Congratulations 2024 Churchill Fellows

The AVA congratulates director Dr Tracy Sullivan, member Dr Alicia Kennedy and Currumbin Wildlife Hospital veterinarian Dr Andrew Hill, who have been awarded prestigious Churchill Fellowships by the Winston Churchill Trust (Australia).

Churchill Fellowships reward Australians commited to making a positive impact in their communities and beyond by providing an opportunity to travel overseas to conduct research in their chosen field.

^{Dr Tracy Sullian (Winston Churchill Memorial Trust)}

Dr Tracy Sullivan

WA veterinarian Dr Tracy Sullivan has worked across most aspects of the beef supply chain for over 2 decades and deeply understands beef production from the paddock to the plate.

Dr Sullivan’s project will ‘Explore systems and structures that support sustainable Indigenous beef production in New Zealand, the United States and Canada’. By investing in Indigenous agriculture, these nations have successfully embraced Indigenous branding in vertically integrated beef supply chains and promoted mutually beneficial production models attracting private investment with Environmental Social and Governance credentials.

You can read more about Dr Sullivan and her project here.

^{Dr Alicia Kennedy (Winston Churchill Memorial Trust)}

Dr Alicia Kennedy

Dr Alicia (Lissi) Kennedy is the founder of Cherished Pets, a holistic veterinary service in regional Victoria, and has dedicated her career to preserving the powerful bond between humans and animals.

Dr Kennedy’s project will ‘Investigate organisations operating at the intersection of veterinary and social services’. Her work is grounded in empathy, kindness, and a relentless pursuit of meaningful change, aiming to ensure that every pet and their owner can enjoy a healthy, connected life together for as long as possible.

Dr Kennedy acknowledged the ongoing support of the AVA and shared “I’ll be undertaking this study trip in the second half of 2025. I look forward to integrating learnings into our advocacy and Cherished Pets interdisciplinary Model of Care to continue our work to find community centred solutions to accessible and affordable veterinary care. This will relieve some of the stress on vet teams and create a stronger and more sustainable profession. At least that’s the hope and intention of this project.”

You can read more about Dr Kennedy and her project here.

^{Dr Andrew Hill (Winston Churchill Memorial Trust)}

Dr Andrew Hill

Dr Andrew Hill is a veterinarian at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital, one of the world’s largest wildlife hospitals. Australia’s wildlife hospitals are experiencing a rapid and sustained increase in patient admissions; far beyond their capacity and with costly impacts beyond individual patient needs.

Dr Hill’s project will ‘investigate methods of high-caseload management for the treatment of native wildlife’. Overseas collaboration is necessary to develop new strategies to manage high caseloads effectively and reduce rising wildlife admissions.

You can read more about Dr Hill and his project here.