Our Mission
The Colorado Academy of Veterinary Technology educates and prepares effective, productive, service-oriented veterinary health care team leaders for a diversity of career opportunities. The Academy educates its students in a warm and supportive learning environment so that students are empowered to become self-sufficient veterinary nurses capable of making critical nursing decisions and contributing substantially to a productive veterinary team.
Our Vision
• To be the premier school of veterinary technology.
• To remain progressive by embracing cutting-edge technologies and methods in veterinary medicine.
• To provide an intimate educational environment to produce veterinary paraprofessionals who are knowledgeable, proficient, and possess highly effective interpersonal skills.
• To promote intellectual curiosity and lifelong learning.
• To produce a complete veterinary technician by integrating academic knowledge with hands-on opportunities.
Our Core Values
• Compassion
• Critical Thinking
• Service Orientation to Clients and Patients
• Integrity
• Applied Clinical Proficiency
• Small Class Sizes
• Positive Learning Environment
• Instructors With Diverse Backgrounds and Experiences
Our Faculty
Our dedicated faculty and staff keep our programs and students working to the highest standards.
Christopher Cipoletti, JD, CEO, Instructor
Mr. Cipoletti has been consulting with CAVT since 2020 assisting with operations and capital raising. He has previously worked with institutions of higher education as legal counsel, addressing a variety of contractual, employment, student, and accreditation issues. Mr. Cipoletti was also an adjunct faculty member of Regis University where he taught courses on organizational structure, governance, and legal issues in the Global Leadership Program (master’s level). Mr. Cipoletti is active in the local community, serving on a variety of boards and committees, many of which are direct education providers or closely affiliated with educational programs.
Mr. Cipoletti completed his undergraduate degree with a B.A. in the General Program of Liberal Studies at the University of Notre Dame and received his law degree from Notre Dame Law School. He practiced law for 15 years before transitioning to work as a consultant and interim C-Level executive with businesses. Mr. Cipoletti’s consulting work has focused on organizational development/structure, growth strategies, and capital raising.
Mr. Cipoletti serves as CAVT’s Chief Executive Officer, handling the administrative, governance, and accreditation matters for the school. With his background in practicing law, Mr. Cipoletti has worked extensively with regulatory agencies and has been involved in accreditation matters for educational institutions and hospitals/healthcare systems. He is the managing director of a small private equity fund that emphasizes investment in, and growth of, advanced manufacturing businesses.
Julia Rohleder, DMD, CAO
Dr. Rohleder has always been interested in dentistry and knew it was a career path she wanted to pursue. She began her undergraduate education at Southern Illinois University (SIU). Dr. Rohleder graduated from SIU with a Doctor of Medical Dentistry degree in 2000. After graduation, she moved back to Colorado Springs to start her dental career.
After gaining experience working in an existing dental practice, in 2007 Dr. Rohleder opened her own dental practice, The Downtown Dentist, and has successfully grown that practice each year. With an entrepreneurial spirit, Dr. Rohleder has worked hard to build her practice and keep it independent amidst the consolidation of dental practices across the country.
Dr. Rohleder grew up in an Air Force family, moving and living in many locations, but she considers Colorado Springs her home. She is passionate about dentistry and is excited to be developing an educational program that will build a work force of dental hygienists to fill an increasing need in Colorado and across the country.
Dr. Rohleder serves as CAVT’s Chief Academic Officer. With her background in dentistry and her commitment to quality education, Dr. Rohleder will assure that CAVT’s educational programs offer the highest quality to students and prepare them to successfully pass their boards/licensing exams and enter the workforce prepared to succeed.
Rhonda Weatherbie-McLouth, RDH, MS, Director of Programs, DH Program Director
Rhonda serves as CAVT’s Director of Programs and Dental Hygiene Program Director. She holds an AAS and BS in Dental Hygiene (Johnson County Community College and University of Missouri-Kansas City, respectively), and an MS in Instructional Design and Technology from Emporia State University.
Rhonda grew up in eastern Kansas and has years of experience as a Dental Assistant, Emergency Medical Technician, Registered Dental Hygienist, Dental Hygiene educator and Program Director developing curriculum and accreditation compliance.
Rhonda enjoys traveling, leading dental mission teams to various locations and spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren.
Jo Whatley, Financial Aid Officer, Admissions Counselor
Jo Whatley is a Colorado native and has lived in the Colorado Springs area for the last 12 years. She has been with Colorado Academy of Veterinary Technology for 5 years and has held numerous positions, with her most current as financial aid officer/admissions counselor. Her primary responsibilities include student communications, reviewing aid eligibility and counseling students and their families through the financial aid process. Jo takes immense pride in her job and work ethics and believes everyone deserves a good education.
On her off-time she enjoys spending time with her family and fur babies, weekend trips to Cripple Creek, and a good country concert.
Gabriella Lester, DVM, Program Veterinary Instructor
Dr. Gabriella Lester graduated from Purdue University in 2009. Directly following graduating, she moved to Colorado and began working here in town. Dr. Lester previously worked at Powers Pet Emergency and VCA Dublin Animal Hospital before joining the staff here at CAVT.
Dr. Lester was born in Hungary and moved to Miami as a child, where she lived most of her life and attended school for her undergrad. She is happily married and has twins who constantly have her running around and busy when she is not at work. In whatever free time she does get, she enjoys wakeboarding, snowboarding, and outdoor activities. She has a border collie mix named Denali and a cat.
Tonya Oropeza, RVT, CCRP, VT Program Director, Instructor
Tonya is a Colorado Springs native. She received her Associate’s Degree in Applied Science in Veterinary Technology from PIMA in 2009. Since then, she have spent much of my career working at VCA Dublin Animal Hospital. Tonya adopted a special needs French Bulldog in 2017 which ended up sparking her interest in rehabilitation. She obtained her certification as a Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner from the University of Tennessee in June 2021 and continues to share this passion with others. After working in a clinic for 15 years and being sidelined with a shoulder injury, she began my new journey in academia. Teaching vet tech students has been an amazing eye opener for me and given me such a deep fulfillment that I have never felt before.
She is married with fur kids. She enjoys reading, especially thrillers and anything spooky, however Harry Potter is her all-time favorite. She has recently found a new love of paddle boarding and tries to hit the lake whenever possible. She has an appreciation for art and continues to add to her tattoo collection when she can.
Susan Herrel, RVT, Full-Time Instructor
Susan has spent her life working closely with animals. She started riding horses at the age of ten and completed an equine certificate program with honors at age eighteen. Susan relocated to West Virginia and pursued an equine career as a riding instructor and barn manager. After a couple of years showing horses up and down the East Coast, Susan returned to her Colorado home to attend college. She graduated with honors from Bel Rea Institute of Animal Technology and began her lengthy career as a Certified Veterinary Technician. Her first job was at Broadway Animal Medical in Boulder, and after seven years, she relocated to Wyoming with her husband. After spending a couple of years in the wilds of Wyoming, she returned to Colorado. The love of horses was still fresh in her heart, and she worked at two different breeding facilities, one that focused on Arabian horses and the other bred and worked Paint horses. After a couple of years foaling horses and taking care of a herd of cattle at the Paint horse facility, Susan returned to small animal veterinary medicine. She continued her career in private day practice in Monument and spent several years in corporate veterinary medicine at Banfield Pet Hospital. Wanting to continue working as a Technician and expanding her knowledge base, Susan started working at Colorado Canine Orthopedics as a surgical scrub nurse.
After over three years of working as a scrub nurse, Susan took on a position at Southern Colorado Internal Medicine as an overnight ICU nurse. With the assistance of Dr. Morgan, Susan developed and implemented anesthesia protocols for animals undergoing MRIs and CT scans. After over seven years of sleepless nights working as an ICU nurse, Susan decided to focus her time and talents on her own dog breeding business. She started breeding, showing, trialing, and hunting German Shorthaired Pointers in 2000 and continues to run her own kennel. One of Susan’s favorite parts of working as a Certified Veterinary Technician was teaching new graduates the nuances of the veterinary field. She took this love of teaching to begin a new aspect of her career and spent three years teaching the Veterinary Assisting and Veterinary Technician students at PIMA. She has been teaching students here at Colorado Academy since July 2017.
Amy Sipe, RVT, Full-Time Instructor
Amy is a proud Colorado Springs native. She has worked in the veterinary field for over 25 years. Amy graduated with honors from Pima in 2012 and passed the VTNE the same year. Throughout her career, she has had the opportunity to work with a variety of animals including small animals (dogs and cats), wildlife and exotics.
Outside of work, Amy is a proud mom of 2 and enjoys spending time with them and her husband. Gardening, hiking, paddleboarding and baking are a few hobbies that she enjoys in her free time. There are also many animals in the house to take care of including 2 dogs, a bunny, a pair of red factor canaries, a panther chameleon, a red foot tortoise and a leopard gecko.
Future career/education plans include getting her Bachelors in Veterinary Technology as well as working towards becoming a certified practice manager.
Ryan Coyle, MS, Full-Time Instructor
Ryan is a Colorado native and graduated from Pine Creek High School in 2015. He received his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Morningside College in 2019. In 2021, Ryan attended the University of East London where he received his master’s degree in Business Psychology while playing professional volleyball. He instructs several introductory courses at Colorado Academy of Veterinary Technology.
Richelle McKenney, RVT, Full-Time Instructor
Richelle McKenney graduated from Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology in December of 2016. After graduation she worked for a multifunction practice where she had the opportunity to work with Artificial Insemination, breeding, exotic animals, acupuncture and rescues such as Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies.
After 6 years she moved to a start-up practice where she worked as a practice manager, and lead Technician. Shortly after she took an opportunity with PIMA Medical institute as a veterinary assistant and general education instructor. Richele has been with CAVT since July 2024.
Lindsey Seaborn, RVT, Instructor
Lindsey Seaborn graduated from Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology in December 2009. She began her career at Banfield Pet Hospital in Colorado Springs, where she gained valuable experience in veterinary care. Lindsey then moved to VCA Dublin Animal Hospital, continuing to grow and expand her skills as a veterinary technician. Outside of her professional life, she is happily married and is the proud mother of a daughter and son, who keeps her busy all the time. Lindsey has a special fondness for tiny dogs, with Chihuahuas being her favorite. In her free time, she enjoys playing games and watching Marvel movies.
Lucy Egbert, RVT, PNC, Instructor
Lucy Egbert, has been an instructor at the Colorado Academy of Vocational Technology (CAVT) since December 2024. She holds an Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology from Bel-Rea Institute of Veterinary Technology, where she graduated in 2004. In addition, Lucy earned an Associate of Science degree from the Community College of Denver in 2017. With extensive experience across general practice, emergency care, and a variety of specialties—including internal medicine, surgery, dentistry, behavior, and rehabilitation—Lucy brings a wealth of knowledge to her role. She has a particular passion for dog and cat nutrition and holistic care. She has earned her Pet Nutrition Coach (PNC) certification and is currently pursuing a holistic Clinical Pet Nutrition certification. Outside of her professional work, Lucy enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, often playing games and sharing moments of fun and connection.
FAQS
Is the Colorado Academy of Veterinary Technology (CAVT) a good school?
Colorado Academy of Veterinary Technology (CAVT) is an excellent school to apply for vet tech school in Colorado. The school is located in Colorado Springs and has an excellent reputation.
The Veterinary Technician program at the Colorado Academy of Veterinary Technology is designed for students who want to pursue a career as a veterinary technician in a hospital, emergency clinic, university, or government setting.
It is well known that those with a strong academic background in a field related to animals or medicine are best prepared for the rigorous educational program required for the veterinary technician program. Therefore, we recommend that aspiring students in the veterinary technician program have completed at least one year of college-level course work in a related area, such as biology.
The CAVT veterinary technician program provides a wide range of learning experiences, including clinical rotations in small animals, equine, avian, and exotic animal hospitals, and working with small and large animals. In addition, students are exposed to various vet tech programs and hands-on experience in medical and surgical procedures, emergencies, and drug therapies.
Students have the opportunity to work with a wide range of animals, from dogs and cats to a wide range of birds, equine, and exotic animals.
CAVT veterinary technician program students are provided with a mentor, an experienced veterinary technician, who is there to guide and support the students every step of the way.
What does a vet tech do?
A vet tech’s primary responsibility is to care for animals in medical and surgical settings. This includes a wide range of procedures and tasks. Essentially, vet techs do everything a doctor does except provide the medical diagnosis.
A vet tech will take care of:
- Administering medications and treatments
- Administering anesthesia
- Gathering clinical data
- Performing diagnostics
- Cleaning and disinfecting surgical equipment
- Animal Caregivers
These are just some of the many things that vet techs do daily. While many claims that self-taught vet techs are enough, only certified veterinary technicians can get the job done professionally and perfectly.
Do vet techs have to be certified in Colorado?
No. Colorado has no certification requirements for vet techs. While certification through a national program is preferred, it is not required. However, they must take continuing education classes to maintain a license. On the job, trained technicians are technically ASSISTANTS. They are not allowed to do the job of a veterinary technician: specifically, they may not perform invasive procedures (such as injections), administer anesthesia, or perform medical calculations associated with dispensing drugs. . On the job, trained technicians earn less money and have almost no mobility within the veterinary profession.
What is the difference between a vet and a vet tech?
Veterinarians (vets) are graduates of accredited veterinary schools and are trained to diagnose and treat diseases and injuries that affect animals, prescribe drugs and perform surgery. Veterinarians are licensed and prohibited from practicing if they have criminal convictions or professional offenses.
Vet techs are also trained to perform diagnostic tests, gather clinical data, and perform physical exams, just as veterinarians do.
The main difference between the two is that veterinarians have the authority to diagnose illnesses, prescribe drugs, and perform surgery, while vet techs cannot.
A vet tech is a good option for those who cannot afford to attend veterinary school. The veterinary technician training program at CAVT provides students with a solid foundation. It allows them to learn under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian, who will guide them throughout the process.
Who certifies Vet schools in the USA?
The Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) was established by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The Committee approves programs that provide technologists and technicians with the necessary education to support veterinarians effectively.
Furthermore, the American Veterinary Medical Association ensures that all accredited schools provide a strong foundation for students and meet high standards for quality.
How to qualify for the exam to get a degree from an AVMA/CVTEA-accredited veterinary technician program?
The Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) is an exam administered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) that verifies the competency of a veterinary technician.
The VTNE determines whether a candidate has the minimum knowledge and competency to function in a veterinary medical setting. The VTNE requires all veterinary technicians to sit for the national or regional boards before becoming eligible.
To qualify for the VTNE, an applicant must be currently enrolled in an AVMA-CVTEA accredited program and meet one of the following requirements:
- Be currently employed in a veterinary medical setting, and their employer has determined that they are qualified to take the VTNE.
- Have a high school diploma or a GED and have at least one year of documented experience working in a veterinary medical setting.
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