The following is a list of the XLVets director members, and their practices. To learn more about who we are, the XLVets team, or what we can do for your veterinary practice, please contact Jennifer Carrelli at JCarrelli@xlvets.com
Dr. Brent Fawcett
XLVets Canada President and Director
Dr. Brent Fawcett is a veterinarian and managing partner at Agwest Veterinary Group Ltd. He grew up in the Comox Valley, B.C, and attended the University of British Columbia where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. In 2003 he graduated from the Atlantic Veterinary College in PEI. In 2004, Dr. Brent co-founded Agwest Veterinary Group with his colleague, Dr. Steve Chiasson. Their goal was to provide a progressive farm animal practice for their clients in the Fraser Valley. Dr. Brent thoroughly enjoys providing a wide range of veterinary services in a busy private practice but he has a particular interest in preventative health care. Within Agwest, he specializes in herd production medicine, cow comfort and lameness, farm business economics and client education. In addition to his role at Agwest, Dr. Brent is a Director of XLVets Canada. When he’s not at work, Dr. Brent can be found living a rural life with his wife Stef, and kids Will & Grace on their small acreage. He enjoys gardening, woodworking and riding/driving his Clydesdale gelding, Laddy.
British Columbia
Dr. Lisa McCrea
XLVets Canada Secretary and Proventus Director
Dr. Lisa McCrea is a veterinarian and the dairy team manager at Agwest Veterinary Group. She grew up in a small town in New Brunswick and developed a love for dairy cattle out of high school. After graduating from the Atlantic Veterinary College in 1998, Dr. Lisa spent the next 10 years practicing in large animal clinics in Orangeville and Navan, Ontario where she specialized in dairy herd health and reproduction. In 2004 Dr. Lisa graduated from the Dairy Health Management Certificate Program at OVC in Guelph. Then in 2007, Dr. Lisa and her husband Phil moved west to join the Agwest team and became a partner the following year. After completing the AABP Embryo Transfer Course in 2009, she has expanded Agwest to include a full Embryo Transfer Mobile Service. She operates with Boviteq West to perform in vitro fertilization (IVF) in dairy cows. Dr. Lisa is now a managing partner at Agwest Veterinary group, and apart from working as a Veterinarian on dairy farms, she has also taken on the role of consulting, and producer training. Dr. Lisa and her husband Phil have acreage in Abbotsford and are enjoying all the challenges involved in balancing work and farm life
British Columbia
Dr. Luke Nickel
XLVets Canada Treasurer and Director
Luke was born and raised in Abbotsford BC. His childhood consisted of many long hours picking eggs on the family farm which eventually diversified into broilers and turkeys. Luke attended the University of Alberta working towards a BSc in Animal Science. Soon after was accepted into Vet School and received his DVM from the University of Saskatchewan. Recently, Luke has completed a Masters in Avian Health and Management through the University of Georgia. Luke’s main interests include on farm management and diagnostics along with water fowl medicine.
Alberta
Dr. Blake Balog
XLVets Canada Director
Dr. Blake Balog is a 2012 graduate of Western College of Veterinary Medicine. Since starting into veterinary practice, he has spent his time focused on beef cow-calf and is particularly interested in bull and cow fertility as well as hoof health, orthopedics, and basic cow-calf nutrition. As an XLVet and Proventus director Dr. Blake hopes to advise the group on Western Canadian beef cow-calf and feedlot veterinary practice. Outside of veterinary medicine Dr. Blake is found spending time with his wife and children as well as fishing when time permits.
Alberta
Dr. Betty-Jo Bradley
XLVets Canada Director
Dr. Betty-Jo Bradley graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2005. She headed west and started her career at LVS in May of the same year, and has been focused on growing and improving Dairy Herd Health services in Southern Alberta since then. Betty-Jo has a strong focus in consulting on Milk Quality and Udder Health and has also been actively performing embryo transfer since 2010. Recently, she completed the Dairy Health Management Certificate Program in June of 2019 through the University of Guelph. Betty-Jo is on the advisory committee for the Western Canadian Dairy Seminar and is a director with XL Vets Canada. In her free time, she and her husband Charl actively compete in the equine sport of Cowboy Mounted Shooting and enjoy family time on their Angus Cattle operation alongside their son, Lane.
Alberta
Dr. Claus Leppelmann
XLVets Canada Director
Dr. Claus Leppelmann’s interest in veterinary medicine started as he grew up on a dairy and hog farm near Steinbach, Manitoba. After doing his pre-veterinary years at the University of Manitoba, he attended the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, and graduated in 1997. In 2001, Dr. Claus’ family moved to Beausejour, Manitoba and purchased the local veterinary clinic. The practice has grown to nine vets and deal with all species of animals; however, Dr. Claus’ main focus has been on dairy production and medicine.
Over the years, in conversations with other practitioners from across Canada, it has always struck Dr. Claus that despite the varying geographic locations, the issues on farm and within clinics were the same. He often felt like it would be great if we could collaborate and share ideas and experiences with each other. Dr. Claus believes that XLVets will allow like-minded clinics to draw on the pooled experience and knowledge of other practitioners, and this will exponentially make his practice a better clinic and increase the value to his clients. As a director, Dr. Claus’ responsibility will be to help XLVets Canada take shape and ensure that we stay true to our collective mission. Outside of work, Dr. Claus enjoys spending time together with his wife and three boys. They enjoy being active outdoors, and can be found boating and fishing, skiing, dirt biking, or just kicking the soccer ball around.
Manitoba
Chris Parry
Proventus Director
Chris Parry is the CEO of the WestGen Group of Companies, which he became a part of in 2012. He was born in Stratford- Upon Avon, and is a graduate of Warwick University. Chris grew up with a passion for business. He has spent almost all his career involved in business development, marketing and bovine genetics. After a successful career in Europe he was given the opportunity to bring his experience to North America, moving to Canada with his Wife Deborah and three children Charlotte, Michael and Abigail in 2005. Chris has enjoyed an extensive career which includes; The Semex Alliance; Business consultant for Alliance Consulting Group, Europe; Genetics and Business Development Manager for Morsan Farms, Alberta and Founder and owner of Janus Agri Solutions, Europe.
Since making his WestGen debut in 2012, Chris has successfully initiated a rapid expansion program which has transformed the company into a flourishing industry-leader. He also transitioned WestGen from a single entity into a powerful conglomerate, including: WestGen, Cryogen Liquid Nitrogen Solutions, Boviteq West, WestGen Abbotsford Holdings, and the newly formed Proventus Consulting Group- together, the WestGen Group of Companies.
In addition to his role at the WestGen Group, Chris also holds positions on the Board of Directors for Semex, XLVets Canada, and Agwest Veterinary Group; as well as Janus Agri-Solutions and other family businesses.
British Columbia
