Meet the AVMA LIFE Trustees

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Tracey Gray-Walker

Tracey Gray-Walker is the CEO of AVMA Trust. Her strategic objectives include unifying the strategic positioning of the Trust while enhancing member experience, improving productivity and efficiencies all while creating additional value for members.

Prior to joining the AVMA Trust in 2019, Tracey led AXA Association and Affinity business. During her tenure the business saw double digit growth for 2 consecutive years.

During Tracey’s career in Financial Services she received various awards and recognition, including but not limited to one of The Network Journal’s "Twenty-Five Influential Black Woman in Business," and she was featured in Profiles in Diversity Journal as one of its "Women Worth Watching". She was also included among Uptown Professional’s prestigious list of, "Top Executives in America", and a Women of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of Greater New York.

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Cynthia Smith

Cynthia Smith is the Member Experience Officer of AVMA Trust. She works with the CEO and other key team members to increase and enhance the member experience, member engagement, and the overall value of the offerings available to members.

Cynthia has more than 20 years of association experience with the American Medical Association Insurance Agency, Inc., where she focused on product development, product improvement, research, digital product strategy and overall product portfolio management.

Cynthia is a graduate of Fisk University, with a major in Business Management. She is also a licensed Illinois Life and Health Insurance Producer.

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Dr. Joshua E. Gehrke, DVM

As the Head of Veterinary Services for the AVMA Trust, Dr. Joshua E. Gehrke collaborates with the CEO, Lead Trust Veterinarian, and the Trust Team to support veterinary professionals. He holds a BS and DVM from Michigan State University, completed a small animal internship in Los Angeles, and a residency in Neurology & Neurosurgery at The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center of New York. Dr. Gehrke has experience with BluePearl, MedVet, and as an award-winning Assistant Professor and Neurology Service head at Michigan State University. As Chief Veterinary Officer for Veterinary United, he provided coaching, leadership, clinical practice, and medical mentorship to veterinary teams, elevating the care of medicine provided to the community. Passionate about impacting the profession, he continues to steward the veterinary community in his current role.

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Linda J. Ellis, DVM

Dr. Linda Ellis is the Director of Trust Veterinarians for the AVMA Trust, with 16 years of experience in veterinary professional liability and business risk management. Dr. Ellis is passionate about supporting and advocating for AVMA member veterinarians insured thru the PLIT and LIFE sponsored programs. She speaks regularly with veterinarians and practices regarding difficult situations or facing a malpractice claim or license complaint and reviews professional liability claims submitted through the PLIT program to advise the insurance carrier on veterinary care.

Another primary focus of Dr. Ellis’ role is education of AVMA members on the most common causes of claims and how to manage their risk. She makes visits to veterinary colleges to speak with students and attends and presents at veterinary conferences as part of an educational outreach to help veterinarians avoid malpractice and board complaints, as well as to discuss professional and business coverages that veterinarians need to protect themselves and their practice. Dr. Ellis also identifies claim trends and topics for PLIT newsletters to keep AVMA members informed.

Dr. Ellis graduated from Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1991 and practiced companion animal medicine and surgery for 14 years prior to joining the AVMA Trust. She is a member of the AVMA, AAHA, and Illinois State VMA.

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Rebecca Stinson, DVM

Dr. Rebecca Stinson graduated with a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia in 2002. After graduation, Dr. Stinson fulfilled her childhood dream of working with horses as an equine veterinarian and later became a founding partner in Carolina Equine Hospital in the piedmont area of North Carolina. Throughout her career, Dr. Stinson has been passionate about helping students identify their own path in the veterinary field. This passion prompted a career shift in 2016 to focus more on education and working with students.

Dr. Stinson taught as adjunct faculty at Averett University and Berry College in Georgia as a Clinical Assistant Professor and College Veterinarian. Dr. Stinson then joined the Academic Affairs team at Virginia Maryland CVM as an Associate Director for Student Support. In 2019, Dr. Stinson was thrilled to join the AVMA Trust as Student Services Representative. In this role, Dr. Stinson coordinates the student outreach with the wonderful team of professionals at AVMA LIFE and AVMA PLIT to provide the best member value possible to SAVMA members.

Throughout her career, Dr. Stinson has been actively involved in organized veterinary medicine including serving as AVMA Vice President from 2014-2016, as well as serving on numerous task forces, committees and councils.

Dr. Stinson and her husband share their life with her horse, two cats and a dog on their farm in North Carolina. They are fortunate to have a wonderful son and daughter in law and three amazing grandchildren.

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Tom O'Shaughnessy

Tom O’Shaughnessy is the Director of Program Operations of AVMA Trust. He is responsible for partnering with the CEO to drive the trust’s operating capabilities and enhance the membership experience. In addition, he focuses on the employee experience by assessing and implementing processes and technological solutions.

Tom joined the AVMA Trust in 2019, with over 20 years of financial management experience. He has been a leader in restructuring, reformulating, and growing organizations, as well as creating and executing programs at the Fortune 500 level to improve overall business function. Tom is a graduate of the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and has a Masters of Personal Financial Planning from the College of Financial Planning. He is also a Registered Investment Advisor, a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and is a past president and current member of the Great Lakes Study Group, the local board of the National Institute of Pension Administrators (NIPA).

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Nakia Burress

Nakia Burress joined AVMA Life in November 2020 as the Trust Program and Operations Manager. In her role, Nakia focuses on operational activities in coordination with business partners and service providers to increase quality assurance.

Nakia has over 14 years of experience in the insurance industry, with a background in operations, sales, and customer service support within Allstate, where she focused on creating efficiencies and processes that increased customer satisfaction.

Nakia is a graduate of University of Illinois at Chicago, with Bachelor of Science in Finance and is currently pursuing her MBA and MSIS at Lewis University in Romeoville. She is also a licensed Illinois Property, Casualty, Life, and Health Producer.

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Rebecca Isola-Waltos

As the Chief of Staff at AVMA Trust, Rebecca brings over a decade of experience in managing C-suite and internal operations. She oversees the efficient functioning of the Office of the CEO and strategic initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals. Since joining AVMA Trust in 2018, Rebecca has enhanced operational efficiency, governance, and process improvement.

Before AVMA Trust, Rebecca gained significant experience in the medical and financial services industries, developing skills in executive support, project management, and strategic planning.

An active member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Project Management Institute (PMI), Rebecca is dedicated to professional development and staying current with industry best practices.

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Belkys Llanes

Belkys Llanes joined AVMA LIFE in August 2017 as Member Advocate. In her role, Belkys is responsible for helping members navigate the health insurance system. This includes helping members choose the appropriate health coverage, resolve medical claims, understand complex bills, and coordinate with Medicare.

Prior to joining AVMA LIFE, Belkys worked for 14 years as a sales and agent support representative at HealthPlan Services, specifically for the AVMA LIFE account. Belkys graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems.

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Nina Mouledous, DVM

Dr. Nina Mouledous joined the AVMA Trust as a Trust Representative on June 23, 2008. Dr. Mouledous speaks to AVMA members insured through the PLIT and LIFE-sponsored programs, answering questions related to malpractice allegations and practice situations. She reviews professional liability claims, assists in the defense by identifying experts and appraisers, and advises the insurance broker and underwriters about new developments in veterinary medicine. Additionally, Dr. Mouledous visits several colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States, represents the PLIT and LIFE programs at various veterinary conventions and speaking engagements each year, and contributes to PLIT publications.

Before joining the AVMA Trust, Dr. Mouledous was the owner and sole practitioner for nineteen years of Equine Veterinary Services, Ltd, a mobile equine practice that specialized in Thoroughbred racehorses at Hawthorne Racecourse (Chicago, Illinois) and Arlington Park (Arlington Heights, Illinois). In addition to her practice, Dr. Mouledous developed a trap-neuter-release program at the racetracks to help control the feral cat population. She also mentored pre-veterinary students during the summer.

Dr. Mouledous is a 1985 graduate of Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine. Born and raised in New Orleans, Dr. Mouledous secured her first job as an associate veterinarian at a unique small animal, exotic, and equine practice in the French Quarter. Four years later, she relocated to Chicago and started her equine practice in 1989. During her career, Dr. Mouledous has served as a consulting veterinarian for the Illinois Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Foundation as well as a board member for the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protection Association.

"I am very excited to begin my new career with the AVMA Trust," said Dr. Mouledous. "I am proud to help my fellow veterinarians protect their reputations and to enhance the image of the veterinary profession."

Dr. Mouledous and her family reside in Downers Grove, Illinois.

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Cynthia MacKenzie, DVM

Cynthia MacKenzie, DVM represents the AVMA Trust around the country, raising the awareness of the PLIT and LIFE insurance programs and risk management solutions to veterinarians and veterinary students.

Prior to joining the AVMA Trust, Dr. MacKenzie was an Equine Technical Services Veterinarian at Luitpold Animal Health, providing continuing education, technical literature and consultation to veterinarians and their clients. Previously, she was with Merck Animal Health as a Senior Equine Technical Services Veterinarian and an Associate Director of Learning and Development. Additionally, Dr. MacKenzie co-founded the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief campaign to provide vaccines to qualifying equine rescues. Dr. MacKenzie also worked in private practice in California and Kentucky.

She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University. Dr. MacKenzie holds active memberships with the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the American Association of Equine Practitioners, and the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association.

"Throughout my veterinary career, I have gained an appreciation and understanding of the tremendous value that the AVMA and PLIT provide," Dr. MacKenzie said. "Therefore, it is truly an honor to join the PLIT team and serve the veterinary profession in this role. I look forward to being an advocate for veterinarians and veterinary students."

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Jennifer Frey, DVM

The AVMA Trust was delighted to welcome Dr. Jennifer Frey to the Trust Veterinarian team in October 2019. In her role, Dr. Frey assists the Trust by delivering educational content, bolstering awareness of the Trust’s professional and personal insurance programs, and tailoring veterinary risk management solutions for AVMA members.

"I am excited to become a member of the AVMA Trust team", Dr. Frey said. "I have always been a proud supporter of the AVMA and look forward to serving AVMA members and the veterinary community through advocacy, support and education."

Prior to joining the AVMA Trust, Dr. Frey practiced companion animal medicine and surgery in the Chicagoland area. She received her DVM and BS from the University of Illinois. Dr. Frey currently lives in Oak Park, Illinois with her husband, two children, a rambunctious Shih Tzu mix named Lexie and a newly adopted kitten, Cosmo. In her free time, she enjoys attending her children’s sporting events, reading, and traveling anywhere there is sun and sand!

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Kara Escutia, DVM

Dr. Kara Escutia joined the AVMA Trust in January 2021. As a Trust Veterinarian she plays a key role in the activities of the Trust, including providing guidance to the brokers and carriers on veterinary topics and protocols, reviewing professional liability claims, providing support and advocacy to insured members, discussing potential or actual claims with members who call PLIT, and developing and presenting educational programs to veterinary students, veterinarians, and veterinary teams.

"I am very excited to join the AVMA Trust team and start my new career in the ever-changing world of veterinary risk management," said Dr. Escutia. "I have always been a proud member of the AVMA and feel privileged to support my colleagues in such an important role."

Dr. Escutia has spent most of her life in Illinois—growing up in Plainfield, then attending the University of Illinois for both her undergraduate degree and Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. Since graduation in 2011, she has worked in companion animal practice prior to joining the AVMA Trust team.

When Dr. Escutia is not working, she enjoys staying active outdoors and spending time with her husband David, and sons, Luka and Liam. She shares her home with a dog, Turtle, and one cat, Bagel. Dr. Escutia and her family reside in St. Charles, Illinois.

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Cassie Wagner, DVM

Dr. Cassie Wagner is originally from outside of Richmond, Virginia and has grown a career through a diverse background in human and animal medicine. She began her career as a registered nurse, then switched to veterinary medicine to pursue a future in veterinary public health. She graduated with her DVM and MPH from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM) in 2013. For the following five years Dr. Wagner kept a “foot in both worlds,” volunteering at a local small animal clinic while working full-time as a nurse in the areas of quality and performance improvement, risk management, and case management. In 2018, she returned to her alma mater to work as Director of Alumni and Referring Practitioner Relations, leading the engagement efforts of the VMCVM.

In fall of 2022, she joined the AVMA Trust as a Student Services Representative, and finally moved “back home” with her husband, Matt, two daughters, June, and Wynn, and their “schnoxer” dog, Raffi. In her spare time, Dr. Wagner enjoys hiking, traveling, jigsaw puzzles, and sitting around a campfire with family and friends.

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Daniel Mazur, CPA, MBA

Dan Mazur is the Head of Finance & Accounting, working on all accounting and financial related activity at the Trust. In addition, he is a key liaison at the Trust, partnering with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the Trust is best positioned to serve its members of today and tomorrow.

Dan joined the AVMA Trust in 2023, with over 15 years of financial expertise. He has led several finance departments in his career and brings over a decade of experience within the insurance vertical, from brokerage and administration to carrier and reinsurance. Dan is a graduate of University of Illinois at Chicago, is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA), has his Master of Business Administration from Northern Illinois University, and is a past board member of an Insurance Managers organization.

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Carla Gerald

Carla Gerald joined the AVMA Trust as Senior Accountant in September of 2023. Carla has over 35 years of experience in accounting and consulting for both public and private companies. Specializing mainly in service industries, Carla has held managerial and controllership positions in healthcare, educational publishing, and several software start-up companies.

Carla is excited to bring her knowledge of software systems and month-end close practices to the Trust, to facilitate the timely, accurate reporting of financial activities to management.

Carla currently resides in Illinois with her husband but lived in Southern California for 11 years, where her two children were born. When she’s not working, Carla enjoys camping, reading, visiting family and friends, all the while patiently waiting for grandchildren.

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Jamie Weinstein

Jamie Weinstein joined the Trust in May 2024. Jamie is a seasoned administrative professional with years of experience in office administration and management, executive assistance, and client relations while maintaining high standards of service and organization. She has facilitated efficient office operations by optimizing processes and procedures to support leadership and sales teams and has a background in vendor management and customer service. With a commitment to quality, she is excited about applying her skills to help her co-workers and the AVMA Trust thrive.

Jamie graduated from Illinois State University with a B.S in Food, Nutrition and Dietetics, and Northeastern Illinois University with an M.S. In Exercise Science. When she is not working, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, spoiling her dog, cooking, baking, reading, or traveling.

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Beth Fischer

Beth Fischer joined AVMA Trust in October 2022 as the Office Administrator in the Chicago office. Beth works with the Trust Veterinarians, Student Services Veterinarians, and the Marketing teams to support and organize daily operations and procedures.

Beth has over 25 years of business experience in the areas of advertising (Quaker Oats), entrepreneurship (started a communications company with her husband), and non-profits (Glen Oaks Therapeutic Day School).

Beth received her Bachelor of Science in Business from Marquette University and is a loyal Golden Eagle basketball fan.

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Patrick Douglas, CVT

Patrick Douglas is the Trust Veterinary Technician for the AVMA Trust. He works with the Trust Veterinarians to assist members with their professional liability, malpractice, and license defense claims. With over a decade of experience as a veterinary technician, he specializes in veterinary hospital management in private practice, national practice, and AZA accredited zoos. Patrick has spent time abroad in Africa working with wild penguins as well documenting the experience on an AVMA podcast.

Patrick graduated from Parkland college with an AAS in Veterinary Technology in 2014 and a BS from Penn Foster in 2023. Beyond professional achievements, he is a proud parent of three boys, finding joy in family adventures like camping and fishing. He also enjoys unwinding with disc golf and video games.

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Holly Monahan

Holly Monahan joined the AVMA Trust in March of 2024 as a Marketing and Communications Associate working on Trust publications, social media and serving as a member of the branding team. Before joining AVMA Trust, Holly spent two decades in marketing and communications in various industries including educational publishing, professional services firms, and non-profit associations. She specializes in content development and multichannel campaigns including digital, print, social media, corporate presentations, advertising, and video. Holly earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from John Carroll University and a Master of Education from DePaul University.

When she’s not working, you can find Holly spending time with her family, laughing with friends, watching PBS Mystery, meditating, perfecting her shot at the archery range or traveling the world.

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Britto Thomas

Britto Thomas joined AVMA Trust as Project Manager in March 2024. With over 15 years of experience working with top-tier firms like McKinsey & Company and Uber, Britto’s capabilities include team leadership, project management, people development, effective communication, and expertise in data analytics. He holds an MBA in International Business and certifications in SAFe^® Agile, CSM^®, Lean Six Sigma, and AI Product Management.

As the Project Manager for AVMA Trust, Britto is committed to leveraging his skills and experience to drive growth and development for the organization and its members.

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Stuart Brown, II, DVM (Board Chair)

Dr. Brown received his DVM from Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine and has previously been honored with the 2014 Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association Veterinarian of the Year award; the 2017 AAEP President’s Award; the 2019 Terry Mobley Philanthropy Award from the University of Kentucky; and the 2021 AVMA Meritorious Service Award. Dr. Brown practiced for nearly 30 years at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, with a primary focus on thoroughbreds and areas of concentration in equine reproduction, foal evaluations, private/public purchase evaluations, herd health and preventative medicine, federally required import/export protocols, and issues affecting the welfare and safety of equine racing athletes. Today, Dr. Brown serves as Vice-President of Equine Safety at Keeneland Association in Lexington, Kentucky. He is chairman of the Gluck Equine Research Foundation and a member of The Jockey Club. He serves as the AAEP delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates and is a member of the House Advisory Committee.

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Paula Rode, DVM (Vice Chair)

Dr. Rode received her DVM from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine and went on to start her own practice, Chelsea Animal Hospital. When asked about what she believes to be her most notable achievements, Dr. Rode said, “I am most proud of three things: my incredible, loyal, and dedicated staff, many of which have been with me for over a decade; my clients (some of whom) have been with me for the nearly 30 years I have been in practice, along with their children and sometimes grandchildren; and the talented mentees I have helped guide into this amazing profession.” In addition to her work with Chelsea Animal Hospital and the AVMA Board of Trustees, Dr. Rode has served locally on her hospital board, Rotary Club, and the Education Foundation and Downtown Development Authority.

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Pamelar Hale, DVM, MS, MBA, MJ (Secretary-Treasurer)

Dr. Hale received her DVM from Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and Georgia VMA. She serves on the Dean’s Counsel for Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Hale has held numerous high-level leadership roles within veterinary medicine, from chief of staff to chief medical officer. She is a highly engaged veterinary industry consultant as an operation, start-up, and firm-building subject matter expert. She served on the inaugural Wedgewood Pharmacy Advisory Board from 2022-2023 and recently joined the board of the Society of Veterinary Medical Ethics (SVME). In addition, she is a member of the CHIEF organization for women executives. Dr. Hale earned a Master of Business Administration from St. George’s University and a Juris Master’s Degree from Florida State University in 2023. She shares her home in Atlanta, Georgia, with five pups and husband, Chuck (USAF veteran retired).

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Robert H. Knapp, MS, DVM

Dr. Knapp received a Bachelor of Science in Food Technology (Animal Science) from The Ohio State University, a Master of Science in Animal Science from Texas A&M University, and his DVM from The Ohio State University. In 2007, he became the owner of Knapp Veterinary Hospital, which was founded by his grandfather in 1945. He remains an active Ohio State alumnus, currently serving as treasurer of the Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society, and formerly serving in the position of president in 2008. Dr. Knapp has also been active in the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA), serving in various capacities during his 32-year membership, including president in 2007 and as the Ohio Delegate to the AVMA. Dr. Knapp serves on the AVMA Board of Directors representing District V and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Board. He was honored with the OVMA’s Meritorious Service Award in 1999; the Ohio Veterinarian of the Year Award in 2014; and The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Distinguished Alumni in 2015.

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Kent McClure, DVM, JD

Dr. McClure received his DVM from Texas A&M and his JD from the University of Texas. Currently, Dr. McClure is an Associate Executive Vice President at the American Veterinary Medical Association and leads the AVMA’s advocacy programs, both in Washington, D.C. and at the state level. He has 25 years of experience advocating on policy issues important to veterinary medicine and veterinary practice, working as both an attorney and a veterinarian. Dr. McClure previously served as General Counsel for the Animal Health Institute, where he worked on the development of policies that affect the veterinary profession and the development of animal health products.

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Jose Arce, DVM

Dr. José V. Arce received his DVM from the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine and served as AVMA President for the 2021-2022 association year. Prior to this, he represented District IV on the AVMA Board of Directors, which includes AVMA members living in Florida, Georgia, and Puerto Rico. Preceding his work with AVMA and the AVMA Trust, Dr. Arce founded Miramar Animal Hospital, of which he remains president and co-owner. Dr. Arce was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. While living in Puerto Rico, Dr. Arce became active in the Colegio de Medicos Veterinarios de Puerto Rico (CMVPR) and was named to the Ethics and Grievances Committee. He has remained an active member of the PRVMA Board of Directors since 2000.

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George Robinson, DVM, MSPH

Dr. Robinson received his DVM from the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine and holds a Master of Science in Public Health from the Howard University School of Medicine. He is the founder and former CEO of Heartland Veterinary Partners (HVP), a Chicago-based veterinary support organization, and he currently serves as Vice Chairman of the HVP board and as a Special Advisor. Before joining HVP, Dr. Robinson was a leader with National Veterinary Associates and Banfield Pet Hospital, and prior to his work there, he owned and operated successful veterinary hospitals in Louisiana. Dr. Robinson previously served as vice president of the Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine and is an active alum for the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. He chaired the Practice Advisory Panel of the AVMA, which notably wrote the AVMA Report on Telemedicine. He is a member of the board of directors of the LSU System Foundation and was named the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine Distinguished Alumnus for 2018. “Dr. George,” as he likes to be called, is considered a thought leader in the veterinary space, and maintains his license to practice veterinary medicine. He enjoys philanthropy, mentorship, teaching, lecturing, knowledge sharing, and contributing to the broader profession.