Updated July 25, 2025 — Any Foundation-funded study that involves animals, whether owned by clients or cared for by a study team, is evaluated thoroughly by our Animal Welfare Advisory Board to ensure the study meets the Foundation’s strict standards for health and well-being. The majority of our studies that include animals are pets in clinical trials in which new treatments, new diagnostic tools or surgical advances are being evaluated. Pets are enrolled in clinical trials by their owners with counsel and advice from their veterinarian and the clinical trials research team.
Active Board Members:
Chair: Victoria K. Baxter, DVM, PhD, DACLAM, Texas Biomedical Research Institute
Vice-Chair: Courtney Hunter, DVM, PhD, DACLAM, Vanderbilt University
Allen Page, DVM, PhD, University of Kentucky
Barbara Padalino, DVM, PhD, Celta, University of Bologna and Southern Cross University
Benjamin Brainard, VMD, Dipl ACVAA, ACVECC, University of Georgia
Candace Croney, PhD, Purdue University
Claudia Wascher, PhD, Anglia Ruskin University
Daniel S. Mills, BVSc, PhD CBiol, FRSB, FHEA, CCAB, Dip ECAWBM (BM), FRCVS, University of Lincoln
David S. Miller, DVM, PhD, DACZM, DACAW, MVS Consulting
Elena Contreras, DVM, MS, PhD, Rowan University
Ernest E. Ward, Jr., DVM, CVFT, E3 Management, Affordable Pet Labs, VerticalVet
Jennifer Mitchell, VMD, MS, DACLAM, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Jonathan Balcombe, PhD, MSc, BSc, The Editorial Department
Julia (Julie) Albright, MA, DVM, DACVB, University of Tennessee
Julia Wrathall, BSc, MSc, PhD, ChMIACE, JW Premier Animal Welare Consulting
Kat Littlewood, BVSc (Dist), PGDipVCSc (Dist), AFHEA, MANZCVS (Animal Welfare), Massey University
Lance Miller, PhD, Brookfield Zoo
Linda Greening MSc, PGCHE, SFHEA, Hartpury University
Lynn Miller, CWR, PhD, New Zealand Bird Rescue
Melissa Upjohn, BVetMed MSc PhD MRCVS, Dogs Trust
Michael Beaulieu, DVM, PhD, Wild Animal Initiative
Noel Dybdal, DVM, PhD, DACVP, Genentech, Inc.
Oliver Knesl, BSc, BSc (Hons), MSc, BVSc, MRCVS, Zoetis, Inc.
Randall Lockwood, PhD, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
