Dr. Michael Bailey is the AVMA’s new president for 2025-2026 term; Dr. Jennifer Quammen is new president-elect
AVMA President 2025-2026: Dr. Michael Q. Bailey
Dr. Michael Q. Bailey, a distinguished veterinary educator, clinician, and radiologist, became the new President of the American Veterinary Medical Association on Sunday, July 20. In a speech to the AVMA’s House of Delegates on Friday, he said his primary goals for his term as President include promoting the “indispensable” role of veterinarians worldwide and inspiring the next generation of veterinarians and leaders of the profession.
“Veterinarians are vital to community health,” he said in remarks delivered a day before the start of the AVMA Convention 2025, held this year in conjunction with the 40th World Veterinary Association Congress.
“We need to raise awareness about the indispensable role we play, ensuring our contributions are recognized and appreciated within society. In the upcoming year, I am dedicated to amplifying our voice, boosting our visibility, and strengthening our influence. I stand before you as the first person of African descent—the first African American—to serve as President of the American Veterinary Medical Association,” Dr. Bailey said.
“But this moment isn’t about me,” he continued. “I am deeply honored to stand on the shoulders of those who came before me; however, we must recognize the weight of this moment. It carries a responsibility not to treat it as a rare event but to use it as a catalyst for lasting change. It’s about moving forward. It’s about us as a community.
“We must ensure that our history not only informs but also inspires future leaders while remembering that our actions today shape the future,” Dr. Bailey said. “Together, we can create a future grounded in purpose and driven by passion.”
A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dr. Bailey was born in Queens, New York, and raised in Hopewell, New Jersey, where he earned his undergraduate degree from Rutgers University’s College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. His educational journey continued as he obtained his DVM degree from the historic Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine in Alabama. Following this, he completed a comprehensive internship and radiology residency at Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
As a board-certified radiologist, Dr. Bailey has contributed to a range of veterinary and human medical literature and continues to share his expertise with audiences worldwide, allowing him to connect with and learn from thousands of colleagues across the globe. His body of work is a testament to his commitment to advancing knowledge in the medical field.
Dr. Bailey’s academic and professional journey includes serving on the faculty at prestigious institutions such as Tuskegee University and Michigan State. He achieved tenure at The Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, a testament to his dedication to education and research.
Dr. Bailey also had the opportunity to participate in an American Association for the Advancement of Science/AVMA congressional fellowship as a full-time scientific legislative advisor in a congressional office while learning how Capitol Hill works. He applied his scientific veterinary medical expertise to topics of interest to lawmakers on Capitol Hill, shaping and influencing legislation. Dr. Bailey valued the collaboration with members of Congress and their dedicated staff, as well as participating in constituent services.
Dr. Bailey pioneered Ohio’s inaugural private practice advanced veterinary CT imaging services and launched referral and emergency imaging facilities in Pittsburgh. As the lead radiologist for a nationwide veterinary practice with over 1,000 facilities, he played a pivotal role in developing nationwide distributed veterinary imaging services and telemedicine. Dr. Bailey currently serves as the Director of Medical Innovations in Telemedicine for a global telemedicine consulting business, where he leverages his extensive telemedicine expertise to the forefront.
Dr. Bailey has actively contributed to organized veterinary volunteer leadership at the state and national levels. His leadership journey includes serving on the board of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA) and as its president. He also served a six-year term on the AVMA Board of Directors, representing District 2, which encompasses New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia.
AVMA President-elect 2025-26: Dr. Jennifer K. Quammen
Dr. Jennifer (Jen) Quammen, a champion of organized veterinary medicine and veterinary wellbeing, was chosen as president-elect of the American Veterinary Medical Association at the House of Delegates meeting on Friday, July 18.
“Whether you’re in academia, shelter work, large-animal, solo practice, industry—whether you’re a student, an associate, an owner, a technician—you matter,” she told the House of Delegates. “I’m here to listen, I’m here to learn, and hopefully to lead with integrity, humility, and heart. Let’s keep building a stronger future together.”
Dr. Quammen, AVMA vice-president from 2022-24, began her career in the veterinary field as a credentialed veterinary technician. She earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Iowa in 2010 and is a 2011 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She has been very active in organized veterinary medicine, serving as president of the Kentucky VMA (KVMA) as well as co-facilitator of the KVMA’s Power of Ten leadership program. She was engaged with the Veterinary Leadership Institute’s flagship Veterinary Leadership Experience program for more than a decade and continues to champion leadership initiatives.
Dr. Quammen, of Walton, KY, serves as the chief veterinary officer of Otto, a digital platform that helps veterinary clinics streamline communication with clients, and is a member of the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners. An advocate for wellbeing, she co-founded Veterinarian Coaching in 2014 and has helped numerous veterinarians, practices, and veterinary students on topics ranging from stress management and sleep hygiene to career transition and improved work-life integration.
Dr. Quammen is an alumna of the AVMA Future Leaders Program and has served as chair of the AVMA Council on Veterinary Service. She has served on several other AVMA entities, including the Practice Advisory Panel and the Veterinary Economics Strategy Committee.
Board of Directors Chair 2025-2026: Dr. Sandy Willis
Dr. Sandy Willis, who joined the AVMA Board of Directors in 2020, will serve as Board chair for the 2025-26 term.
A 1984 graduate of the UC-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Willis completed her residency in small animal internal medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, and her internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Willis is a small animal internist for Zoetis in Washington State and was named the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association’s Veterinarian of the Year in 2015.
Dr. Willis is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM), where she served as chair of the Communications Committee and was a member of the ACVIM Foundation Development Committee. She has also served as the Business Management Session chair for the ACVIM Forum. Dr. Willis has also served as board president of the Feral Cat Spay and Neuter Project in Lynnwood, Washington.
Before joining the AVMA Board, Dr. Willis served as chair of the AVMA House of Delegates Advisory Committee and was a member of the Strategic Management Committee, the Budget and Finance Review Committee, and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation Board of Directors. She also has served as the Washington delegate and alternate delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates. Dr. Willis’s service to the AVMA has also included roles as a site visitor for the AVMA Council on Education, a member of the AVMA Governance Performance Review Committee, and chair of both a task force and a working group on volunteer engagement.
Board of Directors Vice Chair 2025-2026: Dr. Richard Sullivan
Dr. Richard Sullivan, who joined the Board in 2021, grew up on a family dairy farm in southern Wisconsin, where he participated in 4-H and FFA programs throughout his early years in college. He attended Wisconsin State College, Platteville, for two years and then graduated from Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine.
After serving in the Peace Corps in Mato Grosso, Brazil, as a veterinary extension specialist, he settled in Torrance, California. Dr. Sullivan became a part owner of the community emergency clinic and was soon elected to its board of directors, a position he served on for 30 years.
Dr. Sullivan has served on the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association’s board of trustees, including as president. He then became a member of the California Veterinary Medical Association’s board of governors, serving as its president and chairing numerous committees, including the legislative and animal welfare committees.
Dr. Sullivan became active in the AVMA by serving on the Judicial Council and the State Advocacy Committee, and was part of one of the working groups tasked with developing material for the AVMA’s position on telemedicine and telehealth. He was California’s alternate delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates for eight years, then served another eight years as the delegate representing California. He also has served as a member of the California Veterinary Medical Board and on its multidisciplinary advisory board.
