The College of Veterinary Medicine is currently under the leadership of Dean Phillip Nelson, DVM, PhD. Other members of the College’s faculty and administrative staff are listed here with their contact information. For additional background information on selected faculty and staff, click on the name.
FACULTY
Ana Alcaraz, DVM, PhD, DACVP – Associate Professor, Anatomic Pathology
DVM, Universidad Nacional Autonoma De Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico 1987
Residency in Veterinary Pathology, Cornell University 1991
PhD, Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 1998
aalcaraz@westernu.edu
Randall Anderson, DVM, MPVM – Instructor, Clinical Field Liason, Food Animal Medicine/Dairy
DVM, UC Davis, Davis, CA 1993
MPVM, UC Davis, Davis, CA 1993
rjanderson@westernu.edu
Margaret C. (Peggy) Barr, DVM, PhD – Professor, Virology & Immunology
DVM, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 1984
PhD, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 1992
pbarr@westernu.edu
Gini Barrett, BS – Associate Professor, Biomedical Ethics & Public Policy
BS, Finance and Accounting, California State University – Northridge, CA 1977
gbarrett@westernu.edu
Joseph J. Bertone, DVM, MS, DACVIM – Professor, Equine Medicine
DVM, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 1983
MS, Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 1987
jbertone@westernu.edu
Frank Bossong, BS, DVM – Assistant Professor
BS in Architecture, University of Virginia, 1988
DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 2001
fbossong@westernu.edu
Elizabeth P. Boynton, DVM – Professor, Wellness
DVM, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 1980
bboynton@westernu.edu
Jennifer Buur, DVM, DACVCP, PhD - Associate Professor, Comparative Pharmacokinetics
DVM, University of Wisconsin – Madison, WI 1999
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology, 2006
PhD, Comparative Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 2007
jbuur@westernu.edu
Chandrashekhar (Chandru) Charavaryamath, BVSc, MVSc, PhD – Instructor, Inflammation, Innate and Mucosal Immunology and Veterinary Anatomy
BVSc, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India, 1997
MVSc (Veterinary Microbiology), University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India, 1999
PhD (Veterinary Biomedical Sciences), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, 2008
Post-Doctoral Training, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, 2008-2012
ccharavaryamath@westernu.edu
Betsy Charles, DVM, MA – Instructor, Radiology, Equine Practice, Leadership
DVM, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 2003
MA, Biola University, La Mirada, CA 2009
echarles@westernu.edu
Wendell J. Cole, DVM, DACT – Professor, Director Year III Curriculum, Theriogenology
DVM, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1979
wcole@westernu.edu
Ellen Collisson, PhD – Professor, Microbiology
MS, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 1978
PhD, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 1980
Professor Emeriti, Texas A&M University, 2007
ecollisson@westernu.edu
Maisie Dawes, DVM, PhD, DACVIM – Assistant Professor, Immunology, Large Animal Internal Medicine
PhD, Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 2006
DVM, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 1999
mdawes@westernu.edu
Pedro Paulo V. P. Diniz, DVM, PhD – Assistant Professor, Small Animal Internal Medicine
DVM, São Paulo State University, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (Unesp – FCAV), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil, 1999
Internship certificate, Veterinary Cardiology, École Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Paris, France, 1999
Residency certificate, Small Animal Internal Medicine, São Paulo State University, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (Unesp – FCAV), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil, 2002
PhD, Clinical Sciences, São Paulo State Univertsity, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences (Unesp – FMVZ), Botucatu, SP, Brazil, 2006
Postdoctoral research, Microbiology, North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC, 2009
pdiniz@westernu.edu
Yvonne Drechsler, Dipl.Biol (eq MS), PhD - Associate Professor, Immunology and Virology
University of Tübingen, Germany
ydrechsler@westernu.edu
Helen Engelke, BVSc, MPVM, DACVPM, MRCVS – Assistant Professor, Veterinary Public Health
BVSc, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom 1990
MPVM, University of California, Davis, CA 1994
Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, 2011
hengelke@westernu.edu
David Forster, Bvet Med, Ma ICS – Assistant Professor
Royal Veterinary College (RVC) London University, 1988
dforster@westernu.edu
Paul Gordon-Ross, MS, DVM – Assistant Professor, Director of Clinical Relations
MS, University of California, Davis, CA 1995
DVM, University of California, Davis, CA 1999
pgordon@westernu.edu
Christine Tindal Green, BVSc, MRCVS – Associate Professor, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery
BVSc, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia 1992
Certificate of Veterinary Opthamology, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, UK 2000
cgreen@westernu.edu
Dominique Griffon, DMV, MS, PhD, DECVS, DACVS – Associate Dean for Research, Professor Small Animal Surgery
DVM, Ecole National Veterinaire Alfort, France 1989
MS, University of Minnesota, USA 1992
DECVS, European College of Veterinary Surgeons 1996
DACVS, American College of Veterinary Surgeons 1997
PhD, University of Helsinki, Finland 2002
dgriffon@westernu.edu
Spring Halland DVM, CVA, DACVIM – Assistant Professor, Large Animal Internal Medicine, Veterinary Acupuncture
DVM, University of Minnesota 1997
Intership certificate, Rotating LA med & sx, University of Tennessee, 1998
Residency certificate, Large Animal Internal Medicine, UC-Davis 2001
Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Chi Institue of TCVM, Florida, 2008
shalland@westernu.edu
Jijun Hao, PhD, Assistant Professor, Stem Cell Biology
BS, Biochemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China, 1996
PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK, 2003
jhao@westernu.edu
Martina Haupt, DVM – Instructor, Clinical Field Liason
DVM, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany 1989
mbeecher@westernu.edu
Yiling Hong, PhD, – Associate Professor, Stem Cell Biology and Nanotoxicity
B. Sci. Biology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China, 1984
M. Sci. Molecular Biology & Genetics, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China, 1987
PhD, Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Kentucky, Kentucky, USA, 1997
yhong@westernu.edu
Kristopher Irizarry, PhD - Associate Professor, Bioinformatics, Genetics, Genomics
PhD, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 2002
kirizarry@westernu.edu
Richard A. Jaffe, VMD – Assistant Professor, Small Animal Medicine
VMD, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 1972
rjaffe@westernu.edu
Gary R. Johnston, DVM, MS, DACVR – Professor Emeritus
DVM, Washington State University 1974
Internship certificate, Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Minnesota 1975
MS, Veterinary Surgery and Radiology, University of Minnesota 1979
Residency certificate, Veterinary Radiology, University of Minnesota 1979
Diplomate American College of Veterinary Radiology 1980
gjohnston@westernu.edu
Janis Joslin, DVM – Professor, Primate, Zoo and Wildlife Medicine
DVM, The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine 1975
Residency, Primate Medicine, UC Davis 1978
jjoslin@westernu.edu
Malika Kachani, PhD, DVM – Professor, Parasitology
PhD, Parasitology, Brunel University, London, UK 1990
DVM, Institut Agronomique et Veterinaire Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco 1992
mkachani@westernu.edu
Gagandeep Kaur, DVM, PhD – Assistant Professor, Physiology
B.V.Sc & A.H, Punjab Agricultural University, India, 2005
DVM, ECFVG, 2009
Ph.D, Kent State University, Kent, 2009
gkaur@westernu.edu
David C. Kersey, PhD – Assistant Professor, Physiology
Ph.D. George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 2009
dkersey@westernu.edu
Wael A. Khamas, BVM&S, MS, PhD – Professor, Anatomy & Histology
BVM&S, University of Baghdad 1973
MS Veterinary Anatomy, Iowa State University 1980
PhD, Veterinary Anatomy, Iowa State University 1983
wkhamas@westernu.edu
Linda B. Kidd, DVM, PhD, DACVIM - Associate Professor, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Course Leader CORE Internal Medicine
DVM, University of Wisconsin 1991
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, University of Wisconsin 2000
PhD North Carolina State University 2006
lkidd@westernu.edu
Suzie J. Kovacs, MS – Assistant Professor, Epidemiology
BSc Honours Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada 1999
skovacs@westernu.edu
Lyon Lee, DVM, PhD, DACVA – Associate Professor, Anesthesiology
DVM, Seoul National University, Korea 1989
PhD, Veterinary Anesthesia, Royal Veterinary College, University of London 1997
Residency, Veterinary Anesthesia, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 2000
llyon@westernu.edu
Ohad Levi, DVM – Associate Professor, Equine Surgery
DVM, Veterinary Medicine, University of Turin, Italy 1989
Equine medicine and surgery specialty certificate, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel 2001
Equine Surgery Residency Certificate, University of California, Davis, CA 2010
Diane McClure, DVM, PhD, DACLAM – Associate Professor, Laboratory Animal Medicine
PhD, Physiology, University of California, Davis, CA 1988
Residency Certificate in Clinical Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 1993
DVM, Zoological Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 1990
Diplomate, American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine 1995
dmcclure@westernu.edu
Tracey McNamara, DVM, DACVP – Professor, Pathology
DVM, New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca NY – 1982
Residency, Comparative Pathology, Animal Medical Center, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY 1988
tmcnamara@westernu.edu
Teresa Y. Morishita, DVM, MPVM, MS, PhD, DACPV – Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor, Poultry Medicine & Food Safety
MS, Animal Science, University of Hawaii-Manoa, Honolulu, HI 1985
DVM, Master of Preventative Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 1989
Residency Certificate in Clinical Avian/Poultry Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 1991
PhD, Veterinary Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA 1995
tmorishita@westernu.edu
Phillip D. Nelson, DVM, BS, PhD – Dean, Professor of Immunology
DVM, Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee, AL 1979
B.S. Biology; Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi 1980
PhD, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 1993
pnelson@westernu.edu
Ken C. Noriega, BA, MS – Instructor, Veterinary Anatomy
BA, Biology, Pitzer College, Claremont, CA 2000
knoriega@westernu.edu
Carmelina Panza, BS, DVM – Instructor, Feline Medicine/Imaging
BS, California State University, Pomona
DVM, Western University of Health Sciences
cpanza@westernu.edu
Jose Peralta, DVM, MSc, PhD – Associate Professor, Veterinary Ethics, Animal Welfare
DVM, University of Zaragoza, Spain, 1988
MSc, Animal Science, Cornell University, 1994
PhD, Animal Science, Cornell University, 1997
jperalta@westernu.edu
Tom R. Phillips, DVM, PhD – Professor, Virology & Immunology
DVM Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 1978
MS, Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 1985
PhD, Immunology-Virology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 1989
tphillips@westernu.edu
Josep Rutllant-Labeaga, DVM, PhD – Professor, Co-Director Phase I, Anatomy
DVM, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain 1990
PhD, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain 1997
jrutllant@westernu.edu
Miguel D. Saggese, DVM, MSc, PhD - Associate Professor, Veterinary Microbiology/Avian, Exotic, and Wildlife Medicine
DVM, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1995
MSc University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota
PhD, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 2007
msaggese@westernu.edu
Peggy L. Schmidt, DVM, MS, DACVPM – Associate Professor, Director College Outcomes Assessment, Population Medicine
DVM, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 1997
MS, Veterinary Preventive Medicine & Defense, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 2004
DACVPM 2006
pschmidt@westernu.edu
Eric Slessinger, DVM – Instructor, Small Animal Medicine
BS, University of California, Davis, CA
DVM, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 2010
eslessinger@westernu.edu
Wayne W. Smith, VMD – Instructor, Surgery
VMD, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 1981
wsmith@westernu.edu
Hrvoje Smodlaka, DVM, PhD - Associate Professor, Anatomy
DVM, University of Zagreb 1998
PhD, University of Tennessee 2004
hsmodlaka@westernu.edu
Dean R. Smylie, DVM – Assistant Professor, Equine Practice, Nutrition
DVM, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO 1974
dsmylie@westernu.edu
John H. Tegzes, MA, VMD, DABVT – Professor, Director Year One Curriculum, Veterinary Toxicology
MA, Applied Psychology, University of Santa Monica, Santa Monica, CA 1989
VMD, Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 1995
Residency Certificate, University of California, Davis, CA 2003
Diplomate, American Board of Veterinary Toxicology 2003
jtegzes@westernu.edu
Ronald L. Terra, DVM, MBA, MS – Professor, Food Animal Medicine
MS, Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 1982
DVM, University of California, Davis, CA 1982
MBA, Agriculture, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada 2002
rterra@westernu.edu
Suzana Tkalcic, DVM, PhD – Associate Professor, Pathology
DVM, University of Zagreb, Croatia
MS, Veterinary Pathology, University of Georgia
PhD, Veterinary Pathology, University of Georgia 2001
stkalcic@westernu.edu
John W. Tyler, DVM, DACVIM – Associate Professor, Small Animal Medicine
DVM, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 1982
DACVIM 1990
jtyler@westernu.edu
Victoria L. Voith, DVM, DACVB, PhD – Professor, Behavior
DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University 1968
MSc, Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Ohio State University 1970
MA, Department of Psychology, Experimental and Comparative Psychology 1975
PhD, Neuroanatomy/Animal Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA 1982
vvoith@westernu.edu
Katherine Wade, DVM – Instructor, Small Animal Medicine
BS, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 2006
DVM, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona CA 2010
kwade@westernu.edu
Stephen J. Waldhalm, PhD, DVM – Professor Emeritus
PhD, Physiology, Washington State University 1974
DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University 1977
swaldhalm@westernu.edu
STAFF
Sophia Alvarez – Administrative Associate II; Assistant to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
salvarez@westernu.edu
John R. Greenwood, BA – Administrative Assistant to the Associate Dean for Research
greenwoodj@westernu.edu
Denisha Jenkins – Administrative Associate I; Assistant to the Director of Year 3
djenkins@westernu.edu
Nicole Jimenez – Administrative Associate; Assistant to the Director of Year 2
njimenez@westernu.edu
Courtney Saenz – Administrative Associate I; Assistant to the Director of Year 1
csaenz@westernu.edu
Charles Sandoval – Administrative Assistant III; Assistant to the director of Year 4
csandoval@westernu.edu
Amber Schaefer – Administrative Assistant I; Assistant to the Director, College Outcomes Assessment
aschaefer@westernu.edu
Caren Tse – Administrative Associate I; Assistant to the Director of Clinical Relation
ctse@westernu.edu
Chris VanderVeen – Administrative Associate I; Assistant to the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
cvanderveen@westernu.edu
Annaluz Wilton - Executive Assistant to the Dean
awilton@westernu.edu