The Maddie’s Fellowship Program was created to build a learning community that provides training and support for veterinarians to make a positive life-saving impact in their shelters and communities.
University of Wisconsin Shelter Medicine Program is a proud recipient of funding for our fellowship program from Maddie’s Fund®, helping to achieve a no-kill nation #ThanksToMaddie.
Interested in becoming a Fellow? We generally recruit in the spring so check our website around that time for details and application for the upcoming fellowship year and follow us on facebook for updates. A requirement of the fellowship is to participate in our kickoff event called fellowship camp, which usually takes place on or around the last week of August. Interested individuals should keep this week open for travel in order to be considered for the fellowship.
Our fellowship program is a joint effort between our Shelter Medicine program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of California-Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Programs. Working together we deliver life-saving knowledge and services to our nation’s shelters and their communities while we all grow and develop our understanding of the field together. The fellowship is made possible by the generous support from various organizations who sponsor each fellow’s training and travel throughout their year as a UW/UCD Fellow.
The fellowship provides unique opportunities for practitioners to learn via clinical interaction with the University of Wisconsin and UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Programs and with a variety of animal shelters throughout the United States. In addition, selected fellows will interact with other academic and clinical programs with whom both programs regularly interact, including other university shelter medicine programs as well as national animal welfare organizations. The fellows will be able to put their new skills to work with their local shelter, directly benefitting shelter animals and communities. Many fellows continue their careers working in or with shelters for years to come, greatly magnifying the benefit of this investment in their training. If you are interested in joining our Fellowship Program in the future, please check back as we will post updates on our website with details on how to apply prior to each new Fellowship year, which starts every August.
2026-2027 Fellows
Dr. Christine Avelar, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Carrie Blees, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Charles Collins, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Charles Collins is a native of Angleton, Texas, and earned his BS and DVM degrees from Texas A&M University. Since 2009, he has practiced veterinary medicine in Brazoria County, Texas. His experience spans mixed animal practice, small animal general practice, shelter medicine, and veterinary consulting. Dr. Collins is passionate about advancing animal welfare through shelter and population medicine and preventive care. After 16 years in private practice, he began serving as Medical Director of the SPCA of Brazoria County in August 2025, where he brings his clinical experience and commitment to animal welfare to the care of shelter animals and the broader community. Dr. Collins has served as a Trustee for the Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation and on the vestry of his church. As a Texas State Co-Representative for the Humane Veterinary Medical Alliance (HumaneVMA), he advocates for greater veterinary engagement in animal welfare initiatives. Dr. Collins lives in Lake Jackson, Texas, with his husband, J.D. Perez, their sons, Luke and Seth, their rescue dogs Barley, Cookie, Ophie, and Nutmeg, their “foster-failed” cats, Luna and Snowball, and their herd of Brahman cattle.
Dr. Rikki Dianto, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Rikki Dianto is the first shelter veterinarian at Henry County Animal Care and Control in Georgia. A proud University of Georgia “Double Dawg,” she earned both her undergraduate degree and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from UGA. After graduation, Dr. Dianto spent a year working at one of Georgia’s largest open-intake animal shelters. She then joined Henry County Animal Care and Control, where she was given the opportunity to establish its first in-house medical program. Driven by a passion for shelter medicine, Dr. Dianto is dedicated to providing compassionate care for animals without owners to advocate for them. Through preventive medicine, surgery, and individualized treatment, she works to give the animals in her care the best possible chance at healthy, happy futures. She has a particular love for caring for cats and helping them thrive. Outside of work, Dr. Dianto enjoys watching college football, attending church, and spending time with her family.
Dr. Tiffany Gamelin, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Tiffany Gamelin is a veterinarian from Montreal, Canada, and a member of the leadership team at Proanima. Her professional interests include shelter medicine, access to care, community animal health, population management, and helping animals and the people who care for them. Her background in general practice, emergency medicine, and shelter medicine has strengthened her commitment to practical, evidence-based approaches that support the human-animal bond. A lifelong cat enthusiast, Tiffany shares her life with Willow and Darwin, her two much-loved fluffy beasts, and has spent many years fostering orphaned kittens. When she is not working, she can usually be found planning her next travel adventure, curled up with a good novel, or enthusiastically losing a game of chess.
Dr. Hope Hunter, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Hope Hunter is a second-career shelter veterinarian at Metro Animal Care and Control in Nashville, Tennessee. After working as a critical care nurse at Middle Tennessee’s only Level I trauma center, she returned to her first love, veterinary medicine, and graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2023. She quickly found her place in shelter medicine and community access to care. Her interests include high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter, population management, and finding practical ways to improve the health and welfare of animals in the shelter environment. Outside of work, Hope shares her home with her partner and an arguably unreasonable number of dogs and cats. She enjoys gardening, cooking, true crime, and tackling home projects with varying degrees of success.
Dr. Nadine Langston, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Alex Miller, Maddie’s Fellow
Alex Miller graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University in Biology and wildlife care, intending to become a scientist specializing in animal ecology. Instead, she became a medical technician at a local animal shelter and her love for shelter medicine blossomed. She has traveled to many parts of the world, including Honduras and Puerto Rico, providing access to care for companion animals in remote places and to communities suffering from natural disasters. She graduated from Iowa State Veterinary school in 2024 with the sole intention of working in the sheltering world. She is now the veterinarian at the Wisconsin Humane Society Racine Campus. To this day Alex’s passion for shelter medicine has never wavered, and she continues to enjoy work in HVHQSN, community medicine and access to care. In her free time, she loves traveling with her husband, Kyle, and taking her 10-year-old mixed breed shelter dog, Lila, on long walks. While not at the shelter, you can probably catch her with a book in one hand and a coffee in the other.
Dr. Grace Miller, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Grace Miller is a shelter veterinarian at Animal Humane Society in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. She graduated with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota in 2023. She entered her veterinary education passionate about epidemiology, public health, and population medicine. After working in both the ecosystem health and food animal sectors, she pivoted to shelter medicine upon graduation. She enjoys the collaboration and unique interdisciplinary challenges of shelter medicine, and her professional interests include disease management, biosecurity, and access to care. In her spare time, you can find Grace out on a walk in North Minneapolis with her wife and two dogs, at the local ice rink playing hockey, or baking a new recipe for her friends and family to taste test.
Dr. Jessica Nelson, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Jessica Nelson is a shelter veterinarian at Multnomah County Animal Services in Portland, Oregon. After graduating from Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2012, she worked in general practice before following her dream of shelter medicine. She has spent the last eight years working in shelters in Utah, Washington, and Oregon, volunteering at HQHVSN events, and creating mobile spay/neuter programs for animal welfare organizations. She plans to bring all she learns from the fellowship to grow the organizations she is involved with. Her dream is to provide affordable HQHVSN to all. When not spaying and neutering, she spends time hiking with her two dogs and husband, snowshoeing, kayaking, crocheting, and reading.
Dr. Aki Noguchi, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Aki Noguchi is a veterinarian and faculty member in small animal surgery at Kagoshima University in Japan. She is also a co-founder of Japan Animal Shelter Alliance (JASA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting shelter medicine in Japan. She earned her DVM from Kagoshima University in 2013 and worked in small animal general practice after graduation. In 2017, she visited the United States and volunteered at Denver Animal Shelter. Seeing the differences in shelter practices between the United States and Japan sparked her interest in shelter medicine. She earned her master’s degree in Shelter Medicine from the University of Florida in 2023. At Kagoshima University, Dr. Noguchi teaches veterinary students through hands-on spay-neuter training in collaboration with a local adoption center and helps organize public seminars jointly hosted by the university and the center. Through JASA, she promotes shelter medicine in Japan by providing educational opportunities for shelter professionals and volunteers and translating evidence-based resources into Japanese. She aims to advance shelter medicine in Japan by developing more comprehensive training programs and promoting evidence-based practices to improve animal welfare and support the communities that care for animals.
Dr. Deanna Quade, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Deanna Quade is a shelter veterinarian at Tri-County Humane Society (TCHS) in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Deanna knew she wanted to be a veterinarian from a young age combining her love of animals and science. She earned her DVM degree from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. After graduating, she worked in a small animal private practice for 10 years prior to spending a few years at home raising her young boys. During her few years at home, she enjoyed providing volunteer surgical time at TCHS and substitute teaching at her children’s elementary school. Volunteering led to Dr. Quade being hired part time by TCHS for surgical services, which transitioned into her current role of the shelter’s main veterinarian in 2023. She loves that shelter medicine allows her to help not only the animals in her direct care, but the community that loves them as well. She is excited to continue learning through fellowship and making strong connections with other veterinarians in the same field. Outside of work she enjoys family time traveling, hiking, fishing and attending theater and music performances. Her family adores sharing their home with a spoiled dog, a bearded dragon and 6 chickens.
Dr. Emily Scott, Eslinger Fellow
Dr. Emily Scott is currently a staff veterinarian at Bay Area, California, animal shelter, Pets In Need. She grew up overseas until returning to the United States for college at Tufts University and veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Scott moved to the West Coast for her small animal rotating internship at VCA-San Francisco Veterinary Specialists and then continued her career working as an emergency veterinarian at the public facing clinic at the San Francisco SPCA. After serendipitously picking up a relief shift with the San Francisco SPCA’s shelter team she was immediately hooked on shelter medicine and worked her way up to a full-time position. She then joined Pets In Need in early 2026 where she has enjoyed working at a shelter that has both private and municipal entities and is excited to embody the organization’s focus on providing high quality care to shelter and community-owned animals. Outside of work she enjoys exploring the outdoors with her toddler and senior Labrador and is continually surprised at how much beautiful chaos this duo can cause!
Dr. Valarie Tynes, Maddie’s Fellow
Fellowship Program Alums
Many fellowship alums continue their participation by remaining involved on some level in the Fellowship Program as alums. Many relationships form through fellowship, and keeping alums involved in the program allows for mentoring of new fellows along with life-long learning and collaboration between practitioners and academics.
2025-2026 Fellows
Dr. Audrey Atchley, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Katie Fanning, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Diana Ferradas, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Debbie Padilla-Kruk, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Anna Ramsey, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Abby Reichard, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Thomas Schaefer, Eslinger Fellow
Dr. Joyce Voss, Maddie’s Fellow
2024-2025 Fellows
Dr. Jie Ling Arata, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Lisa Brinlee, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Molly Chauhan, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Hillary Feldmann-Tempini, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Alyssa Karklus, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Cardin Kennedy, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Candace Krider, Eslinger Fellow
Dr. Kristina Lučić, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Brianna Piechowski, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Sara Regehr, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Sofia Reis, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Hailey Watlington, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Jamie White, Maddie’s Fellow
2023-2024 Fellows
Dr. Michael Crago, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Abbie Knudsen, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Jennifer Kwan, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Allan Mergener, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Cristen Thomas, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Lindsay VanBrown, Maddie’s Fellow
2022-2023 Fellows
Dr. Jonathan Chapman, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Adrian Dannis, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Christina Hansen, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Jo Jarred, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Sasha Nelson, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Rachael Wooten, Maddie’s Fellow
2021-2022 Fellows
Dr. Taylor Biermaier, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Michelle Meckelborg, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Sam Mitchell, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Sylvia Nagy, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Jesse Navatta, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Cynthia Tao, Eslinger Fellow
Dr. Mary Thury, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Matthew Toscano, Eslinger Fellow
2020-2021 Fellows
Dr. Rachel Barton, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Eline Britz, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Kelton Ely, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Sarah Hicks, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Carissa Jones, Eslinger Fellow
Dr. Jeremy Prupas, Maddie’s Fellow
2019-2020 Fellows
Dr. Gina Bowen, Eslinger Fellow
Dr. Gabrielle Carrière, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Angelica Dimock, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Alicia Fortenberry, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Lindsay Garner, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Beth Keser, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Ashley Rice, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Jessica Thiele, Maddie’s Fellow
2018-2019 Fellows
Dr. Diana Kuehn, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Shari O’Neill, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Vincent Paradis, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Rachel Powell, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Jessica Reed, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Elizabeth Roberts, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Karen Sheppard, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Kimberly Wilson, Eslinger Fellow
2017-2018 Fellows
Dr. Allison Clarke, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Meg Gordon, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Elizabeth Roberts, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Gail Schroder, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Karen Sheppard, Maddie’s Fellow
Dr. Anthea Smith, Maddie’s Fellow
2016-2017 Fellows
Dr. Jen Dalmasso
Dr. Ann Enright
Dr. Sarah Frei, ASPCA Fellow
Dr. Melissa Resnick, ASPCA Fellow
Dr. Rachelle Saelor, Eslinger Fellow
2015-2016 Fellows
Dr. Sarah Frei, ASPCA Fellow
Dr. Libby Gutting, ASPCA Fellow
Dr. Hillary Herendeen, HSUS Fellow
Dr. Megan McAndrew, ASPCA Fellow
Dr. Emily Purvis, ASPCA Fellow