Our Staff and Board

Having served as president of The International Cat Association (TICA), Vickie Fisher joined EveryCat Health Foundation (previously the Winn Feline Foundation) Board of Directors as Treasurer, with a solid background of experience in the world of felines and their well being.

Ms. Fisher’s extensive career in finance and accounting as CFA and VP of finance in the insurance and legal sector also contributes to her role at Winn. She served as cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Tax Department, and chaired the audit committee for the Public Service Company Board of Directors. Ms. Fisher recently retired from the Presbyterian Healthcare Services Board, where she served on the finance committee and chaired the compliance and audit committee for 10 years.

Ms. Fisher leads a non-profit “friends” group in Albuquerque, NM that works with the city’s animal welfare department. She also served as deputy chief administrative officer for the City of Albuquerque for eight years and was responsible for budget, finance, strategic planning, and the city’s enterprise departments.

Dr. Dean Vicksman, a Denver native, graduated with honors from Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1986. He was then accepted into Angell Memorial Animal Hospital’s internship program in Boston for advanced training in small animal medicine and surgery. He has co-owned and directed Evans East Animal Hospital since April 1, 1987, with Dr. Steve Kromka. He is a Certified Veterinary Journalist and a participating member of the Veterinary News Network.

His personal interests include skiing and martial arts and Dr. Vicksman has a 2nd degree black belt in Peoples Kenpo Karate. In keeping with his journalist interests, he is a guest speaker on ABC Channel 7 and FOX31 News pet segments. He is currently Chairman of the Board at PetAid Colorado, the past Chairman of the Board at the Dumb Friends League and on the Advisory Board of the Grey Muzzle Organization. He and his wife, Rebecca, and their two children, Sarah and Koby, enjoy their dogs Odin, Whinnie, Jadzia, and Pickles.

Drew Weigner is one of the first feline practitioners in the nation, having practiced medicine for more than 35 years. He graduated in 1982 from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. In 1987, he established The Cat Doctor in Atlanta, the first feline practice in the southeastern United States, which became accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association in 1991.

Dr. Weigner served as president of the Academy of Feline Medicine in 2002 and as a board member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners for several terms. He has been a board director of EveryCat Health Foundation (previously the Winn Feline Foundation) since 2014.

Dr. Weigner is the author of numerous scientific and consumer articles and is sought after as an expert in feline medicine by such organizations as CNN, the Chicago Tribune, and USA Today. He is dedicated to educating the public about feline issues and frequently appears in consumer magazines, newspapers, radio, television, Internet publications, and the WebMD® pet health community.

Steve Dale, certified animal behavior consultant (CABC), has reached more pet owners over the past few decades than any other pet journalist in America.

He is the host of two nationally syndicated radio shows, Steve Dale’s Pet World and The Pet Minute (together heard on more than 100 radio stations, syndicated Black Dog Radio Productions, since 2005). He’s also a special contributor at WGN Radio, Chicago, and program host of Steve Dale’s Pet World (since 1997). He formerly hosted the nationally broadcast Animal Planet Radio.

For 21 years, his twice weekly newspaper column was syndicated by the Chicago Tribune. Steve was a contributing editor for USA Weekend (2002 to 2014), and regular columnist at Cat Fancy magazine (2006 to 2014). He has written for a long list of magazines, from People to Dog World (where he was a columnist).

He’s currently a writer and contributing editor for CATster, and authors a column called Steve Dale’s Vet World for Veterinary Practice News. He’s also a columnist for the Journal of National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America.

He also contributes blogs for various websites, including for Victoria Stilwell.

On TV, he’s appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, National Geographic Explorer, Good Morning America; Pets: Part of the Family (PBS), Fox News, various Animal Planet shows, and many others. For several years, Steve was a regular contributor to Superstation WGN-TV morning news, then appeared regularly on WMAQ-TV, Chicago. Currently, he’s a contributor to nationally syndicated HouseSmarts TV. Steve’s also a frequent host of satellite media tours.

In print, he’s been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Redbook, various veterinary publications, and dozens more. He has also appeared as an expert guest on the BBC and NPR many times, and hundreds of radio programs around the world.

Steve co-edited Decoding Your Dog, written by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014). He also authored the Introduction to Decoding Your Cat, written by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020)

Steve’s the author of ebooks, Good Dog! and Good Cat! (Chicago Tribune, 2013). He’s the author of several other books, including My New Puppy, DogGone Chicago and American Zoos.

Steve is a contributor to textbooks The Cat: Clinical Medicine and Management (edited Dr. Susan Little, 2011); Treatment and Care of the Geriatric Veterinary Patient (edited Dr. Mary Gardner and Dr. Dani McVety, 2017) and El Gato Atropellado (translated The Cat: Hit by a Car, edited Dr. Luis Tello, 2019) Foreword for Infectious Disease Handbook (Merck Animal Health, 2017). He was an external reviewer for the 2005 Feline Behavior Guidelines (American Association of Feline Practitioners).

He’s written introductions or contributed chapters and forewords to many books, including Helpful and Caring Cats: Felines Who Make a Difference; Heartfelt Connections: How Animals and People Help One Another; The Pet Parent’s Guide: Infectious Disease of Dogs; Cats Revealed: Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Living Happily with a Cat; Bonding With Your Dog, Dog Spelled Backwards; The Compassion of Dogs; Raising My Furry Children; Christmas Cats; Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover’s Soul, and Angel Animals and the Kids Who Love Them.

He’s the primary author of the CATegorical Care: An Owner’s Guide to America’s Number #1 Companion (reviewers include AVMA, SAWA), published American Humane Association/CATalyst Council, 2010). He co-authored (with Dr. Sagi Denenberg) the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior Position Statement on Breed-Specific Legislation (2014). Edited: 50 Years of Advancing Feline Medicine: Winn Feline Foundation Helping Every Cat, Every Day (2018) and Preparing for the Future Celebrating the Winn Feline Foundation at 40 (2008).

Steve is a founder of the CATalyst Council and served on the Board of Directors from 2008 to 2012. After six years, in 2012, he cycled off the Board of Directors of the American Humane Association and served as a National Ambassador. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Tree House Humane Society, Chicago (2005 to 2016). He’s also on the Board of Directors of the Winn Feline Foundation (2007 to present), American Association of Human-Animal Bond Veterinarians (2016 to present). He’s an Advisory Board Member of Chicago Friends of Animal Care & Control (2013 to present), SPCA Puerto Vallarta (2016 to present), Grey Muzzle Organization (2017 to present), National Link Coalition G-10 Steering Committee (2020 to present) and DVM360 Editorial Advisory Board (2020 to present).

Steve is also a part of an AVMA/AAHA initiative to encourage preventive veterinary care, called Partners for Health Pets. In 2014, Steve co-founded Veterinary Professionals Against Puppy Mills, and serves on the Board of Directors. Steve is on the Pet Partners Human-Animal Bond National Scientific Advisory Board (2015 to present) and National Advisory Council Member American Association of Feline Practitioners (20016 to present). He was National Advisory Board Member Angel on a Leash (2005 to 2016) and Task Force on Feline Sterilization (2015 to 2017).

Steve’s a speaker for American Association of Feline Practitioners Cat Friendly Practices and the Fear Free Initiative. He’s on the Fear Free Advisory Council (2013 to present) and is the Chief Correspondent Fear Free Happy Homes, and he is certified in Fear Free.

Steve co-organized and led the event, Purrsing FIP and Winning for the Winn Feline Foundation. at UC Davis (2019). Aside from announcing major advances regarding FIP; never before have so many researchers from around the world gathered at a symposium to discuss a single feline health issue.

In Chicago, Steve created the Chicago Task Force on Companion Animals and Public Safety (2000-2010), where three-times proposed breed bans were over-turned and twice over-turned proposed mandated pediatric spay/neuter, as well as proposed pet limit laws. The Task Force also created guidelines for ‘doggy day care.’ As a pet advocate, Steve has testified many times against breed specific bans, pet limit laws, etc. in the Chicago area and elsewhere. Steve regularly advised Illinois Governor Pat Quinn regarding pet-related issues, including leading on bills to prohibit breed-specific bans and prosecute dog fighters with enhanced felony charges when convicted of fighting near schools or daycare centers. In 2019, it was Steve’s idea to create the first fire protection law for pets in kennels, which was signed by Governor J. B. Pritzker.

Among Steve’s many awards, the AVMA Humane Award (the only AVMA honor bestowed to a non-veterinarian), Editor and Publisher syndicated newspaper Feature Writer of the Year Award but his most distinguished may be the inaugural AVMA Excellence in Media Award which will be presented to him in August, 2020. He’s also earned the AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Public Service Award (twice), HSUS Pets for Life Award, American Humane Association Media Award, American Pet Products Association Pet Industry Outstanding Media Representative of the Year, and has been honored with over 15 Maxwell’s Awards from the Dog Writer’s Association of America and over 15 Muse Awards from the Cat Writers’ Association of America. He’s also been honored by the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Friends of Chicago Animal Care and Control, and was the first recipient of the Winn Feline Foundation Media Appreciation Award, and many others.

In 2012, Steve became the youngest person ever inducted into the Dog Writer’s Association of America Hall of Fame.

After his beloved cat Ricky passed away in 2002 of feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), Steve created the Ricky Fund with the Winn Feline Foundation to raise money to research this often-fatal disease. He’s helped to raise over $200,000 – and as a direct result a genetic test was created to determine if a gene defect for HCM exists for two breeds, and further studies are underway.

Steve’s a regular speaker at veterinary and shelter conferences around the world, and for shelter fundraisers, and other special events, including SXSW. Steve’s presented numerous times at each of the major U.S. veterinary conferences, and at state and regional meetings as well as at veterinary schools, and several times for the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. He’s also spoken at the Congreso Veterinario de Leon (Leon, Mexico) four times as well as the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Conference (Sydney, Australia); CICA Animal Behavior Conference (Mexico City, Mexico); Latin American Veterinary Conference (Lima, Peru); Congreso Veternario de Columbia (Pereira, Columbia); Caribbean Veterinary Conference (St. Kitts); Companion Animal Nutrition Summit (San Jose, Costa Rica); and (via Skype) Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists Veterinary Behaviour Chapter Science Week (Brisbane, Australia).

Steve’s persistence convinced the Chicago White Sox to allow dogs at a major league baseball game – today, ball parks around America have periodic “dog days” promotions. In 2004, he suggested Mercury Skyline Cruiseline create “The Canine Cruise,” a dog-friendly architecture cruise for dogs on Lake Michigan/Chicago River, also replicated in other cities.

Steve is also the host (since 2015) of a popular WGN Podcast, Steve Dale’s Other World (about topics generally unrelated to pets).

Kathy has served on the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) for 20 years. Most of those years as CFA’s Treasurer and a few years as Midwest Regional Director. Kathy also currently chairs a number of committees for CFA which include the International Division, Audit, Budget, and Diversity & Inclusion. Kathy serves as CFA’s delegate to the World Cat Congress and as treasurer for both the CFA Foundation and the Maine Coon Breed Council. Kathy is also a member of several CFA Clubs.
Kathy has been in the CFA Judging Program for 15 years and is an Allbreed Judge. She has had the opportunity to judge all over the world including Asia, Europe, Latin America, Canada, Russia, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, and of course the United States.
Kathy got her start in cats exhibiting household pets. In 1991, she established her cattery, 5800 Dreams, along with her son. Her love of cats and passion led her to breed and show Maine Coons, American Wirehairs, American Shorthairs, Tonkinese, Russian Blue, and Lykoi’s. She has received national wins with both her Maine Coons and her American Wirehairs.
Kathy is a graduate of the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois, and is retired from PepsiCo. She lives in Chicago and has the pleasure of spending time with her family including her son, daughter-in-law, and her grandson.
When not involved with judging or her many organizational responsibilities, Kathy loves the theatre, music, dining (not cooking), and spending time with her friends and her cats.
Here is a little-known fact – Kathy can play the bagpipes!

George J. Eigenhauser Jr. is an attorney at law, licensed in the state of California since 1979. He has served on EveryCat Health Foundation (previously the Winn Feline Foundation) Board of Directors and as CFA liaison to EveryCat for more than 17 years. His expertise in the area of wills, trusts and estate planning allows him to assist donors with planned giving decisions. He is also the legislative coordinator for the Cat Fanciers’ Association, Inc. and has served on the CFA board for 22 years.

Mr. Eigenhauser graduated from law school at Western State University and holds an undergraduate degree from Shimer College. He currently practices law in Marysville, CA, with an emphasis on wills, trusts and estate planning.

As a true cat fancier, Mr. Eigenhauser raises and shows Maine Coon cats. While he started in CFA showing household cats, his first Maine Coon cat was acquired in 1992, and his cattery’s name is Telecoons.

Dr. Brian Holub has been working with EveryCat Health Foundation (previously the Winn Feline Foundation) for nearly three decades. Dr. Holub is a member of the foundation’s original grant review committee and continues to serve on the Scientific Review Committee, to help select grant recipients each year by reviewing research proposals and making funding recommendations.

Dr. Holub has significant front line experience in the world of feline health care. Dr Holub graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1983. He owned and operated Countryside Veterinary Hospital in Chelmsford, MA from 1985 to 2012, and continues as a practicing veterinarian, one day a week. Countryside VH was recognized as the 2010 AAHA Practice of the Year, and VetPub 2000 Practice of Excellence. Dr. Holub was the Chief Medical Officer for VetCor, a national network of 700 community-based free-standing veterinary hospitals, from 2012 until he retired in 2022. Dr Holub also served as a clinical instructor at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, from 1998-2014.

Dr Holub was a CFA breeder of pedigreed American Shorthair Cats for over 20 years. He established his cattery, Heartnsoul, in 1988. Dr Holub was also a CFA cat show exhibitor, an ASH Breed Council member, and a CFA ring clerk for many years. Dr. Holub has a special interest in pedigree cat medicine, multiple-cat environments, and feline reproduction.

Dr Holub also currently serves on the Scientific Review Board for the AKC Canine Health Foundation, the Board of Directors for New England Disabled Sports, and The Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine Stanton Foundation Advisory Board.

Kara Burns is a licensed veterinary technician with a master’s degree in physiology and a master’s degree in counseling psychology. She began her career in human medicine working as an emergency psychologist before attaining her veterinary technician license and working in small animal and avian practices.

Kara is the Founder and Past President of the Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians. She teaches nutrition courses around the world and is an independent nutritional consultant as well as a well-being consultant. She is a Boehringer Ingelheim Technician Champion, and is the Editor in Chief of Today’s Veterinary Nurse publication.

She is a member of many national, international, and state associations and holds positions on many boards in the profession: American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition executive board; NAVTA Past President; Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics board member; Collaborative Care Coalition executive board; and the Pet Nutrition Alliance President, to name a few.

She has authored numerous veterinary articles, textbooks, and textbook chapters and is an internationally invited speaker, focusing on topics of nutrition, leadership, and technician utilization. Kara and her wife Dr. Ellen Lowery developed the Pet Nutrition Coach Certification course through NAVC.

Ms. Burns has been featured on the cover of the Veterinary Technician Journal and the NAVTA Journal and most recently has been featured in PetVet Magazine. She was named the North American Veterinary Conference Technician Speaker of the Year in 2013 and in 2016. She was granted an honorary VTS (Internal Medicine) in 2011. She was also granted an honorary VTS (Dentistry) in 2012. She is the 2010 NAVTA Veterinary Technician of the Year, as well as the 2011 Dr. Franklin Loew Lecturer.

Kara’s pet family includes Molly, a tiny French Bulldog; Brees, an Aussie/Border Collie cross; three indoor cats; Oreo – Domestic Shorthair, O’Malley – a snowshoe, and Ollie – the best Persian cat ever, 6 lovebirds, Bella, a Meyer’s parrot, and a guinea pig named Nugget!

Vicki L. Thayer has a 40 year background in feline medicine. A graduate of Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Thayer is board certified in feline medicine by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) and was principal owner of Civic Feline Clinic. Located in Walnut Creek, CA, the clinic was the first exclusively feline veterinary practice in the Diablo Valley region of the state.

She has considerable experience in organized veterinary medicine in the American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) and American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), as well as through other community activities. Dr. Thayer served on the board of AAFP for 20 years, and as president from 1996-1998. From 2004-2010, she was AAFP’s delegate to AVMA. She is also on the board of the largest private cat shelter in the Pacific Northwest, Cat Adoption Team of Sherwood, OR.

Dr. Thayer joined EveryCat Health Foundation (previously the Winn Feline Foundation) Board of Directors in 2008 and served as board president from June 2011 to June 2014, stepping into the position of Executive Director on July 1, 2014. She is retired from this role at the end of 2018. She lives on a 40-acre heritage farm in the foothills of the Oregon Cascades with her husband, four cats and one dog, and also enjoying time with her two sons’ families.

Dr. Brian Holub has been working with EveryCat Health Foundation (previously the Winn Feline Foundation) for nearly three decades. Dr. Holub is a member of the foundation’s original grant review committee and continues to serve on the Scientific Review Committee, to help select grant recipients each year by reviewing research proposals and making funding recommendations.

Dr. Holub has significant front line experience in the world of feline health care. Dr Holub graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1983. He owned and operated Countryside Veterinary Hospital in Chelmsford, MA from 1985 to 2012, and continues as a practicing veterinarian, one day a week. Countryside VH was recognized as the 2010 AAHA Practice of the Year, and VetPub 2000 Practice of Excellence. Dr. Holub was the Chief Medical Officer for VetCor, a national network of 700 community-based free-standing veterinary hospitals, from 2012 until he retired in 2022. Dr Holub also served as a clinical instructor at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, from 1998-2014.

Dr Holub was a CFA breeder of pedigreed American Shorthair Cats for over 20 years. He established his cattery, Heartnsoul, in 1988. Dr Holub was also a CFA cat show exhibitor, an ASH Breed Council member, and a CFA ring clerk for many years. Dr. Holub has a special interest in pedigree cat medicine, multiple-cat environments, and feline reproduction.

Dr Holub also currently serves on the Scientific Review Board for the AKC Canine Health Foundation, the Board of Directors for New England Disabled Sports, and The Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine Stanton Foundation Advisory Board.

Drew Weigner is one of the first feline practitioners in the nation, having practiced medicine for more than 35 years. He graduated in 1982 from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. In 1987, he established The Cat Doctor in Atlanta, the first feline practice in the southeastern United States, which became accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association in 1991.

Dr. Weigner served as president of the Academy of Feline Medicine in 2002 and as a board member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners for several terms. He has been a board director of EveryCat Health Foundation (previously the Winn Feline Foundation) since 2014.

Dr. Weigner is the author of numerous scientific and consumer articles and is sought after as an expert in feline medicine by such organizations as CNN, the Chicago Tribune, and USA Today. He is dedicated to educating the public about feline issues and frequently appears in consumer magazines, newspapers, radio, television, Internet publications, and the WebMD® pet health community.

Dr. Lappin is a Professor of Infectious Disease in the Department of Clinical Sciences. His laboratory studies immune responses to vaccination against respiratory viruses in cats, as well as immune responses to feline vaccines. He also oversees a large diagnostic service for feline infectious agents, including Toxoplasma gondii, Bartonella, Ehrlichia and others. Current areas of investigation include mechanisms of transmission of Hemoplasma spp, therapies for rickettsial diseases, and companion animals as carriers of drug-resistant staphylococci. Lappin is also Director of Shelter Medicine and investigates disease outbreaks and management in shelter settings.

Dr. Tolwani holds a D.V.M. in veterinary medicine from Auburn University. After two years in private practice in Nashville, Tennessee, he turned to research, completing a Ph.D. in cellular and molecular pathology and a postdoc fellowship in laboratory animal/comparative medicine at the University of Alabama. For his research, he developed a mouse model to study a common illness in humans associated with an enzyme deficiency in fat metabolism. Tolwani later earned an M.Sx. degree in management from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

From 1994 to 2007, he served on the faculty of the Stanford University School of Medicine, where his laboratory focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of brain plasticity.

Tolwani joined Rockefeller in 2007, where he oversees the Comparative Bioscience Center (CBC), the CRISPR and Genome Editing Center, and the Transgenic and Reproductive Technology Center. The CBC provides expertise in animal models, research design and methodology, generation and evaluation of genetically engineered mouse models, and other collaborative efforts. It also provides training to Rockefeller investigators.

Dr. Beaver is internationally recognized for her work in normal and abnormal behaviors of animals, animal welfare, and the human-animal bond. She has given over 500 scientific presentations to veterinary and veterinary student audiences on these subjects, as well as discussed many areas of veterinary medicine for the public media. In addition, she has authored numerous scientific articles and has thirteen published books.

Dr. Beaver is a member of numerous local, state, and national professional organizations. She has served as president of several, including the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, the American College of Animal Welfare, and the Texas Veterinary Medical Association. Dr. Beaver is a past president of the American Veterinary Medical Association and has served as Chair of the AVMA Executive Board. She has also served on several AVMA committees and chaired the AVMA’s Canine Aggression and Human-Canine Interactions Task Force and the Panel on Euthanasia.

Professionally, Dr. Beaver has been honored by being elected as a Distinguished Practitioner of the National Academies of Practice, named as the recipient of the 1996 AVMA Animal Welfare Award, awarded the 2001 Friskies PetCare Award in Animal Behavior, received the 2001 Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award, and named as one of 12 Legends in Veterinary Medicine by the AVMA. In 2015, the University of Guelph honored her work in animal welfare with an honorary Doctor of Science degree, and she received The AVMA Award for her cumulative work with veterinary organizations in 2020.

In addition to her position at Texas A&M University, Dr. Beaver serves as the CEO of Beaver Consulting to provide consulting services in fields of animal behavior, animal welfare, leadership, and adult education.

Chris Kaelin is a senior scientist with appointments at Hudson Alpha Institute of Biotechnology in Huntsville, Alabama and Stanford University, School of Medicine. He completed a Ph.D. and postdoctoral training at Stanford University, studying mouse molecular genetics and the neuroanatomical architecture of feeding and metabolism. Since 2006, his research interests have centered on the genetic and evolutionary basis of coat color patterns in dogs, cats, and their wild relatives.

Dr. Barbara E. Kitchell graduated from Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1979. Dr. Kitchell completed an internship at the University of Minnesota, then residencies in Small Animal Medicine and Oncology at UC Davis from 1981-1985. She started an Oncology referral practice at Special Veterinary Services, Berkeley, California in 1985, and continued to manage that practice on a full time basis until 1989, when she embarked upon her graduate studies while continuing to work part time as a clinical oncologist. She received her Ph.D. degree (emphasis in Cancer Biology) from the Department of Comparative Pathology at UC Davis in 1994. Dr. Kitchell completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Comparative Medicine, Stanford Medical School from 1990-1994. She taught clinical and comparative oncology at the University of Illinois School of Veterinary Medicine from 1994-2003. Dr. Kitchell joined the faculty of Michigan State University in 2004 as Full Professor and Director of the Center for Comparative Oncology, and held this post until joining VCA Vet Care in August, 2013.

She is the Director of Residency Training Programs for VCA, as well as Specialty Medical Director and staff oncologist at Vet Care. Dr. Kitchell is an ACVIM Diplomate in the specialties of Internal Medicine and Oncology. She is past president of the Veterinary Cancer Society and Past Chair of the Board of Regents of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Dr. Kitchell is the author of over 100 scientific publications, abstracts, proceedings, book chapters, handbooks in her field of veterinary and comparative oncology.

Like most veterinarians, she has a menagerie of dogs and cats. Dr. Kitchell also keeps in touch with her 5 wonderful young adult children, and was active in adoption, foster care and Transition to Independence for foster adolescents in Lansing, Michigan.

After receiving her DVM from the University of California at Davis, Dr. Kirk completed an internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York and an Internal Medical Residency and PhD in Nutrition at UC Davis. She worked briefly in private practice as a relief veterinarian and emergency medicine.

In 1994, Dr. Kirk joined Hill’s Pet Nutrition where she served as a senior scientist for 9 years. She participates on the teaching faculty for the Mark Morris Institute for the past 19 years. Presently, she is Professor of Medicine and Nutrition and Head of the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville, Tennessee where she has resided since 2003. In 2012, she was honored as a Wharton Professor of Excellence.

Dr. Kirk is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition and Diplomate of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. She has published over 100 scientific articles and abstracts and holds several patents concerning nutritional management of disease. Her areas of professional interest concern the nutritional interaction with disease with special interests in obesity, feline diabetes, and feline lower urinary tract disease. Her personal interests include horses, gardening, hiking and family.

Dr. Jane Sykes is a Professor of Small Animal Medicine at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine with an interest in small animal infectious diseases. She obtained her veterinary degree and Ph.D. in veterinary microbiology at the University of Melbourne, Australia; residency in small animal internal medicine, University of Minnesota; MBA, University of Georgia. She is Board-Certified in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. She has coauthored > 100 scientific publications and is the editor of the textbooks “Canine and Feline Infectious Diseases”, and “Greene’s Infectious Diseases of the Dog and Cat (5e)”. She was the founder and first President of the International Society of Companion Animal Infectious Diseases (ISCAID) and is the current President of the ACVIM. Her clinical and research interests currently include infectious diseases of dogs and cats with public health implications, including leptospirosis, coccidioidomycosis, and antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

Dr. Kornya graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2014 and entered into emergency and feline practice. He spent six years in primary feline practice and completed an ABVP feline residency in 2019.

In 2020 Dr. Kornya began a Small Animal Internal Medicine residency at the Ontario Veterinary College. His primary area of research is in feline coagulation and hasn’t, with a focus on platelet function testing. His areas of interest include hematology, immunology, and extracorporeal therapy. He serves on the EveryCat Education and Grant review committees and is involved with the AAFP, ICVA<, and other veterinary education organizations.

Dr. Kornya lives in Guelph with six cats and a cockatiel.

Dr. Gregg Dean completed his DVM and clinical pathology residency at Colorado State University. While at CSU, he also earned a PhD in experimental pathology then completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Center for AIDS Research in the Department of Medical Pathology at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine.

Dr. Dean established an independent research program at UC Davis as a faculty research virologist then moved to North Carolina State University where he spent 15 years as a clinical pathologist. In that role, he provided service, teaching and resident training. Throughout, he maintained an NIH funded research program that focused on the immunopathogenesis of HIV/FIV/SIV. While at NC State Dr. Dean directed the Center for Comparative and Translational Research and established a T32-supported training program. After returning to CSU in 2011, he served as head of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology for 11 years. His current research is focused on mucosal immunology and vaccine development with an emphasis on lentiviruses, rotavirus and coronaviruses.

Dr. Mundschenk graduated from Washington State University in 1990. Her career experience includes 16 years in mixed- and small-animal practice, leading to 10 years of feline-exclusive practice. She is a past director of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and is coauthor of the 2014 AAFP Feline Inappropriate Elimination Guidelines. In 2017, she was certified as a diplomate by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners specializing in feline practice. Though she enjoys learning and teaching about all species, her special interest is feline internal medicine, particularly hyperthyroidism, renal disease, oncology, and the role stress plays in the expression of behavior and disease

Tracey Williams graduated from Liverpool John Moores University, UK with a BSc in Applied Biology in 1994 and joined Pfizer Animal Health, Sandwich, UK in 1996 as a trained microbiologist. She relocated with Pfizer to Kalamazoo, MI in 2008, remaining in the Animal Health group throughout the transition to Zoetis in 2013.

With over 20 years’ experience in the Animal Health industry, Tracey brings her passion for research into understanding the biological pathways and mechanisms of companion animal diseases and identifying how these can be exploited to improve the health and wellbeing of our closest companions.

Tracey currently lives in Kalamazoo caring for her “kitty commune” of eleven rescue cats.

Senior Research and Development Manager, Wisdom Health.

Dr. Anderson received her PhD in genetics from the University of Helsinki, Finland and completed her postdoctoral training at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. Her PhD thesis focused on identifying and characterizing hematopoietic stem cell transcriptome and glycome and her postdoctoral studies focused on functional genetics and development of hematopoiesis in zebrafish.

Heidi has been involved in many types of R&D projects throughout her career and she has always been truly passionate about feline and canine research. In 2015, Heidi joined Finland-based Genoscoper, specializing in molecular DNA diagnostics in companion animals; there, she developed one of the first comprehensive DNA tests for felines. She is more broadly interested in research that helps improve the lives of cats and kittens.

Karen Greenwood is the Vice President of Project Management and Strategy at Cellular Longevity, Inc.  Karen particularly enjoys seeing projects move from ideas and early science to commercially available products that make a difference to pets and their owners.

Karen received a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from Southampton University in Southampton, UK. She lives in Shawnee, Kansas with her husband Sean, and her two children, Zoe and Hayley.

Philip Kass Attended UC Davis as an undergraduate in 1976, and remained to obtain five degrees, including Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (1983), Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine (1984), M.S. in Statistics (1988), and Ph.D. in Comparative Pathology (Epidemiology) (1990). Following completion of a post- doctoral fellowship in environmental epidemiology from the UCLA School of Public Health in 1990, he joined the UC Davis faculty and currently holds appointments as a Professor of Analytic Epidemiology in the School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Medicine. His research has centered around companion animal epidemiology, where he studies determinants of health and disease using statistical models, and has co-authored over 500 peer-reviewed scientific articles and several book chapters. His research seemingly covers almost every aspect of companion animal health, ranging from studying factors affecting relinquishment to and adoption from animal shelters, to developing statistical approaches to conducting syndromic surveillance using electronic medical records from networked animal hospitals, to conducting epidemiologic research into causes of injection-site sarcomas in cats.

Jackie Ott Jaakola joined EveryCat Health Foundation in January of 2021.  With more than 30 years of experience in animal welfare and non-profit management, she most recently served as Executive Director of Cat Depot in Sarasota, Florida.  Prior to that Jackie worked for the Annenberg Foundation for over a decade, helping create Wallis Annenberg PetSpace – a unique 30,000-square-foot community space that features an interactive place for pet adoptions, an education center with innovative programs and a leadership institute.  For many years, she was the director of the Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort MacArthur, a hospital for wild seals, sea lions and dolphins after getting her start with marine mammals at the St. Louis Zoo.

Jackie is a graduate of Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, a member of Association of Fundraising Professionals, Association of Animal Welfare Advancement, United States Equestrian Federation, United States Dressage Federation, Alpha Dressage Association, and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

Jackie is an avid equestrian and shares a love of animals with her parents and husband. They live on several acres with horses, cats, and dogs (as well as the various wildlife that inhabits the area) east of Sarasota, Florida.

EveryCat Health Foundation welcomed Donor Care Specialist Lisa (Alisa) Salvaggio in April 2014.

Ms. Salvaggio brings a wealth of experience to her role at EveryCat. She began her career at AA World Class Embroidery, one of the largest manufacturers in the embroidery industry, as the manager of customer service. After 13 years, she joined the customer service team at Liz Claiborne, where she specialized in the international sales market, and worked on additional brands owned by the company.

Five years later, Ms. Salvaggio joined Clancy Twomey Marketing as a customer service specialist, and also served as the direct assistant to the CEO/President, working for both private and non-profit organizations.

Ms. Salvaggio lives in Bergenfield, NJ, with her husband of 19 years and two daughters. In her free time, she is a dedicated dance mom and a volunteer at her local school.

Virginia joined EveryCat Health Foundation in 2019. Her responsibilities include promoting EveryCat and its mission at various cat shows and related events, pet and animal industry trade shows, and veterinary conferences, plus managing EveryCat’s Webinar series, social media, and newsletter. Without a doubt, her favorite responsibility is talking to people about EveryCat Health Foundation and sharing the significance of EveryCat’s mission to improve the lives of every cat, every day, through EveryCat-funded health studies.

Virginia studied English at the University of Minnesota, and, after years in Emergency Communications, she quit her job and followed her passion into Veterinary Medicine. She received her Vet Tech degree in 2001 and has practiced in rural and urban veterinary hospitals, with both large and small animal patients. Prior to joining EveryCat, she worked for the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America, taught in several Veterinary Technology Programs, and served as Veterinary Technology Program Director at a community college in Iowa.

Virginia considers herself an extroverted introvert, and when she isn’t working, she likes to read, write (yes, she plans to someday write the great American novel), and travel. She shares her home with her partner Jim and her German Shepherd Dog, Seger.

Alas, currently no feline companions.

“To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. That is to have succeeded.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ann Fries joined EveryCat Health Foundation in 2022 with a BA degree from Vanderbilt University, an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and over 30 years’ experience in the consulting and financial services industries.

Since retiring from “Corporate America”, she has served on the Board of Directors of both the Humane Society of Manatee County and the Gulf Coast Chapter of the U.S. National Committee for UN Women. For eight years, Ann was the Artistic Director of the Through Women’s Eyes Film Festival, as part of the Sarasota Film Festival, curating the film program for the festival, showcasing films by and about women.
She has written grants for a handful of non-profits in the Sarasota-Bradenton area, including Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice, Cat Depot, and Child Protection Center, Inc.

She is currently a member of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors and is Treasurer for the Lemur Conservation Foundation in Myakka City, FL.

Animals and nature are Ann’s true passions, particularly felines. She has been socializing cats and kittens at the Humane Society of Sarasota County since 2008. Since 2000, she has been making annual pilgrimages to Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, UT, as a volunteer cat socializer.

Ann lives in Bradenton, FL. and is currently owned by one cat, Stanley Kowalski, who supervises all her work activities.