AVMA officer candidates Knapp, Boggier launch campaigns

Drs. Robert Knapp and Elizabeth Boggier on July 18 launched their respective campaigns for 2026-27 AVMA president-elect and 2026-28 AVMA vice president during the AVMA House of Delegates’ (HOD) regular annual session in Washington, D.C.

President-elect

Dr. Knapp is a third-generation small animal veterinarian. He owns Knapp Veterinary Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, a six-veterinarian practice founded by his grandfather in 1945.

In his remarks to the HOD, Dr. Knapp described himself as committed, respectful, and responsible, and highlighted member wellbeing, student debt, and telemedicine as key issues to the veterinary profession. He pledged to address these matters in a pragmatic and member-driven way, inspired by the concept of paying it forward.

“I am, by nature, a listener,” Dr. Knapp said. “I want and need to hear the concerns of our members. Only then can we start working together to find solutions.”

Dr. Knapp told delegates that veterinary medicine “was simply what we did” in his household, with dinner table conversations revolving around cases and clinic management. He received his master’s in animal sciences in 1988 from Texas A&M University before graduating in 1992 from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

“Being a third‑generation veterinarian, I never had that aha moment,” he said, “but working in the practice at a young age showed me the impact we have on people, pets, and each other.”

Dr. Knapp explained his professional philosophy as the “three R’s: relationships, respect, and responsibility.” These values guide how he runs his business, mentors veterinary students, and approaches AVMA governance, he said.

Dr. Knapp has held various leadership roles within organized veterinary medicine, including on the AVMA Board of Directors as chair from 2024-25 and as Ohio VMA president from 2007-08.

Member wellbeing, student debt, telemedicine, drug shortages, and changes in practice ownership are interconnected issues the AVMA must address, Dr. Knapp said, adding that the AVMA must equip members “to adapt and thrive in this new environment” while ensuring the veterinary voice is heard locally, nationally, and internationally.

Dr. Knapp closed with a quote from legendary Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes: “Try to take the attitude toward life that you’re going to pay forward. So seldom can we pay back, because those who helped most—your parents and other people—will be gone, but you’ll find that you do want to pay.”

It’s a lesson Hayes delivered at Dr. Knapp’s undergraduate commencement that he says guides him to this day.

“The concept of paying forward rings true to me,” Dr. Knapp said, “and I believe it is a concept we all embrace as we work together to support the AVMA and our profession.”

Vice president

Dr. Boggier opened her case for AVMA vice president with a promise that, if elected, she would make veterinary students, One Health, and global collaboration the focus of her service.

“Throughout my career, one constant has been my commitment to the next generation. I will focus on lifting up veterinary students, giving them a clear voice at the table … and ensuring the AVMA remains accessible, relevant, and student centered,” said Dr. Boggier, who is running under the banner of “Leading change, strengthening veterinary futures.”

The AVMA vice president serves two years as the organization’s liaison to the Student AVMA and its chapters, along with veterinary college deans and faculty.

A 1998 graduate of Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Boggier is chief executive officer of Mountainview Veterinary Hospital in Denville, New Jersey. She serves as the New Jersey delegate in the HOD.

According to Dr. Boggier, pairing students with seasoned practitioners is the surest way to build resilience in younger veterinarians.

“There’s nothing more rewarding than sharing your journey and helping pave the way for a brighter, more sustainable future in veterinary medicine,” she added.

Dr. Boggier recalled her experience as a practice owner during the pandemic, including the constant uncertainty and fear as her practice team juggled curbside care, staffing gaps, and surging online pharmacy competition. She said the pandemic proved just how adaptable the profession is, adding how “these experiences shaped me and showed me how critical it is that we prepare our future colleagues to face change with confidence and support.”

Telehealth, Dr. Boggier said, is an area where the AVMA can help young veterinarians thrive rather than merely cope.

“We should foster collaboration, innovation, and share learning across all our borders,” she said, calling for stronger ties with U.S. and foreign veterinary schools.

One Health is another pillar of Dr. Boggier’s candidacy. She said she would connect students with epidemiologists, ecologists, and physicians early in their training. International dialogue, she said, is not optional: “We all can learn from one another.”

Delegates will choose the next AVMA president-elect and vice president at the 2026 regular annual session of the HOD next July in Anaheim, California.

A version of this story appears in the September 2025 print issue of JAVMA