New BVA President champions veterinary family

Small animal veterinary surgeon Gudrun Ravetz was today (22 September) announced President of the British Veterinary Association (BVA) for 2016-2017 at BVA’s annual Members’ Day held at At-Bristol science centre in Bristol.

During her speech to the 100-plus Members’ Day attendees, Gudrun’s inaugural speech announced her Presidential theme as ‘the veterinary family’, highlighting the importance of the profession working together at all levels to achieve. She said:
“As a profession we are also a veterinary family … In our day-to-day jobs it can often feel like a family.  Working with a small team, sometimes under pressure, with, most of the time it being a great experience where we all gel, but sometimes it falls apart and we have to rebuild.  [Yet] if we trust and respect each other as a working family we can rebuild to be stronger.

“BVA is an organisation for any and every vet within the professional family, it is so much more than its tangible benefits. I see my coming year as President and BVA’s priorities, through the eyes of a veterinary family navigating it together”.

In her speech, the new BVA President outlined some of the priorities currently facing the profession and that will be a focus during her year as BVA President including Brexit, AMR, dog health and welfare, and workforce issues.

On becoming BVA President Gudrun said: 
"I am honoured to be asked to represent our members in the veterinary profession. It is a privilege to be involved in a profession that not only promotes and protects animal welfare but is also vital to human health and global sustainability. Vets play a key role in society and their scientific and caring roles add value to human and animal lives at every level."

As BVA President, Gudrun will be joining only three other women who have held the title in the organisation’s lifetime. Her tenure as President is also representative of the changing veterinary profession itself, where women now make up 60% of the workplace with an even greater 80-20 female/male split taking place in numbers of veterinary graduates.

Growing up in North West England, Gudrun graduated from the University of Liverpool Veterinary School in 2002. Now living in Skirwith, Cumbria, with her young family, Gudrun is an external interviewer for prospective veterinary students at the University of Liverpool and Chief Veterinary officer for Denplan Pet Health Plans.

Gudrun is trained harassment listener and has completed a graduate diploma in law. She has been involved in veterinary politics for a large part of her career and has previously lectured to final year veterinary students on the subjects of employment law and basics of business in a veterinary practice.

Print-ready images of Gudrun Ravetz are available to download from the BVA Flickr stream.