Accessible Navigation
Who We Are
APCC Staff Biographies
|
Dr. Steven Hansen is Chief Operating Officer of The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) headquartered in New York City. He leads organizational operations consistent with strategic, budgetary and financial goals in support of the mission. Ensuring the organization attracts, retains and develops quality staff who are provided resources and guidance while being held accountable is key. Prior to joining The ASPCA in 1997, Dr. Hansen was Director of Veterinary Research for Wellmark International in Schaumburg, Ill. He also practiced clinical medicine in Houston and Chicago. Dr. Hansen is a Diplomate of both the American Board of Toxicology and the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology, a Charter Diplomate of the American College of Animal Welfare, a Distinguished Practitioner National Academies of Practice and holds an adjunct appointment at the University of Illinois. Dr. Hansen received his BS and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees from Iowa State University. He completed a residency program in Veterinary Toxicology and received an MS (toxicology) and an MBA from the University of Illinois. Dr. Hansen serves on the Scientific Advisory Committee on Alternative Toxicological Methods and is treasurer of the American College of Animal Welfare. He served on the P & G International Animal Care Advisory Board, the American Veterinary Medical Association Animal Welfare Advisory Committee and Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agent Adverse Event Reporting Working Group, the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association Legislative Committee and chaired the American Association of Poison Control Centers' Veterinary Committee. Dr. Hansen appeared on the Today Show, Fox Pet News, AC 360, CNN, NBC NY, and Martha Stewart. Dr. Hansen received a Veterinarian of the Year Award acknowledging ASPCA's team efforts educating pet parents during the 2007 Pet Food Recall.
Dr. Tina Wismer is the Medical Director at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC). Dr. Wismer is responsible for overseeing medical recommendations made by the veterinary staff. She is also highly involved in lecturing, making media appearances and writing. She coordinates the Animal Poison Control Center's extern program. Dr. Wismer earned her undergraduate degree from Ohio's University of Findlay in 1990 and received her DVM from Purdue University in 1994. Her first job was in a small animal practice in Michigan, she then went to work in an emergency practice in South Bend, IN, before joining the APCC in 1998. In July 2003, Dr. Wismer became a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology and the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology. Dr. Wismer has written several peer reviewed toxicology articles and book chapters. She is an adjunct instructor at the University of Illinois, previously a visiting professor at St. Matthews University (Cayman), a consultant for VIN (Veterinary Information Network) and is a Master Gardener.
Dr. Safdar Khan is the Senior Director of Toxicology Research at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC). Dr. Khan is responsible for several initiatives, including investigating alternatives to animal testing as well as consulting and research projects, internal review board, and animal biosurveillance programs. He has completed several consulting and research projects for pharmaceutical industry clients, chemical companies, and governmental agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Khan received his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 1984 from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. He then attended the University of Illinois, at Urbana-Champaign, earning an MS in Veterinary Clinical Medicine, in 1990, and a PhD in Toxicology, in 1994. During this time, Dr. Khan completed both an internship and residency in Clinical and Diagnostic Veterinary Toxicology at the University of Illinois. Dr. Khan is a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology (DABVT). Dr. Khan also holds an adjunct instructor position at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He began working for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) in 1988 and has consulted on more than thirty thousand cases of animal poisonings. Dr. Khan has also authored or co-authored more than fifty peer-reviewed articles or chapters in veterinary or toxicology journals and veterinary texts. He is section editor (toxicology) of a very widely used veterinary text. Dr. Khan holds professional memberships in the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Board of Veterinary Toxicology and American Association of Poison Control Centers. He served as a member of the examination committee of the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology for three years. Dr. Khan has been a core Scientific Advisory Board member of the Michelson Prize and Grants in Reproductive Biology since 2009.
Dr. Camille DeClement is the Senior Director of Medical Records at the ASPCA. She is responsible for the oversight of the quality, consistency and integrity of the medical records for the following ASPCA programs: the Animal Poison Control Center, Bergh Memorial and the Spay/Neuter Programs. She also provides staff training in addition to being a media spokesperson for the Animal Poison Control Center on poisoning topics. Dr. DeClementi received her BS in Biology from Lebanon Valley College of Pennsylvania in 1990, and her VMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 1994. She practiced emergency and general medicine in Pittsburgh and Tennessee before joining the poison center in 1999. Dr. DeClementi became a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology in 2006 and the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology in 2007 and is a Certified Veterinary Journalist. She has spoken on various clinical veterinary toxicology issues and has authored peer-viewed articles for the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care and Veterinary Medicine. Dr. DeClementi is a past co-owner of the Animal Emergency Clinic in Champaign, IL.
Dr. Mary Schell is a Senior Consulting Veterinary Toxicologist for the Animal Poison Control Center. She received her DVM from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1977. Her postgraduate experience includes work as an Associate Veterinarian in Wisconsin from 1977-80; she also owned a practice in Iowa from 1980-85. In 1985, she accepted a commission in the United States Air Force as a Public Health Officer, and transferred to the Maine Air National Guard in 1987. She also served in Indiana and Illinois Air National Guard units before retiring in August 2005. Dr. Schell joined the APCC in 1997. In 2004, she became a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology, and in 2006 achieved Diplomate status by the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology.
Dr. Caroline Donaldson is a Toxicologist and the Director of Internal Communications for the Animal Poison Control Center. She received her undergraduate and her DVM both from Washington State University. Following graduation, she was in private practice until she joined the Animal Poison Control Center in 2000 as a Consulting Veterinarian in Clinical Toxicology. In 2006, she became a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology.
Dr. Harold Trammel is the Vice President of Application and Data Services for the ASPCA. He is responsible and instrumental in the development of the Animal Poison Control Center's medical record and informational support databases. Dr. Trammel attended the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences, where he received a BSPharm in 1973, a PharmD in 1974, and completed a residency in Drug and Poison Information in 1975. He served as a faculty member and as Director of the Drug and Poison Information Center at the Medical University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Charleston, SC, for nine years. While there, he had a major role in the creation of the National Pesticide Telecommunications Network. Dr. Trammel joined the Animal Poison Control Center in 1984 and his current role affords him involvement in helping a number of ASPCA program areas.
Ms. Stacy Fisher is the Director of Business Support at the ASPCA. She is responsible for the oversight of the finance and accounting as well as the marketing and professional client relations for the Animal Poison Control Center and other business needs for departments within the ASPCA. Her team is responsible for the management of the Animal Product Safety Service and the Veterinary Lifeline Partner Program. Ms. Fisher received her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Economics and her MBA from the University of Illinois in 2000 and 2008 respectively. Ms. Fisher joined the ASPCA in 2003 after working several years in public accounting and the not-for-profit sector.
Ms. Jennifer Wheeler is the Director of Client Services at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC). She is responsible for the oversight of the Client Services Team which provides support for the Animal Poison Control Center through outcome data collection, database maintenance, and customer service management and supports the Mobile Spay Neuter Clinics in New York City through management of the post operative hotline and scheduling center for individuals involved in Trap Neuter Return. Ms. Wheeler also oversees the APCC support team. She joined the ASPCA in February 2007, after finishing degrees in Animal Sciences (B.S.), Agricultural Education (M.S.), and Community Studies and Outreach (M.S.) at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. While in college, Jennifer worked at a veterinary practice in Southern Illinois, spent a summer assisting on a farm in Kentucky, and, towards the end of her college career, was an assistant at a veterinary clinic in Champaign, Illinois. Jennifer is currently pursuing her master's degree in Management Practice.
Ms. Nicole Martin is the Manager of Client Services for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. She is responsible for the oversight of the Mobile Spay Neuter Clinic post operative hotline and scheduling center. She also manages the Animal Product Safety Service and Mobile Spay Neuter Clinic diagnostis, customer service and case management. Ms. Martin became a Certified Veterinary Technician in 2002 after working in various small animal clinics for several years. Prior to joining the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center in 2004, Ms. Martin managed a small animal clinic and worked as a CVT for the University of Illinois.
Dr. Charlotte Means is a Senior Consulting Veterinary Toxicologist for the Animal Poison Control Center. She primarily consults on toxicology cases as well as serves as the Center's Librarian ensuring maintenance of the Center's library resources and performs literature searches to support ongoing cases and research. She also leads the ABVT review session annually for candidates interested in preparing for the ABVT exam. Dr. Charlotte Means received her DVM from Oklahoma State University in 1984. After several years of small animal practice, Dr. Means obtained a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Means worked as a clinical medical librarian at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Medical School before joining the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center in 1994. In 2007, Dr. Means became a Diplomate of American Board of Veterinary Toxicology, and in 2009, she became a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology. Dr. Means has written peer-reviewed articles appearing in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, Clinician's Brief, as well as other journals. She has spoken on various topics in veterinary toxicology and has written chapters in textbooks including Clinical Veterinary Advisor, Veterinary Clinical Toxicology, Handbook of Small Animal Practice, Blackwell's 5 Minute Consult: Ruminant and other texts.
Dr. Valentina Merola is a Senior Consulting Veterinary Toxicologist for the Animal Poison Control Center. She received her DVM from the University of Illinois in 1997. Prior to returning to the University of Illinois in 2001 to complete a residency in veterinary toxicology, Dr. Merola practiced at a small animal clinic for four years. She joined the APCC in 2004, became a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology in 2005, and became a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology in 2007. She is currently pursuing a Master's in Public Health.
Dr. Irina Meadows is a Toxicologist for the Animal Poison Control Center. She received her veterinary degree in 1999 in the Ukraine as well as she completed research on nitrate/nitrite toxicity in cattle. Dr. Meadows came to the United States and did a year of clinical practice at the University of Florida in Gainesville. She then completed an internship at VCA Emergency Animal Hospital prior to joining the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center in 2003. In 2007, Dr. Meadows became a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology. |
Steven R. Hansen, DVM, MS, MBA, DABVT, DABT
Melinda Bough, MS
Tina Wismer, DVM, DABVT, DABT
Safdar A. Khan, DVM, MS, PhD, DABVT
Camille DeClementi, VMD, DABVT, DABT, CVJ
Mary Schell, DVM, DABVT, DABT
Caroline Donaldson, DVM, DABT
Harold L. Trammel, BS Pharm, PharmD
Stacy Fisher, MBA
Jennifer Wheeler, MS
Nicole Martin, CVT
Charlotte Means, DVM, MLIS, DABVT, DABT
Senior Consulting Veterinary Toxicologist
Valentina Merola, DVM, MS, DABVT, DABT
Irina Meadows, DVM, DABT
Do It Today!
