The AAVN E-News is now being distributed to all of our friends and contacts!

Please note that online registration for the

AAVN Symposium will close on Friday, June 9 at 5 pm ET.

Walk In Registration will be available in Philadelphia.

Welcome New Executive

Board Members!

President Elect: Jonathan Stockman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Veterinary Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine, Long Island University, and an affiliate faculty member at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Colorado State University. He completed his veterinary training and a clinical internship in Israel. Afterwards, he completed a residency in medicine and surgery for companion non-domestic pets at UC Davis, followed by a second residency in Clinical Nutrition, also at UC Davis. In 2013, he became a senior researcher at the Waltham Centre of Pet Nutrition in the UK (now the Waltham Pet Science Institute). From 2016 until 2017 he completed a post-doc at Colorado State University. He became clinical faculty between the years 2017 and 2020 before moving to start a new veterinary nutrition program at Long Island University's new veterinary college.

Member at Large: Robin Saar RVT, VTS (Nutrition) became a registered technologist in 1996 and obtained her Veterinary Technician Specialty in Nutrition in 2019. Robin’s professional experience includes working in small and mixed animal practices as an RVT and a Practice Manager. She also developed a nutrition program for a veterinary corporation. Robin has written multiple articles and chapters about nutrition and recently completed the first dedicated textbook on nutrition and small animal microbiomes with Dr. Sarah Dodd. Her new role as the Veterinary Onboarding Specialist at AnimalBiome meets her interest in nutrition and microbiome health. Currently, Robin is the Education Director for the CAVN and is the president-elect for the AVNT. She is completing her MSc in Animal Nutrition through Glasglow University.

Member at Large: Dan Su, MS, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition) received his doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Western University of Health Sciences in 2015. He completed a small animal rotating internship at VCA ASEC in West Los Angeles after graduation. In pursuit of his interest in veterinary nutrition, Dr. Su went on to complete a small animal nutrition internship at the University of Missouri, and a small animal clinical nutrition residency at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Su became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Nutrition) in 2021. Since finishing his residency, Dr. Su has been working in industry as well as seeing individual patients, helping companies and pet owners come up with the best nutrition product or plan for dogs and cats. In his spare time, Dr. Su is an avid home-cook, and loves to learn about food science and techniques that he may be able to apply to his cases. He enjoys hosting veterinary students and teaching them about veterinary nutrition.

Megan Sprinkle, DVM will be moving into the role of President.

Ashley Self, CVT, VTS (Nutrition) and Lisa P. Weeth, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition) were re-elected to second terms as Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.

The Board recently appointed Maria Cattai de Godoy, Ph.D, to serve as a Member at Large, completing a term for Michelle Evason, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition). Look out for a profile of Dr. Godoy in an upcoming issue!

Congratulations New AAVN Life Members

Andrea Fascetti & Craig D. Thatcher

Andrea Fascetti was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. She graduated with an A.B. from Bryn Mawr College and a VMD from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine. She completed an internship and medicine residency at The Animal Medical Center in New York City and a nutrition residency at the University of California, Davis under the guidance of Drs. Quinton Rogers and Jim Morris. She holds a doctoral degree in Nutritional Biochemistry from the University of California, Davis. In 2016, Dr. Fascetti received the American Veterinary Medical Foundation/Winn Feline Foundation Excellence in Feline Research Award

A Diplomate of ACVIM, Andrea is currently a Professor of Nutrition at the University of California, Davis. She has mentored residents in veterinary nutrition and doctoral and masters’ students. Dr. Fascetti has authored close to 90 peer-reviewed original research and reference publications and recently co-edited the 2nd edition of the textbook, “Applied Veterinary Clinical Nutrition.” She served as a Member of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), Cat Food Nutrient Profile Subcommittee, and Dog and Cat Expert Committee. Her current research interests are trace mineral and amino acid metabolism in dogs and cats, carnivore nutrition, and improvement of pet foods. 

Andrea lives in Davis, CA with her husband Greg, her two sons, Noah and Ari, and her dog, Holly. 

Craig D. Thatcher is a senior associate dean and professor in the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University and oversees Edson College's Global Health Collaboratory and the Edson College Learning Enterprise. He received his MS (Nutritional Physiology), DVM and PhD (Nutritional Physiology) from Iowa State University. He is a Diplomate of the ACVIM (Nutrition). After graduation, he spent several years in private mixed-animal practice in north central Pennsylvania before joining the faculty of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). 

Professor Thatcher's research interest is in the area of comparative nutrition and the role of antioxidant nutrients in health and disease, particularly as it relates to obesity and insulin resistance. He was co-director of a multidisciplinary $3.25M NSF-IGERT award titled “Macromolecular Interfaces with Life Sciences: Oxidative Processes” at Virginia Tech. He has mentored more than 30 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, has been awarded research funding from a variety of sources during his career, and has published more than 125 peer-reviewed papers. He has been a frequent invited speaker at national and international professional conferences. He has co-authored and co-edited the textbook, "Small Animal Clinical Nutrition," which is the most widely used textbook to teach small animal clinical nutrition to practitioners and veterinary students worldwide. 

Did you miss the AAVN Annual Business Meeting?

Click here to view a recording of this session.

In Memory

Dr. Francis Kallfelz

Francis (Fran) A. Kallfelz, born July 17, 1938 in Syracuse, NY, died peacefully on Wednesday, April 5th, 2023, with family at his side.

Dr. Kalleflz was a founding Diplomate and President of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (DACVN) and President of the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition (AAVN).

To read the full tribute to his life and work

click here

As part of our strategic plan, we are looking to enhance and expand membership benefits for the association.  

We want to know what programs and services matter most to our members and how we can provide the best possible membership experiences. 

It is our hope that you will share your thoughts! 



Please take a few minutes to complete this (short) survey

Many thanks, in advance, for your time!

Important Information

23rd Annual Clinical Nutrition & Research Symposium

The Symposium is coming up on June 13th (3 pm - 5:30 pm ET) and June 14th (8 am - 4:30 pm ET). If you are planning to join the AAVN for 1.5 days of programming, including lectures, oral and poster abstract presentations, student meetings and networking opportunities, below are details!

Still need to register? Click here*

* Online registration will close at 5 pm on June 9.

Walk In Registration will be available in Philadelphia.*

A full schedule is available here.

Proceedings: There will not be any printed proceedings. A link to download/ view proceedings will be e-mailed to all registered attendees and signage with a QR code link will be available onsite.

Details for Tuesday, June 13

Registration: The registration table will open at 2:30 pm and the Symposium will begin at 3 pm ET. Beverages and (light) snacks will be available.

Party In Philly, 7-9 pm: We hope you are planning to join us on the rooftop patio of Victory Brewing Company* for drinks, snacks and incredible views of the City of Brotherly Love.

Victory Brewing Company is located at 1776 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, approximately 1 mile (3 minute drive, 10 minute walk) from the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

We will have a list for check in at the door.  Please note that you do need to have a ticket (just $15 for Symposium attendees) to the Party.

To buy your ticket click here

All guests receive 2 drink tickets and a raffle ticket for a chance to win a Solo Stove.

Details for Wednesday, June 14

Breakfast/ Student Session: Registration will open at 7:30 am on Wednesday, June 14 and continental breakfast will be available to all attendees from 7:30 am - 9 am.

The Student Session begins at 8 am. Symposium programming does not start until 9:15 am.

Lunch: All Symposium attendees receive a $25 gift card to Reading Terminal Market, located below the Convention Center.

End of Day Raffle: We will be raffling off a Healthy Pet Connect scale set with a one-year pet parent subscription and veterinary dashboard access at the end of our program on Wednesday.

Headshot Photo Booth: We are thrilled to offer the opportunity for Symposium attendees to have a FREE headshot photo taken!  Click here for more details

Thank You to Our Program Sponsor

Student Session & Student Travel Sponsor

Lunch & Raffle Sponsor

"Party in Philly" Sponsors

Check out all of the AAVN swag now available for purchase at

our new Spreadshop!

We have sweatshirts, aprons, mugs, water bottles, t-shirts, a bandana for your dog AND much more!