Lyon College School of Veterinary Medicine names founding dean

Photo courtesy of Lyon College

Lyon College School of Veterinary Medicine in Little Rock, Arkansas, has appointed Eleanor M. Green, DVM, DACVIM (Large Animal), DABVP (Equine), its founding dean. A professor emerita and dean emerita of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University in College Station, Green will begin her work with Lyon on July 1, 2023, and will the college’s request for accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association's Council on Education.

In announcing the appointment, Lyon College President Dr. Melissa P. Taverner said the institution is excited for Green fill the new position. “Dr. Green is an innovative thinker with an impressive array of experiences in veterinary education, scholarship, and policy. Her professional connections to a wide variety of fields in the veterinary industry will be critically important as we construct an integrated experience-based curriculum to deliver the foundational training and preparation needed by practitioners in the 21st century,” said Taverner, in a statement released by the college.

Green is senior adviser/consultant for Animal Policy Group in Scottsdale, Arizona, and vice president of Iron Horse Consulting & Iron Horse Farm, LLC in Texas. She serves on the advisory board of Mars Veterinary Health and on the boards of directors of VetGuardian in Elyria, Ohio; Brief Media in Tulsa, Oklahoma; PetDesk in San Diego, California; the North American Veterinary Community’s Veterinary Innovation Council in Orlando, Florida; and Lead Changes in Jackson, Wyoming. She is also a member of the board of directors for the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.

Green received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Auburn University in Alabama. She has since held academic positions that include founding faculty member of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University in Mississippi State; equine clinician educator and scientist at Middlebush Equine Center at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in Columbia; head of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and hospital director of the Large Animal Hospital at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville; chair of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and the chief of staff of the Large Animal Hospital at the University of Florida; and Carl B. King Dean of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University. “After devoting most of my career to veterinary education and academic administration, I am humbled and excited to be named founding dean for the Lyon College School of Veterinary Medicine in Little Rock, Arkansas. The opportunity to shape a novel program from scratch is irresistible,” said Green, in the news release.

Green also noted that Lyon College, a private institution, has the flexibility and nimbleness to adapt in times of exponential change, which optimizes learning and ongoing relevance. “President Melissa Taverner and her team are committed to a conspicuously innovative and forward-thinking program, underpinned by a mindset of, ‘Let’s do it!’ Their collaborative spirit is palpable in an environment rich with potential unique partnerships. The existing student-centric culture will underpin veterinary education, as the needs and aspirations of its students, faculty, staff, and graduates, both individually and collectively, are championed,” added Green, in the news release. “Lyon College is entering veterinary education at a time of profound need, challenge, and opportunity. It is an exciting time to contribute to the advancement of veterinary education and healthcare in a world that benefits so much from its animals and the people who care for them.”

The Lyon College Faculty Assembly and Board of Trustees approved proposals to develop dental and veterinary schools in Little Rock in March 2022 with its partner OneHealth Education Group. In late November, the Higher Learning Commission Institutional Actions Council approved the college’s request to offer the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine professional degrees. Pending the accreditation approval, the inaugural class could start as early as 2025.

Reference

Lyon College announces founding dean of Lyon College School of Veterinary Medicine. News release. Lyon College. May 31, 2023. Accessed May 31, 2023. https://www.lyon.edu/news/posts/lyon-college-announces-founding-dean-of-lyon-college-school-of-veterinary-medicine