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Helpful news and information from WVLDI.
Wellbeing in the Year of COVID-19
WVLDI Board Member Makenzie Peterson is the American Association of Veterinary Medical College’s (AAVMC’s) Director of Wellbeing. In the context of the stressors surrounding COVID-19, we asked her for some thoughts on wellbeing. Makenzie was interested especially in...
WVLDI Board Member Feature: Dr. Kristin Obbink
I interviewed Kristen Obbink while on family leave after bringing her adopted son home from Africa. She is an amazing veterinarian working in public health to keep Iowans safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and simultaneously keeping a farm and non-profit business...
Veterinary Leader Profile: Dr. Karen Bradley
Karen Bradley is the founding President of WVLDI, and this is her story. Once upon a time (in 2013), there was a veterinary practitioner named Karen Bradley who wanted to be part of the AVMA leadership. It didn’t work out. In response, she started the Women’s...
Highlights from Recent Virtual Events
Veterinary Leadership Experience On January 9, WVLDI President Kimberly-Ann Therrien convened a well-attended networking event at the AVMA’s annual Veterinary Leadership Conference (VLC). With over 80 participants, there were almost 20% students with great WVLDI,...
WVLDI Grows Up! The Next Generation
The purpose of WVLDI is to strengthen and elevate our profession by creating an inclusive professional community. At our annual (virtual!) meeting, we reviewed our Purpose, Vison and Mission. In the process, we reconfirmed our commitment to harness the strength of...
Board Member Profile: Kimberly-Ann Therrien
Spending an hour with Dr. Kimberly Ann Therrien is an inspiration. As a Canadian customs officer for 10 years before becoming a veterinarian, Kim developed leadership skills in a non-traditional setting. Her early veterinary career experience working 100 hours a week,...
Student Chapter Updates
The past quarter has been very busy for WVLDI student groups! Chapters were approved for Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School, bringing the total number of active student chapters to 17 across the...
How Can We and Others Cope with Political Stress?
While we don’t want to avoid all news and casual discussions about politics, there are steps we can take to help us manage political stress: Limit your media consumption. According to a 2018 study, Americans spend an average of 11 hours a day on average consuming news...
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There may be many areas available: board service, social media contribution, student outreach, speakers bureau, fundraisers, sponsorships, and mentorships.
So if you have an interest in getting involved with WVLDI, please contact us using our form, and let us know what you are interested in and what immediate skills you can bring to the table!

Donate to Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative
Thank you for your support! The Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative is an official 501c3 organization. Voluntary contributions enable us to allocate our resources most efficiently, where they will do the greatest possible good in helping to promote women into leadership roles in veterinary medicine.