Meritorious Service Award past winners

Meritorious Sevice Award Winners 2024

In 2009 her commitment to equine surgery culminated in her becoming a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Surgery of Horses. Later that year, she embarked on a highly competitive and rigorous 4 year residency in Equine Surgery at the Veterinary Clinical Centre at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. This program combined extensive clinical work, research, undergraduate teaching, and international externships, including conferences in both the USA and Australia. During her residency, Dr Willsallen contributed to research on a variety of surgical procedures, including laryngoplasty (tie-back/roaring surgery), laparoscopic and vaginal removal of large ovarian tumours, and the pararectal approach to the bladder in standing geldings. 

Her hard work and dedication were formally recognised in 2014 when she was granted the status of a Registered Specialist in Equine Surgery by the NSW Veterinary Surgeons Board. She went on to work full-time for Dr Nick Kannegieter, where she continues to make a significant impact in the field of equine surgery. 

Beyond her clinical work, Dr Willsallen has demonstrated exceptional leadership within the veterinary community. She has served as Past President of Equine Veterinarians Australia, a special interest group of the Australian Veterinary Association, where her contributions have had a lasting impact on the advancement of the profession. Dr Willsallen’s career serves as a powerful example of how dedication, passion, and support from the AVA can foster a rewarding and impactful veterinary journey. 

One of Dr Moss's key achievements was his pivotal role in the amalgamation of the AVAPM into what is now the Veterinary Business Group (VBG), a testament to his strategic vision and leadership within the profession. During his tenure as Chair of the VBG from 2021 to 2022, he displayed exceptional resilience and leadership in the face of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. When conferences were cancelled, he proactively fostered member engagement through a series of webinars, ensuring that the veterinary community remained connected and informed during an uncertain time. His personal outreach to colleagues, offering support via his own contact number, further underscored his commitment to the well-being of his peers. 

In addition to his leadership within the AVA, Dr Siddle played an instrumental role in advocating for the inclusion of veterinarians in the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List, as well as contributing to the launch of Vets Choice Pet Insurance, a product that has provided significant financial support to the AVA.  

He also founded Dandenong Ranges Veterinary Centre in 1999, where he has worked to provide high-quality care to animals in the region. In addition, Moss has founded innovative ventures such as Medechat and VetCheck 24/7, which address the growing demand for telemedicine and help alleviate after-hours pressures on veterinary practices.  

His long-standing dedication to veterinary business sustainability, professional leadership, and community well-being perfectly epitomises the spirit of service and commitment that this prestigious award seeks to recognise. 

Meritorious Sevice Award Winners 2023

He has also represented the Victorian Division of the AVA on the Victorian Livestock Industry Consultative Committee since 2008 and in this role he has been a member of numerous subcommittees focussed on evaluating disease risk and response. He rotated off the committee for the SCGV in 2020 and then became a committee member of the VERA special interest group of the AVA.  

A/Prof Barber has a passion for teaching the next generation of veterinarians. He is well recognised for bringing the latest technological advances to veterinary education. He was the 2009 recipient of the Australian Veterinary Association National Excellence in Teaching award. He has presented his work on his virtual “4D farm” at numerous AVA conferences, including “The 4D virtual farm – applications and implications” (2012), “Collaborative development, integration and use of virtual 4D farm systems in veterinary education” (2015) and “Blurring the line – the place for augmented and virtual reality in education and extension” (2016). He is committed to engaging with livestock communities, including monthly contributions to the Weekly Times FARM magazine for 15 years, His 180th Weekly Times FARM article was published in 2020. His many achievements in veterinary education, research and commitment to the profession were recognised with his promotion to Associate Professor in 2021.  

During these years which he earned a College membership in equine internal medicine, in addition to pursuing reproduction work. Moving to the Sunshine coast hinterland, Dr Dennis providing a vitally needed service to an expanding pleasure and endurance sport horse population. He became EVA’s Queensland State Representative, creating record member attendances at EVA State Meetings in Brisbane. Hendra virus is a permanent agenda item for equine veterinarians in Queensland. As such EVA’s Qld Rep is in constant demand to assist members with advice, support and information for clients. Part of that Qld State role is to be EVA’s representative on a State Government Horse Biosecurity Group, containing strong minded horse owner activists. It was Steve’s job to be a robust ambassador for the promotion of Hendra vaccination-sometimes quite challenging, but a task he relished. At EVA Executive level, Dr Dennis has served diligently as AVA Policy Councillor, Stakeholder Chair, President Elect, becoming President in 2021. This was a challenging year of COVID isolation and Steve worked tireless to ensure that EVA members remained connected, despite isolation. An innovation was EVA podcasts, exploring all aspects of equine veterinary life. A true leader. 

In addition to her clinical work, Tracy has remained engaged in research, authoring over a dozen papers in Australian and international journals. Tracy is also engaged with industry and statutory bodies, and is currently policy councillor of Cattle Australia, a member of the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework Consultative Committee, and was a member of the lumpy skin disease and foot-and-mouth disease AUSVETPLAN writing committees. Tracy’s service to ACV commenced as Chair of the Bull subcommittee in 2013 and continued as an Executive Committee Member in 2017, reiterating her commitment to Australian Cattle Vets members. When in 2021 Tracy was encouraged to nominate as the Treasurer, she answered the call. Later that year ACV found themselves unexpectedly without a President, and Tracy stepped up, showing true leadership. In the two years since, Tracy has worked tirelessly in the demanding role of President of the ACV. During her tenure, Tracy has led projects to improve veterinary outcomes of cattle during transport, create guidelines for the care of sale cattle in tandem with industry, and implement web-based pregtesting certificates. She has forged relationships with industry bodies and found AVA a seat at the table on industry committees where the value of veterinarians’ contribution hadn’t previously been recognised. Dr Tracy Sullivan has strengthened ACV from within and honourably promoted ACV and AVA externally. 

Meritorious Service Award winners 2022

Amanda Lee has accepted responsibilities and served faithfully in the AVA very early in her veterinary career. She is an example and mentor to young graduates and to those of us with more years under our belt, demonstrating enthusiasm and energy, and serving the Association and her professional colleagues with distinction. She is a worthy recipient of a Meritorious Service Award.

Additionally, Dr Offord’s advocacy saw the AVA represented in reviews of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, oversight of Rural Working Grou

p (RWG), the Dog Control Act, the development and subsequent review of the Cat Management Act 2009 and as AVA representative on the Tasmanian Cat Management Reference and Working Groups.

In times of emergencies such as bushfire, flood and recently in the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Offord’s leadership, personal investment, strong stakeholder relationships and communications with Tasmanian veterinarians proved instrumental in co-ordinating responses and to allow Tasmanian Veterinarians to be considered and to keep providing essential services to their communities.

Dr Offord’s many achievements and personal investment has been instrumental in supporting both AVA as an organisation and veterinarians in Tasmania.

Edith’s particular passion has been veterinary education and workforce development. She has been a driving force in establishing the Division’s successful Emerging Leaders program (funded through returns on a bequest) and has devoted the last 5 years to tireless work for the association on the Division’s Education Sub Committee (including as Chair). In that role, she has also liaised with the two Queensland Schools on key issues relating to preparation of students for the veterinary profession (particularly the role of clinical placements in this journey) and, with Trish Clarke, she has championed quality training and recognition of veterinary technologists. Her engaging and supportive personality and her commitment to hard work and going the extra mile for the AVA has been critical to the success of the Division’s work in these areas.

Edith’s passion for these issues of workforce development and the recognition and support of our next generation of veterinarians extends to the national level of the Association, where she is making a sustained and energetic contribution as a member of the Workforce Challenges Working Group.

Edith has provided and continues to provide, effective and significant leadership to the AVA. This has extended beyond her formal leadership roles as branch and division president and member of the branch and division executive (2010-present). She has been a tireless and persistent advocate for the Association with government, industry, and other stakeholders. Edith is a warm, generous, and hardworking contributor to the Association.

The Queensland Division of the AVA strongly endorses this nomination, and we hope that you agree that Edith is a worthy recipient of the MSA.

Consolidating her education and training, Dr Lewis, attained a Membership in Equine Medicine with the Australian New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists and another College Membership in Equine Surgery. This laid the permanent foundation for Holly’s career as a superb equine veterinarian and gave her the confidence to pursue a leadership role in the AVA and EVA.

As EVA’s South Australian State Representative for five years, Dr Lewis grew the membership of EVA in that state with Holly’s twice yearly EVA Continuing Education Meetings for equine practitioners. These SA State Meetings often featured speakers from outside South Australia, to ensure that EVA members enjoyed a broad perspective of equine veterinary science. The meetings always allowed adequate time for collegiality, which is a hallmark of the EVA.

After being elected to the Senior Executive of EVA, Dr Lewis worked hard on a number of projects including a complete refreshment of the Equine Euthanasia Guidelines and as AVA’s nominee to Racing Australia’s Veterinarian and Analysts Group. Rising to be elected as the President of EVA, Holly’s superb leadership was required as EVA negotiated with Racing Victoria to ensure that veterinarians were not disadvantaged, as the state racing authority sought to have a greater regulatory control of the profession. The legacy of Holly’s work on that project is a range of improvements for racing vets in Victoria and the permanent establishment of the Racing Victoria Veterinary Consultative Committee, of which Dr Lewis is AVA’s nominee, in addition to being AVA’s Official Horseracing spokesperson. 

When not hard at work as a partner at Morphettville Equine Clinic, or on EVA business, Holly enjoys horse racing or will be travelling Australia to officiate as an FEI and Treating Vet at International Three Star Horse Trials.

Dr Holly Lewis has provided great service to the AVA and EVA. She is regarded as a leader in the profession and it is entirely appropriate that her service and contribution to the AVA should be recognised with a Meritorious Award.