Search committee formed for new UF College of Veterinary Medicine dean

Administrators at the University of Florida have announced the start of a national search for the next dean of the UF College of Veterinary Medicine.

A 17-member search committee has been appointed jointly by Jack Payne, Ph.D., senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources at UF/IFAS, and David R. Nelson, M.D., senior vice president for health affairs at UF and president of UF Health.

Payne and Nelson officially charged the committee during its inaugural meeting on June 3.

“In view of our college’s current trajectory, as well as the positive momentum across the UF enterprise, this is a great time for us to recruit and hire an excellent leader,” said the college’s interim dean, Thomas W. Vickroy, Ph.D., whose ongoing role is executive associate dean.

The new dean will replace James W. Lloyd, D.V.M., Ph.D., who announced his retirement earlier this spring after serving in the post since 2013. Under Lloyd’s leadership, the college jumped to No. 9 in the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings of veterinary medical colleges nationwide, moving five spots — more than any other college — from its previous ranking.

“We are grateful for Dean Lloyd’s many achievements on behalf of our college, and wish him the very best in his retirement,” Vickroy said.

The committee will be co-chaired by Isabel Garcia, D.D.S, dean of the UF College of Dentistry, and Nick Place, Ph.D., dean of extension at UF/IFAS. In addition to these co-chairs, the College of Veterinary Medicine will be represented by:

· Chris Adin, D.V.M., chair, department of small animal clinical sciences

· Guy Lester, B.V.M.S., Ph.D., chair, department of large animal clinical sciences

· Julie Moore, Ph.D., chair, department of infectious diseases and immunology

· Subhashinie Kariyawasam, B.V.Sc., Ph.D., chair, department of comparative, diagnostic and population medicine

· Paul Cooke, Ph.D., chair, department of physiological sciences

· Dana Zimmel, D.V.M., associate dean for clinical services

· Katie Boudreau, senior director of advancement and alumni affairs

· Julie Levy, D.V.M., Ph.D., professor of shelter medicine and faculty representative

· Rachel Grabar, veterinary medical student representative

· Hannah Barber, graduate student representative

The committee also includes three UF representatives outside the veterinary college: Steve Sugrue, Ph.D., senior associate dean for research affairs, UF College of Medicine; J. Glenn Morris, M.D., M.P.H., director of the UF Emerging Pathogens Institute; and John Arthington, Ph.D., chair, animal sciences department, UF/IFAS. Additionally, two representatives from outside of UF, Marc Presnell, D.V.M., past president of the Florida Veterinary Medical Association, and Lisa Conti, D.V.M., chief science officer for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, will serve on the committee.

The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine is supported through funding from UF Health and the UF Institute of Food of Agricultural Sciences, or IFAS.