The CVMA Nominating Committee has nominated the candidates below for roles on the CVMA Board of Directors for 2021-2022.
In accordance with the CVMA Bylaws, the CVMA membership may put forth a candidate by petition with the signature of 2.5% of the voting DVM membership (or 44 members) within 14 days of this notice. If no alternative candidates are advanced by the petition process, CVMA Bylaws call for the CVMA secretary/treasurer to declare as winners the candidates identified by the Nominating Committee, and no election will be held. To put forth alternative candidates for consideration, please email CVMA ([email protected]) with 44 voting member signatures by 2 p.m. MT on Saturday, August 21.
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Steve Dick, DVM | President-elect 
Dr. Steve Dick presently serves as the chief of staff for the Arvada West Banfield Pet Hospital. He is a 2003 graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Following graduation, he spent four years on active duty with the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps in fulfillment of his Army Health Professions Scholarship, including a one year deployment to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. After his honorable discharge from the Army, he started with Banfield, initially in a chief of staff role for four years, followed by seven years as the medical director in the north and south markets of Colorado. Within his roles with the Army and Banfield, Dr. Dick had extensive opportunities to take on challenging responsibilities while leading and mentoring veterinary professionals in a variety of settings. In the Army, he was responsible for leading small teams of veterinary and food safety specialists while managing sizable inventories of equipment and resources. In 2019, Dr. Dick completed a two week veterinary mission trip to Kenya which provided preventive and basic medical care to over 9,000 pets in underserved villages south of Nairobi. When he’s not working, Dr. Dick and his wife Jennifer keep busy with their 10 year old son, Ephram, as well as a mixed breed dog, a turtle, and some fish. Dr. Dick has served as a member of the CVMA Chapter 6 Leadership Team and in the secretary/treasurer role on the CVMA Board of Directors.
Michelle Larsen, DVM | Secretary/Treasurer-elect 
Dr. Michelle Larsen graduated from Virginia-Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 2011. Following graduation, she completed a 1-year small animal medicine and emergency rotating Internship at The Hope Center for Advanced Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Virginia. Prior to veterinary school, she completed her bachelor’s degree in finance from the George Washington University and worked in the financial sector for six years. Dr. Larsen worked in small animal emergency medicine for 4.5 years before she joined Abaxis as a professional services veterinarian in 2015. She also held the role of independent contractor for Nationwide Pet Insurance’s Veterinary Field Team and traveled to veterinary colleges discussing preventative care and pet insurance. Dr. Larsen is currently the director of diagnostic platforms–medical affairs with Zoetis and continues to practice part time as a general practice and emergency relief veterinarian in Colorado. She has served on the Arizona VMA Board of Directors and served as the president of the CVMA Chapter 6 Leadership Team. She was an AVMA Future Leader in 2014-2015, whose team worked on workplace wellness. Most recently, Dr. Larsen served as the chair of CVMA’s Practice Act Sunset Review Task Force. In her spare time, Dr. Larsen enjoys trail running, hiking, biking, kayaking, reading, and spending time with her husband and two children. Dr. Larsen enjoys veterinary medicine most when it is aligned with outstanding practice management.
Pete Hellyer, DVM, MS, DACVA | AVMA Alternate Delegate 
A 1983 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, Dr. Pete Hellyer is a professor of anesthesiology in the Department of Clinical Sciences at the CSU veterinary college. Dr. Hellyer is a past president of CVMA and was honored by the association in 2015 for serving an additional term as immediate past president. Dr. Hellyer teaches all four years of the DVM curriculum, with most teaching done in the 3rd and 4th year anesthesia clinical rotations where veterinary students receive guidance as they create anesthetic and analgesic (pain relieving) protocols for their patients undergoing a wide variety of procedures. Dr. Hellyer also devotes a significant amount of time to small group interactions with the 1st and 2nd year DVM students in their Foundations in Veterinary Medicine courses, with a particular focus on engaging students in discussions of contemporary ethical issues affecting animal welfare and veterinary medicine. Dr. Hellyer’s research interests include understanding factors affecting clinical management of pain in animals and to understand contemporary issues that impact veterinarians, animals, and their owners.
