Eighteen exceptional avian veterinarians from all around the world were nominated for the 2025 T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year Award. The independent Selection Committee narrowed this list to five finalists and the 2025 Avian Practitioner of the Year, Dr. Julia Ponder, was announced during the Plenary Session of the 46th Annual Conference of the Association of Avian Veterinarians.
Twenty exceptional avian veterinarians from all around the world were nominated for the 2024 T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year Award. The independent Selection Committee narrowed this list to three finalists and the 2024 Avian Practitioner of the Year, Dr. Lauren V. Powers, was announced during the Plenary/Kickoff Session of the 45th Annual Conference of the Association of Avian Veterinarians.
Twenty-one exceptional avian veterinarians from all around the world were nominated for the 2023 T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year. The independent Selection Committee narrowed this list to three finalists and the 2023 T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year, Dr. Michelle Hawkins, was announced during the Plenary Session at the 2023 ExoticsCon.
Twenty-four exceptional avian veterinarians from all around the world were nominated for the 2022 T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year. The independent Selection Committee narrowed this list to three finalists and the 2022 T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year, Dr. Sharman Hoppes, was announced during the Plenary Session at the 2022 ExoticsCon.
Thirty-three exceptional avian veterinarians from all around the world were nominated for the 2021 T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year. The independent Selection Committee narrowed this list to four finalists and the Award recipient, Dr. Yvonne van Zeeland, was announced during the Plenary Session at the 2021 ExoticsCon…
When nominations closed for the 2019 T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year, a list of 24 outstanding avian veterinarians had been submitted for consideration. The independent Selection Committee narrowed the list to five finalists and the Award recipient, Dr. Lorenzo Crosta, was announced during the Opening Session at ExoticsCon 2019.
Forty-five exceptional avian veterinarians from all around the world were nominated for the 2018 T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year. The independent Selection Committee narrowed this list to six finalists and the Award recipient, Dr. Robert Doneley, was announced during the Plenary Session at the 2018 ExoticsCon.
Announcing the 2017 T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year: Michael Lierz, DZooMed, DECZM (WPH), DECPVS is a Full Professor and Director of the Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish at the Justus-Liebig University of Giessen.
When nominations closed for the 2016 T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year, a list of 19 outstanding avian veterinarians were submitted for consideration. The independent Selection Committee, hosted through Louisiana State University, narrowed the list to five finalists and the Award recipient, Dr. Gregory Rich…
Founder and Director Emeritus of the University of Minnesota’s Raptor Center, Dr. Patrick Redig, was named the 2015 T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year. Important criteria for this award include clinical excellence, innovation, promotion of the avian veterinary profession, contributions to the knowledge base, as well as caring and compassion for their patients and clients.
The T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year is nominated by their peers and selected by an independent Committee of AAV members.
