Dana Smith graduated Summa Cum Laude from Fort Valley State University’s (FVSU) Department of Veterinary Science with an Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Science as well as a Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Technology in May 2000.   She became a licensed Registered Veterinary Technologist in 2001.  Dana’s employment within the field of veterinary medicine began in February 1993, when she was hired as a kennel worker at Cordele Animal Hospital (CAH).  During her 13 year employment within this hospital, she worked her way through every position within the hospital, from kennel worker/receptionist/veterinary assistant to veterinary technician student and finally to the status of Registered Veterinary Technologist.  After graduating from FVSU, Dana continued working at CAH until the practice was sold.  Two years after graduation, Dana was hired by her alma mater in the capacity of an academic veterinary technologist where she spent four years assisting veterinarians in the  training of future veterinary technicians as well as assisting in the establishment of the first colony of research quail to be housed on campus as well as developing an in-house laboratory manual to be used within the course Veterinary Biomedical Techniques, a manual  which was utilized within the department for several years. 

In January of 2006, in an effort to continue on a path of professional and personal growth, Dana accepted a position within the Department of Biology at FVSU as the department’s only laboratory technician/assistant.  Over the past six years, Dana has become promoted to Laboratory Supervisor, Safety Officer and Unit Inspector of that department.  Although Dana enjoys the role she currently fills at FVSU, she remains passionate about the practice of veterinary technology feeling void in her life in respect to not being involved in the field of clinical veterinary medicine. This void, fortunately was short lived when she accepted a part-time position at Smith Animal Hospital, a long-standing family practice located in Fort Valley, Georgia where she serves as the weekend tech. Now in an effort to take her skills to the next level, Dana has associated herself with St. Petersburg College’s Veterinary Technology School as an Adjunct Instructor, a job in which she is very excited and anxious to begin.

On a personal note, Dana resides in Fort Valley, Georgia and has five fur-babies; one dog (Sam) and four cats (Cantalope, Munchkin, Puddin’, and Charlie).  Her hobbies include fishing and boating (for more fishing of course), spending quality time with her three nephews (Chase, Ryan, and Blake), cooking, and working at Smith Animal Hospital.  Anyone that knows Dana often reports that she has a PATHOLOGICAL attachment to functioning in the capacity of a clinical veterinary technologist, for if she goes longer that two weeks at a time without working in the clinic, her world seems off balance.