Our 2022-23 Board of Directors and Leaders
To get where the veterinary profession needs to go, it takes a dynamic group of people leading the way. Get to know our leadership team.
Blair de Vries
DVM
President
Dr. de Vries is a member of the American Association of Fish Veterinarians, American Veterinary Medical Association, Christian Veterinary Mission, World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association, Washington State Veterinary Medical Association, and the 2018-2019 WSVMA Power of Ten leadership class. She helped organize, produce, and distribute their class project, the Ready Vet Go podcast (https://wsvma.org/power-of-ten/podcast/). She was selected to attend the 2020 Veterinary Leadership Conference as the rising leader for Washington State by the WSVMA Board of Directors. Dr. de Vries has held leadership roles in veterinary school including WSU SAVMA Vice President, Treasurer of the WSU ACVIM student Chapter, and represented WSU at an AVMA Student Legislative Fly-In.
Eddie Haigh
DVM
Vice-President
Raised in Shelton, Washington, Dr. Eddie Haigh graduated from Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2010. After graduation, Dr. Haigh returned to Shelton where he currently works at and owns the Haigh Veterinary Hospital with his parents (both Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine graduates). In 2020 Dr. Haigh completed a two-year Aquaculture Fellowship through the University of Florida. Dr. Haigh served as chair of the WSVMA Program Committee that oversees the Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference from 2015 to 2020. Dr. Haigh lives in Shelton with his wife and two children and enjoys spending time with his family outdoors and golfing.
Gary Marshall
DVM
Secretary
Dr. Gary Marshall graduated from the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine. He practices full-time at the feline-exclusive practice he founded on Mercer Island, Wash. in 1996. His special areas of interest are feline geriatrics, client communication, and the training and mentorship of veterinary students and recent graduates. As Adjunct Professor for WSU/CVM, several veterinary students receive part of their clinical training at Island Cats every year. Dr. Marshall is WSVMA’s immediate Past-President. He represents Wash. in the AVMA House of Delegates, serves on both the Board of the Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative and the Advisory Group of the AVMA/AAVMC Commission for a Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Veterinary Profession. He also enjoys engaging with new grads as the North American Mentor for the VetX International Thrive community.
Brian Joseph
DVM
Director
Former Washington State Veterinarian Brian Joseph serves as a veterinary consultant for over a dozen aquaria and dolphin facilities in the United States and the Bahamas including Washington’s own Seattle Aquarium. A 1984 University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine graduate, he completed his Master’s in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at the University of Florida in December 2020. Dr. Joseph’s interests include the global effect of climate change on food security, transboundary disease, zoonotic disease, and the marine environment. He serves as a Director on the LifeStock Int’l and Protect Wild Dolphins boards, and recently completed a project in Kurdistan and Iraq training farmers, laboratory diagnosticians, and veterinarians in the detection, reporting and control of transboundary diseases. Dr. Joseph frequently serves as an animal welfare auditor for the American Humane Association, enjoys fishing, kayaking, and writing. He lives in Gig Harbor with his lovely wife, and an autistic Leonberger, a Mexican Street Dog, two Bernese Mountain Dog puppies, a cat, and is, of course, allergic to the latter five.
Rick DeBowes
DVM, DACVS
Director
Richard M. DeBowes, DVM, MS, DACVS, is a Professor of Surgery and the Director of the Professional Life Skills program at the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Working with Dr. Kathleen Ruby and others, Rick helped fund, develop, promote and host, the Cougar Orientation and Leadership Experience at WSU and the AVMA Veterinary Leadership Experience (VLE) program for the global veterinary profession. Based on his experiences in veterinary practice and his awareness of the “people skills” needed to be a great health care team member, Rick currently oversees the practice management curriculum and continues to teach in the leadership and the clinical communication courses for which he was the founding co-director.
Bob Mealey
DVM, PhD, DACVIM
Director
Sally Thompson-Iritani
DVM, PhD
Treasurer
Dr. Sally Thompson-Iritani lives in Seattle where her and her husband raised 3 kids and now share a home with 2 cats and 2 dogs. She received her DVM from Iowa State University and her PhD in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences from the University of Washington. She is trained as a laboratory animal veterinarian with specialized certification as a Compassion Fatigue Professional and Educator. Her current role is at the University of Washington as the Assistant Vice Provost for Animal Care, Outreach, and 3Rs where she has oversight for the Animal Care and Use Program, education about the role of animals in supporting science, and the 3Rs Initiative (replacement, reduction and refinement of the use of animals in biomedical research). In addition to her role as the Treasurer for WSVMA she also serves as the Treasurer for the Feral Cat Spay and Neuter Program in WA state and the Vice President for the national organization The 3Rs Collaborative.
Candace Joy
Chief Executive Officer
Candace Joy has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association since 2002. She is a past president of Veterinary Medical Association Executives (VMAE) and is a recipient of VMAE’s Executive of the Year and Distinguished Service awards. She has served on numerous veterinary-related boards and committees, and currently chairs VMAE’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and serves on the DEI Advisory Group to the AVMA/AAVMC Commission for a Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Veterinary Profession. Candace enjoys writing, hiking, travel, and the arts.
Meet the Past Presidents of the WSVMA
We’re thankful to all of those who have volunteered time and resources to improve veterinary medicine and the lives of those touched by it.
2021 Dr. Jennifer Bennett
2020 Dr. Rick DeBowes
2019 Dr. Gary Marshall
2018 Dr. Jean Gulbransen
2017 Dr. Paul DeMaris
2016 Dr. Kathy Hickey
2015 Dr. Lisa Parshley
2014 Dr. Lisa Parshley
2013 Dr. Jocelyn Woodd
2012 Dr. James McCutchan
2011 Dr. John Cannon
2010 Dr. Kit Wenrick
2009 Dr. Carrie La Jeunesse
2008 Dr. Debora Wallingford
2007 Dr. Robert A. Thompson
2006 Dr. Saundra E. Willis
2005 Dr. Robert R. Gilpin
2004 Dr. Saundra E. Willis
2003 Dr. Clive C. Gay
2002 Dr. Jayne E. Jensen
2001 Dr. Kit B. Bowerman
2000 Dr. Kathleen M. Connell
1999 Dr. William Testerman
1998 Dr. Robert W. Bishop
1997 Dr. William B. Holleman
1996 Dr. Kathryn M. Haigh
1995 Dr. Donald I. Kelts
1994 Dr. Kim A. Nicholas
1993 Dr. Jerry Pospisil
1992 Dr. Warwick M. Bayly
1991 Dr. Charles R. Root
1990 Dr. Brian E. Albers
1989 Dr. Harmon A. Rogers
1988 Dr. Thomas F. Meyer
1987 Dr. A. Roger Harder
1986 Dr. Daniel L. DeWeert
1985 Dr. G. Gary Duskin
1984 Dr. Reilly P. Glore
1983 Dr. Dee G. Meek
1982 Dr. Verner Pedersen
1981 Dr. Robert L. Pietila
1980 Dr. Michael J. Lust
1979 Dr. Jerold D. Gemar
1978 Dr. John E. Alexander
1977 Dr. Arnold C. Slater
1976 Dr. William L. Yakely
1975 Dr. Stanley B. Coe
1974 Dr. L. Everett Macomber
1973 Dr. Ronald J. Streeter
1972 Dr. Robert E. Wilson
1971 Dr. Clyde M. Bemis
1970 Dr. Leon M. Bodie
1969 Dr. Orin G. Swanson
1968 Dr. Alex J. Ryncarz
1967 Dr. Thomas Guilfoil
1966 Dr. Neil V. Follett
1965 Dr. Ivor Evans
1964 Dr. Harold Warsinske
1963 Dr. Robert Ebright
1962 Dr. Philip Pfarr
1961 Dr. Howard DuBois
1960 Dr. Robert Burch
1959 Dr. Ernest Stone
1958 Dr. William F. Harris
1957 Dr. George Duby
1956 Dr. Irwin Erickson
1955 Dr. Roy Hostetler
1954 Dr. Don Clarke
1953 Dr. James Kraft
1952 Dr. Philip Hinze
1951 Dr. John Stevens
1950 Dr. T. Robert Phelps
1949 Dr. LeMar Gaw
1948 Dr. M. O. Mulqueeney
1947 Dr. Norman Garlick
1946 Dr. Philip Millard
1946 Dr. George Folger
1945 Dr. O. Leighton Bailey
1944 Dr. W. L. Kilpatrick
1943 Dr. W. L. Kilpatrick
1942 Dr. M. O. Barnes
1941 Dr. F. E. Smith
1940 Dr. Harry Marsden
1939 Dr. J. P. Johnson
1938 Dr. R. R. Isham
1937 Dr. C. E. Sayer
1936 Dr. Stanley Worley
1935 Dr. Ray Gilliam<
1934 Dr. V. O. Pauhlman
1933 Dr. A. H. P. Hendricksen
1932 Dr. O. G. Button
1931 Dr. J. E. McCoy
1930 Dr. E. A. Ehmer
1929 Dr. George W. Staggs
1928 Dr. J. J. Stratton
1927 Dr. C. S. Phillips
1926 Dr. J. R. Fuller
1925 Dr. P. G. MacKintosh
1924 Dr. R. J. Donohue
1923 Dr. H. A. Tippeer
1922 Dr. J. W. Woodside
1921 Dr. G. A. Jones
1920 Dr. R. A. Button
1919 Dr. Walter Ferguson
1918 Dr. L. C. Pelton
1917 Dr. L. C. Pelton
1916 Dr. E. E. Wegner
1915 Dr. Robert Prior
1914 Dr. J. T. Seely
1913 Dr. J. W. Kalkus
1912 Dr. A. J. Damen
1911 Dr. S. T. Miller
1910 Dr. S. T. Miller
1909 Dr. J. Hilton