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Founder and main instructors
Dr. Ines Wecker,
a licensed veterinarian and together with her husband Lars
founder of the BackBone - Academy® for Veterinary Chiropractic
and Healing Arts. Dr. Wecker graduated from Veterinary School
in Hannover in 1988 and became Dr. med. vet. in 1990. She
successfully completed the Animal Chiropractic Course at
the Healing Oasis Wellness Center, Sturtevant, Wisconsin,
USA in 2001 and certified in Animal Chiropractic by the
AVCA in May 2005. Dr. Wecker is AVCA/IVCA certified animal
chiropractor. She co-founded and lead the European Academy
for Veterinary Chiropractic from 2003 to 2005. She successfully
completed the IVAS-Veterinary Acupuncture Program in Belgium
in 2005 sucessfully completed the certification process
for being IVAS-certified in animal acupuncture. Dr. Wecker
raised a busy companion animal practice in Northern Germany
and ran the practice for 10 years before she decided to
split off the traditional part of it in 2005. She now works
solely with chiropractic, acupuncture and kinesiology for
the welfare of her horse and companion animal patients.
Dr. Pedro Luis
Rivera, a licensed veterinarian is the Program Director
of the Academy and primary instructor. Dr. Rivera received
a BS in Animal Science in 1985 and the degree of a Doctor
of Veterinary Medicine from Purdue University in 1986. He
successfully completed the certificate of completion offered
by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association and
Options for Animal Veterinary Chiropractic Center in 1989
and successfully completed the Diplomate requirements set
forth by the AVCA in 1995. He was a full time instructor
at the Options for Animals Veterinary Chiropractic Center
from 1993 - 1999. Dr. Rivera is currently enrolled in the
Master´s Degree and Diplomate Program in Neurology offered
by the Carrick Institute. This latter program consists of
34 modules. Since 1993, Dr. Rivera and his wife Michelle
run the busy Healing Oasis Veterinary Hospital. In 1998,
the Rivera´s co-founded the Healing Oasis Wellness Center,
the only school offering programs in the North American
continent that have been approved by higher educational
institutions. The Healing Oasis also offers Continuing Education
Seminars in Puerto Rico, several areas of the United States
and is currently finalizing the requirements of the Ministry
of Education to open a program in Canada among other countries.
Dr. Rivera is an international speaker and was an instructor
at the European Academy for Veterinary Chiropractic from
2003 - 2004.
Dr. Carl J. DeStefano, a licensed chiropractor graduated Cum Laude from the National College of Chiropractic in 1984. He is certified in Animal Chiropractic from the Options for Animals Veterinary Chiropractic Center . Dr. DeStefano also completed all the educational requirements for the Diplomat program sponsored by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association. He was an instructor at the Options for Animals Veterinary Chiropractic course in 1998. In 2001, he joined the faculty of the first University sponsored Veterinary Manual Therapy program at Colorado State University where he taught technique and functional neurology. Dr. DeStefano is also on the faculty at the Healing Oasis for the Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy state approved certification program in Sturtevant, Wisconsin where he also teaches technique and functional neurology. Dr. DeStefano has completed all course requirements towards his board certification in Chiropractic Neurology from Logan University of Health Sciences and is currently enrolled in the Masters Degree program in Neurology offered by the Carrick Institute. Dr. DeStefano maintains a busy human and animal practice near Chicago, Illinois.
Prof. Dr. Neal
James Sivula, received his Doctor of Veterinary medicine
degree from the Ohio State University in 1988. In 1993 he
received his PhD in Veterinary Medicine/Epidemiology from
the University of Minnesota. He successfully completed the
AVCA approved program in Veterinary Chiropractic in 1999
and the Veterinary Acupuncture Certification Course in 2001
by the Association of Veterinary Acupuncturists of Canada
and International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. Dr. Sivula
ownes the River Valley Veterinary Hospital Inc. He is currently
an instructor in the AVCA, WEAB and AAVSB approved program
at the Healing Oasis Wellness Center, Sturtevant, Wisconsin,
and the AVCA approved program offered at the Parker College
of Chiropractic, Dallas, Texas. Dr. Sivula also holds an
adjunct professor position at the University of Minnesota,
School of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Dena Jersild, a licensed veterinarian received her Bachelor of Science degree in 1984 from the University of Wisconsin, River Falls. She then attended the University of Wisconsin, School of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 1989. After practicing for two years in equine and small animal medicine, she focused her attention solely on small animal medicine and surgery. Her passions and interests led her into the study of Animal Chiropractic, she became a Certified Animal Chiropractor in 1998 through the AVCA. In November 2002, Dr. Jersild joined the faculty at the Healing Oasis Wellness Center VSMT program. Here she provides instruction on cranial nerve anatomy and function, and a comprehensive neurological examination. She also assists in instructing Veterinarians and Chiropractors on the technique and theory of Animal Chiropractic. Dr. Jersild currently maintains a busy small animal practice in Minneapolis, Minnesota which opened in March 2000.
 Dr. Annette Langlois , a licensed DC graduated from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in 1987. She entered into, and has maintained since that time, a practice in Brantford, Ontario. In 1996, she completed and received her Fellowship Certification from the International Chiropractic Paediatric Association. In 2001, she achieved her certification in Basic and Intermediate Levels of Network Spinal Analysis. Through ongoing seminar participation, training, and practical application, she is proficient in, and utilizes, many other chiropractic approaches, including: Thompson Technique, Upper Cervical Toggle Recoil, Biogeometric Integration (BGI), and Diversified. Dr. Annette completed the certification program in Animal Chiropractic from Options for Animals in 1998 and has maintained a parallel animal practice since that time. She is currently on staff at the Healing Oasis Wellness Center in Wisconsin, and is a co-founder of the Healing Oasis Wellness Centre – Canada and at the BackBone-Academy for Veterinary Chiropractic and Healing Arts ind Germany.She enjoys sharing her knowledge through public speaking with audiences ranging from school children to other professionals.
Dr. Carmen Baar,
a licensed veterinarian. She graduated from Veterinary School
in Hannover in 1992 and became Dr. med. vet. in 1995. Dr.
Baar sucessfully completed the Animal Chiropractic Course
at the European Academy for Veterinary Chiropractic, EAVC
in Sittensen, Germany in 2004. Dr. Baar holds the Zusatzbezeichnung
for Veterinary Acupuncture set forth by the Akademie für
Tierärztliche Fortbildung, ATF. Her compagnion animal
practice in Bremen, Northen Germany had been founded and
raised by herself since 1999. The success of her practice
is built on the mixture of expert internal veterinary medicine
combined with Acupuncture/Goldacupuncture, Chiropractic
and Osteopathy and Kinesiology. Dr. Baar is a crucial part
of the instructors team at the BackBone-Academy since 2006.
Rosita Dangmann,
a licensed veterinarian. She graduated from Veterinary School
in Hannover in 2003. Rosita Dangmann sucessfully completed
the Animal Chiropractic Course at the BackBone- Academy
for Veterinary Chiropractic and Healing Arts in Sittensen,
Germany in 2006 and is AVCA/IVCA certified animal chiropractor.
She is qualified in Veterinary Acupuncture by the Akademie
für Tierärztliche Fortbildung, ATF. Her holistic
animal practice in Warendorf, Westfalia had been founded
in 2006. Her busy practice focusses on all species and is
dealing mainly with chiropractic, acupuncture, laser acupuncture
and magnetic field and hiruid therapy. Rosita Dangmann finds
time to work as an instructor for the BackBone-Academy since
2006, where she got caught right off the graduates of her
class for obvious reasons.
Dr. Nicole Schumann,
a licensed veterinarian. She graduated from Veterinary School
in Hannover in 1997 and became Dr. med. vet. in 2000. Dr.
Nicole Schumann sucessfully completed the Animal Chiropractic
Course at the European Academy for Veterinary Chiropractic,
EAVC in Sittensen, Germany in 2004. Dr. Schumann is IVCA
certified animal chiropractor and holds the Fachtierarzt
für Chiropraktik in Austria. She opened a practice
for horses and compagion animals in 2004, focussing on Chiropractic
and Acupuncture as well as Equine Dentistry. Dr. Schumann
is also busy lecturing about saddle-fit in different seminars.
In her spare free time, Dr. Schumann enjoys being with her
horses. She has a long career as a rider and a well-known
name in the Islandic horses community in Germany. Since
2006, the BackBone-Academy for Veterinary Chiropractic and
Healing Arts is proud to have her in the instructors team.
Other core support personnel will be introduced to you at the modules
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