Dr. Jason Coe DVM, PhD – Ontario Veterinary College – University of Guelph Dr. Jason Coe is a Professor at the Ontario Veterinary College. After graduating from the College in 2001, he returned from mixed-animal practice to complete a PhD in the area of veterinary communications in 2008. In the same year, Jason joined the Ontario Veterinary College as a faculty member in the Department of Population Medicine where he has established an active research program examining human-animal relationships as well as the role of interpersonal communications on the outcomes of veterinary care. In his current role at the College, he coordinates the clinical-communication curriculum across all 4 years of the veterinary program and is involved in teaching students about the relationships that exist between people and animals. Over the past decade, Jason has established an international reputation for his leadership in veterinary communications, primary-care veterinary education and understanding the human-animal relationship. From 2010 to 2015, Jason held the Nestlé Purina PetCare Canada Chair in Communications dedicated to improving the relationship between companion animals and people through research and education. Jason currently holds the VCA Canada Chair in Relationship-Centred Veterinary Medicine (2021-2026), at the Ontario Veterinary College, dedicated to research and education in communication and relationship-building to improve the outcomes of veterinary care. As a result of his many achievements, Jason has been recognized by the Ontario Veterinary College Alumni Association as one of their Distinguished Young Alumnus and by the American Veterinary Medical Association with the 2021 Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award for his notable contributions to the veterinary profession.

Dr. Catherine Bouchard DVM, PhD – Public Health Agency of Canada manages the Ticks and Tick-borne diseases unit within the Public Health Risk Sciences division and she is a professor adjunct at Université de Montréal. Since completing her PhD at Université de Montréal (2014), Dr. Bouchard has worked in the field of vector-borne zoonoses and has created a comprehensive and creative research program in the field of tick-borne diseases (TBDs) that are emerging in response to changes in the climate and the environment. Her research is dedicated to improving the prevention and response toward emerging, re-emerging and/or endemic TBDs. Her research program is organized into four research axis: (1) Integrated risk assessment, (2) Understanding infection dynamics in natural hosts and the environment, (3) Optimizing integrated/One Health surveillance approaches, and (4) Innovation in risk reduction and health promotion. Her collaborative/participatory research and research-action-intervention activities align seamlessly with the One Health concept and reflect her significant experience in managing such initiatives. Dr. Bouchard's multifaceted contributions underscore her commitment to advancing knowledge and preventive actions in the field of public health.