Cheryl Eia

Dr. Cheryl L. Eia ('08, DVM - Veterinary Medicine) has been hired by American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) as the Assistant Director in Scientific Activities Division. “I am honored to be able to serve the AVMA and its members as Coordinator of Emergency Preparedness and Response. I am excited by the opportunity to utilize my background and experience while representing the AVMA on issues of national importance related to animal emergency management,” Dr. Eia says. “I look forward to working with stakeholder groups from across the country to enhance our nation’s emergency preparedness.” Dr. Eia will be involved in all levels of the AVMA’s animal emergency preparedness and response programs, including policy coordination, education and outreach, and oversight of the Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMAT). She will work closely with committee leaders, members and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, national partners, and governmental and non-governmental representatives in overseeing these important programs. Prior to coming to the AVMA, Dr. Eia worked as a veterinary specialist at the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University, in Ames, Iowa, leading several projects on animal emergency preparedness and response. In addition to her education and experience in veterinary medicine, Dr. Eia also brings to her position at the AVMA her experience and knowledge as an attorney. She practiced law in St. Louis, Mo.; Minneapolis, Minn.; and Fargo, N.D. In addition, she served as a Foreign Service Officer for the U. S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., from 1993-1996. She is a member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners Animal Welfare Committee and also the Global Pain Council of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association. Dr. Eia received her doctorate in veterinary medicine from the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008, and she received a Master of Public Health the same year from University of Minnesota. She received her law degree from St. Louis University School of Law in 1989.