For the first time in 30 years, the position of Indiana state veterinarian is open at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH). Previous Indiana State Veterinarian Bret Marsh left the position in November to become dean of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Now, the search is on to find a new state veterinarian. Denise Derrer Spears, public information officer at BOAH, shares that this individual will have a large impact on Hoosiers.

“They make sure we’re attentive to the citizens of the state who benefit from what we do here,” Derrer Spears says. “What we do can affects a lot of folks, businesses and farms.” She shares that with the state vet heading up BOAH, he or she can have a lot of influence. So, they are looking for an individual who is ready to take on that responsibility.

Key responsibilities

The state veterinarian will oversee the business of agency staff who carry out the mission set forth by the 11-member board. This individual will manage the day-to-day duties of the board. They will assist with staffing, help set goals, catch any issues and consult where needed. Additionally, they are there to largely ensure BOAH is adhering to policies handed down from the USDA.

The ideal candidate will have strong leadership qualities, and they are required to be a licensed veterinarian with at least five years of experience.

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NEW ROLE: Former Indiana State Veterinarian Bret Marsh has stepped into the role of dean of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. Before filling that role, he served as the state veterinarian for 30 years.

“There are big shoes to fill with Dr. Marsh having been in this position for quite a while, and he accomplished quite a lot for the state and for the agency,” Derrer Spear says. “We want to make sure it’s someone who can carry on the work that he began.”

Marsh shares that this individual will need to have a solid understanding of the people they are working with and the issues that are top of mind for Indiana farmers.

“I think it’s someone who understands the landscape of our state, the importance of animals and animal products to our economy, and the importance of communication networks with all the partners and stakeholders in our state,” Marsh says.

Selection process

BOAH is now in the process of evaluating five applicants: Iris Bolton, Kyle Shipman, Kerri Suhr, Renae Swiatkowski and David Walton.  

Those candidates will be interviewed and selected at the next board meeting on Jan. 7. That is a public meeting. Board members may select a candidate that day, delay the selection or repost the position. Once a selection has been made, it will be submitted to the governor’s office for approval. That approval process could take some time given the change in leadership. However, Derrer Spears projects that the new state veterinarian should be in place as soon as early February.

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Kyle Shipman, director of animal health programs at BOAH, is currently handling the state veterinarian duties until that role is filled.

For more information on BOAH and the Indiana state veterinarian’s responsibilities or to find more details on the next board meeting, head to in.gov/boah/about-boah.