The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine recognizes Distinguished Alumni

The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine recognized several Honorary Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Alumni at a virtual ceremony on Friday, May 7. 

Honorary Distinguished Alumni 

Dennis J. Chew, DVM, DACVIM, received his DVM degree from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1972 and completed a one-year small animal medicine and surgery internship at South Shore Veterinary Associates in South Weymouth, Massachusetts. In 1975, he then completed a two-year residency in small animal internal medicine/nephrology at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. Chew has been a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine since 1977 and has a special interest in nephrology, calcium disorders, cystoscopy, interstitial cystitis, and fluid therapy. 

Chew became an instructor in small animal internal medicine in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary in 1975, was promoted to assistant professor in 1977, associate professor with tenure in 1982, and ultimately professor in 1989. He retired in 2011 following 35 years of service at Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

Chew also participated in numerous continuing education lectures and scientific presentations around the world. He was a principal or co-investigator of more than 50 research grants and contracts and has authored numerous refereed journal articles and book chapters, and is editor of four veterinary medical textbooks. He received numerous honors and awards, including the Animal Medical Center Distinguished Alumnus Award and the Merck/AgVet Award for Creativity in Teaching.

Chew’s impact on the development of urology and nephrology as clinical subspecialties in veterinary medicine was enormous. Examples of this include pioneering the techniques of diagnostic and therapeutic cystoscopy, collaborating on the definition of cystoscopic diagnosis of ectopic ureter and the cystoscopic characteristics of feline idiopathic cystitis and helping develop the use of diagnostic urethral pressure profilimetry in incontinent dogs. In addition, he is considered an international authority on calcium disorders of dogs and cats.

Chew was integrally involved with the education of over 4,800 veterinary students, as well as the clinical instruction and mentoring of 52 residents in small animal internal medicine. He also served on the committee of over 20 graduate students and was an advisor to 15 resident-graduate students. In addition, Chew held several administrative and leadership positions within Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine as well as the university.

Stephen DiBartola, DVM, DACVIM, received his DVM degree in 1976 from the University of California-Davis, graduating summa cum laude. He completed an internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at Cornell University after graduation. In 1977, he came to The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine to complete a residency in small animal medicine. Upon completion of his residency, he accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. In 1981, Dr. DiBartola became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and returned to Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine as an assistant professor of medicine. His fields of interest include small animal medicine, urology and nephrology, fluid therapy, acid-base balance, reactive amyloidosis, and polycystic kidney disease.

From 1996 to 2006, DiBartola served as the small animal section head for Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine and, in 2006, was given responsibility for the college’s accreditation preparations. Following the college’s receipt of full accreditation in 2007, he became Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, which included responsibility for strategic planning, semester conversion, accreditation preparations, clinical competency assessment and the development of student career areas of emphasis.

DiBartola also had several other college and departmental responsibilities at Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, serving on multiple committees and task forces, and his contributions to teaching are evident. He was the recipient of the college’s Excellence in Teaching Award, the Norden Distinguished Teaching Award, and the Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award. He has received over $500,000 in funded research support, authored over 100 publications and several textbooks, and been an invited speaker at numerous national and international continuing education and scientific meetings. In addition, he is co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Primarily a clinician and educator for most of his career, DiBartola admitted that he has most enjoyed teaching veterinary students. He taught in several professional and graduate courses, was an integral part of the graduate residency program in small animal medicine, and served as an advisor to several residents. He retired in 2014 from his position as a professor of small animal internal medicine and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Catherine Kohn, VMD, DACVIM, received her VMD degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 1973, graduating first in her class. While at the University of Pennsylvania, she proceeded to complete an internship in equine medicine and surgery in 1974, and a residency in equine medicine and surgery in 1975-1976.  Kohn has been a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine since 1982.  Some of her areas of interest include critical care, epidemiology and infectious diseases, diseases of the urinary tract, equine physiology, and equine thermoregulation.

In 1976, Kohn accepted a position at Ohio State as an instructor in equine medicine and surgery; she progressed to assistant professor in 1978, associate professor with tenure in 1986 and professor in 1997. While at Ohio State, Kohn also served as section head and large animal medicine residency program coordinator on several faculty search committees, the curriculum committee, the Council on Research, and numerous others. She has also received several honors and awards, including the University Research Award and a Phi Zeta Research Award.

Kohn was involved with the instruction of more than 4,800 veterinary students and mentoring of 30 residents and served on the committees of 18 graduate students. Her funded research includes awards of approximately $1.5 million. She has refereed over 75 peer-reviewed journal articles and authored a book and 20 book chapters. 

Kohn has served in a variety of roles, including veterinary delegate, associate veterinarian, and treating veterinarian at numerous international three-day equestrian events. Notably, she was involved with the equestrian events associated with several Olympics and has played a leadership role in the U.S. Equestrian Foundation and Federation Equestre Internationale with regard to teaching, research, drugs and medication, welfare and safety. 

Distinguished Alumni

Linda Kay Lord, DVM ‘99, MS ‘99, PhD ’06, who is posthumously receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award, held numerous positions at The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine, including fellow, assistant professor, associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Associate Dean of Veterinary Student Affairs and Associate Dean for Professional Programs.

Lord distinguished herself as a teacher and mentor of veterinary students. She ultimately brought her passion for the students to her role as the Associate Dean for Professional Programs, where she committed herself to the continuous improvement of Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine’s student programs, education, and experience. Her creation of programs to address, understand and promote health and wellness of veterinary students and professionals was visionary and is now part of her legacy to the profession. She also created the first-ever Office of Career Management at a veterinary college to better prepare students for successful and sustainable careers.

As a veterinarian, Lord always practiced and promoted the highest level of care for her patients. Much of her early work focused on the human-animal bond, animal welfare, and shelter medicine. She placed considerable effort in helping to address the problems of lost and unwanted pets and overcrowding of animal shelters. Her passion for homeless animals translated well into her scientific career as an epidemiologist, where she generated important new scientific information about animal shelter management in Ohio and the U.S. and the disposition and recovery of lost or unwanted pets. This information was scientifically novel and well-validated, and as a result, it contributed significantly to national policy discussions of animal shelters and their role in society.

Lord’s contributions extended into serving the profession in numerous local, state and national organizations. These included her service on the Board of Directors and president of the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association and was reflected in her selection as Ohio’s Veterinarian of the Year in 2016. She also served as the Ohio delegate to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Other notable honors Lord received included the College of Veterinary Medicine Dean’s Award for Creativity in Teaching in 2011 and The Ohio State University Career Services Award in 2015.

Andrew Maccabe, DVM ‘85, MPH, JD, started his career as a mixed-animal practitioner in northern Ohio and continued to practice for almost 35 years in a variety of positions and service. Maccabe’s many contributions have been unique, diverse and prominent. He has worked in government service as the CDC liaison to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, having responsibilities at the highest level for food safety and security policy, investigation, and interagency coordinator for the nation and is acclaimed for his contributions to the Food Safety Modernization Act. 

Maccabe served as associate director and, since 2012, chief executive officer of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). Under his leadership, the AAVMC has grown to become a global leader in academic veterinary medicine and veterinary workforce development. He has served this country with distinction as both an active officer in the U.S. Air Force and as a Reserve Officer, retiring with the rank of USAF Colonel. A recipient of numerous honors and awards, Maccabe was named the Outstanding Graduate from the Air War College in 2006 and received the Meritorious Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.  

Maccabe has consistently been a strong and effective advocate for the veterinary profession and veterinary medical education through his many significant contributions and the sustained excellence of these endeavors. He has helped expand and improve the concepts of One Health, veterinary education and pedagogy, global health, and has helped to better prepare a new veterinary workforce to meet the contemporary challenges and needs of society. 

Maccabe is also a proven and effective communicator and has represented the AAVMC in numerous global venues. He has exhibited exceptional skill as a collaborator and has successfully worked across federal agencies, military teams, health science organizations, international associations, colleges of veterinary medicine and departments of animal science. In addition, it has been very effective in working with the American Veterinary Medical Association in critical areas of workforce development, antimicrobial resistance, accreditation, economics, and competency-based education.

Joseph S. McCracken, DVM ‘79, MS ’80, developed a special interest in One Health during an externship at the National Zoological Park. He went on to establish himself as a researcher in microbiology before forging a long career with Genentech/Roche Pharma, where he managed the research and development of pharmaceuticals and biotechnologies that helped shape our current practices of human and animal care.

McCracken’s research efforts contributed to the transition from Genentech to Roche Pharma, which created the biotech arm of Roche’s Personalized Health Care. This arm focused on the treating of broad disease categories individually for each patient through the use of genetic sequencing. McCracken was also part of the Roche development team as it collaborated with Ventana and Boehringer Ingelheim to create Veterinary Personalized Health Care. These collaborations led to the development of hundreds of millions of dollars of cutting-edge technologies that have improved Global One Health in developed as well as developing countries. 

McCracken continues to be a promoter of One Health and the diverse roles veterinarians can assume in health care. He currently divides his time as a board member and consultant in North Carolina, helping other companies develop as human and animal health contributors.

Robert Eric Miller, DVM ‘79, DACZM, is widely recognized as a worldwide expert and leader in zoological, wildlife and conservation medicine. He has spent his life as a zoo veterinarian, zoo manager, and zoo-based conservationist, both nationally and internationally. An inspirational role model, Miller has been an educator and mentor to veterinary students as well as to veterinarians involved in zoo, wildlife and conservation medicine. His numerous contributions, achievements and service have broadly impacted veterinary medicine, animal health and welfare, and conservation medicine for nearly 40 years. 

Miller is a specialist in North America of the black rhinoceros and internationally, including work with giant pandas, Galapagos birds, Indochinese and Chinese tigers. He has co-authored/co-edited the textbook Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine, an important reference for veterinary students interested in zoo, wildlife, and conservation medicine. He has been an invited speaker, trainer, program reviewer, and clinical veterinarian in many countries around the world.

Miller is the former executive director of the Saint Louis Zoo’s WildCare Institute and is an adjunct assistant professor of veterinary medicine and surgery at the University of Missouri. He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Ohio State William Oxley Thompson Award for outstanding professional achievements, Presidential Service Awards from the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, and Outstanding Service Awards from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, and the Dolensek Award from the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians for exceptional contributions to the conservation, care and understanding of zoo and free-ranging wildlife. 

Miller is an officer and/or chair of numerous committees of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, the American College of Zoological Medicine, and the Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums.

Paul C. Stromberg, PhD ‘73, DVM ‘78, DACVP, is an internationally recognized scholar in parasitic and bacterial diseases and tumorigenesis of various neoplasms with special emphasis on large granular lymphocytic leukemia of Fischer rats. His research is recognized globally and has included tumor classification, autoimmunity, pathogenetic mechanisms, and retrovirus-induced neoplastic processes in various species, as well as intervention strategies. 

Stromberg practiced for several years before returning to The Ohio State University to complete a residency in anatomic pathology, followed by a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists in 1983. He became an assistant and associate professor in veterinary pathology at Texas A&M University, then returned to Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine as an associate professor, rising to professor and retiring in 2013 after 28 years of dedicated service to The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. 

A devoted mentor and teacher for his entire career, Stromberg has supervised 24 doctoral and master students. He has not only been an outstanding mentor, he also understands the important role of both applied pathology and research for the education of trainees and service to society. His career is highlighted by substantial contributions to the veterinary pathology profession, especially in the field of oncology. As an active comparative pathologist, Stromberg’s research contributes substantially to human and veterinary medicine by including associated disciplines to maintain a high scientific standard. 

Stromberg has notably contributed to the American College of Veterinary Pathologists as examination committee chair, secretary-treasurer, and, ultimately, president. He has more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, has served as a PI or collaborator on many large program projects with Nationwide Children’s Hospital and The Ohio State University, and has four patents relating to the detection of oncofetal protein as a diagnostic test for cancer. 

Renowned for his knowledge and experience in veterinary pathology, Stromberg has been an invited speaker throughout the U.S. and the world. He is a recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Robert L. Farrell Distinguished Lecturer Award in 2003, the ACVP Presidential Award in 2012, the Ohio State Archie M. Griffin Professional Achievement Award in 2019, and most recently as a Distinguished Member of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.