Dr. DeFrancesco is a professor in Cardiology and Critical Care with tenure at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Assistant Department Head of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, and Small Animal Focus Leader and Chief of Specialty Services. She obtained her veterinary degree from Cornell University, completed a small animal rotating internship at Virginia Tech, and residency training in both cardiology and emergency and critical care at North Carolina State University. She is double-boarded in cardiology and emergency and critical care. She has received numerous teaching and clinical awards including 2-time recipient of the Pfizer Norden Teaching Award, 4-time recipient of the Clinician of the Year Award, and then NCVMA NCSU. Dr. DeFrancesco’s areas of interest include improving the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure in dogs and cats, point-of-care ultrasound, and cardiac emergency management including arrhythmias, failure management, pacemaker, and ventilator therapy.