Board of directors

Joe DiPietro served as the 25th president of the University of Tennessee from 2011 to 2018. He is regarded as one of the University’s great leaders, and the UT Board of Trustees bestowed upon him the status of president emeritus upon his retirement. Prior to becoming president, DiPietro served as chancellor of the UT Institute of Agriculture from 2006 to 2010. Under his leadership, the institute began interdisciplinary programs such as the Center for Renewable Carbon, the Tennessee Biofuels Initiative and the master’s degree in landscape architecture. Between 2006 and 2010, external grant support for the Institute of Agriculture increased 30 percent from $26.6 million to $34.8 million annually. A veterinarian by training, DiPietro’s research emphasis was veterinary parasitology. He earned his bachelor’s, doctor of veterinary medicine and master’s degrees at the University of Illinois, Urbana. Before coming to UT, DiPietro served as dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida from 1997 to 2006. Prior to that, he rose to tenured professor of veterinary clinical medicine and veterinary pathobiology at the University of Illinois, Urbana, and held administrative positions there including assistant director of the Agriculture Experiment Station and associate dean for research of the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Heather Case is the Chief Executive Officer of the International Council for Veterinary Assessment where she serves both a key strategic planning and day-to-day managerial role. Dr. Case is a native of Minnesota who received her DVM degree from the University of Minnesota. She completed an internship in large animal medicine and surgery at the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph in Canada. She is board certified in Veterinary Preventive Medicine and is a Certified Association Executive. After working at a mixed animal practice, Dr. Case completed a residency in veterinary public health. While a resident, she became a volunteer member of the AVMA's Veterinary Medical Assistance Team and completed a deployment to Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. Following her residency, she served as an AAAS/AVMA Congressional Fellow for a member of the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C. She later joined the staff of the AVMA as the National Coordinator for Emergency Preparedness and Response and the Director of the Scientific Activities Division. Dr. Case is an avid Morgan Horse and Schipperke dog enthusiast.

Kyle J. Frett is a second-year veterinary student, hailing from Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Kyle is an avid student leader at Tuskegee, serving as the Vice President for the Class of 2026, Tuskegee SAVMA Chapter Vice President, Tuskegee SAVMA Chapter Senior Delegate, and AAEP Vice President. Outside of his local obligations to Tuskegee, Kyle serves on the national level of SAVMA, serving as the Chairman of the Education & Professional Development Committee (EPDC) and now National SAVMA President - Elect. Upon completion of his veterinary education, he plans to pursue board certifications in equine surgery and emergency and critical care, as he aspires to become an equine orthopedic surgeon and emergency surgeon.

Kimberly Littleton Topper received her Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration from Central Michigan University in 1997. After retiring from the Food and Drug Administration where she was a Health Science Administrator, she currently serves as a volunteer leader for state and local organizations. She is married to Mike Topper, DVM, Ph.D., a 1980 graduate of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. She is a past president of the Auxiliary to the AVMA, past president of the District of Columbia VMA Auxiliary, as well as serving a number of years as the Executive Director for the DCVMA. In addition to her duties with the AVMF, she currently serves as a board member for the Pennsylvania Veterinary Foundation and as the co-chair of the fundraising committee.

Dr. Amanda Bisol is a small animal rural general practice veterinarian from Skowhegan, Maine. She graduated in 2011 from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and was blessed to find a great clinic with good mentorship where she has worked since graduation. During six of the 10 years she practiced at the Animal Medical Clinic in Skowhegan, she was part-owner. Three years ago, she decided to pursue a law degree to work toward becoming a stronger advocate for veterinarians and the profession. She continues to practice part-time at the clinic, while continuing her education.

Larry Dee is co-owner of a companion-animal hospital in Hollywood, Florida, has served veterinary medicine as both a leader and an educator. Dr. Dee has been a delegate or an alternate delegate for Florida to the AVMA House of Delegates since 1994, and he has also worked as an adjunct faculty member at the Department of Medical Sciences at University of Florida since 1983. In his service to the AVMA, not only has Dr. Dee had an impact on the House of Delegates, he served on the Publications Committee from 1986-1990 and as its chair from 1988-89. He was a JAVMA reviewer in 1992, and served on the Consensus Panel on Vaccine Applications in 1999-2000. Dr. Dee also served as president of the Florida Veterinary Medical Association (FVMA) in 1998-99 and served on the FVMA Executive Board. He was honored as the FVMA Practitioner of the Year in 1995. Dr. Dee is a former president of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), and was honored as the AAHA practitioner of the year in 2001. He also served as president of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association from 2004 to 2006 and as president of the Broward County Veterinary Medical Association. In addition, Dr. Dee was president of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (AVBP) in 1989-1990 and served for nine years as the ABVP representative to the AVMA American Board of Veterinary Specialties. Dr. Dee is a 1969 graduate of Auburn University School of Veterinary Medicine. He has been married to Rita Carol Fisher since 1967 and he is active in his community on the Rotary Club, the Hollywood Committee of 100, and St. Johns Lutheran Church.

Janet Donlin received both her DVM and her Bachelor of Science degree in medical technology from the University of Minnesota. She is also a graduate of the veterinary technician program at the Medical Institute of Minnesota. She is a licensed veterinarian in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin, and has professional membership in several associations, including the AVMA, the American Animal Hospital Association, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association, the American Society of Association Executives, and the American Association of Corporate and Public Practice Veterinarians. Dr. Donlin also served as the Chief Executive Officer of the AVMA Professional Liability Insurance Trust (AVMA PLIT) from April 2013 - September 2016. She currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President of the AVMA.

Robert Knapp is a small animal practitioner in Columbus, Ohio, and owner of Knapp Veterinary Hospital, a seven-veterinarian practice founded by his grandfather in 1945. Upon completing his undergraduate and DVM degrees at The Ohio State University in 1986 and 1992 respectively, Dr. Knapp joined his father in the practice and became owner in 2007. He also holds a master's in animal science from Texas A&M University. An active Ohio State alumnus, Dr. Knapp serves as treasurer of the Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society and held the position of president in 2008. Over the past decade, he has also participated in search committees for a variety of positions within the College, including dean, department chairs, practitioner liaison, and clinical faculty. Additionally, he has offered his expertise as an advisor to the Stanton Program, was an inaugural member of the Small Animal Practitioner Advisory Board, and participated in the College's strategic planning in 2017.

Larry Kornegay is a 1971 graduate of Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and received the Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2005. He has practiced companion animal veterinary medicine and surgery in Houston for 41 years. He has served as president of the Harris County Veterinary Medical Association, the Texas Veterinary Medical Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association and is currently president of the North Harris County Veterinary Medical Association. During his nine years on the AVMA Executive Board, he chaired the Legislative Advisory Committee, Diversity Task Force, Executive Board Selection Committee and Governmental Relations Division's Fellows Selection Committee. Prior to his term on the AVMA Executive Board representing District VIII (Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas) he served a four-year term on the AVMA Professional Liability Insurance Trust and chaired Group One of the AVMA Organizational Audit Task Force. He and his wife, Chris (also a veterinarian) have four children and four grandchildren.

Chuck Lemme has been a small-animal practitioner since graduating from Iowa State University in 1975 and started his career as an associate veterinarian at Bramer Animal Hospital in Evanston, Illinois. It was there where he became involved in organized veterinary medicine, serving as a committee chair and then a board member of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association. In 1985, Dr. Lemme and his family moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he bought a small-animal practice and practiced until his retirement in 2018