North American EEHV Advisory Group. The NA EEHV Advisory Group was established in 2013.
There are currently 36 Members: 9 Veterinarians, 8 Elephant Care Experts, 6 Veterinary Technicians, 5 Research Scientists, 1 Veterinary Pathologist, 1 Vaccine Expert, 1 Public Relations Expert, 5 International Liaisons
OUR PURPOSE
As the EEHV Advisory Group, we are driven by a shared purpose to protect elephants from EEHV. We function as a cross-disciplinary husbandry, medicine, research, and outreach team that connects the efforts to prevent elephant deaths from EEHV globally.
Our mission is to be at the forefront of EEHV knowledge, advancing best practices for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of EEHV and providing hope and a path forward for elephants and the people who care for them.
OUR VISION
OUR STRATEGY
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
At our core, we value collaboration and the power of collective efforts in addressing the challenges of EEHV. We believe that by working together, sharing experiences, and learning from both successes and failures, we can make a significant impact in the fight against EEHV-HD. Our Advisory Group is driven by the following principles:
Advisory Group Committees
| Committee | Name | Institution | Profession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive | Gary Hayward | John Hopkins College of Medicine | Research |
| Chair | Lauren Howard | Peel Therapeutics | Veterinary |
| Vice Chair | Erin Latimer | Smithsonian’s National Zoo | Research/Laboratory |
| Secretary | Priya Bapodra | Columbus Zoo and Aquarium | Veterinary |
| Treasurer | Deborah Olson | International Elephant Foundation | Executive Director, IEF |
| Liaison | Daryl Hoffman | San Antonio Zoo | Elephant Management |
| Liaison | Paul Ling | Baylor College of Medicine | Research |
| Committee | Name | Institution | Profession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chair | Jeff Proudfoot | Indianapolis Zoo | Veterinary |
| Vice-Chair | Maura Davis | Denver Zoo | Elephant Management |
| Member | Rachel Boyd | Oklahoma City Zoo | Elephant Management |
| Member | Vernon Presley | Fresno Chaffee Zoo | Elephant Management |
| Member | Emily Vincent | University Illinois | Veterinary |
| Liaison | Jill Allread | Public Communications Inc. | Public Relations/Communication |
| Committee | Name | Institution | Profession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chair | Jennifer D’Agostino | Oklahoma City Zoo | Veterinary |
| Vice-Chair | Sarah Cannizzo | Fort Worth Zoo | Veterinary |
| Member | Pia Bartolini | Disney’s Animal Kingdom | Veterinary Technician |
| Member | Erin Latimer | Smithsonian’s National Zoo | Research/Laboratory |
| Member | Dewey Maddox | White Oak Conservation | Veterinary Technician |
| Member | Noha Abou-Madi | Cornell Univ. College of Veterinary Medicine | Veterinary |
| Member | Stefanie Younkin | Sedgwick County Zoo | Veterinary Technician |
| EEHV Resource Database Manager | Liz McCrae | Oklahoma City Zoo | Veterinary Technician |
| Committee | Name | Institution | Profession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chair | Carlos Sanchez | Oregon Zoo | Veterinary |
| Vice-Chair | Ellen Wiedner | Hyrax Veterinary Consulting | Veterinary |
| Member | Jaime Landolfi | University of Illinois | Pathology |
| Member | Marjorie Bercier | Tufts University | Research/Laboratory |
| Member | Ramiro Isaza | University of Florida | Research/Laboratory |
| Member | Taryn Prosser | African Lion Safari | Elephant Management |
| Member | Jennifer Grimley | Dallas Zoo | Veterinary Technician |
| Committee | Name | Institution | Profession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chair | Dianna Lydick | Zoo Vet Tech Relief | Veterinary Technician |
| Vice-Chair | Kristin Windle | Houston Zoo | Elephant Management |
| Member | Christian Burmeister | St Louis Zoo | Veterinary Technician |
| Member | Lauren Howard | Peel Therapeutics | Veterinary |
| Member | Christine Molter | Houston Zoo | Veterinary |
| Member | Deborah Olson | International Elephant Foundation | Executive Director, IEF |
| Member | Katie Pilgram-Kloppe | St Louis Zoo | Elephant Management |
| Name | Institution | Profession |
|---|---|---|
| Charlie Gray | African Lion Safari (Canada) | International Liaison |
| Dr. Yirui Heng | Mandai Nature / Mandai Wildlife Group | International Liaison |
| Supaphen Sripiboon | Kasetsart University (Thailand) | International Liaison |
| Willem Schaftenaar | Rotterdam Zoo (Netherlands) | International Liaison |
The North American EEHV Advisory Group accepts applications for new members in the first quarter of each year. More details coming soon.
Request for EEHV Advisory Group Research Support
A letter can be given providing support for the project from the EEHV Advisory Group. This letter of support may signify that the project is feasible, scientifically sound, and aligns with the EEH Advisory Group research priorities. It does not guarantee funding or that samples will be provided.
Instructions for interested researchers to gain EEHV Advisory Group support can be found by clicking the button below.
Advisory Group Member Spotlight:
Dr. Ellen Wiedner, VMD, Dipl. ACZM
Ellen has been working with elephants for almost 25 years and has been involved with more than 50 cases of EEHV.
She has consulted on elephants and other megavertebrates for zoos and private facilities worldwide and is the author of numerous book chapters and peer reviewed papers.
Ellen is double boarded in both Large Animal Internal Medicine and Zoo Medicine. For the past eight years, she has run her own zoo relief and megavertebrate consulting business, Hyrax Veterinary Consulting, LLC.
Ellen lives in Durango, Colorado with several large dogs and kittycats.
She is honored to be part of the EEHV advisory group and is very encouraged by the vaccines against the disease being produced by Dr Paul Ling’s lab at Baylor College of Medicine.
