External Advisory Committee

The strategy, vision and scientific advice for the Institute are provided by an External Advisory Committee (EAC). This council is composed of selected individuals from private agricultural industries; state and federal agencies involved in foreign animal/trans-boundary emerging and zoonotic diseases; biological and pharmaceutical industries; and nationally and internationally recognized senior scientists involved in foreign animal, emerging and/or zoonotic disease research and/or modeling.

Members of the EAC provide important perspectives and scientific advice on key issues and concerns in the private sector, as well as approaches and activities in relevant government agencies. They also offer advice on linkages, potential funding opportunities, and overall direction as well as key scientific advice, programmatic review and evaluation.

Current Members

Maggie Baldwin, DVM

State Veterinarian, Colorado Department of Agriculture

Dr. Maggie Baldwin, state veterinarian of  The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), manages CDA’s Animal Health division through planning, directing and executing all programs, policies and cooperative agreements with other governmental agencies.

Dr. Baldwin focuses her efforts on the implementation of secure food supply plans and emergency response plans, enhanced animal disease traceability, education, and robust stakeholder engagement. In addition to animal disease control, Dr. Baldwin has assumed a key emergency management role for CDA and the state in last year, having been closely involved with all hazards incidents, including many significant wildfires and the state COVID-19 response.  She was named 2020 Veterinarian of the Year by the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association in recognition of her tireless effort, unparalleled enthusiasm, and outstanding service to the veterinary profession and the entire state of Colorado throughout a difficult year in her role as the Assistant State Veterinarian.

Dr. Baldwin earned her DVM from the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine in St. Paul and began her career in public service as a Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian with USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and also served as a Veterinary Medical Officer with USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Colin Basler, DVM, MPH, DACVPM

Deputy Director, One Health Office, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Dr. Colin Basler is the Deputy Director of the CDC’s One Health Office and the CDC One Health Liaison to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Dr. Basler has a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and a Masters of Public Health from Tufts University. Before joining the One Health Office, Dr. Basler trained as a CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officer and later worked as a veterinary epidemiologist investigating foodborne and zoonotic disease outbreaks with the Outbreak Response and Prevention Branch (ORPB) within the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases (DFWED). He is also a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine.

Daniel Donachie, DVM

Project Officer for Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)

Dr. Daniel Donachie is a veterinarian who graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom (UK). He spent several years working in mixed animal private practice with mainly a large animal focus before joining the UK’s Animal and Plant Health Agency as a Senior Veterinary Inspector in a field role implementing state veterinary medicine such as welfare inspections, responding to notifiable disease, and border controls.  

He became the Lead Vet for the Exotic Disease Team in Scotland where he had a special interest in contingency planning and worked on a program of simulation exercises from simple drills to assisting with the UK’s large functional simulation exercise  “Exercise Blackthorn”. He has a particular interest in using simulation exercises to foster relationships between different sectors, agencies and organizations. 

He was seconded to the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD) based at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome where he coordinated a program of simulation exercises and FMD emergency preparedness scoping missions in the Balkans region. He joined the WOAH Preparedness and Resilience Department in April 2019 where he is the WOAH Coordinator for the joint WOAH-FAO-INTERPOL “Building Resilience Against Agro-Crime and Agro-Terrorism” Project funded by the Weapons Threat Reduction Programme of Global Affairs Canada. This Project aims to foster cooperation between Veterinary Services and Law Enforcement to be able to respond to emergencies arising from agro-crime and agro-terrorism.  Dr Donachie is primarily interested in multi-sectoral approaches to emergencies and integrating innovation and sustainability in biothreat reduction programming.  

J.C. Essler

Executive Vice President, Texas Poultry Federation

J.C. Essler serves as the Executive Vice President for the Texas Poultry Federation advising the board of directors on plans and activities, working on issues within the Texas Legislature and other state agencies, and promoting the Texas Poultry Industry in the state and nationally.

Prior to his role with the Texas Poultry Federation, Essler was a Poultry Program Administrator at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) where he managed and promoted the Texas Pullorum-Typhoid Program and coordinated TVMDL Poultry Programs between College Station, Center, and Gonzales laboratories. He also held a Poultry Epidemiologist   role from 2002 – 2007 managing Pullorum/Typhoid testing in South and West Texas.   

Essler holds a Bachelor of Science in Poultry Science from Texas A&M University.

Subhash Morzaria, BVSc, MSc, PhD, CIBiol, MRCVS

Retired Veterinarian, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations

Dr. Subhash Morzaria is a veterinarian with an MSc and a PhD in Medical Parasitology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UK. Subhash has acquired over 35 years of international experience in technical and management capacity on animal health and livestock development. He has worked for several national and international organisations in Africa, UK and Asia and has held senior research and managerial positions in various institutions that include the International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases (ILRAD) and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) of the Consultative Group on Agriculture (CGIAR), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

In Africa and the UK, he has contributed significantly in addressing a range of animal disease problems focusing on the improvement and commercialisation novel vaccines and diagnostics against a range of vector-borne pathogens. For the last 11 years Subhash has been working for the FAO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok in various capacities including coordinating FAO’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) programme on high impact zoonotic and non-zoonotic infectious diseases.

He has contributed significantly towards the development of regional and international strategies for prevention and control of avian influenza and other priority transboundary animal diseases (TADs). More recently he has been involved in the development and promotion of One Health concepts, including coordinating and writing the interagency (FAO, WHO, UNICEF, UNSIC, OIE and WB) document: Contributing to One World One Health: Strategic Framework for Reducing Risks of Infectious Diseases at the Animal-Human-Ecosystems Interface. Subhash has authored over 200 scientific papers in international refereed journals and has supervised a number of PhD students in the Africa, UK and Asia. He is also Adjunct Professor at University of Murdoch, Perth, Australia.

Carl Reddy, MB. ChB, FCPHM, M.Sc. (Epi)

Director, Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network (TEPHINET)

Carl Reddy, MB. ChB, FCPHM, M.Sc. (Epi) is the director of Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network (TEPHINET) at the Task Force for Global Health. Dr. Reddy provides strategic, technical and operational direction to the TEPHINET network which comprises 83 member FETPs, regional networks and numerous partners and stakeholders across the globe. 

Before joining TEPHINET, Dr. Reddy was the director of the South African Field Epidemiology Training Programme (SAFETP) in Johannesburg and during his tenure the programme transitioned from being dependent upon CDC funding to becoming owned by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD). During his time with SAFETP, Dr. Reddy served on various subcommittees and was on the board of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) based in Kampala, Uganda. He also attended program director meetings for TEPHINET, and in 2016, the organization elected him as Chairman of its Advisory Board.  

Dr. Reddy completed his medical degree at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine in Durban, South Africa and has extensive clinical experience; as a medical officer in pediatrics, and primary health care including general practice locums in Saskatchewan, Canada. This was followed by stints in Accident and Emergency in South Africa and Southend Hospital in Essex, England. He then pursued the Diploma in Anaesthetics after which he recognized his calling and pursued a four-year residency in public health graduating with the Fellowship of the College of Public Health Medicine (FCPHM). 

In 1998, Dr. Reddy won a scholarship from the Mexican government, which enabled him to study Spanish, do a year of public health-related research and complete his epidemiology training in that country. Armed with his MSc. Epidemiology, he returned to South Africa and joined its Medical Research Council, investigating ways to shorten treatment regimens for tuberculosis through clinical trials sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO). 

In 2008, he was seconded to the WHO’s Tropical Diseases Research and Training Program in Geneva to oversee the safety of patients enrolled into WHO sponsored clinical trials in Africa. From there he joined the Global Fund and then UNAIDS, later returning to South Africa to direct efforts for the UNAIDS Technical Support Facility in Johannesburg.  

Kathy Simmons, DVM

Chief Veterinarian, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA)

Dr. Kathy Simmons is the Chief Veterinarian for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), working out of the Center for Public Policy in Washington, DC. Dr. Simmons provides leadership and guidance on matters pertaining to animal health and welfare, working predominantly with the regulatory agencies involved in animal health issues and food safety. She represents the beef industry in dealing with international animal health at the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)and with international food safety issues at Codex Alimentarius.

Additionally, Dr. Simmons serves as policy advisor to NCBA’s Cattle Health and Well Being Committee and working groups. Dr. Simmons received her doctorate in veterinary medicine from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia. Dr. Simmons worked in private veterinary practice for over 25 years in Virginia and West Virginia. From 2010-2011, she served in the United States Senate as a Congressional fellow, working on human health policy in the office of Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME). Dr. Simmons has been in her current position as Chief Veterinarian at NCBA since 2012.

Patrick Webb, DVM

Director of Swine Health Programs, National Pork Board

Dr. Patrick Webb is the director of swine health programs at the National Pork Board, where he joined in 2005.  He is responsible for the Pork Checkoff efforts in animal identification, pre-harvest traceability and foreign and emerging animal disease planning, preparedness and response.  Dr. Webb received both his DVM and BS in animal science degrees from Iowa State University.  

Ben Weinheimer

President & CEO, Texas Cattle Feeders Association

Ben Weinheimer is president & CEO of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association (TCFA), headquartered in Amarillo, Texas. He was named to that position in 2022, and has been on staff since 1995, serving previously as vice president from 2006-2021 and as regulatory manager from 1995-2005. As president & CEO, Weinheimer is responsible for day-to-day operations of the Association, including supervising implementation of policy at the state and federal legislative and regulatory levels, as well as the association’s programs and services offered to members in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. Weinheimer is active in several industry-related and civic organizations and currently serves as Chairman of the Panhandle Regional Water Planning Group, member of the Llano Estacado Regional Water Planning Group, past chairman of the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, past president of the Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership Alumni Association, past president of the Texas Section of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, member of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, member of the Texas Association of Community Colleges Business Advisory Council, and adjunct professor in the department of large animal clinical sciences at Texas A&M University. Weinheimer grew up on a diversified crop and livestock operation in the Texas Panhandle. He is a 1994 honors graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural engineering and is a licensed professional engineer in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Ben and wife, Jennifer, reside in Amarillo, Texas. They are proud parents of a daughter and two sons and grandparents of three terrific grandchildren.

Leah Wilkinson

Vice President of Legislative, Regulatory, and State Affairs, American Feed Industry Association (AFIA)

Leah Wilkinson is the American Feed Industry Association’s vice president of public policy and education. Wilkinson joined AFIA in 2010. She interacts with state legislatures, feed regulatory agencies in the western U.S., the Association of American Feed Control Officials and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Wilkinson also works with the AFIA Feed Regulatory and Ingredient Approval and Definition Committees and serves as the chair of the International Feed Industry Federation’s Regulatory Committee.

Growing up on a Minnesota swine farm, and as a graduate in swine production from the University of Minnesota, Wilkinson is very familiar with animal agriculture. She has also worked for the National Pork Producers Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, both in Washington, D.C. Before joining AFIA, Wilkinson served as the director of policy and industry relations for ViaGen, Inc. in Austin, Texas. Wilkinson holds a bachelor’s degree in animal and plant systems from the University of Minnesota. She can be reached at (703) 558-3560.

Founded in 1909, AFIA, based in Arlington, Va., is the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to representing the business, legislative and regulatory interests of the U.S. animal food industry and its suppliers. The organization’s membership is comprised of more than 680 domestic and international companies that represent the total feed industry — manufacturers of commercial and integrated feed and pet food, ingredient suppliers, pharmaceutical companies, industry support and equipment manufacturers. AFIA members manufacture more than 75 percent of the feed and 70 percent of the non-grain ingredients used in the country. AFIA is also recognized as the leader on international industry developments and holds membership in the International Feed Industry Federation.

Ex Officio Members

Walter Cook, DVM, Ph.D.

Clinical Associate Professor, Veterinary Pathobiology

Dr. Cook is an adjunct professor in the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management and is primarily housed in the College of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Cook is primarily interested in wildlife disease prevention and management. He has done research and management on diseases such as anthrax, brucellosis, and chronic wasting disease. He has also worked with chemical immobilization agents and is interested in pharmacokinetics and drug withdrawal of antibiotics and immobilizing agents.

Monty Dozier, Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Extension Program Director – Disaster Assessment and Recovery

Dr. Monty Dozier is in his 40^th year of service with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.  During his career, he has served as a County Extension Agent in four counties, as an Extension Specialist in conservation and water, as well as the Southeast Region Program Leader, and as a special assistant to the Rebuild Texas Commission following Hurricane Harvey.  Monty currently leads the Extension Disaster Assessment and Recovery Unit.  This unit works with the Texas Division of Emergency Management and other response and recovery agencies to enhance Texas’ ability to respond to and recover from disasters. He also serves on the Texas Emergency Management Council and the Texas Drought Council.

Amy K. Swinford, DVM, MS, DACVM

Director, Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL)

Prior to her promotion to director in June 2021, Dr. Swinford served as associate director since February 2015 for Texas A&M’s Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) and was the microbiology branch chief and Bacteriology Section head at the College Station laboratory.

During her time as the associate director, Dr. Swinford assisted the director in the executive operation of the agency, which includes overseeing the efforts of the resident directors at the Canyon, Center, and Gonzales laboratories. Dr. Swinford represents the agency with relevant professional societies, and interacts with industry, government, and community officials. In addition, she provides leadership to improve and streamline agency operations while ensuring diagnostic results are timely, affordable and relevant to all TVMDL clients.

Dr. Swinford earned multiple degrees from the University of Illinois: two bachelor’s degrees, a master’s degree in veterinary pathobiology and a doctorate in veterinary medicine. She became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists in 1997, and in 2012 was elected to the organization’s board of governors. She began her veterinary career in Nebraska, where she worked at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Veterinary Diagnostic Center, held positions with two veterinary biopharmaceutical companies, and served in the United States Air Force Reserve as a public health officer. In 2005, Dr. Swinford was hired as the Bacteriology section head at TVMDL in College Station. She was promoted to branch chief in 2012, a position in which she oversaw the Bacteriology, Molecular Diagnostics, Serology and Virology sections.