Banfield Pet Hospital® Helps Lead The Veterinary Profession

PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2016, Banfield Pet Hospital continued to encourage its doctors to engage with the broader veterinary profession by lending their expertise to various professional associations across the country.

One of the primary ways Banfield has supported these leadership opportunities is by facilitating doctors' involvement in their respective state veterinary medical associations (VMAs). Through Banfield's state VMA program, the practice pays membership fees for all doctors in select states to join these important professional organizations. To date, Banfield has these programs in place in 19 states with the goal of expanding to every state in which Banfield has a hospital over the next few years.

"As a practice, we consider the investment in our state VMA program to be an important one," said Dr. Daniel Aja, Banfield's Chief Medical Officer. "Through these memberships, our doctors can take advantage of all that these organizations have to offer—and that includes serving on boards and committees to help advance the veterinary profession in their local communities." He continues, "We are very proud of our associates who have taken on these roles and hope to see more and more Banfield leaders helping to shape the profession in the years to come."

A partial list of Banfield associates in leadership roles is listed below:

• Dr. Abel Gonzalez, Practice Owner Subcommittee, Illinois Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Alexandra Quarti, Middlesex County Representative, Chair, Strategic Planning Committee, Co-Chair, Membership Committee, Member, Government Affairs Committee, Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Brooke Dooley, Recent Graduate-Student Liaison Committee, Texas Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Carla Lerum, Treasurer, Board of Directors, Portland Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Carlos Pereyra, Ethics & Grievance Committee and AVMA Liaison Committee, Texas Veterinary Medical Association; Council on Research, American Veterinary Medical Association; non-affiliate member, UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Dr. Dana Novara, Board of Directors, Nevada Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Emily Shani, Legislative Committee, California Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Erica Wolbramsky, Occuptional Advisory Committee, Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Genevieve Grammar, Board of Directors, Colorado Springs Veterinary Society
• Dr. George Melillo, Board of Directors, Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Kimberly-Ann Therrien, Board of Directors, Women's Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative
• Dr. Kirk Breuninger, Future Leaders, American Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Lucie Chitwood, Professional Committee, Texas Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Megan Garrison, Communications Committee, Ohio Veterinary Medical Association
• Melissa McGrath, Board of Directors, Nevada Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Meredith Miller, Chair, Education and Program Committees, Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association; President, Fairfield County Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Molly McAllister, Chair, Convention Program Committee, American Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Seth Wexler, District Rep, North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Shelley Ferris, Program Committee, California Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Stanley Robertson, Continuing Education & Nominating Committee, Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association
• Taneeka Bautista, RVT Program Advisory Board, Cal Poly Pomona Animal Health Science

About Banfield Pet Hospital®
Founded in Portland, Oregon, in 1955, Banfield is the largest general veterinary practice in the world. In 2007, Banfield joined the Mars, Inc. family of businesses, and today it is more than 960 hospitals strong in neighborhoods across the United States and Puerto Rico. More than 3,000 veterinarians at Banfield are committed to giving pets the highest quality of veterinary care. Banfield hospitals offer a full range of comprehensive medical services, computerized medical records, preventive care plans for pets and extended operating hours. Banfield Pet Hospital helps extend the lives of millions of pets each year through Optimum Wellness Plans®. For journalists seeking more information, visit Banfield.com or contact the Media Hotline at 888-355-0595.

Media Contact:
Kate Greenberg 
[email protected], 202-944-1940
Banfield Pet Hospital^® Media Hotline, 1-888-355-0595

SOURCE Banfield Pet Hospital