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Our 2023-24 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.
Eddie Haigh

DVM

President

Edward Dana Haigh, B.S., D.V.M.: Born and raised in Shelton, WA. The son of two Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine Graduates. Bachelor of Science Zoology major, University of Washington 2005. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University 2010. Edward’s focus is small animal and aquaculture. Member of WSVMA, AVMA and American Association of Fish Veterinarians. Represented the WSVMA as the emerging leader in 2011. Served as Chair of the Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference for 5 years.

Bob Mealey

DVM, PhD, DACVIM

Vice-President

Dr. Mealey earned his DVM in 1990 from Colorado State University. Following a large animal medicine and surgery internship at the University of Minnesota, and spent a year working as a track veterinarian for the Texas Racing Commission. Dr. Mealey went on to a large animal (equine emphasis) internal medicine residency at Texas A&M, which he completed in 1995 with board certification in large animal internal medicine by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. After a year as a member of the equine clinical faculty at Texas A&M, he came to the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) in 1996 as an equine medicine clinician in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences (VCS). During his 26-year WSU career in two different CVM departments, Dr. Mealey earned a PhD (2001), maintained a research and teaching interest in equine infectious disease and immunology, and developed a strong interest in leadership. Before becoming VCS Chair in August 2020, he served as the CVM Associate Dean for Research, was a member of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges Leadership Academy, served as Chair of the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, and served as the CVM Interim Dean during the initial and most challenging phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brian Joseph

DVM

Secretary

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.

Melanie Bowden

DVM

Director

Dr. Melanie Bowden graduated in 2016 from WSU College of Veterinary Medicine. She has worked in small animal general practice from 2016-2019 in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Was a member of the WSVMA Power of 10 in 2017 and has participated in several subcommittee projects since then. Since 2020 Dr. Melanie Bowden has worked in Emergency Medicine in Maine, New York, and Washington. She is now Medical Director for VEG ER hospital in Redmond, WA

Gary Marshall

DVM

Director

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.

Irene Yen

MPH, DVM

Director

Dr. Irene Yen is a 2017 Ross University graduate and has worked as a small animal relief veterinarian in Western Washington since 2020. She also has a Masters in Veterinary Public Health and enjoys preventive medicine and tackling shelter, urgent care, and emergency cases. She’s a member of the WSVMA DEI committee. As a first generation Asian-American who is the only veterinarian on both sides of her family, she’s a strong advocate for more diverse staff backgrounds.

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.

Ken Gordon

Chief Executive Officer

In October 2023, Ken Gordon commenced as the Incoming CEO of the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association. Prior to joining WSVMA Ken led the Northwest Association for Biomedical Research for ten years. With post graduate qualifications focusing on finance and public policy, he adds non-profit studies from both Harvard and Stanford Graduate Schools of Business. A native of New Zealand, Ken has a cultural bias for helping small organizations have an impact that belie their size. As a marathon runner and triathlete, he believes that even the biggest projects can be successful taken one step at a time. Outside of these roles Ken has also been a Board Member of the Chief Seattle Club, a non-profit that focuses on housing and other services for indigenous communities for 14 years.

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.

2022 Dr. Blair de Vries

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&lt

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