Harmony Animal Rescue Clinic (HARC), an East Coast shelter serving cats and dogs, has welcomed a new executive director. Michigan Rural Animal Rescue (MI:RNA) has also appointed a new chief veterinary officer to support its commercial and clinical operations. Meanwhile, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine has launched a statewide initiative to advance veterinary education in rural areas and protect the state’s agricultural economy by appointing a new director of communications and partnerships. Read on to learn more about these individuals.
The Association of Animal Health Care Companies (HARC) recently appointed Erica Basile as its new Executive Director. Basile has over 20 years of leadership experience in animal welfare and the pet industry, including product development and sales.
Basel co-founded an animal shelter support program with Joe Markham, co-founder of KONG Toys. She also volunteered as a therapy dog in cancer wards and helped market a new facility for the Naples Humane Society. She is also a leading pet product expert on Good Morning America and has raised over $5 million for animal rescue. 1 According to HARC, Basel’s work in product development and marketing has been recognized by Forbes, Pet Business Magazine, and the American Pet Products Association. 1
Earlier this fall, veterinary diagnostics company MI:RNA announced the appointment of Dr. Natalie Marks (DVM, CVJ, CVC, VE) as Chief Veterinary Officer. She is responsible for the company’s clinical and business strategy. Dr. Marks has more than 20 years of experience in clinical practice, media, and veterinary entrepreneurship. In addition to being a CVJ, Dr. Marks is a clinical consultant for dvm360 and serves on the advisory boards of several animal health start-ups. She is the CEO and co-founder of the Veterinary Angels (VANE) entrepreneurship network. Additionally, Dr. Marks has received numerous awards, including the Nobivac Veterinarian of the Year Award (2017), the American Veterinary Medical Foundation’s America’s Favorite Veterinarian Award (2015), and the Petplan Veterinarian of the Year Award (2012).
”In veterinary medicine, we are still in the early stages of disease detection and screening, particularly for diseases with a pronounced subclinical phase. The diagnostic capabilities of MI:RNA and its potential to address the enormous gaps in veterinary medicine across multiple species immediately attracted me,” Max said in a press release. “I look forward to working with this innovative team using microRNA to provide veterinarians with more effective diagnostic tools.”
The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine (Columbus) has appointed Dr. Leah Dorman, veterinary surgeon, as director of outreach and engagement for the newly created Protect One Health in Ohio (OHIO) program. The program aims to train more large animal and rural veterinarians in Ohio, with a focus on attracting students from rural communities. The Ohio program also aims to expand risk assessment and monitoring programs to protect the state’s agricultural economy.
In her new role, Ms. Dorman will serve as the primary liaison between Protect OHIO and agricultural stakeholders, rural communities, and industry partners. She will also lead outreach efforts to increase the number of veterinary students in rural Ohio, promote the large animal veterinary profession, and support graduates returning to rural practice. Previously, Ms. Dorman served as the senior director of communications and consumer engagement at Phibro Animal Health Corp. She also worked with the Ohio Farmworkers Federation and served as the Ohio State Assistant Veterinarian.
”Feeding people is everyone’s responsibility, and it starts with healthy animals, strong communities, and a great veterinary team,” Dollman said in a university press release. “This work means a lot to me. My career has been dedicated to listening to the voices of rural residents, mentoring passionate students, and building trust in Ohio’s agricultural and veterinary communities.”
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Post time: Nov-25-2025