Dr. Sebastian Heath currently serves as a Consultant for the Pan
American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO). In this capacity he
provides technical expertise and consultancy on a strategic plan
for Veterinary Public Health Initiatives in the Western
Hemisphere.
As part of his work Dr. Heath conducted the analysis of societal
trends affecting delivery of veterinary public health services
in the Western Hemisphere and is developing strategies and
proposals how best to address the needs that will arise from
these trends. He prepared guidelines for an External Oversight
Review Board for Veterinary Public Health programs at PAHO and
coordinates inter governmental relations, including helping set
the agenda for ministerial level governing bodies.
Prior to working at PAHO Dr. Heath was a Science, Technology and
Diplomacy Fellow for the American Association for the
Advancement of Science (AAAS) in the Office of Agriculture and
Food Security of the US Agency for International Development (
USAID). There he provided technical advisory and administrative
assistance for livestock development programs.
Examples of his work at USAID included oversight of a
Congressional directive for Dairy Development, preparation of
Requests for Application, coordination of a Technical Evaluation
Committee, and preparing and giving technical and policy
briefings and presentations for USAID staff and administration.
The topics of these materials have included "Meeting the
Challenges of the Livestock Revolution", "Private-Public
Partnership in Development", "The Role of Livestock in Poverty
Alleviation and Hunger Reduction", and "International Trade and
Animal Health", biotechnology, animal health delivery,
veterinary public health, HACCP, and SPS controls. These
presentations have been given by him and others, at interagency
meetings and international venues. He has regularly participated
in negotiations and representations between the U.S. and foreign
counties, involving diplomatic, government, industry
stakeholders and the donor and lender community.
While at USAID he prepared a 10 year strategy for USAID on
livestock programs and compiled documentation for the 2003
Agency Congressional Budget Justification. In preparation for
the Agency's strategy, Dr. Heath organized a multi-sector
workshop and lecture series. Participants were drawn from his
extensive network of contacts among leaders from livestock and
crop industries, academia, government and non-government
organizations.
Dr. Heath's previous administrative experiences include Section
Chief of Large Animal Medicine at Purdue University School of
Veterinary Medicine, where he had responsibilities for hospital
operations, effecting vocational curricula, and public relations.
As chair of the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association's
Disaster Preparedness Committee, the Indiana State Emergency
Management Agency and the Board of Animal Health developed the
first comprehensive Veterinary Services and Animal Care Annex to
a State Emergency Operations Plan in the United States. As chair
of the Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Animal Care Committee he was
responsible for developing a comprehensive county Emergency
Operations Plan for the care of owners and their animals in
disasters. Both state and county emergency management plans have
been recognized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as "
Exemplary Practices".
Dr. Heath has consulted on disaster reduction programs for the
livestock industry in Central and South America, and the
Caribbean. He also consults with the Association for Assessment
and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) and is
chair of the World Veterinary Association Committee on
Veterinary Support during Disaster and Emergencies. Dr. Heath is
President of the American Veterinary Medical History Society,
and Vice-President of the American Academy on Veterinary
Disaster Medicine. He has also served on the Board of Directors
for the Indiana Horse Council; Tippecanoe County, Indiana,
American Red Cross; and the Greater Lafayette Volunteer Bureau.
Dr. Heath has written two books: "Animal Management in Disasters"
(Mosby), and "Rescuing Rover" (Purdue University Press). He was
senior editor for the three Federal Emergency Management Agency
Independent Study courses "Animals in Disasters (Modules A and B"
and "Livestock in Disasters. Dr. Heath's publication record
consists further of 29 peer reviewed scientific articles; 5 book
chapters; 43 scientific proceedings; 26 scientific abstracts; 6
scientific newsletters; and 29 other publications, including
internet-sourced and audio visual programs. In 1999 Dr. Heath
was presented with the Samuel F. Scheidy Award for excellence in
veterinary research at the World Veterinary Congress, in Lyon,
France. As a Fellow of AAAS Dr. Heath is an alumni of the
largest network of PhD-scientists in the Washington, DC, policy
arena.
Dr. Heath was born in New Hampshire, and grew up in England and
Germany, where he completed his school education. He has
received his undergraduate degree from the University of
Newcastle on Tyne, England. In 1985 he graduated from the School
of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge, England.
Dr. Heath also has a Masters in Veterinary Science degree from
the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Canada, a
Master of Veterinary Preventive Medicine from the University of
California, Davis, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Comparative
Epidemiology from Purdue University. He is Board Certified with
the American Colleges of Internal Medicine and Veterinary
Preventive Medicine. He has lived and worked on three continents
(Europe, North and Latin America). His experience as a
practicing veterinarian includes large animal and small animal
private practice. Dr. Heath is bilingual in English and German,
and speaks elementary Spanish.
