Dr. Heather Case is the director of the AVMA’s Scientific Activities Division.

Besides focusing on food safety, public health, animal agriculture, aquaculture, environmental issues, biologic and therapeutic agents (OK, drugs), and disaster and emergency issues, her division also houses the AVMA Veterinary Medical Assistance Team Program (VMAT) – that’s AVMA’s disaster response program, which is sponsored by the AVMF and co-directs the AVMA’s Future Leaders Program. Phew…good thing Scientific has such a great team (five veterinarians and two support staff) working with Dr. Case.

An extra golden Gopher (she did both her DVM (‘98) and an MPH (’06) at the University of Minnesota), Dr. Case was an equine veterinarian (in a mixed-animal practice where she also worked on dogs, cats, llamas, turkeys, cattle and pigs) for six years after completing an internship at the Ontario Veterinary College in 1999. In some circles she is still known as a horse dentist to this day.

Dr. Case completed a residency in veterinary preventive medicine (yep—go Gophers) in 2006 and attained ACVPM board certification in 2008. Prior to arriving at the AVMA she was an AVMA Congressional Fellow working with U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.).

Outside of work, Dr. Case can be found skipping with her Schipperkes Scout and Sulley or playing her piano and guitar (but not at the same time).