Sonya Bettenay graduated with an honors degree in Veterinary Science from the University of Melbourne. She worked in small animal medicine, as an emergency vet, and in the nutrition industry; but for the past 30 years as a dermatologist and dermatopathologist (both academia and private practice). She obtained both her Membership in Feline Medicine and Fellowship in Dermatology with the ANZCVS and is a Diplomate of the ECVD. 

She was co-chair of the program committee for WCVD8, has been a member of multiple other national and international program committees and was a board member of the International Society of Veterinary Dermatopathology for 9 years.  Her teaching activities now centre on the Distance Education in Dermatology program with the CVE at Sydney University and the dermatopathology training of ECVD residents.  She has multiple publications including book chapters and has co-authored a book on basic Veterinary Dermatopathology with Dr. Ann Hargis.  She has been an invited speaker at many international and national meetings in every continent except Antarctica.  Sonya divides her professional time between her clinical dermatology referral practice and an independent dermatopathology service.