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More Adventures in the Life of a New Executive Director

This past month was a HUGE month for me. You may recall from last month’s adventures that part of my job includes getting to meet some Very.Important.People. That was most definitely the case recently because TVMA just wrapped up some very successful meetings at the Southwest Veterinary Symposium (SWVS). TVMA’s Executive Committee, Board of Directors and VPAC all held meetings, as did several committees and our Leadership Academy. We also had a super fun Recent Grad & Student Mixer that apparently carried on well past 10 p.m. with post-party fun at Howl at the Moon. My “old” soul has an earlier bedtime, and I very much appreciate that our volunteer leadership carried the torch to keep the networking going.

We also had lots of fun at our VPAC event with Senator Pete Flores (District 24), who shared some great stories about his life as a Game Warden, including the time he was served a dinner of raccoon, with leg and fur still attached. 🤢 If you ever doubt the future of the veterinary profession, I invite you to hang out with our students, recent grads and future leaders. These people are going places and taking TVMA and the profession along with them. It is hard to not feel reinvigorated and hopeful after spending time with them.

One of the highlights for me—fangirl moment—was having USDA Undersecretary Dudley Hoskins and Rear Admiral Michael Schmoyer spend close to an hour with our Board of Directors discussing everything New World Screwworm (NWS). Ladies (gentlemen, keep scrolling), remember when you waited for the latest edition of Tiger Beat, Teen People or Seventeen magazine to read about your favorite rockstar or actor? Undersecretary Hoskins and RDML Schmoyer are the rockstars in the world of NWS. Dr. Schmoyer has been nicknamed “Maggot Mike,” a la Magic Mike. 🤩 I’m a nerd, and I own it.

I’ve been to almost every SWVS since its inception, always as a volunteer leader. But now that I’m staff, I get to go behind the curtain to see how things really happen. Imagine my disappointment when I found out that we didn’t just wave a magic wand and everything was set up and ready for meetings and the exhibit hall. Apparently, the magic wand is with the Texas Wagyu and champagne (see last month’s edition of The Source).

Team TVMA put in weeks of work organizing the schedule, creating agendas, supporting committee chairs for their meetings, setting up and manning the exhibit hall booth, recording material for upcoming podcasts, meeting with industry folks and pulling off TVMA-sponsored events. Did you know staff awakens before the rooster crows and are in the ballroom at 6 a.m. to set up for the Board of Directors meetings? Or that they stay up late to make sure everything is ready for the next day’s work? I thought for sure the staff office was going to be full of excitement as well. Ha! The staff office is where we store the printer, meeting supplies and snacks. Why snacks? Because lunch (or dinner) is not always an option. And there’s not a backroom to sneak a quick cuddle with the cute puppy or kitten as a respite for an introvert. But the staff office does provide a place to stress eat—Peanut M&Ms and Diet Coke, anyone? Or protein bar and energy drink? We have it all. Then come Sunday, everything gets packed up, loaded into the vans and returned to Austin. We will spend the next several weeks fulfilling staff directives and carrying out the resolutions passed by the Board of Directors.

Some of these things will be taken care of very quickly, and others will need to go through the Budget & Finance Committee for review and final approval. I very much appreciate the thoughtful deliberations and the dedication to our profession that everyone displayed during our meetings. These are the interactions that make my job worthwhile and keep the team dedicated to all things veterinary medicine. I said it last month, and I’ll say it again: I 💙 TVMA!

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Texas A&M team to sequence thousands of screwworms in search of drug resistance markers

Anonym / Thursday, October 29, 2026 0 0 Article rating: No rating

Researchers at Texas A&M University are planning what one of the project’s investigators calls the largest genetic study of New World screwworm (NWS) ever conducted to learn whether the parasite could become resistant to the drugs used to control it.

The Science Corner: ICYMI

Kane R / Wednesday, October 28, 2026 0 276 Article rating: No rating

Some new guidelines have been released in 2026. All of these are open access and free for you to obtain. Check out new guidance from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) on feline diabetes, canine diabetes and canine and feline oncology; the International Cat Care Veterinary Society on chronic kidney disease in cats; American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) on chronic inflammatory enteropathy in dogs; and the latest field diagnostic guidelines on equine infectious abortion from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP). We want to make sure you have what you need to stay current in practice!

More Adventures in the Life of a New Executive Director

Kane R / Wednesday, October 28, 2026 0 101 Article rating: No rating

Dog Aging Project Enters New Phase In Search Of Longer, Healthier Canine Lives

Anonym / Tuesday, October 27, 2026 0 0 Article rating: No rating

New NIH funding will help researchers uncover why some dogs thrive into old age — and how these insights could improve health for dogs and people.

Texas A&M University | College Station, Texas

Kane R / 11/7/2026 0 28 Article rating: No rating

Join leading experts in equine respiratory medicine for a full day of practical lectures and hands-on training focused on the diagnosis and management of respiratory disease in horses. Designed for equine practitioners, interns, residents, and veterinary students, the program combines evidence-based clinical updates with interactive wet lab experiences in airway endoscopy, lower airway diagnostics, thoracic imaging, upper airway and sinus procedures, pulmonary drug delivery, and foal respiratory emergencies. 8.5 RACE-approved veterinary CE hours available. College Station, Texas. https://vetmed.tamu.edu/ce/veterinary-comparative-respiratory-society-symposium/

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More Adventures in the Life of a New Executive Director

Texas A&M team to sequence thousands of screwworms in search of drug resistance markers

The Science Corner: ICYMI

More Adventures in the Life of a New Executive Director

Dog Aging Project Enters New Phase In Search Of Longer, Healthier Canine Lives

VCRS Equine Respiratory Wet Lab

Texas A&M University | College Station, Texas