Greetings —
I’m thrilled to share that Christina Fielder will join the UW School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) on Aug. 1 as our new associate dean of student academic affairs. She brings a wealth of experience to the role, having spent her career championing undergraduate student success at Ohio State University and, most recently, at the University of Nebraska. During her time in Lincoln, she served as the senior director for student academic and career development in the College of Arts and Sciences.
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Last month, I welcomed Wisconsin Foundation & Alumni Association board and council members during a tour of the SVM. I appreciate their questions and support!
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I also want to extend my deepest gratitude to Calico Schmidt (’88 DVM’92; Department of Pathobiological Sciences) for serving as interim associate dean. Over the past seven months, Calico has done a fantastic job supporting our students, faculty, and staff with unwavering dedication. Our community is grateful for her leadership and support during this transition.
Our faculty and staff are hard at work preparing for the upcoming academic year, including continuing to build and deploy our innovative new OnWard curriculum. In the coming weeks, we will continue to reflect on the first year of OnWard, gathering feedback and refining the curriculum, and we will also forge ahead building the syllabi for Phases 3 and 4. Thank you to everyone here at UW Vet Med working tirelessly to bring the curriculum to life.
I’m also excited about what’s happening in our teaching hospital. Continuous improvement efforts and new service launches have expanded what's possible at UW Veterinary Care, giving patients and families access to the specialized care they need. To every member of the UWVC team: What you've built here is meaningful, and your dedication is seen and appreciated.
Finally, I’m excited to welcome Kelly Makielski (DVM’10) to the SVM. Kelly is a board-certified small animal internist joining the Dept. of Medical Sciences later this month. Her research focuses on improving long-term health and quality of life for patients with cancer and immune-mediated diseases.
I hope you’re all enjoying the start of this beautiful Wisconsin summer. I’m looking forward to sharing more updates next month.
Until next time…
On, Wisconsin!
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As the new fiscal year commences, please keep in mind the following updates from the HR team:
- Parking: Round 1 parking offers will be made Thursday, July 2, and Friday, July 3 for the 2026-27 parking year. You will receive an email from Transportation Services if you have been selected. It is highly recommended that you accept the first offer you receive. You can submit your annual permits application HERE. Reach out to Amanda Riemenapp (
riemenapp2@wis.edu) with questions.
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- Employees eligible to bank vacation hours will be able to make those elections in Workday from Wednesday, July 1, through Wednesday, Sept. 30. Please look for an email from Julie Hermann in the coming weeks with more information. Reach out to Julie (julie.hermann@wisc.edu) with questions.
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- Annual performance management evaluations will be launched in Workday on Wednesday, July 1. This task requires your action. Completing annual evaluations is a critical step in clarifying expectations and supporting professional development. Reach out to your HR manager with questions.
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Natalia Betancourt Rodriguez
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- Congratulations to Shelly Sonsalla and Natalia Betancourt Rodriguez, who both received CBMS Travel Awards. Shelly attended the 2026 American Aging Association (AGE) Annual Meeting where she received a graduate student poster award. Meanwhile, Natalia attended the 2026 American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists meeting in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, where she presented a hybrid presentation (oral presentation in Spanish and slides in English).
- Mostafa Zamanian (Dept. of Pathobiological Sciences) has been awarded an H. I. Romnes Faculty Fellowship. This prestigious five-year fellowship comes with a flexible research fund, recognizing academic success and providing an opportunity for continued development of an outstanding research program. Well done!
- Erik Twaroski, a bacteriology team lead with the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, was one of 10 recognized
by UW-Madison with a 2026 University Staff Recognition Award. Recipients were recognized by colleagues for teamwork, dedication to excellence, problem-solving abilities, and innovative approaches to their jobs. Congratulations!
- A team led by Freya Mowat (Dept. of Surgical Sciences) recently published a paper in Scientific Reports
about a new canine smell test that shows older dogs tend to have less interest in new scents than younger dogs. The findings could help researchers better understand changes in appetite and scent detection as dogs age. Well done!
- Please join me in welcoming the following new staff members to UWVC:
- Regan Cary joined the emergency department as a veterinary nurse assistant
- Aubree Johnson joined the emergency department as a veterinary nurse assistant
- Seth Martin-Wright joined the float team as a veterinary nurse assistant
- Brittany Ousterhout joined diagnostic imaging as a sonographer
- Crystal Bojovic joined the large animal hospital as a veterinary nurse assistant
- Wrenly Porter joined the emergency department as a veterinary nurse assistant
- Alicia Derouin joined the small animal hospital as assistant kennel manager
- Madison Zoellick joined the large animal hospital as a veterinary nurse assistant
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- Keith Poulsen (’00 DVM’04 PhD’12; Dept. of Medical Sciences; Director, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory) recently
spoke to Wisconsin Public Radio about the spread of New World screwworm among cattle, advising, “This is something we need to watch, but not panic over.”
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