The Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award

This year’s Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award was presented to Joseph Bender. The Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award is the most prestigious teaching award in veterinary medicine. It is presented annually to a faculty member at each college of veterinary medicine in the United States. Its purpose is “to improve veterinary medicine
education by recognizing outstanding instructors who, through their ability, dedication, character and leadership, contribute significantly to the advancement of the profession.” The entire Penn Vet student body votes on the recipient.

Dr. Bender is currently assistant professor of clinical dairy production medicine in dairy field investigation for the Center for Animal Health and Productivity at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center. He received his undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Findlay, and his veterinary and master of science degrees from Iowa State University.

Dr. Bender’s main area of work involves providing on-farm consultation to dairy farmers throughout Pennsylvania to improve production, profitability and well-being for both dairy cattle and producers. Primary interests and teaching include dairy farm management, nutrition, reproduction and on-farm interactions to help the sustainability of the Pennsylvania dairy industry.

Dr. Bender’s research projects focus on global food security and the role of animal agriculture; antibiotic resistance; and the Penn Wharton China Center’s sustainability project through the Penn China Research and Engagement Fund. His family dairy farm, located nearby, is where he spends most of his time away from Penn Vet.

Noted one student: “Dr. Bender is truly an inspiration to those he meets and teaches. I can attest to his enthusiasm that students in his classes exude after interactions with him. Dr. Bender is an enthusiastic educator, encouraging students to think logically about problems and to constantly scrutinize their preconceptions. He empowers students to think independently—when posed a question his retort is often advice on how to approach the problem rather than the answer. Despite his fondness of debate, he treats students, clients and colleagues with sincere respect. He spends countless hours outside of the classroom helping students with their own projects and providing invaluable mentorship.”

The William B. Boucher Award

The Boucher Award honors a house officer at New Bolton Center for excellent teaching, as was exemplified by William Boucher over four decades at Penn Vet.

This year’s winner is Caitlin Moore. Dr. Moore graduated from Penn Vet (V’16) where she is currently a resident in Internal Medicine at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center.

“When working with the students, Dr. Moore has a high level of empathy for them,” wrote a student. “She understands what it’s like be a student, and how scary and overwhelming it is, and how work just piles up and sometimes you just don’t know the answer. When she talks to students she really gets that and I’m so happy that the students recognize it too.”

Class of 2019 Philadelphia Campus Teaching Award

Deborah Mandell graduated from Penn Vet (V’93) where she also completed an internship and a residency in emergency and critical care medicine. After becoming board certified and moving to Maryland, she was a criticalist at VCA/Veterinary Referral Associates in Gaithersburg. In 2001, Dr. Mandell returned to Penn Vet, where she is currently a professor in emergency and critical care medicine and works in Ryan Hospital’s emergency room. Her clinical interests include ophthalmological emergencies and respiratory distress in cats.

As a pet safety advisor for the American Red Cross, she has provided expert review for Red Cross Dog First Aid and Cat First Aid guides, the Pet First Aid app, and the Cat and Dog First Aid online course. She has participated in multiple print interviews and live segments on Animal Radio. Dr. Mandell is also a member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council.

According to one student, “Few people are more invested in student learning than Dr. Mandell. Between her legendary CPR lab, her extraordinary teaching rounds and her willingness to provide hands-on experience, Dr. Mandell continues to go above and beyond for her students. On top of all that, she is also fun, brilliant and calm under pressure—a true role model.”

Class of 2019 New Bolton Center Teaching Award

Nikki Scherrer currently serves as an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center. She received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and graduated summa cum laude from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. She earned her veterinary degree from the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation Dr. Sherrer interned at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. Following this, she started a second rotating internship at New Bolton Center and a subsequent ophthalmology residency.

“As a student, it is impossible to work on a case with Dr. Scherrer and not be blown away by her incredible knowledge. But with this knowledge comes a great talent for translating the information to her students. I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Scherrer on multiple cases while out on rotation at New Bolton Center and they were some of the most rewarding cases I have been involved with at New Bolton. Not only did I learn a great deal about ophthalmology, but her mastery of client communication and the way she advocates for her patients was a joy to behold.”

Class of 2020 Philadelphia Campus Teaching Award

Rebecka Hess received her DVM degree in 1992 from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel. She completed an internship in small animal medicine in 1994 and a residency in small animal internal medicine in 1996, both at Penn Vet, where she is currently professor and chief of internal medicine. Dr. Hess was a 2019 winner of a Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching (Almanac March 26, 2019). Her research and publications focus on diabetes and other endocrinopathies in dogs and cats, topics she is invited to speak on nationally and internationally. She is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Said one student: “While there are some truly great lecturers, there are some that go beyond what is required, Dr. Rebecka Hess took time in class to check in with the students, summarized each major topic, signposted her lectures, and most of all, showed us empathy when it came to learning the challenging material that is small animal endocrine disease.”

Class of 2020 New Bolton Center Teaching Award

Michael Pesato received his undergraduate degree from the University of Findlay and his veterinary degree from Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. After completing an internship and subsequent Field Service residency at New Bolton Center, he accepted a position of lecturer in food animal field service. Dr. Pesato’s clinical focus is on overall health and productivity of cattle and small ruminants. He is especially interested in working with small ruminant farms and small bovine herds to develop herd management strategies and preventative healthcare plans. He also enjoys community outreach activities and educating the public on food animal topics. Dr. Pesato received The William B. Boucher Award in 2017 (Almanac May 23, 2017).

According to one student, “Dr. Pesato spends countless hours in and out of the classroom to teach small- and large-animal students alike. He volunteers his weekends to wet labs, teaches the basics of rectal palpation in Large Animal block, and comforts and guides students when they must remediate their pre-clinical assessment.”

Class of 2021 Laboratory Teaching Award

Deborah Gillette attended Purdue University as an undergraduate and veterinary school at Cornell University. After completing a pathology residency at Penn Vet, she earned a PhD in comparative pathology at University of California, Davis, and became board certified. Dr. Gillette joined the faculty at the University of Wisconsin for one year before joining the pathology faculty at New Bolton Center. During this time she received a master’s degree in health professions education from Penn’s Graduate School of Education.  Dr. Gillette left Penn Vet to become a pathologist in the toxicology department of Rohm and Haas Company (now part of Dow Chemical). After retiring from industry, she returned to Penn Vet in 2018, working for the pathology department at the Philadelphia campus. Dr. Gillette also serves as photo editor for the journal Veterinary Pathology.

“Dr. Gillette always has a smile for us during our pathology wet labs,” noted a student. “She is one of the most friendly and helpful teachers we have. She really encourages us to make diagnoses like actual doctors.”

Class of 2021 Lecture Teaching Award

Julie Engiles graduated from Penn Vet in 2002 and completed a surgical internship at the New Jersey Equine Clinic 2003, followed by an anatomic pathology residency at Penn Vet. She is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. She was hired in 2007 as an assistant professor of pathology at New Bolton Center, which provides autopsy and biopsy services for the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Lab Services (PADLS). Dr. Engiles’ research and teaching interests include orthopedic pathology, equine laminitis and gastrointestinal pathology.

“When we hear ‘soggy nachos’ we now think of osteochondritis dissecans,” noted a student. “Dr. Engiles’ enthusiasm and positive energy made her lectures engaging and easy to follow. She went out of her way to provide us with practice cases to apply the information we were learning in class.”

Class of 2022 Laboratory Teaching Award

Peter Hand received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University, then graduated from Penn Vet in 1961. He earned his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1964. Dr. Hand is currently an emeritus professor of anatomy after a 35-year career at Penn Vet, and he continues to help out during anatomy labs.

One student wrote that “Dr. Hand always has something nice or encouraging to say, especially during histology point and shoot, or when handing you a clipboard as you’re walking into your anatomy practical. He is humble, polite and extremely knowledgeable in his field.”

Class of 2022 Lecture Teaching Award

Elizabeth Woodward joined the department of biomedical sciences in 2016 as a clinical assistant professor. Prior to her faculty appointment, she held postdoctoral research appointments in the Reference Andrology Laboratory at New Bolton Center and at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center, where she also earned her doctorate studying equine reproductive physiology. As faculty, she is course organizer for physiology, teaches anatomy, serves on several College committees, and is a faculty adviser for the Wine Club. Her research interests are in the field of reproductive physiology, specifically in the areas of sperm physiology and equine endometritis.

“Dr. Woodward goes above and beyond to answer our questions in a way that benefits the entire class, and even consults new research to do so,” said a student. “If you email a question, she will make an additional PowerPoint slide to answer it, and incorporate that slide into the next lecture so everyone is on the same page. You might find her in the courtyard, shouting through a megaphone, choreographing students into a complex dance that roughly resembles a functional beating heart. We’re really lucky to have someone who cares as much as she does, and we’re certainly grateful for her.”