Dr. Henrik Bjørn Nielsen
Gudrun Ravetz
Currently Gudrun works as a Veterinary Consultant to Pet Health Plans from Denplan and as an external interviewer for prospective veterinary students at University of Liverpool. Alongside practicing as a small animal veterinary surgeon on graduating in 2002, Gudrun furthered her interest in the business side of the veterinary profession by studying for the post graduate certificate in business. Gudrun became President at the BVA Member’s Day and AGM on 22 September 2016.
Erwin Blomsma
Clare Allen
Clare is Deputy Director of Teaching (Quality Assurance) in the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge, where she oversees quality assurance of veterinary teaching in the university. She has also chaired taskforces to develop a curricular thread on professional skills and introduce pedagogical innovation through the use of learning technology throughout the professional veterinary course. Clare graduated from the University of Cambridge in 1996 and after completing an equine ambulatory internship at Millbrook Equine Practice in New York she started teaching on an equine studies programme and founded her own equine practice.
In 2005-06 Clare taught at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and became interested in veterinary education and curriculum development. Clare completed her PhD in Higher Education and Student Affairs at the Ohio State University in 2013, with her doctoral research focusing on the career choice of veterinary students in the context of the feminisation of the profession.
Carl Damiani
Former President and Chief Operating Officer of Transition Therapeutics, a NASDAQ listed human-focused biotechnology company acquired by OPKO Health in September 2016. Transition developed a Phase 2/3 Alzheimer’s disease program, a Phase 2 diabetes program and held multiple partnerships with large pharma companies. Mr. Damiani founded Simini Technologies in 2017 to develop human drug candidates as veterinary therapeutics with an initial focus on dermatology and pain management.
Carel du Marchie Sarvaas
Carel du Marchie Sarvaas has been working as a senior government affairs and communications advisor in Brussels and Washington DC for 20 years.
He will move to IFAH from EuropaBio, the Association of Biotechnology Industries, where he has been Director for Agricultural Biotechnology for some 4 years. Prior to EuropaBio, Carel worked at international consultancies and think tanks in Brussels and Washington DC, most often serving clients with science-based policy and communications challenges.
Alf-Helge Aarskog
Mr. Aarskog has served as CEO of Marine Harvest since 2010. Prior to this position, he was the CEO (2009 to 2010) and Exective Vice President (2007 to 2009) at Lerøy Seafood Group ASA. His previous positions include Managing Director (2004 to 2007) of Lerøy Midnor AS, a subsidiary of Lerøy Seafood Group ASA, and Head of Production (2002 to 2004) at Fjord Seafood ASA, a company that was later merged with ours. He holds a degree in Fish Nutrition from the University of Agriculture in Norway.
Alasdair Cook
Alasdair “Alex” Cook is a veterinary epidemiologist with more than 25 years national and international experience in livestock animal health in Government, academic and development environments. He joined the new School of Veterinary Medicine in January 2013. Previously, he worked in the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) where he was a senior member of staff engaged in leading research and surveillance programmes as well as part of the senior management team formulating strategy and implementing change. His interest in epidemiology grew from working in farm animal veterinary practice in the UK and in preventive veterinary medicine. A decade of overseas experience in Yemen, Zambia and Mexico working with poor rural communities underlined the important role that veterinary epidemiology plays in supporting animals in sustainable livelihoods and poverty alleviation. A professional life engaged with and leading multi-disciplinary teams makes Alex a natural proponent of the One Health perspective.
