Dean's Leadership Council

The Dean's Leadership Council is a unique forum for dialog and advice about the school, the veterinary profession, and all animal species. The council is a volunteer group of professionals who advise the dean on initiatives designed to fulfill our teaching, research, and service mission. Members demonstrate concern for animals and a commitment to progress in veterinary medicine. These informed advocates also serve as liaisons with other outside individuals and groups.

Jerry Rosenthal, DLC Chair
Jerry Rosenthal is CEO of Associated Humane Societies, an animal welfare organization based in New Jersey. He currently serves on the board of El Faro de los Animales (Puerto Rico) and is a past member of the board of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Prior to becoming involved in the non-profit side of animal health and welfare, Jerry spent 25 years in the financial services industry holding a number of senior marketing, lending and administrative roles.
Jerry graduated from Haverford College with a B.A. in History and holds an MBA from Columbia University. A native of the Bay Area, he currently resides with his family in Little Silver, New Jersey.
Gayle Brock
Gayle Brock is the founder and CEO of Aerovault LLC and the president and COO of Brock Racing Enterprises, LLC. Brock grew up on a farm in rural Nebraska, becoming familiar with the forces of nature and the various roles of animals whether it be for commerce, food, protection or pets. She trained as a computer programmer and after 33 years of performing most roles in the computer industry, receiving numerous awards and traveling the world, Gayle retired from Microsoft to join her husband, Peter Brock, full-time in his automotive exploits.
It began with being photojournalists for numerous magazines worldwide, focusing on endurance racing such as Le Mans and Baja races. Just a few years in, Gayle’s computer skills came into play as she helped photographers and magazines alike make the transition from film to digital photography and publishing.
To promote their services and history, Gayle created a website resurrecting Peter’s previous design/race company, Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE), selling memorabilia and archive photo reprints, and developed a speaker series for Peter with an impressive appearance schedule. Soon after, Gayle went into self-publishing, editing, and creating books based on Peter’s stories of his famous automotive designs and racing experiences, winning prestigious industry awards.
Peter then designed and built an aerodynamic car trailer to transport his sports car. Soon others were asking if one of these groundbreaking trailers could be built for them. Gayle saw an opportunity and founded Aerovault trailers, setting up a factory in Henderson, NV with custom-built equipment and defining the production process using LEAN techniques. Today Gayle manages both BRE and Aerovault and travels extensively with Peter for appearances and speaking engagements, fitting in an Aerovault trailer display whenever possible!
Thomas W. Campi, DVM, MPVM
Tom Campi received his DVM and MPVM degrees from UC Davis in 1989. He is also board certified by the American College of Poultry Veterinarians. His career path includes roles at Elanco Animal Health and Huvepharma where he worked in drug research, development and regulatory affairs.
Dr. Campi is currently the CEO of Modulant Biosciences, a start-up biotech company working on antivirals and oncology products for pets and livestock. He is also the Chief Scientific Officer for Veloviapharma, a drug development company focusing on unmet needs for companion animals. He also consults regularly with animal health start-up companies to offer regulatory guidance.
Dr. Campi resides in Indiana with his wife of 37 years.
David Cheresh, Ph.D.
David Cheresh is a distinguished professor and vice chair of research in the Department of Pathology in the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). He is also Director for Translational Research at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center. Previously, David was a professor in the Departments of Immunology and Vascular Biology at The Scripps Research Institute. Dr. Cheresh earned his Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Miami, FL, and trained as a postdoctoral scientist at the Scripps Research Institute where he remained on the faculty before joining UCSD in 2005. He is the recipient of various awards including the 15th Hans Linder Memorial Lecture from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, the XXIII Annual Myron Karon Memorial Lectureship from the University of Southern California, the Robert Flynn Professorship Award from Tufts University School of Medicine, the Judah Folkman lectureship, the Paget-Ewing award from the Metastasis Research Society/AACR and was a recipient of The American Cancer Society Faculty Research Award and a Merit Award from the National Cancer Institute. Cheresh also is a recipient of an NIH MERIT award - an Outstanding Investigator Award from the National Cancer Institute.  Cheresh has trained over 100 postdoctoral and graduate students many of which have continued their careers and academia.  He has published 260 papers, many in top-level journals and fourteen of these have been cited in excess of 1000 times.
A major goal of his current and past research is to understand the molecular mechanisms promoting angiogenesis, tumor progression, and metastasis in order to develop novel therapeutics for cancer. His efforts have led to the understanding of how growth factors, growth factor receptors, and cell surface receptors (including integrins) drive signaling pathways leading to tumor cell invasion, migration, proliferation, and survival.  His findings have helped to delineate how these processes are regulated at the molecular level and have identified downstream signaling events that play a critical role.
These studies have led to the development of integrin antagonists as novel therapeutics for cancer treatment that function to suppress the growth of angiogenic blood vessels.  Two drugs that have developed from his work include Vitaxin (Abegrin), a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets αvβ3, and Cilengitide, a cyclic peptide antagonist of integrins αvβ3 and αvβ5.  Both of these drugs showed clinical activity in cancer patients in Phase II trials. Cheresh was the scientific founder of TargeGen Inc., which developed a selective JAK2 inhibitor recently approved by the FDA in August of 2019 for patients with myelofibrosis.
Early in his career, Cheresh developed antibodies to tumor antigens and used these as both research tools and potential therapeutics.  Among the antibodies he developed was one specific for the oligosaccharide portion of the GD2 ganglioside, expressed on tumors of neuroectoderm origin.  This antibody was later humanized (named Dinatuximab, Unituxin) and tested clinically for its activity in patients with advanced neuroblastoma.  Unituxin produced a significant survival benefit in a phase III registration trial and in March of 2015 was approved by the FDA as a front-line therapy for patients with advanced neuroblastoma.
Cheresh’s recent work has focused on the intersection between cellular stress and the progression of breast, lung, and pancreatic cancers.  He is particularly interested in evaluating how tumor cells become reprogrammed as an adaption to stress or therapeutic intervention, giving rise to stress tolerance and drug resistance.  Most recently, he has developed a new humanized antibody that is able to target drug-resistant cancer stem cells.  This antibody will enter phase I clinical trials by the end of 2022. 
Gregg Cutler, DVM, MPVM
Gregg Cutler, DVM, MPVM was born in Los Angeles, California. His family has been involved in egg production for three generations. He attended North Hollywood High School and graduated from Thousand Oaks High School in 1965. Dr. Cutler received his DVM degree from the University of California, Davis in 1974. After two years of general practice, he was the first to complete the two-year residency program in Avian Medicine at UC Davis. He also completed a Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine degree at UC Davis. Dr. Cutler is board certified in Poultry by the American College of Poultry Veterinarians.

Dr. Cutler founded Cutler Associates International in 1988. The practice has now grown to four veterinarians, all specializing in poultry. Cutler Associates International, where Dr. Cutler is President, has offices in North America and in Europe.

Dr. Cutler has been President of the American Association of Avian Pathologists as well as the Western Poultry Disease Conference. He currently serves as a representative of the American Association of Avian Pathologists on the House of Delegates of the American Veterinary Medical Association. He has represented AAAP as a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association Legislative Advisory Committee and the Animal Welfare Committee. Dr. Cutler has been a member of the General Conference committee of the National Poultry Improvement Plan.

Gregg and his wife Jody live on their ranch in Moorpark, California. They have a son, Justin who is a computer engineer in the Washington, DC area. Gregg and Jody drive Welsh Ponies and collect antique horse-drawn carriages. Gregg enjoys flying airplanes.
Ron Foster
Ron Foster retired as CEO of Foster Farms in 2016. For more than 75 years, the Foster family has been providing premium Dairy and Poultry products to local consumers. Foster Farms remains a family-owned business managed in the tradition of sincerity and premium quality that Max and Verda Foster envisioned back in 1939.
Ron is a 1981 graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Business. He currently serves on several agricultural, nonprofit, and business boards, and currently co-chairs the Dean's Leadership Council.
Richard Goldstein, DVM, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA
Dr. Richard Goldstein is the Global Chief Medical Officer and Head of Medical Affairs for Zoetis as of March 2024. Goldstein is board certified by the American and European Colleges of Veterinary Internal Medicine and is an internationally recognized expert in companion animal medicine. He joined Zoetis in 2018 and served as Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Global Diagnostics. In this newly expanded role, Goldstein will be the foremost veterinary medical leader within Zoetis, providing medical guidance to leadership and fostering a unified direction among Zoetis' global veterinary community. He will also oversee the formation of a high-performing Global Medical Affairs team focused on modernizing medical operations and enhancing medical support globally.
Dr. Richard Goldstein is an internationally recognized expert in companion animal medicine. He previously served as the Chief Medical Officer of the Animal Medical Center in New York City and as an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine with a research focus on infectious, renal, and genetic diseases. Goldstein received his B.S. degree from the Institute of Biological Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and his DVM from Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Goldstein completed his residency in small animal internal medicine at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
Dave Jessup, DVM, MPVM Diplomate ACZM
Dave Jessup is an accomplished Wildlife Veterinarian and researcher. He received his bachelor’s in zoology from the University of Washington, DVM from Washington State University, and his Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis, where he also received his board certification in zoological medicine. He is a recipient of the 2010 Emil Dolensk Award given by the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians. He was granted this award because of his exceptional contributions to the conservation, care, and understanding of zoo and free-ranging wildlife. He was the first veterinarian hired by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, where he served a productive career in various capacities for more than 33 years, the last 15 in Santa Cruz, California, as Senior Wildlife Veterinarian and Supervisor of the Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center. Consequently, Jessup served as Executive Manager of the Wildlife Disease Association (WDA), an international non-profit scientific organization. He has mentored many who followed in his footsteps, including UC Davis students and alumni, and created an endowment to establish the Free-Ranging Wildlife Health Residency at the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center.
Barbara J. Kerr
Barbara Kerr has spent her career building and developing Human Resources functions. Her experience spans four industries including retail, telecommunications, financial services and life sciences. For the last 20 years she was involved in biotechnology and life sciences, most recently as Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Applera Corporation, a company supplying technology and information for life sciences and related businesses. Her areas of expertise include executive and board compensation, organizational design and re-structuring and acquisition integration.
Barbara is a lifelong animal lover. She supports a number of organizations committed to animal health, well being and preservation.
John Klacking, Ph.D.
Dr. John Klacking holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California-Davis, and a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Nevada, where he was an Allie M. Lee Fellow. John began his career in investment banking at Salomon Smith Barney (SSB). Dr. Klacking is a founder of Angelica Therapeutics, a San Francisco Bay Area cancer focused biotech company and Angiocrine Bioscience, a stem cell therapeutic company founded at Cornell Weill Medical Center in New York City. Together with his good friend, and colleague, Shahin Rafii, the Director of the Ansary Stem Cell Institute at Weill Cornell Medical Center they founded Angiocrine Bioscience. He has advocated for building a wine industry in Nevada and founded Double Bond Wine, a Central Coast winery in California.

From 1987-2006 Klacking was a Senior Vice President at SSB. He was a member of the firm’s Directors Council, Consulting Group and was a Registered Investment Advisor. John has managed several significant investment banking and asset management relationships with major corporate clients. He has led multi-million-dollar corporate finance transactions including public stock offerings and debt placement.

He sat on the precursor board and played a key role in the founding of the SEADOC SOCIETY, a non-profit protecting the health of marine life of the Salish Sea. He brought the Dickinson Foundation and UC Davis together in a relationship that formed SEADOC twenty-two years ago.

He was frequently contacted for interviews by newspapers, television stations, and magazines including Forbes, Money and Entrepreneur magazines. He is the author of over 350 business, financial and scientific articles.

John was recently appointed to the Washoe County District Board of Health. He formerly was a member of the National Board of the American Cancer Society, Foundation Board Executive Committee of the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) and Chairman of the UNR Foundation Board Development Committee as well as a Board Member of Sierra Nevada College.
Jon Klingborg, DVM
Jon Klingborg, DVM has published more than 250 newspaper articles, has coauthored a chapter in Vet Clinics of North America, has appeared on radio and television discussing veterinary issues and in print media around the world, and was the youngest president in the history of the California Veterinary Medical Association, has served on committees to the American Veterinary Medical Association and the California Veterinary Medical Board, and has spoken nationally and internationally on animal welfare issues. Dr. Klingborg is the author of Exam Room Communication for Veterinarians: The Science and Art of Conversing with Clients. (AHAA Press, 2011.)
Over the past 20 years, Klingborg has been a veterinary associate and an owner, practiced in rural and urban environments, worked in small two-doctor and multi-location group practices, and has been both a mixed-animal and small-animal–exclusive practitioner. In each setting, he has used the power of communication to quickly build a loyal client base and provide high-quality medicine.
Dr. Klingborg earned undergraduate degrees in rhetoric and zoology (1987) and his doctorate in veterinary medicine (1992) from the University of California at Davis. For more than a decade, he also served as guest faculty at his alma mater and shared with veterinary students how communication makes practice more rewarding for both the client and the veterinarian.
Julia Lewis, DVM, MPH
Julia Lewis received her bachelor’s from Cornell University and her DVM and Master’s in Public Health from UC Davis. She also completed her residency in lab animal medicine at UC Davis and a Don Low/CVMA Practitioner Fellowship in Anesthesia
She is the Public Health Veterinarian for San Mateo County. An advocate for integrating One Health approaches, she started a program to provide free veterinary preventative and wellness care for pets of the homeless living in the county, and is actively working with the Department of Health for greater One Health integrations.
Previsouly, Lewis worked as a veterinarian at Cornell University, UCSF, Roche, and as director of medical care for shelter medicine. She has been a member of the Board of Governors of the CVMA since 2017.
Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA
Carol McConnell DVM, MBA was formerly Vice President and Chief Veterinary Officer at Nationwide Insurance. In this role, she oversaw the company’s veterinary research and relations.

Her prior roles have included positions at ALZA Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, and Priority Veterinary Management Consultants, where she provided consulting services to veterinarians around the country.

Dr. McConnell was a practicing veterinarian at Wilmington Animal Hospital in Delaware. She holds a BS from Cornell University, an MBA from Purdue University and a DVM degree from University of California, Davis.
Marcia Messmer
A native of Kansas City, Marcia Messmer attended the Barstow School and received her B.A. from Scripps College in Claremont, California. She has a background as a corporate legal assistant and has a long history of volunteerism in the arts and sciences, including the San Francisco Opera Guild, Achievement Rewards for College Scientists and the Junior League.
Marcia owns and operates the Guinea Pig Calendar Company, a small business through which she creates and sells guinea pig-themed calendars and greeting cards. As a lifelong animal lover and former equestrian, Marcia has been a client and supporter of the CAPE Service for over 15 years. She raises guinea pigs and resides in Woodside, California with her husband, Max.
Jan Miller Rich
Jan Miller is the founder and CEO of Dupree/Miller & Associates, one of the top literary, media agencies in the country. She’s been called “a supernova in a galaxy of literary agents” and uses her unwavering instincts that has made thousands of international bestsellers across all genres. Her success has made Dupree/Miller a premiere agency in the publishing and entertainment industry that represents blockbuster authors, innovators, and brands that change the culture.

Jan is a rare blend of irrepressible optimism, personal warmth, and entrepreneurial savvy. She cherishes working with creative people who are driven to make the world a better place. Jan is an advocate for women, individuals with intellectual disabilities, and uses every single tool at her disposal to help give underprivileged people a voice.

Jan is an activist for education, human rights, and social justice, which she considers her greatest life’s work. She and her husband, Jeff Rich, a member of The Horatio Alger Association, St. Philips Academy, Young Strings, Education is Freedom, Say Yes and school libraries in South Africa. For more than a decade, they’ve raised millions of dollars for Best Buddies International.

Jan currently on the Board of Directors for Maria Shriver’s A Woman’s Nation Foundation and serves on the Dean’s Leadership Council for the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
Joseph Morello
With over 37 years in the construction industry, Joe is a seasoned leader and strategist for Penhall Company, the largest and most trusted provider of concrete cutting, breaking, excavation, scanning and highway repair services in North America. As Vice President of Business Development, he spearheads the growth of national accounts, key accounts, technology service, and acquisitions. His strategic vision aims to expand Penhall Company’s core and technology service model across both existing and new markets.
Before assuming his current position, Joe served as the VP of West Operations, where he oversaw the day-to-day operations of 18 service and contract offices spanning from Seattle to Hawaii. He has a proven track record of creating and growing new business ventures, rescuing underperforming divisions, and managing large-scale customer projects. He has also hired and trained teams of innovative and energetic sales and project managers. His mission is to establish genuine and professional relationships with clients and partners, and to deliver exceptional value and service.
Joe’s daughter, Dr. Kelly Morello, received her DVM from UC Davis in 2019. She currently works as an Emergency Veterinarian in San Diego, CA.
Joe holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA.
Charles J. Newman
Charles J. Newman, originally from Minneapolis, MN, earned his Business-Education B.A. in 1969 from the University of Minnesota and has been involved in the investment banking business since 1980. He joined Lincoln Loan and Finance Corporation, the business started by his parents (Max and Gertrude Newman), where he serves as CEO and Director. He also serves as CEO and Director of National Acceptance Corporation.
Charles’ business acumen has also included venture capital, management consulting and real estate. In addition to his business interests, Charles is very involved in supporting philanthropic causes through the Max & Gertrude Newman- Charles & Phyllis Newman Foundation, and as a foundation Director of Adath Jeshurun Foundation. Oncology is another key focus supported through Prometheus Life where he serves as President. Prometheus Life’s priorities are to further treatments, collaboration, and education in treatments for oncology and related diseases.
Charles’ wife Phyllis is also from Minneapolis. She earned her BA from Arizona State University and taught in the Mesa AZ Independent Public Schools. Avid feline lovers, the Newman’s reside in Scottsdale, AZ with their kitty Macgyver.
Alison P. Pillsbury, DVM
Alison Pillsbury graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, in 1988. She has been serving Amador County for over 30 years; she first owned and operated Foothill Veterinary Clinic for 13 years, before working at Jackson Creek Veterinary Clinic. In 2015, she opened her own practice, Acorn Hills Animal Center, and voted “Best Veterinarian” in her community for seven years in a row and best clinic in Amador County 2 years in a row. She is committed to providing state-of the-art care for the dogs and cats of Sutter Creek and surrounding areas.

Dr. Pillsbury has been an animal welfare advocate, pursuing community-based programs. She volunteers as an adjunct veterinarian for Tri County Wildlife Care and the Amador County Animal Control; is a board member of the Amador County Rabies Task Force, and is currently a director of the Amador County Chamber of Commerce. In 2004, Dr. Pillsbury was awarded the prestigious Golden Nugget Award, given yearly to local unsung heroes for their involvement in government and public service. She volunteered in Mississippi after Katrina and she speaks regularly in local schools at all levels to educate children in the animal welfare arena.

Dr. Pillsbury has established scholarships in her mother's name, such as the Frances Park Pillsbury Memorial Scholarship for the School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis.
Valerie Reynoso Piotrowski
Valerie Reynoso Piotrowski is the director of key advertising accounts for Comstock’s magazine, where she directs print advertising, develops special sections, courts new corporate and business clients, and writes for the magazine. She also serves as a ghostwriter for high net worth clients and consults with senior managers on developing successful plans for promotions, salary increases, and new benefits.  Prior to commencing her second decade at Comstock’s, Valerie served in the nonprofit industry for 12 years and most recently as a senior consultant for business development for the Greater Sacramento Economic Council.  She was Executive Director of The Dominguez Dream, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering children in underserved communities with literacy and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) funding.  During her tenure, the nonprofit secured new corporate revenue streams, expanded its funding to schools in other states across the country, and held the most successful fundraiser in its -15-year history.

Valerie’s career began as a writer for the late California Governor George Deukmejian.  She served the Governor in both of his terms of office and was appointed Deputy Director of Communications of the State Employment Development Department, the youngest deputy director in California history, and served in the administration of California Governor Pete Wilson for two years. Her leadership in government public relations was lauded in the Los Angeles Times and received myriad awards.  Valerie was an “Outstanding Young Woman of America” for three consecutive years and was noted in McCall’s magazine as an outstanding woman leader.
Valerie was also vice-president of a local PR firm where she directed media for candidates for office, professional athletes, nonprofits, and ballot measures.  She was advertising manager and social editor for Comstock’s magazine for 10 years. She served as director of corporate relations and foundations for the Salvation Army, and her fundraising expertise led to new corporate sponsors, new grants, and new key events.
An award-winning writer, publicist, and fundraiser, Valerie is an alumna of the University of Southern California, where she majored in journalism and political science.  She has been active in many causes, including serving as board president for the Sacramento SPCA, board member of Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army Sac Metro Advisory Board, and the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Her community service includes the Neighborhood Wellness Center in Del Paso Heights, Mercy Foundation Community Council, Mercy Women's Heart Health Council, Lincoln Club of Sacramento, National Latina Business Women Association Sacramento, and Rotary of Sacramento.
Valerie and her husband John make their home in El Dorado Hills with their three beloved rescue dogs, and support causes benefitting children in dramatically-underserved communities and animal rescue organizations.
Julie D. Smith, DVM, DACVS, CCRT, MBA
Julie graduated from U.C. Berkeley in 1988 and from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 1992. She went on to do an internship at North Carolina State University, and then a residency in surgery at the University of Georgia. She was an associate professor at Kansas State University in soft-tissue surgery prior to starting as an Associate Surgeon for Veterinary Surgical Associates (VSA) in 1997 – which later became SAGE Veterinary Centers in the San Francisco Bay Area. Julie became board-certified in surgery in 1997 and one of the practice owners in 1999.
Julie became a Managing Partner for SAGE Veterinary Centers in 2010 and received an MBA from Saint Mary’s College in 2013. She served as Medical Director from 2013 to 2018. In 2018, Julie became a SAGE Veterinary Centers Board Member and worked directly with the executive and leadership teams as Chief Strategy Officer to chart the course of growth across SAGE’s state-of-the-art veterinary hospitals. She retired from SAGE Veterinary Centers in 2022 after a 25-year career.
In 2019 Julie formed the non-profit Sage Compassion for Animals (SageC4A), building a stellar Board of Directors with a wealth of experience and diversity during COVID-19. SageC4A strives to prevent suffering and euthanasia by providing financial assistance to families with companion animals in medical crisis. She served as Executive Director for the first four years and now continues on as a Founder and Board Member.
Julie received her certification in coaching from the Hudson Institute of Coaching in 2023 and provides career and leadership coaching to individuals.
Julie serves as the Treasurer for the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) and was a founding Board Member and Past President of the Collaborative Care Coalition. Julie serves as Chair of the AVMA’s Veterinary Economic Strategy Committee (VESC), where she assists in advising the AVMA Board on the scope of economic issues affecting veterinary medicine. In 2017 Julie was recognized for the impact she has made within the veterinary services industry and received the annual Silicon Valley Business Journal – Women of Influence Award.
Julie was proud to help raise $100,000 for the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Class of 1992 – VMTH Facilities and Equipment Fund and served on the 20th and 30th Reunion Committees. She serves on the Leadership Council for the Positive Coaching Alliance in support of improving youth sports culture and increasing sport equity in under-resourced communities.
Kurt D. Venator, DVM, PhD
Dr. Kurt Venator has worked with Purina for more than 17 years and currently serves as our Chief Veterinary Officer. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Cornell University and a PhD in Zoology – Behavior & Physiology from the University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Venator speaks across North America on the topics of small animal nutrition and veterinary medicine. He works closely with many U.S. veterinary schools to create partnerships that foster nutrition education and professional development for the veterinarians of tomorrow.
He also works actively with veterinary clinics across the country to enhance the role of nutrition in clinical practice to help pets live long, healthy lives.
Additionally, Dr. Venator directs the Purina Advisory Council, a 20-member group of world-renowned veterinarians from various medical specialties who help Purina advance pet nutrition, health and wellness across the globe.
He lives in upstate New York with his wife, three sons and three yellow Labrador Retrievers. When not working for Purina, spending time with his family or fly fishing on a winding river, Kurt still finds time to practice medicine.
Lin Zucconi, Ph.D.
Lin Zucconi is a retired software and systems engineer. Her most recent position was Program Leader for Software and Systems Engineering research at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Canberra Australia. Prior to this she was Director of the Software Technology Center at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. She has been adjunct, visiting and regular faculty at universities in the USA, China and Australia. Lin was also a Distinguished Lecturer for the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) for both the North American and the Asia-Pacific regions. Lin has also served as a member of and chaired various technical committees and working groups for the IEEE, the US Dept. of Energy, and the Australian Computer Society (ACS). While in Australia she founded the Australian Software Process Improvement Network and chaired the 1997 Australian Software Engineering Conference.
Lin is an advocate for feline health and medicine which she supports at UC Davis Veterinary Medicine and through various cat rescue organizations in California and nationally. She is also supporting women of color in STEM at the UC Davis College of Engineering.
Lin holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering/Computer Science from Rice University, an M.S. in Applied Science/Engineering from UC Davis and a Bachelor's degree with Honors in Mathematics from UC Berkeley.