First Annual Feather In Her Cap Awards Recognizing Outstanding Women in Animal Health
February 9, 2018
[Orlando, FL] - On Monday, February 5, 2018, four amazing women received the Feather In Her Cap Award, an award that recognizes outstanding accomplishments of women leaders in the Animal Health industry. More than 200 people attended the first Feather In Her Cap Awards Dinner held at the Orlando Museum of Art in Orlando, FL.
Feather In Her Cap (FIHC), Inc., is a newly formed 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by Linda Rhodes, DVM, to honor women leaders in the Animal Health industry. She along with five other women well known in the Animal Health Industry make up the Founding Director Board. The foundation was formed to provide a platform to acknowledge the many talented women in the industry that are often unrecognized when compared to their male counterparts.
The four recipients of the Feather In Her Cap award for Outstanding Woman in the Animal Health Industry award were Kim Allen, President, Commercial Division of Henry Schein Health, Cathy Knupp, CVM, MS, Executive Vice President and President, Research and Development at Zoetis, Marie-Paul Lahaud, DVM, Head of Program Management, Europe at Aratana Therapeutics and Joyce Lee, MBA, President of Bayer Animal Health, North America.
Over 23 women were nominated from around the world representing 13 different companies for this year’s award. To qualify, candidates had to have at least 10 years' experience in the Animal Health Industry, demonstrated achievements and excellence in her field and demonstrated a commitment to mentoring women inside or outside the Animal Health industry. Nominations included women from both large and small pharmaceutical companies, start-up companies and others and was compromised of women in varying roles such as R&D, marketing, legal, distribution, to name a few.
All 23 nominees for the 2018 Feather In Her Cap (FHIC) Award (in alphabetical order) were:
Kim Allen – Henry Schein
Bobbi Jo Brockman – ImmuCell
Anne Chauder – Domes Pharma Group
Ruth Davis, BVSc (Hons) – Redcap Solutions
Jane Eagleson, BVSc – Virbac
Wynne Gibbison, BVSc – Bleecker Street Consulting
Mary Pat Gorman, VMD – Zoetis
Kathleen Heaney, DVM – Merck Animal Health
Sarah Hunter – Virbac
Judy Jarecki-Black, PhD, JD – Boehringer Ingelheim AH
Aimy Johnston – Virbac
Aleta Knowles, BSc (Hons 1), PhD – Virbac
Cathy Knupp, DVM, MS – Zoetis
Marie-Paul Lachaud, DVM – Aratana Therapeutics
Joyce Lee, MBA – Bayer
Chhaya Mahashabde, MPS – Virbac
Melinda Poole O’Banion, DVM – KindredBio
Merilee Raines – Aratana Therapeutics
Roberta Relford, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVP, DACVIM – Idexx
Sherry Scullion, MBA – Scullion Strategy Group
Fiona Smith, RN, BAppSc (Biomed), MHL – Virbac
Mary Pat Thompson, CPA – MWI, Animal Health
Tracey Cash Ward, MS – Elanco
The Feather In Her Cap foundation plans to make the awards dinner an annual event to continue the recognition of outstanding women leaders and mentors in the Animal Health industry.
