure.

Jamie’s passion for animals started as a child and she spent many years in 4H showing dogs, horses, and rabbits. Realizing animals were a way of life for her, she pursued her veterinary technician degree at Macomb Community College and went into emergency medicine. As a licensed technician, she enjoyed how her skills could improve the life of pets and their human families. During her tenure as an ER tech, Jamie completed a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry at Oakland University.

After spending 10 years in the clinical setting, Jamie moved to sales with a Veterinary Distributor, helping clinics improve inventory management and sharing techniques across clinics. Her career continued to follow the sales path until she found herself back on the operations side, most recently working as a Regional Manager for a group of veterinary clinics where she truly enjoyed developing the business and her staff. Jamie has a true passion for the veterinary industry and she loves being able to support and educate those around her.

Jamie lives in North Carolina with her partner, James, their three dogs (Ara, Walter and Sadie) and 3 cats (Opal, Spice and Pinguino). She is a foster for the Cavalier Rescue Trust and spent many years showing Irish Setters. In her free time, she loves to explore the mountains of North Carolina either in her sports car or hiking the trails. Jamie a self-proclaimed foodie, amateur wine connoisseur, and enjoys travel and knitting.

Mayra Adamov joins the Blue Heron Consulting team as a creative administrator for the Hiring Services department. Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mayra has always had a deep passion for the natural world. From a young age, she was fascinated by plants and animals, spending hours exploring the parks and gardens around her hometown. As she grew older, her interest in biology only intensified, leading her to pursue a degree in the subject at a local university.

Alongside her studies, Mayra developed a love for art and drawing. She found that sketching the plants and animals she encountered on her hikes helped her to better understand their form and function, while also allowing her to express her creativity in new and exciting ways.