Our Team
Stephanie Messick, CPEP Academy Director
Stephanie Messick has been with CAETA since 2020, as Admin Assistant and then to the role of Academy Director. Her passion to elevate end-of-life pet care began in 2012. Stephanie worked in animal welfare in Florida, then transitioned to pet aftercare service in 2015 when she joined The Pet Loss Center. She partnered with veterinary teams across the states of Florida and Colorado to elevate their practice’s end-of-life care by providing world class cremation and pet loss services with the utmost dignity, honor and respect. In 2016 Stephanie completed the Two Hearts Pet Loss Center certificate program in Pet Loss & Grief Companioning. In 2018, Stephanie received her Bachelor degree in Psychology from the University of Central Florida. With her unique combination of perspectives, Stephanie is a dedicated advocate for best practices in end-of-life pet support. She believes in commitment to continued euthanasia education, building relationships with and supporting veterinary teams, and a focus on enhancing client and patient experience with bereavement support, and exceptional aftercare programs.
Kathleen has been practicing advanced end-of-life care since 2006. She is well-known for her work in companion animal euthanasia and has authored two books on the subject. Dr. Cooney has collaborated in euthanasia training for the AVMA, AAHA, IAAHPC, HABRI, the Fear Free program, and more. The CAETA program is Dr. Cooney's design and is based around the The 14 Essential Components of Companion Animal Euthanasia. She is a strong advocate for best practices in all aspects of end-of-life care and speaks nationally and internationally on such topics. Dr. Cooney is Board Certified in animal welfare through the American College of Animal Welfare (ACAW) and engages in research to improve veterinary medicine and patient care. Learn more about her academic and professional experience.
Kimberly Moen DVM, CPEV CAETA Instructor
Dr. Kimberly Moen has dedicated her career to caring for sweet senior pets and supporting families through one of the most tender moments in veterinary medicine. She is a proud graduate of Ross University and completed her clinical training at the University of Florida. Over the past nine years with Lap of Love, Dr. Kim has guided nearly 5,000 families through compassionate hospice and euthanasia care for their cherished pets, and currently serves as the Early Career Veterinary Programs Manager. Becoming a CAETA instructor in 2026, her current focus is educating veterinary students in end-of-life care and mentoring newly graduated and onboarding veterinarians as they step into this meaningful field.
Sally Lynch DVM, MPH, CPEV CAETA Instructor
Dr. Sally Lynch is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana who found her way to Memphis, Tennessee for college, and fell in love with the community of the Bluff City. Following her undergraduate education, Dr. Sally graduated with a master’s degree in public health from Louisiana State University School of Public Health with an emphasis on community and behavioral health sciences. She obtained her DVM from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2014. Dr. Sally joined Lap of Love in 2017, where a passion for supporting families through their hardest days became her primary focus. Over the past 9 years, she has been honored to help approximately 5,000 pets walk the last mile of life with dignity in the comfort of their homes. Dr. Sally joined CAETA in 2026 and is looking forward to sharing knowledge and exchanging ideas with the hope of helping to keep compassion and empathy at the forefront of end-of-life care for pets in all communities.
Chris Hickman DVM, CHPV, CPEV CAETA Instructor
Dr. Chris Hickman graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1988. She worked steadily as a veterinary locum in various practice settings including emergency clinics, small animal clinics (both rural and urban settings) and feline specialty practices. In 2013, Dr. Hickman dedicated her professional life to animal hospice/palliative care and in-home euthanasia for pets. She has earned the designation of Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Veterinarian, being one of the first to earn the distinction. Dr. Hickman runs a mobile veterinary hospice service in Ontario focusing on elevated end-of-life care for pets. She has been part of the CAETA team since 2023.
Leanne Mathew, DVM, CPEV CAETA Instructor
Dr. Leanne Mathew has focused her career within veterinary end-of-life care since 2019 when she began working with Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice. As a graduate of the University of Missouri, Dr. Mathew began her career in emergency medicine, and quickly recognized the sanctity of euthanasia appointments and importance of quality of life conversations. She believes veterinarians can provide an invaluable gift to our patients through a peaceful and personalized farewell, honoring the love and life we share with our pets. Dr. Mathew has utilized her experience within end-of-life care to provide mentorship and training to Lap of Love veterinarians who are entering this field, and she is passionate about sharing euthanasia and communication best practices with colleagues and support staff. Dr. Mathew is a Certified Peaceful Euthanasia Veterinarian and began working with CAETA in 2024.
Lacey Lancaster, CPEP Administrative Assistant
Lacey Lancaster first became passionate about companion animal euthanasia best practices in 2006 when she worked for the animal control serving her hometown and surrounding rural areas. Her tenure there ignited a passion for animal sheltering and she was able to take that experience, along with her training as a veterinary assistant, to a humane society serving a larger area. After deciding to return to school to complete her Bachelor's degree in 2015, she took a part-time job with PetSmart, which served to further enhance her respect for the human-animal bond and think more critically about the ways in which we can best honor it. After graduation, she took a job with the University of Georgia's Veterinary Teaching Hospital as an Administrative Associate. In this role, she took a special interest in providing resources and comfort to clients facing end-of-life care decisions. Her enthusiasm for this type of work led to forming a close relationship with the school's clinical counselor which ultimately led her to discover the work of CAETA. Lacey's passion for improving end-of-life care for companion animals and the people who love them, as well as her penchant for going above and beyond to serve in her role as support staff, make her a welcome addition to the CAETA team.