Board of Directors

Dr. Mary Blinn graduated from the University Of Tennessee College Of Veterinary Medicine in 1984. After a short time in private practice she entered the field of shelter medicine in 1985 with the Humane Society of Charlotte working at North Carolina’s first low-cost spay/neuter clinic. In 1986 Dr. Blinn began working for Charlotte/Mecklenburg Animal Control and still continues there today. During her tenure at Animal Control Dr. Blinn served a three-year term on the board of the Greater Charlotte Veterinary Medical Association where she worked hard to improve relations with the local veterinarians. In 2004, Dr. Blinn received a University Of Tennessee Distinguished Alumni Award for her work in the field of shelter medicine. Dr. Blinn has also served on the board of directors of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians since 2003.

Dr. Cynthia Cox-Barker

Dr. Cynthia Cox has been a shelter veterinarian for 8 years, for 2 years at a large open-admission shelter in South Carolina, and then at the MSPCA's Boston Animal Care and Adoption Center, where she manages the Shalit-Glazer Clinic. Prior to studying veterinary medicine at Washington State University, she attended Northwestern University as an undergraduate and PhD student specializing in Sri Lankan history. While living in Sri Lanka as a Fulbright Scholar, she had many encounters with the homeless animals so visible there that made her take a closer look at the problem at home. This eventually led to her decision to study veterinary medicine and a commitment to spay-neuter programs and shelter medicine. She has been a member of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians since 2002. Her current projects include helping to develop a shelter medicine curriculum at Tufts University and participation in euthanasia training for the MSPCA. She lives with 4 cats and 2 humans.

Dr. Brenda Griffin

Dr. Brenda Griffin received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Carolina in biology in 1986, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Georgia in 1990, and a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from Auburn University in 2001. After completing an internship at the MSCPA’s Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, MA, she spent time working in general small animal practice, as well as in animal shelters. She completed a residency in small animal internal medicine in 1999 at Auburn University and became board certified in 2000. In 1999, she joined the faculty of the Scott-Ritchey Research Center at Auburn University where her work focused on research, educational and out-reach programs involving non-lethal strategies for pet population control. While at Auburn, she founded and directed Operation Cat Nap (AU’s feral cat trap-neuter-return program) and the AU Shelter Medicine Program. She instructed classes and clinical rotations for veterinary students in shelter medicine, behavior, and feral cat care while working closely with area shelters. In addition, she served as an advisor for the Student Animal Welfare Action Committee, the Pre-veterinary Medical Association and veterinary student summer fellows. In 2006, Dr. Griffin joined the faculty at Cornell where she currently serves as an Assistant Professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine. As the Director of Clinical Programs for the new Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell, she is developing a clinical training program for veterinary students and post-graduate veterinarians. She continues to collaborate on the development of feline and canine contraceptives with scientists at the Scott-Ritchey Research Center. Dr. Griffin is well published in the areas of feline reproduction and medicine, welfare and population control. She has presented her work at conferences and meetings nationally. Dr. Griffin served as a founding member of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs in 2001. In 2003, Dr. Griffin received the Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award. Most recently, she was honored by being selected as one of five national recipients of a special award from PETsMART Charities for excellence in “spay/neuter mentorship”. Her lifelong hobby is dog training, and she and her husband share their home with 8 dogs, 5 cats, 2 goats and miscellaneous foster animals.

Dr. Kate Hurley

Dr. Kate Hurley is the director of the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program. Dr. Hurley has worked with shelters since 1989, including as an adoption counselor, kennel attendant and state humane officer. After graduation from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 1999, Dr. Hurley worked as a shelter veterinarian in California and Wisconsin. She returned to UC Davis to undertake the Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Residency, becoming the world’s first residency-trained shelter medicine specialist in 2004. She loves shelter work because it has the potential to improve the lives of so many animals. Her interests include population health, infectious disease epidemiology, and unusually short dogs.

Dr. Natalie Isaza

Natalie Isaza is a Florida native who grew up in Orlando, Florida. She completed her undergraduate degree in Zoology from Auburn University, and her DVM from the University of Florida in 1994. Following graduation from veterinary school, she completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine. After completing her internship, Natalie moved to Los Angeles, California where her husband Ramiro (a zoo veterinarian) was working at the Los Angeles Zoo. She practiced in southern California (small animal with some exotics) for two years. In 1998, Natalie and her family moved to Manhattan, Kansas, where she and her husband accepted positions at the veterinary college at Kansas State University. Natalie worked in Community Practice and soft tissue surgery at KSU, where she supervised senior veterinary students performing elective spays and neuters. In 2003, Natalie accepted the newly formed shelter medicine clinician position at the University of Florida. She has been the program chief for this elective clinical rotation since August, 2003. Since its inception, the students on this clerkship have spayed and neutered almost 5,000 dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens. She and her husband have two children; Erin, who is 13, and Ben, who is 10. They also share their home with 4 cats, a dog, a goldfish, and a boa constrictor.

Dr. Wes Jones

Dr. Wes Jones completed the zoological medicine track and graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 1993. He practiced small animal and non-domestic surgery and medicine in private practice in Northern California for four years prior to going to work for the Marin Humane Society in 1997 as Director of Veterinary Services. While at the humane society, Wes oversaw the remodeling of the clinic anddeveloped veterinary care programs for early spay/neuter, foster animals, K9 police dogs, feral cats, and vaccination clinics. In addition, Wes developed a veterinary student externship program and increased partnerships with local veterinarians. Working in cooperation with the Marin Humane Society Field Services Department Wes helped to standardize necropsies, and increase training for field immobilization. In 2002, Wes joined the Koret Shelter Medicine Program as the medical director at the Solano County Animal shelter and interim program director. After successfully guiding the program for over a year, Wes proudly turned the directorship over to Dr. Kate Hurley. Wes continues to serve as a liaison to the veterinary school, as a community veterinarian, and as a popular lecturer at various continuing education conferences. He has taught the veterinary portion for the Humane Officer's Academy for 4 years, and has given talks at the CVMA/CACDA Animal Care conference and to veterinary students in the Shelter Medicine class. Wes currently works both as Lead Veterinarian at the Humane Society of Napa County & SPCA and as a shelter veterinarian for the Contra Costa County Animal Services. He is a charter member of the ASV, served as Treasurer and Vice President, and dedicates many hours to moderating the active list serve that disseminates information to the membership.

Dr. Lila Miller

Dr. Lila Miller is a graduate of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. She has over 25 years of experience working in the field of shelter medicine for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in New York City. She is the co editor of the first veterinary textbook on shelter medicine entitled Shelter Medicine for Veterinarians and Staff and teaches at Cornell University, University of Pennsylvania, on the Veterinary Information Network (VIN) and at various veterinary and animal welfare conferences. She received the 2005 Hills Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics award from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), in addition to awards from the American Humane Association and the Veterinary Medical Association of New York City. She is cofounder and past president of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV), former member of the New York State Veterinary Board, current member of the National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (NBVME) and Human Animal Bond Veterinarians (AAHABV) and is a member of numerous professional associations.

Dr. Sandra Newbury

Dr. Newbury is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine with a special interest in infectious disease and population management as it relates to group health. Her graduate work has focused on clinical studies in immunology and population medicine to improve understanding of shelter animal health, disease response and animal welfare. Dr. Newbury joined the Koret Shelter Medicine Program at the University of California, Davis in 2006 where she works as the National Shelter Medicine Extension Veterinarian. Dr. Newbury focuses on partnerships between shelters, veterinarians and the community to improve health for homeless animals. Two such programs, The Dermatophyte Monitoring and Treatment Program and an ongoing study of Feline Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex, are four-year long clinical study partnerships. Dr. Newbury shares her home in Madison with several, minimally compliant beloved pets and her savage first grader son.

Dr. Jeanette O’Quinn

Dr. Jeanette O’Quin graduated from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1993. She has worked in small animal clinics, but has spent most of her career in animal shelters and humane societies. In addition to providing medical and surgical care for shelter animals, she has also been active in the investigation and prosecution of animal abuse and dog fighting cases. Dr. O’Quin spent three years with the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine where she helped develop and direct a senior rotation which brought each veterinary student into the shelter for two weeks of surgical and medical training. This community outreach program provided an active-learning environment where students could apply knowledge gained from multiple disciplines while developing a deeper understanding of pet overpopulation and animal welfare issues. Dr. O’Quin serves on the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association’s Shelter Animal Management and Care Committee. This group is responsible for planning shelter-related continuing education for veterinarians and shelter staff at the Midwest Veterinary Conference and throughout the state. As a board member for the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, Dr. O’Quin is active in several committees including: Continuing Education, Special Projects, Shelter Medicine Educators, and Shelter Medicine Board Specialty Development. Dr. O’Quin has been married for 14 years. She and her husband, 3 children, 7 cats, and 5 horses live on 15 acres in Central Ohio. She enjoys hiking, camping, horseback riding, and sterilizing animals.

Dr. Martha Smith

Dr. Martha Smith is a graduate of Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. Following veterinary school, she completed an intensive internship at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in small animal medicine. After a short stint in private practice, Dr. Smith began her career in shelter medicine. She has worked in multiple shelters and in multiple areas of shelter medicine as a staff veterinarian for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Her current position is as Director of Veterinary Medical Services for the Animal Rescue League of Boston. In addition, Dr. Smith has been active in teaching veterinary students through problem based learning modules since her graduation. She has traveled internationally promoting population control through establishment of spay and neuter facilities and training, and been an advocate for the humane treatment of racing greyhounds. Dr. Smith joined the board of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians in January of 2007.

Dr. Miranda Spindel

Dr. Miranda Spindel first began volunteering at a humane society veterinary clinic when she was twelve years old. She graduated in 1999 from Colorado State University’s Professional Veterinary Medical program, completed a rotating small animal internship, and spent several years in small animal practice before returning to work in her true passion - shelter medicine. Dr. Spindel has a strong interest in merging shelter medicine with the veterinary curriculum, believing that the world within an animal shelter is rich in opportunity for veterinary education integrated with improving the lives of animals. Dr. Spindel developed and taught a junior shelter medicine course for five years at Colorado State University. She initiated the first residency in shelter medicine offered though Colorado State University and serves as a founder and advisor to the CSU Student Chapter of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians. Additionally, Dr. Spindel is an active volunteer with Rural Area Veterinary Services, and continues to work on a local and regional level with area shelters. Her current position is as Director of Veterinary Outreach with the ASPCA.

Dr. Bonnie Yoffe-Sharp

Dr. Yoffe-Sharp serves as City Veterinarian for the City of Palo Alto. Prior to that she served the Peninsula Humane Society for 14 years as Medical Chief of Staff, and currently serves on their board. Bonnie was a co-founder of the Association of Animal Shelter Veterinarians (AASV). She wrote an article in JAVMA on the role of veterinarians in animal shelters as well as chapters in the books Recognizing and Reporting Animal Abuse: A Veterinarian’s Guide and Shelter Medicine for Veterinarians and Staff. She’s presented at national conferences sponsored by the HSUS, American Humane, and the AAHA, and delivered guest lectures at UC Davis Veterinary School.