March 01, 2021

Two candidates are vying to represent District X—which covers California, Hawaii, and Nevada—on the AVMA Board of Directors. Voting for the race between Drs. Leianne K. Lee Loy and Richard “Dick” Sullivan is happening March 1-31.

Dr. Lee Loy (Missouri ’95) of Honolulu is an associate veterinarian at Hawaii Kai Veterinary Clinic. She also does relief work for local veterinary clinics and organizations such as the Hawaiian Humane Society.

She earned a Master of Business Administration in 2003 at the University of Hawaii-Manoa. She is certified in veterinary acupuncture and educated in Chinese herbal medicine; food therapy; tu ina, a type of therapeutic massage originating in China; and palliative and hospice care.

Dr. Lee Loy was Hawaii’s alternate delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates for six years and has served as the delegate representing Hawaii since 2015. She also is a member of the AVMA State Advocacy Committee.

She has been president of the Hawaii VMA and held multiple positions with the HVMA previously. Dr. Lee Loy has been a member of the Hawaii Board of Veterinary Medicine since 2016.

Born on the island of Oahu, Dr. Lee Loy says being a hula dancer allows her to remain in touch with her Hawaiian roots.

Dr. Sullivan (Purdue ’72) served in the Peace Corps in Brazil as an extension veterinarian after graduation. He then returned to settle in Torrance, California, while his wife, Connie, finished her PhD in epidemiology at the University of California-Los Angeles. After four years as an associate at Bay Cities Pet Hospital, he became part owner of the community emergency clinic and was soon elected to its board of directors, serving for 30 years.

He has been president of the Southern California VMA and California VMA and has served on numerous committees for both. Dr. Sullivan became active in the AVMA by serving on its Judicial Council and on the State Advocacy Committee. He was a member of one of the working groups tasked with developing material for the AVMA’s position on telemedicine and telehealth. He was California’s alternate delegate to the AVMA HOD for eight years and then served another eight years as the delegate representing California.

Dr. Sullivan also has served on the California Veterinary Medical Board, first being elected by the board to serve on its Multidisciplinary Advisory Board and then being appointed to the CVMB by then-Gov. Jerry Brown and serving for six years. Dr. Sullivan is now back on the MAB.

Get additional information, including biographical statements and statements of reasons for seeking office.

An email message is sent to all eligible voters, providing instructions and a link to a secure voting website. The email is sent from the address AVMAelectionavma [dot] org.