Biographies

Dr. Trevor Lawson, President

Dr. Trevor Lawson grew up on a small farm in rural New Brunswick and was heavily influenced by his grandfather Lawson, a lifelong small farmer. Dr. Lawson pursued studies at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, later known as the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus, the University of Manitoba, and the Atlantic Veterinary College where he earned a DVM in 2004. He has been a servant leader since joining Fundy Veterinarians Ltd. in 2004 and has followed his passion and devoted his time to large animal clients. He is in constant pursuit of developing strong client relationships, improving animal welfare, and service to society. Dr. Lawson is a committed volunteer and has served with the Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association (NSVMA), becoming President in 2010, and has served with the CVMA since 2010 on the Animal Welfare Committee, National Issues Committee, Council, and Executive to present. He is a firm believer that the CVMA, as a national and international leader for our profession, must serve all members of our profession no matter their area of practice. Dr. Lawson has served as Chair of the Nova Scotia Animal Cruelty Appeal Board and with the Dairy Farmers of Canada Animal Welfare Group. He was recognized by his peers in 2014 with the NSVMA Young Veterinarian Award. Dr. Lawson was chosen to become a member of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference in 2015 – a truly formative and mind-growing experience. Outside of life devoted to veterinary medicine service, he can be found at home with a yard full of animals, in a local hockey rink, or relaxing at the cottage and boating with family and friends on Tatamagouche Bay. Trevor, his wife Tammy, and children Isaac and Charlotte are proud to call Nova Scotia home.

Dr. Timothy Arthur, President-Elect

Dr. Timothy Arthur is a companion animal veterinarian with a special interest in Ophthalmology and Wildlife medicine. He is a 1982 Ontario Veterinary College graduate who completed externships at Angel Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and after two years in practice, he established the Coxwell Animal Clinic in Toronto. Dr. Arthur has volunteered with the Toronto Academy of Veterinary Medicine providing continuing education to Toronto’s veterinary community, organized Toronto’s Annual Rabies clinics, sat on the College of Veterinarian’s of Ontario (CVO) Complaints Committee, was part of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) working group that established a voluntary fee guide for the profession, was a Council member and President of the CVO, and was a Board Member and President of the Toronto Wildlife Centre. Recently, he was elected as the CVMA's Ontario Council representative and sits on the board of the OVMA. Dr. Arthur sold his clinic to a corporate entity and moved to Ottawa where he works part time for VCA Canada. He lives with his partner Jennifer (CFIA) and their son Jake in a bilingual, mixed religion, household.

Dr. Tracy Fisher, Vice-President

Dr. Tracy Fisher grew up in Calgary, Alberta but moved to Saskatchewan with her family in 1990. She graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1997 and has been practicing small animal and exotic medicine in Regina since then. Dr. Fisher has a special interest in avian and exotic animal medicine as well as soft tissue surgery. She also does a small amount of laboratory animal work for the University of Regina and a bit of wildlife rehabilitation work. Dr. Fisher and her business partner have recently sold their practice and she continues to work as an associate in the hospital. Dr. Fisher has been involved with the SVMA since graduation, serving on the Professional Promotion Committee, Discipline Committee, Legislation Committee, Centennial Committee and Council with a term as President in 2004/2005. She has also served on the board of Prairie Diagnostic Services, President of the Regina Association of Small Animal Practitioners and is currently the Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association representative for the University of Regina Senate, in addition to being the Saskatchewan Representative on CVMA Council. In her spare time, Dr. Fisher enjoys running, fishing, skiing, horseback riding and lots of other outdoor activities. She and her husband Rick enjoy upland bird hunting and have bred and trained Large Munsterlanders. Their cat, Leonard, who tolerates the presence of everyone else in the house, is a fan of CVMA Zoom meetings and dutifully guards the house when they are away.

Dr. Kathleen MacMillan, Executive Member

Kathleen is an equine ambulatory veterinarian and Associate Professor at the Atlantic Veterinary College, UPEI. She graduated from AVC in 2001 and has earned a Bsc, Msc in equine exercise physiology and in 2013 became a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Equine Practice.

Since graduation, Kathleen worked in private practice both as an associate and as a practice owner where she operated a solo equine ambulatory service in PEI for 6 years prior to joining the faculty of AVC in 2010. Her clinical and research focus is on equine sports medicine, preventive medicine, and equine welfare. Kathleen obtains great satisfaction in taking care of her equine patients while teaching future veterinarians the intricacies of equine practice. Apart from her clinical and didactic teaching, Kathleen believes strongly in education and provides educational opportunities to veterinarians, horse owners, equine welfare investigators, racetrack officials and the general public.

Kathleen also believes in volunteerism and has dedicated her time over the last number of years to the CVMA (Council, Scientific Coordinator, PDC, NEB), ICVA/NAVLE item writer and reviewer, ECFVG item writer and reviewer, AVMA COE Accreditation site visit team member, ABVP, PEIVMA, APHRC, Board of the Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada, Canadian Equine Veterinary Advocacy Alliance Group and the Federal Drug Advisory Committee for the CPMA. Kathleen grew up on a horse farm in PEI and has deep roots in the Standardbred racing industry and Sport horse industry in PEI. She now resides in Stratford with her 3 rescue cats while her 2 horses live in the country.

Dr. Chris Bell, Immediate Past-President

Dr. Chris Bell grew up on a family horse farm in Airdrie, Alta. He attended the University of Saskatchewan where he obtained a B.Sc with high honours in Microbiology and Immunology. Dr. Bell proceeded to attain a DVM with Distinction from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM). Following his DVM, he completed a one-year clinical internship at Arizona Equine Medical and Surgical Center and then completed a three-year surgical residency program at WCVM. Dr. Bell also completed a Master of Veterinary Science in Upper Airway Surgery during his residency program. He is a board-certified Equine Surgeon and Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (DACVS), as well as society member of the American College of Veterinary Radiology. Dr. Bell is an Adjunct Professor of equine surgery and sports medicine with WCVM. He is a recognized speaker and has presented at the Provincial, National and International level in the areas of lameness, ethanol fusion of the hocks, MRI diagnosis and treatment of navicular disease, and development of novel sinusitis treatments in horses. Dr. Bell serves his colleagues through multiple commitments to the Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). He serves as the WCVM Advisory Committee Liaison and member of the Professional Image Committee for the MVMA. He previously served on the Practice Inspection Committee. Dr. Bell has been recognized by the MVMA with the Award of Merit in 2019 for contributions to his colleagues, the profession and the MVMA. He is a member of the CVMA Canadian Veterinary Reserve, is chair of the CVMA Emerging Leaders Program, and chair of the Student and Early Career Engagement committee for the CVMA and MVMA. Dr. Bell is an active member of the equine community, sitting on several committees and boards within Manitoba such as the Manitoba Horse Council Breeds and Industry committee and consulting with Manitoba Horse Council. At the national and international level Dr. Bell currently serves as the AAEP liaison with the MVMA. He has owned Elders Equine Veterinary Service since 2012. Elders Equine is a host hospital and participates in senior veterinary student, veterinary intern, and surgical residency training through this distributed learning program. When he is not at work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, two daughters, and their chocolate lab.

Dr. Brian Evans, Treasurer

Dr. Brian Evans is an alumnus of the University of Guelph where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1974 and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1978. Following several years in private practice with a professional focus on reproductive herd health and embryo transfer, Dr. Evans was recruited by the Canadian federal government into public practice to develop domestic and international standards and certification programs in support of the safe international movement of animal semen and embryos. He had a distinguished career in public service which included serving as Canada’s fourteenth Chief Veterinary Officer for 15 years, as well as Governor-In-Council appointments, initially as the Executive Vice President of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), then as Canada’s first Chief Food Safety Officer, and finally as a special advisor to the CFIA President. Dr. Evans also served as the Government of Canada’s Delegate to the 182-member country World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) for 13 years. During that time, he was elected as the Secretary General for the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas and to four consecutive three-year terms as a representative of the member countries of the Americas Region on the Council of the OIE. Dr. Evans retired from the federal government in 2013 and was subsequently recruited by the OIE to be the Deputy Director General responsible for animal health, veterinary public health, and international standards based in Paris, France. He is a strong advocate for the integrated management of the social, economic, biosecurity and food security risks that emerge at the interface of eco-system, animal, and human health. Dr. Evans has been the recipient of numerous national and international awards including the CVMA’s President’s Award, the Queen’s Gold and Diamond Jubilee medals, and two Public Service of Canada Excellence awards. He has also been conferred with Honorary Degrees of Laws by both the University of Guelph and the University of Calgary.

Joel Neuheimer, Chief Executive Officer / NEB Registrar

Mr. Joel Neuheimer has over 25 years of experience in federal government advocacy, leadership, and governance. Originally from Montréal, he has lived in Ottawa with his wife Tina and their three daughters for the last 22 years. Joel holds an undergraduate degree in political science and a master’s in communications. He began his career at what was the federal Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and then moved to the Forest Products Association of Canada. Joel has been a member of the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) since 2008 and a member of the CSAE Board since October 2021.