Meet Dr Laurel Kaddatz, Chair of the WSAVA Financial Advisory Committee
Could you introduce yourself to our members?
I am a recently retired companion animal practitioner in New York State. I was born and raised on a dairy farm on the central Minnesota prairie and graduated from the University of Minnesota. I ended up in New York after completing a small animal medicine and surgery internship at Cornell University. I am married to a wonderful person, Jackie, who serves as my muse and stabilizer. We also share our new home in Venice, Florida, with Tyler, a Brussels Griffon, and two DSH cats, Trixie and Juli (both named after Dutch Queens).
Could summarize your career?
I spent 25 years in Rochester, New York, as a senior partner in a large hospital group. I also managed two of the hospitals. I then sold my interest and bought a four-doctor practice, Pound Ridge Veterinary (PRVC), with my partner north of New York City where I practiced for the next 17 years. At PRVC I was Hospital Director and practiced medicine and surgery full-time with our associates. I enjoyed practice and felt fulfilled helping my clients maintain their animal family members’ health and welfare.
Dr Laurel Kaddatz
You have long been involved with veterinary associations, whether regional, national or, of course, global. What made you want to get involved and what has your involvement taught you?
My parents were an example of service to the community; whether it was church-related, governmental, or in social organizations. At a professional level I was president of the student chapter of the AVMA at Minnesota and have served the profession on the local, regional, state, national level and, now, international level with WSAVA. One of my mentors from Cornell was Dr Bob Kirk. One thing he said that has stuck with me ever since was that we should always remember we are a service profession. We exist to serve the needs of our clients and patients. I like to take that to the next level and say that we should also serve our profession in whatever capacity fits us. One thing my involvement has taught me is that veterinarians everywhere have the same goals, the same worries, and often the same experiences. We are really one!
When and how did you get involved with the WSAVA?
My first experience came from my work with the NAVC where, as a board member, we regularly interacted with veterinarians from other countries and WSAVA Board Members. As President of the NAVC, I had the opportunity to represent the NAVC at the BSAVA Congress and also spoke at the second Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Science Congress in Chang Chung where I got to know some Chinese veterinarians at the University in Beijing and in practices in Shanghai. When AVMA became a member of the WSAVA in 2011, it was an opportunity for me to serve my national organization by being selected as AVMA Member Representative for the WSAVA, an experience that has helped continue to pave the way for AVMA to become more involved internationally.
Why do you think the WSAVA’s work is so important?
The world is getting smaller. With easier travel, diseases spread swiftly (as we’ve seen with COVID-19), and, with almost instant communications, our shared experiences and combined expertise can help us to realize our common goals. We are a small profession and our commonalities far outweigh our differences. Working together, utilizing WSAVA resources to improve education and standards of care, should be the goal for our collective ‘raison d’être.’
You have recently become Chair of the WSAVA’s Financial Advisory Committee. What are the Committee’s priorities at the moment?
The pandemic has highlighted the importance of Congress revenue to our finances so we are working to find alternate sources of income and to reduce expenses so we can maintain our reserves. The WSAVA Executive Board has strategies well in hand to help us achieve these objectives.
Could you tell us something about you that might surprise us?
I am an avid golfer and have played courses on five of the seven continents. I also belong to my church’s choir. Jackie and I have enjoyed wonderful choir trips that have included singing at St Mark’s Basilica in Venice and in Rome’s Pantheon during a Pentecost service! We were hoping to sing in Paris at Notre Dame last year but this was sadly cancelled after the fire.
Is there anything else you would like to say?
I have been fortunate to have worked with many great people in the WSAVA. It’s almost a cliché, but true, to say that whatever you give, you receive more in return. That’s the benefit of volunteering your time and talents.
