| Dr. Debora Wallingford grew up in the Omaha suburb of Ralston, Nebraska, and completed her undergraduate work at Kansas State. She is married to one very understanding husband, Randy Wallingford, and they have two daughters Victoria, age 8 and Olivia, age 6. Their house is also inhabited by a greyhound, a standard poodle and three cats. Dr. Wallingford practices at The Cat and Dog Clinic of Bellevue and performs volunteer work for Greyhound Pets Incorporated in Snohomish. Dr. Wallingford began her WSVMA experience in 1995 with the Editorials and Publications Committee, the creators of INSIGHT Magazine and SPARKS online. Among various other committee work, she also chaired the WSVMA Governance Review Task Force Committee through the formation of the current Policies and Procedures manual. Understanding the work-life balance that female veterinarians strive for is a pet project for Dr. Wallingford. With the shifting majority of gender from males to females in the profession, it is important to her that the genders recognize and appreciate that work hours, benefits, and time off may not mean the same thing to each. This also applies to new graduates and what they are searching for in the profession. Gone are the twelve hour, five or six day weeks, and graduates today believe in and expect to also have a work-life balance. Bringing the previous and the new, male and the female viewpoints to discussion so that more than just a tolerance but an acceptance of each could be shared can prove challenging. The importance of leadership training on these and other topics is imperative to support WSVMA members in the changing tide of the next decade. During Dr. Wallingford’s presidency, the WSVMA witnessed several interesting, profession-changing matters. House Bill 1271, regarding dispensing and administering of drugs by registered or licensed veterinary personnel, was passed into law, the first veterinary law to pass in nearly two decades. This amended the law to provide the legal authority for Licensed Veterinary Technicians to dispense and administer legend drugs, non-legend drugs and controlled substances under the indirect supervision of a veterinarian. A second bill, HB 1176, which would have imposed negative changes on veterinarians’ disciplinary process through the Board of Governors, was successfully vetoed. Concerns regarding education-based licensure versus experience-based licensure for technicians were raised and discussed at length. The WSVMA was able to negotiate an extension until 2014 from the American Association of Veterinary State Boards so that the Veterinary Technician National Exam would not be withdrawn from technicians in the state of Washington. Practice encroachment was another hot topic that drove the formation of a task force to study the practice of lay persons floating horses’ teeth and how it affects equine practitioners. Thanks to the hard work of the Real Estate Task Force, this year also saw the decades long dream of the WSVMA owning its own building come to fruition. Office space in Snoqualmie was purchased after many months of discovery and searching by the real estate task force. A beautiful building in the shadow of Mt. Si, this purchase has given the WSVMA yet another substantial foothold in the financial success of its future. Maybe most importantly, the changing face of veterinary medicine was recognized and closely examined to visualize how present and future members could be served. Speakers, lectures, classes and even Executive Board exercises focused on the importance of cultural, gender, and generational sensitivities within the profession. The development of communication with veterinary students at WSU and being able to keep in touch among association members became a significant goal, and with this materialized the first venture into social media, a WSVMA Fan Page on Facebook! Dr. Wallingford looks forward to the opportunity to continue this discussion as new chair of the WSVMA Membership Committee. |
