ALUMNI ACTION COUNCIL

Mark Salemi, DVM ‘87 is the owner/partner of Northside Animal Hospital, based in New York City, which has a special focus on exotic and wildlife species. Since graduating from RUSVM in 1987, he has worked at Northside Animal Hospital, first as a staff veterinarian for four years before buying into the practice and becoming a partner. He has also served as staff veterinarian for over 10 years at the Staten Island Zoo in New York. He married Ann Salemi-Yanazzo in 1997 and they have two children, Mason and Nicholas.

Dr. Salemi has been an active member of the NYC VMA Board since 1995 until present, including an appointment as its president in 2002. Additionally, he has received a number of association awards.

Dr. Salemi cared for Ground Zero search and rescue dogs after the 9/11 attacks. As a result of this impactful experience, he helped develop, as charter and present member, the NYC VERT (Veterinary Emergency Response Team) as an executive board member that has a seat on the NYC Office of Emergency Management, Emergency Operations Center. In addition, he has served on his hometown's Board of Education for the past 12 years as well as its Board of Health, Office of Emergency Management, Educational Foundation and Stigma Free Committee.

Dianne Rey, DVM ‘99 graduated in 1999 and started her career in New York, where she resided for four years. Then, she moved to Florida where she has practiced for 17 years, all over the state. She opened her relief practice four years ago to create a better work life balance for herself. Now she enjoys going to different practices in central Florida, where she meets colleagues and learns new things. Dr. Rey has a special interest in internal medicine and a passion for surgery. She is excited to be an Alumni Action Council member and looks forward to creating a greater bond between past, present, and future Rossies!

Alexandra Quarti, DVM ‘07 completed her undergraduate coursework at the University of Connecticut and Connecticut College. During her career, she has been a professional equestrian, a humane officer, and the Director of Veterinary Quality, New England South for Banfield Pet Hospital, where she acted as the liaison for RUSVM. More recently, Dr. Quarti served as the Regional Director of Operations at Community Veterinary Partners and now as the Vice President of Medical Operations at Inspire Veterinary Partners, a publicly owned acquisition group. Additionally, Dr. Quarti serves on the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association’s Board of Directors.

Mickey Axelband, DVM ‘85 is a practicing small animal veterinarian and the former owner of both South Broward Animal Hospital and Urgent Pet Care in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  He is also the Chief Medical Officer of Promovet, a provider of discounted pharmaceuticals and services to veterinarians. He was formerly the Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the American Veterinary Group, an equity backed aggregator of small animal hospitals in the United States. Dr. Axelband has practiced veterinary medicine in South Florida for 38 years and has previously owned several veterinary practices. He sits on the board of Dezzy’s Second Chance Animal Rescue, a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving the lives of dogs in South Florida. Dr. Axelband is also a business consultant for PS Broker, one of the largest veterinary sales brokers in the USA.

Dr. Axelband has been a consultant and speaker for several pharmaceutical companies. He appeared in a weekly “Ask The Vet” TV segment for two years and served as a regular on-air veterinary consultant for ABC News in Florida.

Dr. Axelband received his undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware, followed by veterinary school in Italy. During his time studying abroad, he learned of RUSVM, a “new vet school” getting ready to open. Dr. Axelband transferred and became RUSVM’s very first graduate.

Away from work, Dr. Axelband enjoys spending time with his wife, their several dogs, adventure travel, attending baseball games and flying airplanes.

Nejla Azima, DVM ‘14 is the Canadian representative on the Alumni Action Council. She graduated in 2014 after completing her clinical rotations at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Azima entered veterinary medicine with the intention to pursue a career in regulatory medicine and One Health. Shortly after completing her DVM degree, she returned to her home in Toronto, Ontario where she was recruited as a Veterinary Officer by the Canadian government.

In 2018, in pursuit of a milder climate, Dr. Azima and her husband (along with their feline fellow, Harvey) moved to British Columbia, where she continues to work in the Public Sector as a regulatory veterinarian.

Prior to entering veterinary school, Dr. Azima completed a Bachelor of Science honours degree from the University of Guelph in Biological Sciences and Statistics. Subsequently, in 2008, she backpacked through East Asia for eight months with a non-profit leadership development program, aspiring to bridge the gap between the world's divides through empowering individuals to build personal integrity.

Brian Husbands, DVM ’98, DACVIM (Oncology) graduated in 1998 before completing a rotating small animal internship, followed by residencies in small animal internal medicine and comparative oncology. He has held positions in specialty practice and academia, and prior to his current position, served as Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine. Starting in 2020, Dr. Husbands joined the faculty at The Ohio State University. He is passionate about teaching the next generation of veterinarians and veterinary specialists, discovery through clinical research, and providing exemplary care to pets with cancer.

Jon-Paul Carew, DVM ‘01 received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Marine Biology in 1997 from Florida Atlantic University, before graduating from RUSVM in 2001. His clinical year was completed at the University of Georgia, in October 2001, Dr Carew returned to south Florida, to practice veterinary medicine. His current role is the Vice President of Medicine for American Veterinary Group, for which he oversees 165 animal hospitals while still practicing throughout the state of Florida.

While Dr. Carew enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine, including surgery and exotic medicine, he has a special interest in pain management and anesthesia. He is excited about being active on the Alumni Action Council and helping potential students achieve their veterinary career dreams.

Nisha Sanathara, DVM ‘11 was born in India and raised in Southern California. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences at University of California, Irvine and worked as a veterinary practice manager. Her travels then took her to St. Kitts and RUSVM. Dr. Sanathara completed her clinical rotation at Washington State University in 2011, and she now practices in Southern California alongside her father, caring for canine, feline, and exotic patients in their three animal hospitals. Traveling also brought her to Canada where she met her husband, Murray. Dr. Sanathara is excited to meet fellow alumni and to welcome new graduates into the global Rossie Community.

Mike Zareski, DVM (RUSVM 2002) "Dr. Mike" Zareski was a 2002 graduate of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. Prior to going into private practice, he completed a clinical rotation with Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, and also completed a two-month elective internship at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, focusing on a lifelong interest in aquatic animal medicine. In April 2008, Dr. Mike merged Surfside Veterinary Services with Animal Birth Control spay/neuter clinic to found Western Veterinary Group, acquiring Crenshaw Animal Hospital in June, 2012. As a small animal practitioner, he was accomplished in all aspects of general medicine and surgery. Born and raised in the South Bay, Dr. Mike graduated from Palos Verdes High School and earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Santa Clara University. He traveled extensively across the U.S. and abroad, living in Europe, Japan and St. Kitts, West Indies. Most of all, he enjoyed sunny days in the South Bay with his wife, Shanna, daughters Jordana and Hannah, sons Christopher and Drew and their cats, Delilah and King Soloman. Sadly, Dr. Zareski left this earth in 2017 and is missed by all who knew him.

Dr. Humphreys received his veterinary degree from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2005, after completing his clinical rotations at Auburn University School of Veterinary Medicine. Following graduation, he completed a rotating small animal internship at a busy emergency and referral center in Brooklyn, New York. Starting in late 2010, Dr. Humphreys and his wife, Dr. Eliza Lischin (RUSVM, 2001) co-founded One Love Animal Hospital, a practice with multiple locations in New York City.

Dr. Humphreys served on the AVMA Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) Committee for six years. He also was a founding member of the RUSVM Alumni Association and became acting president of the association in 2017.