Dr. Rebecca Smith is a veterinarian and interdisciplinary researcher in the field of human-animal interaction. She completed her PhD at the University of Liverpool. Rebecca’s research adopts social scientific approaches to study peoples’ decision making in relation to animal care. As a research associate, her current work uses ethnographic methods to study owners’ and vets’ understanding of, and approaches to, the management of chronic pain in horses. Alongside her research, she is undertaking specialist training in welfare, ethics, and law with the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine.

Clara Bordin has an MSc Animal Science. She is a Research Fellow, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, Italy. Her Masters Degree is in Animal Science with a curriculum focused in animal nutrition. Her areas of research interests are equine nutrition and welfare. She’s focusing also on the use of AI and precision livestock farming (PLF) tools in equine science.

Nancy S. Loving, DVM, was a performance horse horse veterinarian based in Colorado for most of her career. She has a special interest in helping horse owners understand technical veterinary topics and research.

Amber D. Krotky, MS, PAS, currently serves as Quality and Product Development Manager at MARS Horsecare US Inc (BUCKEYE™ Nutrition) in Dalton, Ohio. She currently sits on the AFIA Equine Committee and the Ethics Committee for American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS). She earned her BS in Animal Sciences in 1999 and her MS in Animal Sciences-Equine Nutrition in 2002 from Oklahoma State University.

Edward Knowles, MA, VetMB, MVetMed, PhD, is an equine internal medicine specialist with an interest in metabolic diseases of the horse. He currently is a postdoctoral researcher in Comparative Neuromuscular Disease at the Royal Veterinary College and as a specialist in Equine Internal Medicine at Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic (CVS Group plc).

Pippa Morrison, BSc(Hons), PhD, PgCTHE, FHEA, is a Senior Lecturer at the new Scotland SRUC School of Veterinary Medicine. Her areas of interest include equine obesity and metabolic disease and the role played by nutrition and the microbiota.

Nerida McGilchrist, PhD, has more than 20 years experience as an equine nutrition specialist. She has worked with horses ranging from top-level competitors to backyard senior ponies.

Abby Strawder is the Marketing Manager at Mars Horsecare, home of the BUCKEYE™ Nutrition brand. She identifies, develops, and implements growth opportunities and brand strategy. 

Joe Collins qualified as a veterinarian at University College Dublin in 1987. He then worked in equine practice in the UK and Ireland, including a three-year equine residency at Cambridge University Veterinary School, until 2007, when he undertook a World Horse Welfare supported PhD project titled ‘Equine health & welfare in Ireland, 2007-2010." Joe commenced working for The Donkey Sanctuary in 2015 and currently is their ‘Chief Veterinary Advisor’ largely involved in policy, advocacy, and campaigns. He works on many issues, including the global trade in donkey skins.

Amanda Adams, PhD, runs the UK Aged Horse Research Center as part of the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center. Adams, an Associate Professor, also is Adjunct Faculty at Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine. She was honored as a Mars Equestrian Fellow™, specializing in the care of senior horses.

Alisa Herbst, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Associate at Rutgers University. She earned her Phd from the University of Kentucky with her dissertation Muscle Mass and Immune Function in the Senior Horse.

Merry Smith, MA, VetMB, PhD, Cert ES, DipECVS, AECVDI, MRCVS, works as a freelance equine diagnostic imaging and surgery consultant based at her home in Hertfordshire, U.K. She is a Trustee for World Horse Welfare and chairs that organization's Veterinary Advisory Committee.

Nanna Luthersson, DVM, is a senior equine practitioner in Hestedoktoren, Denmark. Her main interests are GI and endocrine problems, laminitis, and nutrition.

Annette C. Longland, BSc(Hons), PhD, DIC, is head of equine research at Equine and Livestock Nutrition Services in Wales, U.K.

Faith Burden, BSc(Hons), PhD, is the Deputy CEO and Executive Director of Equine Operations, The Donkey Sanctuary. She oversees all aspects of the organisation’s donkey-focused operations across the globe, with Sanctuary sites in four countries and partnerships in a further 10 countries. Burden is ultimately responsible for the welfare of the 6,500 donkeys and mules in the care of The Donkey Sanctuary, many of whom are aged or have specific health and behavioural needs. Burden and her colleagues also work to improve the welfare of donkeys and mules globally through partnerships, advocacy, research, and education. She is the co-author of more than 80 peer-reviewed articles and is a globally recognised expert on the health and welfare of donkeys and mules.

Nettie Liburt, MS, PhD, PAS, provides consulting services on equine nutrition and management to horse owners, veterinarians, and feed companies. Her areas of special interest are the aging horse, glucose metabolism, and nutrition of the horse with endorine disease (PPID and metabolic syndrome).

Associate Professor Melody de Laat, BVSc(Hons), PhD, MANZCVS(Pharm), SFHEA GradCertAcadPrac, is a clinical and research veterinarian with. more than 15 years of experience on equine endocrine diseases, pharmacology, and laminitis. She works at the Queensland University of Technology in Australia.

Harold Schott, DVM, PhD, DACVIM-LA, has been an equine medicine clinician at Michigan State University since 1995. He has strong clinical interest in urinary tract disorders and endocrinological disorders, with a focus on PPID. He is a member of the Equine Endocrinology Group. In recent years he has been providing care to working equids in Mexico, taking students for a two-week clinical experience working with Mexican veterinarians and vet students to provide care to burros, mules, and horses in rural communities.

Simon Bailey, BVMS, PhD, FHEA, DECVPT, FRCVS, is a Professor of Veterinary Biosciences and Deputy Head of School at the Melbourne Veterinary School (University of Melbourne) in Australia. His areas of interest are in equine metabolic syndrome, equine laminitis, PPID, and equine physiology/endocrinology, nutrition.

Amy C. Polkes, DVM, DACVIM, is a private practitioner in equine internal medicine active in New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, and Colorado. She also is the Medical Director of the equine division of Antech Diagnostics.

Nicolas C. Galinelli, DVM, PhD Candidate, is a lecturer at the Melbourne Veterinary School, University of Melbourne. He is a former resident of the European College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (ECVCN) and a member of the European Society of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (ESVCN).

As Product Manager for SPILLERS, Sarah Nelson is responsible for the technical management of all SPILLERS products, including recipe formulation.

With over 25 years dedicated to advancing the nutrition and well-being of horses, Coby Bolger is a leader in equine nutrition and care within Spain. As the founder of Horse1 Equine, she provides premier nutritional consulting and training, enabling riders, trainers and veterinarians to ensure the health and performance of their horses.

Nicola Jarvis, BVetMed, CertAP (DM), CertAVP(ESST), MRCVS, qualified at the Royal Veterinary College in London before working in a mixed practice. After completing a 2-year internship at Rossdales Equine Hospital in Newmarket, Jarvis joined Redwings Horse Sanctuary. She is now Head of Veterinary and Care for more than 1,500 resident horses, donkeys, and mules.

Clare Barfoot is a registered equine nutritionist with the Association of Nutrition. She is Marketing and R&D Director for Spillers and oversees the nutritional management of all that company's products.

Pat Harris, MA, PhD, VetMB, DipECVCN, MRCVS, EBVS European specialist in veterinary and comparative nutrition, as Director of Science for Mars Horsecare and Head of the WALTHAM™ Equine Studies Group is responsible for their equine research conducted in collaboration with experts at institutes and universities globally. This provides the science behind the SPILLERS™, BUCKEYE™ Nutrition and WINERGY™ brands. She is also a scientific advisor to MARS Equestrian™ sponsorship. She is an RCVS specialist in Veterinary Clinical Nutrition (equine) and a past president of the British Equine Veterinary Association.

Heather Lewis, AIA, NCARB, AAA, joined Animal Arts architectural firm more than 20 years ago and is now a principal in the company. She has designed numerous award-winning veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, and assistant dog facility projects. She is a member of the Fear Free advisory board.

Janet Douglas, MA, Vet MB, MSc, PhD, AFHEA, currently works primarily for World Horse Welfare, an NGO that works in the UK and internationally to educate horse owners, influence government policy, conduct research, and provide care for equids—from working equids to elite sport.

Nicola Menzies-Gow, MA, VetMB, PhD, DECEIM, CertEM(Int.med), FHEA, FRCVS, is Chair of Clinical Research Ethical Review Board and Research Director fo the Department of Clinical Sciences and Services at the Royal Veterinary College at the University of London. Her research is focused on insulin resistance and equine laminitis.

Sue Dyson, MA, VetMB, PhD, initially worked in the United States after graduating veterinary school, then returned to England and ran a clinical referral service for 37 years. Dyson is active in clinical research and has published more than 450 scientific papers related to lameness, ridden horse behaviour, and diagnostic imaging. Dyson also is a rider and has produced horses to top national level in eventing and show jumping. Dyson is a British Horse Society Instructor (Teaching and Stable Management).

Amy McLean, PhD, MS, is an Associate Professor in Teaching of Equine Science in the Department of Animal Science at the University of California Davis where she teaches six upper division equine science courses. She earned her Ph.D. from Michigan State University in equine science where she studied methods to improve working donkey welfare in Mali, West Africa. She earned her Master’s of Science with a focus in Reproduction Physiology from the University of Georgia. Her Bachelor of Science was also earned from the University of Georgia focused on Animal Science with an equine emphasis, dairy science as a co-major and a minor in Agribusiness.