Dr. Janet Donlin has been named executive vice president/chief executive officer of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Donlin will succeed Dr. Ron DeHaven, who is retiring after nine years of service to the AVMA. [Source: AVMA Press Release, August 12, 2016]
Donlin has served as chief executive officer of the AVMA Professional Liability Insurance Trust (AVMA PLIT) since April 2013. The AVMA PLIT is now in its 54th year of dedicated service to AVMA members, providing a wide variety of insurance-related products to veterinarians, veterinary practices and veterinary students.
Donlin’s hiring marks her return to an association for which she first started working in 1991 as an assistant director in what was then the AVMA Scientific Activities Division. Over the course of the next 17 years, she served as an interim division director, associate executive vice president and assistant executive vice president. Her role as assistant executive vice president required her to work hand-in-hand with the executive vice president to drive execution of the objectives established by the AVMA Board. From 2000-2001, Donlin’s role at the AVMA also included serving as interim CEO of the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues, where she oversaw the establishment of the commission as a nonprofit organization.
Donlin served as chief veterinary officer in the Global Veterinary Business Channel of Hill’s Pet Nutrition from August 2007 to March 2013, where she provided veterinary insights to drive development of innovative products and services to meet the evolving needs of the veterinary profession and pet owners.
She 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.
Donlin is the first veterinarian to earn the Certified Association Executive credential from the American Society of Association Executives. She is a former trustee of the AVMA’s Group Health Life Insurance Trust (now known as AVMA LIFE), and she is a former board member of the American Association of Corporate and Public Service Veterinarians.
Donlin will begin her employment at the AVMA September 12.