ASV made a commitment to drive the advancement of shelter medicine in an inclusive way, giving our members the opportunity to be leaders in shelter medicine best practices. The three awards described below recognize those members who are dedicated to pushing our mission forward.

Meritorious Service Award (MSA)

Established in 2010, this award recognizes remarkable members of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians who have made significant contributions to the advancement of shelter veterinary medicine via leadership, public service, research, education, advocacy, and/or clinical practice. The ASV's intent in conferring this award is to bring attention to excellence in shelter medicine by recognizing those who serve as exceptional ambassadors of the profession. Current and past veterinarians, veterinary students, and affiliate ASV members are eligible; current ASV Board Members are ineligible. Anyone may nominate qualified individuals who are members of the ASV for this award. Recipients receive a plaque, a shelter medicine textbook of their choice, a $250 donation to a non-profit organization of their choice, and are recognized at the ASV Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners Symposium in the Spring. Funding is available to help cover the recipient’s travel expenses. Nomination packages for the MSA are to be submitted by email to [email protected] and must consist of a nomination form and nomination letter. The nominee's resume or curriculum vitae (CV) is highly recommended but not required. A professional summary can be used in place of a CV. Deadline for submission is February 1. Additional letters seconding, endorsing, or supporting nominations for awards will not be used in evaluating candidates, nor will self-nominations be accepted. The nominations committee will review the nominations and recommend a recipient to the ASV Board, and the ASV Board will vote on the recipient.

We are honored to present the 2026 Meritorious Service Award to Dr. Elizabeth Berliner. Dr. Berliner embodies this definition of leadership as she brings people together to create innovative programs and systems that provide enormous benefits for underserved animal populations. In her early years as a veterinarian, Dr. Berliner implemented progressive protocols and overhauled housing to radically improve health and adoption of animals as the Medical Director at Baltimore Humane Society. Later, she enacted population-level health protocols and a clinical training service at SPCA of Tompkins County in NY State while serving first as a lecturer in Shelter Medicine and subsequently as an assistant and then associate clinical professor serving as the Director of the Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell University. Dr. Berliner created both in-person and virtual shelter medicine consultation services at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine and the ASPCA. Also, at Cornell, she created, implemented, and supervised a specialty internship program as well as acquired and managed over $4.6 million in grants and gifts to support Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program. Dr. Berliner has continued her work providing clinical training and sharing her expertise in shelter medicine. Now at the ASPCA, she oversees the education of multiple Shelter Medicine Residents in a comprehensive training program while also providing mentorship through Practitioner Pathway Mentorship (PPM) program and the Practitioner Pathway Community (PPC) to shelter veterinarians pursuing board certification in Shelter Medicine Practice through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP). Dr. Berliner also organized and implemented MASH-style spay neuter clinics for HumanePro’s Rural Area Veterinary Services, Syracuse Healthy Pet Clinics, and Spay-A Thons in Puerto Rico. She authored two chapters in the 2^nd edition of the Infectious Disease Management for Animal Shelters and is serving as an editor for the 3^rd edition of Shelter Medicine for Veterinarians and Staff. She is a co-author of the Principles of Veterinary Community Engagement, the revised ASV Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters, and the 2024 AAHA Community Care Guidelines for Small Animal Practice. Dr. Berliner’s contributions to shelter medicine scholarship are similarly impressive. Congratulations Dr. Berliner! 

Pictured: Dr. Elizabeth Berliner (center back row) with her nominators

NOMINATE AN OUTSTANDING MEMBER  

Veterinarian of the Year Award (VYA)

Established in 2018, this award recognizes remarkable members of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians who have been outstanding in their role as a veterinarian to improve community animal health and wellbeing. The ASV's intent in conferring this award is to bring attention to excellence in shelter medicine by recognizing those who serve as exceptional role models of the profession. Veterinarians serving in municipal, private, and/or non-profit shelters and other community animal endeavors are eligible; current ASV Board Members are ineligible. Anyone may nominate qualified eligible individuals who are members of the ASV for this award. Recipients receive a plaque, a shelter medicine textbook, and a $250 donation to an organization of their choice, and are recognized at the ASV Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners Symposium in the Spring. Nomination packages for the VYA are to be submitted by email to [email protected] and must consist of a nomination form and nomination letter. The nominee's resume or curriculum vitae (CV) is highly recommended but not required. A professional summary can be used in place of a CV. Deadline for submission is February 1. Additional letters seconding, endorsing, or supporting nominations for awards will not be used in evaluating candidates, nor will self-nominations be accepted. The nominations committee will review the nominations and recommend a recipient to the ASV Board, and the ASV Board will vote on the recipient.

We are honored to present the 2026 Veterinarian of the Year Award to Dr. Erin Katribe. Dr. Katribe has had a career defined by exceptional leadership, service, and sustained impact in shelter medicine at both the organizational and national levels. As Medical Director of Best Friends Animal Society, she oversees the medical department and provides medical guidance across Best Friends lifesaving centers and partner shelters nationwide. In this role, she navigates one of the most complex challenges in shelter medicine: balancing population-level care with individualized medical decision making while maintaining humane standards and advancing shared lifesaving goals. Her work directly influences shelter practices, veterinary teams, and animal outcomes across the country. In 2017, Dr. Katribe played a critical role in Best Friends’ Hurricane Harvey response, heading the medical team and helping lead lifesaving efforts for hundreds of animals, including pioneering work that expanded survival for dogs with distemper. Dr. Katribe completed the UF Shelter Medicine master’s program in 2018, the same year she assumed her current role, and achieved ABVP board certification in Shelter Medicine Practice in 2024. She supports underserved communities through RAVS, BFAS Navajo Nation Outreach and regularly spends weekends participating in SN clinics, reflecting her belief that leadership should never distance someone from direct service. She also serves as a committee member for ASV, has previously served as a board member, and holds board positions with multiple shelter and animal welfare organizations, contributing thoughtful leadership to advance standards of care across the field. Congratulations Dr. Katribe!

 Pictured: Dr. Erin Katribe

Previous Veterinarian of the Year Recipients