Introducing your SAVMA International Exchange Officer Rayne Johnson

Name, Position on EB: Rayne Johnson, International Exchange Office

School and Year: Purdue University, 4^th year, expected graduation May 2012

Hometown: Raleigh, NC and Silverthorne, CO

Your area of interest within veterinary medicine: Infectious disease, environmental sustainability, public health, wildlife conservation

Description of office entails: The IEO serves as a link between veterinary students from US schools and veterinary students from international faculties. Additional duties include attendance at both the IVSA Summer Congress and the IVSA Winter Symposium as the official SAVMA representative, serving as a voting member of the SAVMA Executive Board and a non-voting member of the HOD, facilitation of international individual and group exchanges, and assist coordination of the silent auction for the IVSA Development Fund that occurs during SAVMA Symposium.

Your favorite thing about holding that office: Gaining a better understanding of and appreciation for veterinary medicine on a global level and enabling other veterinary students to broaden their horizons.

 Something exciting that your office has done/is doing for veterinary students this past year:  The IEO works closely with IVEC, a committee of the HOD, which supplies monetary support for SAVMA members to travel abroad in order to participate in veterinary related activities. Assist students from international veterinary faculties to find veterinary related opportunities within the US and students from the US to find the same abroad.

Your favorite  SCAVMA related experience (EB or not): SAVMA Symposium. It’s such a unique and invigorating experience to be among so many veterinary students and I’m very proud that Purdue University will serve as the host for SAVMA Symposium 2012.

 Something fun about yourself: Any break from school that’s longer than a weekend will usually find me in my car with the windows rolled down or on a plane crossing over some ocean looking for a little adventure. I love the road and have a passion for visiting US National Parks. But when I’m not traveling, I nurture my collection of plants (all non-toxic!) and knit. My dog and cat (Clover and Riboflavin) are part of my daily life and all three of us enjoy taking walks outside.

Introducing your SAVMA Global Public Health Officer Claire McPhee

Name, Position on EB: Claire McPhee, Global & Public Health Officer

School and Year: North Carolina State University Class of 2012

Hometown: Iowa City, IA (born in Chicago!)

Your area of interest within veterinary medicine: Ruminant medicine (dairy cows!)

Description of what your office entails: Working with the SAVMA One Health Challenging working group to help facilitate One Health Challenge events/activities at veterinary schools. I will also help to choose a new One Health Challenge Initiative topic as it changes every 2 years. I am also the liaison between the SAVMA Executive Board and the SAVMA Public Health & Community Outreach Committee. Finally, I continually work to develop One Health/public health connections to seek additional opportunities for veterinary students.

Your favorite thing about holding that office: Public health, One health, and global health issues are some of the most dynamic and exciting facing the veterinary profession, and I am pleased to be involved with them.

Something exciting that your office is doing/has done for vet students this past year:

 Along with the OHC working group, we have started our Vector-Borne Disease Initiative. We have an exciting new logo (watch for the big blue mosquito) and are working on materials to help schools plan OHC events!

Your favorite SCAVMA related experience thus far (EB or not): I have really valued the relationships, both personal and professional, that have been made possible through many SAVMA meetings and House of Delegates Sessions. It is incredibly rewarding to meet and get to know such motivated and enthusiastic veterinary students from around the country. 

Something fun about yourself: I just ran my second marathon during veterinary school! Following a training plan helps to ensure that I will prioritize exercise in addition to coursework and extracurricular activities. Also - a shout out to my husband Chris who has been completely supportive during the last three years and through all of my SAVMA duties. His dedication to taking care of the dogs and cooking dinner every night has made life so much easier - and I wouldn't have made it this far without his support! 

Introducing your SAVMA Treasurer Dan Tappmeyer

Name, Position on EB: Dan Tappmeyer, SAVMA Treasurer

School and Year: Proud to be a 3^rd year student at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine

Hometown: The thriving metropolis of Warrenton, MO

Your area of interest within veterinary medicine: Mixed, a little bit of everything

Description of what your office entails: Overseeing the financial resources of SAVMA, keeping the books balanced, and the bills paid.

Your favorite thing about holding that office:  Everyone sends me letters and emails which makes me feel loved but for some reason its only when they want money. 

Something exciting that your office is doing/has done for vet students this past year:  AVMA has refined the online dues system to be much more user friendly for Fall 2011. 

Your favorite SCAVMA related experience thus far (EB or not):    All the people I have meet through both SCAVMA and SAVMA have been great people and fun to be around.  Even when there is work to be done we always manage to have a good time.

Something fun about yourself:  I went sky-diving just to say I had done it once in my life. 

Introducing your SAVMA Secretary Jennifer Linton

Name, Position on EB: Jenn Linton

School and Year: University of Pennsylvania, 2012

Hometown: Redding, CT

Your area of interest within veterinary medicine: Equine Medicine!! I love ambulatory and reproduction. 

Description of what your office entails: I take minutes at all Executive Board Conference Calls, HOD Meetings, EB meetings during symposium, and (now) the SCAVMA President's Meeting. I also make the AVMA Convention and SAVMA Symposium binders. 

Your favorite thing about holding that office: Spending time with the other members of the EB, sitting in on the SCAVMA Presidents meeting to understand what's going on at other schools, and meeting members of the AVMA Executive Board

Something exciting that your office is doing/has done for vet students this past year: We're working on making the EB meetings more transparent by sending out brief synopses to the delegates, who can then send the information to their delegations, to make sure that issues move swiftly through SAVMA and are addressed in a timely manner. 

Your favorite SCAVMA related experience thus far (EB or not): Meeting my long-lost sister, Claire McPhee. And making friends at every veterinary school in the nation!

Something fun about yourself: I love hiking (which is why I can't wait to get back to New England). I love playing basketball and volleyball, and my study breaks during exam times involve reading Shakespeare and Jane Austen (nerd through and through!).  

 

Introducing your SAVMA President Elect Bridget Heilsberg

Greetings from the AVMA Convention! Next officer up is your President Elect Bridget Heilsberg:

Name, Position on EB:  Bridget Heilsberg, President-Elect

School and Year:  Colorado State University, Second Year

Hometown:  Ravena, NY

Your area of interest within veterinary medicine:  Equine Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine

Description of what your office entails:  I am training to be the President of SAVMA, which means preparing to represent all 12,000 of you and being your voice at the national level.  I attend AVMA HOD and Executive Board meetings to meet people and get a feeling of how things are run, and I work closely with Joe regarding the future of SAVMA and the meeting-to-meeting business of a national organization.  I pay attention to the AVMA Newsletters, SAVMA Newsletters, SAVMA President's Forum, and SAVMA Delegate's Forum to keep myself in tune with current events and issues in veterinary medicine.

Your favorite thing about holding that office:  The chance to make a real difference for veterinary students everywhere!

Something exciting that your office is doing/has done for vet students this past year:  Reworked the SAVMA Governance Documents to make them more streamlined, modern, and efficient for the House of Delegates.  Our meetings are now more focused on enacting change in Veterinary Medical Education, not just following procedure.

Your favorite SCAVMA related experience thus far:  Definitely working extremely hard on the Duty Hours Proposal and then having the House of Delegates pass the motion for endorsement!  I think we are going to do such great things for the profession, and I'm very excited to see what we do next.

Something fun about yourself:  I drove a 34' combat patrol boat in the Persian Gulf, with four machine guns on it, in both Kuwait and Iraqi national waters.  I was the first of four qualified female Coxswains for the boat crews, and the only qualified female Patrol Leader in the unit.  I also have a hidden addiction for cute shoes!