Excellence in Animal Welfare, Public Health, Education and Research honored the AVMA's 146th Convention

Excellence in Animal Welfare, Public Health, Education and
Research honored the AVMA's 146th Convention

— Compassion, dedication, creativity and determination are the unifying traits that describe the 14 individuals honored at the American Veterinary Medical Association�s 146th Annual Convention on July 14, 2009 at the president�s luncheon. Each recipient has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of both animals and people through very different avenues around the country and around the globe. Individual interviews and photographs are available upon reques

This annual award recognizes individuals and groups inside and outside veterinary medicine, who have made a positive impact on animal, human, or public health, veterinary organizations, and the profession.

Colonel Cliff L. Walker, DVM, MPH, MS, DACVPM
Col. Walker graduated from Southwestern College. He worked for the Oklahoma State Health Department, Air Pollution Control Division until entering the U.S. Air Force. He served as a C-130E navigator. He separated from the Active Air Force to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. He received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Kansas State University and established a practice in Austin, Texas. He sold the practice in 1988 and entered the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps. His assignments included Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Kolding, Denmark; Commander, 34th Medical Detachment, Vicenza, Italy; Deputy Commander, Southern Veterinary Detachment Europe; Commander, Northern California Veterinary Service Support District; Commander, Southern California District Veterinary Command; Commander, Great Plains Regional Veterinary Command; Coalition Forces Land Component Command Veterinarian, CENTCOM; and Commander, U.S. Army Veterinary Command.

Col. Walker had a Master of Public Health and Master of Strategic Studies. He was a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. His military education included the Air Force Squadron Officer School, resident of the Army Command and General Staff College, and resident of the Army War College. He received the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Joint Forces Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Army Expeditionary Medal, and National Defense Service Medal and Air Force Navigator Wings.

This award is being presented posthumously. Col. Walker is survived by his wife, Mette, and their children Tracie, Kellie, Thor, and Johanna. Colonel Walker led by example. He has the gratitude of the Army Veterinary Corps, Medical Department, Department of Defense, and the nation.

Top Douglas G. Corey, DVM
Dr. Corey received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University and is currently a partner at Associated Veterinary Medical Center in Walla Walla, Washington. Since entering the profession he has been active in organized veterinary medicine and has devoted much of his attention to horse welfare issues.

Dr. Corey is a past president and board member of the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association and was honored as the Oregon Veterinarian of the Year in 1997. He has served on the board of directors of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and has chaired their Research, Public Relations, Membership, Equine Welfare and 50th Anniversary Committees. He is an active member of the AVMA and has chaired the Association's Animal Welfare Committee

Dr. Corey was instrumental in establishing a full-time animal welfare position at the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and helped develop minimum care guidelines for rodeo livestock and other welfare rules and guidelines for the PRCA. He has served on the Advisory Council to the PRCA on Animal Welfare for 23 years and has chaired the organization's Veterinary Advisory Committee. He is a member of the American Horse Council's Equine Welfare Committee and serves each year as the National Final Rodeo's on call veterinarian for media relations.

Top Roger K. Mahr, DVM
Dr. Mahr is a small animal practitioner and independent consultant. He was born and raised on a dairy farm in Indianola, Iowa. He received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University and worked as an associate in suburban Chicago for three years. He established the Meadow View Veterinary Clinic in Geneva, Illinois, an accredited hospital member of the American Animal Hospital Association from 1974 to 2005.

Dr. Mahr was elected unanimously President-elect of the AVMA in 2005. As President, he revealed a vision for a one health initiative whereby the veterinary medical profession takes the lead to establish a coordinated mechanism to facilitate collaboration and cooperation among colleagues in veterinary medicine, human medicine, public health, and environmental sciences with a focus on "One World, One Health, One Medicine".

The AVMA Executive Board established the One Health Initiative and approved an AVMA One Health Initiative Task Force. The Task Force's recommendations form the basic outline for the One Health Initiative. Dr. Mahr currently serves as the project director for the multidisciplinary national One Health Joint Steering Committee charged with providing initial oversight for the program including the formation of a One Health Commission.

Dr. Mahr has held numerous leadership positions in the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association and the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association and in many community organizations. He received the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine's Stange Award for Meritorious Service in 2004 and the Iowa State University Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2009.

This annual award recognizes humane efforts on behalf of animals and exceptional compassion for animal welfare.

Cynthia L. Bathurst, MS, Ph.D.
Dr. Bathurst is a leader in developing "Safe Humane" programming for communities and is co-founder and principal director of Safe Humane Chicago, a community-wide alliance combating violence by promoting compassion for animals and people. In 2008, she became national director of Best Friends Animal Society's project to take the Safe Humane model to other cities. She received a Master of Science and Ph.D. from the University of Iowa.

Dr. Bathurst joined the animal welfare profession after more than 25 years as a mathematical researcher and analyst for a government contractor. She established the Dog Advisory Work Group (DAWG) as a committee of her community organization and co-founded it as a nonprofit organization. Within DAWG she started a county-wide court advocacy program for cases involving animal abuse. This program is the foundation of her educational and legislative efforts with humane groups, criminal justice professionals and other community stakeholders.

Dr. Bathurst serves on Chicago's Commission on Animal Care and Control and is the Commission's representative to the Chicago Animal Shelter Alliance. She is co-chair of the Task Force on Companion Animal Welfare and Public Safety for the Chicago City Council's Committee on License and Consumer Protection and a member of the Chicago City Clerk's Dog Owner Task Force, and vice chair of the Cook County Partners Against Animal Cruelty Advisory Board established by the Cook County Board of Commissioners. She is a frequent speaker at meetings across the country.

Recognizes distinguished contributions to the advancement of veterinary medical Organizations - Tiffany Crystal Sculpture and $500.

James E. Nave, DVM
Dr. Nave received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Missouri. Following graduation he joined the U.S. Army Veterinary Corp, served in Vietnam, and was awarded a bronze star. He settled in Las Vegas, Nevada, and opened the Tropicana Animal Hospital. He has owned and managed multiple veterinary hospitals in the Las Vegas area. He is a past president of the Nevada Veterinary Medical Association and served four years on the Nevada Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.

Dr. Nave was elected to the AVMA Executive Board and served as its chair. He was elected AVMA president and worked to restructure the association's political process and establish new Executive Board Districts. As president he helped establish a mentoring program, the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues (NCVEI) and worked with U.S. Senator Harry Reid to restore the rank of brigadier general to the leader of the Army Veterinary Corps. He currently chairs the NCVEI and is Globalization Liaison Agent for Education and Licensing.

Dr. Nave received the University Of Missouri College Of Veterinary Medicine's Alumnus of the Year in 1987 and was named Nevada Veterinarian of the Year in 1988. He received the University of Missouri's Faculty-Alumni Award in 2001. The Western Veterinary Conference dedicated its 75th Diamond Jubilee meeting in 2003 to Dr. Nave for his untiring devotion to his profession.

Dr. Nave is equally active in community affairs. He served as a member and chair of the Nevada Athletic Commission. In 1990, he was named Boxing Commissioner of the Year by the North American Boxing Federation and was five times named the World Boxing Council's Boxing Commissioner of the Year. He is a member of the Board of Directors for Station Casinos Inc., Western Alliance Bancorporation, and Bank West of Nevada.

This annual award recognizes outstanding contributions to international understanding of veterinary medicine.

Karen Marie Becker, DVM, MPH, DACVPM
Dr Becker is the first woman to receive this award. She received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois and a master's in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. As a postdoctoral fellow, she worked in China on the health effects of tobacco smoke, emerging threats such as HIV, livestock husbandry and health, and public health training programs. She completed a Senate Congressional Science Fellowship and worked on Senator Barbara Mikulski's health team and the U.S. Senate's Health Committee chaired by Senator Edward Kennedy.

In 1998, Dr. Becker joined the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) and served in North Carolina, concentrating on priority state, national and global public health issues. She went to Washington through a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Preventive Medicine Fellowship to focus on international policy, and assisted in the control and elimination of Foot and Mouth Disease in the United Kingdom and other priority global health issues. She was the senior health advisor to the U.S. Health and Human Services department's Assistant Secretary of Public Health Emergency Preparedness following 9-11, and worked on preparedness and response to anthrax and other bioterrorism threats, SARS, monkey pox, influenza, and FMD. In addition to the AVMA's Committee of Emergency Preparedness, she has served on international working groups including the G-8, Ministerial Global Health Security Action Initiative, North American Pandemic Preparedness, and the African Partnership for Livestock Development, Poverty Alleviation, and Sustainable Growth.

For the last three years Dr. Becker has been the senior animal health advisor for the U.S. Agency for International Development's Africa Bureau. Dr. Becker has demonstrated the important role veterinarians can play in national and global health, domestic affairs, and foreign policy.

Dr. Becker's awards and recognitions include the William Gaston Prize for Medicine, HHS Secretary Awards for Distinguished and Outstanding Service, CDC's National Center for Environmental Health Director's Award, a CDC/ATSDR Award, and the Johns Hopkins Delta Omega Honor Society Research Prize.

This annual award recognizes distinguished contributions to the field of laboratory animal medicine and science.

Dr. John Gilbert Miller, DVM, DACLAM
Dr. Miller is internationally recognized for his expertise and leadership in the humane care and use of animals used in research, testing and education. He has served in leadership roles in Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research, the National Association for Biomedical Research, and Americans for Medical Progress. He was instrumental in founding and early leadership of the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs.

Dr. Miller received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State University and did postgraduate work at the University of California, Davis. He is an honors graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and a Diplomate in the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine. Dr. Miller was the first director of the National Institutes of Health's Office for Protection from Research Risks (OPRR, now the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare), where he led legislatively mandated the U.S. Public Health Service efforts to assure consistency between USDA Animal Welfare Regulations and the PHS Policy in this area.

Following retirement after 26 years of uniformed service with the U.S. Army and Public Health Service, Dr. Miller led the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) for 12 years, dramatically expanding AAALAC's accreditation program to include more than 30 countries. During the period he received the Army Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal and AAALAC International's highest honor, the Bennett J. Cohen Award. Dr. Miller currently serves as an international consultant in the oversight of laboratory animal care and use.

This annual award recognizes outstanding contributions to public health and regulatory veterinary medicine.

Robert L. Rausch, DVM, MS, Ph.D.
Dr. Rausch has investigated zoonotic diseases important to the health of the indigenous people of Alaska and elsewhere in the Arctic and Subarctic.

For 25 years he directed the program concerning zoonoses in Alaska as Veterinary Director, U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS). He served a professor of veterinary microbiology at the University of Saskatchewan. He joined the faculty of the University of Washington as a professor in the Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health and Department of Comparative Medicine, School of Medicine. He received emeritus appointment in 1992.

Dr. Rausch received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State University, a Master of Science in parasitology and bacteriology for Michigan State University, and a Ph.D. in parasitology and wildlife management from the University of Wisconsin. He has received high academic honors from the Universities of Saskatchewan, Alaska, and Zurich, Switzerland. He received the Meritorious Service Medal from the USPHS, The Karl F. Meyer Award from the American Veterinary Epidemiological Association, the distinguished Alumnus Award from The Ohio State University, and the Arctic Science Award from the people of the North Slope Borough of Alaska.

Dr. Rausch worked with the people of the North Slope Borough and western Alaska, including St. Lawrence Island, who shared with him their knowledge of the natural environment and concepts of disease transmission in northern areas. He has undertaken field investigations in northeast Siberia, Japan, China, and South America.

This annual award recognizes the outstanding work of veterinarians in increasing understanding of, preserving, and protecting human-animal relationships.

Brian W. Forsgren, DVM
Dr. Forsgren is a native of Cleveland. He received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State University (OSU) and spent three years practicing in Huntington, Long Island, under the mentorship of Dr. Frederick "Bud" Wright.

Dr. Forsgren returned to Cleveland and a position with the inner city Willey Avenue Animal Clinic, working in partnership with the local humane society and Cleveland Animal Protective League. For 19 years he worked directly with low income pet owners, stray animal populations, cruelty case intervention, and rescue operations. These experiences made him aware of the profession's obligation to provide much needed access to care for the animals and strengthen the Human Animal Bond among the financial disenfranchised members of the community.

Dr. Forsgren was motivated to become active in the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA). He served as OVMA President, Chair of the Animal Welfare committee, and the Practice Act Task Force. He acted as the state veterinary representative for the updating of Ohio's Animal Cruelty statutes and in conjunction with the OVMA, the Kenneth Scott Trust and the Ohio Animal Health Foundation, he helped develop an ongoing series of courses at the Midwest Veterinary Conference focusing on shelter medicine.

Dr. Forsgren is a member of the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators, the American Association of Human Animal Bond Veterinarians, and the Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics. He was honored as Ohio's Veterinarian of the Year, and is a recipient of the OVMA Distinguished Service Award, OAHF Outstanding Professional Service Award, and was named a Distinguished Alumnus by the OSU's College of Veterinary Medicine.

In 1999, he opened the Gateway Animal Clinic in Cleveland's inner city with a mission to provide access to care for all animals in the community. The basic approach of this clinic is to position the veterinarian as the ultimate guardian of the integrity of the human animal bond.

This annual award recognizes and honors the achievements of an individual concerned with animal health that have significantly advanced human health through the practice of veterinary epidemiology and public health.

Charles O. Thoen, DVM, Ph.D., DACVM, DAVES (Hon)
Dr. Thoen is recognized for his public health expertise in the area of tuberculosis in animals and humans. He received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota. While employed by U.S. Department of Agriculture he was selected as a Research Fellow at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine and received a Ph.D.

Dr. Thoen has authored or coauthored 130 peer reviewed publications on mycobacteria and mycobacterial diseases, numerous chapters for textbooks on infectious disease and two textbooks used throughout the world in teaching public health and medical microbiology. He was recently invited to serve as the primary author of a monograph, "Tuberculosis: a Re-emerging Disease in Animals and Humans" for One Health/One Medicine, and is currently an associate editor of The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease.

Dr. Thoen headed the Mycobacteria and Brucella Section, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, U.S. Department of Agriculture which provided laboratory support to the National Tuberculosis and National Brucellosis Eradication Programs. He has served for 32 years as Professor of Microbiology and Preventive Medicine at Iowa State University and received the Iowa Board of Regents Faculty Award for Excellence. He chaired both the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine and the Admissions Committee for the College of Veterinary Medicine and was Major Professor for 30 Ph.D. and MS graduate students and postdoctoral research associates.

Dr. Thoen Chaired the Scientific Committee on Tuberculosis in Animals of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and the Committee on Animal Tuberculosis of the World Health Organization and has made 184 presentations at scientific professional meetings in 25 countries.

This annual award recognizes an AVMA member for efforts to advance animal well-being, dedication to animal care, and contributions to the community and society.

Kathryn A. L. Bayne, MS, Ph.D., DVM, DACLAM, CAAB
Dr. Bayne is Global Director for the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC International). In this role she directs the global accreditation program and travels extensively throughout the Pacific Rim to advance AAALAC's accreditation program and laboratory animal welfare. She worked at the National Institutes of Health leading a research program on nonhuman primate psychological well-being and environmental enrichment programs for primates, dogs, cats, and swine. She has published more than forty articles on the subject, is a certified applied animal behaviorist and is internationally renowned for her work in laboratory animal behavior.

Dr. Bayne is a past president of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM), the Association of Primate Veterinarians, as well as the District of Columbia Veterinary Medical Association. She served on the boards of the American Society of Laboratory Animal Practitioners (ASLAP), the National Association for Biomedical Research, and as Vice President of the Scientists Center for Animal Welfare. She is past chair of the American Veterinary Medical Association's Animal Welfare Committee and recently served as the laboratory animal medicine representative on the AVMA's Animal Welfare Advisory Committee and chaired the committee for two years. She is also immediate past chair of ASLAP's Animal Welfare Committee and is a charter member and vice chair of the International Association of Colleges of Laboratory Animal Medicine. She serves on and chairs the Iams International Animal Welfare Advisory Board and serves as the U.S. representative to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) ad hoc committee on laboratory animal welfare.

Dr. Bayne received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Washington State University.

This annual award recognizes lifetime achievement in veterinary medical research.

Anthony Simon Turner, BVSc, MS, DACVS
Dr. Turner has served on the faculty of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University (CSU) since 1977 and is currently a professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences. He serves on the review board of Veterinary Comparative Orthopedics and Traumatology and is Consultant Editor for Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice.

Dr. Turner received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Melbourne, a Master of Science from The Ohio State University and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. He taught large animal surgery at the University of Saskatchewan. He is an internationally recognized surgeon and he has co-authored three text books on the subject.

Dr. Turner established a laboratory for comparative orthopedic research at CSU. His research began with characterization of the aged ovariectomized ewe as a model for postmenopausal conditions including osteoporosis, heart disease, and arthritis; studying new therapies for osteoporosis including selective estrogen receptor modulators. His research with sheep has included investigation into new methods of enhancement of implant fixation in bone, anterior and posterior spine fusion with various implants and growth factors, bone void fillers and fracture healing.

Dr. Turner has authored or co-authored of more than 330 refereed papers and abstracts and was inducted in The Glover Gallery for distinguished alumni and faculty at CSU. His brother and his brother's daughter, both veterinarians, practice in Australia. His wife is a professor in anesthesiology in the Department of Clinical Sciences at CSU.

This annual award recognizes excellence, innovation, and enthusiasm in the field of clinical veterinary science and education.

Cynthia R. Ward, VMD, Ph.D., DACVIM
Dr. Ward received her Veterinary Medical and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. She completed a residency in small animal internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. She was a member of the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania for several years and is currently an associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Georgia.

Dr. Ward has an active research interest in small animal endocrinology, concentrating on feline hyperthyroid disease. She has received numerous teaching awards while on the faculties of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Georgia. She is currently involved in an NIH-funded project focusing on developing new methods for teaching biology to high school students.

This annual award recognizes excellence, innovation, and enthusiasm in the field of clinical veterinary science and education.

Colby G. Burns, DVM
Dr. Burns received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Florida. She completed a one-year rotating internship at Tufts University, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in Grafton, Mass. She is currently a second year small animal surgery resident in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at The Ohio State University, College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Burns is actively involved in research and will be presenting her abstract, "Peritonea pericardial Diaphragmatic Hernia: A Retrospective Evaluation of 28 Dogs and 30 Cats" (1999-2008), at the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in the Resident Forum October 9, 2009, in Washington, DC. Her master's research, "Cyclic Fatigue Resistance of Locking Bolts Used to Secure Interlocking Nails in Long-Bone Fractures," is funded by an intramural canine research grant.

Dr. Burns' clinical interests include surgical oncology, wound management, and minimally invasive surgery. She is currently a member of the Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology, Veterinary Wound Management Society and the American Veterinary Medical Association. After completion of her surgical residency, Dr. Burns would like to pursue a surgical oncology fellowship.

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The AVMA and its more than 78,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of activities dedicated to advancing the science and art of animal, human and public health. Visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org for more information.