The theme “Knowledge – Like a Precious Metal, is PRICELESS,” proved especially appropriate for the 25th anniversary of the annual Healing Oasis Wellness Center Conference spearheaded by a Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumnus, Dr. Pedro Rivera. That’s because the conference, held at the end of 2025 at National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, Illinois, gave special recognition to legendary Purdue Veterinary Medicine educators Kathy Salisbury and Ron Hullinger.
Each year, the conference is dedicated to individuals who have made a difference in the personal and professional lives of people associated with the conference. “As a proud alumnus, I could not think of two more deserving mentors,” said Dr. Rivera.
A board-certified veterinary surgeon, Dr. Salisbury retired as associate dean for academic affairs and professor of small animal surgery in 2025 after a Purdue career that spanned more than 40 years. After earning her DVM degree at Michigan State University, Dr. Salisbury worked in private practice before completing a small animal surgery residency at Purdue, earning her master’s degree and accepting an appointment on the faculty of the college’s Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences in 1984. She also served as chief of small animal surgery and then stepped into an administrative role, initially as assistant dean for academic affairs. She was promoted in 2010 to associate dean. She also was named a 150th Anniversary Professor at Purdue for excellence in teaching in 2018.
Dr. Hullinger retired as professor of basic medical sciences in 2018 after completing nearly 50 years of service to the college. A 1965 DVM graduate of the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Hullinger went on to complete his PhD and join the faculty there before accepting an appointment at Purdue University as assistant professor of veterinary anatomy. He was promoted to full professor in 1985, and also served as director of Veterinary Medical Education from 1988 to 1994. It was estimated at the time of his retirement that he likely touched the lives of some 90 percent of the college’s graduates up to that time.
Dr. Rivera, DVM, FACFN, DACVSMR (Canine), FCoAC, together with his wife Michelle, VT, VDT, started the Healing Oasis Veterinary Hospital in Sturtevant, Wisconsin in 1993. Five years later they established the Health Oasis Wellness Center as an educational institution dedicated to advancing Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy, Veterinary Massage and Rehabilitation Therapy, Veterinary Acupuncture, Functional Neurology, and providing up-to-date continuing education seminars.
Born in Munich, Germany and raised in Puerto Rico, Dr. Rivera earned both his undergraduate and DVM degrees at Purdue in 1983 and 1986, respectively. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dr. Rivera also is a Fellow of the American College of Functional Neurology. Additionally, he earned a certificate of completion from the Options for Animals Veterinary Chiropractic program and studied Chiropractic Neurology from the Carrick Institute. Dr. Rivera also is on faculty at the Veterinary Chiropractic Learning Centre in Ontario, Canada as well as the Backbone Academy for Veterinary Chiropractic and Healing Arts in Sittensen, Germany.
The Healing Oasis 25th Annual Conference featured more than a dozen speakers including two educators from Purdue as well as Dr. Rivera. The Purdue presenters were Dr. Jessica Linder, DACVIM-Neurology, clinical assistant professor of neurology, and Rachel Yoquelet, BS, RVT, VTS (ECC), CVMRT, veterinary technician in Physical Rehabilitation. Dr. Linder’s talks were entitled, “Dachshunds: What if It’s Not a Disc?” and “What Could It Be? Causes of Acute vs. Chronic Myelopathy.” Yoquelet spoke on the topic, “Physical Rehabilitation for the Critically Ill Patient.”
The conference, November 7-9, included both in person and virtual sessions. The 2026 Conference already is set for October 23-25 at National University of Health Sciences with the theme “Resilience in Motion: Comparative Rehabilitation & Manual Therapies for All Beings.”