Educator Well-Being

GOAL: Enhancing the Well-Being of Veterinary and Biomedical Educators

The Initiative provides a collaborative environment for the sharing of ideas and knowledge to support and enhance the well-being of veterinary medical and biomedical educators. The initiative works to assess needs, develop and implement programs, promote awareness, encourage engagement, and advocate for well-being. The Initiative provides a collaborative environment for the sharing of ideas and knowledge to support veterinary medical and biomedical educators.

What does the “Educator’s Well-Being Initiative” do?

• Assess Needs
• Develop Programs
• Promote Awareness
• Encourage Engagement
• Advocate for Policy Changes
• Monitor and evaluate implemented wellbeing programs

Why should you join the Educator’s Well-being Initiative?

Personal Benefits:

• Improve Mental Health
• Work-Life Balance
• Stronger Community and Support Networks
• Resilience and Stress Management

Professional Benefits

• Leadership in Education
• Enhanced Teaching and Mentorship Skills
• Career Development Positive Institutional Impact

Group Timeline:

What we’ve learned

Based on preliminary studies of a cohort of RTA fellows from 2021-2022, veterinary medical and biomedical educators report higher levels of burnout than the average post-secondary educator, with lower perceptions of control and reward in their work environments. Interventions to increase perceptions of control and reward include enrolling RTA fellows in the Happiness Challenge, which commences in 2026.

Educator Development: Wellbeing Fellows

69 & 289 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Rachel Halsey DVM, GCertEdRes	Washington State University [WSU]
165 & 300 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Grace VanHoy DVM, MS, DACVIM-LA	University of California-Davis [UCD]
161 & 299 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Susan Tornquist DVM, PhD, Dip. ACVP	Oregon State University [OSU]
160 & 298 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Suzana Tkalcic DVM, PhD	Western University [WU]
154 & 297 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Leslie Stone-Roy Ph.D.	Colorado State University [CSU]
134 & 296 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Erin Pinnell DVM, MS, DACVIM (LAIM)	Washington State University [WSU]
131 & 295 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Matthew Peck PhD	Washington State University [WSU]
130 & 294 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Christine Olver DVM, PhD, DACVP	Colorado State University [CSU]
126 & 293 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Naomi Nishi PhD	Colorado State University [CSU]
104 & 292 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Christy Martin DVM	University of Arizona [UA]
101 & 291 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Christiane Löhr VetMed, Dr. med. vet., PhD, DACVP	Oregon State University [OSU]
94 & 290 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Andrea Lam DVM, DACVD, MEd	University of California-Davis [UCD]
7 & 277 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Alberta Arviso PhD	University of Arizona [UA]
62 & 288 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Sarah Guess DVM, MS, DACVIM (SAIM)	Washington State University [WSU]
55 & 287 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Samantha Gizerian PhD	Washington State University [WSU]
48 & 286 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Erik Fausk MSLIS, MA, RVT	University of California-Davis [UCD]
45 & 285 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Samantha Evans DVM PhD	Colorado State University [CSU]
32 & 284 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Munashe Chigerwe BVSc, MPH, PhD, DACVIM	University of California-Davis [UCD]
29 & 283 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Sami Case PhD	Colorado State University [CSU]
23 & 282 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Jessica Bunch DVM, DACVSMR, CVPP, CCRT, CVA	Washington State University [WSU]
20 & 281 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Beth Boynton DVM	Western University [WU]
18 & 280 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Karen Boudreaux MEd, MBA, EdD, PhD	University of California-Davis [UCD]
17 & 279 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Zachery Boeder Ed.D.	University of Arizona [UA]
8 & 278 & Wellbeing	Local Representative:	Paul Avery V.M.D. PhD, DACVP(CP)	Colorado State University [CSU]