Miller joins AVMA Washington office
In February Dr. Whitney Lee Miller joined the AVMA as an assistant director in the Governmental Relations Division. Dr. Miller will work as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill on behalf of the veterinary profession.
"I am really excited about beginning my position at the AVMA GRD. I will be advocating on behalf of the profession on vital issues at the national level," Dr. Miller said. "It is a rare opportunity to be able to affect legislation, and I hope to effectively bring the expertise and the importance of veterinary medicine to the attention of Congress."
Dr. Miller is responsible for establishing and maintaining communication between AVMA members and congressional staff, pertinent regulatory agencies, state veterinary associations, allied veterinary groups, and advocacy groups to advance the goals of the AVMA.
"I am very pleased to have Dr. Miller join the AVMA as an assistant director in the GRD," said division director Dr. Mark Lutschaunig. "Whitney will be spending the majority of her time on animal welfare issues, which is one of the strategic goals for the AVMA. Whitney's past experience as an AVMA fellow will help her navigate the legislative process to advance the AVMA's legislative priorities."
In addition to animal welfare, Dr. Miller is focusing on issues related to the human-animal bond, pet ownership/guardianship, aquaculture, environmental issues, conservation, animal transport, use of pesticides, and zoos and wildlife.
As an AVMA Congressional Science Fellow, Dr. Miller served as the science policy expert to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. She worked extensively on legislative issues pertaining to biodefense, biosecurity, medical emergency preparedness, and public health response and played an integral role in drafting the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism legislation.
Most recently Dr. Miller worked at a small animal private practice, and she will continue to do some small animal emergency relief work. In addition, she volunteers locally at a shelter spay-neuter program. She also has experience with the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine. She has completed international training programs in South Africa, Japan, and Belgium.
Dr. Miller received her DVM degree in 2008 and her master's in business administration in 2006, both from Colorado State University.