Linda Jacobson BVSc MMedVet PhD – President

Linda received her veterinary degree in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1986 and subsequently completed a residency in small animal internal medicine and a PhD on the pathophysiology of virulent canine babesiosis. She completed the University of Florida Online Graduate Certificate in Shelter Medicine in 2015. She is part of the CVO Practice Advisory Panel and serves on the Humane Canada shelter accreditation standard committee . She joined the Toronto Humane Society in 2010, where she is currently Senior Manager: Shelter Medicine Advancement.

 Shelley Hutchings DVM – Vice-President

Shelley graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2002 and worked full time in small animal practice until 2008.   In 2006 she began working part time for the Ottawa Humane Society, and developed a keen interest in shelter medicine.   In 2008, she joined the Ottawa Humane Society on a full time basis, and is now the Chief Veterinarian for this large progressive shelter.   She has overseen the accreditation of the Ottawa Humane Society Animal Clinic, as well as the Ottawa Humane Society Mobile Spay Neuter Services mobile community program.

Shane Bateman  DVM DVSc DACVECC – Secretary

Shane completed his veterinary degree at the University of Saskatchewan in 1991 and completed his residency in Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care at the Ontario Veterinary College in 1998. He is a boarded specialist in critical care. Shane is an Associate Professor at the Ontario Veterinary College at Guelph, and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Guelph Humane Society. He also serves as co-Director of Community Veterinary Outreach.

Lisa Jones DVM – Director (Continuing Education)

Lisa completed her veterinary degree at the Ontario Veterinary College in 2014. She began her career working as a small animal locum, mainly in emergency medicine but also in general practice. In 2016, her passion shifted as she was welcomed to the Animal Welfare Association of South Western Ontario, where she became the main veterinarian in charge of animal care at the Stratford-Perth Humane Society. Recently she has undertaken organization of the KW Community Veterinary Outreach program and plays a large role in education and outreach initiatives through the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society.

Ariel Brunn DVM – Director (Membership and Fundraising)

Ariel has worked as a clinician for the Edmonton Humane Society, managed a veterinary emergency and critical care service, provided locum services to the PDSA veterinary charity, and more recently, worked in veterinary operations and animal health and welfare policy development for the UK-based shelter organization, Dogs Trust. In her role with Dogs Trust she also provided veterinary guidance to the organization’s Outreach department, conducted training for Dogs Trust Worldwide, and sat on the Canine Welfare Grants Committee. Ariel lived in London, UK from 2010-2016 and recently returned to Canada to take up an MSc in veterinary epidemiology at the Ontario Veterinary College. She graduated from WCVM in 2008.

Nominees for OSMA Board 2019

 Esther Attard DVM

Esther graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1991.  She started her career as an equine practitioner, operating an equine mobile practice and even owned her own small animal clinic before deciding that shelter medicine and surgery was her passion!  Esther has worked in animal shelters for over 20 years and appreciates the daily challenges and rewards!  Currently she is Chief Veterinarian at Toronto Animal Services.  Her favorite things are family (wonderful husband, two lovely daughters and a shelter dog of course!), horses and travelling.

Laura Balanoff DVM

Laura completed her veterinary degree at the University of Melbourne in 2012.  She began her career working at the RSPCA small animal clinic and shelter in Newcastle, Australia.  Originally from the U.S., she decided to move back to complete a shelter medicine internship at the University of Wisconsin in 2015.  She worked at PAWS animal shelter in Chicago for two years and, in 2018, joined Toronto Humane Society as a staff shelter veterinarian.

Stephanie Black DVM 

Stephanie graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2007. She worked in both general and emergency practice until she discovered her love of shelter medicine.  She has since worked for the OSPCA, The Toronto Humane Society and her own mobile practice providing services to local animal shelters.  She is currently a contract veterinarian for Toronto Animal Services and teaches veterinary assisting students at Seneca College.  Stephanie graduated from the University of Florida with a Masters in Shelter Medicine as well as Graduate Certificate in Veterinary Forensics.  Stephanie has a passion for animal sheltering as well as education and enjoys bringing the two together with the Ontario Shelter Medicine Association.

Hanna Booth DVM

Hanna graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2007 and has passionately pursued population control through spay and neuter ever since then.  She spent a year volunteering with organizations throughout Central America sterilizing shelter and street animals. Upon returning to Canada she worked as a veterinarian at the Toronto Humane Society and then served on the Board of THS.  She manages the volunteer organization Toronto Street Cats and is a founding member of the Toronto Feral Cat Coalition.    She currently works as a staff veterinarian for Toronto Animal Services focusing on the mobile spay neuter program SNYP. 

Mary Pecarski RVT

[In progress]