Meet the BEAR 2025 Guests !

We are thrilled to introduce the incredible experts who will be sharing their knowledge at the BEAR 2025. From exotic animal medicine to wildlife conservation, our speakers bring a wealth of experience and passion for the veterinary world. Get ready to be inspired!

Dr. Matthijs Metselaar

🐟 President of WAVMA, Founder of Aquatic Vets Ltd.

Background: DVM (Utrecht), PhD in aquatic medicine (Stirling, UK), European College of Aquatic Animal Health. NVS (Named Veterinary Surgeon).

Expertise: Applied aquatic veterinary medicine, aquatic research and development and preventive aquatic disease management.

Dr. Albert Phouratsamay

🐍 ECZM Resident, Practitioner at Nacologie & CHV Advetia.

Background: DVM (Toulouse). Former intern (small animals) in Toulouse,. Former assistant (exotic pets) in Nantes and Alfort. State Diploma in Breeding and Pathologies of New Companion Animals,

Expertise: Surgery and internal medicine for exotic pets and company animals.

Dr. Amine Kailene

🌊 Intern at ENMV Tunisia, President of Club Vet, HR of IVSA Tunisia.

Background: DVM (Tunisia), currently pursuing a PhD on poxviruses in Tunisia and beyond.

Dr. Iulia Popa

🦜 Assistant Professor of Legal Medicine, Necropsy Diagnosis, and Aquatic Medicine at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, Romania.

Background: DVM (Bucharest), PhD, and a Master's in organic, halal, and kosher food control.

Expertise: Avian medicine, pathology, and forensic veterinary science.

Dr. Alessandro Cozzi

🦡 CEO of IRSEA, Associate Professor in Animal Welfare at Lusofona Veterinary University, Portugal.

Background: DVM (Pisa). Past president of the European College Animal Welfare and Behavioral Medicine (ECAWBM). Masters of Behavioral medicine of companion animals from Pisa, Italy.

Expertise: Research in etology, animal welfare, and chemical communication in both domestic and wild animals.

Dr. Mihai Maçinic

🦔 Founder & President of ARVAES (Romanian Exotics and Wildlife veterinary Association), Co-founder and practitioner at ExoticVet Center.

Background: DVM (Bucharest), externships in small mammals medicine in France (Alfort) & in avian and exotic pets in the Netherlands (Utrecht). PhD student in the FMVB, Romania.

Expertise: Exotic pet medicine.

Dr. Raluca Ioana Rizac

🦎 Lecturer in Pathology, Forensic Pathology, Diagnostic Necropsy, Cytopathological diagnosis, and Aquatic Animal Medicine at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, Romania.

Background: DVM (Bucharest), Master's & PhD in Pathology focusing on captive reptile diseases. European College of Veterinary Pathologists member. Attended its Summer Schools (2014, 2015, 2017) in Berlin, Germany and Bologna, Italy and its Annual meetings (2014-2023) throughout Europe.

Expertise: Veterinary pathology, forensic pathology, reptile medicine, and exotic species medicine.

Dr. Oana Vasiliu

🦅 Veterinarian at Visul Luanei Wildlife Rescue, Romania.

Background: DVM (Bucharest). Externship at the GreenBalkans Wildlife Rescue and Breeding Center of Zagora, Bulgaria + at the Vale Widllife Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, UK. Wildlife Veterinary Assistant at the “Visul Luanei” Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, Romania (from 2016)

Expertise: Wildlife medicine, rehab, emergency medicine., and parasitology.

Dr. Anaïs Nowakowski

🦍Veterinarian at Branféré Park, France.

Background: DVM (Lyon), internship at Mulhouse Zoo, France.

Expertise: Zoological medicine, paludism in great apes, macropods and wild herbivores.

Dr. William Addey

🏥 Vet at Serenvet (Normandy), PhD student on One Health balance.

Background:, DMV ENVAt (France), Diploma of Osteopathy CNOV, Masters in Ethics, Science, Healthcare and Society APHP , Masters in Medical and Environmental HUmanitites ,

Expertise: Masters in ethics & environmental humanities.

Dr. Emily Fyfe

🌎 Conservation veterinarian & MSc student at Edinburgh.

Background: DVM, UNEP internship, research with the French Biodiversity Office. Active member of EcoVeto and Vétérinaires Pour la Biodiversité.

Expertise: One Health, conservation medicine & science communication.

Dr. Kate Surguine

🧠 Veterinary Medical AI Specialist, CoVet

Background: Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (Edinburgh) | Master of Science in Decision and Information Sciences & Bachelor of Science in Marketing with Honours (Florida), European College of Veterinary Pathologists.

Expertise: Clinical practice (small animals, wildlife, exotics, emergency medicine), veterinary mentorship, business development, telemedicine, and AI in veterinary medicine. Passionate about leveraging technology to enhance decision-making, patient care, and clinical efficiency while fostering mentorship and sustainability in the profession.

Dr. Ioana Ene

🐎Teaching Assistant for practical work and clinical activity classes at FMVB | PhD Student in Obstetrics, Anesthesiology, and Reproductive Disorders Across Species

Background: DVM (Bucharest). Doctoral research on “Anesthesia of wild horses in the Danube Delta.

Expertise: Veterinary anesthesia, reproduction, and obstetrics, with a special focus on wildlife and equine medicine.

Dr. Teodoru Soare

🔬 Associated Professor of pathology, histopathology, legal medicine, cytology, aquatic animal medicine and aquaticulture and necropsy at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest. Founder and director of Histovet, Romania

Background: DVM (Bucharest), PhD (Bucharest) on the “Clinical and morphological aspects of lymphoma in dogs and cats”, pathology residency in Liverpool. Studies at the European College of Veterinary Pathologists.

DVM Foundation participant in Belgrad, Sebria, Munich, Germany, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Krakow, Poland and Helsinki, Finland. Studies at the European College of Veterinary Pathologists Summer Schools’ in Dublin, Ireland, Zurich, Swizerland, Berne, Swizerland and Bologna, Italy.

Expertise: Veterinary pathology, histology, forensic medicine.

Lily Cook

🦘Veterinary Nurse wih DNA Vetcare, Co-founder of GAEA Conservation

Background: Veterinary Nursing diploma. Spent the last 3 years travelling between the UK and South Africa assisting in veterinary volunteer programms ranging from small-large animal to wildlife.

Expertise: Wildlife rehabilitation & conservation.

Chabeli Nicole

🦈 Veterinary Nurse

Background: Degree in Animal Science and Pre-Veterinary Studies | Wildlife Conservation Management Certificate. Former participant in a pre-veterinary program and wildlife conservation projects in South Africa (2021-2023). Gained hands-on experience in conservation initiatives, including shark research in Miami.

Expertise: Wildlife conservation, marine science, and conservation project development. Currently pursuing a Master's in Business, Finance, and Investments to integrate financial strategy into wildlife protection efforts.