Dear Colleagues,
Happy New Year! I am excited to step into the role of President of the ACVIM and to serve as the voice of Diplomates, and I thank you for allowing me the privilege of leading the College this year.
BOARD MEMBER UPDATES
I would like to first recognize those members of the Board of Regents whose terms ended in 2025 and welcome our newest members who will represent you in 2026: Dr. Chad Johannes’ term as Oncology Specialty President has ended, and Dr. Jenna Burton will ascend to the role this year. Dr. Glenna Mauldin’s term as Nutrition Specialty President has also ended, with Dr. Robert Van Saun ascending to the role. Dr. Raelene Wouda's time as Certification Liaison has ended, with Dr. Rebecca Saunders stepping into the role this year, and Dr. Charles Vite has joined the Board as President-Elect. Finally, Dr. Joerg Steiner’s time on the Board concluded after serving as Specialty President, ACVIM President, Chair, and Immediate Past-Chair. Please join me in extending thanks to Drs. Johannes, Mauldin, Wouda and Steiner for their years of dedicated service to the College.
VISION FOR THE FUTURE
At the end of 2025, the Board completed a year-long strategic planning process to guide the future of the ACVIM and to continue investing in our core foundation of rigorous residency training, high-quality certification, and best-in-class continuing education.
To realize this mission, the Board is defining activities designed to cement the ACVIM’s position as the leading hub for specialty knowledge, expanding our reach across the veterinary care continuum while emphasizing Diplomates as key opinion leaders. To achieve this, we intend to:
- Continue to provide rigorous, specialist-level learning for ACVIM Diplomates and Candidates while exploring tailored educational opportunities that support referring veterinarians and the broader veterinary care team.
- Cultivate our exclusive specialist community that emphasizes and articulates the unique value of specialists.
- Intentionally engage industry partners, students, general veterinary practitioners, and animal owners in areas of shared interest.
The Board will meet in February to finalize the strategic objectives and priorities that align with these goals. I look forward to sharing the output of this meeting with you, and to engaging with the wider Diplomate community to make this vision a reality as our college continues to grow in both size and impact.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or to other members of the Board if you have any questions or concerns. We are here to serve you.
Sincerely,
