Small Animal CVA Course Instructors

Ronald Koh DVM, MS, DACVSMR, CVA, CCRP, CVMMP, CVCH, CVFT

Dr. Ronald Koh received his veterinary degree in Taiwan in 2006 and later completed a specialty internship followed by a master’s program in acupuncture at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. Prior to joining UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2020, he spent 6.5 years on the faculty of the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, where he served as an assistant professor (2015-2020) and a service chief of Integrative Medicine and Rehabilitation Service. He is certified in acupuncture, rehabilitation, herbal therapy, and medical manipulation. He completed his residency in Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in 2019. His research and clinical focus have been on integrative and rehabilitative medicine therapies for pain management, orthopedic impairments, neurological deficits, geriatric conditions, and palliative/hospice care. His focus within TCVM is using traditional, scalp, and topographic acupuncture, along with herbal medicine for neurological conditions. He lectures on TCVM, integrative medicine, and rehabilitation for veterinary schools, conferences, and general public events. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with family, hiking, and traveling.

Wei-Chen (Bernice) Kuo DVM, MS, CVA

Dr. Wei-Chen Kuo has been working for Anesthesia service in VMTH, University of California, Davis for the last 18 years after her DVM degree from National Chung-Hsing Univerisiuty, Taichung, Taiwan and anesthesia residency from Washington State Univerisuty. She enjoys the clinical teaching, including all veterinary anesthesia laboratories for different levels of students and clinical rotations. She is well liked by many students for her efficient and friendly teaching style.

With Dr. Kuo’s background, she is fascinated with Chinese Medicine. Since Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine is getting popular and accepted in western countries, she decided to take one step forward to get into a different world of medicine. Dr. Kuo was granted with faculty scholarship from Chi University, Reddick, FL in 2021 and completed her Certification of Veterinary Acupuncture in 2022.

With Dr. Ronald Koh’s mentoring, Dr. Kuo has been treating co-workers’ pets with different conditions. She also applies acupuncture to her clinical patients in multiple situations, like pain management, smooth recovery and resuscitation. She is able to broaden students’ view into TCVM at the same time. In order to utilize TCVM completely, Dr. Kuo plans to take more advance acupuncture and other TCVM courses in the future

Emily Mangan DVM, CVA, CVCH, CVFT, CVTP, CVMMP, CCRV

Dr. Emily Mangan received her DVM from Oregon State University. Dr. Mangan studied veterinary
acupuncture at the Chi University as a veterinary student, and, following graduation, immersed herself in
Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM) by obtaining certification in Chinese herbal medicine, food
therapy, and Tui-na. She is also certified in veterinary medical manipulation and canine rehabilitation.
She completed an internship in Equine Medicine and Surgery at the Marion duPont Scott Equine
Medical Center at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine followed by an Integrative Medicine Internship at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, and wanted to treat every patient with TCVM along the way. She is an assistant professor at Chi University and frequently contributes journal articles and textbook chapters about TCVM. She lectures on TCVM in the U.S. and internationally, and serves on the board of the World Association of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (WATCVM). She lives on a little farm in Pleasant Hill, Oregon, and owns a house-call practice providing mixed-animal integrative medicine in the beautiful Willamette Valley.

Renea Johnson DVM

Dr. V. Renea Johnson graduated from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine in 1991. She has worked in various animal hospitals - small, exotic, equine, wildlife sanctuaries and zoological parks. Dr. Johnson became intrigued with acupuncture and herbal medicine when her children suffered chronic ear infections. Once she witness the profound effect acupuncture and herbal medicine had on chronic issues, she began to study TCVM at the Chi Institute in 2007. (Chi University) She started her own mobile referral practice for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine in Southern California. When she is not working, she enjoys horse back riding, roping, running, triathlons, reading and trying to train her blue heeler mix breed dog.

Haleh Siahpolo DVM, MPVM, CVA

Dr. Haleh Siahpolo enjoys integrating Eastern and Western medicine to provide the best possible treatment for her patients. She obtained her DVM in 2009 at University of California, Davis and subsequently completed the coursework for a Masters in Preventative Veterinary Medicine in 2010. After becoming certified in acupuncture through the Chi Institue, she completed a one year internship at the University of Florida School of Veterinary Medicine in Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine (2011-2012). During her internship she became certified as a canine rehabilitation therapist by the Canine Rehabilitation Institute. She was lucky enough to continue teaching for the Chi Institute and joined them for courses in China in both 2016 and 2017. She now splits her time between two busy Bay Area practices, offering integrative medicine and rehabilitation therapy as well as some general medicine and dentistry.

Dr. Siahpolo grew up in the south Bay Area and now calls Santa Cruz home. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family including paddle-boarding with her Boston Terriers (they love a good swim!).