Celebrating Excellence and Advances

The UGA College of Veterinary Medicine hosted its first annual conference and alumni reunion May 31 to June 2, 1964, at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education in Athens. Presenters came from around the country, but all were UGA CVM alumni.

The conference has been a highlight of the vet med calendar every year since, with veterinarians and alumni from around the country and beyond gathering for fellowship, remembrances and continuing education opportunities.

The CVM hosted its 61st Annual Conference and Alumni Reunion March 7-8, 2025, an event that not only celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Class of 1975 but also the 75th anniversary of the Class of 1950—the college’s first graduating class—and the 10th anniversary of the opening of the “new” Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

Several alumni were also recognized for their leadership and service with awards presented by the CVM.

Dean’s Distinguished Service Award

Dr. Tom Riddle (DVM 1978)

Tom Riddle, the son of a veterinarian, was born and raised in Greenville, S.C., and graduated from Wake Forest University in 1974.

After graduation from veterinary school, he traveled to Lexington, Ky., to serve an internship with Dr. Don Witherspoon at Leslie Combs’ Spendthrift Farm. Following his internship, he spent another three years working at Spendthrift, which was at the top of its game in the late 1970s and early ’80s. 

In 1982, Riddle joined Dr. Bill Rood in his ambulatory practice in Lexington, and Rood & Riddle was formed. In 1985, Rood & Riddle purchased land and broke ground for their new hospital.

Riddle has served as president of the Kentucky Association of Equine Practitioners, the Society for Theriogenology, and the Theriogenology Foundation.

He received the Steiner Award for Excellence in the Practice of Theriogenology, and he is an honorary member of the American College of Theriogenologists.

Riddle was the first person to recognize and report the 2001 abortion outbreak which became known as Mare Reproduction Loss Syndrome. Clinically, he has special interests in uterine culture and cytology, early twin management, fetal sexing, and diagnostic ultrasound of the mare’s reproductive tract.

Riddle serves as director of public relations for Rood & Riddle. 

Young Alumni Award

Dr. Atticus Mabry (DVM 2015)

Dr. Atticus Mabry is a native of Greenville, S.C.  He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from Clemson University in 2011. During his time at UGA, he was a member of the Omega Tau Sigma fraternity, serving as Vice President. He developed a keen interest in business through his close collaboration with Jeff Sanford and honed his communication and customer service skills under the mentorship of Dr. Andy Moorehead.

Following graduation, Mabry gained experience in private practice for several years, working in rural South Carolina. In 2019, he established Oasis Animal Hospital & Emergency Center in Greenville, which quickly grew to be a highly respected privately owned referral hospital for emergencies in the Upstate. Subsequently, he expanded his endeavors by acquiring and founding multiple veterinary hospitals across Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.  

Currently, he is finalizing the development of a state-of-the-art facility in upstate South Carolina. This comprehensive center will offer general practice, emergency, urgent care, and specialty care services for pets in the surrounding area.

Wellness in Practice Award

Dr. Kathy Jordan (DVM 2006) 

Dr. Kathy Jordan always wanted to be a vet, so she attended Clemson University for undergrad and then UGA for vet school. She worked at other practices for a couple of years before opening Crossroads Animal Hospital in Seneca, S.C., in July 2008.

In 2019, Jordan became an ABVP diplomate, becoming board certified as a specialist in canine and feline medicine. There are only a few ABVP specialists in the Upstate of South Carolina—it’s a rigorous program of study, case reports, and a board exam to become specialized.   

Jordan loves working with a variety of species, which is why she chose to make Crossroads a mixed animal practice.

Graduate Award

Dr. Jean Sander (M.S. 1989)

Dr. Jean Sander specializes in poultry health. She received her DVM in 1987 as a part of the inaugural class at the School of Veterinary Medicine at University of Wisconsin. She received her graduate degree, a Master of Avian Medicine, in 1989 at the University of Georgia’s Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center. She became board certified in poultry medicine in 1991, sitting for the first offering of the qualifying exam.

She proved to be a trailblazer, being the first woman in her professional path. She started her academic career in the Cooperative Extension Service of the UGA College of Agriculture supporting the poultry growers in Georgia. Soon she was transferred to the PDRC in the College of Veterinary Medicine becoming the first female faculty in the Department of Avian Medicine. Here, she continued serving poultry producers, started a research program and taught at the undergraduate, professional and graduate level.

She entered higher ed administration as Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs in the CVM at the Ohio State University, becoming the first female administrator. Next, she was selected as the first female dean at Oklahoma State Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, and the sixth woman to dean in the US. 

As a capstone, she joined Zoetis as a technical services veterinarian, where she was asked to provide numerous presentations on women in leadership. Her greatest professional pride is the pathway she created for other women to follow in higher ed and the poultry industry.

Private Practice Award

Dr. Jonathan Bentley (DVM 2013)

Dr. Jonathan Bentley has a passion for small animal medicine and a commitment to advancing the veterinary profession. He earned his Bachelor of Science from Berry College. Before joining Sugar Hill Animal Hospital, Bentley completed two externships at the practice, gaining valuable hands-on experience in clinical practice. He then began his career as an associate veterinarian at Sugar Hill, where he currently serves as medical director.

Beyond clinical practice, Bentley has been actively involved in organized veterinary medicine. He served as vice president and treasurer of the Gwinnett County Veterinary Medical Association from 2013 to 2023 and is the immediate past president of the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association, advocating for the profession and supporting veterinary professionals across the state.

With a strong interest in practice management, veterinary dentistry, and general wellness, Bentley is committed to enhancing patient care while fostering a supportive work environment.

He is also passionate about mentoring the next generation of veterinary professionals, including veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians, through education, training, and hands-on guidance.

Government Award

Dr. Juan LuBroth (DVM 1985)

Dr. Juan Lubroth is a biologist and veterinarian with a doctorate in epidemiology and public health. Lubroth worked as a biologist for the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study before entering the University of Georgia’s Master of Science program and was kept on as a wildlife veterinarian after graduation from the CVM.

Recruited by the USDA, Lubroth worked as a diagnostician and member of the foreign animal disease training team at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center in New York before his transfer to the U.S.-Mexico Commission for the Prevention of FMD and other Exotic Animal Diseases.  

In 1990, he enrolled at Yale University’s School of Medicine to initiate his Ph.D. studies in epidemiology and public health. In 1995, Lubroth was seconded to the Pan-American Health Organization as an epidemiologist in the continent’s FMD eradication efforts before returning to Plum Island to lead the Diagnostic Services Section.

In 2002, Lubroth was selected to lead the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization’s Infectious Diseases Group. This group oversees worldwide surveillance, capacity building, and progressive control of transboundary animal diseases and rose to become its chief veterinary officer. During this time, Lubroth initiated several programs in animal disease control and management and was one of the architects of the Manhattan Principles under the aegis of “One World, One Health” and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Upon retirement, he leads Lubroth One Health Consultancies, which recognizes the essence and commitment for sustainable development of animal production to meet the needs for quality nutrition—in humans and other animals—and the importance of their cultural and economic value. Lubroth is also a commissioner to the Lancet One Health Commission and coordinator of the One Sustainable Health Foundation’s Scientific Council.

He lives in central Italy.

Industry Award

Dr. Andrea Johnson (DVM 2001)

Dr. Andrea Johnson pursued mixed animal medicine driven by her strong bond with her pony, Brownie, and her soul-dog, Tully. After co-owning multiple veterinary practices, she and her partners founded PetVet365 to address issues like mental health challenges, unfair treatment, and limited ownership opportunities within the veterinary field. PetVet365 aims to create a fear-free experience for pets, clients, and staff, and has since grown to 30 practices across multiple states, with 13 more in development.

Johnson is passionate about supporting future veterinarians, particularly those interested in practice ownership. She is committed to helping students manage the burden of student debt, which often hinders their ability to buy or start a practice.

Through the Clark Johnson Entrepreneurial Scholarship at UGA CVM, Johnson provides financial support to DVM students, ensuring they have more opportunities for success and the freedom to shape their careers. Johnson believes in giving back to the veterinary community that supported her, ensuring its strength for future generations.

Academia Award

Dr. Chad Schmiedt (DVM 2000)

Dr. Chad Schmiedt grew up in Charleston, S.C. His father was a Ph.D. at the Medical University of South Carolina and his mother was a veterinary assistant. Schmiedt received his undergraduate degree from Clemson.

Following five years of post-graduate surgical training at the University of Tennessee, the Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center, and the University of Wisconsin, Schmiedt did a two-year clinical instructorship at the University of Wisconsin. He returned to UGA in the summer of 2007 to join the faculty at the College of Veterinary Medicine as a soft tissue surgeon.

Schmiedt is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. He is a professor within the Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, holds the Alison Bradbury Endowed Chair for Feline Health, and is the section head of small animal medicine and surgery. 

While also seeing all types of referrals for soft tissue surgery, Schmiedt runs the feline renal transplantation program at UGA and has an active research program focusing on kidney disease in cats. He has published more than 300 book chapters, abstracts, and peer reviewed manuscripts, trained over 30 surgery residents and 14 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, and received more than $6 million in grants.

He is also a member of the Biointerface Translation and Engineering Center within the College of Engineering and has received awards for surgical mentorship, clinical service, research excellence, and educational technology.

Omega Tau Sigma’s Dr. Fred C. Davison Award

Dr. Edward L. Holton., Jr. (DVM 1994)

Dr. Edward L. Holton, Jr. earned a BSA in Poultry Science (1985) from UGA prior to entering vet school. After practicing in North Georgia for three years, he founded All Animals Veterinary Hospital in Dawsonville in 1997, which has been AAHA accredited since 2006.

While in veterinary school, Holton was a member and Vice President of the Eta Chapter of Omega Tau Sigma Professional Veterinary Fraternity. In 2019 and 2022, his sons, James and Matt, followed in their father’s footsteps by attending veterinary school and joining Eta Chapter. During Matt’s presidency, Holton became more involved as an alumnus, contributing to various beautification projects, including the renovation of the bar, replacing the TV in the social space, and lending a truck and trailer to clear overgrowth between OTS and AY properties.

Beyond his professional work, Holton is deeply committed to Dawson County, having served as past president of the Dawson County Rotary Club, a longtime board member of the Dawson County Humane Society, and a Meals on Wheels volunteer for over 20 years.

Holton’s dedication to both his profession and community has made a lasting impact on those he serves. With over 30 years of veterinary experience, he continues to foster the human-animal bond, care for pets and livestock, and contribute to the well-being of his local community. His unwavering commitment to excellence in veterinary care, as well as his ongoing involvement in local organizations, reflects his passion for improving the lives of both animals and people in Dawson County.

Several members of the Class of 1975 returned to Athens for annual conference and to mark the 50th anniversary of their graduation. They were presented medallions in honor of this historic milestone.

Dr. Lee Beckworth

After graduation, Dr. Lee Beckworth took a job with Dr. Earl Hightower (UGA Class of 1950) in a mixed animal practice in Jefferson, N.C. Beckworth worked full-time as an employee for three years, then became a partner for nine years.

He went on to become the sole practice owner for 35 years, and for the past three years, he has worked part-time with his good friend and classmate, Nash Williams.

Dr. Pat Burke

After graduation, Dr. Pat Burke completed a year-long internship in anesthesia and intensive care at the University of Minnesota. She then worked at Oradell Animal Hospital in New Jersey before pursuing a residency in small animal medicine at Colorado State University.

Not fully ready to retire from her work with a Rhode Island clinic and the state SPCA, Burke began an in-home pet euthanasia service in 2020, continuing to offer compassionate care to animals in their final moments.

Dr. Robert Dennis

Dr. Robert Tayloe Dennis started Brunswick Veterinary Clinic in July 1975 in rural Brunswick County, Virginia. He is still in practice after 49 years.

Dr. Thomas Divers 

Dr. Thomas Divers has worked in academic medicine as an equine and dairy internist, instructor, and researcher throughout his entire career. He has thoroughly enjoyed every opportunity along the way, including his internship at U.C. Davis, residency and two years on faculty at UGA, 10 years on faculty at U Penn, and 35 years at Cornell, with additional short stints at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Kentucky.

Divers recently retired but continues to consult, assist with clinical research projects, and provide lectures for veterinarians and students.

Dr. Samuel Galphin

Dr. Sam Galphin was reared in rural South Carolina by a farmer-veterinarian father and a loving schoolteacher mother. He developed a deep fondness for agriculture and believes agriculture is key to humanity’s sustainability.

The threat to humanity posed by food insecurity and simultaneous explosive population growth created a passion for feeding people. He chose the distinctive career of food supply veterinary medicine to advance his calling for increasing food.

Dr. Raymond Grimm

Immediately after graduation, Dr. Raymond Grimm joined the Warren County Veterinary Clinic in Front Royal, Va. The clinic was a mixed practice, treating any animal that came through the door, and they also served as their own emergency clinic.

Three years later, Raymond became a full partner and purchased half of the clinic. Over the years, he became a mentor for senior students at Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland. The clinic was also fortunate enough to provide veterinary services for United States Customs and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, as they had no staff veterinarians. Around the same time, the clinic became computerized and joined the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).

Dr. Robert Hicks

After graduating from vet school, Dr. Bob Hicks entered the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps and attended Basic Veterinary Officer training at The Army Health Services Academy at Ft. Sam Houston in Texas that same month.

During his Army service, Hicks enjoyed assignments in Omaha, Nebraska; Fort Jackson, S.C.; twice in Philadelphia, Pa.; The Hague, Netherlands; College Station and San Antonio, Texas; Landstuhl, Germany; and Fort Lee, Va.

Hicks retired from the Army in January 2003 with the rank of full-bird colonel. 

Dr. David Highsmith

After graduating in 1975, Dr. David Highsmith returned to his hometown of Raleigh, N.C., and began working at the practice where he had been a kennel boy while attending undergraduate studies at NC State. After practicing there for just over 10 years, he decided to leave and moved to Wilmington, N.C., to manage a small animal practice. After a year, Highsmith purchased the practice and over the next 13 years, he added three more veterinarians as the practice grew. 

In December 2024, Highsmith sold the practice and property and retired.

Dr. Barry Mitzner

Dr. Barry Mitzner began his career as an associate in a small animal and exotic practice in Miami, Fla.  He credits Drs. Duncan and Prasse for instilling a fascination for clinical pathology. 

In 1980 Barry transitioned to relief practice while laying the groundwork for Vetlab Supply, one of the first companies to focus exclusively on the veterinary in-house laboratory. The company evolved from a full line laboratory supplier to a developer of proprietary diagnostics trademarked under the Vetlab name and sold worldwide. In July of 2024 Vetlab Supply and its intellectual property was acquired by Jorgensen Laboratories of Loveland, Colo.

Dr. Everett Moore

Dr. Everett Moore graduated from Emory University with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry in 1966, and a Master of Science in chemistry in 1968. He first worked as an industrial analytical chemist for Eastman Chemical Products in Kingsport, Tenn., and The Coca-Cola Co. in Atlanta, before shifting careers to veterinary medicine.

After earning his DVM degree, Moore completed a one-year internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine.

He briefly worked for Needham and Lee Animal Hospital in Wilmington, N.C., before moving to Jacksonville, Fla., where he worked for the Jacksonville Veterinary Emergency Clinic. In 1969, he opened Kings Trail Animal Hospital, where he enjoyed the practice of small animal medicine and surgery until he retired in 2010.

Dr. Richard Price

After graduation, Dr. Richard Price worked as an associate veterinarian for three years at a small animal practice in Portsmouth, Va. He returned to his hometown of Greensboro, N.C.,working at an emergency clinic before purchasing a practice in Martinsville, Va. Price was the owner of an AAHA-accredited facility for 29 years. Price sold his practice in 2007 but continued to do relief work in Virginia.

Dr. George Rauton

After graduation, Dr. George Rauton was employed at McDuffie Animal Hospital, a mixed animal practice in Thomson, Ga.

In 1977, he moved back to his hometown of Johnston, S.C., and opened Johnston Animal Hospital. It was a mixed practice for 15 years and then became totally focused on small animal medicine. Rauton’s office has expanded several times over the last 50 years and now employs two additional veterinarians. He still practices three days a week and spends the rest of his time managing his timber and wildlife operation.

Drs. Peggy and Bayard Rucker

Dr. Bayard Rucker and Dr. Peggy Rucker were both born in 1949, with Bayard hailing from Charlottesville, Va., and Peggy from Decota, W.V. They were the first married couple admitted to the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.

After graduation the Ruckers started a mixed animal practice in Lebanon, Va., which later expanded into Southwest Virginia Veterinary Services in 1985. Over the years, they both focused on their areas of expertise, with Bayard specializing in equine care, particularly equine dentistry, and Peggy transitioning to a full-time companion animal practice.

Dr. AJ Silverman

After graduating from UGA, Dr. AJ Silverman spent five months in South Florida working with horses before returning to Atlanta, where he partnered with Jeff Nachamkin, another UGA graduate and a fellow native of his hometown in Maryland, to open two small animal practices in the area.

The practices primarily cared for dogs and cats, with the occasional exotic animal. Silverman and Nachamkin ran these practices until 2015, when they sold the businesses and retired.

Dr. John Smith

After serving two years in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps, Dr. John Smith practiced ruminant medicine in academia at Auburn University, where he did an internship and was later assistant professor.

He did a residency in Large Animal Internal Medicine and earned a Master in Medical Microbiology from UGA, then moved to Colorado State, where he served as an assistant and associate professor. After tenure and promotion at CSU, he changed direction and returned to UGA for the Master of Avian Medicine.

He became the corporate veterinarian at Fieldale Farms in Baldwin, Ga., in 1991, and retired in 2018, continuing to consult on broiler health.

Drs. Betty & David Thompson

Dr. Betsy Morgenroth and Dr. David Thompson married after graduation. After Dave completed his two-year Army obligation in Annapolis, Md., they chose Asheville, N.C., to begin their small animal practice.

In the fall of 1977, they completed the first 1200 sq. ft. of Animal Hospital of North Asheville with the hope of it one day becoming a three-veterinarian practice so they could take time off together. The practice grew rapidly and after several remodels and additions it became a 10,000 sq. ft. practice with 10 veterinarians and 53 support staff.  It was the first Gold Standard Feline Friendly practice in North Carolina, was AHHA certified for their 42 years at the helm and in 2013 became Fear Free Certified. 

Dr. Marilyn Thompson

After graduation, Dr. Marilyn Thompson completed an internship at an SPCA hospital in Springfield, Mass., which was associated with the Animal Medical Center. Afterwards, she took a job in Arlington, then Alexandria, Va. 

After getting married, Thompson and her husband bought a house in Burke, Va., where they built an office in the lower part of the house and turned it into a veterinary clinic. She worked there for 22 years until a four-lane highway was built through their property, forcing closure. They built a 7,000 square-foot clinic and kennel, which opened in 2000 in addition to another office in a nearby shopping center in Springfield, Va. 

In 2016, Thompson sold the clinic and went to work at the Springfield location. A few years later, she sold the Springfield office to her associate, and she and her husband moved to Bethany Beach, Del., where they still live today, enjoying the slower-paced life.

Dr. Nash Williams

Immediately after graduation, Dr. Nash Williams moved with his family to Sparta, N.C., where he established Twin Oaks Veterinary Hospital, a mixed animal practice in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.

In 1980, he took on a partner, William “Bill” DeBord, who remained a part of the practice until his death in 2001. At one point during their partnership, they worked with 150 grade A dairy farms. However, with the decline of the dairy industry, the practice has evolved into a 90 percent small animal practice.

When Dr. Lee Beckworth, a close friend of Nash’s, retired and closed his practice in Jefferson, N.C., he joined Twin Oaks to help out. By June, Nash and Beckworth will have a combined 100 years of veterinary service. Given this milestone, and the fact that it is a bit late to start a new career, Nash has no plans to change his current path at this time.