Meet Our Leadership Team
Animal Health, Technology, Engagement,
and Outreach Experts on a Mission
Dr. Apryle Horbal
CEO
Dr. Horbal founded VetNOW in 2017 to address local, regional, and global veterinary service needs and has since established herself as a recognized leader in virtual veterinary care.
Prior to VetNOW, Dr. Horbal founded and operated a 24/7 emergency and specialty veterinary hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She holds a Veterinariae Medicinae Doctoris degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and a BA in Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences. She later completed an internship at Texas A&M University’s Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital for Large Animals followed by a residency program at the University of Edinburgh Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Study's Equine Hospital in Equine Dentistry in the Soft Tissue Surgery department, where she was awarded a Master of Philosophy degree for her research thesis. She then went on to become board-certified in Equine Veterinary Dentistry by the American Veterinary Dental College.
Dr. Horbal was appointed to the Pennsylvania Board of Veterinary Medicine in 2018 and also serves as Committee Chair on the AVDC Equine Training Support Committee. She has long been passionate about the transfer of knowledge and veterinary expertise to animal caretakers and veterinarians in developing countries.
Anthony Horbal
Mr. Horbal is a career entrepreneur and has started and led five successful startup companies. Two of his five startups have gone on to have Billion-dollar valuations. Beginning with his first startup in the retail industry, he has built startups in the Health Management Organization (HMO), Robotics, and Digital Healthcare markets.
Mr. Horbal has achieved success by expertly raising capital and establishing a productive corporate infrastructure within the organizations. He is a high-energy executive with the vision necessary to found and develop profitable and productive companies. This success is the result of persevering in difficult situations, and the ability to turn adversity into positive accomplishments.
Prior to this, Mr. Horbal was a college professor of Marketing and Business. Mr. Horbal holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from West Virginia University.
Senior Strategic Advisor
Chris Page
Mr. Page oversees our engineering teams and provides technology strategy and software solutions, anchored by his 20+ years of industry software engineering experience. Prior to VetNOW, he held numerous ground floor lead engineering and management positions in angel and venture capital backed startups, eventually founding and running a 7 figure software consulting company for more than a decade.
Throughout his career he has provided engineering consulting services to hundreds of household names and Fortune-500s, as well as technical work supporting numerous medical technology clients large and small involved in human healthcare and services.
Highlight organizations his work has served include Mt. Sinai, Sema4 Genomics, FruitStreet Health, Gallagher Health, Asher Orion Group, the National Football League (NFL), Today Show, Kohler, Banana Republic, Men’s Health, Reebok, Moen, Birchbox, Clarins, and Maybelline.
CTO
Dr. Kiers is a Poultry and Livestock Veterinarian with extensive U.S. and global experience. He earned his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and a Master's in Ruminant Health at the National Veterinary University in Toulouse, France. He also holds a Master's in Avian Medicine from the University of Georgia and a Master's Certificate in Sustainable Agroecosystems from the University of Florida. Dr. Kiers is accredited with the American College of Poultry Veterinarians.
Prior to VetNOW, Dr. Kiers invested more than a decade working within global corporations including Elanco and Alltech, where he focused on production, food safety, antibiotic resistance, and pandemic diseases. Before working in the private sector, Dr. Kiers served as the lead technical advisor for USAID-funded programs in Southeast Asia ranging from preventing avian influenza to livestock value chain development.
Dr. Kiers serves as the lead technical advisor for the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on developing the poultry sector in The Comoros, working in partnership with their national government. Dr. Kiers is the founder of Dr. Bassecour, a French-based startup that strengthens the health and sustainability of local smallholder farms through technical consultations and the provision of small-batch vaccines and medicines. Dr. Kiers also conducts capacity building for diverse audiences on topics related to animal health management and husbandry.
VP of Operations and Engagement, Kenya
Dr. Alexis Kiers
Tim Colbert
Vice President of Marketing and Communication
Mr. Colbert offers strategic direction, execution of marketing strategy, and public relations campaigns for VetNOW. He has 25+ years of experience in creative and results- focused marketing communication with a wide-ranging background in the nonprofit and corporate sectors.
During tenures as a senior executive at global marketing agencies, he worked in strategic communications and planning with numerous Fortune 500 companies. Representative organizations include Regenerative Business Live at the United Nations, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Eastman Chemical Company, Crown Holdings, National Sleep Foundation, Baldwin Technology, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, and Sherwin-Williams.
An accomplished anthropologist, with over a decade of experience In community engagement, field experience, and project management, Dr. Mburu will be designing and implementing impactful engagement strategies for VetNOW.
She is currently an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of St . Andrew's in Scotland,UK, and is a Medical Anthropologist whose research focuses on the socioecological and structural aspects of zoonotic diseases in East Africa. Previously, she has worked in Interdisciplinary research projects including the Dynamic Drivers of Disease in Africa (DDDAC), Afrique-One ASPIRE, and the One Health Network for the HORN of Africa (HORN Project). Dr. Mburu has also worked with Washington State University, Australian Centre for Agricultural Research, Partners for Health and Development in Africa, and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
Her deep understanding of the agriculture sector and deep contextual understanding of East Africa leads to her proven track record of working with diverse stakeholders. She brings a unique blend of academic rigor and practical experience in community engagement. In addition to her doctorate in anthropology, she earned both master’s and bachelor’s degrees in the same subject, all from the University of Nairobi.
Product Researcher and Field Strategist
Dr. Caroline Mwihaki Mburu
Matt O’Donnell
Mr. O’Donnell has been building web apps and managing the infrastructure they run on since the mid-’90s. He previously worked for UUNet, ARIN, and Comcast until moving into the startup world.
In 2008 he performed his first migration of physical infrastructure to Amazon Web Service (AWS). Since then, he has been focused on designing, building, and securing AWS infrastructures for various startups. He assists startups taking their infrastructure to the next level and helping to remove friction from their developers.
Senior Software Developer
Joseph Spataro
Mr. Spataro leads the VetNOW team to ensure high-quality products through rigorous testing. His specialties include testing methodologies, manual techniques, and quality assurance best practices. He has worked with a variety of technology firms and startups in the United States.
Senior Software Quality Assurance Leader
Ms. Neal heads up VetNOW’s training operations, where she establishes and documents best practices and customizes on-boarding tools for engagement specialists and members. She has been with the company for five years and is a veterinary technician by training.
Director of Training and Development
Catherine Neal, CVT
Beatrice Ngendo Nyaga
Beatrice Ngendo Nyaga is an Engagement Specialist at VetNOW, recognized for her expertise in animal reproductive health and commitment to advancing veterinary science through research. She is working towards a Master of Science in Animal Breeding and Genomics from Chuka University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Animal Health and Production from Meru University of Science and Technology. With several years of hands-on experience, she has provided exceptional care to diverse animal species, enhancing diagnostic and treatment skills while contributing to the welfare of animals.
Beatrice's background includes experience in both educational and practical settings, serving as an animal health and production educator at Meru University of Science and Technology. Her role with the Meru County Government’s Livestock and Fisheries Department involved spearheading a comprehensive livestock health assessment program, which led to improved disease prevention across the region. With ACEF Kenya, Beatrice developed educational initiatives for farmers, promoting sustainable dairy and poultry practices.
Engagement Specialist
George Kariuki is an Engagement Specialist at VetNOW, with a background in animal health, production, and farm management. A Veterinary Paraprofessional by trade, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Animal Health, Production, and Processing from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. Passionate about veterinary science, George is dedicated to supporting farmers and enhancing animal well-being through practical care and education.
George’s diverse experience spans roles as a Livestock Manager at New Agrodeal Kenya and a Regional Sales Field Associate with Copia Kenya, where he trained farmers and sales teams on effective farm management practices. He has also worked as an Animal Health Technician at Topcare Vet Centre, providing hands-on care, diagnosis, and treatment for a variety of animal species.