Committee Spotlight: Governance
Jennifer Kim, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology) | Chair, ACVIM Governance Committee
Dr. Jennifer Kim is a Board-certified Veterinary Oncologist currently working at a BluePearl Pet Hospital near Philadelphia, PA. She grew up in New York and received her BA from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Kim then spent two years at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland doing cancer genetic research as a pre-doctoral fellow. She graduated from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tuft's University, then completed an internship at Animal Medical Center in New York City (back when Dr. Garvey ran the hospital, she notes). Dr. Kim then completed a specialty internship at Cornell and spent two years as an emergency veterinarian before accepting an off-match residency at Michigan State. She has been in private clinical practice ever since.
What motivated you to volunteer with the ACVIM, or how did you first get involved with the organization?
The idea of service was something my parents instilled in me. I was a part of two Americorps programs before veterinary school. When I finally got my Diplomate status, the first opportunity I had to sign up to volunteer, I did. For me, I want to know that I contributed to the profession and hopefully made it a little better or easier for the people behind me. My first committee was the Exam Rating Committee for oncology and I have also served on the Achieving Board Certification taskforce, the Oncology President Nominating Committee and the Education and Research Committee.
Could you describe the work of the committee and how this work contributes to the overall mission/goals of the ACVIM?
The Governance Committee was a new committee when I started. Under the leadership of Dr. Leah Cohn, our first big task was to update the ACVIM bylaws. The bylaws were over 20 years old and the organization had grown tremendously in that time. This committee is also tasked with identifying leaders to be on the ballot for president-elect and the Board. Now that the bylaws have been revised, we are moving on to finding ways to engage members to volunteer and to empower Diplomates to become leaders.
As the chair of this committee, what responsibilities and duties do you undertake?
At first, being chair of a committee or even on a committee might seem like it would require a lot of time. However, ACVIM is not only well staffed, but the staff are just great. They structure the meetings, research our many questions and implement our plans. My role is to be the point person to run the meetings and help direct what the committee members see. I am also the face of the committee to our members and the Board.
Can you share a successful collaboration story that highlights the positive impact of teamwork within your committee?
I have been so impressed with my colleagues on this committee. They share great ideas and we have productive conversations. When we were planning the Volunteer Breakfast at the recent 2025 ACVIM Forum, I proposed three different ideas for the format. As we discussed it, we ultimately decided to do a hybrid of the three different formats I had proposed. The volunteer breakfast went well and my committee members who were at Forum were a key part in making that happen.
How has your involvement with the ACVIM and chairing this committee personally enriched your professional experience and contributed to your growth in the field of veterinary internal medicine?
We discussed this exact question at the Volunteer Breakfast and our panel all agreed that the best aspect of being a volunteer is meeting other diplomates you would not meet otherwise. Being a volunteer enables to me to understand our profession by seeing the different sides of our industry. I was privileged to be a part of the Leadership Symposium at Forum this year and was able to network with other leaders and will likely form lasting professional relationships from this one event. One of our panelists at the Volunteer Breakfast was offered a job by a colleague that had served with her on a past committee.
What advice would you give to other Diplomates considering volunteering with the ACVIM?
Do not be afraid to volunteer. When I speak to my colleagues, many are afraid of the time commitment or they feel they are not qualified to contribute. None of this is true. Everything that ACVIM does is directed by volunteers. If there is something you wish ACVIM did that they are not doing, then get involved. If you have applied for a particular volunteer position and did not get it, do not be discouraged and apply again. With any membership organization, it is not uncommon for new volunteers to start in specific roles that have duplicity before moving to ‘larger’ roles. This is twofold, one to get the volunteer to understand the organization and two to ensure that the goal of that committee is completed.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for the committee and its impact within ACVIM? Are there any upcoming projects or goals that you are particularly excited about?
The Governance Committee is a new entity to ACVIM. I think we are still in the process of defining what our role will be. I would really like to find a way to engage newer Diplomates to get involved and help move our profession forward. I am also excited to look at different potential opportunities to empower our colleagues to serve in leadership roles.