Kevin Balcirak brings over 35 years of experience in health and wellness, founding Body Structure in 1997. Under his leadership, the facility has become a trusted partner of physicians and allied health professionals. With a credentialed team of 40, they’ve helped thousands of individuals overcome challenges and achieve lasting results.

A native of Katy, Texas, Kevin holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas and a master’s from the University of Louisville as well as a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Gerontological Studies.

Dr. Meggan Graves grew up riding Hunter Jumper horses and showing Suffolk sheep with 4-H in Cookeville, Tennessee. Upon graduation from veterinary school in 2001, Dr. Graves went into equine practice treating both ambulatory and hospital cases. Upon starting a family, Dr. Graves transitioned to large animal emergency-only to allow her to be home with her young children during the day. She created her own mobile practice in 2008, On-Call Equine Emergency Services, providing emergency relief services for several large animal practices in western North Carolina. In 2013, the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine adopted that business model where Dr. Graves now offers emergency relief services for large animal practitioners in the Knoxville area, while teaching and mentoring veterinary students and house officers.

Camie Heleski received her Ph.D. in Animal Science with an emphasis in equine behavior and welfare (from Michigan State University); her M.S. was also in Animal Science, with an emphasis in equine nutrition and exercise physiology. She worked at Michigan State University for 25 years as Coordinator of their Horse Management Program. In 2016, she began teaching at the University of Kentucky in the Equine Science and Management program, where she teaches Equine Industry Issues, co-teaches the Equine Senior Capstone course, and also teaches the multi-species Animal Behavior & Welfare class.

Her applied research interests revolve around equine behavior and welfare, horse-human interactions, sport horse welfare issues and working equids in developing regions of the world. She has been actively involved with the International Society for Equitation Science as a Council member and Honorary Fellow.  One of her recent publications was a co-authored piece in the journal of Sustainability: Thoroughbred Racehorse Welfare through the Lens of ‘Social License to Operate' — With an Emphasis on a U.S. Perspective.

Dr. Heleski was fortunate to grow up on an Arabian horse farm where she helped her family with training, showing, breeding and managing horses. She has recently completed a role on the FEI’s Commission for Equine Ethics and Wellbeing, which is largely related to social license to operate.

Dr. Garrett is a shareholder and director of diagnostic imaging at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., and the 2024 president of the AAEP. A 2003 graduate of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Garrett completed a pair of internships at Rood & Riddle before remaining with the practice as an associate. She became a shareholder in 2018. Dr. Garrett previously served on the AAEP board of directors from 2015–2017, and is a past chair of both the Educational Programs Committee and Member Engagement Committee.

Dr. Turner is a partner in Turner Wilson Equine Consulting in Stillwater, Minn., and AAEP president-elect. He retired from private practice in December 2023 after concentrating exclusively on equine sports medicine, lameness and surgery at his Turner Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery. Dr. Turner received his veterinary degree from Colorado State University in 1978, and he spent 23 years in academia before entering private practice in 2004. He previously served on the board of directors from 2017–2019, as chair of the Farrier Liaison Committee and as a member of several other committees.

Dr. Loppnow is an equine surgery resident at Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics in Salinas, Calif. After receiving his veterinary degree from the University of Minnesota, Dr. Loppnow served an internship at Anoka Equine and stayed on as an associate for three more years. He completed a large animal rotating internship at Iowa State University in 2021–2022 before accepting his current position. Dr. Loppnow serves on the AAEP’s Member Engagement Committee.

Dr. Debbie Spike-Pierce is a 1993 graduate of Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. A third-generation veterinarian, she started at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., in 1994 and took on the role of practice president and CEO in 2018, shortly after completing her MBA. Dr. Spike-Pierce has been involved in the AAEP throughout her career through service on committees and the board of directors. 

Kevin Balcirak brings over 35 years of experience in health and wellness, founding Body Structure in 1997. Under his leadership, the facility has become a trusted partner of physicians and allied health professionals. With a credentialed team of 40, they’ve helped thousands of individuals overcome challenges and achieve lasting results.

A native of Katy, Texas, Kevin holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas and a master’s from the University of Louisville as well as a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Gerontological Studies.

Dr. Dale Kelley is an assistant professor of theriogenology at Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine. After receiving his veterinary degree from the University of Florida in 2017, Dr. Kelley completed an internship at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. followed by an equine theriogenology residency at Texas A&M University. He joined the faculty at Oklahoma State in 2020 and became a diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists in 2022. Dr. Kelley is funded by the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, examining the use of gallium nitrate to treat bacteria endometritis in mares.

Dr. Martinez is a field care veterinarian at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky., where he completed an ambulatory internship after receiving his veterinary degree from Oklahoma State University. Dr. Martinez chairs both the Student Programs Group within the AAEP’s Scientific Review and Editorial Committee as well as the AAEP’s Foreign Veterinary Graduates Task Force.

Born and raised in Brisbane, Australia, Dr. Elliott graduated from the University of Queensland School of Veterinary Science in 2007. He is a board-certified specialist in Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation who moved to the U.S. in 2022 and is based at Palm Beach Equine Clinic in Wellington, Fla.

Dr. Quesada is a final-year resident in equine internal medicine at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Quesada grew up in the Canary Islands and received his veterinary degree in Spain. He completed a residency in theriogenology in Vienna, Austria, which led to his working in camel reproduction in Dubai, and an equine internship at Liverpool University. He hopes next to complete a residency in equine ophthalmology.

Dr. Rodriguez was born and raised in Colombia, and he attended the University of Tolima from 2013-2019. Shortly after graduation, Dr. Rodriguez moved to the U.S. and worked as a vet tech at a practice in Ocala, Fla. He completed the ECFVG program in November 2023 and is currently in a large animal rotating internship at Iowa State University with an end goal of becoming an equine surgeon.

Dr. Silva is a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and received her veterinary degree in 2013 from the University of Franca. She interned for three years at Brazos Valley Equine Hospital in Stephenville, Texas, and completed a subsequent internship at Weems and Stephens Equine Hospital in Aubrey, Texas. Silva returned to Brazil in 2019 and worked as an equine field veterinarian in the country before returning to the U.S. in 2023 as a clinical veterinary instructor at North Carolina State University, where she helps run the equine emergency field service.

Dr. Chelsea Folmar is a large animal internal medicine resident at the University of Georgia. She is originally from Pennsylvania and has worked in the horse industry in Kentucky, Texas, and Florida prior to starting her residency.  Coming from a rural background, she was a member of her community's volunteer fire company and has seen first hand the importance of disaster preparedness and response.  

Dr. Elizabeth Gorrell is an associate veterinarian at Grand Strand Equine in South Carolina. She was foaled in Kentucky where  and lived there most of her life. She attended St. George’s University and Cornell University for her veterinary education. After finishing her internship at Equine Reproduction Concepts she started her current position at Grand Strand Equine. Her areas of interest include reproduction, medicine, and client education. She currently serves as the chair of the American Association of Equine Practitioners Horse Owner Education Committee and a member of the Foundation of the Horse Disaster Relief Committee. She is involved in the community by being an advisor for the Alpha Delta Pi sorority and the pre-vet club at Coastal Carolina and on the board of the Grand Strand Alumni Association. She has three cats; Penelope, Ophelia, and Cleo who keep her life interesting. When not working she enjoys paddle boarding, gardening, reading, and hiking.