AAVMC announces 2021-2022 board of directors

The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) recently announced its 2021-2022 board of directors. This year, the board has been expanded to 16 members to include a new non-voting liaison from the Association of Veterinary Technician Educators (AVTE), James Hurrell, DVM.

Every January, the AAVMC Assembly holds a meeting in concomitant with the Deans Leadership Conference where they also elect board members. Terms of service fall on the first and final day of the annual conference.

Leadership changes

Paul Lunn, BVSc, MS, PhD, MRCVS, DACVIM, dean of the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, will now serve as president and board chair, replacing Mark Markel, DVM, PhD, DACVS. Markel, dean of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, will serve as past-president.

“I’ve known Dr. Markel for many years, and we have enjoyed working together for the AAVMC,” says Lunn in an association release. “Mark has driven many of the most important initiatives at the AAVMC over the past decade. For that, we are very grateful, and we’re looking forward to his continued contributions to the leadership team during the year ahead.”

Additionally, Susan Tornquist, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVP, Lois Bates Acheson dean of Oregon State University's Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, will serve as president-elect, making her a member of the executive committee.

Jeffrey Wichtel, BVSc, PhD, DACT, dean of the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph, will serve as the at-large director for region II (Canadian colleges) and Jonathan Huxley, BVSc, PhD, DCHP, DECBHM, FRCVS, head of the Massey University School of Veterinary Science as at-large director for region III (Australia, New Zealand, and Asia).

Finally, Christina Sigurdson, BS, DVM, PhD, codirector of the Center of Veterinary Sciences and Comparative Medicine at the University of California-Davis, will serve as at-large director representing the department of comparative medicine.

All remaining board member positions will stay the same. To view the complete list of AAVMC's 2021-2022 board of directors, go here.