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College dean and others honored at FVMA conference

Dr. Rick Sutliff presents Dr. Dana Zimmel with the FVMA’s Veterinarian of the Year Award.

Dr. Dana Zimmel, dean of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, was named Veterinarian of the Year by the Florida Veterinary Medical Association during their annual conference, held March 17-20 in Orlando.

The award recognizes a distinguished, unselfish and dedicated FVMA member who goes above and beyond for the association and the veterinary profession.

Zimmel was appointed as the college’s permanent dean in June 2021, after having served as interim dean since December 2019.

She previously was lead administrator of the UF Veterinary Hospitals, serving as associate dean for clinical services since 2015, and before that, for five years as chief of staff and chief medical officer for the clinical enterprise. Under her leadership, hospital caseload grew from 20,542 patients in fiscal year 2011 to 41,811 patients seen in fiscal year 2019, with another 6,578 animals treated at the UF Pet Emergency Treatment Services clinic in Ocala.

In 2012, Zimmel spearheaded the effort to create UF PETS, which has evolved as a hugely successful collaboration with Marion County-area veterinarians. The UF Small Animal Hospital gained accreditation through the American Animal Hospital Association in 2015, under Zimmel’s leadership, and is now a Level 1-certified facility as designated by the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society.

Dr. Rick Sutliff presents Dr. Amy Stone with the FVMA’s Distinguished Service Award.

Also honored from the college’s faculty this year was Dr. Amy Stone, a clinical assistant professor and chief of the college’s primary care and dentistry service, who received the FVMA’s Distinguished Service Award.

According to information drawn from Stone’s nomination packet and reported in The Advocate, the FVMA’s magazine, Stone has played a key role in the Alachua County Veterinary Medical Association’s operation as its treasurer. An FVMA member since graduation from veterinary school, she has encouraged multiple colleagues to become active in their local and state associations. “Her dedication to the profession through teaching and research is unmatched,” the article stated.

Stone has earned the Pfizer Distinguished Teacher Award, the 2009 University of Florida Superior Accomplishment Award, the 2009 University of Florida Teacher of the Year Award, the FVMA Gold Star Award in 2007 and 2004, and many more awards during her professional career.

Additionally, Cameron Moore, who leads the consultation program at the UF Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program, received the association’s Citizen of the Year Award for outstanding contributions to the advancement of animal wellbeing and veterinary medicine in Florida.

Moore also leads the consultation program for the related VEM5890 Consultations in Shelter Animal Medicine clerkship for veterinary students and their Shelter Consultation Mentorship for professional continuing education program working professionals. Her nomination packet notes that she has been “unrelenting in her pursuit to teach humane organizations how to move animals into foster and forever homes more efficiently.”

Rick Sutliff presents Cameron Moore with the FVMA’s Citizen of the Year Award.

In other news, Dr. Sally DeNotta was named the Florida Association of Equine Practitioners’ representative to the FVMA Executive Board.

Dr. Marta Lista, from the college’s Class of 2000, was sworn in as FVMA president. She succeeds Dr. Rick Sutliff, from the Class of 1999, in the position.